Białowieża Forest

Upon entering the Białowieża Forest, you will be surrounded by a dusk you associate more with a tropical jungle than an ordinary forest in our part of Europe.

As more kilometers pass, the trees seem to grow taller and denser. After staying inside for a few days, you will be getting used to the open spaces again for quite a while.

The ancient complex of the Białowieża Forest is a dinosaur among forests – one of the last remnants of the original forest landscape of the European lowlands.

For centuries, Polish kings and Russian tsars hunted in it; today, the most valuable part of the forest is strictly protected as part of the Białowieża National Park and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Białowieża forests are a sanctuary for wild animals, the most famous representative of which is the bison.

This wild, phlegmatic relative of domestic cattle once inhabited forests from Siberia to northern Spain. Centuries of mindless hunting and wars brought the species to the brink of extinction. The last wild bison died at the end of World War I, and the population was restored from 12 specimens held in captivity. Today there are 1,500 bison in Poland, half of which live in the wild right here in the Białowieża Forest. If you are lucky, you can see them early in the morning in mid-forest clearings. The animals come out then to feed.

Białowieża Forest is great to explore aimlessly on bicycles.

Well-maintained paved or asphalted roads crisscross the complex with long straight stretches where you can build up speed. Along the way, you will pass ancient oak trees that are hundreds of years old or lookout towers at the edge of meadows and wetlands. Landmarks can also be places of power tucked deep in the forest, which according to radiesthesists have a high accumulation of positive energy. Are they really so? See for yourself!

Białowieża National Park website

Note: due to the tense situation on the Polish-Belarusian border since the summer of 2021, a significant part of the Białowieża Forest, including the village of Białowieża, is in an area under a state of emergency, and it may not be possible to visit it during your trip. It is best to ask your hosts before setting out.