Biebrza National Park

Biebrza National Park (Biebrzański Park Narodowy, roughly "bee-EB-zhah") in northeastern Poland is the country's largest national park and one of Europe's great wetland wildernesses. It protects the valley of the Biebrza River — vast peat bogs, sedge meadows that flood every spring and alder swamps where Poland's biggest moose population roams. For birders it is one of the top destinations on the continent; for everyone else it is a rare chance to see a lowland river valley that still works the way nature intended.

Where it is and how to get there

The park stretches along the Biebrza in Podlaskie province, near the borders with Lithuania and Belarus. Its headquarters at Osowiec-Twierdza (Osowiec Fortress) lies about 50 km (30 miles) northwest of Białystok, on national road 65 toward Ełk, and has a railway stop on the same line. From Warsaw it is roughly a 3-hour drive. There is no single entrance: you explore from villages such as Goniądz, Dobarz, Barwik, Dolistowo or Lipsk.

Why Biebrza matters

The national park was established in 1993, building on a landscape park from 1989, and covers 592 km² (229 sq mi). The first reserves here, Czerwone Bagno ("Red Marsh") and Grzędy, date from before World War II. Since 1995 the valley has been a Ramsar Convention wetland of international importance. The Biebrza flows for about 155 km through the park, and its valley is divided into upper, middle and lower basins, each with a different character.

Wildlife: birds and moose

Around 270 bird species have been recorded. In April and May, ruffs and great snipes perform their courtship displays on the meadows, while the aquatic warbler — one of Europe's rarest songbirds — sings in the sedge beds. The park is also home to about 400 moose (elk), best seen at dawn and dusk, especially in winter and early spring. Keep your distance and never feed them.

Large wildfires hit the park in April 2020 (about 5,300 hectares, nearly a tenth of its area) and again in April 2025 (around 450 hectares). Nature is recovering, but some routes may be closed at times.

Things to do in Biebrza National Park

• Drive or cycle the Tsar's Road (Carska Droga) — a 19th-century road across the middle basin with stops overlooking the marshes; park only in designated places.
• Walk the boardwalk trails with viewing towers and platforms around Grzędy, Dolistowo and Barwik. In fall 2026 several towers, including those at Grobla Honczarowska and Kanał Rudzki, are closed for safety.
• Kayak or raft the Biebrza — the most atmospheric way to see the valley. Motorboat navigation was not opened in 2026 because of low water.
• Osowiec Fortress — a 19th-century Russian fortress that resisted German sieges in World War I; the park headquarters and visitor information point are here. Fort I (the former fortress museum) and Fort III cannot be visited at present.

When to go and how long to stay

April and May are the highlight: spring floods, flowering marsh marigolds and bird displays. September and October bring cranes and the moose rut. Allow half a day for the Tsar's Road and a short boardwalk, a full day for a kayak trip, and two or three days if birding is your focus. Pack binoculars, rubber boots or waterproof hiking shoes (the park requires boots on some soggy trails) and insect repellent in summer. In winter the floods freeze, dirt roads may be impassable and boardwalks get slippery.

Tickets, hours and practical tips

As of October 2026 (prices may change):

• Land trails: 10 PLN per day (reduced 5 PLN), weekend ticket 20 PLN, weekly ticket 50 PLN.
• Water trails: 10 PLN per day (reduced 5 PLN).
• Free: children under 7.
• Buy tickets online through the park's eParki system or at outlets in villages along the trails; keep the ticket on your phone.
• Visitor information point in Osowiec-Twierdza: Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., closed on weekends.
• Contact: Osowiec-Twierdza 8, 19-110 Goniądz; phone +48 85 738 3000.
• Check the park's visitor notice before you go — trail and tower closures change often.

Is it worth visiting?

If you love wildlife, absolutely. Biebrza is not about dramatic scenery but about space, silence and animals — a few hours here at sunrise in May are unforgettable. Combine it with the Jewish heritage town of Tykocin or a trip along the Augustów Canal.