Tour Forests And Lakes Multi-Activity Tour

Meals

Full-board meals on days 2-7, dinner on day 1, breakfast on day 8. At least one meal per day will be cooked over open fire. All travellers must inform us of any dietary requirements and allergies. We will do our best in order to account for any of such requirements in preparing the menu for the tour.

Guide

English/Russian speaking local guide. The guide is trained in first aid, ensuring the safety of the tours. The guide also acts as an instructor, providing travellers with safety briefings and helping in the use of equipment and in the wilderness.

Accommodation

Accommodation in traditional and cosy homesteads for 6 nights in shared rooms for 2-4 persons with shared facilities, unless stated otherwise. Whilist some of the guesthouses will have a "hotel-like" feel to them, the majority of them are more like family homes, and have shared facilities and kitchen. Such guesthouses would house only your group, so please don’t worry about any strangers or random people sharing the same house with you. Camping in tents on day 2. Please note that the camping grounds will be out in the wild nature, so there will be no facilities available. It might be possible, though, to make a use of the local host’s outdoor facilities.

Transport

Transfer from Visaginas to the guesthouse on day 1 and back on day 8. Transportation of personal belongings between accommodations.

Others

2 craftsmen’s workshops: honey-making and woodworking. Kayak, fat bike and other necessary camping equipment rental. Sauna on all days except day 6 and 8. Entry ticket to the regional park.

Not included:

Insurance

All passengers must ensure that they are covered by an adequate travel insurance.

Flights

Flights to and from Lithuania are not included. Vilnius airport is the most convenient choice, as very good public transport links connect it to Visaginas, from where the tour departs, however you can also get to Visaginas from Kaunas airport and Riga airport (in Latvia).

Others

Transfers to and from airport (using public transport is strongly recommended!) Train tickets can be bought online from the official rail travel provider, Lietuvos gelezinkeliai, whereas tickets for coach travel are not usually sold online. You can check the coach timetables though using the site https://www.autobusubilietai.lt/index.php?cl=start&lang=0 and buy the tickets upon arrival. It is also possible to request a private transfer service for an additional charge, please enquire about this.

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Day 1 Day 1: Arrival And Introduction
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Arrival And Introduction

Arrival to Visaginas, where you are welcomed by your guide. Transfer (~15 minutes) to our first guesthouse on lake Smalvas in the Gražutės Regional Park. Dinner at the accommodation, tour presentation, safety briefing and meeting other participants. Sauna in the evening (OPTIONAL).
Day 2 Day 2: Hiking Through Smalvo Conservation Area, Night In A Campsite (15Km/9Mi)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Hiking Through Smalvo Conservation Area, Night In A Campsite (15Km/9Mi)

We start our day with some light morning exercise, followed by delicious breakfast. After breakfast we set off on a tour around nearby lakes – Trilypis, Skaidrys, and Švento. All of these lakes are part of Smalvo conservation area, which was designed to protect some of the rarest species of birds and plants in Lithuania. The nature here is dominated by pines, green mosses, and picturesque lakes formed following the Ice Age. There is an opportunity for an open-water swimming at all the lakes we visit today – so you can later compare your experiences. We lunch during one of the lake stops, with the meal being cooked over a campfire. In the afternoon, we make a tent camp by one of the lakes and meet our local host, who shares what it’s like to live in a tiny village in the middle of the pine forest. Later on, we relax in a traditional „banya" (in Russian) or "pirtis" (in Lithuanian - sauna). We dinner with our local host, whilst learning more about the area and its cultural traditions. In the evening, there is free time for you to take a walk around the lake at your own pace, or simply enjoy the quietness and stillness of the surrounding nature.
Day 3 Day 3: Hiking To Salakas Village (14Km/8,5Mi)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Hiking To Salakas Village (14Km/8,5Mi)

Greeting the morning with light exercise, optional swimming in the open water of the cleanest Lithuanian lake Švento and breakfast. Today we get a chance to observe the headwaters of Šventoji, one of the longest Lithuanian rivers, which then falls into Luodis lake and carries all the way on to the Baltic Sea. We’ll walk past small villages and single house homesteads, thus getting an insight into rural life of the locals. There is also a stop for a packed lunch, after which we continue to the village of Salakas. In the afternoon we arrive at our guesthouse. After dinner there will be free time to explore Salakas village on your own, as well as take a walk along the "Elk’s" exploratory pathway. Sauna in the evening.
Day 4 Day 4: Kayaking On Šventoji River (15Km/9Mi)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Kayaking On Šventoji River (15Km/9Mi)

In the morning after breakfast we get to the clear waters of Luodis lake and continue our tour by kayaks. We provide all equipment, such as paddles and life vests. We make a few stops on some peninsulas and islands of Luodis lake, giving you a chance to capture beautiful nature views and have a sneak peek on local wildlife. There will also be a stop for a packed lunch. Luodis is considered a heaven for fishing enthusiasts, and it is likely that we’ll meet some fishermen along our route. Our way then leads us through the waters of Šventoji river to our next guesthouse. The guesthouse is located in the rural area, hidden from other’s eyes, thus providing a peaceful and quiet island of rest. In the afternoon, we take a short walk through forest and swampy area (you might want to cross the swamp barefoot, if not - we’ll provide you with wellies) to meet a local honey-maker Janina, who will shed the light on secrets of honey-making and beekeeping and give us a try of some best honeys she makes. Dinner at Janina’s farmstead, sauna at a guesthouse.
Day 5 Day 5: Kayaking To Antalieptės Reservoir (12Km/7,5Mi)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Kayaking To Antalieptės Reservoir (12Km/7,5Mi)

The second day of kayaking on Šventoji river, reaching Antalieptės reservoir. Antalieptės reservoir is made up from 26 lakes, which were artificially joined together to form a single lake, powering up a hydroelectric power station at Antalieptė. The reservoir is full of little islands, majority of which are a natural habitat for variety of bird species. Arriving at our guesthouse for the next two nights. Sauna in the evening.
Day 6 Day 6: Free Day
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Free Day

Today is a free day for you to enjoy peace and quietness at Antalieptės reservoir. You can either stay at a guesthouse, take a leisure walk around, use a boat to paddle through the lake, or go for a circular hike to a former water mill and now a museum of radio sets at Tiltiškės. Depending on the season, guided berries and mushroom picking. Packed lunch will be provided, dinner at a guesthouse over open fire.
Day 7 Day 7: Fat Biking Through Mature Pine Forests Back To Smalvo Conservation Area (31Km/19Mi)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Fat Biking Through Mature Pine Forests Back To Smalvo Conservation Area (31Km/19Mi)

Today we are working our way through the forest by fat bikes. Riding a fat bike instead of a regular mountain bike allows you to get through otherwise impassable woodland areas, such as swamps and muddy off-road. However, low pressure in the bike’s tires also means that riding such bike is physically demanding. Our route goes mostly on unpaved forest roads, and we will visit local woodworkers at Degučiai village, a natural landmark "Spruce sisters", and a 100 year-old wooden old believers’ chapel. Upon arrival at a final guesthouse, we enjoy delicious dinner and share our final tour experiences with each other.
Day 8 Day 8: End Of The Tour
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: End Of The Tour

Take it easy with a delicious breakfast and rest, go for a morning swim, or take a short morning ride before departure. Transfer to Visaginas, from which you can get a connection to Vilnius or Kaunas airport.

8 days tour

Forests And Lakes Multi-Activity Tour

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Forests And Lakes Multi-Activity Tour

Day 1: Arrival And Introduction

Day 2: Hiking Through Smalvo Conservation Area, Night In A Campsite (15Km/9Mi)

Day 3: Hiking To Salakas Village (14Km/8,5Mi)

Day 4: Kayaking On Šventoji River (15Km/9Mi)

Day 5: Kayaking To Antalieptės Reservoir (12Km/7,5Mi)

Day 6: Free Day

Day 7: Fat Biking Through Mature Pine Forests Back To Smalvo Conservation Area (31Km/19Mi)

Day 8: End Of The Tour

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