River Valleys and Landforms

The Buzkyi Gard National Nature Park extends across the valleys of the Southern Bug in Mykolaiv Oblast, from Pervomaisk to Oleksandrivka. It also includes the valleys of the Mertvovid and Arbuzynka rivers between Petropavlivka, Aktove and Trykraty; administratively, the park lies in Voznesensk and Pervomaisk Raions. Several river courses and the places named give this natural area a clear geographical outline. The combination of the valleys and the two raions helps with orientation: the park cannot be reduced to a single settlement or a single stretch of valley.

Within the national park, the Labyrinth tract is known as Count Skarzhynskyi’s park. Narrow paths, canals and bridges over waterways define the tract. This adds a more intimate landscape motif to the broader description spanning several river valleys.

Steppe and Seasonal Nature Trail

The Yelanetskyi Steppe Nature Reserve offers a different landscape experience. It is considered the largest area of untouched steppe in the northwestern Black Sea region. The contrast with Buzkyi Gard offers a concrete way to choose according to your nature interests: there, several river valleys define the geographical setting; here, untouched steppe takes centre stage.

When visiting the reserve, you must notify its administration in advance and stay on the designated paths. The Dyvo - Step ecological nature trail is open from early April to mid-October. The excursion covers the reserve’s history, its plant and animal life, and the animals in the enclosure. These details answer different planning questions: the calendar indicates the trail’s seasonal opening period, while advance notification is a condition for visiting the reserve. Check current access arrangements before your trip.

Further Nature and Cultural Highlights

The Tylihulskyi Regional Landscape Park covers 8,195.4 hectares within Mykolaiv Oblast. At the close of the 2025 tourism season, its recreation areas were among the oblast’s most attractive places for visitors. At the same season’s close, places near the Myhiya Rapids and Aktove Canyon were also among the most attractive destinations. The geographical references differ: for the park, they refer to its recreation areas; for Myhiya and Aktove, they refer to nearby places, not places within the rapids or canyon.

A major archaeological site is the Olvia National Historical and Archaeological Preserve. It encompasses the ancient city of Olvia and its necropolis, as well as the site of the ancient city of Borysthenes on present-day Berezan Island. The contrast with the natural areas is clear when choosing a theme: here, ancient urban sites take centre stage, while Buzkyi Gard and Yelanetskyi Step are characterised by river valleys and steppe, respectively.

Discover more destinations: Mykolaiv, Kobleve, Bashtanka, Chornomorka, Berezanskyi Raion, Bashtanskyi Raion, Ochakivskyi Raion, Kazankivskyi Raion, Leninka, Ochakiv, Kryve Ozero, Mykolaivka.

For the broader travel overview: Ukraine.