Lake Luknajno

Luknajno is about seven square kilometres and almost uniformly shallow - between one and three metres over most of its area - which means light reaches the bottom everywhere and the lake is filled with submerged vegetation. That is why the swans are here. Mute swans gather in very large numbers to moult, when they are flightless for several weeks and need abundant food and open water with few disturbances; counts have run into the low thousands, making this one of the largest such concentrations in Europe, and the lake was made a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1977 largely for it. Other waterfowl and waders use it heavily. Access is deliberately limited: no boats, no swimming, and viewing is from towers and a path on the eastern shore reached on foot or by bicycle from Mikolajki, about an hour. Binoculars or a telescope are necessary; the birds are out on the water.

The landscape

• Thousands of mute swans - gathered to moult, among Europe's largest concentrations.
• A uniformly shallow lake - one to three metres, full of submerged vegetation.
• A 1977 biosphere reserve - UNESCO-listed largely for the swan population.
• Towers on the eastern shore - the only viewing access, with boats prohibited.

When to go

July to September for the moulting flocks. Half a day.

Good to know

Boats and swimming are prohibited - viewing is from towers only. The birds are distant; a telescope makes the difference. The walk or ride from Mikolajki is an hour each way. Mosquitoes are severe in summer.

Nearby

Mikolajki is west; the Krutynia trail ends south at Ruciane-Nida.

Key facts