Island safari on the German island of Usedom – a delightful excursion in a Land Rover

Writer: Helena Bergström

We went on an island safari on the German island of Usedom. What a wonderful experience! We spent a whole day out in a Land Rover and got to see parts of the island that you might not otherwise get to see – nature reserves, lakes and historic buildings. We also enjoyed cosy stops for food and mulled wine, and an adventurous ride on the roof...!

Island Safari with ”Insel Safari”

The company Island Safari has been running guided tours on the island of Usedom for 30 years. The background to this is, apart from the natural desire to run a profitable business, a desire to showcase the island and its natural environment. There is a strong focus on tourists, but the company also tries to offer enjoyable nature experiences for the area's pensioners and children.

”Deutsch oder Englisch?” asked the guide, and when we replied ”English,” he became a little nervous. Should we perhaps arrange for another guide? No, we thought, and in fact, everything worked out for the best. We conducted all simple conversations in English. When the guide wanted to tell more complex stories, he spoke into an app that translated for us into English. It worked out great!

Would you like to go up on the roof?

As soon as we left the ”real” roads and headed into nature, the guide asked, ”Would you like to ride on the roof?” Yes, of course we wanted to! This made the experience much more natural and adventurous.

We had dressed warmly for the trip, and we were also given seat cushions and blankets. It was a wonderful trip through forests and past lakes. We really enjoyed the views!

Cosy stops for coffee and mulled wine

”Would you like coffee or mulled wine?” Yes, of course we would! We stopped by a lake and our guide took out thermos flasks and mugs – coffee, tea or mulled wine.

November may not be the best month here in northern Europe, but this turned out to be an incredibly wonderful experience. Our colleague and friend, whom you can see in the photos, is Eva from the excellent digital travel magazine rucksack. Be sure to check out her beautiful photos and delightful stories!

Nature, countryside and lots of water

The tour continued across the island of Usedom, and as we understand it, there may be different tours on different days. We mainly saw lots of nature, in the form of forests and lakes. Usedom is a low and flat island, full of marshland, and in order to be able to cultivate the land, ditches have had to be dug to drain away the water.

We also saw domesticated animals, of course, in the form of cows, sheep and horses.

And then we saw water! We were often told that this was the ”Ostsee” (Baltic Sea) or ”Achterwasser” (the lagoon on the south-western coast of Usedom). There are also countless smaller lakes and waterways.

Small attractions along the way

Every now and then, our guide stopped to show us and tell us about various sights. Even though they are not particularly impressive sights, each place contributes its own piece of the puzzle to the story of the island of Usedom: mills, churches and viewpoints.

A church we visited in Benz has a fascinating ceiling. At first glance, the patterns may appear to be identical, but upon closer inspection, you can see that each image is unique.

”Would you like to see what I consider to be the most beautiful holiday accommodation?” Of course we would! Our guide took us to a boat, on land, which you can now rent for your holiday. So beautiful! The accommodation can be rented via feriensiedlung-am-achterwasser.de.

Lunch with soup

Since it was a full-day trip, lunch was naturally included. At the company's ”base,” we were offered a fire, seating, toilets, and lunch in the form of soup, bread, and cold cuts. Delicious and enjoyable!

Would you like to try an island safari on the island of Usedom?

Would you like to try an island safari on the island of Usedom in Germany? We highly recommend this experience! The website is only in German, as most of the tourists here have been German-speaking, but when you book, you can add a comment requesting a guide in English – the company will then do its best to accommodate your request!

More to see and do on Usedom

There is more to experience on the beautiful island of Usedom, not least in the form of beaches and spas. Here you will find our best tips:

• Spa and wellness hotels on Usedom
• Things to do on Usedom
• Things to do in Swinoujscie

This trip was a press trip organised by Tourism Association Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own!