Eastern Poland Nature & Culture Tour (8 days)

Day 1 Gdansk

Arrival in Gdańsk. After check-in walk around the old town. Dinner (not included).

Photo: Solyent Green

Gdańsk was founded in 997 and has always been an important port and trade centre connecting Poland with the Baltic sea. This is where the WWII started (on Westerplatte, Sept 1, 1939), and where Solidarity Trade Union caused the decline of Communism in the Soviet Bloc.

Day 2 Gdansk – Biebrza National Park

After breakfast drive from Gdansk to Malbork. Visit to the castle.

Malbork

The world’s largest brick castle was the seat of the Teutonic Order. This impressive fortress, which was built in the 13th century, and its museum are listed as UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

In the afternoon drive to the Biebrza National Park. Overnight.

After lunch drive to the Biebrza National Park. Overnight.

Days 3-4 Biebrza Valley

These two days we will explore the Park by minibus, bicycle or on foot. If the time permits, we may visit Osowiec fortress, built in the 19^th century by the Russian Tsar to protect his empire.

Biebrza is the largest National Park in the country. Its unique bogs and peatlands together with its amazing diversity of animal life including impressive number of bird species were the reasons for which the Park was designated as a wetland site of global significance and is under the protection of the RAMSAR Convention. The Biebrza Marshes provide a good living environment for elk (North American – moose), beaver, wolf, crane, black grouse, great snipe, ruff, aquatic warbler and many other species.

Day 5 Drive to Bialowieza

After breakfast drive via Tykocin to the Bialowieza National Park.

Tykocin

The small “sleepy” town of Tykocin, by the Narew river, is a very picturesque place in the Podlasie region.

photo: Jurek Durczak

Tykocin was a classic example of a shtetl (the Yiddish diminutive for shtat – meaning town, or city – and implies a relatively small community). A shtetl was a small town in Eastern Europe, encompassing many features of a community: streets, houses, public buildings, schools and places of worship.

Arrival at Bialowieza in the afternoon. Check in.

Days 6-7 Bialowieza

We will spend the next two full days exploring in and out of the Bialowieza primeval forests, including its amazing “strict reserve” where the access of people is fully controlled. Happily we have permission to visit this restricted zone with an expert local forest guide! We will visit the forest by the horse drawn carts and bikes.

Bialowieza

This is the most valuable, natural area in the lowlands of all Europe. This immense forest is the home of some remarkable animal life including such rare and interesting mammals as European Bison (Wisent), Wolf and Lynx. Famous worldwide, the closed natural reserve was set up 70 years ago. It is one of very last preserved relics of the primeval forest which once covered almost the whole of Europe.

Day 8 From Bialowieza to Warsaw

After check out we will drive to Warsaw via Hajnowka, a small town at the edge of Bialowieza forest, where we will have a chance to see a Russian orthodox church.

Warszawa (Warsaw)

Warsaw, capital of Poland since 1596, was severely damaged during WWII and meticulously reconstructed after 1945. Warsaw’s Old Town is listed in the World Cultural Heritage, as it was highly valued by UNESCO.

Lunch en route. Arrival in Warsaw. Depending on the flight schedule, short walk in the Old Town.

Return flight in the afternoon.