Białowieża National Park in Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-25. Check linked official notices before travel.

Białowieża National Park protects natural forest in Poland’s Podlaskie Voivodeship. Its former Strict Reserve requires a licensed guide, while designated northern trails allow individual visitors to walk independently. The bison display reserve and Nature and Forest Museum are separate visit options with their own tickets.

Highlights

• Natural forest: the guided Do Dębu Jagiełły route reveals living trees, fallen trunks and the organisms that depend on decaying wood.
• Bison display reserve: view European bison in managed enclosures rather than relying on a wild sighting.
• Palace Park: landscaped grounds and historic buildings provide a different perspective on Białowieża’s past.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Safety information

Do not enter the forest during thunderstorms or strong winds. The park also prohibits leaving approved routes. Construction affects parking before Kosy Most and circulation around the museum. Consult the park’s current visitor notices before choosing a trail or relying on an elevator.

Visit responsibly

Keep away from enclosure fences and do not feed or touch animals. Forest access normally ends half an hour after sunset and resumes half an hour before sunrise. A specific September exception applies around the designated Kosy Most bison-viewing area; it does not authorize night walks throughout the park. Ordinary pets are allowed only in Palace Park, on a leash and with a muzzle. Assistance-dog exceptions apply to the forest, museum and bison reserve restrictions.

Reservations and permits

Arrange a guide with a valid BPN license before buying a former Strict Reserve ticket. The park does not supply that guide through its ticket purchase. A guide may lead no more than 10 people on Do Dębu Jagiełły. Use the park’s visitor rules to distinguish this requirement from self-guided northern trails. Organized museum groups require advance reservations.

Maps, location, and access

The park lies in northeastern Poland, in the central part of the Białowieża Forest. The Polish park and the forest’s Belarusian protected area have separate jurisdictions. Park Pałacowy 11 in Białowieża is the park’s administrative and museum address. The bison display reserve is beside the Hajnówka–Białowieża road, about 3 km before Białowieża. Select the actual attraction on the park’s detailed visitor-access page instead of navigating to an unspecified forest center.

Nearby parks and protected areas

• Narew National Park: Kurowo, west of Białystok, is a separate road trip from Białowieża; check its boardwalk closures before traveling.
• Park Krajobrazowy Puszczy Knyszyńskiej: the forest landscape park around Supraśl provides another protected-area stop in the Białystok region.

Things to do

The park describes Do Dębu Jagiełły as a 7 km guided outing, including 4 km inside the former Strict Reserve, taking about three hours. Individual visitors can use named northern routes such as Wilczy Szlak and Carska Tropina without a guide, subject to current closures. Choose the museum for interpretation of forest habitats, or walk Palace Park’s nature and history paths.

Facilities and accessibility

The museum and bison reserve have visitor infrastructure, including toilets with features for visitors with mobility disabilities. Palace Park has compacted sandy paths. The museum normally provides lift or platform assistance, but its current construction notice overrides routine elevator information. Contact the park before arranging a visit that depends on step-free access.

About the park

History

Protection began with reserves established in 1921. The administrative unit became Park Narodowy w Białowieży in 1932 and was restored as Białowieski Park Narodowy in 1947. Palace Park developed around the imperial palace built in 1889–1894; the historic grounds remain part of the visitor experience.

Wildlife and habitats

Standing and fallen dead wood supports fungi, insects and woodpeckers, including three-toed and white-backed woodpeckers. European bison are central to the forest’s conservation history. Seeing animals in the display reserve is a managed-enclosure experience; it should not be confused with watching free-ranging bison.

Contact

For visitor planning, use the official opening-hours and fee page. Białowieski Park Narodowy: Park Pałacowy 11, 17-230 Białowieża. Phone: +48 85 682 97 00. Email: [email protected].