A Unesco World Heritage Site some 60km north of Brest, Belavezhskaya Pushcha National Park is the oldest wildlife refuge in Europe and is the pride of Belarus. Half the park's territory lies in Poland, where it's called Białowieża National Park. Some 1300 sq km of primeval forest survives here. It's all that remains of a canopy that eight centuries ago covered northern Europe.
Some oak trees here are more than 600 years old and some pines at least 300 years old. At least 55 mammal species, including deer, lynx, boars, wild horses, wolves, elk, ermines, badgers, martens, otters, mink and beavers call this park home, but the area is most celebrated for its 300 or so European bison, the continent's largest land mammal. These free-range zoobr – slightly smaller than their American cousins – were driven to near extinction (the last one living in the wild was shot by a hunter in 1919) and then bred back from 52 animals that had survived in zoos. Now a total of about 3000 exist, of which more than 300 are wild in the Belavezhskaya Pushcha. Amazingly you can pay to shoot them – '300 is enough' according to park wardens, who want to control their numbers due to the vast amount of foliage these enormous beasts consume.
There's a nature museum that gives a great introduction to the species living in the park and volerei (enclosures, admission BR5000), where you can view bison, deer, bears, boars and other animals (including the rare hybrid Tarpan horse, a cross-breed of a species that was also shot into near extinction).
There are a few different options for overnight stays, all of which are best arranged through Brest Intourist . Camping requires permission and costs BR15,000 per person. The Kamyanyuki Hotel Complex includes a serviceable hotel next to the nature museum in the eponymous village just outside the national park. Rooms are remodelled and have bathrooms and balconies. Book through Brest Intourist or call ahead yourself, as they aren't used to people just turning up. There's a restaurant in the Kamyanyuki Hotel Complex, as well as a couple of other cafes serving up simple shashlyk (meat kebabs) and bliny.
It's entirely possible (and a great deal cheaper) to see the national park without taking a guided tour, although if you don't speak Russian you may miss some interesting commentary on trips through the woods and in the museum. From Brest take one of the six daily marshrutky or buses to Kamyanyuki (BR30,000, one hour 20 minutes) and walk from the village to the clearly visible reserve buildings. Once there you can walk around the park yourself, or even better, hire a bike from the museum (BR20,000 per hour). On some days individuals with private cars or taxis are allowed to drive along the set route for tours in the reserve, although usually you'll have to join a tour bus, which runs one to three times a day from the museum (BR30,000, 1½ hours) depending on demand.
An altogether easier option is to book a day trip with Brest Intourist. This includes transport, the services of an English-speaking guide, and museum and park entry fees; it can be quite expensive unless you share the cost with a couple of other people.
