The hustle and bustle of the town often becomes unbearable. It is at times like this when there appears a strong urge to get lost in your own thoughts somewhere on some endlessly beautiful expanse – in the forest, on the lake, in the meadow. Thinking over the Vitebsk region many travellers choose nothing but the splendid Braslavsky lakes. To tell that this is a wonderful and picturesque place means to say nothing. Here there are more than fifty enchanting lakes.

It is to be mentioned that the cultural and historical domain of Braslav hardly takes a back to its nature. Several kilometers fr om the town Braslav there is the richest pinewood on the high nice hills. This area is rather attractive for tourists and called “Ratsky Bor”.

The attraction presents a valley including the picturesque lake Bolta surrounded by the woodland. This lake is the most mysterious, entrancing and inviting site in the Braslav district. There you can notice something that is hardly seen in the wild nature.it is the place wh ere you can watch the behavior of wild animals in their natural habitat. The woodland “Ratsky Bor” allows travellers to become more acquainted with such wild animals as deer, boars, wolves, foxes and brown bears. All these animals are typical inhabitants of the Belarusian forests.

It should be noted that these animals are rather dangerous. However, they, in themselves, are quite coward, that’s why they like to hide from people and don’t like to have their picture taken.  This makes “Ratsky Bor” unique: thanks to the hilly terrain that was formed there after the Ice Age wild animals can’t hide from you. They will be noticed even in the furthest corners of their open-air-cage the total area of which is about three hectares.

Getting acquainted with the fauna of the Belarusian Lake District will be remembered for years to come. Apart from coming closer to the wild nature, the travellers can experience the ancient history of the region.  In “Ratsky Bor” there are sites of ancient settlements and burial mounts dating back to the VI-XI centuries. These burial tombs are called by local residents French as the Napoleonic camp was disposed there during four days of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Even though it sounds trite but the combination of inimitable natural domain and cultural and historical heritage always stays in fashion, a sort of ageless classics of genre. To follow the life of wild animals and learn the secrets of idolatrous tribes that lived there in the IX century is rather an interesting perspective.

In this amazing picturesque place one can feel calmness of untouched spot, as no matter how far the community of humankind stepped forward in terms of its development, our original residence is nature.