25 Best Marshlands to Visit in Belarus

A better way to visit wetland areas is organized travel group. This kind of organized excursions and escorting in marshlands are provided by local State Environmental Institutes (SEI), outdoor clubs etc. For solo outdoorsmen best to choose maintained eco-trails & watching towers, and read the rules of visiting the marshlands in case of visiting non-maintained places. Visiting the marshlands without proper expertise is quite hazardous, and careless actions lead to accidents & injuries.

Brief Guidelines for Behaviour Rules in Marshlands:

• Taking a route in high-risk wetland areas without a skilled guide is not recommended.

• Visiting a wetland alone is undesirable.

• Be familiar with route conditions before taking a route.

• Prepare rubber boots, personal items, communications (fully-charged and waterproofed), compass, schematic map, food supplies, first aid.

• Visiting the marshlands in the dark is not recommended.

• Taking a route without pre-testing of the readiness of the equipment, boots, clothing is forbidden.

• A trip must be stopped in case of harsh weather conditions: a stormwind, thunder, heavy fog etc.

• During vermin high season it is necessary to have proper protection equipment (repellent, mosquito head nets).

• Better having a stick for crossing the bog areas. Make sure in your crossing’s safety.

• Make a detour in case of bog areas and natural barriers.

• Moving in the marshlands outside the trampled paths should be provided by 2-3 m interval between people, sticks are required.

• In case of moving through the floating mat (which is not recommended), better to keep 5-meter distance to save a mat in safe.

• Watch your step and choose places to step with roots and sticks. Places with shrubs and high grass are more stable.

• Sponges or ‘windows’ in marshlands with bright fruity grass should be detoured.

• Hummocky marshlands should be crossed over the hummocks, a stick is required.

• Watch the stumps, snags and stones hidden in water or quagmire.

• During a thunderstorm is forbidden: be on move; stay near ditches, creeks, rivers, lakes; hide under the separate trees, lean on them. Safe places such as meadow or young growth needed to be taken, preferably on the insulating material.

• A bonfire within the marshlands is forbidden. At the slightest sign of a fire (smoke smell, animals’ running, birds’ flight in one direction), it’s necessary to safely leave the marshland complex.

• Come out to the nearest river or lake in case there’s no option to leave a complex on your own. Report a fire to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES).

• The best time for travelling in the marshlands is from May to September.

• Better be insured for accidents.

25 Best Marshlands to Visit in Belarus