Valdaysky National Park
Hilly lakeland on the watershed between three seas, with a monastery on an island and the springs that feed the Volga.
Updated 22 October 2026
The Valdai hills are a moraine upland left by the last glaciation, and their significance is hydrological: this is the watershed from which rivers run to the Caspian, the Baltic and the Black Sea, and the Volga rises here from a spring in a bog at Volgoverkhovye, marked by a chapel built over it. The national park protects about a hundred and sixty thousand hectares of that country - some two hundred lakes in kettle holes, spruce and pine forest, bog, and villages. Lake Valdayskoye is the centre, and on an island in it stands the Iversky monastery, founded in 1653 by Patriarch Nikon and rebuilt through the following centuries, reached now by a causeway. Walking, water and cycle routes run through the park. Valday is on the old road and the railway between Moscow and St Petersburg, which is why it has been visited for centuries.
History
In the Middle Ages the area belonged to the Novgorod Republic, and one version places inside the park the Ignach Cross, where the Mongols advancing on Novgorod turned back in 1238. Valday is first mentioned in a chronicle in 1495, and the park was established on 17 May 1990 and has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 2004 (Wikipedia, Valdaysky National Park).
What you'll find
- The watershed - the divide sending rivers to three different seas.
- The Volga source - a spring in a bog at Volgoverkhovye, south-west of the park, with a chapel over it.
- The Iversky monastery - a 1653 foundation on an island in Lake Valdayskoye.
- The lakes - around two hundred glacial kettle holes across the park.
When to go
May to September for walking and boats; the Volga source road is poor in the rains. Two days to a week. Winter brings skiing.
Good to know
The Volga source is a modest spring in a bog and disappoints people expecting a river - the interest is what it becomes. Mosquitoes and ticks with encephalitis risk in summer. The monastery is active; dress and behaviour rules apply. Roads to the outer sectors are rough.
Nearby
Valday town is on the lake; Veliky Novgorod is north-west.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q2040163, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Valdaysky National Park
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Broken-in walking shoes or boots - Grip and ankle support matter more than looks; never hike in brand-new boots. Find on Amazon
- Binoculars - The single best wildlife tool - even a compact pair transforms a sighting. Find on Amazon
- Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
- Layers + a waterproof shell - Mountain weather turns fast; a packable rain jacket saves the day. Find on Amazon
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