Braslaw Lakes

Braslaw Lakes is a cluster of glacial lakes in the Vitebsk region of northwestern Belarus, formed in the last Ice Age and containing more than 30 named lakes. The group is a notable inland water landscape in Belarus and includes a mix of islands, peninsulas, and forested shoreline.

The area is used for boating, angling, swimming, and shoreline hiking across dozens of interconnected lakes and smaller water bodies. Visitors commonly move between lakes by short drives or boat; shallow bays and sandy beaches are frequent along the shorelines.

The lake basins were created by glacial action during the Pleistocene and the surrounding landscape has been settled and farmed for centuries. In the late 20th century the area gained protected status to conserve its lakes, wetlands, and surrounding forests.

The lakes sit around the small town of Braslaw in northwestern Belarus, within the Vitebsk administrative region. The terrain is gently rolling with mixed forest and peatland interspersed by the lake system.

• Use the town of Braslaw as your base - most lake access, boat rentals and visitor services are concentrated there, making it easy to reach multiple lakes in a day.
• Rent a boat or join a small local tour in summer to reach quieter coves and islands that are missed from shore; the lakes are much less crowded early morning or late afternoon.
• If you prefer fewer tourists and vivid colors, visit in September when autumn foliage begins and day visitor numbers drop compared with midsummer.