Lithuania Travel Answers

If I understand correctly, you're going to go there by car? Or by public transport? By car: Suwalki->Marijampole->Kaunas (cross Nemunas river, it's a road A5, then turn to the right, as if going to Vilnius, road A1, drive 1 or 2 km, soon there will be the crossroad, you need to turn left (by turning to the right, it's two-level crossroad) and drive straight on to Ukmerge)->Ukmerge->Moletai (keep going on to the east Ignalina direction up to Labanoras village)->Labanoras. Then turn to the left Saldutiskis direction and drive up to Aisetas lake. By public transport go to Vilnius, then to Ignalina by train and find a transport to Saldutiskis. Or go from Ignalina to Paluse where Information centre of Aukstaitija National Park is located. They should help you with the local connections, but keep in mind there may be, say, 2 buses a day, and one bus, say, at 6:15 a.m., and another at 16:50. Local transport, i.e. within the limits of the district, you can find out only at the spot. Here is a link to the website of "Labanoro regioninis parkas" (Labanoras regional park)labanoroparkas.lt/zemelapiai... , if you see a map - click "atsisiusti originalaus dydzio faila (2,54 Mb)" and download the map to your PC. If you don't see the map - click "Žemelapiai" ("Maps"), then click "Labanoro regioninis parkas", then you should see the map. But one can buy the normal maps of both Labanoras Wood and Aukshtaitija National Park, you perhaps will need both. And yet there is a map of "Moletai Lakeland" (Moletu ežeryno kraštas). Now I'm not sure which one would fit you the best, but they are very good maps, issued for kayakers and fishermen in particular. The area is pretty wild, especially between Labanoras and Aisetas. And your choice (Kiauna river) is exelent ;).

Brr, I consider trip towards Estonia this summer.We will start with Lietuva first. I'm not sure yet as the opposite alternative is towards Bulgarian coast. Which rivers/places in Lithuania do you recomend for short kayak trip 1-3 days with family (children 11 and 14 y.o.)- some (not much kayak trip expierience). I think about Dzukija and Aukszta region first. however I prefer to do all river Ula in later in the future- as it's not the easiest one I guess. Dagoon, Give me a report about your kayak trip.Napisz jak było na kajakach na Litwie.

@ brrr I'm thinking about public transport. I'll check those websites after weekend, cause now I'm going for 4 days kayaking trip in north Poland :) I tried to find train to Saldutiskis or Utena, but I can't - am I writing it correctly? @68maciek My friends are organising a 9 days trip on Ula, Merkys and Nemunas. Kiauna and Zeimena are also very nice. In Latvia one of my friends want to make a trip on Gauja (Gawia / Goiwa ?) If you need some info about just rivers write to me :)

68maciek: To do Ula one have to obtain a permit, if nothing had changed. It's not a problem, but the problem arise if there are too much kayakers per day - a number of kayakers is stictly limited. In high season, when it's hot, it may be rather difficult to get it. The hot days are scarce, so everyone want to escape somewhere (e.g. to Ula) before the rain came ;). In Dzukija you can try Merkys, in Auksztaitija - Dubingiai (Asveja) lake (west of Pabrade), but if you want the calm kayaking with family I'd recommend Veisiejai and narrow lakes around. It's also Dzukija region, quite near Polska border, east of Sejny. Dagon: Yes there is a railway to Utena, but it is "industrial" railway. All trains for humans had ceased ;). You have to go by train to Ignalina, then find a transport, if it's possible, to Kiauneliškis village, if I recall it correctly. It's near Kiaunys lake, where Kiauna river begins. So, the route looks like this: go west to Paluše (administration of Auksztaitija park narodowy) and further on 3 km Kaltanenai direction, then turn to the right and go up to Kiauneliškis. The distance between Ignalina and the road to the right is 8 km, Palusze is in between. There is a lake in Paluše, you go forwards and reach another lake by the right hand; soon you'll see a road to the right, and then another road to the right - that one (i.e. the second one) is the road to Kiauneliškis. I think there should be a bus or minibus. There is a timetable in the Ignalina bus station, should be "Kaltanenu kryptis" (Kaltanenai direction) platform, or something, maybe "Saldutiškio kryptis". Then there should be the list of destinations, you don't need "Ignalina-Kaltanenai" bus, but, say, "Ignalina-Kiauneliškis-Kaltanenai" would be OK. Or maybe you will need to find a driver with minibus then deal directly with him. The bus from Ignalina to Paluše departs 6:30 (except on Sundays), 7:40 (Mond., Friday, Sat., Sund.), 9:00 (on Fridays only), 12:45, 13:00, 14:40 (on Sundays only), 17:25 (except weekends), the ride takes 8 min. Intercity buses to Ignalina: anp.lt/index.php?option=com_... , but train is better. From Kiaunys lake there is a forest road further on to Aisetas lake.

Dagon,-thanks for your answer.As I need further deatails I will contact you as you advised. Brr,- if I sleep in a village accommodation 25-30 Lit/per person (like I count it in Poland) is reasonable pricing or rather it's too much or to low price? I think to make base for a short period in Alytus area lakes (as it look to be close to Vilnius, Trakai and Kaunas (which can be an option in rainy days).It also close to Druskiennkai (my children like aquaparks -it's boring for me).It also not far from Viesiejai.Have you got an idea where to rent a canoe/kayak in this area?

68maciek: Alytus lakes - do you mean those 3 lakes, Metelys, Dusia, Obelija? May be rather boring for 3 days, you don't need a canoe, one can rent a simple boat, the lakes are very calm. Nearly every local have a boat or two. Haven't been to Daugai lake, though I don't think it is the place to go for the first time: any other place is better, or at least not worse. But Veisiejai is just more interesting area. Accommodation price 25-30 Lit/per person in a simple house sounds normal, but I think the prices in Polska are lower. You can check the website http://www.countryside.lt/en , I just looked at the one of the farmsteads (1 stork=1 star) - 45-50Lt for 1 bed. Other places (more "storks") are pretty expensive, but people usually rent the whole farmstead for the wedding or something like that. One just need to check all the list out. Another way is to ask at local Tourist information centres: Alytus - info@alytus-tourism.lt Veisiejai - vrpd@takas.lt there is a hotel near Veisiejai 20Lt/1 person/1 night, but it belongs to school, it is not "real" hotel, address Kailiniu village, Veisieju eldership, Lazdiju district LT-4571, phone: (+370 318) 56 579, (+370 318) 56 247, (+370 318) 56 248; Meteliai - meteliu_rp@post.omnitel.net Druskininkai - information@druskininkai.lt website http://info.druskininkai.lt/ Canoes. In lithuanian it is "baidares" (plur.), thou as a rule they are kanojos (plur.) ;)))). So you will need (1) baidare or (2+...) baidares (i.e. canoes). There are for sure canoes for rent in Paluše, Aukštaitija N.P., in Zervynos, Dzukija N.P., and I think there is possibility to rent canoes in Meteliai village, in Veisiejai and in Druskininkai, but it is my imagination. Some other possibilities, one can try this: baidares@ula.lt , website www.ula.lt ; guy's name is Darius, the place is in Kašetos village by Ula; baidare@tai.lt , website geocities.com/arvydasgrybaus... , guy's name is Arvydas, the place is near Kaunas; Canoes for rent: baidares@yahoo.com That is what I found right now, maybe others will help more.