Białowieża National Park Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

The Białowieża Forest and the Białowieża National Park (Polish: Białowieski Park Narodowy) is in Podlaskie Voivodship in Poland and extends across the border into Belarus (this part called Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park). The Polish part was inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979; the Belarussian part was inscribed in 1992.

Białowieża Forest is the last remnant of the primeval forest which once covered most of Europe after the end of the last ice age. It was never completely deforested contrary to virtually all forests in Western and Central Europe allowing its ecosystem to remain relatively intact and diverse.

This treatment was result of the forest being private property of Polish-Lithuanian king used solely as his personal hunting grounds. Russian tsars also appreciated this plot of land and tried to preserve it by banning logging few years after partitioning Poland. Forest still would not escape poaching by local peasants and occasional culling of certain animals which eventually greatly reduced population of large mammals.

First preserves were founded in 1924 and national park itself was founded in 1934, second such object in Poland. Successful efforts to restore nearly extinct population of European bison were conducted here. All of living specimens can trace their lineage to Białowieża. Attempts to restore Tarpan horse and Aurochs had less success. Horse breeds mimicking Tarpans can be found however.

Nearly entirety of the park area is covered by forest with breaks for a few villages. The inner-most sanctuary of The Białowieża National Park is completely preserved and protected by a fence, with tourists only allowed inside with guides. Inside, the forest lives, breathes and decays as it has for thousands of years. Outside of the inner-sanctuary several more kilometres of forest are semi-preserved.

The forest itself consist of various deciduous and conifer trees the most striking feature being large amounts of dead wood accumulated over hundred years. This allows many mushroom and shrub species relying on decaying matter to exist.

The forest contains several species of fauna which were once native in forests throughout Europe, but which have now been mostly eradicated. It is, for example, the only place where European Bison, (German: Wisent, Polish: Żubr) still remain free and living in the forest as they once did throughout Europe. Wolves, Lynx, Red Deer, Wild Boar, Elk (same as Moose in N. America), and Roe Deer are among its other inhabitants.

Plans include returning reverse-bred versions of the extinct Tarpan Horse and Aurochs. Breeds that try to mimic Tarpan Horses can be found living in other smaller nature parks and zoos in Europe.

• Białowieża Forest Tourist information

The town of Białowieża is on the edge of the forest and is in the Polish part of the reserve. The administration of the Belarusian part of Bialowieza Reserve is based in Kameniuky that can be reached by bus and by car.

There is an international airport in Warsaw: Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport [1].

Polish State Railways have train connections from Warsaw via Bialystok. The train takes two and a half hours and runs every two hours. It is also possible to take a train to Hajnówka which is closer to the forest, but the trains are slower and less frequent. The forest can be reached by both places by bus.

There are three daily connections from Białystok and Hajnówka to Białowieża served by PKS Nova (two early in the morning and one in the afternoon).

Additional connections from Białystok to Hajnówka are served by VoyagerTrans. The schedules can be found on their website. You will have to do last leg of travel to Białowieża with local buses.

There are also transit connections from Hajnówka to Białowieża by local government that run six times a day (three in the morning, three in the afternoon).

You can easily get there by car from Warsaw via Bialystok.

There are extensive waymarked bike trails in the National Park. Several trails lie very close to the Poland-Belarus border so it is advisable to carry ID in case you are stopped by border police.

Bikes can be rented in Białowieża village from a number of locations.

• Pensjonat Gawra - 17-230 Białowieża, ul. Gen. M. Polecha 2. 25-45zł for all day.
• Opposite the Best Western Hotel, next to a food shop. 10 zł per hour, 40zł for all day.

• 52.705323.79611 European Bison Show Reserve (Rezerwat Pokazowy Żubrów) (north of road 689, before Białowieża town). Oct-Apr: 09:00-16:00, May-Sep: 09:00-17:00. Show reserve where you can see European bison on a pasture in half-natural environment. It was supposed to renew the population of extinct tarpan horse, but has been only partially successful with engineered horse breeds similar to tarpan. However this reserve had more success with European bison. The local population was recovered from just 22 bisons (of total 90 alive in the world at the end of World War II). 20 zł (12 zł reduced). (updated Feb 2025)

• 52.7523.951 Bialowieza Forest tours (Register for tours at the museum in the palace park), [email protected]. Visitors should understand that the primeval section of the forest is strictly off limits, open only to scientific expeditions and guided tours. Don't expect to go into the wilderness on your own. Tours begin at 225 zł) and only cover a small, peripheral, part of the forest (~7 km or looping trails at the edges of the forest). There are also tours available that can perfectly be done with children. Still quite a striking experience.  
• Bird watching. With local ornithologist. 
• Watching bison. In their natural environment. 
• Sledge or carriage rides and bonfire.

• 52.70018423.8441 Gospoda Pod Żubrem, Kolejowa 17, 17-230 Białowieża, ☏ +48 737 188 434. Family friendly restaurant that serves Polish cuisine. (updated Dec 2021)

There are many accommodation options in Bialowieza village. From agroturism offers to cheap hostels or even more comfortable hotels are found.

• 52.70520523.8608291 Świronek, ul, Kamienne Bagno 11, ☏ +48 530 740 160. (updated Dec 2021)

The park neighbours Belarussian border which since 2022 is heavily guarded. Always carry your passport (or ID card if applicable).

• Białowieża - in the centre of the park
• Białystok - capital of Podlaskie with distinct Eastern European touch