The Waniewo footbridge, in the heart of the Narew marshes

Park at Waniewo, at the entrance to the Narew National Park.

(S/E) From the car park, walk past the park information board and the observation shelter, then take the single wooden footbridge that leads into the reed bed, towards the valley.

(1) At the first branch of the Narew, cross the water on a self-service floating raft. Pull the raft towards you by hauling on the chain, board it, then haul yourself across to the other bank. Walk past the ‘Ptaki’ sign dedicated to birds, and cross a second branch of the river in the same way a little further on. Continue along the boardwalk to the observation tower.

(2) Climb the observation tower, which overlooks the hilltop of the old fortified castle, the Zamczysko. Continue along the footbridge that winds through the reed bed.

(3) At the next floating raft, turn round and head back along the boardwalk in the opposite direction.

(2) Pass the observation tower again.

(1) Back at the rafts, pull yourself along the chain again to cross the two branches of the Narew. Continue along the boardwalk, then leave the footbridge to return to the car park (S/E).

The village of Waniewo is accessible by road.

There is an entry fee for the Narew National Park: 8 zł (full price, ~€2) or 4 zł (concession, ~€1) per person per day. Tickets can be purchased online (npn.eparki.pl), at the Ośrodek Edukacji Przyrodniczej in Kurowo or, at weekends, at the building at the end of the footbridge on the Śliwno side. The park is open from dawn to dusk. Drones are prohibited.

The rafts used to cross the river branches are self-service: you pull yourself across using the chain attached to the decking. The large raft can carry 10 people (850 kg), the small one 5 people (425 kg). In spring 2026, the water level was very low, so extra caution is advised on the floating pontoons.

The wooden decking can be slippery in wet or icy conditions. Sturdy footwear is recommended. In winter, it may be covered in snow or ice. Check before setting off out of season.

Toilets are available near the car park at the starting point.

(2) Zamczysko is the hill on which the ruins of the ancient Waniewo castle stand. It guarded the crossing of the River Narew on the former border between Mazovian Poland and Lithuania, along the trade route linking the Crown to Vilnius. A wooden bridge is mentioned there as early as the 15th century, and a foundation by the Radziwiłł family is attested to in the early 16th century. Tiles bearing their coat of arms have been found there.

The Narew is one of Europe’s few anastomosing rivers. Instead of a single channel, it branches into a network of branches and floodplains that submerge a vast plain of reed beds. It is this rare landscape that the national park protects.

The trail is a renowned spot for birdwatching, especially in the early morning. Here you can spot white storks in the village meadows, grey wagtails on the railings, pheasants and marsh waterfowl. The region is crossed by the Podlaski Szlak Bociani, the Stork Trail.

At the start of the trail, a traditional single-log canoe (dłubanka) is on display near the footbridge. Moored along the waterways are pychówki, the flat-bottomed boats of the Narew marshes.

From the footbridge, one can see Waniewo and the bell tower of its church on the horizon above the reed beds. The parish was founded in 1511 by Mikołaj Radziwiłł. The present church, in the Neo-Romanesque style, was blown up by the Wehrmacht in 1944 and subsequently rebuilt.