The forest doesn't let go so easily. The ancient forest draws you in and fascinates you. It allows you to feel that the world is much older and less tamed than we imagine. Gnarled branches, fallen tree trunks, mosses, and the play of light make the forest look completely different in every season. The forest also has its king. His presence is all the more precious because it's not at all obvious. At the beginning of the 20th century, the bison almost disappeared from the Białowieża Forest, but thanks to conservation breeding, it was restored to its rightful place. Perhaps you've never seen a bison in person. Perhaps you're unfamiliar with trees so large that the eye can't quite grasp them, and you've only seen the pygmy owl—Europe's smallest owl—in an atlas.

If so, let our house become your gateway to the forest. For you and your family, because there's enough space here to accommodate your family and friends. You can rent it in its entirety or choose one of the apartments if you're a smaller group. We never rent two parts of the house at the same time, so you'll have the entire grounds, including the spa area, to yourself. We'll leave you bikes, as the Narewka area begs to be explored on two wheels. Remember not only the local nature but also the vibrant culture of the borderland. Go see the intricately decorated wooden cottages in the Land of Open Shutters and admire the colorful Orthodox churches. Upon your return, a home will be waiting for you: a real, cozy place, smelling of wood. Your home away from home in Podlasie.

Direction Puszcza is our family-owned, over-a-hundred-year-old wooden house in Narewka, on the edge of the Białowieża Forest. We live and work in Vienna. We renovated it mostly ourselves over the past five years, from the basement to the garden. It's not luxurious, and we don't intend to be. It's meant to be homely, warm, and humane.

The house has two independent apartments, which can be rented separately or together as a whole house for 14 people.

In the garden, you'll find a private spa area with a Finnish sauna, salt cave, and wood-burning hot tub. Along with the garden and fireplace, it's always yours, regardless of which part you rent. You never share it with another group of guests.

Góra is a Modern apartment (up to 6 people). 110 m² in the attic under wooden beams, the living room alone is 70 m². Each of the two bedrooms has two single beds, and the living room has a sofa bed for two. The bathroom has a bathtub and a separate shower. The kitchen is fully equipped, with an island made of planks from an old barn, an induction cooktop, and a dishwasher. The fireplace is the main heat source, and wood is included in the price. Air conditioning is available in the living room and bedrooms for hot days. The living room has a large-screen projector and a soundbar. A private terrace overlooks the sunset.

Downstairs: Retro Apartment (up to 8 people). The ground floor features a communist-era style with two working tiled stoves dating back over a hundred years and restored oak furniture. Two bedrooms have double beds, and the family bedroom has a bunk bed and a sofa bed, each for two people. The ground floor has a private bathroom and a kitchen with a ceramic hob and dishwasher. A cozy porch with rattan armchairs opens to the front, and a covered terrace with a long table and benches seats approximately 20 people.

Both apartments feature fast Wi-Fi, a coffee corner (French press, coffee maker, Senseo), and deep-well drinking water. We built the beds, kitchen island, and patio furniture ourselves. Parking is available on the property, and there's also an 11 kW electric car charger (charged at night for an additional fee).

We don't cook for guests, but each apartment has its own fully equipped kitchen. We've converted a former coal shed into an outdoor kitchen with a wood-burning pizza and bread oven, a brick smokehouse, and a charcoal grill. You can pick unlimited herbs from the garden, and in season, we also offer tomatoes, cucumbers, currants, apples, and pumpkins.

In Narewka, we recommend Bojarski Gościniec, a regional restaurant in a wooden Podlasie house by the river, and Dwór Bartnika, an inn serving Podlasie cuisine and honey.

The spa area is included in the price of your stay. In the former outbuilding, we've set up a Finnish sauna for 9 people, clad in planks from an old barn and featuring colorful LED lighting. In the basement beneath the sauna, there's a salt cave with walls made of salt blocks. In the garden, there's a large wood-burning hot tub for 10 people; a hot soak under the stars is possible year-round. Next to the outdoor kitchen, there's a round fire pit with prepared firewood and a garden swing. On the upper terrace, you'll find a game chest with games: Spikeball, badminton and volleyball nets, and balls.

Bicycles are available free of charge, and around Narewka there are seven marked trails under the Narewka Cycling project. Fishing is free at the pond in Narewka, even without a fishing license; we'll lend you four fishing rods. From summer to late autumn, chanterelles, boletes, and bay boletes grow in the forests around the village. Kayaking on the Narewka River is also available. It is 22 km to Białowieża, 18 km to the European Bison Show Reserve, and 10 km to the Siemianówka Reservoir in Stary Dwór.

Children have access to a large garden, a swing, bicycles, and outdoor games. They can pick vegetables and fruit straight from the garden, fish in the Narewka pond, and go mushroom picking with you. The Podlaskie Animal Planet mini zoo is 1.4 km away, and the Forest Narrow Gauge Railway is in Hajnówka. On the ground floor, there's a family bedroom with a bunk bed, and a cot is always available.

The upstairs apartment features a dedicated work area with a desk and two monitors. The house has fast Wi-Fi.