Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus. Prices, photos, reviews, how to get to the reserve

How to get there?

You can get to the Pushcha by car - focus on 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 city of Kamenets and the village of Kamenyuki along P83.

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

Where to live?

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

If you want closer communication with nature, you can rent a vacation spot on the shores of lakes Plyanta, Lava and Pererovskoye - it will cost BYN 16 per day. In the national park you can rent tents, rugs and sleeping bags for an overnight stay for BYN 2-4. All the details .

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

What else is there to see nearby?

Spend a couple of days in cozy Brest, explore thoroughly, arrange forays into interesting cities nearby - . In Kobrin, look at the churches, the estate and stroll along the green embankment of the Mukhavets River, and in Kamenets pay tribute to the very White Vezha, which gave the name to the forest, even though it is not actually white. Now there is a local history museum in Vezha, and you can also climb to its top and admire the surroundings.

I've been really enjoying natural attractions lately. The sight of many of them literally blows your mind. Behind Last year Tanya and I have already visited three national parks in three different countries Europe. 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. So I’ll say right away: Belovezhskaya Pushcha 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, key chains 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, this place was the most unexpected discovery with a minus sign. Usually in national parks it’s like this: you buy admission ticket, you 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 reference 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 on the territory 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 dollars).

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 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 for the trip. best time. In the first half of January it was very cold in Belarus. Tanya and I were completely frozen. Therefore, I admit honestly, making a full-scale hike along one of the tourist routes we never succeeded. To be honest, I’m already thinking about going to the reserve (Belovezhskaya Pushcha) again when it gets a little warmer. To rent a bike, rent a room in one of the local " hotel complexes"and just 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

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 Vehicle(for example, in winter - sleds).

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. They come here Shuttle Buses, some of them drive right up 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.

The Belovezhskaya Pushcha Nature Reserve is the main natural attraction of Belarus, home to rare animals, bison. What to see in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, how to get there from Minsk, prices for excursions, food and hotels in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Reviews about the holiday with photos.

Now I am in my homeland, so on weekends I explore the sights of Belarus, which I will be happy to write about on my blog. I'll start with a story about Belovezhskaya Pushcha. “Pesnyary” also sang about her.

National Park“Belovezhskaya Pushcha” is a biosphere reserve, part of which is located in the west of Belarus, the other part in Poland.

It consists of 500 thousand square meters of forest, the average age of trees in which is 100 years. There are oak trees on the territory of the Pushcha that live there for 500-600 years.

This is one of the oldest nature reserves in the world, which was founded more than 600 years ago. Since 1992, the national park has been included in the fund world heritage UNESCO. This is one of the main attractions of Belarus. Holidays in Belovezhskaya Pushcha are popular among animal lovers and ecotourism.

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

Essentially the 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: enclosures with animals (bison, horses, wild boars), the Estate of the Belarusian Father Frost (open all year round, not just in winter), and the Local History Museum of Nature.

Cash desk opening hours: 9.00 – 18.00

Bicycle rental opening hours: 9.00 – 18.00

Opening hours of the Museum of Nature: 9.00 - 18.00

Opening hours of the Residence of Father Frost: 9.00 - 18.00

Bus departure times from the entrance to the Pushcha to the Estate of Father Frost: 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 is in the neighboring village of Kamenyuki, 900 meters from the main entrance to the Pushcha.

Prices in the village are lower than in the forest itself. Link to Kamenyuki No. 2 in the village (rooms from 17$ )

The Kamenyuki Hotel is now on Booking.com. Now booking rooms in Belovezhskaya Pushcha has become much easier (previously you had to call a landline phone on weekdays, but now you can rent a room on the Internet)

Houses in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

If you don’t want to live in a hotel, then in the village of Kamenyuki you can rent a room in a house, a cottage, or stay in an agricultural estate.

If you come by car, it makes sense to live not near 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 Kamenyuki.

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

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

Farmsteads and houses in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Belovezhskoye Estate, from $25

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

You can rent a separate 19th century house entirely for 50-60$

The estate in the village of Kamenyuki is decorated in a traditional style. There is free wifi and free parking, garden, barbecue area and terrace. It's a 20-25 minute walk to the forest.

House 10 km from the forest, from $75

Price for a one bedroom house - 75$
4 bedroom house - 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 with a car. The estate is located 10 km from the forest in the village of Makovishte

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 oven, TV, free wifi. The forest is 1 km away.

Excursions in Belovezhskaya Pushcha:

• On foot— you can visit enclosures with animals, the Local History Museum and lakes

• By bike— there are five routes through the territory of the Pushcha, the most long route 27 km long, it runs along ancient oak trees, covers several lakes, partly runs along an asphalt road, and 70% along a dirt road.

• By excursion bus(2 excursions)

Prices for excursions around Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Tickets for excursions can be purchased 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 immediately.

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

To get the price in Russian rubles, multiply the price in “proteins” by 30.

Prices for adult and children's tickets will be listed below. Visiting the estate of Father Frost, enclosures with animals, the museum of nature - children's ticket up to 14 years old, 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(RUR 31 / 0.5$ ), lasts 2 hours

You pay money and receive a map with the attractions indicated on it. You can walk without a map, but since the border with Poland is very close, it’s better to get a map so as not to accidentally go where you shouldn’t.

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

Bicycle tour of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Bicycle rental works from 9.00 to 18.00.

Prices cycling routes:

There are several cycling routes of varying lengths, designed to last one and a half, two, four hours. The price includes bicycle rental and a map with routes. The path runs along asphalt and dirt paths.

I read different reviews about the bikes. Many people write that they got an old bike for rent and advise, if possible, to choose an aluminum one with speeds. It is recommended to take your bike from home. I haven’t rented a bike myself, so I don’t know how things are with the equipment.

Sightseeing tour of Belovezhskaya Pushcha by bus

Winter equipment rental

Tour of the Estate of the Belarusian Father Frost

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

The price includes the 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 there on foot or by bicycle, but it will take a lot of time.

Excursion to the Residence of Father Frost

Sights of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Local History Museum of Nature

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

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

This is the best local history museum in Europe (although Moscow will be better). The exhibition was collected over 70 years.

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

Residence of the Belarusian Father Frost

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

At the end they gave sets of very tasty Belarusian sweets worth 30 thousand ( 1.5$ ), which is especially nice. Different groups receive different gifts: chocolates, drawing kits for children, etc.

You can also make up to 100 wishes at the residence. Grandfather promised that all of them would come true within a year. We'll see.

Animals of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

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

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

Wild animals constantly live in the forest, but you can’t always see them, so it’s best to look at the famous Belarusian bison in enclosures. The enclosures are home to bison, deer, raccoon dogs, foxes, moose, bears, wolves, horses, and wild boars.

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

They approached the fences and allowed themselves to be petted. It turned out that it is better to look at the animals in the morning or evening. During the day they are busy or sleep.

!!! Please pay attention to the fact that you cannot feed the animals. There are signs on the fences of the enclosure asking people 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 deer to come closer to the fence, it is better to show him a blade of grass.

In front of me, not very smart, giggling people threw a stone at the boar. The boar ate the stone out of habit, but why do such a thing?

Other attractions

Also on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha there are several artificial lakes, centuries-old oak trees, 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 Bel. rubles (RUR 3,700) for two people.

We drove 760 km, so the main part of the expenses is gasoline (1.19 byr (42 rubles) per liter of 95). We ate at the cafe twice. Once in the forest itself, the second time on the highway. The remaining costs are entrance fees to the enclosures, the museum and the excursion.

Prices in restaurants on the territory of the Pushcha are the same as in establishments in Minsk. Also to the right of the entrance to the reserve there is the Sosny cafe, where you can inexpensively eat pancakes with blueberries or honey, order shish kebab 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 administrative center Belovezhskaya Pushcha. We reach the end of the village of Kamenyuki and come to a parking lot and the entrance to the reserve.

The movement of vehicles without special permission through the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is prohibited, so we park the car and go for a walk.

2. By public transport

By train to Brest. Tickets for the Minsk-Brest train can be purchased in advance on the website www.rw.by

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

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

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

Main entrance to Belovezhskaya Pushcha

My reviews about Belovezhskaya Pushcha

It so happened that we left Minsk late and arrived in the Pushcha at 14.30, so we didn’t have time to see everything.

What I especially liked:

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

• Herb tea- poured in the Sosny cafe and in the cafe at the residence of Father Frost. To my greatest sadness, the tea itself, which is used to brew tea, is not sold on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

• Excursion to the Residence of Father Frost. They gave delicious gifts, and the performance itself was fun. Well done guys. They are trying!

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

What I didn’t like about Belovezhskaya Pushcha

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

• According to reviews, the condition of the bikes leaves much to be desired.

• Bison are not combed. 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.

Have a nice holiday in Belarus! Sincerely,

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

On the pre-holiday days, the Estate of Father Frost in Belovezhskaya Pushcha welcomes and sees off thousands of people from different parts of Belarus and our neighboring states. Is it worth looking for a fairy tale in Kamenyuki in the days winter holidays Or is it better to postpone the visit to the white-bearded Grandfather until better times? To resolve this issue for ourselves once and for all, we “took on the tail” of a tourist group from Pinsk and set off along the most popular route. We tell and show how the Pushcha greeted us in the review.

I admit honestly, this is my first visit to Santa Claus. I didn’t really count on miracles, because... I understood that Grandfather would have no time for me, he would be attacked by crowds of tourists. I was expecting the most important thing from the trip: answers to the questions “When is the best time to visit the Pushcha with the whole family? Should I go “savage” in my own car or use the services of a travel agency and an experienced guide?

Since we were going to a fairy tale, on the advice of the guide, it was decided to turn into adult children and try to plunge headlong into miracles. We listened to everything and tried to soak in the magic of the moment to the roots of our hair, to the last finger not chilled in the cold. In our company of 48 people there were also children, so adults kept glancing at them, trying to be “infected” by their spontaneity and naivety.

Everyone wanted to see Grandfather Frost, and quickly, but there was a long way ahead. Long because of the queue of hundreds of people wanting to do the same. By the way, there is no crowd; everything is organized in such a way that the wait is as comfortable as possible. There are free toilets on site, which is very important when you have children with you.

The area adjacent to the Estate is quite large, there are points selling food and drinks, souvenir shops, and a Santa Claus train. You can warm yourself by the fire, sit in the gazebo, or eat hot pancakes and barbecue until it’s your turn to enter through the main gate into the treasured courtyard.

Information for reference...
The residence of Father Frost is open from 9:00 to 18:00 every day, seven days a week and no lunch break.

Even if you arrive at the Estate of Father Frost on your own (not on a tour bus), the same procedure awaits you: 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 accompanied exactly just like tourists arriving with a guide.

Let's give it its due, the organization is up to par. Each group is approached by its own guide (one of the fairy-tale characters or Santa Claus’s assistants) and tries to brighten up the painful minutes of waiting as much as possible.

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

With leaps and bounds, we were getting closer and closer to the treasured gate... The guard in a green caftan did not look at all intimidating.

The real guards were the knights Dub Dubovich and Elm Vyazovich, and the sweet and slightly frozen young man simply regulated the influx of people, letting the next group through only when the previous one had already been taken into the experienced organizational hands by the next assistant of Grandfather Frost.

By the way, one little trick helps control the crowd. Everyone is told a legend that you should never go out through these gates, otherwise you will carry with you all the troubles and all the negativity that other visitors leave in the Estate. Here! One-way traffic: everyone who has already visited the courtyard exits along a different route.

Our sweet girl guide returned to the starting point, handing us over to the next hero. Who do you think it is? Snow Maiden? But no! This is the youngest daughter of Father Frost, the mother of the Snow Maiden. Yes, yes, it turns out that Grandfather has a wife - Zimushka Winter, three daughters - Blizzard, Stuzha and Metelitsa. The two eldest are not yet married, everyone is looking for one red-haired, the other bald and fluffy. And the youngest - Metelitsa - without hesitation, married the Snowman and they had a daughter - Snegurochka, the granddaughter of Father Frost.

Metelitsa entertains the guests at the entrance for some time, introduces them to family secrets and, as the adults understand, stalls for a little time so that the kind Grandfather Frost has time to catch his breath. In the meantime, before the kids, Snow White and her seven dwarfs.

The carved tower of Father Frost cannot be confused with any other house. Festive illumination at dusk gives it a special mystery; the carved patterns evoke admiration. The house is two-story, grandfather lives here all year, 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, the long-awaited meeting! Here he is - the Wizard! Grandfather greets the guests, asks where they came from and, despite the bustle and influx of visitors, finds a couple of kind words and jokes. Next - a group photo and... And that’s it, Grandfather Frost doesn’t have any more time, the next group of those eager for his attention is approaching.

In fairness, I note that our sweet girl guide warned that Grandfather 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 Santa Claus’s house, did everything that was required for such an occasion. No offense. Go ahead.

Not far from the tower of Father Frost there is a carriage drawn by a pair of deer. Apparently, this is where Grandfather delivers gifts to the kids.

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

Opposite Father Frost's house 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 sign and tell your child.

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

There are many wonderful places in the Estate, and each has its own legend. If you touch the Magic Mill and remember all your bad deeds and deeds, the Mill will grind them and turn them into dust and sand.

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

The route is designed so that tourists move in a circle. Even with a large number of guests, you can take a selfie and look at all the wonders without interference.

There is a small lake near the Mill. Its banks are decorated with wooden sculptures. Grandfather Frost brought the Frog Princess into 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 woman. There was no Ivan in our group, so the frog is sitting and waiting for the next group... Although, something tells me that there were attempts to kiss the Princess, but, apparently, it was not the same Ivan, and maybe all this was without love - that’s why the magic wasn’t it worked.

There is also a goldfish near that lake. It is waiting for everyone passing by to make three cherished wishes. There is also a bridge with exactly 97 logs. Every step is a new desire. In general, Dreams must come true, and the Estate has ALL the 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 wooden characters. Each section of the territory is remarkable in some way.

Unusual signs can be seen throughout the compound.

Entrance to the Gorynych snakes is strictly PROHIBITED. And the workers really make sure that 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 poem. Cute…

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

After singing a song about a Christmas tree and twirling in a round dance, visitors move on.

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

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

The Snow Maiden's House is of keen interest to the female part of the group. The legend says that you need to walk 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.

You won’t be able to go inside the Snow Maiden’s house, it’s too small. By the way, the Snow Maiden inherited from her father, the Snowman, the ability to melt, so she does not live in the Pushcha all year round, like Father Frost. Comes only in winter.

Treasurer's box - another one iconic place at the estate of Father Frost. Children's letters and crafts are stored here.

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

Here 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. You can wander around the Estate for some time, taste hot herbal tea with pancakes and game shish kebab.

If you're lucky, you can see bison, deer and other Pushcha residents: special feeders have been built for them.

CONCLUSION: It’s up to you to decide whether or not to go to the Pushcha on the eve of the New Year and Christmas holidays, when there are crowds of people there. But the Estate of Father Frost is worth visiting with children in any case! This is undeniable. I think it will be interesting to visit the Pushcha with the whole family, even in different seasons, because it is not only Father Frost that attracts tourists to Kamenyuki. The most important asset of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is fresh air and centuries-old forest. This is worth returning to the Pushcha again!

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