Kampinos National Park
The inhabitants of European capitals have their own small forests, but only the Polish capital borders on a real primeval forest. The Kampinos National Park was established to protect it and prevent it from being “swallowed” by the expanding city. Another reason is the hope that under the protection the Kampinos Forest will serve Warsaw and the inhabitants of the entire region for a long time.
The unusual mosaic of landscapes – inland dunes, swamps, forests, meadows and rushes with an enormous wealth of plant cover and thousands of animal species – makes it one of the most valuable natural areas in Europe. Despite centuries of transformations and human activity, the Forest remained a great living laboratory of nature. The protection and care of several generations of employees of the National Park, lasting for over 60 years, contribute to the regeneration of nature. The forests become more and more natural and take on a primeval character, as centuries ago, and thanks to reintroductions, species which once occurred here, such as elk, beaver or lynx, are recovered. Apart from its natural values, the Kampinos Forest is a real repository of traces of the past. These areas were not spared by any of the historical events important for the country, and traces of uprisings and wars can be found in many places in the Park.
The unusual mosaic of landscapes – inland dunes, swamps, forests, meadows and rushes with an enormous wealth of plant cover and thousands of animal species – makes it one of the most valuable natural areas in Europe. Despite centuries of transformations and human activity, the Forest remained a great living laboratory of nature. The protection and care of several generations of employees of the National Park, lasting for over 60 years, contribute to the regeneration of nature. The forests become more and more natural and take on a primeval character, as centuries ago, and thanks to reintroductions, species which once occurred here, such as elk, beaver or lynx, are recovered. Apart from its natural values, the Kampinos Forest is a real repository of traces of the past. These areas were not spared by any of the historical events important for the country, and traces of uprisings and wars can be found in many places in the Park.
Elk
As a result of changes in the environment and hunting, the last elk in the Kampinos Forest died in the 19th century. Thanks to the reintroduction process, the return of this animal took place in the 1950s. Currently, the number of elks in the KNP is estimated at about 450 individuals. The elk is the heraldic animal of the Kampinos National Park and at the same time the largest representative of the Kampinos Forest fauna. Adult males, called bulls, reach 185 cm in height at the withers, 270 cm in length of the body 250 and a weight of up to 400 kg. The mating season, known as rut, occurs in September-October. In this period, bulls make characteristic noises resembling muffled groaning, and the impressive elk antlers become a weapon used to fight for mates. The female, known as the elk cow, is about 1/4 smaller than the male. In May-June, cows usually give birth to 1-2 young (elk calves).
In the Kampinos Forest, the elk prefers vast forest areas with swamps, peat bogs and waters, demonstrating its good adaptation to life in such an environment.
Thanks to its long limbs, the elk easily jumps over trees and other obstacles lying on the ground, and the possibility to strongly spread its double hooves enables it to safely tread on raised bogs and other wet and marshy areas. In summer, elks’ favourite food are leaves and young shoots of trees and shrubs, as well as herbaceous marsh and aquatic flora. In winter, however, they eat mostly pine needles, twigs and bark, as well as moss and lichens.
In the Kampinos Forest, the elk prefers vast forest areas with swamps, peat bogs and waters, demonstrating its good adaptation to life in such an environment.
Thanks to its long limbs, the elk easily jumps over trees and other obstacles lying on the ground, and the possibility to strongly spread its double hooves enables it to safely tread on raised bogs and other wet and marshy areas. In summer, elks’ favourite food are leaves and young shoots of trees and shrubs, as well as herbaceous marsh and aquatic flora. In winter, however, they eat mostly pine needles, twigs and bark, as well as moss and lichens.
What’s worth visiting?
The opening hours of individual places are subject to change. Please check the website for up-to-date information before visiting.
Education Centre of the Kampinos National Park
Exhibition “Nature and history of the Kampinos Forest,” temporary exhibitions /both temporarily closed/
Free of charge - Yes
ul. Tetmajera 38, 05-080 Izabelin +48 22 722 60 01
Monday - Friday: 7.30 a.m. - 3.30 p.m.
Roman and Jadwiga Kobendza Education and Museum Centre
Museum of the Kampinos Forest, Free of charge - Yes /temporarily closed/
open-air museum of forest architecture, Free of charge - No
Granica, 05-085 Kampinos +48 22 725 01 23, +48 508 187 319
Monday: closed
Tuesday-Friday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays:
November-February: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
July-August: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
in other months: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Museum of the Kampinos Forest, Free of charge - Yes /temporarily closed/
open-air museum of forest architecture, Free of charge - No
Granica, 05-085 Kampinos +48 22 725 01 23, +48 508 187 319
Monday: closed
Tuesday-Friday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays:
November-February: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
July-August: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
in other months: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Educational trail – Along the Edge of the Forest
Granica (car park) – observation tower – open-air museum of forest architecture – Kampinos Forest Museum – “Granica” strict protection area – September 1939 war cemetery – Granica (car park)
Route length - 4km
The trail is located in the village of Granica near Kampinos. It has a natural and cultural character. It starts in the car park, from where it leads along the edge of Olszowieckie Błoto to the observation tower. Then, it passes a small open-air museum of forest architecture and the oak avenue – Aleja Trzeciego Tysiąclecia leading next to it. It leads to the Kampinos Forest Museum, from where it continues along the edge of the “Granica” strict protection area. The route reaches the September 1939 war cemetery, and then along the dune it leads back to the car park. Between Kampinos and Granica, there is a large area of meadows and areas with sedges on the low peat bog of Olszowieckie Błoto. During the spring flowering season, the meadows are covered with a multicoloured carpet of flowers. First, the kingcup blooms in yellow, then the Cardamine dentata, buttercups, yellow flag, fringed pink and purple loosestrife. It is a great place to observe animals. You can meet here, among others, buzzards, marsh harriers, ravens, lapwings, common snipes, corncrakes, white and black storks, cranes, hares, foxes, roe deer, and even the king of the Kampinos Forest – elk. From the south, Olszowieckie Błoto is closed by part of the Prawisła slope best-preserved in this place, and from the north, a dune strip covered with pine forests.
Tourist trails
Hiking – 23 trails (including 3 walking paths) – 357 km (including 15 km of walking paths)
Biking – 11 trails – 206 km
Educational paths – 10 trails – 28 km
Biking – 11 trails – 206 km
Educational paths – 10 trails – 28 km
Contact Us
Kampinoski Park Narodowy
ul. Tetmajera 38
05-080 Izabelin
Tel. (022) 722 60 01, 722 60 21
E-mail: dyrekcja@kampinoski-pn.gov.pl
ul. Tetmajera 38
05-080 Izabelin
Tel. (022) 722 60 01, 722 60 21
E-mail: dyrekcja@kampinoski-pn.gov.pl