Status of component parts: National Park, State Biosphere Nature Reserve, Nature Preserve Area: 0.183 million ha Situation: The possibility of inscription on the Russian Tentative List is being examined

The territory is situated on the Valdai upland and has a very complicated and picturesque terrain that formed during the last glaciation period. Here lies the great water divide of the Baltic, Caspian and Black Seas, the sources of rivers: Volga, Dnieper, Zapadnaya Dvina. There are a lot of large lakes including Lake Ilmen. Part of the lakes is of karst and glacial origin. Many of the lakes are interconnected and have a very intricate shore line. For this reason they are of extreme interest for tourism.

The borders of southern taiga and coniferous-broadleaf forests run through the park area. Undisturbed natural forest ecosystems are most valuable.

The Valdai Upland has a rich cultural heritage. Over 250 artifacts dating back to the Neolith (7-10 thousand years BC) to the height of the Novgorod Princedom (XI-XV centuries AD) were discovered within the borders of the park.