Domazhyr Bear Sanctuary. A home for rescued brown bears in the forest near Lviv, with tours, a forest school and quests

A brown bear at the Domazhyr bear sanctuary
A brown bear at the Domazhyr bear sanctuary

Domazhyr is a sanctuary for brown bears rescued from poor living conditions, in a forest a dozen or so kilometers from Lviv. It was created with the support of the international organization FOUR PAWS: here the bears receive lifelong care and conditions as close to natural as possible. For visitors the sanctuary is an educational and leisure space with tours, a forest school, quests, a cafe and a gift shop.

Why visit

  • A home for brown bears rescued from poor conditions, where they live for the rest of their lives in near-natural surroundings
  • A twenty-hectare sanctuary in the forest just a dozen or so kilometers from Lviv
  • Visits only with a guide, who introduces you to the bears and tells the stories of their rescue
  • A forest school, Yavoriv painting workshops, maze quests, a rope park and a play meadow for children
  • The Med ta Yahoda cafe and a gift shop with themed souvenirs for friends and family
  • The sanctuary is dog-friendly: you can bring your four-legged friend if you keep it on a short leash

Good to know

Ticket prices
Prices include a guided tour. Adult ticket UAH 300, child ticket for ages 6 to 15 UAH 200 (children aged 3 to 6 get a bonus ticket for UAH 1), family ticket for two adults and a child UAH 750, and each additional child under 15 is UAH 1.
Discounts and groups
Reduced ticket UAH 150 for people with disabilities and their companions, pensioners, ATO veterans, military personnel and students (ID required). For school groups of 10 or more, UAH 150 per child, for preschoolers UAH 100; one companion per 10 children pays UAH 1.
Opening hours
Wednesday–Saturday from 9:00 to 17:15; on Saturday by advance booking only. Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Advance booking
Visits only with a guide and only by advance booking by phone at +380 67 509 30 58.
With dogs
Dogs on a short leash are welcome at the sanctuary. Your pet needs a ticket: UAH 50.
Extra programs
By advance booking: workshops UAH 200, quests UAH 150, Bear Cook with a tour UAH 350 per child, the longer Great Bear Trail tour UAH 500 per person.
Getting there
The sanctuary is near the village of Zhornyska in the Yavoriv District, about 15–20 km from Lviv.

The sanctuary has been open since 2016 and covers 20 hectares. It is a center for the rescue and rehabilitation of brown bears unique in Ukraine: animals that used to live in cramped cages stay here for good. Each bear has its own name and rescue story, which the guide shares with you. Visits are only with a guide and only by advance booking by phone at +380 67 509 30 58. The sanctuary is open Wednesday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00 and on Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00. Besides meeting the bears, there is plenty to do with children: the forest school, an eco-education project that teaches love for nature, Yavoriv painting workshops, quests in the Forest Maze, a rope park and a play meadow. After the walk you can stop at the Med ta Yahoda cafe and a gift shop with themed souvenirs. Dogs are welcome at the sanctuary if kept on a short leash. The sanctuary is near the village of Zhornyska in the Yavoriv District, about 15–20 kilometers from Lviv.