Island safari on Usedom – a winter adventure in nature

Whether in summer or winter, Usedom is simply beautiful. During an island safari on Usedom, we were drawn to the snow-covered hinterland.

In winter, the somewhat quieter season and travel time on Usedom, most holidaymakers are drawn to the beach for long walks. The hinterland is quiet and almost deserted. Ideal for discovering the island away from the tourist crowds. So let’s go on an island safari.

What is the island safari?

The Island Safari on Usedom offers a unique nature experience that takes you into the heart of the island away from the tourist crowds. Participants can discover Usedom’s impressive landscape and wildlife at any time of year.

An off-road vehicle picked our group up directly at our accommodation. There were 7 of us and the car wouldn’t have fit any more. After briefly discussing the tour, we set off on a shortened tour. We had a good 3 hours to experience as much as possible (normally the tour takes around 7 hours). With the island safari, this means experiencing nature, adventure and relaxation all in one!

Highlights of the island safari

After a short drive into the Achterland, we arrived at one of the most beautiful viewpoints, the Sieben-Seen-Blick observation tower. The lookout tower is located near the Hotel Bergmühle on Bergmühlenweg.

It had snowed during the night. We left the off-road vehicle and carefully climbed up the wooden tower. A snow-covered winter landscape opened up from up there. Not all 7 lakes were visible at first glance, it was a little too hazy for that. But boards in the roofed tower showed us the location. A fantastically beautiful place, which is also ideal for birdwatching.

Change of perspective

After the short photo stop, we continued on to one of the highlights of our island safari. On special off-road paths, a maximum of 3 people can sit on the roof of the off-road vehicle. I choose to sit in the “second row”. Here I sit sideways, can lean against the roof boxes and stabilize the seating position with my feet on the side rails of the car. A good decision!

We then drove at walking pace over bumpy forest roads. The car rocked back and forth despite the low speed. Every now and then we had to duck our heads to avoid the overhanging branches.

The sun came out from behind the clouds and shone through the snow-covered trees and I caught a glimpse of a lake. Even though it was getting quite chilly, the ride could have gone on forever. A great experience!

All too soon the time on the roof was over and we changed back into the car while the next passengers climbed onto the roof. As we drove on, there was a short “lesson” on the formation of the island. It’s a good thing that the topic of the ice age and glacial series was one of my favorite subjects in my geography studies. So the formation process was very clear to me and the topic was explained to my fellow passengers in a wonderfully simple way. My professors at university should have listened!

Achterland

Once everyone was back in the car, the tour took us along small roads through the Achterland. Fields criss-crossed with canals lined the road. From time to time we could see birds circling over the fields in search of food. At one point we passed a windmill. This was once used to pump water from the fields so that farming could be carried out.

Our tour continued into a wooded area. We reached a small lake on snow-covered paths for forestry workers. Here it was time for a hot soup and, in keeping with the cold season, we had tea or mulled wine! I would have loved to spend a little more time here and explore the forest, the lake and the magical snowy landscape on a walk. I’m sure we would have had the opportunity to spot some animals – but unfortunately there just wasn’t enough time during the shortened tour.

After three hours, our tour ended in Ahlbeck. I would have liked to go to other parts of the island. I’ll save that for another time of year….

Information about the island safari

On the approximately 7-hour tours, whether in summer or winter, participants can expect

• Untouched nature and hidden places:
  Enchanted forests, hidden lakes and pristine floodplain forests
• Wildlife spotting:
  majestic white-tailed eagles, rare bird species and other wildlife in their natural environment
  Of course, this is only possible if the animals want to be seen!
• Expert knowledge:
  Trained nature guides share their knowledge of the island’s flora and fauna.
• Food and drink:
  During the tour there are hearty meals, a picnic at lunchtime and cake in the afternoon.
• Adventure in the Land Rover Defender:
  Small stages are driven in an off-road vehicle. Some areas are also explored on foot.
• Adventures in summer and winter:
  The island safari can be booked all year round.

Good to know

The tour took place as part of a press trip to Usedom.