For 30 years Aukštaitija National Park (40,570 ha) has been famous as the foremost ecotourism area of the country with perfect conditions for water tourism. The territory fascinates with splendid clean lakes, connected by picturesque linkups, ethnographic villages, vivid shapes of the surface, abundance of forests and harmony of the nature. In this territory traveling is possible in all ways and in all seasons. In summer the Park becomes the capital of water tourism.
The Park has preserved the Ažvinčiai old forest, a unique ecosystem of the upper reaches of the Žeimena river, located at the junction of three different types of landscape. The park contains 126 lakes (the largest ones are Kretuonas (829 ha), Dringis (725 ha), Baluošas (442 ha), and the deepest lake is Tauragnas (60.5 m)) as if created precisely for water tourism. By lakes and their linkups one can sail up to 70 km and even reach Vilnius by sailing the Žeimena river. The height of the hills here reaches over 200 m, and the most imposing is the Šiliniškės crest with the mounds of Ginučiai and Papiliakalnė, and Ladakalnis, one of the most beautiful observation stations in Lithuania, opening the scenery of six lake pools. Visitors can also enjoy the views in the distance from a specially equipped tower near Ginučiai. The park is home to over 200 species of birds, 60 species of mammals and 900 species of plants, including 120 species listed in the Red Book.
Forests cover 69 per cent of the Park’s territory. The largest forests (Ažvinčiai forest with 200 year old pineries, Minčia forest, and the oakery of Ginučiai) give shelter to many kinds of animals. Outstanding natural monuments are the peninsulas of Dringis and Ožiai, the Ilgasalė island in the Baluošas lake, the small lakes of Ešerinis, the oaks of Salos, Puziniškis, Trainiškis and Varniškės, the pines of Asalnai, Labakaršis and Žeimenis, the juniper group in Obelų Ragas and other unique trees as well stone Mokas, which lies by the Tauragnai-Kazitiškis road.
Major tourist attractions include the remains of the defensive lines from the XII-XV centuries with the mounds of Taurapilis, Ginučiai, Puziniškis, Linkmenys, Vajuonis and others, the ancient defensive rampart of Rėkučiai, the archeological complex of Kretuonas with ancient settlements and tumuli (with per 300 tumuli, it is the second largest tumuli area in Lithuania), the tumuli of Minčia, Vyžiai, Šakarva, Palūšė, Kaltanėnai, Šventas and others, and Stone Age settlements. Unique are the ethnographical villages of Salos (II), Varniškės (II), Vaišnoriškės, Šuminai (Pabaluošė), Strazdai, Kretuonys, Benediktavas, the urbanistic complex of Kaltanėnai, the Palūšė Church ensemble, and 6 water mills (Ginučiai mill has preserved full authentic equipment). The most exciting place of interest is the beekeeping museum in Stripeikiai, where a visitor will find a variety of ancient hives and apiarian tools, learn about apian products, get to know the Lithuanian beekeeping history. Rėškutėnai hosts a branch of Nalšia Regional Studies Museum with over 2,000 exhibits.
Full information about the National Park is available at Palūšė Information Centre. Seminars and conferences are organized at Meironys Ecological Education Centre. Camping is available in the 8 campsites established by the Park’s administration and 4 campsites owned by private persons. The most beautiful campsites nestle by the lakes of Žeimenis, Dringis, Asalnai, Almajas, Pakasas, Lūšiai and Ūsiai. Shelter is provided by Palūšė Tourist Centre in small houses with varying levels of convenience as well as by 20 rural tourism homesteads. In Palušė, there are 3 boat rent centres. Hikers will enjoy tours along the scenic lake shores or the route marked by spectacular crests from Paluše to Tauragnai via Meironys, Ginučiai and Stripeikiai (42 km). A 5 km walking health trail stretches in the forest surrounding Palūšė. Palūšė Forest Enterprise is the starting point for a 3.5 km long circular sightseeing footpath around the Tarama lake, revealing the botanical beauty of the National Park.
The construction of a cycle-track stretching from Palūšė to Tauragnai via Puziniškis, Ginučiai and the crest of Šiliniškiai will begin in near future. In the meantime, both bicyclists and auto tourists can choose a route from the ones listed in the plan of the National Park. For your convenience a camp has already opened in Palūšė. The Ignalina Winter Sports Centre is just 5 km away.
The address of Aukštaitija National Park Administration: Palūšė village, LT-4759, Ignalina district, phone/ fax: +370 229 53 135; e-mail:
anp@is.lt
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