In 60 seconds
Covering over 400 square kilometres of primeval pine forests and sparkling water in eastern Lithuania, Aukštaitija National Park is the country's oldest national park and an idyllic labyrinth of 126 interconnected glacial lakes. Based around the tranquil village of Palūšė on the shores of Lake Lūšiai, this untouched wilderness is internationally famed for its 18th-century St. Joseph's Church—a sublime wooden folk architecture masterpiece built with axes alone without iron nails, once immortalized on the Lithuanian one-litas banknote. The park is a paradise for kayakers and canoeists, who can paddle for days across winding lake channels and clear rivers without leaving the water. Highlights include Ladakalnis Hill, an ancient pagan offering mound with panoramas over six glistening lakes, the 19th-century Ginučiai watermill, and the unique Ancient Beekeeping Museum in Stripeikiai.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You seek luxury shopping malls or high-speed motorways; Aukštaitija is an authentic, peaceful wilderness of dirt roads and wooden lake villages.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Aukštaitija National Park fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
1750 wooden folk sanctuary and freestanding octagonal belfry constructed of hewn pine logs without a single iron nail
Step inside the fragrant pine nave to view 18th-century carved wooden altars and climb the historic turf-mounded churchyard.
176-metre glacial ridge revered in pagan antiquity, offering a legendary panoramic view over six surrounding glacial lakes
Tradition holds that carrying a small pebble to the hilltop oak tree and dedicating it to Baltic goddess Lada brings enduring good fortune.
Restored 19th-century timber watermill with operational hydro-machinery, milling museum and a churning river cascade
Explore the authentic milling gears before taking a refreshing natural hydro-massage beneath the bubbling mill stream waterfall.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Rustic riverside tavern beside the Ginučiai watermill serving freshly caught lake pike, smoked fish and potato dishes
Savour crispy pan-fried lake pike perch with dill potatoes while listening to the rushing waters of the mill race.
Lively lakeside café and boat rental hub on the shore of Lake Lūšiai serving craft lemonades, espresso and light fare
The social hub of the national park for morning flat whites, wood-fired snacks, and renting touring kayaks.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Atmospheric wooden guesthouses, eco-cabins and designated camping lawns along the edge of Lake Lūšiai
The primary base with the national park visitor centre, kayak rentals, swimming beaches and dining options.
Intimate countryside farmsteads and log chalets nestled between the watermill and panoramic Ladakalnis hill
Ideal for travellers seeking deep rural silence, wood-fired country saunas and easy hiking trail access.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
St. Joseph's Church is constructed in Palūšė using pine timber and wooden pegs, surviving centuries without destruction.
Lithuanian SSR establishes the Lithuanian National Park (now Aukštaitija), the first national park in the republic.
Palūšė Church is selected as the national architectural icon featured on the 1-litas banknote.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Unique open-air ethnographic museum showcasing centuries of Baltic tree-cavity beekeeping, carved bee sculptures and honey tasting
Learn how ancient Lithuanians revered bees as sacred kin, taste fresh comb honey, and explore hollowed log bee-gums.
