The residence of Santa Claus in Belovezhskaya Pushcha is one of the most famous attractions of Belarus, which is visited not only by Belarusians, but also by Russians, Ukrainians and residents of other countries.
The residence of Santa Claus is especially popular in winter, during New Year and Christmas, when many children come here with their parents to meet with the fairy tale and get Christmas and New Year presents.
History of the residence of Santa Claus in Belarus
This wonderful residence first opened its doors several years ago, at the beginning of the 21st century in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. It was built on a large clearing where the bison used to come to feed during the frosts.
Today, the bison feed in another clearing, several kilometers from the new home of Santa Claus. And the residence occupies about 15 hectares and is located a few kilometers from the main entrance to the reserve of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
How to get to the residence of Santa Claus?
To visit the residence, you need to buy the appropriate tour:
- You can buy a tour to Santa Claus in Minsk, and then travel by sightseeing bus for about 10 hours, 5 hours each way, which is quite troublesome for tourists, although the roads in Belarus are of good quality.
- You can buy a tour in Brest, which is much more convenient, because. In this case you will spend about 3.5 hours for a round trip. This is the best option for kids and elementary school students.
- A great way to get to the residence of Santa Claus in Belovezhskaya Pushcha is to use your own car, and at the entrance to the reserve change to a bus, moving directly to the house of Santa Claus. This estate is open to visitors all year round. The bus goes to it and back to the main entrance to Belovezhskaya Pushcha exactly on schedule several times during the day. During the New Year and Christmas, the number of flights increases.
- You can drive yourself from the main entrance to the residence on bicycles or roller skates, but this form of transport should choose the entire tour group, so it will be allowed to enter, to the Belarusian Santa Claus.
How much is a ticket to the residence of Santa Claus?
Information about tickets can be found on the official website of the National Park “Belovezhskaya Pushcha”:
https://npbp.by/tours/how-to-visit-the-estate-of-grandfather-frost/.
It is important to know that prices may change depending on the season, be careful:
- for adults – 10 Belarusian rubles;
- For children under 14 years – 9 Belarusian rubles;
- For children under one year of age – free of charge.
There is no need to book tickets in advance, because. They are always available at the box office, even with a large number of guests on New Year’s and Christmas holidays. There is no ticket booking function here at all.
Tour of Ded Moroz’s estate
Tourists and other interested persons who have purchased tickets to the estate of Santa Claus, from the main entrance to the national park by bus to the entrance to the residence, where they are met by a guide.
At the entrance to the residence of Santa Claus, you can see its scheme. Nearby you can see the wooden knights and the ticket office. To enter the homestead, you need to say three magic words, and the gate will open.
Next, everyone walks into the manor, exploring its surroundings. Here is a beautifully organized landscape: paths, gazebos, well-groomed trees, trimmed glades, there are souvenir shops, children’s attractions, etc.
At the entrance we are greeted by wooden sculptures of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In the process of moving through the homestead of Santa Claus you can see many made of wood figurines of various fairy tale characters.
Upon approaching directly to the house of Santa Claus, the sightseers call his master out into the fresh air, and he chats with the public for at least half an hour. Before the New Year, no less beloved Snegurochka comes out together with the Father Christmas.
Welcome to Santa Claus
Scheme of the residence of Belarusian Santa Claus
Children can tell Santa Claus poems or sing songs, and many take selfies and take pictures with the fairy tale characters. In the winter you can get inside the house, look around and take pictures there.
During the wintertime, the homestead is visited by a huge number of guests, so not everyone is able to talk to Santa Claus, not everyone gives gifts. But kids are happy to meet fairy tale characters, happy to get to know them.
Gifts
Everyone who comes to visit Santa Claus gives presents, exchanging them for tickets. In winter, the Snow Maiden is also in charge of presents. Children get candy, chocolates, stuffed animals, badges, etc. In winter, children dance around a decorated Christmas tree.
A tour of the estate
After receiving gifts from Santa Claus, parents and children go to explore the estate, where you can make any wish that will certainly fulfill its kind owner.
The tour group follows the guide. In summer you are allowed to wander around the territory yourself, but in winter you must strictly follow the guide and not scatter around the estate, because. visitors are extremely numerous.
Scheme of excursions to the residence of Santa Claus:
Magic Mill. Around this structure, children should remember the bad deeds committed during the year, touch the Mill, and it will certainly stir up all the bad things, turning them into dust. After that, the children will forget the bad things and start the New Year with a clean slate.
12 Months. Here you need to find your month of birth. Each month is a wooden figures standing on pedestals of fairy-tale people with the signs of the Zodiac. It is necessary to make your most cherished wish about your month, and it will certainly come true in the New Year. Remember that the names of the months are written in Belarusian, so memorize them in advance so as not to confuse anything, at the same time learn the language. Tourists are often photographed next to the month of their birth.
Fairy Tale Characters. On the territory of the farmstead there are many wooden sculptures of characters from various Slavic and European fairy tales with plaques written in the Belarusian language. They are made by local craftsmen and are sure to please both children and their parents. We liked the wooden moose harnessed to a red winter sleigh, the horse at the haystack, and heroes of Soviet cartoons. Children and parents are delighted with the huge fir tree more than 40 meters high, they decorate it for the New Year, and then they dance around it.
Magic Bridge. Walking on this small wooden footbridge, be sure to think of your family, friends and loved ones, to wish them more prosperity, health and happiness. Here all wishes spoken from the heart are granted.
Home of the Snow Maiden. It is forbidden to go inside this house, but you can go around and look through the window. If a woman sees her reflection in the glass, she will look prettier and younger. If a man sees himself in the window, he will get more strength and intelligence, and the children will learn better.
Treasury. This house is the last in the tour of Santa Claus’ estate, which lasts about two hours. Here are the letters written by children to Santa Claus at the address: Brest region, Kamenetz district, Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the residence of Santa Claus. Many letters are answered by Ded himself, it is important to write his home address correctly.
Where can I eat near the residence of Santa Claus?
Around the farmstead, but not inside it, there are several cafes, where you can have a tasty snack and hot tea, try ukha, shurpa, kebabs, sausages and game, try the local pancakes and pickles at democratic prices.
Not only in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, but all over Belarus, they make excellent kvass, which is the Belarusian national drink. In the “Hata Ded Moroza,” “Forest Tale,” “Ales,” “Sosny” and the restaurant “Belovezhskaya Pushcha” it will certainly be offered to visitors.
In winter, this canteen is full of sightseers from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, with tourists coming in from the cold to drink hot tea with fragrant honey. That’s how a real crowd of people looking forward to New Year and Christmas is formed.
Hotels near the residence of Santa Claus
The administrative center of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the village Kamenyuki, where you can find and book in advance several excellent hotels, guest houses and other types of accommodation by using Bookings or other similar services:
- “Home in Belovezhskaya Pushcha;
- Folkwark Nail Manor;
- Manor B&B;
- The Manor House “Belovezhskoe Manor”, etc.
