Białowieża Forest & Biebrza Marshes, April 2025

Another tour has passed. We had an amazing time with a small group of fantastic people out in the wilderness of Eastern Poland.

We picked up our first guests from their hotels in warm and sunny Warsaw before noon, and the last one from the airport. Once everyone was on board, we set off toward the Białowieża Forest. Along the way, we spotted various birds, including Ravens, Kestrels, Great white egrets, Cranes, and of course, White storks. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant, where we enjoyed traditional sour rye soup (żurek) and potato pancakes served with a mushroom sauce.

We arrived at our hotel in Narewka around 4:00 PM, and by 6:00 PM we were off on our first evening Bison safari. The bison didn’t disappoint—just five minutes from the hotel, we spotted a herd of 13 grazing in a forest clearing. Afterward, we returned for a well-earned dinner.

Every day we were in the forest at dawn and again in the evening. We even did three night safaris using thermal imaging. In total, we observed 12 mammal species, from the mighty European Bison to the tiny Bank vole. Twice we tracked Wolves, once we were just 30 minutes behind them. We hiked the most beautiful trails through the primeval forest, and also visited the strictly protected reserve of the Białowieża National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). A park guide accompanied us and shared insights into the untouched ecosystems, the kinds that once covered all of Europe. We admired ancient trees and forest floors carpeted with wood anemones, interspersed with yellow anemones, corydalis, spring pea, and isopyrum.

One evening, we went out in search of owls. We listened to the calls of Tawny owls and Tengmalm’s owls under a spectacularly starry sky, completely free of light pollution, it was a truly awe-inspiring sight.

We also visited a charming wooden village in the “Land of Open Shutters” and saw two beautiful wooden Orthodox churches. One of them was open, allowing us to admire the iconostasis and the intricate interior decor.

One morning on the Biebrza River, we went on a Elk (moose) safari and spotted eight of them! That evening, we took a boat ride and watched Beavers in action, around ten in total, and very active!

We also have seen 118 species of birds. Some highlights included: Pygmy Owl, Black Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Hoopoes, Cranes, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Bluethroat, and Penduline Tit.

The weather was fantastic all week—sunny, calm, and with daytime temperatures around 25°C. We wrapped up our trip with a stroll through Warsaw’s Old Town and a lovely lunch in one of its historic restaurants.

It was a week of discovery, wonder, and connection with nature, with culture, and with each other. A perfect escape from the noise of everyday life, and a reminder of just how wild and beautiful Poland is.

Please find below some of the photos taken during the tour!