Join us to explore the villages, forests and historic cities of Belarus and eastern Poland. We walk in the Berezinsky National Park and visit the town of Polotsk – home to the artist Marc Chagall. We also tour the Belarus capital Minsk and visit the 19th century Russian fortress at Brest.
Itinerary
[+] Detailed Itinerary
1
Join tour Warsaw (Poland). Drive to Bialystok
Our adventure begins at Warsaw Airport, from where we drive to the north-eastern town of Bialystok on the banks of the Biala River. The largest city in the region, Bialystok lies at the heart of Belarus culture in Poland and was a recent finalist for European Capital of Culture. Home to a number of museums and parks, the city also boasts one of the oldest puppet theatres in the country.
Overnight Standard Hotel
2
Drive through the Knyszynska Forest and on to Hrodna (Belarus)
Driving across the Bialystok Uplands this morning we head farther east, travelling through the charming villages of the Knyszynka Forest. Stopping in the small communities of Bohoniki and Kruszyniany, we visit the unique wooden mosque that is still used today by the small Tartar population of the region, before continuing towards the Belarus border. Immigration formalities at the border may take around an hour to complete, after which we continue by road to the city of Hrodna (Grodno) on the Neman River.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
3
Morning sightseeing. Afternoon drive to Lida
Home to one of the largest Catholic populations in the country, Hrodna is filled with a wonderful collection of medieval and baroque architecture, including the impressive Cathedral of St Francis Xavier and the unique Church of Saints Boris and Gleb, the only surviving example of Black Ruthenian architecture left in the area. We take a tour of the city this morning, before driving out to view the newly restored eastern section of the 19th century Agustów Canal on our way to the historic city of Lida.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
4
Drive to Berezinsky National Park via Naroch Lake
We continue our eastward journey towards the forests and marshes of the Berezinsky National Park. Covering around 400 kilometres today, we will break our journey on the banks of Lake Naroch, the largest lake in Belarus. Covering nearly 80 square kilometres, the lake is home to pike, perch, eel and tench and its picturesque landscapes provide us with an ideal lunch stop before continuing the rest of the way to Berezinsky.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
5
Hiking in Berezinsky National Park
Encompassing one of the largest areas of marshland left in Europe, the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve provides a haven for an incredible diversity of flora and fauna, including more than 780 herbaceous species, 34 species of fish, over 50 mammals and an impressive list of over 200 different birds. We have a full day hiking or optional canoeing through the park today, enjoying the natural and scenic beauty of one of the most pristine environments in the country.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
6
Drive to Vitebsk via Polotsk
Straddling the waters of the mighty Dvina, close to Belarus’s border with neighbouring Russia, lies the thriving city of Vitebsk, birthplace of Marc Chagall, one of the 20th centuries most renowned painters. Driving to the city today we pass through the historic town of Polotsk, a cultural gem that is one of the oldest Slavic towns in the region. Tracing its origins back to the 9th century, the town is home to no fewer than 130 historical and cultural monuments, including the 11th century Cathedral of St Sophia, providing us with a fascinating stop en route to our final destination in Vitebsk.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
7
Free AM in Witebsk; PM drive to Minsk
Today morning is left free to explore this historical town at your own pace. Towards the afternoon we will drive our way south, heading towards the Belarus capital of Minsk, a four to five hour journey with a stop over at Khetyn memorial.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
8
Sightseeing in Minsk
Over the past millennium the city of Minsk has survived the onslaught of the Mongols, the French and the Germans and today represents one of the finest examples of classic urban planning left in the old Soviet Union. We’ll take a tour of the city today, enjoying the grandeur of the wide boulevards and imposing monuments so beloved of the old party elite.Will get some free time here to do enjoy this delightful city.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
9
Free morning in Minsk; Drive to Nesvizh; visit Nesvizh Castle
After enjoying a free morning at Minsk we journey west towards a UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the impressive castle at Nesvizh, home to the Radswill Family for over 400 years.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
10
Visit Mir Castle; Drive to Brest Fortress
Our day today starts with visit to another UNESCO World heritage site, the Mir Castle. After a guided walk here we visit the 19th century fortress at Brest, once the largest in the old Russian Empire. An infamous prison during the Soviet trials of the 1930s, this immense fortress went on to achieve lasting fame when it became a symbol of Soviet resistance during the German invasion of Russia in 1941.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
11
Drive back to Warsaw
Today we cross the border back into Poland, driving back to the Polish capital to enjoy a final evening in the city before our departure tomorrow.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
12
Tour ends Warsaw
Tour ends Warsaw after breakfast.
Included meals: Breakfast
