Over the past four years, tourist traffic to the Kerzhensky Nature Reserve has increased by 2.1 times.

      The number of independent travelers has significantly increased.

      The tourist flow to the Kerzhensky Nature Reserve has increased by 2.1 times over the past four years. If in 2022 it amounted to 11,800 people, by 2025 it is expected to reach nearly 25,000 guests. This was reported by the Ministry of Tourism and Industries of the region. As noted by the ministry, the area of the Kerzhensky Reserve exceeds 46,800 hectares. The excursion trail "Land of Reindeer," created around the demonstration enclosure, attracts special attention from tourists. Since 2014, the reserve has been working on restoring the population of forest reindeer in the region. Over these years, 34 reindeer calves have been born in the enclosures. Since 2020, 22 reindeer have been released into the wild from the enclosures, and 10 calves have been born in the wild. Since 2025, this animal – the emblematic symbol of the Nizhny Novgorod region – has been under the care of the national project "Ecological Well-Being."

      "In the Kerzhensky Reserve, the only state program in Russia for restoring the population of forest reindeer is being implemented. Its main goal is to revive our heritage, which was lost on Nizhny Novgorod land over a century ago due to overhunting. Thanks to the efforts of the reserve's specialists, the animal is no longer considered an extinct species in the Red Book of the region; however, there is still a long and challenging task ahead to systematically increase its population," said the Minister of Tourism and Industries of the region, Sergey Yakovlev.

      According to him, the experience of the Kerzhensky Reserve is a balance between nature conservation and tourism development.

      "People come to the reserve primarily for the revived wonder. Once here, guests understand: the pristine nature is captivating. Many tourists return again and again to explore new trails and enjoy the silence. As part of the development of the tourist infrastructure of the Central Estate of the Kerzhensky Reserve, located in the village of Rustai in the Bor district, a glamping site has been created. As a result, the area has not only seen an increase in visitor numbers but also a new quality of tourism, where guests stay overnight and immerse themselves deeply in the environment," noted Sergey Yakovlev.

      He emphasized the change in the structure of the tourist flow in the reserve. The more than double growth recorded over the past four years is primarily due to independent travelers who come here without prior booking in excursion groups.

      "The doubling of attendance did not occur due to school groups or corporate arrivals, but thanks to private tourists. People today choose freedom – they want to enjoy nature at their own pace, with an audio guide in their ears and a colorful guidebook in their hands, following modern convenient navigation. As a result, everyone wins: nature, which experiences less anthropogenic pressure due to the thoughtful arrangement of trails and the dispersal of flows, and tourists, who have access to quality, and most importantly, educational and eco-friendly recreation," said Sergey Yakovlev.

      The ministry reminded that the development of ecological tourism remains one of the priority areas of the Nizhny Novgorod region government within the framework of the national project "Tourism and Hospitality." The region's task is to preserve nature while simultaneously working on the socio-economic development of adjacent territories.

      The Kerzhensky Reserve is managed by the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Nizhny Novgorod Volga" and also includes the national park "Nizhny Novgorod Volga" named after V. A. Lebedev, established in 2024, which consists of five sections. They are located in nine municipal entities of the Nizhny Novgorod region: Sharangsky, Voskresensky, Vorotynsky, Borsky, Lyskovo, Perevozsky, and Sosnovsky districts, the urban district of Arzamas, and the Kstovo district of Nizhny Novgorod.

      Tourists can visit the Volga (on the left bank of the Volga), Kilemar, and Kama-Bakalinsky (in the Zavolzhye (forest) part of the region), Pustynsky and Ichalkovsky (in the Pre-Volga (mountain) part) sections of the national park "Nizhny Novgorod Volga" named after V. A. Lebedev.

      More news about the event:

      Interest in the trail with forest reindeer is growing in the Kerzhensky Reserve.

      In the Kerzhensky Reserve in the Nizhny Novgorod region, the flow of tourists has increased more than twofold over the past four years. 18:07 24.03.2026 Open Nizhny - Nizhny Novgorod

      The tourist flow to the Kerzhensky Reserve has increased by 2.1 times.

      The tourist flow to the Kerzhensky Reserve has increased by 2.1 times over the past four years. 18:05 24.03.2026 IA Nizhny Now - Nizhny Novgorod

      Over the past four years, the tourist flow to the Kerzhensky Reserve has increased by 2.1 times. The number of independent travelers has significantly increased.

      The tourist flow to the Kerzhensky Reserve has increased by 2.1 times over the past four years. 17:41 24.03.2026 City Day Newspaper. Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      In the Samara region, specially protected natural areas will be improved.

      A competition has been announced in the Samara region for the development of ecotourism in national parks and reserves. 18:48 24.03.2026 Komsomolskaya Pravda Samara - Samara

      Kalmykia has become one of the leaders in tourism growth in Russia.

      The Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, together with the travel service Tutu, has published the results of the annual federal study "Tourism Development in the Regions 2025." 13:13 23.03.2026 RIA Kalmykia - Elista