Our land is rich in picturesque places. One should only move away from the cities and highways so that to be taken with tender charm of Belarus once and for all. Heady odour of pineries and age-old oak woods, cold wells seeking shelter in a shade of shaggy firs, luxuriant meadow plants in the endless areas opened to the caressing sun, thousand of swift rivers and clean lakes. Virginal nature of Belarus - isn’t it the eighth marvel of the world?

You need only find time to escape from the stone jungle so that to restore your connection with the live world and have a sensation of a small part of nature: to see sunrise and sunset, listen to the birds’ piping and gentle water splashes on the bank of the lake, breathe in heady odour of grass, offer you face to fresh breeze. Active tourism is popular in Belarus: this is the simplest path to one’s health. Only a few hours of travel separate us from live beauty and from finding harmony and serenity.

Several interesting routes are offered to the residents and guests of Belarus who prefer active recreation. You may go riding or bicycling across the most picturesque places of this country. The one who prefers active rest on the water would be interested in rafting or padding along the beautiful Belarusian rivers. And the amateurs of extreme rest in the air may undertake a flight by the helicopter, become aware of attraction of aerobatics of the airplane or make a parachute jump.

Hike is the most prevalent and simple kind of tourism. No complicated and bulky equipment is required, as compared to any other kinds of tourism. And it is not without reason, that the figure of a walker with a rucksack has become a universally recognized symbol of tourism. Tourist routes run throughout the reserves and national parks of Belarus specially developed to provide for minimal impact of people to the environment. Special log-roads have been laid, along which the tourists travel in order not to disturb virginal bogs and forests.

Tourism in the reserved area is limited by specially built paths; and certain areas of the national parks have been excluded from the tourists’ routes at all: you only may see them from afar. In the Naroch national part a walking-tour to the Blue Lakes reserve enjoys special popularity. It offers intimacy with one of the most interesting and peculiar nooks of nature in the Belarusian Lake-Side.

Nobody will remain indifferent when looking, from the sight ground, at the two sapphire lakes: the Glublya and the Glubelka. “The Perl of Belarus” foot tour makes the tourists acquainted with the health-resort area and health centers located along the bank of the Naroch.

When walking throughout this national park, one can see the most picturesque natural and historical objects of Braslav Lakes, admire the scenery of the lakes from Mayak (beacon) mountain, drink salubrious water from the forest well.

An ecological path was built in the Beresina Reserve, where one can see different types of natural forests and bogs typical for the south taiga area, look at the foresters placed in the open-air cages.

Walking routes have been also built across the Belovezhskaya Pustcha national park, giving the chance to see the forest’s natural system and wild animals in the open-air cages in their natural state. Travel on horseback or by bicycle is no less captivating. During such journey you can visit the Museum of Nature and the Grandfather Frost’s residence.

Water tourism is one of the most popular kinds of tourism in Belarus today. Rafting or padding along the routs that correspond to I and II international complexity classes (i.e. are not complex) are right for the beginners. Floating down the river both gives pleasure from change of the bank scenery, and opens a great many places of interest in this country. Water routes cross this country from the east to the west and from the north to the south.

Nature of the Narochansky national park is especially temping. Water surface of the country’s largest lake, the Naroch (80 square kilometers), allures those who are fond of water journeys. From the banks of this lake an absorbing canoe-route along the Naroch and the Villia starts.

Braslav Lakes is a traditional region for water tourism. This national park offers various one-day and many-days tourist routes. The Braslav water routes differ from Naroch ones, as they are mainly circular. A journey by a motor ship across the lakes or a sightseeing trip by a helicopter will be of interest.

One can have an exciting ornithological journey by canoe or boats across the Pripyat national park, to have an opportunity of hunting with a camera. Water-routes by a comfortable motor ship along the Pripyat leave indelible impression, especially at the time of spring floods.

The Berezina, that runs in the remote northern area of the Berezina biosphere reserve, gives you the opportunity to travel along the historical path “from the Varangians for the Greeks”, the ancient commercial path of the IX-XII centuries from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. This natural ecological route also passes across the Belarusian Polesye.

One can travel by a motor-launch or canoe across the Polessye radio-ecological reserve. The water route along the West Berezina and the Neman runs partially within the Nalibokskaya Pustcha (virgin forest) between the deciduous forests. The scheduled halts are made for having a rest, lunch, fishing, swimming and sightseeing. Professional guides help to discover something amazing and unknown in the surroundings.

The Belarusian roads are good for bicycling. Such travel brings you sensation of freedom, enables to become closer to nature. In addition to captivating routes throught the country, the bicycle routes from Germany and Poland to Russia and Baltic countries run across Belarus.

Bicycling is probably the most informative type of tourism: one can visit the cities and towns, forests, rivers and lakes during one journey. This is the most promising kind of tourism, as it does not require expensive equipment and fuel, and enables to move at a high speed (15 - 20 km/h). During this tour you will see small picturesque villages, ancient towns, historical places, legendary poetic nooks; you will also become acquainted with the traditional folk culture.

Equestrian tourism is rising in Belarus today. A horse is reliable partner and friend able to get you to such places which you can not reach on foot or by bicycle. Equestrian tourism means a pleasant training and effective emotional relaxation and the opportunity to become more intimate with nature. The surroundings are seen better from a horseback, and you breathe in the fresh air! Rural households and the stud-sports clubs involved in receiving of tourists, provide riding services and equestrian journeys. Whichever route you choose, an instructor will take care of your; but it much better if the one who starts his journey has at least elementary skills of treating the horses and riding.

Alone with nature, you may be yourself. Change of the surroundings helps to keep aloof from routine troubles and problems. Real recreation means your mood, emotions, feelings which you have gained and which you take home with you.