Cycling route
By bike from Hajnówka to the European bison
A Forest classic: 20 km along a forest trail from the station in Hajnówka to the European Bison Show Reserve.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Route lines are based on OSM data; on the ground, follow the trail markings.
Beyond the last houses of Hajnówka the road enters the forest and does not leave it. For twenty kilometres you ride under a vault of hornbeam, oak and spruce crowns, and the only sounds are tyres on gravel and a woodpecker somewhere high up. If you are lucky, a roe deer or a wild boar will flash by on the verge. At the finish the bison are waiting. In the reserve for certain, and if you arrive early, sometimes in the wild too.
The route step by step
Hajnówka
Start at the PKP railway station. You can rent a bike in town; it is worth reserving one the day before.
Forest sections of the trail
The trail leads through the Forest away from traffic. Stick to the markings, because forest tracks fork.
European Bison Show Reserve
The finish is at the reserve car park. From here it is close to the Royal Oaks Trail and Żebra Żubra.
Practicalities
Surface
asphalt and compacted gravel, flat
Best time
April–October
Start / Finish
Hajnówka → European Bison Show Reserve
Frequently asked questions
How many kilometres is it by bike from Hajnówka to Białowieża?
To the European Bison Show Reserve approx. 20 km, to the centre of Białowieża another approx. 5 km.
See also
Royal Oaks Trail
A short wooden boardwalk, under a kilometre, among oaks that remember the Jagiellons.
0.6 km30–45 mineasyŻebra Żubra
A boardwalk through a swamp forest from Białowieża towards the bison reserve. Wet, green and very wild.
2.7 km1–1.5 hrs one wayeasyThe Tsar’s Path to lunch
A walk from the Palace Park to the former tsarist station, where a restaurant now stands.
3.1 km45–60 min one wayeasyThe guide on your phone
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Your base: Klejniki
Every route in this guide starts within an hour of our house. After a day out, a tiled stove, a kitchen with a wood-fired range and silence are waiting for you.