Big Five Mammals Festival – March 2025 (Lynx & Wolves seen)

Another festival and a yet another victory. This year’s Big Five Mammals Festival in the Białowieża Forest was a great success. We had 25 participants from UK, USA, Germany and Belgium.

It was also unique, for we changed the festival venue and what a great idea it was! We now stay at Bojarski Gościniec in Narewka, just on the bank of the river and edge of the Białowieża Forest. It is a fantastic location. Within a walking distance from the venue, we saw wild European Bison, Wolves, Beaver, Otter, American Mink, Kingfishers, Great Grey Shrikes and many other birds.

But let’s get to the details – we organised the festival at the best time to watch all the big five mammals of north-eastern Poland and here are the results:

European Bison – seen every single day
European Elk (Moose) – seen on both days of the Biebrza Marshes trip
European Beavers – seen in the river next to the festival venue, fantastic views of several on both boat trips we organised

Wolves – seen and heard howling several times on five of the days, many people saw them several times on a single trip!
Lynx – seen well and photographed on one day

Red and Roe Deer – every day
Fox – several times
Raccoon Dog – twice
Pine marten – twice
American Mink – once
Otter – once

We also saw Kingfishers, Great grey shrikes, Black, White-backed, Grey-headed, Middle-spotted, Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers, Hazel grouse, Pygmy Owls, White-tailed and Greater Spotted Eagles, White Storks, Cranes, Bullfinch, Crossbills, Hawfinch, Green Sandpipers, Woodcock, Ruff and many other birds!

Here are a few of the participants comments:

This week in Bialowieza was amazing. Never seen such a lot of wildlife. I disconnected like never before.
Impatient to come back in Poland.

Best regards,
Jean-Luc

Thanks so much to you and the team. I’ve not done an organised tour before but it was fun and fulfilling, and no time was wasted! It was so impressive to see how you run things. Best wishes to Piotr, Tomasz and Adam as well as to you.

Hopefully see you again.
Giles

I had a wonderful time and I think my head is still there in Poland in that unbelievably biodiverse environment. It was just fantastic! I am considering coming back!

Miffy

Thanks to the great tour guides and great time I had. The planning and efficiency showed whilst also being flexible if required. Accommodation was also very good with plentiful tasty food along with some friendly staff in a very nice location. Thanks again for a great tour and I hope to be back sometime.

Cheers, Glyn

Thank you for the most memorable Wild Poland Festival and thank you for hosting such a successful event, in which I had a wonderful time. Best wishes & thanks to all your team.

Dave

Thanks again for the great festival week. We really enjoyed it. All the guides were great and it was a great group of people.

Kelli

Thank you for making our holiday so memorable.

Steve & Angela

Finally – let the photos speak for themselves: