A tour of Lithuania’s national and regional parks

This tour of the Forest Trail covers the national parks of Dzūkija and Žemaitija and the Nemunas Loops Regional Park in Lithuania. The starting point of the route is Druskininkai, a popular SPA and mineral water resort on the banks of the river Nemunas. Here, we recommend dipping yourself in mineral water baths, enjoying the trip with the cable car over the river Nemunas, visiting the musical fountain, and walking along the river promenade. For the next two days from Druskininkai, the Forest Trail passes through the Dzūkija National Park to the town of Merkinė. In this most forested and unpopulated region in Lithuania you can enjoy hiking along solitary forest roads, visit ancient mounds and ethnographic villages, where the traditions of bee-keeping, crafts, mushrooms and berry harvesting are still kept alive. You will then head to Birštonas, one of the key resorts in Lithuania with its valuable mineral waters. The town finds itself in the Nemunas Loops Regional Park, which includes four large and one smaller loops of the river. The Forest Trail stretches from Birštonas through the entire Nemunas Loops Regional Park up till the town of Prienai. Next, hikers will get to Kaunas, the second largest city in Lithuania and its former capital city. Kaunas is notable for its modernist architecture. The catchment area of the river Nemunas and the river Neris is situated here. Heading on, from Lampėdžiai to Vilkija, the Forest Trail runs for two days along trails and small countryside gravel roads next to the right bank of the river Nemunas, also crossing resort territory of Kulautuva. This section is characteristic of beautiful riverscapes, waterfront meadows and small villages. For the final section, first you must get to the Žemaitija National Park, where the Forest Trail runs around the Lake Plateliai, which is the largest lake in the historic Samogitian region. Old pine and fir forests and mixed forests are among the most precious natural values of
the park. A transfer will take you to Plungė, and from there a train will take you to Vilnius or Kaunas.