Horyn

Horyn is the longest right tributary of the Prypyat and the main river of Rivne region. It begins in Ternopil region, flows through the entire Rivne region from south to north and flows into the Prypyat already in Belarus, downstream from Davyd-Horodok. The length of the Horyn is 659 kilometres, of which 577 are in Ukraine. The lands along it have been called Pohoryna since ancient times.

Where the name comes from

The name comes from the Old East Slavic word "horyna" — a mountainous area. The river was called Horyna because it originates among the hills of Voronyaky at an altitude of 345 metres above sea level. After the Treaty of Buchach in 1672, the western border of the Cossack state was to run along the Horyn.

Pohoryna

Ancient cities and towns of Rivne region stand on the Horyn: Oleksandriya, Hoshcha, Tuchyn, Stepan, Dubrovytsia and Vysotsk. In the 12th century, there were "Pohoryna towns" here — Dorohobuzh, Stepan, Dubrovytsia, and castles and piers stood along the river. As early as the beginning of the 19th century, more than a hundred rafts with timber departed from Tuchyn every year.

Riverbed and banks

In its upper reaches, the Horyn flows through the Volyn-Podillia Upland, among limestone and chalk slopes, and lower down it reaches the Polissia Lowland. Here the riverbed is very winding, with reaches up to five to eleven metres deep and riffles, and the banks are sandy, steep, overgrown with willow and pines. In spring, the Horyn floods the floodplain for one to two weeks, and in the lowlands the water stands for months.

Rafting

The Horyn is a popular river for rafting. The most beautiful section is from Zlazne to Stepan: quiet water, sandy beaches and pine forests on the banks. Further downstream, you can raft from Dubrovytsia to the place where the Sluch flows into the Horyn.

Fishing

The Horyn is known for large catfish — entire films are made about them. Pike and perch are also caught here. The river bed in Polissia is very winding: reaches up to five to eleven metres deep alternate with riffles, and in the lower reaches there are many sunken logs and snags at the bottom where predators lurk.

It is most convenient to fish from a boat or during rafting. General fishing rules apply, and from 1 November fishing is prohibited in wintering pits — list and map of pits.

Horyn on video

When to go

May to September is best for rafting. In July and August, the water is warmest, and you can swim on the sandy shoals.

Nearby

Oleksandriya, Hoshcha, Tuchyn, Stepan and Dubrovytsia are above the Horyn.

How to get there

The easiest way to see the Horyn is in Hoshcha, Stepan or Dubrovytsia — buses run there from Rivne.