Belarus Grand Tour

The tour allows you to get acquainted with Belarus in five days and to see the most famous sights of the country: the capital – the city of Minsk, the beautiful Mir and Nesvizh castles included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, to turn the page of war history and to visit the Khatyn memorial complex and the Mound of Glory, the legendary Brest Fortress, to feel the freshness of wild nature in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and to enjoy one of the most popular and interesting folk museums in Belarus - Dudutki.

Day 1: Sightseeing Tour of Minsk

We warmly welcome you to Minsk – the capital of the Republic of Belarus, its political and cultural center. It was first mentioned in the chronicles of the 19th century. Today, it is a dynamic city with expansive boulevards, modern and historical buildings, endless parks, and well-developed infrastructure. Being an impressive example of Soviet planning on a grand scale, Minsk however has a number of outstanding historical sights, proving the city’s rich history.

Sightseeing Tour of Minsk includes the main avenues (Independence Avenue, Victory Avenue) and the architectural monuments of the XVIIth - XXth centuries (the Upper Town with the City Hall, Holy Spirit Cathedral and the Cathedral of Holy Virgin Mary, old streets of the Trinity Suburb). The Victory Monument and the National Library (included in the list of the most outstanding buildings in the world) are waiting to be explored.
Overnight in Minsk.

Day 2: Excursion to Mir Castle – Nesvizh Palace

Breakfast.

Transfer to Mir, which is a small town 90 km to the southwest of Minsk. It is most famous for the fairy-tale Mir Castle, still known today as the “medieval flower”. The castle is an impressive architectural monument, included in the list of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. It was erected at the end of the XVth century and today it is a combination of Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance architecture that makes Mir Castle so unique. This red-brick castle is also a historical monument, which used to belong to several aristocratic families, who have left their mark on the history of the town and of the country in general.

The excursion continues in Nesvizh – a delightful historic town, one of the oldest in the country. You will visit the magnificent Nesvizh Palace – the former residence of the aristocratic Radzivili family, which also includes the beautiful park and Farny Roman Catholic Church of the XVIth century. The complex once numbered around 170 rooms, with a series of underground passages connecting it to the town’s monasteries. Today the exposition of the Palace includes more than 30 exhibition halls, including Prince's apartments, Golden and Star Halls, Hunter’s Hall, and others.

Return to Minsk. Overnight in Minsk.

Day 3: Tour to Khatyn - The Mound of Glory

Breakfast

During the tour, you will learn about the most tragic historical period of Belarus.

Khatyn memorial is a tribute to almost three million Belarusians who died during the Great Patriotic War (World War 2) Until 1943, Khatyn was a usual Belarusian village to the northeast of Minsk. But on March 22, 1943, after a skirmish nearby in which a German officer was killed, the occupying German forces encircled the village.

All the inhabitants were rounded up and taken to a barn, which was then set on fire. Some 149 people, including 75 children, died. Only one adult, 56-year-old Joseph Kaminsky, survived the attack. He found his injured son but was unable to save him. At the center of the complex stands an astonishing 6m bronze statue called “The Unconquered Man” – a tribute to Joseph Kaminsky and his son.

It is a memorial to all those who died across Belarus that was built on the site of the former village. A handful of soil from each of the 185 burned and never rebuilt was brought to Khatyn to create a symbolic graveyard. Khatyn became the 186th village, the site of this symbolic graveyard. As a haunting reminder of the horrors of war, it has become one of the most important places in Belarus.

The memorial complex “The Mound of Glory” symbolizes the heroism of the Belarusians who defeated fascism in their own land during the Great Patriotic War. Its height - is 35 meters. At the top, in the center of a viewing platform, there are 4 obelisks in the form of bayonets, representing 4 fronts that liberated Belarus in the summer of 1944, a stone ring with images of the guerrillas and various types of troops. 2 stairs, at 241 steps each, lead to the viewing platform.

Return to Minsk. Overnight in Minsk.

Day 4: Tour Brest Fortress - Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Early Breakfast

You will go to the South of Belarus and visit the thousand-year history city of Brest - the third oldest city in Belarus after Polotsk (862) and Turov (980) – the first mention of the city refers to 1019. In the city, you will visit the memorial complex "BREST HERO-FORTRESS" the place that became a symbol of Soviet resistance against Nazi troops during the Second World War.

There you will see the ruins of the old fortress, the battlefields, and the monumental sculptures presented in a unified architectural and artistic ensemble of the memorial, that perpetuated the «true story of the legendary heroes of the Brest fortress».

Then you will go 57 km from Brest to Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park which is one of the most famous places in Belarus and plays a very important role in the ecology of Belarus and has a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status.

The park is located 340km to the southwest of Minsk in the Brest region of Belarus It is one of 4 National Parks in Belarus and the largest forest in the lowlands of central Europe. The park is famous for its ancient oak trees dating back more than 500 years. In all, there are almost 900 species of trees and flowers. It is also home to more than 250 animal and bird species, including the largest population of the rare European bison

Return to Minsk. Overnight in Minsk.

Day 5: Tour Dudutki

Breakfast. Check-out

Dudutki's ethnographic complex is located 40 km from Minsk. In this place you will feel the life of the ancient gentry manor of the XIX century and the convenience of a modern tourist center that offers to the visitors:

Ethnographic gallery featuring the items of the 18th-20th century, Handicraft yard (straw and willow weaving), Pottery (museum of ceramics), Woodworker’s shop, blacksmiths shop of the 19th century, creamery, bakery, brewery (a vodka brewing shop), shed with vintage cars, windmill in the Dutch style (built-in 1903-1905 by brothers Mikhail and Ivan Polyakov's), the wooden church of John the Prophet, stable with pedigree horses, a pony and a donkey, zoological gardens (with cows, goats, pigs, rabbits, poultry), ostrich farm.

All the exhibits can be touched, tried, and felt! Visitors to the museum are offered to taste products from a local brewery (home-distilled vodka, bread, honey, and cucumbers), from a bakery (freshly baked bread, butter, and three kinds of cheese), and from a local mill (bread baked by peasants with a piece of lard).

15:00 Transfer to the railway station or the National Airport