Belovezhskaya Pushcha pictures of Belaya Vezha. Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus. Prices, photos, reviews, how to get to the reserve. Aviaries in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

How to get there?

You can drive to the Pushcha by car - be guided by the agricultural town of Kamenyuki, adjacent to the Pushcha. From Minsk, drive along the M1 highway until the turn to Zhabinka (P7), then to the town of Kamenets and the village of Kamenyuki along the P83.

If you go by public transport, get to Brest, and from there a minibus leaves the bus station several times a day straight to the main entrance to Pushcha and a bus. You can buy tickets. The price of the issue is BYN 3.8 - 4.27, the travel time is one and a half hours. Right at the main entrance to Pushcha you can buy all the tickets you need and rent a bike.

Where to live?

If you want to arrange a real vacation and complete relaxation in the forest, get ready to hang out in the forest for several days.

If you want closer communication with nature, you can rent a resting place on the shores of Plyanta, Lava and Pererovskoe lakes - it will cost BYN 16 per day. In the National Park you can rent tents, rugs and sleeping bags for overnight stay for BYN 2-4. All the details .

There are two more options if you want to stay in Kamenets and see Belaya Vezha at the same time.

What else can you see nearby?

Spend a couple of days in cozy Brest, do some research, arrange excursions to interesting cities nearby -. In Kobrin, look at the churches, the estate and walk along the green embankment of the Mukhavets River, and in Kamenets, pay tribute to the very Belaya Vezha, which gave the name to Pushcha, even though it is not really white. Now in Vezha there is a local history museum, and you can also climb to its top and admire the surroundings.

- How old is Santa Claus?
- As much as the White Light costs.
- And how long do you think he will live, forever?
- As much as they will believe in him!

On the days before the holidays, the Estate of Santa Claus in Belovezhskaya Pushcha meets and sees off thousands of people from different parts of Belarus and neighboring states. Is it worth looking for a fairy tale in Kamenyuki in the days winter break or is it better to postpone a visit to the white-bearded Grandfather until better times? In order to solve this issue for ourselves once and for all, we "sat down on the tail" to tourist group from Pinsk and went along the most demanded route. How Pushcha met us, we tell and show in the review.

To be honest, this is my first visit to Santa Claus. I didn’t really count on miracles, because I understood that Grandfather would not have time for me, he was attacked by crowds of tourists. I expected the main thing from the trip: answers to the questions “When is it better to visit Pushcha with the whole family? To go "savages" on your own car or to use the services of a travel agency and an experienced guide? "

Since we are going into a fairy tale, on the advice of the guide, it was decided to turn into adult children and try to plunge into miracles. We listened to everything and tried to soak up the magic of the moment to the roots of the hair, to the last finger not chilled in the frost. There were also kids in our company of 48 people, so adults kept glancing at them, trying to "get infected" with spontaneity and naivety.

Everyone wanted to see Grandfather Frost, and faster, but there was a long way to go. Long because of the queue of hundreds of people willing to do the same. There is no pandemonium, by the way, everything is organized in such a way that the waiting is as convenient as possible. In the territory free toilets which is very important when you have children with you.

The territory adjacent to the Estate is large enough, there are points selling food and drinks, souvenir shops, a Santa Claus train. You can warm up by the fire, sit in the gazebo, or refresh yourself with hot pancakes and barbecue while it's your turn to enter through the main gate to the cherished courtyard.

Information for reference ...
The residence of Santa Claus is open from 9:00 to 18:00 daily, seven days a week and a lunch break.

Even if you arrive at the Estate of Santa Claus on your own (not on a sightseeing bus), you will have the same procedure: you will have to leave the car in the parking lot at the central gate of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, and get to the residence by bus as part of a spontaneously formed group, which will be escorted for sure just like guided tourists.

Let's give it credit, the organization is at the level. Each group is approached by its own escort (someone from fairytale heroes or assistants of Santa Claus) and tries to brighten up the agonizing minutes of waiting as much as possible.

We got a sweet girl with a pleasant and well-trained voice, who sang songs, danced round dances with the children, played games, made riddles and did everything so that we would not freeze on the way to the dream - to get to Santa Claus.

By leaps and bounds we were getting closer and closer to the cherished gate ... The guard in the green caftan did not look intimidating at all.

The real guards were the knights Oak Dubovich and Vyaz Vyazovich, and the sweet and slightly frozen young man simply regulated the influx of people, letting the next group pass only when the previous one was already taken into his experienced organizational hands by the next assistant of Santa Claus.

By the way, one little trick helps to control the crowd. Everyone is told a legend that in no case should you go out through these gates, otherwise you will carry on yourself all the troubles and all the negativity that other visitors leave at the Estate. Here! One-way traffic: everyone who has already visited the courtyard leaves the other way.

Our sweet girl-guide returned to the original one, passing us over to the next hero. Who do you think this is? Snow Maiden? But no! This is the youngest daughter of Santa Claus, the mother of the Snow Maiden. Yes, yes, it turns out that Grandfather has a wife - Zimushka Zima, three daughters - Blizzard, Cold and Blizzard. The two older ones are not yet married, everyone is looking for one redhead, the other bald and fluffy. And the youngest - Blizzard - without hesitation, married Snowman and their daughter was born - Snow Maiden, granddaughter of Santa Claus.

The blizzard entertains guests at the entrance for some time, introduces family secrets and, as adults understand, takes a little time so that the kind Santa Claus has time to take a breath. In the meantime, before the children Snow White and her seven dwarfs.

The carved tower of Santa Claus cannot be confused with any other house. Festive illumination at dusk gives it a special mystery, carved patterns are admirable. The house is two-storey, my grandfather lives here all year round, even in summer. On the first floor there is a throne room and an office, on the second there is a bedroom.

Here it is, a long-awaited meeting! Here he is - the Wizard! Grandpa greets the guests, asks where they came from and, despite the fuss and influx of visitors, finds a couple of kind words and jokes. Then - a group photo and ... And that's it, Santa Claus has no more time, the next group of those eager for his attention is on the way.

For the sake of fairness, I will note that our lovely girl-guide warned that Grandpa was very busy and instructed her to listen, collect and convey all the poems, songs, letters and wishes that the children had prepared. Therefore, the little dreamers, on the way to the house of Santa Claus, did everything that was necessary for such an occasion. No offense. Go ahead.

Not far from the palace of Santa Claus there is a carriage pulled by a pair of deer. Apparently, it is on her that Grandfather delivers gifts to the kids.

The faithful guard and reliable assistant is the cat Vaska (or maybe not Vaska, he did not introduce himself).

Opposite the house of Santa Claus there is an alley of wooden sculptures. Here are Baba Yaga, and Zyuzya Poozersky, and Bolotnik Unusual, and Kysh Babai, and Pakkaine. You can read about each on a special plate and tell your child.

In addition to the house of Santa Claus, there is the Workshop of Mother Winter. Santa Claus built it for his wife on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Manor. Master classes are held in these magical walls, magical things are created, you can celebrate a birthday.

The Manor has many wonderful places, and each has its own legend. If you touch the Magic Mill and remember all your bad deeds and actions, then the Mill will grind them, turn them into dust and sand.

After that, you can safely go to the Glade of Twelve Months, look for your sculpture and make a wish.

The route is designed so that the movement of tourists is in a circle. Even with a large number of guests, you can have time to take a selfie and see all the wonders without interference.

There is a small lake near the Mill. Its banks are decorated with wooden sculptures. Grandfather Frost transferred the Frog Princess to his fairy tale. Perhaps he hoped that among the many guests of the estate there would be Ivan, who would kiss the Princess, and she would turn into a beautiful written woman. In our group, Ivan was not found, so a frog sits and waits for the next group ... Although, something tells me that there were attempts to kiss the Princess, but, apparently, it was not that Ivan, and maybe without love all this - because magic is not worked.

There is a gold fish near that lake. So he expects that each passing person will make three cherished desires. There is also a walkway with exactly 97 logs. Each step is a new desire. In general, Dreams must come true, and the Manor has ALL conditions for this. The chances increase a hundredfold!

Children will surely recognize the heroes of their favorite fairy tales, and adults will note the character of the characters made of wood. Each part of the territory is remarkable for something.

Unusual signs can be seen throughout the courtyard.

The Gorynych snakes are strictly FORBIDDEN. And the workers really make sure that the guests do not smoke on the territory of the complex.

Another sign that is unlikely to be found anywhere else. A carved bench invites you to sit down and recite a rhyme. Nicely…

Age-old trees are not uncommon on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. A huge spruce has seen a lot in its life, now guests of the residence of the Belarusian Grandfather Frost are dancing around it. Now she is smart both in winter and summer. The spruce is about 40 meters high! It is unlikely that you will meet the same giantess somewhere else in Belarus.

After singing a song about a Christmas tree and spinning in a round dance, visitors go further.

Here is the hero of the coming year - the Fire Rooster. There are several such zodiac sculptures.

You can sit on a bench by a gnome or take a closer look at the Snake and the Horse.

The House of the Snow Maiden is of keen interest among the female part of the group. Legend has it that you need to go around it in a circle, look through the window, count the pillows on the bed and be sure to look in the mirror on the wall. It's magical. Women will become more beautiful, men - wiser and stronger, children - healthier and more obedient.

It will not be possible to enter the Snow Maiden's house, it is too small. By the way, the Snow Maiden inherited from her dad, the Snowman, the peculiarity of melting, so she does not live in Pushcha all year round like Santa Claus. Arrives only in winter.

Skarbnitsa is another iconic place in the estate of Santa Claus. Children's letters and handicrafts are kept here.

Here they give gifts to everyone who bought entrance ticket(this is included in the price). Here you can buy souvenirs, aromatic herbal tea from Pushcha.

There is a journal in which you can write down your wish or say hello to Santa Claus. It is interesting to read what children and adults write. Skarbnitsa is the last point of the route. For a while you can wander around the Manor, taste hot herbal tea with pancakes and game kebabs.

If you are lucky, you can see bison, deer and other inhabitants of Pushcha: special feeders have been built for them.

CONCLUSION: It is up to you to decide whether or not to go to Pushcha on the eve of the New Year and Christmas holidays, when there are crowds of people. But Ded Moroz's Estate is worth visiting with children anyway! This is undeniable. I think it will be interesting to visit the Pushcha with the whole family, it can even be in different seasons, because not only Santa Claus attracts tourists to Kamenyuki. The most important asset of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is fresh air and a century-old forest. It is worth returning to Pushcha for this!

Dear Readers. Tell us, have you visited the Belarusian Father Frost in Belovezhskaya Pushcha? What impressed the children the most?

The reserve Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the main natural attraction of Belarus, where rare animals live. What to see in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, how to get from Minsk, prices for excursions, food and hotels in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Reviews about the rest with photos.

Now I am in my homeland, so on weekends I see the sights of Belarus, which I will gladly write about in my blog. I'll start with a story about Belovezhskaya Pushcha. “Pesnyary” sang about her as well.

The National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" is a biosphere reserve, part of which is located in the west of Belarus, the other part - on the territory of Poland.

It represents 500 thousand square meters of forest, the average age of trees in which is 100 years. On the territory of the Pushcha there are oaks that have been living there for 500-600 years.

It is one of the oldest nature reserves in the world, founded over 600 years ago. Since 1992, the national park has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of the main attractions of Belarus. Rest in Belovezhskaya Pushcha is popular among lovers of animals and ecotourism.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha occupies a huge territory. You can only move around the reserve on foot, by bike or by sightseeing bus. We leave our car in the parking lot.

In fact, Pushcha is a large forest with several lakes, a small zoo and some entertainment. The main objects that are usually seen in the Pushcha are: open-air cages with animals (bison, horses, wild boars), the Estate of the Belarusian Grandfather Frost (open all year round, not only in winter), the Museum of Local Lore of Nature.

Cash desk working hours: 9.00 - 18.00

Bicycle rental opening hours: 9.00 - 18.00

Opening hours of the Museum of Nature: 9.00 - 18.00

Working hours of the Residence of Santa Claus: 9.00 - 18.00

Departure time for buses from the entrance to the Pushcha to the Estate of Santa Claus: 11:00; 13:30; 16:00 daily (if there is a group of at least 10 people)

Hotels in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

There is one in Belovezhskaya Pushcha hotel "Kamenyuki"... One building is located on the territory of the reserve, the other - in the neighboring village of Kamenyuki, 900 meters from the main entrance to Pushcha.

Prices in the village are lower than in the forest itself. Link to Kamenyuki # 2 in the village (numbers from 17$ )

The Kamenyuki hotel is now on the Booking. Now it has become much easier to book rooms in Belovezhskaya Pushcha (earlier you had to call a landline phone on weekdays, but now you can rent a number on the Internet)

Houses in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

If you do not want to live in a hotel, then in the village of Kamenyuki you can rent a room in a house, a cottage or live in an agro-estate.

If you come by car, it makes sense to live not near the Pushcha, but to rent an apartment in Brest, Kobrin or any other city nearby - it will be several times cheaper than living in Belovezhskaya Pushcha or in Kamenyuki.

Apartments and houses in Belarus can be rented by following the links:

• Apartments for a day in Brest - from $ 19 per apartment

Agriturismo and houses in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Belovezhskoe estate, from $ 25

Price - 25$ for a room with a shared bathroom, 45$ per room with private bathroom

It is possible to rent a separate 19th century house in its entirety for 50-60$

Manor in the village of Kamenyuki, decorated in a traditional style. There is free wifi and free parking, a garden, barbecue area and a terrace. The Pushcha is on foot for 20-25 minutes.

House 10 km from the Pushcha, from $ 75

Price for one bedroom house - 75$
House with 4 bedrooms - from 100$

The price depends on the number of guests and the size of the cottage.

Complex of cottages. There are 1-bedroom, 4-bedroom and 5-bedroom houses. All houses have a fireplace, private bath, terrace, barbecue, free wifi and parking.

Suitable for those who are by car. The estate is located 10 km from the forest in the village of Makovishche

House in Kamenyuki, from $ 30

Price for two - 30$ , for three - 40$ , for 4 - $ 50, maximum 5 people.

House with 2 bedrooms in the village of Kamenyuki. There is a garden with a terrace and barbecue facilities, a kitchen with an oven, TV, free wifi. The Pushcha is 1 km away.

Excursions in Belovezhskaya Pushcha:

• On foot- you can visit enclosures with animals, the Museum of Local Lore and lakes

• By bike- there are five routes through the territory of the Pushcha, the longest route, 27 km long, runs along century-old oak trees, covers several lakes, partially runs along an asphalt track, and 70% along a dirt track.

• By sightseeing bus(2 excursions)

Prices for excursions in Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Tickets for excursions can be bought at the central ticket office at the main entrance. They accept only Belarusian rubles or bank cards.

Russian rubles, dollars and euros are not accepted. If you plan to go to the enclosures and the nature museum, it is better to buy tickets right away.

All prices are in Belarusian rubles. To understand how much it is in dollars, divide the price on 2.

To get the price in Russian rubles, multiply the price in "proteins" at 30.

Prices for adults and children will be shown below. A visit to the estate of Santa Claus, aviaries with animals, a museum of nature - child ticket up to 14 years old, a sightseeing tour with a visit to the Museum of Folk Life - child ticket up to 18 years old.

Walking tour of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Price: 1 white ruble(RUB 31 / 0.5$ ), lasts 2 hours

You pay money, you get a card with the sights indicated on it. You can walk without a map, but since the border with Poland is very close, it is better to get a map so as not to accidentally go where you don't need to.

If you just want to walk in the Pushcha without a map, then no need to pay.

Bicycle tour of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Bicycle rental works from 9.00 to 18.00.

Cycling route prices:

There are several cycling routes different lengths, designed for one and a half, two, four hours. The price includes a bike rental and a map with routes. The path goes along paved and unpaved paths.

I read different reviews about bicycles. Many write that they got an old bike for rent and advise, if possible, to choose an aluminum one with speeds. Recommend to take your bike from home. I myself did not rent a bike, so I don’t know how things are with the equipment.

Sightseeing tour of Belovezhskaya Pushcha by bus

Winter equipment rental

Excursion to the Manor of the Belarusian Father Frost

Price: adults 8.5 byn ( 260 rbl/ 4.4 $), children 7 byn ( 215 rbl / 3.6$)

The price includes a performance and gifts for about 3 bel. ruble.

Lasts about 2 hours. The bus leaves from the main entrance at 11.00, 13.30 and 16.00

The residence is located 12 km from the main entrance to the reserve, so you can get to it on foot or by bike, but it will take a long time.

Excursion to the Residence of Santa Claus

Attractions of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Museum of Natural History

Price: adults 3 byn (90 rubles / 1.5$ ), children - 2 byn (60 rubles / 1$ ).

You can take an audio guide for 3.5 byn(110 rubles) or order a group excursion for 5 byn(150 rubles) for groups up to 10 people.

This is the best local history museum in Europe (although it will be cooler in Moscow). The exposition has been collected for 70 years.

Only wild boars are specially shot in the Pushcha, because there are a lot of them. All other animals died a natural death and were found by the gamekeepers or local residents.

Residence of the Belarusian grandfather Frost

A fun show is being put on at the Residence. We danced in circles, ran around the Christmas tree, chatted with Santa Claus and Baba Yaga's sister Korgota, solved riddles, after which we could write our wishes to Santa Claus. I liked the show. I think the kids should like it too.

At the end, they were given sets of very tasty Belarusian sweets for 30 thousand ( 1.5$ ), which is especially nice. For different groups various gifts are given: chocolates, drawing kits for children, etc.

You can also make up to 100 wishes in the residence. Grandpa promised that they would all come true within a year. We'll see.

Animals of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Price: adults 2.5 byn ( 80 rbl), children 1.5 byn ( 45 rbl).

It is better to buy tickets to aviaries in advance at the central ticket office.

Wild animals constantly live on the territory of the forest, but you can hardly see them all the time, therefore, it is best to look at the famous Belarusian bison in open-air cages. Bison, deer, raccoon dogs, foxes, moose, bears, wolves, horses, wild boars live in the enclosures.

From 15.20 to 16.00, the animals slept in houses, large animals were far from the fence. When we were near the enclosures again at about 6 pm, the animals woke up.

They went to the fences, let themselves be stroked. It turned out that it is better to look at the animals in the morning or in the evening. During the day they are busy or asleep.

!!! I ask you to pay attention to the fact that you cannot feed the animals. On the fences of the enclosure there are signs asking not to feed the animals, but for some reason people continue to throw loaves and whole loaves of bread into the enclosures. If you want a bison or a deer to come closer to the fence, it is better to show him a blade of grass.

In my presence, not very smart, giggling people threw a stone at the boar. The hog ate the stone out of habit, but why do that?

Other attractions

Also on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha there are several artificial lakes, centuries-old oaks, about 300 species of rare birds and about 900 varieties of plants. All this can be seen while walking or cycling.

Food prices in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Our one-day trip to Belovezhskaya Pushcha by car from Minsk cost 120 Belarusian rubles. rubles (3700 Russian rubles) for two people.

We drove 760 km, so the main part of the cost is gasoline (1.19 byr (42 rubles) per liter of 95). 2 times ate in a cafe. Once in the Pushcha itself, the second time on the track. The rest of the expenses are entrance tickets to the aviaries, the museum and the excursion.

The prices in the restaurant on the territory of the Pushcha are the same as in the establishments of Minsk. Also to the right of the entrance to the reserve there is a cafe "Sosny", where you can eat inexpensive pancakes with blueberries or honey, order a barbecue with salad and drink tea.

Herbal tea with pancakes

How to get to Belovezhskaya Pushcha from Minsk and Brest

1. By car- 360 km from Minsk along the M1 highway to Zhabinka, then through the city of Kamenets to the village of Kamenyuki - this is the administrative center of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. We reach the end of the village of Kamenyuki and run into the parking lot and the entrance to the reserve.

Vehicle traffic without special permission it is prohibited on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, so we put the car in the parking lot and go for a walk.

2. By public transport

By train to Brest. A ticket for the Minsk Brest train can be bought in advance on the website www.rw.by

From the railway station in Brest, you need to get to the Central Bus Station. Walking 15 minutes.

At the bus station we buy a ticket to the village of Kamenyuki.

From the Kamenyuki station we walk about 1 km to the central entrance to Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

The main entrance to Belovezhskaya Pushcha

My reviews about Belovezhskaya Pushcha

It so happened that we left Minsk late and arrived in Pushcha by 14.30, so not everyone had time to see it.

What I liked especially:

• Museum of Nature... I don't like museums, but everything here is decorated at the highest level. Made with soul. For me, the main thing is that animals are not killed for the sake of the museum.

• Herbal tea- poured in the "Sosny" cafe and in the cafe in the residence of Father Frost. To my greatest sadness, the collection itself, on which the tea is brewed, is not for sale on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

• Excursion to the Residence of Ded Moroz. There they gave delicious gifts, and the show itself amused. The guys are great. Trying!

• Bison and gray horse. The conditions for keeping animals in the enclosures are quite good. Previously, I did not like zoos, but now I understand that there is still a point in them. Most zoos are home to old or sick animals that find it difficult to get food in the wild. In the zoo, animals are fed - this is already a big plus. The only thing that seemed strange to me was that all the trees were cut down in the enclosures where bison live. In summer, the animals will have nowhere to hide from the sun. I hope that closer to June the bison will move from their meadow to the forest, like other animals.

What I didn't like in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

• People who, despite the ban, feed the animals with bread and stones.

• According to reviews, the condition of the bicycles is poor.

• Bison are not combed out. In Chizhovsky Park in Minsk, animals look more well-groomed.

Thus, while traveling to the sights of Belarus, I recommend that you visit Belovezhskaya Pushcha and spend at least one, two or three days there. Relax your soul, breathe in the fresh forest air, ride a bike or just take a walk.

Enjoy your stay in Belarus! Sincerely,

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is one of the most significant natural sites in Belarus. In summer, here you can take a break from the bustle of the city, and in winter you can recharge with New Year's mood. I decided to try the winter version. What came of this - read below.

Day 1. How to get to Kamenyuk without a car?

I had a chance to visit Belovezhskaya Pushcha a couple of years ago, but I managed to tell about the trip only now. But don't worry, I remember everything, I'll tell you honestly, I hope a lot will be useful. In general, Saturday, on which our small company decided to go to the reserved forest, started early. At 6:16 in the morning our train left for Brest, and it arrived at about 10:00. Leaving the train in Brest, we went to the bus station: it is from here that minibuses and buses leave for Kamenyuki - an agricultural town next to Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

The bus station was found quickly. We walked in about 10 minutes. As expected, the minibus does not go to Kamenyuki often: 3 times a day. The closest one is at about one in the afternoon. What to do before this time? We decided to hand over our things to the storage room at the bus station and take a walk around Brest. Let's go, as they say, wherever your eyes are looking. And it turned out that our eyes are what we need. After walking quite a bit, we suddenly found ourselves on a spacious "shop" street - Sovetskaya.

I am very pleased with the main streets of our regional cities. Low-rise houses of a bygone era with newfangled shops look European. And New Year's decorated shop windows and lanterns powdered with snow create a special atmosphere. You understand right away: you are not in Minsk. It is understandable, after all, abroad is “a stone's throw away”, there would only be a visa ... Eh, I was dreaming, let's move on. Soon we found ourselves at the New Year's bazaar. It was hard to hold on and not buy anything. However, remembering the bags left at the station, they decided to do only with magnets with a view of Brest.

By the due time, we returned back to the bus station. There were plenty of people eager to get to Kamenyuki. Those who did not have enough tickets at the box office asked to ride standing. But you will not envy them - it takes more than an hour to get to Kamenyuk. And yet people rode. At 2 o'clock with a ponytail, we were already in place. And then an unforeseen situation arose.

Even at the ticket office at the bus station, we were asked: "Will you take a ticket back?" And after all, something should have alerted us already then. But noooooo. We decided: "Why, we will buy in Kamenyuki at the station." When we got there ... In a word, the stop of the town of Kamenyuki, standing alone, blown by all the winds and covered with snow, looked little like a bus station. Yeah, so this is what the good aunt asked at the box office, who was too lazy to say that there would be no place to buy tickets. But then the driver came to the rescue and asked if everyone could go back. From him we bought saving tickets, giving us a chance to get out of the border Belarusian hinterland. “Where is the Pushcha here?”, One of the passengers asked the driver, looking back into the foggy distance. And we pricked up our ears too.

The driver pointed in the direction where it ended locality, and left. Locals quickly fled to their homes. Apparently, there were very few tourists traveling on their own, like us. All around it was white, there was either snow or fog ahead, and nothing could be seen in the direction where the Pushcha should be ... But first I had to find a hotel.

Everything turned out to be quite simple. Building No. 2 of the Kamenyuki Hotel is located in the town itself, while the other 3 buildings are located right on the territory of the reserve. Naturally, there are no pointers. We decided to use the Sherlock method. To the right the road went nowhere (although the driver claimed that there was Belovezhskaya Pushcha), on the left there were village houses. We decided to go to civilization. They did not lose - here it is, hotel number 2. Better than you could imagine. Budgetary - but the conditions are at the level.

In search of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Having settled in, we had a quick bite to eat and set off to explore the area. Nevertheless, it was already 15:00 on the clock, and it was impermissible to sit up. After walking in the direction indicated by the driver of the minibus, in 10 minutes we were at the entrance to Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Well, hello, this is how much we got to you!

There is a parking lot at the main entrance to the famous nature reserve. You cannot get to the territory by private transport. Everyone who travels on their "horse" should park it here. Only sightseeing buses that take tourists to attractions. To get on the excursion, you need to buy a ticket and wait for the next flight. Ticket offices are located to the right of the entrance. There is also a kiosk with souvenirs.

The tourist department of the reserve offers 2 bus excursions: sightseeing tour of Belovezhskaya Pushcha and a trip to Santa Claus. Sightseeing tour for some reason it was not. But we didn't plan to get on it. The main goal, of course, is Santa Claus. Moreover, they advise to go to him in the evening, when the illumination turns on. For the last flight at 16:00, all tickets were already sold out, but there were so many people willing that they soon announced that they would make another flight for us at 17:00. There were as many as 2 buses.

While the ticket offices were discussing how many tickets could still be sold, the queue was "squeezed" by a local cat, resting on the windowsill of the ticket office. A polished fur coat, a plump face, a lazy look - that's who really successfully settled in the reserve.

In the estate of the Belarusian Father Frost

A trip to Santa Claus is a topic that deserves special attention. Boarding buses on the territory of the Pushcha resembles the storming of the Bastille (not that we remember this event, as now, there were just a lot of people). The bus brought the walking tourists and loaded a new batch. Needless to say, tickets were sold to everyone, regardless of how many seats were on the bus. But here we must pay tribute to the men who showed an extreme degree of nobility, giving way to women and children, and obediently rode while standing, hugging backpacks and sleds.

The road to Santa Claus took exactly 16 minutes 🙂 During the movement, passengers were given a recording with a story about the Pushcha. When everyone unloaded from the bus at the entrance to the Fairy Estate, there was a hitch: “So what's next? Where to go?" It's good that they didn't have time to disperse - soon a woman in a blue cape approached the group and announced that she was a Snowflake. Well, for heaven's sake, Snowflake, so Snowflake. The kids immediately stuck to the guide and dragged her to the gate to the territory of the residence of their beloved Grandfather. The woman led the excursion, walking backwards. But in fact, the Snowflake we came across is excellent: she told a lot of fun, fervently and interestingly.

By the time we got to the estate, it was already dark enough. In addition, the elements were raging in earnest. The snow was excellent. Remember a couple of snowless winters? So, that year we very much asked for snow - and we were interrogated after all. The atmosphere was right, only the camera desperately refused to shoot in the dark, and even with a lens covered in snow.

We didn't get to Santa Claus right away. First looked out the windows house of the Snow Maiden, looked for their reflection in the mirror. They say that if you can see the reflection, you will look 10 years younger. I immediately began to doubt: is it worth it? Somehow I didn't want to go back to school. But we were assured that this effect is gradual and will manifest itself over time. Well, let's see.

And now, finally, adults and children with equal joy crowded around houses of Santa Claus... And he stood on his porch next to his granddaughter and waved his hands to the visitors, shouting greetings. We managed to photograph it with difficulty, because while I “took aim”, the younger generation was already hanging on to my grandfather’s red caftan. It’s a difficult job, however, to be the favorite of the little ones.

I didn't even hear what the unfortunate man was shouting, I tried to walk around the crowd and take at least some pictures. But literally a couple of minutes were allotted for a meeting with the most important character of the estate: during the pre-holiday time, a conveyor system operates in the fabulous residence. Very soon, Grandpa announced that he would not be able to take a picture with everyone, so he offered to be photographed by region. It turned out that there were not only Belarusians in our group, but also foreign guests: Poles, Lithuanians.

Then a new Snowflake picked us up and took us to Nastenka from a fairy tale about 12 months. Nastenka looked a little like a girl, but the little one didn't care at all. In addition, she set up an excellent fireplace near the wooden figures of the brothers of the months. At first, everyone was asked to find their month and make a wish from him. Lucky: everyone rushed to the spring-summer side, and I calmly went to my Listapad. Make a guess - I don't want to.

Pleased with the round dance near the fire. They thawed their noses a little, warmed their hands, holding onto the neighbors, threw everything bad into the fire, "grabbed" all the good for themselves. The ceremony went off with a bang, as even adults know that fire cleans. Another place to get rid of all the bad is mill, which grinds all the negative left to her. Well, what a visit to a residence without a round dance around the main Christmas tree... The illumination is simply gorgeous.

On the way back we went to treasury where Santa Claus keeps children's letters, drawings and gifts. There everyone, even an adult, received a well-deserved (included in the ticket price, of course) sweet present. The children were delighted. Come on, what is really there, everyone was pleased.

Leaving the residence

Going back, we didn't have to look for the bus we arrived in the parking lot. It was possible to return to the main entrance to Belovezhskaya Pushcha by any bus with the sign "Belovezhskaya Pushcha". But we didn’t know that. Therefore, we sat in our bus until it started off. I had to wait more than an hour, because the driver did not want to go until he got ready full bus... Ultimately, unable to withstand the onslaught of the freezing crowd provoked by the crying of children, the driver surrendered. Finally, we set off. The last ones. How the "spree" tourists returned back, and whether they returned at all, remains a mystery.

We drove through a snow-covered, peaceful forest, undoubtedly hiding in its black depths only secrets known to him. The road was illuminated exclusively by the headlights of our bus. And there was in all this some kind of universal pacification. Under even sway vehicle and "A reserved motive, a reserved distance ...", which was pulled over the entire bus almost immediately from the "Pesnyary" columns, began to sink somewhere into sleepy oblivion. And even the groaning and sobbing of the order of tired children could not dispel this special atmosphere.

They took us out right outside the territory of the Pushcha. I don’t know about the tourists who lived in hotels on the territory, but it was very convenient for us, because we still had to return to Kamenyuki. The snowstorm was "high quality", the path for pedestrians, on which we came here during the day, was not visible. We walked along the road, but that's okay, because there were practically no cars.

The clock showed only 8 pm, but the snow covering the face seemed to hint that we would not see anything interesting that day. To tell the truth, I had enough impressions and I wanted to get to the hotel as soon as possible. On the way to our temporary home, I thought that if we brush the snow cover that covered it from the streets and roofs of the Kamenyuki agro-town, we will see a completely developed and well-groomed settlement, albeit one-story.

Day 2. Museum of nature and aviaries

It should be understood that such a trip (for 2 days) is not suitable for those who like to bask in bed. The next day, we planned to visit the Museum of Nature and animal enclosures, and we had to do everything before 14:00, since it was at this time that the minibus departed, which allowed us to take the evening train to Minsk. We decided to go first to the museum, because we didn't know how long it would take. And the aviaries, in which case, could be donated.

In the newly opened Museum of nature almost no one was there. This played into our hands: we could easily take pictures and even the grandmothers-controllers at the entrance, who warned us not to touch anything, not to follow us, and stayed to discuss local news. We tried our best to be obedient, but how could we not pet the bison at the entrance?

The museum impressed me! It reminded me of a natural history museum in the United States, but this is still a level. And, most importantly, you can take pictures! In each section, the habitat of certain animals is, as it were, recreated. Only here the administration cheated: not a single exhibit was signed. If you want - take an audio guide or book a tour. Well, okay, we'll somehow distinguish a fox from a beaver. Read more about the museum here:

We spent about half an hour on the museum, although it seemed that we went for a very long time. Further - aviaries... They are located on the same side as the museum, you just need to cross the road. The territory is large, you can walk there for a very long time. It took us over an hour for the enclosures. And this is taking into account the fact that many animals were hiding in houses from the frost, and we did not stay near them for a long time. The most sociable were the deer and ponies. A little girl was feeding a fawn with a loaf. At this moment, we regretted that we ourselves had forgotten to take gifts for the animals.

And the bored pony in the next aviary happily allowed all the visitors to stroke him.

Well, and, of course, we must not forget about the king of the forest - the bison. In the bison's aviary, the trees are lined with boards. We did not immediately realize why this was done until we saw their demonstration battle. Now it is clear.

In addition to forest animals, ... cats were found behind bars. That's where Maslenitsa is for them. Apparently, they have been covering this area for a long time, as they look quite well-fed, walk imposingly and are not afraid of anyone.

At about 12:00 we were already leaving the territory of the enclosures. On the way, of course, we couldn't miss the souvenir stall. In fact, do not go home empty-handed. There were so many things: magnets on a birch tree, Belarusian dolls, candles, clay figurines. Nearby, near the parking lot, there is also a post office. There you can send a letter or a postcard to your homeland with a special stamp of Belovezhskaya Pushcha or buy brochures about the famous nature reserve.

Return to Brest

15 minutes before the departure of the minibus, we checked out of the hotel and went to the bus stop. The big advantage in hotel # 2 is that it is located right next to the bus stop.

View from our room. On the right, where the fence ends, there is a stop. And if you go further, all the time straight ahead - in 10 minutes you will find yourself at the gate to Pushcha.

The minibus driver, like the day before, was inimitable. On the way to Kamenyuki, I drew attention to his ability to drive and count passengers at the same time, as well as write something down in a notebook, put away the “honeycombs” for delivery in a separate pile, talk on the phone, sing along with Selena Gomez ... It's good that on the opposite On the way, we were not sitting next to him, but in the cabin: at least I didn’t see how he was driving.

Everyone knows that Belarus is famous for its landscapes, but what we saw on that day through the windows of the minibus was really amazing. For days, the incessant snowfall painted the fields white. The earth smoothly flowed into a light gray sky, and only the pale shadows of forests and villages in the distance suggested that this solid canvas somewhere in the center was still cutting a strip of the horizon.

“It was shallow, it was shallow all over the earth, in all limits ...”, - I remembered ... How long we waited for snow this winter. Suddenly a voice was heard from behind. No, not Pasternak, don't think, I'm not so frozen in Pushcha. The child sitting behind me asked my mother:

- Mom, how does Santa Claus know what gift I want for New Year?

- He knows everything, - Mom was not taken aback.

- No, how does he know what to bring to each child? - the suspicious boy did not calm down.

- And he does not bring everyone, but only obedient children, - was the answer.

- Mom, am I puffy? - asked the child.

“Not always,” snapped the stern mother.

- And if not always, will there be a gift?

- He will still see how you will behave until the New Year, and then he will decide, - my mother made a verdict.

The boy was quiet for a while, and it already seemed to me that right from that moment he would try his best to be "puffy". But no, it was not enough for a long time, after 5 minutes my chair was shaking again due to the baby spinning without stopping.

In Brest we had another 2.5 hours of free time. We handed over our things to the storage room of the bus station and decided to go to the Brest Fortress. Moreover, it is not far away: only three bus stops from the bus station - and you are there. We had, of course, to walk a little more, but after 10 minutes we already saw a large star of the main entrance carved in stone. This is how the Brest Fortress looks like in winter.

This weekend has come to an end. The Brest-Moscow train took us to Minsk in 4 hours. Tired of a blizzard, we drove home, dried our shoes and thought that we should return here in a warm season: both to Brest and to Belovezhskaya Pushcha, to compare our impressions. And you must definitely go to large quantity days. To take a break from the bustle of the city.

Recently, I have been very fond of natural attractions. The sight of many of them literally blows the roof off. Over the past year, Tanya and I have already visited three national park oh in three different countries Europe. We climbed rocks in Spanish; admired the crystal surface of rivers and lakes in Poland; and then wandered through the amber forests c. And each of these places was great in its own way.

That is why, in January 2016, Tanya and I decided to visit another national park. This time - located already on the territory of our own homeland. I think you understand what this is about. Therefore, I will say right away: Belovezhskaya Pushcha fully and completely met all my expectations. Covered by the lace of January snows, the oldest forest in Europe looked amazingly beautiful in winter and somehow even a little fabulous. The massive silhouettes of centuries-old trees stretched somewhere to the heavens. And therefore, from the mere sight of dense thickets with narrow ribbons of paths lost around the next bend, a strange feeling of inspiration appeared in my soul. Somewhere overhead, the lively warble of a woodpecker was constantly heard. The forest lived its own life. And for a short moment our roads with him intertwined 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... On one of the forums on the Internet, I read that today a certain number of private minibuses also go in the direction of the ancient forest. But I myself did not check this information. Therefore, I will not dwell on this in detail now.

Regular buses from Brest go to Pushcha all day long. Some of them will take you directly to the gates of the National Park. Others will only get to the small village of Kamenyuki. From there you have to walk to the gate of the complex. But do not rush to get scared: walking to your destination is no more than a kilometer. If you believe Google maps - 0.8 km.

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

At the gates of the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha"

All buses going to Belovezhskaya Pushcha arrive directly at its gates - to a large parking lot located nearby. Guards are on duty here. And next to her post there are stalls with various kinds of souvenirs.

The choice of magnets, key chains and plates is about the same as in Brest. Plus some local flavor. At the same time, despite the rather a large number of arriving tourists, prices are quite affordable. In January 2016 most of magnets cost in the region of 20-40 thousand (1-2 dollars). The selection is pretty good. For one hundred thousand, you can buy the full program.

If you have enough money, for a million and a half (50-75 dollars) you can even buy yourself such a corridor rug. Very realistic. I was even somehow afraid to take it in my hands.

Prices in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Each of the routes laid along Belovezhskaya Pushcha has its own separate cost. And this fact for me personally became in this place the most unexpected discovery with a minus sign. Usually in the national parks like this: buy an entrance ticket, get a card and walk yourself wherever 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). In food coupons - from 10,000 to 20,000.

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

By the way, there are such stands next to the description of the routes.

If you wander through the forest chaotically and erratically, you can 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 else paid services is there in Belovezhskaya Pushcha? Visiting aviaries with animals, a tour of the Museum of Nature, a trip to visit Santa Claus and other nonsense (like renting audio guides and other things). Personally, we went straight from the gates of Belovezhskaya Pushcha to watch local bison. But I'll tell you about this a little later.

Hotels in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

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

Option number 2. Look for options on Booking.com.

Option number 3. Check the options offered on the AIRBNB website.

Only in this case, options should be sought 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 for a booking amount of $ 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 particular option, I suggest looking for hotels on this site. I myself use it regularly.

Aviaries in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Royal deer. Aviaries 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 parts, I heard several times that with due luck they can be quite found even in their natural environment. But this, so to speak, is an amateur thing.

It is much easier to look at the animals living in the forest in special enclosures of the reserve. The entrance costs 20,000 rubles (about $ 1). Cages with animals are located to the left of the entrance to the park. Finding this place is not difficult.

I will write in more detail about what animals can be found in local enclosures in a separate article. Well, for now I will only say one thing: aviaries of Belovezhskaya Pushcha- the place is very cool and interesting, quite unlike an ordinary zoo. The territory of the complex is quite large. Therefore, many animals hardly notice cells. In winter, by the way, it was possible to drive around the entire complex on such a charismatic horse. But this, again, is a separate 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 enclosed spaces in different parts In 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, so it is written on the official website).

Personally, Tanya and I dined decorously at a restaurant with the poetic name "Pines", located to the right of the entrance to reserve. Belovezhskaya Pushcha surprised by the pleasant level of prices. Going on this trip, I honestly thought that everything here would be much more expensive.

So, what is the Sosny restaurant?

• Nice price level.
• Delicious food (we took warm borscht and pancakes with blackberry jam).
• The presence in the menu of interesting local "chips" such as the Belovezhskaya moonshine ("Pushcha") and herbal tea brewed at the training camp, which is collected somewhere in the same place - in the forest.

Minuses:

• Unassuming interior.
• Lack of a toilet (instead of which there is only a washstand standing alone in the corner).
• The absence of a certain entrance hall in the restaurant, which is why it was constantly blowing a little from the street. Visitors came and went. And about one in three always forgot to close the door behind him (which, I repeat, goes straight to the street).

Pancake prices.

Overall, I liked this restaurant. He was definitely worthy of the money that we left here. The borscht was 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 repeatedly written that we have chosen not the most suitable for the trip. the best time... It was very cold in Belarus in the first half of January. Tanya and I were completely frozen. Therefore, I confess honestly, take a full-scale hike along one of tourist routes we didn’t succeed. To be honest, I am already thinking about going back to the reserve (Belovezhskaya Pushcha) when it gets a little warmer. To rent a bike, rent a room at one of the local " hotel complexes»And just devote a day and a half to travel along the reserved paths of the oldest forest in Europe. Damn, guys, do you even know that our whole continent once looked like this ?! And only in Belovezhskaya Pushcha you can see with your own eyes how old world before the period of urbanization and the 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 quite enough to get to two attractions at once, marked on numerous tourist maps... I was absolutely delighted with each of them that day. Well, in general, see for yourself. Here they are.

Attraction number 1. Birch with a bison's head. I agree, it sounds strange. But it looks pretty cool. Unusual, at least. It is a pity that it was covered with snow in winter. In the summer, they say, it looks even cooler.

Attraction number 2. Hermit Oak. This one reminded me of some Tolkien's 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 somehow suspiciously.

Endgame: the final word

In general, walking along Belovezhskaya Pushcha, one gets the impression that this forest is one huge living organism. Some kind of movement is constantly heard in the bushes. And somewhere overhead, almost every minute, the measured beat of a woodpecker is heard. In short, as you probably already understood, I really liked this place. I understand that it is difficult to boast of a trip to Belovezhskaya Pushcha to friends (at least, the phrase “I went to Belovezhskaya Pushcha” is difficult to pronounce with the same pretentious 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