Pripyatsky National Park, Gomel Region

The "Pripyatsky" National Park is situated in Gomel region. It is 250 km fr om Minsk. The region, wh ere the southern reserve is located, is called Polesye. The national park was founded in 1969. Surrounded by tributaries of three rivers (the Pripyat, Stviga and Ubort), the territory of the park occupies a vast area. Until recently, it was constantly growing. Today it covers 190,000 hectares.

Wild forests along the Pripyat, swamps and thickets have always attracted a large number of tourists to these places. Tourists call these places "Belarusian Amazonia".

Woods occupy a large part of the protected area. Together with swamps and floodplains, it composes 95% of the total area. Numerous swamps, a large number of rivers, and also the location of the Pripyat lead to the fact that during snow-melt flood period floodplain forests are flooded with water for a long time. It is necessary to note that their flora is unique in Eastern Europe.

Ash trees, willows, birches and pines grow in the "Pripyatsky" National Park. The magnificent oak forests of Polesye are mentioned in many songs and poems. There are also alder trees, hornbeams, lindens. In general, almost a thousand species of plants grow in Polesye. 45 of them are included in the Red Book of Belarus.

The spring high water period is a special time when you can meet spawning fish in flooded swamps, meadows and forests. All the territory, covered by the stretched waters from the Pripyat, was called "the Sea of Herodotus ". There can be found pike-perch, pike, burbot, and bream.

More than 250 species of birds inhabit Polesye. 65 species of birds are included in the Red Book. For example, little bittern, night heron, common bunting, harrier eagle.

More than fifty species of mammals are found in the forests and swamps of the "Pripyatsky" National Park. Here you can find foxes, hares, beavers, muskrats, mink and even lynx.

The Museum of Nature offers you to get acquainted with the flora and fauna of these lands. So, you will see the reconstructed scenes from the life of bison, storks, and wild animals.

The employees of the "Pripyatsky" National Park created the most comfortable conditions for recreation and organized various leisure activities. Ecotourism lovers can stay in hotels, tourist complexes. Guest houses create a special atmosphere of coziness. After obtaining a special permit, hunting and fishing are possible in a certain territory. It is highly recommended to see beautiful landscapes of the national park.