About the Hike
Aukštaitija National Park – the oldest park in Lithuania, established in 1974. In the park, you can see not only the beautiful Lithuanian forests but also discover as many as 126 lakes. Due to these unique features, hiking is one of the most exciting activities here. Various hiking routes are available, whether you’re looking for more of a challenge or just a pleasant, shorter walk.
Places to Visit
During the hike, you’ll be able to enjoy the surrounding nature and discover fascinating landmarks.
For history enthusiasts, we recommend visiting Šilinškės Village, which marks a tragic date in Lithuanian history – December 12, 1944 – when the village was burned down and its residents were executed by the NKVD army.
For those interested in folk crafts, we suggest visiting the Stripeikiai Ancient Beekeeping Museum, founded in 1984. The museum boasts a large collection of exhibits and features wooden sculptures. It’s a great attraction for the whole family.
During the hike, you can also visit the Ginučiai Watermill, which is protected as a state technical monument. It houses a museum displaying authentic milling equipment.
Ladakalnis – one of the most popular sights in the park. It’s special because from the top you can see as many as six lakes: Ūkojas, Linkmenas, Pakasas, Asėkas, Alksnaitis, and Alksnas. The hill is also surrounded by interesting myths, and one of the visitors’ favorite traditions is to carry a stone found at the bottom of the hill to the top, leave it there, and make a wish. We highly recommend visiting this spot.
Salos (or Salos II) – an ethnographic village, a cultural reserve. What makes Salos II village unique is its diverse traditional economy. In the restored homesteads, traditional household life is authentically preserved and various local farming activities are presented: agriculture, fishing, and forestry.
From the Ginučiai Hillfort, you can enjoy a stunning view of the national park’s landscape. The hillfort was built and used for defense as early as the 1st millennium AD. Later (13th–15th centuries), it was associated with the Linkmenys Castle. We recommend this place for those interested in history.
A special location – the Šilinškės Observation Tower. It’s one of the first observation towers in Lithuania. The platform was installed in 2004 by the telecommunications company Bitė. Climb it and enjoy the panorama from a height of 50 meters.
