Welcoming the New Year not in an apartment, but in a cabin among pine trees or on the shore of a frozen lake is already a tradition for many. Polissia has everything for this: forests, lakes, granite quarries and rivers, and around them — recreation centres, homesteads and cottages that remain open in winter as well. We have gathered destinations in every region of Polissia and suggested what you should ask the hosts about before making a payment.
Specific establishments listed here are only those for which fresh information is available. Prices for holiday dates change every year, so we do not provide them: please check on the establishment's page.
When to book
For New Year's Eve, accommodation near popular lakes and forests is booked up first, so you should start looking as early as November or the beginning of December. Many homesteads rent out houses only for a few consecutive nights for the holidays, rather than just one. Hosts usually announce holiday evening programmes in December, so the dates and menus for the 2026/2027 winter may still be unknown.
Many waterfront bases are seasonal and operate only in summer. Before booking, make sure that the house is heated and accepts guests specifically in winter.
What to ask before payment
- Programme and meals. Whether there is a festive dinner, whether you can cook yourselves, and whether the kitchen is open on 1 January.
- Electricity and heat during a blackout. Whether there is a generator or other backup power, how the house is heated — with a boiler, stove, or fireplace — and whether there will be water without electricity.
- Shelter. Where the nearest shelter or basement is and how to get there at night.
- Animals. Whether you can come with a dog and how much it costs.
- Cancellation. Whether the prepayment will be refunded if the trip is disrupted by air raid alerts or weather.
- Road. Whether the driveway is cleared of snow and where to leave the car.
Volyn: Shatsk Lakes
The most famous destination is Svityaz, the deepest lake in Ukraine within the Shatsk National Nature Park. Around it are bases, cottages and private homesteads, with the main recreation areas being the Hryada tract within the limits of Shatsk, the village of Svityaz, and the Hushove tract. In winter, the lakes freeze over, the region becomes almost deserted, and it is precisely for this silence that people come here for the holidays. In summer there are queues here, while in winter you can take your pick — though not all bases operate in the cold season.
The Shatsk Park is a nature conservation area: campfires are lit only in designated places, and cars are not driven up to the water. Step onto the ice of the lakes only where locals do so, and only during severe frosts.
Rivne region: Bile Lake and Nobel
Bile Lake near Rudka in Varash Raion is a karst lake with transparent water and a pine forest around it. In summer, bases and boat rentals operate on the shore; in winter, some of them are closed, so look for heated houses and homesteads in the surrounding villages. It is about half an hour by car from Varash to the lake, and 2.5–3 hours from Rivne.
Further north, in the floodplain of the Prypiat, lies Nobel Lake — the largest in the Rivne region, with a village on a peninsula. In winter, the lake freezes over, and this is one of the most remote places in the region: public transport runs there rarely, and roads go through Zarichne. You should only go with confirmed lodging and a full tank.
Zhytomyr region: Teteriv, quarries and forests
Korostyshiv
The closest Polissian direction to Kyiv with granite and water is Korostyshiv, about 100 km from the capital. Here you will find the Korostyshiv Canyon with a turquoise lake among rocks, the Teteriv River, and several flooded quarries in a pine forest. Among out-of-town options are the Charivne Ozero complex on the shore of one of the quarry lakes (cottages, sauna, pets allowed), Tsarovka in Tsarivka near the Kyiv — Chop highway (hotel, SPA, lake), and Lake House cottages by a pond in Stryzhivka. Read more in the article „Where to stay in Korostyshiv“.
Malyn Region and Radomyshl
Further north, 18 km from Malyn, in the village of Lisove, the Babyna Loza eco-estate operates: six rooms, a farm with goats and cows, homemade cheeses, a fireplace, and a vats bath. All around is a forest, so New Year's morning can begin with a walk. And if you are driving along the highway to Zhytomyr, it is worth dropping by Radomyshl on the way — to the castle on the site of an old paper mill over the Myka and Teteriv rivers.
North of Kyiv Region
For those who do not want to travel far, there is the Kyiv Sea: sandy shores and pine forests begin half an hour from the capital, and cottages and recreation centers are located in the villages of Vyshhorod Raion. On the left bank of the Desna, 20 km from Kyiv, is the Zalissya National Park, a continuous pine forest where it is pleasant to walk even on January 1st. In Mykulychi, Bucha Raion, near the lake, the Bila Skelya base operates with a wood-fired sauna and a vats bath.
Chernihiv Region: Sedniv and the Desna
Sedniv lies on the high bank of the Snov River, 25 km from Chernihiv. Here you will find the Lyzohub estate with a park over the river, Shevchenko's linden tree, and the wooden St. George's Church — a lovely walk for the first day of the year. Nearby is Chernihiv itself with its ancient temples over the Desna. On the bank of the Desna in the village of Kovchyn, Kulykivka hromada, according to the Chernihiv region tourist portal, the Zacharovana Desna green tourism base operates with rooms and a sauna; check in advance whether it accepts guests in winter.
Safety: the north of Chernihivshchyna and Sumshchyna near the border with Russia are regularly shelled. Do not go to border communities for the holidays, and choose more southerly and westerly directions for your trips.
New Year's Eve in wartime
Curfew on New Year's is in effect by decision of the regional military administrations, and it varies across different regions. Check its limits and possible changes for New Year's Eve with the RMA of the region you are travelling to, and plan your evening so that you do not travel anywhere after it begins.
During martial law, pyrotechnics are banned or restricted in many regions. Even where there is no direct ban, the explosions of fireworks frighten people and animals, so it is better to do without them. Mass celebrations in communities may be cancelled or shortened, and during an air raid alert — proceed to a shelter.
What to take with you
- A power bank, a flashlight and spare batteries in case of power outages.
- Warm clothing and footwear for walks through the forest and along the lake shore.
- A reserve of fuel: there are few gas stations in forest villages, and roads are not always cleared in winter.
- An offline map of the route — mobile connection can be weak in the forest.
Where to go when the holidays are over — check the pages of lakes and towns in our guide: each has coordinates and a "How to get there" button.
