Swamp tourism (or “swamping”) is a direction of hiking that has appeared quite recently, but has already gained fans among travelers. These are mainly hiking enthusiasts, wilderness explorers, flora and fauna observers, fans of camping, as well as people who are tired of the office routine and want to touch the unknown nature.
We tell you about the most beautiful wetlands where you can go on a mini-hike or a short trip for a few days, and also explain what exactly you can do there. Don’t forget that, in addition to hiking gear and strong trekking boots, you should definitely stock up on insect repellent sprays.
Novosibirsk region: Vasyugan swamps
The Vasyugan swamps are one of the largest wetlands in the world (and the largest in Russia). It is located in Western Siberia, in the territories of the Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tyumen regions and the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. Scientists claim that these swamps are more than 10 thousand years old. They are home to rare animals and in the summer they remain almost impassable even for all-terrain vehicles. However, you can admire the swamps by visiting the Vasyugansky Nature Reserve in the Novosibirsk region.
How to get to the Vasyugan swamps
The easiest way is by plane. The cost of an air ticket from Moscow to Novosibirsk starts from 11,000 rubles* per person round trip.
Features of the swamps
People come here not for a relaxing holiday in nature, but for extreme hiking, because on such a trip you can encounter bears, hornets, snakes, and simply get stuck in a quagmire. As a reward, travelers receive stunning views (it’s not for nothing that this region is called the “Russian Amazon”) and access to endless cranberry fields. In winter you can ride through the Vasyugan swamps on a snowmobile.
It’s better to come here not on your own, but with an organized group, and it is recommended to conquer this location only with an experienced escort.
Moscow region: “Crane Homeland” nature reserve
“Crane Homeland” is an ornithological reserve located in the Taldom and Sergiev Posad districts. It got its name from the story of the same name by Prishvin, who loved to walk around these places – the Dubna swamp massif, the largest in the Moscow region. Lowland swamps here stretch in a wide strip in the floodplains of the Dubna and Sulati rivers.
How to get to the Crane Homeland Nature Reserve
Visits to the reserve are by appointment only. To get there, we recommend renting a car. Renting a car in Moscow on OneTwoTrip will cost 3600 rubles* per day.
You can also use public transport. First, we take the train from Savelovsky station to Taldom station. There we change to buses No. 28 or No. 34 to the village of Dmitrovka, where the biological station is located; or take buses No. 26 or No. 29 to the village of Kunilovo (from there you will have to walk about 2 km along the road).
Features of the reserve
From April to August, bird watchers come here: in the “Crane Homeland” you can find not only gray cranes, but also swans, wild geese, storks, waders, and ducks. The staff of the reserve constantly organizes various events – for example, in the summer the “Crane Festival” is held, during which lectures and bird watching are held in the company of professional ornithologists.
Leningrad region: nature reserve “North of Mshinsky Swamp”
A natural complex of incredible beauty is located on the territory of the Gatchina and Luga districts, in the area between the Yashchera and Kremenka rivers. Its length is 42 km from north to south and 18 km from west to east. In fact, it consists not only of the Mshinsky swamp, but of a whole hydrological network: swamps, streams, drainage ditches and tiny rivers.
How to get to the nature reserve “North of Mshinsky Swamp”
A plane ticket from Moscow to St. Petersburg will cost 4,000 rubles* per person round trip. Then we recommend renting a car on OneTwoTrip – the cost of renting a car for a day in the Northern capital starts from 3,600 rubles*.
Features of the reserve
Travelers are attracted here by picturesque coniferous and deciduous forests, huge meadows with forest and marsh berries (cranberries, stone fruits, cloudberries). Here you can find rare plants and wild animals, but the grouse birds are considered the “calling card” of the park: wood grouse, black grouse and ptarmigan nest on its territory.
Karelia: Vodlozersky National Park
Vodlozersky Park is a rather unusual natural phenomenon. The fact is that it is located on a flat plateau at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level, which should not have given swamps a chance to form. However, here is one of the most wetlands in Karelia. This is probably why the park is considered a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
How to get to Vodlozersky National Park
An air ticket from Moscow to Petrozavodsk and back will cost from 5,700 rubles* per person round trip.
Park Features
There are walking routes of varying degrees of difficulty throughout the park (some of them last several days). People also come here to raft along the rivers and their tributaries on rafts, canoes and kayaks. Well, we don’t have to talk about the beauty and diversity of landscapes and wildlife: after all, the reserve is part of one of the most beautiful regions of Russia.
Vladimir region: ecological trail “Journey into the world of Meshchera swamps” (Meshchera Park)
The trail “Journey to the World of Meshchera Swamps” is a five-kilometer walking route leading through the forest to the Sergius Swamp. Part of it can be done by car: along the way there are several deep puddles and a stream. Car rental on OneTwoTrip in Moscow starts from 3600 rubles* per day.
Features of the eco-trail
Information stands are installed along the trail, telling about the purpose of the swamps, about the scientific work that is carried out here all year round, about representatives of the animal and plant worlds of the swamps of the Meshchera region. The trail begins in the village of Yagodino and goes through a water meadow along the Pol River. This route is ideal for those who are just starting to get acquainted with swamp tourism.
Yaroslavl region: trail “Pantry of the Sun” near Pereslavl-Zalessky
Another natural park that owes its name to Mikhail Prishvin – in the book “Pantry of the Sun” the main character, Mitrasha, almost drowns in the Bludov swamp, through which the trail passes. By the way, this episode is considered to be autobiographical: Prishvin himself also once fell into a quagmire and was saved by a dog. The writer considered this swamp to be the “bottom of the ancient sea,” and many researchers indeed suggest that this area (like Lake Pleshcheyevo located nearby) is part of a prehistoric reservoir.
How to get to the eco-trail “Pantry of the Sun”
The trail is located in the Kupansky forestry in the Pleshcheyevo Lake National Park. Travel time from Moscow by car is from 2.5 hours. Renting a car on OneTwoTrip in the capital will cost 3,600 rubles* per day.
Features of the eco-trail
This is one of the few eco-trails equipped for use by people with disabilities. A visit here can be combined with a tour of Pereslavl-Zalessky, rich in ancient architectural structures, and with a vacation on Lake Pleshcheyevo.
Nizhny Novgorod region: “Cherry Swamp” trail in the Kerzhensky Nature Reserve
The trail, which is a one and a half kilometer long wooden deck, runs through the Vishensky swamp with an area of 2830 hectares in the floodplain of the Vishnya River, on the territory of the Kerzhensky natural biosphere reserve.
How to get to the eco-trail “Cherry Swamp”
The cost of a train ticket from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod starts from 800 rubles* per person. At the Moskovsky station we change trains to the Mokhovye Gory station in the city of Bor. From there, take bus No. 107 to the village of Rustai: this is where the eco-center of the Kerzhensky Nature Reserve is located.
Features of the eco-trail
During the tour, visitors can learn about the types of swamps, their inhabitants and the scientific research carried out in this area by the reserve’s staff. The entire route takes 5.5 km: the trail itself is located at a distance from the eco-center, but you will have to walk through a protected forest.
Kaliningrad region: Great Moss Swamp
The Big Moss Swamp is the largest in the Kaliningrad region, its area reaches 4900 hectares. It is part of the Gromovsky zoological reserve and unites two large swamp massifs – Gromovsky and Lauknensky, located in the delta lowland of the Neman River.
How to get to the Great Moss Swamp
A plane ticket from Moscow to Kaliningrad will cost 5,200 rubles* round trip. We recommend renting a car right at the airport. Renting a car on OneTwoTrip will cost 3800 rubles* per day.
Features of the swamp
This place is known for the fact that it has been preserved in its original state: here you will find rare plants, among which are several endemics, and among the inhabitants of the animal world are white-tailed eagles, herons, golden eagles, fifi . Many parts of the swamp are impassable even today, but an ecological trail has been laid along it. The finale of the route is a six-meter observation tower, from which a magnificent panorama of the surrounding nature opens. Combine a visit to the swamp with a visit to the Curonian Lagoon – in the summer months you can swim there.
*Prices valid at time of publication
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