Wildlife in the Park
Visiting the Park
The park is accessible only on certain designated roads and paths. The best way to visit is with a car, but it is also highly useful to have a bicycle if you want to see more than just a small area of the park. There are several nature trails in the park, suitable for hiking or cycling, but each starts from a different point and you need a car to get between them; cycling along the roads outside the park is not recommended.The park’s nature trails are concrete and some may be under water or impassable at certain times of year. It is advised to call the park headquarters before you visit to find out which trails are accessible.
The park headquarters is located in the village of Chyrzyno, just south of Kostrzyn nad Odrą; here you’ll find a 20m tall viewing tower (the highest in the park; admission 4/2zł) and the 0.8ha ‘Natural Garden of the Senses’ featuring 14 interactive stations aimed at younger visitors. The trailhead for the ‘Wetlands’ (Mokradła) 1km hiking trail, which leads along a causeway and is dedicated to the functioning of the wetlands, also begins here. Most importantly, you can pick up maps and get advice from the staff on planning your visit.
Several other viewing and access points can be found along road 22 on the way to Słonsk. The park’s most popular hike along the ‘On the Birds’ Trail’ ('Na Ptasim Szlakiem’) begins on ul. Betonka in the village of Przyborów, just northwest of Słońsk. The two kilometre trail is dotted with informational boards and leads past a viewing tower to a birdblind. It is not a loop and takes about 2-3 hours total.
Planning Your Visit
One of the biggest advantages of the Warta River-Mouth National Park is that it is extremely intimate and almost never crowded. This is partly due to the fact that the terrain and environment is not particularly hospitable. The marshes can be extremely windy and cold, so dress warm and wear a windproof jacket. Binoculars are invaluable and it’s also wise to wear waterproof shoes and bring a thermos.The best time of year to visit is in the spring when the park becomes a breeding ground for many species. Spring is also the season when the water levels are highest, so check ahead to make sure the trails are accessible. Autumn is also an excellent time to visit as the park fills with 60-200 thousand geese. Unfortunately the summer months are the poorest season for birdwatching.
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