Kayaks and canoes - a trip down the Bug

We recommend a kayak trip starting from the village of Niemirów. From this place, the Bug is no longer a border river, so no special permits are required for organizing kayak trips. To reach Serock from Niemirów, you should plan at least 7 days. The route leads through two landscape parks. These are: PK Podlaski Przełom Bugu and Nadbużański Park Krajobrazowy. The Bug is a river of natural character, relatively fast current, sometimes very capricious. It is characterized by numerous bends, meanders, shallows, and charming islands overgrown with willow thickets. The river creates a winding valley with a relatively narrow bottom and steep, high slopes with numerous flood terraces. Its width is from 1.5 to 5 km.

The kayak route on the Bug is marked. On the route, we will repeatedly pass white kilometer signs of the river. They indicate the length of the river counted from its mouth to Zalew Zegrzyński. However, it will turn out later in the trip that these distances are not very precise. Numerous shallows and islands are marked with white and red stakes - indicating the right side of the route (we pass them with the stakes on the right side) and white and green stakes - indicating the left side (we pass them with the stakes on the left side). To avoid the often extensive and numerous shallows, you should remember this, especially at low water levels. The banks are mostly steep, of varying height, but with many places that make it easy to get out of the kayaks or canoes. There are so many convenient places to rest that it is impossible to mark and describe them all. On the route, there are many interesting towns and villages, including the charming Mielnik and Drohiczyn - the historical capital of Podlasie. We relatively often pass through villages where you can buy something or stock up on water.

Trip down the Bug - day one.

0.0 km - we put our kayaks in the water and start the trip near the village of Niemirów, from a beautiful clearing overgrown with tall willows and poplars. This is an excellent place for an overnight stay and preparation the day before the trip. The surroundings of both banks near Niemirów are overgrown with willows. There was a state willow plantation here, and both banks were connected by a ferry crossing until recently. The river is about 60 meters wide here.

2.6 km - we paddle past a visible sign on the right bank marked "220". In front of us, the Bug turns right, and about 200 meters ahead, on the left bank of the river, on a high sandy slope, a mixed forest is visible. A beautiful spot for a rest and one of the many very attractive viewpoints on the route, we recommend getting out of the kayaks. A bit further, also on the left bank, another easily accessible viewpoint, called Łysa Góra. You can see buildings, and in the season, a shop may be open here.

3.6 km - the first of many bifurcations of the kayak route. In the middle of the river, there is an island overgrown with trees and willow shrubs. It is marked with a white and green stake. According to the "rules", we paddle kayaks or canoes along the right channel. As mentioned earlier, we will encounter many such bifurcations on the Bug route. In the distance, on the right bank, you can see the buildings of the village of Sutno. Both banks of the river alternate between open and overgrown with trees and shrubs, with willows predominating.

6.3 km - on the left bank, there is a gentle beach, a convenient place to get out of the kayaks and rest. We are approaching the village of Wajków. On the left, steep, and sandy bank of the river, there are numerous holes - nests of sand martins. The right bank is overgrown with a forest dominated by pine trees. Below the village, there are several branches of the riverbed - small islands that we paddle around with kayaks from either side.

10.1 km - we pass a beautifully located large leisure center on the left bank with an easily accessible beach. We can get out of the kayaks here because there is a bar, and you can also stock up on supplies. Nearby is the village of Serpelice.

12.5 km - on the left bank, there is a camping site with several tables, benches, and a place for a campfire. A good place for a break during the kayak trip and, for example, having a meal.

13.8 km - we paddle past the buildings of the village of Zabuże, located on the high left bank of the river.

14.8 km - we approach Mielnik, a town on the right bank of the Bug, a well-known tourist destination. A convenient place to get out of the kayaks, rest, and do some shopping. In the town, you can see a church, and at the end of Mielnik, a picturesque church on a hill. At the foot of the hill, there is a sports field. The slope of the hill has been used to create benches for spectators, which is a very practical use of the terrain. The Bug widens and is about 100 meters wide in this area.

16.9 km - a ferry on a rope called "Ziemia Mielnicka". We need to be very careful when paddling under the low-hanging steel cable. The Bug narrows here for a short time and is about 60 meters wide.

20.2 km - we pass a leisure center located on the steep, forested left bank of the Bug, whose heyday, judging by its appearance, is long gone. Right behind the center's fence, there is a shelter. You can stop here for a short rest. The next, better place to rest is on the opposite bank, about 400 meters further on. Further on, the right bank becomes very open, and in the distance, you can see the buildings of the village of Ogrodniki. By the bank, there are characteristic wooden boats of the Bug.

26.2 km - a railway bridge on the Hajnówka - Siedlce route. At the height of the bridge, there is an island. About a kilometer further on, the Bug turns left and divides into four relatively narrow channels, surrounding three picturesque, wooded islands in total.

30.5 km - a beautiful camping site on the left bank, near a pine forest and a row of poplars, with a sandy, gentle exit and a vast clearing. At the height of this place, there is an island, and the waterway leads along the right channel, so we need to leave the route. This is an excellent place to spend the night and end the first day of the kayak trip.

Trip down the Bug - day two.

30.9 km - starting the second day of the trip, we pass under the road bridge on the Białystok - Lublin route.

32.3 km - we paddle past the leisure centers located on the high, sandy right bank in Wólka Nadbużna. The left bank is more accessible near the village of Klimczyce.

35.8 km - another nice place to get out of the kayaks on the left bank. This is a grassy clearing, sparsely overgrown with large trees. In the distance, you can see the buildings of the long village of Mężenin, where you can buy something.

36.7 km - the Bug gently turns left, and on the right bank, there is a beautiful camping site with a narrow, elongated clearing overgrown with large trees. The clearing only widens at the end, but there is no convenient exit from the kayaks, so it is easiest to land at the beginning of this place. The next excellent place for camping is located on the opposite bank, about 300 meters further on. Further on, the right bank becomes very open, and in the distance, you can see the buildings of the village of Ogrodniki. By the bank, there are characteristic wooden boats of the Bug.

42.0 km - we pass a pole standing on the right bank of the river with a marked kilometer of the river "180". You can see small pine forests, and between them, a football field. It is easy to get out of the kayak here - a good place for a stop or camping. In the distance, you can see the village of Zajęczniki.

42.9 km - the left tributary of the small river Toczna. A bit earlier, the Podlaski Przełom Bugu Landscape Park ended. The left bank is very open, and the right bank is overgrown and inaccessible.

48.5 km - we approach the marina in Drohiczyn. The town looks exceptionally beautiful. Located on the right bank with several churches and the bishop's seat. You can see the extensive buildings of the Curia on a high hill. We moor right at the marina, and in the season, there is a bar open here, with outdoor power sockets, so it is easy to charge your phone, for example. It is worth taking a break during the kayak trip, getting out, and exploring the town, stocking up on water and food.

49.6 km - a good place to get out of the kayaks or canoes on the left bank for a rest or overnight stay. A fairly extensive clearing surrounded by trees can accommodate even a larger group.

50.5 km - the visible buildings of the village of Bużyska on the left side are ending. The river widens significantly because it surrounds a large island. Below the island, the Bug turns left and then sharply to the right, narrowing to a width of about 60 meters, which is small for this river.

52.5 km - the route of the trip passes by the visible left tributary of the Bug - the small river Kołodziejkę.

56.0 km - the river turns sharply to the right, and on the left bank, you can see the single buildings of the village of Mogielnica located right on the bank.

56.7 km - the left tributary - the small river Myśla. Ahead, you can see a very extensive meadow with a gentle exit. Then the Bug turns quite sharply to the left, and behind the bend, you can see an enormous sandy slope ahead. The view is really impressive. Just behind the bend, on the left bank, there is a small mixed forest, and further on, the bank opens up again.

59.4 km - a road bridge between Sokołów Podlaski and Drohiczyn.

60.7 km - we pass a beautifully located village on the high left bank, Wasilew Szlachecki. However, there is no shortage of space to stop here for a rest.

61.4 km - another very attractive place for a rest. The exit to the bank just before the rare pine forest is gentle, though quite narrow. It is worth ending the second day of the kayak trip here and stopping for the night. 1.5 km further on, we pass the monastery buildings on the left bank near the village of Wirów. The right bank, initially steep with numerous sand martin nests, begins to turn into a gentle slope, revealing an exceptionally wide valley.

Trip down the Bug - day three.

64.6 km - an excellent place on the left bank to get out of the kayaks and rest. A very gentle, sandy exit between pine forests. Further on, the river turns left in a wide arc and surrounds an open valley, rising low above the water level - this is the "Wydma Mołożewska" Reserve. There is numerous bird species characteristic of wetland areas.

68.0 km - the Bug turns sharply to the right in front of the village of Mołożew and flows between two walls of forest growing on very high slopes. The view is "postcard-like", characteristic of the Bug's meanders, and will delight even the most bored tourists. The left bank is protected as the "Skarpa Mołożewska" Reserve. At the same time, the river narrows significantly, and the current becomes faster. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on the Bug.

70.3 km - on the left side, we pass the buildings of a leisure center near the village of Gródek. On the bank, you can see a concrete retaining wall, wooden benches, and tables. You can stop here and buy something. Below the village, there are numerous shallows and islands, and we paddle along the left side.

76.9 km - below the village of Osnówka, on the right bank, there is a good place to get out of the kayaks, rest, or spend the night. A large pine forest reaching the water's edge and several convenient places to get out of the kayak. Behind the forest, there is the village of Granne with a visible church tower. You can also buy something here, and on the left side, there is a flood bank.

80.5 km - a very nice camping site on the left bank, in a clearing among trees and shrubs. Easily accessible firewood for a campfire. Not far behind the bank, there is the village of Wieska.

82.6 km - the kayak route passes by several islands stretching for about 2 km.

84.5 km - the Bug turns left, and before the turn, the left bank is overgrown with a pine forest on a steep slope. Just behind the turn, there is a place for a campfire, arranged in a scout style. This is undoubtedly the most beautiful place to stop, and especially to spend the night, on the entire kayak route, with a stunning view of the Bug. The right bank of the river is initially accessible, with a fragment of an oxbow lake and moored boats, and further on, it turns into a steep slope overgrown with forest. In the background, you can see single buildings of the village of Łokcie.

88.3 km - another good place to stop or camp on the right bank of the river, below the village of Wojtkowie - Glinna.

88.9 km - the mouth of the significant river Nurzec on the right side. 200 meters further on, a nice place among high trees with a gentle exit from the water. Then we paddle past the buildings of the village of Obryte, located right on the riverbank on the right side. It is easy to get out of the kayak here, take a break, or stock up on water. The place is very nice, although it is near the buildings. There is also another sign, this time marking 130 km of the river. We suggest ending the third day of the kayak trip here.

Trip down the Bug - day four.

92.2 km - the Bug turns right, and on the steep left bank, you can see a shelter covered with green tin, supported by concrete pillars - an architecture that does not quite fit into the surroundings, especially since a few dozen meters further on, also on the left bank, the Nadbużański Park Krajobrazowy begins. Further on, we pass several almost connected villages on the right bank of the river with many easy places to get out. The Bug will surround several small islands over the next few kilometers.

99.5 km - passing the large village of Nur on the right bank, we approach a very nice clearing with a pine forest and a gentle exit on the left bank, where we can stop and get out of the kayaks. In Nur, you can buy something, and you can also start or end the trip here.

100.3 km - a road bridge between Czyżew Osada and Ceranów. Further on, the river is quite straight and monotonous. Unlike the rest of the route, the next twenty-kilometer section does not have too many interesting camping sites, so we rather recommend paddling through it.

106.7 km - on the right side, we pass the mouth of the small river Pukawka. At a short distance, parallel to the river on the right side, there is a road between Małkinia Górna and Nur. Along the road, you can see the buildings of the next villages at regular intervals. After a few kilometers of a relatively straight section, the Bug first gently turns left and then sharply to the right. After another kilometer of paddling straight north, there is a sharp turn to the left near a high, forested bank with single buildings of the village of Gąsiorowo. This is the northernmost part of the Bug.

118.1 km - at the end of the buildings of the village of Rostki Wielkie, located on the right bank, the river divides and flows between a large island on the right and a smaller one on the left. Although the route leads between them, by following the most right channel, we will reach a gentle, sandy exit with a nearby pine forest after 1 kilometer. We can end the fourth day of the kayak trip here, and the place is located near Małkinia Górna, where you can buy something.

Trip down the Bug - day five.

122.6 km - starting another day of the kayak trip, we paddle under the road bridge between Małkinia Górna and Sokołów Podlaski.

124.6 km - we pass the railway bridge on the Warsaw - Białystok route. 1.5 km behind the bridge, the Bug turns sharply to the left, and wooded areas appear again. The relatively monotonous landscape stretching from the village of Nur, with relatively inaccessible banks, begins to become more attractive. Charming wooded islands appear, and you can increasingly see fragments of the bank that invite you to rest or even spend the night and end the stage of the trip.

133.0 km - approaching the town of Brok, we pass the right tributary of the significant river of the same name. Near Brok, the river meanders, alternating between approaching and moving away from the buildings.

137.2 km - a sandy beach in Brok on the right bank. An exceptionally good place to rest and get out of the kayaks. In the town, you can stock up on everything, and there are also two bars nearby.

137.7 km - we pass the road bridge on the Ostrów Mazowiecka - Łochów route.

141.5 km - a nice place on the right, sandy, and gentle bank for camping. This is a meadow overgrown with tall trees. Practically the first place from Brok where it is worth stopping. In the distance, you can see the buildings of the village of Bojany. Below the village, there is a few-kilometer-long relatively straight section, after which the Bug gently turns right. We paddle straight towards the buildings of Udrzyna, located on a high bank. Near the village, there is a short oxbow lake. At the high bank, where you can see the first of a series of unusual signs of the river's length - 72 km (previously, the signs we passed were marked every 5 km), there is a sharp turn of the river to the left. From Udrzyna to Kamieńczyk, the Bug will have the character of a meandering river and will be very attractive in terms of views. As we paddle further, the kayak trip will become more and more interesting.

154.1 km - you can see a beautiful oxbow lake on the right, with banks overgrown with willow thickets.

157.1 km - we paddle past another large oxbow lake, this time on the left side, formed as a result of the Bug's meander being cut off.

158.5 km - on the left side, there is a river branch that will soon connect with the main channel.

161.4 km - we paddle through the largest meander. The river turns in a very wide arc to the right, and on the left, there is the mouth of the previously separated branch. Along the entire arc, the left bank is relatively steep, sandy, with a pine forest reaching the water's edge. You can see that the Bug regularly erodes this bank, incorporating part of the forest. There are several good places to get out, especially at the mouth of the branch, convenient for a stop or overnight stay. We recommend this place for camping and ending the fifth day of the kayak trip. At the end of this meander, which forms a large bay on the map, you can see single houses and fences - summer resort plots.

Trip down the Bug - day six.

165.2 km - starting another day of the kayak trip, after a few more, relatively tight turns, we paddle past the village of Brańszczyk, located on the right bank. It is easy to buy something here, for example.

171.8 km - we paddle through the place where the significant left tributary of the Liwiec river flows in. Below the buildings of the large village of Kamieńczyk, with several picturesque leisure centers.

173.4 km - an excellent place for camping on the left bank, among tall poplars and willows. A large clearing can accommodate even a large group of kayakers. 700 meters further on, an equally excellent, or perhaps even better, place. Over the next few kilometers, there will be nothing worth noting.

179.7 km - we pass the road bridge on the Warsaw - Białystok route. To get to Wyszków, you should stop on the right bank about 100 meters before the bridge or behind it on the left side on the beach. This is a fairly large town with many shops located near the river.

180.5 km - a railway bridge on the Ostrołęka - Tłuszcz route. Below the bridge, on both sides of the river, there are scattered buildings of several villages over a few kilometers.

184.5 km - the first of several very good places for camping, located close to each other, on the left bank. A gentle, grassy exit near a pine forest, a good place to get out of the kayaks or canoes and rest. Initially, there are fragments of a fence, probably from a leisure center. The left bank will be relatively accessible for a long time, mostly forested, with numerous excellent camping sites.

185.8 km - the Bug starts to form numerous irregular islands, and the right bank begins to seem more "friendly". The village visible on it, with scattered buildings, is Gulczewo.

189.0 km - the first of a series of several good places for overnight stays, located on the left bank, at intervals of a few hundred meters, before the last stage of the kayak trip.

Trip down the Bug - day seven.

193.5 km - the last stage of the trip is relatively straight. The river has an increasingly marshy character, which is why there are more and more oxbow lakes and branches on both sides. Scattered buildings, mostly on the right bank, will be visible almost to the end of the route.

201.1 km - during the last day of the kayak trip down the Bug, we pass a very open and accessible right bank where you can easily rest. You can see a sign of the river's length - "13". Ahead, there is the last large meander of the Bug.

205.4 km - we paddle past numerous marinas for sailboats and motorboats near the left-bank Kuligów, where there is a pub near a sandy, exceptionally gentle bank. It is increasingly easy to encounter fast-moving motorboats, especially during the peak season. Behind the meander, we enter a very wide channel with numerous aquatic plants, including reeds and bulrushes, which have not been encountered on the Bug before. This area is already part of the backwater of the Zalew Zegrzyński dam.

212.2 km - the confluence of the Bug and Narew rivers. We head towards Serock, which seems to be very close, but paddling this section by kayak or canoe takes quite a long time. We head straight across the Narew channel, exactly towards the mast of the cellular network.

213.1 km - the end of the kayak trip down the Bug. The bank in the immediate vicinity of the street parallel to the Narew channel in Serock. Nearby, there is a bar "Pod Kotwicą". We deserve it...