Belovezhskaya Pushcha Nature Reserve, where it is located. Belovezhskaya Pushcha - a place that will be dreamed of Animals of Belovezhskaya Pushcha drawings in pencil

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the visiting card of Belarus. One of the main places to visit when visiting this country. Belovezhskaya Pushcha occupies a lot of space on the map of Belarus.

The ancient primeval forest is known all over the world for its gigantic bison, centuries-old trees, and the diversity of flora and fauna. This is one of the places where you can plunge into a magical, enchanting world, where fairy tales and legends have been born since time immemorial.

The Belovezhskaya Pushcha Nature Reserve is located on the territory of two states: Poland and Belarus. In the Republic of Belarus it lies in two regions: Grodno and Brest, and occupies three districts: Svisloch, Ruzhansky and Kamenets.

There are a huge number of ancient plants in the forest area. Their average age is about eighty years. But you can also find oak trees that are over three hundred years old! Dozens of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and hundreds of insect species live in the Pushcha.

The flora is very rich. Many plants that grow on the territory of the Pushcha are listed in the Red Book. There are no natural lakes in the forest; there are many artificial reservoirs made by human hands.

In Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the forest has been preserved untouched - the same as it was many centuries ago. These types of plants and animals could previously be found throughout Europe. But the forest there was cut down as a result of thoughtless human economic activity. Therefore, it is worth coming to the reserve to see what nature was like many hundreds of years ago.

Choose Excursions in Belarus.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha photo:

Belovezhskaya Pushcha has the status of a national park, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The creation of a reserve is a huge step for the conservation of the flora and fauna of our planet. The country is very proud of its nature reserve and allocates enough funds to finance it.

History of the Pushcha

Belovezhskaya Pushcha was first mentioned in chronicles in the nine hundred years of our era. Here Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh hunted for roe deer, deer, wild boars and other wild animals. Then a fortress was built here, which was called the Kamenets Vezha (tower). It has survived to this day and is located in the regional center of the Brest region, the city of Kamenets. It was from this that the name of the Pushcha came. Initially the tower was white.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when riots and civil wars raged in Belarus, rebels gathered here. The Pushcha was a place of refuge for them to discuss further plans and the progress of the rebellion.

The forest suffered from the fact that trees were cut down en masse and animals were killed. Unfortunately, some species of flora and fauna have disappeared from the face of the earth forever. Some animals are listed in the Red Book.

During the Great Patriotic War, partisans hid in the Pushcha. There were partisan bases here; they lived in entire detachments with their wives and children.

On December 8, 1991, it was on the territory of the Pushcha that the decision was made to create the CIS.

There is a very popular song performed by VIA “Pesnyary” under the direction of Vladimir Mulyavin “Belovezhskaya Pushcha”. There the Pushcha is called “a protected distance” and “our parental shelter.” This is true.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is described very interestingly in the book by Vladimir Korotkevich “The Land under White Wings” and in the novel by the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz “The Flood”.

Bison of the reserve

The most powerful animal of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the bison. He is rightfully considered the owner of the forest. This beast weighs about a ton and reaches three meters in length. Due to the fact that bison hunting was once very popular, these animals were practically wiped off the face of the earth. Their numbers have become catastrophically small. There were several dozen of them left by the beginning of the twentieth century. Hunting bison was a profitable and uncomplicated business. These animals are quite peaceful and are never the first to attack humans. They have valuable fur.

In the forties, after the war, people began to work closely on restoring the number of bison. On the territory of the Pushcha, their original habitat, a nursery was created where the bison were settled. Now the situation has improved.

In the Pushcha, bison can be seen in huge enclosures. They come to feed together with other animals: moose, deer, roe deer. There are smaller mammals: wolf, fox, squirrel, badger, raccoon, marten, hare. All these animals can be seen in their natural habitat.

Tourist complex

Do you want to see Belovezhskaya Pushcha and relax there? To do this, it is better to come to the village of Kamenyuki, which is located near the city of Kamenets in the Brest region, where the tourist complex is located. There is a hotel for tourists, several cafes, animal enclosures, a nature museum and… the estate of the Belarusian Father Frost. Now let's take a closer look at each of these objects.

Hotel

Located on the territory of the complex. It’s very good to wake up in the morning to the singing of birds, breathe in the air of a virgin forest, and before breakfast watch the bison come to feed. But renting a room there is quite expensive. It would be better to stay at a hotel in the village of Kamenyuki, which is located two kilometers from the tourist complex. Or rent housing in the city of Kamenets itself.

Cafe

The main feature of cafeterias on the territory of the Pushcha is that you can order Pushchanka there. This is a strong seventy-proof alcoholic drink. Simply put, vodka, which is made at a factory near Pushcha. Charka Pushchanka is very popular among tourists. Some even buy several bottles and take them with them as a souvenir.

Museum of Nature

A unique place. There are a lot of interesting installations with stuffed animals, primitive people, and their ancient dwellings.

You can learn about the history of the Pushcha and animal species. The guide will tell you about what animals and birds eat and how they live.

The museum contains herbariums and photographs of rare plants. Here you can also hear many stories and legends associated with Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Father Frost's estate

Grandfather Frost lives in the very heart of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. He has a large estate, many servants. The estate was opened on December sixteenth, 2003. You can get there by bus or bicycle. Santa Claus lives ten kilometers from the entrance to the tourist complex.

There is a cafeteria at Grandfather’s estate where you can warm up in winter by drinking Pushchanka and tasting the original Belarusian dish - potato pancakes. Fairy assistants greet arriving guests. They also give tours for guests. On the estate there are many installations, statues and figures made by talented wood carvers. These are, for example, statues of the twelve months. Tourists love to take pictures with their birth month. There are fairy-tale characters: the frog princess, the bun, the fox and the crane, Baba Yaga, Koschey.

There is an apiary with bees, figures of the fairy-tale snow white and the seven dwarfs. All this is made of wood by the best craftsmen of Belarus.

Frost lives in a two-story mansion. The Snow Maiden's house is much smaller. Grandfather Frost welcomes guests in his house all year round. He has four outfits: a linen suit and a straw hat save Grandfather from the summer heat, a warm fur coat and hat keep him warm in winter. In Grandfather's mansion there is a large wooden bed on which there are seven pillows. The same number of days in a week. In the center of the house there is a throne room, where, under the light of light bulbs, there is a carved throne made of several types of wood. The top of its back is decorated with two pine martens, and the armrests represent the heads of horses with developing manes. The legs of the throne are made in the shape of a horse's hooves.

Grandfather Frost has many guests. He meets everyone on the threshold of his mansion and wishes them a good day. True, for him to leave his house, Grandfather needs to be called loudly.

Unlike the children's favorite Father Frost, who can be visited all year round, the Snow Maiden appears on the estate only in winter. It is believed that if you look into the Snow Maiden’s house, women will become more beautiful, men will become stronger, and children will become healthier.

To the left of the entrance you can look into the Kagorta house. This is Baba Yaga's younger sister. She knows a lot about medicinal herbs, knows how to prepare infusions and decoctions, and heal diseases.

There is a fabulous map of Russia and Belarus in the estate. The map shows the places of residence of various wizards of both countries, who united to create magic and goodness together.

The arrow nearby indicates the distances to the magical residences of the friends of the Belarusian Father Frost. As well as a map of the estate itself with signs.

A huge spruce tree grows in the center of the estate. For the New Year it is decorated with lights, toys and garlands. In winter, she is protected by Mother Winter. In summer the Forest Fairy wanders here.

It is very interesting to look into the small house next to the mansion of Father Frost. This is Skarbnitsa. Here stands Grandfather’s throne, a chest, and the table at which he works. Letters and drawings from children from all over Belarus are also stored here. If you wish, you can write a letter to Grandfather Frost right there. You can even sit on the throne, hold the magic staff and make a wish.

Behind Skarbnitsa there is a museum of folk life. Here you can see wicker baskets, utensils, a loom, a stupa, and other household items of ancient times. They are all covered with frost because Mother Winter touched them.

There is a Magic Mill in a fairy-tale estate that will grind and destroy all your bad thoughts, deeds, and actions. She will erase them into dust and sand. That's why you can see sandbags inside the mill.

The estate will be interesting not only for children, but also for adults. You can come here in summer, winter, spring and autumn. There is wonderful air, beautiful views, an interesting program. An organized tourist complex allows you not to worry about food and accommodation.

Cycling is popular among tourists. The tourist complex has bicycle rentals and neat bike paths. Don't forget to take your camera with you. There will be many wonderful shots for your archive.

On the territory of Father Frost's estate there are several souvenir shops where you can buy magical items: bast shoes, horseshoes, postcards, chocolate for good luck.

Watch a film about Belovezhskaya Pushcha:

Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Documentary

How to get there?

The distance from Minsk to the Pushcha is about four hundred kilometers. You can get there by personal transport. Free parking is provided on the territory of the Pushcha.

A minibus goes to Kamenyuki, and buses also go here.

In winter, it is best to call in advance to make hotel reservations. Here you can Buy tickets for your trip

It is also better to sign up for a tour in advance. After all, there are a lot of people who want to provide themselves with a New Year’s mood.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is compared to Sherwood Forest, where Robin Hood lived. It’s great that a piece of the past with an area of ​​more than eighty thousand hectares has been preserved on earth! Therefore, you must visit here at least once in your life to see everything with your own eyes.

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March 13th, 2017 , 01:00 pm

The name "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" is well known to all residents of the former USSR, if only thanks to the famous song made famous by the Pesnyary group. This is such a well-known brand that came from the Soviet Union, like “Uchkuduk - three wells” or “the house with a carved palisade.” Some say that there is nothing more than this - an ordinary forest, of which there are many in almost every region of Russia. But for me, Belovezhskaya Pushcha became one of the most powerful impressions of recent years. The story below is about those corners of this magical place that I was able to see.

1. From Belovezhskaya Pushcha 50 kilometers. About halfway along the route is the ancient town of Kamenets. The next story will be about him. Immediately after Kamenets, the route is flanked by two deer, indicating the approach to the reserve:

2. Entrance, entrance and all related services are located in the village of Kamenyuki, which is overly neat and polished even by Belarusian standards. Immediately outside the gates of the reserve there is a complex of buildings - a visitor center, a hotel, a restaurant, a museum, and a couple of small cafes. The hotel and restaurant in the background is decorated in a style that is surprisingly recognizable for post-Soviet Belarus. What’s interesting is that she has a twin brother: the Nature Museum at the Voronezh Nature Reserve. The fact is that this is a standard project from Soviet times, and here it was also built as a museum. It has been repurposed and re-registered in our time. In front of it is a monument dedicated to Soviet soldiers who died in June 1941 on the territory of the Pushcha. Unfortunately, the protected status did not protect this place from wars.

3. The easiest and fastest way to get to know the forest is to join a sightseeing bus tour, which takes place twice a day. You just need to arrive at the main entrance to the reserve at the start of the excursion and buy a relatively inexpensive ticket. You will be driven around the territory in such a MAZ (in Belarus, in general, they try to use their products wherever possible). The bus is not exactly old, but it rattles quite a bit. Against this background, the guide’s suggestion to look more carefully out the windows in search of animals looks mocking - from this rumbling vehicle, the animals most likely scatter several kilometers away.

5. During the excursion, visitors are taken around the territory, stopped near the most remarkable places, given a general educational program, and also told fun facts from the life of the reserve. It cannot be said that individual objects of the Pushcha are very interesting, but the general atmosphere of a sleepy and cozy spring forest envelops you almost immediately. The branches of the trees wonderfully close over the road, forming a kind of gallery:

6. One of the objects where the bus stops are bridges with a double-headed eagle, which have remained here since the times when the royalty of the Russian Empire loved to hunt in these places:

7. Many objects of the reserve are marked with information signs with a brief description of the attraction in Russian and English. Specifically, on this one you can read about the “royal” bridges. Belovezhskaya Pushcha, by the way, is unexpectedly generously flavored with symbols of the European Union:

8. Its age is clearly visible from the bridge. Obviously, there is very little traffic here, which allowed it to survive without much reconstruction:

10. It is a restored (judging by the appearance, from scratch) estate. This museum should give an idea of ​​the life of the indigenous population of Pushcha villages:

11. Inside there is an exposition of pre-revolutionary life in Pushcha:

12. The museum should be something like Kizhi or Vitoslavlitsy. But, of course, there is no comparison. After them, it’s frankly boring here: everything here is new, the walls and floors are decorated with clapboard, as if in a bathhouse, on the walls, among the ancient belongings and utensils, elements of modern life are visible. But people are trying to create a high-quality tourist area here, for which they definitely have great respect.

14. We pass Lyadskoye Lake - the largest in the reserve. It looks very picturesque. And you can’t tell that this is just a reservoir created in the 1960s:

15. Next stop is the 600-year-old Patriarch Oak. Although it is one of the largest and oldest in the reserve, there are, nevertheless, larger and older ones here. It’s just that this one is conveniently located not far from the road, so they put a sign near it and take tourists here:

16. One of the interesting stories associated with Belovezhskaya Pushcha is about a pack of wolves that terrorized both the animal inhabitants of the reserve and people. They say it was one of the most ferocious wolf packs in the history of these places. They could not be caught for a very long time, and when they finally succeeded, it turned out that the leader of the pack was a service shepherd dog that had escaped from the border outpost. It turns out that this happens sometimes, and packs led by feral dogs are the most dangerous for people, because... The dog's fear of man has been dulled, which is innate in "pure" wolves.

17. We pass by a bison feeder. This is not an aviary or a paddock, it is just a barn with food in the middle of the forest. There are no fences between the shooting location and the feeding trough, to the left of which the bison is visible. This is the only place in the Pushcha where we saw a free-roaming animal:

19. His visit is paid additionally. At the exit of the bus near the enclosures, only those who have paid extra for visiting are released. At the same time, the territory of the zoo is not fenced in any way, and you can simply walk to it from the entrance. In this case, as I understand it, strict reserve employees may ask to see a ticket and, if it is not available, force you to leave the area near the enclosures:

20. Thanks to the spacious enclosures, the surrounding forest and the absence of crowds of visitors eager to feed the animals with chips, it is even better here than in other zoos:

22. A bus tour allows you to superficially appreciate all the most interesting things. For a more detailed study of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, walking and cycling trips are provided. It's too long to walk here on foot; you can't do it without spending the night. But the bike is just that. Having paid the amount corresponding to a particular route to the cashier, you receive a map of this route and a bicycle for rent, for the time during which, in the opinion of the compilers, you will have time to travel around this route.

23. We chose the ten-kilometer route "Tsarskaya Polyana". I’ll say right away: the time calculated by the management of the reserve for the route was more than enough. We drove slowly, stopped and took pictures at every oak tree and clearing, sometimes we just sat down to breathe in the purest pine air. As a result, we returned about five minutes before the end of the allotted time.

24. Speaking of spending the night: on the territory of the Pushcha there are guest houses and all sorts of “fisherman’s houses”, so spending several days here is more than possible. It seems that this is not possible with tents. Already being in the reserve, I realized that it would be great to stay here for a few days, but, unfortunately, the trip was already planned in advance.

25. Perhaps the only problem with a bicycle voyage through the reserve is the huge tourist buses driving along these narrow paths. They drove us around in a miniature MAZ, but all the other buses on these roads were high intercity buses. Apparently, the majority travel on organized tours, and they are taken around the Pushcha on the same buses that take them from the city. They race through the forest, God forbid, so while riding a bicycle I constantly had to listen to see if the engine of this colossus was roaring somewhere around the bend.

26. As I already said, when you pay for a cycling route, you are given a booklet with a map and a description of noteworthy points along the route. On the ground, they are all marked with corresponding posters with descriptions:

27. This growth on a tree trunk, for example, is romantically called the “bison head”:

28. In addition to the booklet, signs at forks also guide the routes at the very least:

29. In principle, no one will control your movements. The main thing is to return on time and return the bike, but not to interfere with the border posts. But from an educational point of view, for the first time it is interesting to explore the proposed attractions.

30. A carved figure of a cat was inserted into the hollow of a thick hermit oak:

31. Grown pines:

32. One of the attractions of the route is this section of the road. The fact is that it was laid along the line of a narrow-gauge railway that existed at the beginning of the 20th century. The Germans organized an extensive network of narrow-gauge railways with a total length of more than 300 kilometers here in 1915. During the First World War, they occupied a significant part of Belarus, including Belovezhskaya Pushcha, and began to export resources, in particular timber, from here at a sprinting pace. The railway network was built hastily, using Russian and French prisoners of war, as well as local residents. It was used for exporting wood. The Poles continued to operate the line, into whose hands the Pushcha fell after the war. No one else could repeat the damage that the Germans and Poles caused to the reserve.

Or how we met Santa Claus in the primeval forests of the Motherland

Chapter 1. Flora and fauna of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Terrible secrets of the primeval forest.

The bison is a large, shaggy-haired cow. This cow weighs approximately 600-800 kg. But this particular bull in the photo weighed 1200 kg. This is one of the first 5 bison that were brought to the Pushcha from Poland after the Great Patriotic War. It successfully reproduced there. And now we have 312 bison in Belarus. And if they multiply any more, they will devour the Pushcha. Therefore, they are now being actively exported to other friendly countries....5 zubriks will soon leave for Moldova.

But there are no bears in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Back in the day, when there were few bison and they were on the verge of extinction, vile bears drove them onto the ice of the lake in winter and the bison, like large cows on ice, simply crashed. Significantly superior in strength to bison, bears killed them with one blow to the back. Therefore, hunting bears in the Pushcha has always been permitted, and at present there are only two bears left there - Misha and Masha, who were sleeping peacefully in the enclosures while we were looking at them.

When does a deer grow antlers?

No, that's wrong. A deer grows antlers in its second year of life. And they don’t grow straight away into bones, but into fluffy ones. Such super cool velor horns. And every year a horn grows on them. That is, the age of a deer or elk = the number of antler shoots + 1. However, there are exceptions to the rule. Starting from a certain period of aging (for each individual), the number of processes decreases in the opposite direction. So an old moose is a bald moose.

Females do not grow horns. They get much more. I was “placed” by the antlers in this angle to take pictures with the deer.

Well, let's move on to storks. It turns out that storks are not swans at all. T But a stork man doesn’t care at all who he lives with. Returning from the south to his nest, a male stork may meet there a completely different female stork, and not his wife. However, a scandal cannot be avoided. The missus arrives later (well, she was delayed..) and what she sees is treason and betrayal. The male stork leaves the nest and gives the ladies the opportunity to find out for themselves this piquant question - who will live with him... It all ends sadly - one of the storks is forced to leave the nest and her stork. It's good if there are no casualties. And the stork takes it for granted.

Women storks are generally cruel birds...U Nothing will work out between a white stork and a black one, because the white lady simply doesn’t understand what the black one wants from her? That is, love, courtship and all that stuff for God’s sake, but they don’t know how to make children. Learn the materiel, as they say.

Beavers. Beavers are kind, as you know. But in the advertisement we are shown a seemingly terminally ill beaver at the end of his days. In life, beavers have yellow, even yellow-brown teeth, and the darker they are, the stronger and more valuable they are for the beaver. but when white spots appear on them, this is a dental disease, which is naturally extremely undesirable for a beaver.

Wolves are not uncommon in Pushcha. A wolf differs from a dog fundamentally in that its tail is always tucked between its legs and never curled.

There are no less interesting birds in Belovezhskaya Pushcha - black grouse and wood grouse. I think many people know why is a capercaillie called a capercaillie - he is completely deaf when he sings his mating songs, and it’s not for nothing that he is deaf - he sings disgustingly. That is, it’s good for him, but for everyone else... And when he sings like this, you can remove him from the tree with your bare hands, which hunters have always used. So about the morals of these birds. They can mate with each other, although the birds are completely different. And their offspring are called the unflattering word mezhnyak. And this mezhnyak is barren in pursuit of multi-colored storks.

Foxes are the most arrogant and dirty animals, among the inhabitants of the forest. Literally. They never clean their holes and, excuse me, poop where they eat. Unlike badgers. Those cleanest animals, and often they clean up after the foxes their own holes that the foxes have occupied.

The raccoon dog is our Belarusian opossum. Just a little bit - she immediately pretends to be dead, and if you kick her, so to speak... to check her deadness... she jumps up and runs away with a wild squeal...

Lynxes have wide paws so they can run through the snow without falling through, and a small heart so they don’t have to run after their prey for a long time. Either right away or never is their motto. If it was not possible to grab it right away, then the lynx may simply die while catching up with it, which it certainly does not want, and the prey is released on its own.

Among the nocturnal inhabitants there are, of course, bats of all different varieties.... As you know, bats navigate using ultrasound. This was established through animal cruelty- first they were blindfolded... and they all oriented themselves perfectly... Then they bandaged their nose... and at least they had something... And then they got to their ears... I can’t guarantee the purity of this experiment... still according to I’m telling you from memory... but nevertheless, as a result, they found out that they are guided by ultrasound... Everyone also probably knows that our cauldrons often get tangled in their hair... And all because hair does not reflect ultrasound... And then scientists found out that white color also does not reflect ultrasound. And I somehow felt creepy in this museum. Blondes should not go into caves with mice. Especially for blondes :)

All kinds of reptiles, insects and plants simply flood the Pushcha. You still can’t tell about them all... but I must say they are impressive....

Chapter 2. Belarusian Santa Claus.

So, let's move on to the second part of our journey - meeting with Santa Claus.

This is the official residence of Father Frost. There are four of them officially registered on earth, so to speak - Santa Claus lives in Lapland; in Alaska we must assume the same; Russian Father Frost lives in Veliky Ustyug; and ours is in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Also Santa Claus. Well, it’s clear that grandpa alone can’t cope. There are four of them... but it doesn’t matter :)

Electrical elements of the Residence

That's what he is!!! Summer! Talked to us. I wished you all the best and fulfillment of all your desires. The children gave him their letters directly into his hands! Overall it was actually pretty cool. Actually for real. And then we went for a walk around his property. The real world of a fairy tale. It was truly magical to meet the REAL SANTA CLAUS!

Vitalik was lucky - he found his frog princess. And an amazing tree is black alder. This is the only tree that sheds green leaves in the fall!

And also on the way

A mill that you had to touch and it would grind all the bad deeds done during the year, and the gnomes would then take them far into the forest. And if you then behave well, then this evil will never return to you. Teremki, Dwarfs and Snow White and other fairy tale heroes - there were a lot of them! The pond where the frog princess lives. Magic well. And then we came across a clearing of twelve months. You had to touch your month and make a wish - it would definitely come true.

Fraternization with dwarves. High five!

Emelina pike

Ilya made a wish at the snowball. It will definitely come true

The Little Humpbacked Horse

These gnomes love mushrooms...

Minor saxophonist

Magic pond where the Frog Princess lives

Around the Christmas tree... gnomes are also no strangers to progress

Buratino of course on Tortilla

New fairy tales. Ilya and the wolf. Fury is wooden and in the flesh

New fairy tales. Masha, Sasha and the bear

Golden comb cockerel

Just a gnome

Good old tales - Anfisa

February is the second brother month. You had to touch your month and make a wish

The Frog Princess in person. Men kiss her to find their other half

Here she is! Beautiful mega-tree of the country! Only in summer. Around it, hundreds of children dance in circles in winter and sing the most famous song about the New Year and the Christmas tree. Song - “A Christmas tree was born in the forest!” By the way, in 2006 I turned 101 years old. And the words were written to her by an unknown school librarian from some village... I don’t remember anymore. And the music was composed much later.

She is very tall, and most importantly....real....and beautiful....you could wring your neck to see the top. 40 meters. Attention - THE HIGHEST LIVING EUROPEAN TREE. She is 120 years old!!! There was also something to see around the tree.

There is also “Skarbnitsa” is a repository of gifts, as well as letters, drawings, photographs and crafts sent by children to Santa Claus. And this is us sitting in the chair of Santa Claus while grandfather is away. This office also houses a museum of Santa Claus, which contains antiques.

A very beautiful flowerbed near Skarbnitsa

There is a museum of antiquities in Grandfather's office. Stupa for your attention!

In Grandfather's chair. And around - all the children's gifts to Santa Claus

There was also the Snow Maiden's house there. Only the Snow Maiden does not live there. And she was not there. She only comes in winter. But we found out who her father is))))).... The snowman is her father. Mom unknown

Chapter 3. Live wild animals.

And then we went to the enclosures to look at the same wild animals that we were told about in the museum. It turned out that they are not wild at all. The bison were really far away, the bears were sleeping, and some of them didn’t come out of their holes either. But many did not refuse to eat.

Warned - wild animals! Let's go to the enclosures.

Animals reproduce well in the Pushcha. Young shoots

Bison are the kings of the forest. Waiting to be sent to Moldova

A four-year-old deer snatched a carrot from my hands

No one refused to eat. The moose ate some bread

We had a great trip and had a great time. There is amazing nature there. The air is clean there. I saw the real Santa Claus. I made wishes and I already want to go there in winter - for the New Year.

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The case when expectation and reality did not coincide (

What do you imagine when you hear Belovezhskaya Pushcha? Personally, I - “The Reserved Chant, the commanded daaaaal”, a huge dense forest through which you walk, enjoy the fresh air and accidentally meet either a bison or an elk)

After all, we were told from childhood that this is the main Belarusian nature reserve, almost the best attraction in the country. Perhaps many people think so, but I have a completely different opinion. Unfortunately(

What do we actually have?

Most of the Pushcha is closed to the public, because... This is a border area, only a specially designated area is accessible to tourists. Something like this.

You drive up to the parking lot, leave your car, and go to the ticket office.

Prices for visiting

There is a lot of information, even too much, but the girls at the ticket office are polite and friendly, they help you find your way around the services.

Among the services offered:

• Enclosures with wild animals - 3 rubles per person.
• A visit to the Museum of Nature and the Museum of Folk Life - 3.50 rubles per person.
• Excursion to visit Santa Claus by bus, available all year round. With making wishes, round dances, jokes and gifts. 8.50 rubles per person.
• Others: tour guides, audio guides and others.

You can buy tickets only at the box office at the entrance, only for white. rubles You can pay in cash or by credit card.

Right there, near the entrance, there is a rental of bicycles and other vehicles (for example, sleds in winter).

There are several routes, cycling and walking. And they are all paid, they all have their own cost) Moreover, even if you ride your own bike or walk on your own feet.

And here are 2 things I don’t understand: 1) what is the reason for this payment, depreciation of asphalt or something? 2) the routes start at a decent distance from the main entrance. If, out of ignorance, you didn’t buy a ticket right away, then what, go back?)

Strange, very strange.

Enclosures with animals in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

A very sad sight. Maybe they look good in winter, but on a sunny summer day, when it’s +30 outside, it all looks like cruelty to animals. Bears were especially not spared(

The enclosures are really big, but not for the bears. But for some reason the trees were cut down, and the animals are sitting in the wasteland. This is how bison walk under the scorching sun.

And they sit on heaps of sand. I’m not a biologist and I could be wrong, but in my opinion, this bears little resemblance to the natural conditions familiar to bison.

The situation is similar with deer.

Red deer with huge antlers sit in a swamp.

The coolest, shady area is near the horses.

And here come the bears.

2 bears, in 2 small cages with bars. In the photo he climbs into a trough to cool off in the water - and guess what? There is practically no water there. Just to drink (I don’t understand why this is happening to them.

Leva liked everything, but the adults around him were somewhat puzzled by what they saw.

You can ride around the territory on a horse-drawn carriage or on a children's train.

It seems to me that the surest option for visiting the Pushcha is to ride one of the cycling routes, but on the other hand, if there is someone in your company who does not ride, there is not much entertainment for him.

Maybe it’s a good walk – I don’t rule out that possibility. But again, if someone in your company does not like or cannot walk for a long time, he will frankly have nothing to do.

The forest itself is incomparable, but the infrastructure and organization are confusing.

And nature is beautiful, there are no questions about nature.

Where to eat in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

There are several places within the national park where you can sit, relax and eat.

Not far from the enclosures there is a cafe “Forest Fairy Tale”. The prices are quite affordable, there is a large selection. But the guys work a little strangely) If there are a little more orders in the kitchen than usual, then panic reigns in the establishment, and no one is responsible for anything)

On the day we arrived, schoolchildren were being fed lunch in this cafe. A notice was posted at the entrance that the establishment was closed for special services. In fact, it turned out that everything works, only a) the waiter won’t come to you, go order it yourself; b) not all positions are available; c) wait 40 minutes for any dish.

As a result, we sat down to eat at the Sosny cafe.

I can’t say that it was super tasty, but rather filling. But all the food is edible, and I really liked the fruit drink.

There is another cafe on the estate of Father Frost. And I think there should be a few more in other places.

Souvenirs

There is no shortage of souvenirs.

There are many of them, they are different and quite inexpensive. Magnets, figurines, plates with bison, wild boars, bears and much more.

Similar tents are located between the central entrance and the enclosures.

Working hours

• The cash desk is open from 9.00 to 18.00
• Bicycle rental - from 9.00 to 18.00
• Museum of Nature - from 9.00 to 18.00
• Residence of Father Frost - from 9.00 to 18.00, buses depart at 11:00, 13:30 and 16:00

How to get there

You need to get to the village of Kamenyuki.

It is located approximately 150 km from Brest. Regular buses go here, some of them drive right to the gates of the national park, some don’t, but the walk from the station is no more than a kilometer. The schedule can be viewed on the website ticketbus.by.

The distance from Minsk is about 360 km, you can only get there by your own transport, the road is good.

Hotels in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

There are good accommodation options in and around the national park. You can search for them on various resources.

I've been really enjoying natural attractions lately. The sight of many of them literally blows your mind. Over the past year, Tanya and I have already visited three national parks in three different European countries. We rock climbed in Spanish; admired the crystal surface of rivers and lakes in Poland; and then wandered through the amber forests in . And each of these places was magnificent in its own way.

That is why in January 2016 Tanya and I decided to visit another national park. This time – located on the territory of our own homeland. I think you understand what we are talking about. Therefore, I will say right away: Belovezhskaya Pushcha completely and completely met all my expectations. Covered in a lace of January snows, the oldest forest in Europe looked amazingly beautiful and somehow even a little fabulous in winter. Massive silhouettes of centuries-old trees stretched somewhere towards the heavens. And therefore, from just the sight of dense thickets with narrow ribbons of paths, lost around the next turn, some strange feeling of inspiration appeared in my soul. Somewhere overhead the lively trill of a woodpecker was constantly heard. The forest lived its own life. And for a short moment, our paths intertwined with him into one whole...

How to get to Belovezhskaya Pushcha?

Hmm... I'll start, so to speak, with organizational issues. You can get to Belovezhskaya Pushcha either by car or by intercity buses. I read on one of the forums on the Internet that today a certain number of private minibuses also go in the direction of the ancient forest. But I haven’t checked this information myself. Therefore, I will not dwell on this in detail now.

Regular buses from Brest travel to the Pushcha throughout the day. Some of them will take you directly to the gates of the National Park. Others will only reach the small village of Kamenyuki. From there you will have to walk to the gate of the complex. But don’t rush to get scared: the walk to your destination is no more than a kilometer. According to Google Maps - 0.8 km.

You can view the bus schedule from Brest on the website ticketbus.by. For those who are lazy, I am attaching here two screenshots with the schedule and prices. It's quite simple. How to get to Belovezhskaya Pushcha I think you'll figure it out.

At the gates of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park

All buses heading to Belovezhskaya Pushcha arrive directly at its gates - at a large parking lot located nearby. There is security here. And next to her post there are stalls with various kinds of souvenirs.

The selection of magnets, keychains and plates is approximately the same as in Brest. Plus some local flavor. At the same time, despite the fairly large number of tourists coming, the prices are quite affordable. In January 2016, most of the magnets cost around 20 – 40 thousand (1-2 dollars). The selection is pretty good. One hundred thousand can be purchased in full.

If you have enough money, for a million and a half ($50-75) you can even buy yourself a corridor rug like this. Made very realistic. I was even somehow afraid to pick it up.

Prices in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Each of the routes along Belovezhskaya Pushcha has its own separate cost. And this fact for me personally became the most unexpected discovery in this place with a “minus” sign. Usually in national parks it’s like this: you buy an entrance ticket, get a map and go where you want. In Belovezhskaya Pushcha, each route is paid separately. In Belarusian money it turns out from 50 cents to 1 dollar (depending on the specific direction). Food coupons range from 10,000 to 20,000.

There are six routes themselves (although some of them are intertwined and are, in fact, an expanded version of previous routes). There is plenty to choose from. Special stands with descriptions of various directions are located right outside the gates of the complex. As background information, each of them indicates the length of the path, the type of route (bicycle/pedestrian), as well as designations of the main attractions located along its entire length.

By the way, next to the descriptions of the routes there are stands like this.

If you wander around the Pushcha chaotically and disorderly, you may inadvertently wander into the territory. Therefore, if suddenly while traveling somewhere in the distance you see the shine of some modern spa complex... hmm... so to speak... do not go into the light. This is not welcomed by the customs authorities of the two countries.

What other paid services are there in Belovezhskaya Pushcha? A visit to enclosures with animals, a tour of the Museum of Nature, a trip to visit Santa Claus and all sorts of other nonsense (like renting audio guides and other things). Personally, we went straight from the gates of Belovezhskaya Pushcha to see the local bison. But I'll tell you about this a little later.

Hotels in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

There are quite a lot of various hotels, inns and tourist complexes on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Some of them are located in the national park, others in the nearby village of Kamenyuki. You can find suitable options in several ways.

Option #2. Search for options on Booking.com.

Option #3: Check the options offered on the AIRBNB website.

Only in this case, options need to be looked for in Kamenyuki, and not in Belovezhskaya Pushcha itself. Another little secret: the AIRBNB website has special discount coupons. Register using the link provided and you will automatically receive a small discount on your first booking (automatically triggered when the booking amount is $75-77).

Personally, during this trip we booked accommodation in the city of Brest (from there you can get to Belovezhskaya Pushcha very quickly). For those who decide to choose this option, I suggest looking for hotels on this website. I use it regularly myself.

Enclosures in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Royal deer. Enclosures of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Belarusian bison, royal deer, wolves, foxes and other animals are a real “must see” of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park. Going to these regions, I heard several times that with proper luck they can be quite encountered even in the natural environment. But this, so to speak, is not an acquired taste.

It is much easier to look at the animals living in the Pushcha in special enclosures of the reserve. Entrance here costs 20,000 rubles (about 1 dollar). There are cages with animals to the left of the entrance to the park. Finding this place is not difficult.

I will write more about what animals can be found in local enclosures in a separate article. Well, for now I’ll just say one thing: enclosures of Belovezhskaya Pushcha— the place is very cool and interesting, completely different from an ordinary zoo. The territory of the complex is quite large. Therefore, many animals hardly notice the cells. In winter, by the way, you could ride around the entire complex on such a charismatic horse. But again, this is a different story.

Where to eat in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

As indicated on the official website of the reserve, there are only three catering facilities on the territory of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park. Plus one more - in the village of Kamenyuki. In addition to closed premises, in different parts of the reserve you can also find small tents selling pancakes, herbal tea, kebabs and other delicacies. By prior arrangement, it is also possible to organize picnics (at least that’s what is written on the official website).

Personally, Tanya and I had a decorous dinner at a restaurant with the poetic name “Pines”, located to the right of the entrance to reserve. Belovezhskaya Pushcha I was surprised by the pleasant price level. Going on this trip, I honestly thought that everything would be much more expensive here.

So, what is the Sosny restaurant?

• Pleasant price level.
• Delicious food (we took warm borscht and pancakes with blackberry jam).
• The menu includes interesting local “tricks” such as Belovezhskaya moonshine (“Pushchanka”) and herbal tea brewed using herbs that are collected somewhere here – in the forest.

Minuses:

• Unpretentious interior.
• Lack of a toilet (instead of which there is only a lonely washbasin in the corner).
• The lack of a certain hallway in the restaurant meant there was always a slight breeze from the street. Visitors came and went. And approximately every third person certainly forgot to close the door behind them (which, I repeat, goes directly onto the street).

Pancake prices.

Overall, I liked this restaurant. He was definitely worthy of the money we left here. The borscht turned out to be delicious. Pancakes too. And herbal tea is generally top class.

National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha": a walk along snow-covered paths

In my previous articles related to this trip to the Brest region, I have already written more than once that we chose not the best time for the trip. In the first half of January it was very cold in Belarus. Tanya and I were completely frozen. Therefore, to be honest, we were never able to make a full-scale hike along one of the tourist routes. To be honest, I’m already thinking about going to the reserve (Belovezhskaya Pushcha) again when it gets a little warmer. To take a bicycle, rent a room in one of the local “hotel complexes” and simply take a day and a half to travel along the protected paths of the oldest forest in Europe. Damn, guys, do you even know that our entire continent once looked like this?! And only in Belovezhskaya Pushcha you can see with your own eyes what the Old World was like before the period of urbanization and great industrial revolutions. Agree – this is a unique opportunity.

Returning from heaven to earth, I will say that we walked along the paths of the reserve quite a bit. However, this was enough to get to two attractions at once, marked on numerous tourist maps. I was completely delighted with each of them that day. Well, in general, see for yourself. Here they are.

Attraction No. 1. Birch with the head of a bison. I agree, it sounds strange. But it looks pretty cool. Unusual, to say the least. It's a pity that it was covered with snow in winter. In the summer, they say, it looks even cooler.

Attraction No. 2. Hermit Oak. This one actually reminded me of some kind of Tolkien Ent. Well, remember those talking trees in The Lord of the Rings. Take a closer look. It seems that this oak tree is looking at you suspiciously.

Endgame: the final word

In general, walking through Belovezhskaya Pushcha, you get the impression that this forest is one huge living organism. Some movement is constantly heard in the bushes. And somewhere overhead, almost every minute, the rhythmic knock of a woodpecker is heard. In short, as you probably already understood, I really liked this place. I understand that it is difficult to brag about a trip to Belovezhskaya Pushcha to your friends (at least, the phrase “I went to Belovezhskaya Pushcha” is difficult to pronounce with the same pathetic expression as the phrase “I went to Paris”). But this place is worth seeing. Our country also knows how to surprise. And it can also be infinitely beautiful - no worse than, for example, Poland