Imagine a land of ancient forests, hundreds of meandering rivers, the continent’s largest marshes and fens, and roads where you hardly meet any traffic or people – welcome to Belarus!
This tour focuses on three key regions in Belarus: the marshes of Pripyat National Park, home to breeding and migrant waders including Terek and marsh sandpipers plus other eastern species such as the gorgeous azure tit; the primeval forests of Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, a larger and wilder counterpart of the adjoining Białowieża National Park in Poland; and Sporava Reserve, which protects a significant proportion of the world population of the rare aquatic warbler.
We fly from London to Minsk and, depending on the scheduled arrival time of our flight, have dinner in a restaurant at the airport, then continue 280 kilometres south (around four hours’ drive) to Turov, so we can be ready to go birding first thing the following morning. Alternatively, we may stay overnight in a hotel some 30 minutes’ drive south of the capital and continue to Turov early the next morning.
Accommodation: Turov, 3-nights
This morning we set off after breakfast to go birdwatching in the surroundings of the hotel, where we look for white stork, yellow wagtail, lapwing, serin, azure tit and many other species.
In the afternoon we visit the fabled marshes of Pripyat National Park which host many breeding and migrant waders, including Terek and marsh sandpipers. Other eastern species include the beautiful azure tit. We also visit the nearby Beloe Fishponds, home to breeding whooper swan, smew, bittern, white-tailed eagle, red-necked grebe and many wildfowl and waders on migration.
Today we drive to our next base in the middle of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha ancient forest, a World Heritage Site and a wilder and larger counterpart of the adjoining Białowieza in Poland. During our walks through the forest we should see a host of birds such as red-breasted, collared, and pied flycatchers, and black woodpecker. There is also the possibility of wild boar, red deer and even European lynx or bison.
Accommodation: Belovezhskaya Pushcha, 2-nights
We continue to Sporavo Reserve, which protects a huge percentage of the world’s aquatic warbler population. Other bird species to look out for are great grey shrike, yellowhammer and citrine wagtail.
Accommodation: Bielaaziorsk, 2-nights
At the end of our week in Belarus, we drive back to Minsk, birding en route, and then board our flight to London.
Having been a keen birdwatcher and nature enthusiast since childhood, it was only natural for István to turn his passion into a career.
Graduating from the University of Pannonia with a degree in Nature Conservation Engineer, István has participated in various bird conservation programmes and field monitoring projects throughout Europe as well as leading birdwatching tours across Europe and Asia.
The Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to birds such as red-breasted, collared, and pied flycatchers and black woodpecker, as well as an exciting selection of rarely seen European mammals including European lynx and bison, plus wild boar and red deer. Find Out More about {acc:title}
British Travel Awards
Awarded Silver in Favourite Tour Operator for Nature & Wildlife 2024 & 2025
Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards
Awarded Bronze in Best Travel Company for Wildlife & Nature Holidays 2024
