Walking route
Royal Oaks Trail
A short wooden boardwalk, under a kilometre, among oaks that remember the Jagiellons.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Route lines are based on OSM data; on the ground, follow the trail markings.
These oaks were growing here before anyone had invented the word “Poland” in today’s sense. Each tree bears the name of a ruler: Sigismund the Old, Władysław Jagiełło, Bona. The boardwalk is short, but you cannot walk it quickly, because every few steps you are craning your neck. The oldest trunks are overgrown with moss and lichen, and some giants already lie on the ground, slowly turning back into forest.
The route step by step
Trail entrance
Car park by the Hajnówka–Białowieża road, not far from the European Bison Show Reserve.
Loop among the oaks
Signs by the trees tell the stories of the rulers whose names they bear.
Practicalities
Surface
wooden boardwalk
Best time
all year
Start / Finish
Trail entrance · loop
Frequently asked questions
Is the trail accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs?
The boardwalk is flat but narrow, and in places has steps. With a baby buggy it is usually possible; with a wheelchair it may be difficult.
See also
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.
20 km1.5–2 hrs one wayeasyŻebra 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 wayeasy
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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.