Get even closer to the Masurian nature, get into a canoe and marvel at the beautiful flora and fauna up close. Listen to the singing of birds that have just flown up to hunt or sit on a branch and watch you. Canoeing is an opportunity to be close to nature – it is peace and relaxation on the Sapina River or pleasant emotions, a bit of adrenaline and even more wildlife on the Węgorapa River. For your package you can choose a canoe for a short trip on the lake – starting from 1 hour. Or you can choose a full-day kayaking trip on one of our two surrounding rivers.
You can choose between two routes:
Long route – approx. 18 km
Przerwanki Lock – J. Pozezdrze – J. Stręgiel – Ogonki – 18km
Short route – approx. 12km
J. Pozezdrze – J. Stręgiel – Ogonki – 12km
We start our rafting route from the lock in Przerwanki. The sluicing itself is interesting. If you do not want to wait, you can move your equipment to a convenient place behind the lock. There are no queues because, the lock only serves a few dozen vessels in the season. It is manually operated and the water level difference is only 1.2 metres. Next, we sail under the bridge in Przerwanki, pass the fish house and enter Wilkus Lake. Many canoeists who follow this route consider this lake to be the most beautiful on the trail. Its shores are overgrown with pine forests, it is quiet and peaceful. You can stop for a while as this is an ideal body of water for this. With the lazy river we leave this charming place and sail towards Lake Pozezdrze. On the western side, the shores are steep, overgrown with low vegetation and trees, while the eastern side is inaccessible due to swamps, moors and reeds. An attentive observer can spot beaver lodges and even, with a bit of luck, their architects in the Sapina stream. Leaving the lake, we head west (we cross the lake) and reach the beach, where we take a rest.*
We continue north (to the left of the beach) where we reach the river. We return to the route and sail down the Sapina. Ahead of us is the most picturesque section of the river. Almost the whole way to Stręgiel Lake we go through a forest. Fallen trees and beaver dams make an impression as if no human foot has ever been on this land. The calm pace at which we move makes us feel part of the surrounding nature. Behind the charming bridge we pass under, we make another stop to straighten our bones and take a few photos. This stage ends with the mouth of Stręgiel Lake. The reservoir is overgrown with reeds and the bottom is filled with underwater plants. We head northwest. (we sail on the left side heading for the tower) there we come across an isthmus to Lake Święcajty. We pass under the bridge on the Węgorzewo – Giżycko road. On leaving, we turn right to the bay where we end our rafting trip.
* We start the shorter Sapina route from the beach on Lake Pozezdrze.
Route: Stulichy – Ołownik
On the Węgorapa trail, we come across obstacles such as, floodplains, fords and fallen branches. The starting point of the trip is the village of Stulichy. After short briefing we start our adventure with Węgorapa. At first, we sail in the Węgorapa’s ravine admiring picturesque gorges, virgin landscapes and meadows. Persistent paddling leads us to Jakunowo. In Jakunowo, we pass under a bridge and paddle through a forest corridor to Wężówko. Here, the river changes its style, picking up speed in places. The rapid current of the meandering river provides us with a thrill. In many places, the bank is overgrown and lying tree branches appear on our way. It is necessary to carry the canoe in order to overcome the obstacle. On the backwaters before Olownik, you will need to be attentive, because while admiring the beautiful scenery and the banks of the overgrown river, you can deviate from the route. This is a paradise for waterfowl; you may meet families of wild ducks or swans here. There is a water power station in Ołownik, which once served the nearby villages. The dam on the Węgorapa River created one of the best fishing grounds in the whole of Masuria. Built in the interwar period, the power station operated until 1995, when all equipment, including historic turbines and generators, was scrapped and the building fell into disrepair. Since 2002, it has been in private hands and the new owner has begun restoration. Nowadays, the power station produces electricity, which is sent to the power grid.
We finish rafting in front of the power station (on the right) at the point where the floodplain meets the road Węgorzewo – Ołownik.
