"Ignalina kayaks" offer you unforgettable weekends and holidays in the nature of Aukštaitija National Park.
Our modern and comfortable kayaks will help you to spend your free time in nature. Our base is located in the beautiful city of Ignalina, on the shore of Lake Gavaitis. Upon arrival, you will find the entire inventory ordered. For your convenience, we will provide route maps and detailed travel information. If necessary, we will take the hired inventory and the travelers to the beginning of the chosen route and pick you back up after you complete the trip.
We will take care of...
Lygumai Hill is located in the south-eastern part of the park, on the southern shore of Lake Vajuonis. This 180 m tall hill has steep slopes and is surrounded by three lakes. Therefore, it looks like a giant observation ground, with Lake Vajuonis lying in the north and a panorama of Lake Kretuonykštis. In 2013 a new 15 m tall view tower was built here. Lake Kretuonas can be easily observed from this tower. The old tree alley at the foot of the hill indicates the site of a former manor-house.
The establishment of this museum was initiated by teacher Izidorius Kazakevičius. In twenty years he collected more than 1000 displays, which tell visitors about the history of the region. Here you can find old Lithuanian books and printings, traditional music instruments and old household utensils, archaeological findings, a stone collection and even a meteorite.
The mound is set up on a separate hill, on the eastern coast of what used to be Kretuonas lake (currently the lake is 300 meters away). There used to be a village near the mound. The mound was used during the 4-5 c.
The one-street Kretuonys village was supposedly set up before the Volok reform, and was considered to be royal. The majority of the buildings were built in the late 19th c. and early 20th c. The village is near lake Kretuonas. Oaks and ashes which vary in trunk girth from 1 m to 1.5 m grow here. Some very old oaks grow near the coast of the lake - the oldest one is Kretuonas Oak (Quercus robur); it is approx. 450 years old.
The center is located in one of the oldest towns of east Aukštaitija - in Kaltanėnai, on the picturesque peninsula of Žeimena river and Žeimenys lake. Children and youth summer camps are organized here all year round, various cultural, cognitive, and tourist events for pupils and young people. Overnight stay can accommodate up to 65 people. It's an excellent opportunity to spend your weekdays or weekends actively.
The barrows are located near the channel between Šakarvai and Žeimenys lakes. There are about 40 barrows. The diameter of the mounds is 8-15 m, the height is up to 1 m. The burial mounds were used in the 9-12th centuries.
A place to rest when traveling by car, bus or other road vehicle, this site offers a beautiful panoramic view of Lūšykštis and Lūšiai lakes. If weather conditions are favourable, even the Palūšė Church can be seen from here. Benches and tables are arranged on well-kept grounds. Also, a sculpture - "The Roadworker" by Ignalina's sculptors Jonas Grunda and Raimundas Žievys - stands here.
"God is" stands on Antalksnė Sculpture Hill. It is a project by three artists for the Antalksnė village community and visitors. In 2007, an ensemble of three sculptures was built: a chanting rooster, the suffering of Christ, and a flowering ladder.
The legendary Ladakalnis is the most famous sight of Aukštaitija National Park. The hill stands at 176 meters above sea level and is part of the Šilinškės Ridge. From Ladakalnis a wonderful panorama of 6 lakes can be seen. It is believed that this hill served as a place for pagan sacrifices to the Baltic goddess Lada - the great Mother. Ladakalnis is declared a geomorphological monument of nature.
This 9-12th century archaeological monument was used for defence purposes in the first millennium AD. The mound complex is located in the middle section of the massive Šiliniškės Ridge. The famous Linkmenys castle, which was mentioned in the Livonia Chronicles by H.Vartberge in 1373, stood here during the 13-15th centuries. Supposedly, the castle was ruled by Mindaugas' nephew in the 13th century. There is a stone at the top, on which there is mention of Lithuanian president Antanas Smetona’s visit here in 1934.
Ginučiai watermill is protected as the nineteenth century technical monument. In the northern part of the building is the Museum exposition, and the southern part has double-guest rooms with modern amenities. They can accommodate up to 8 people. Double room costs € 50 per night.
In the cozy kitchen you can prepare your own meals or have lunch at the cafes during the summer. The mill is equipped with a sauna, where you can relax and cool down under the waterfall.
The Telecommunications tower was built in 2004. Its height is 60 m. The observation platform is 30 m above ground level. It provides a panoramic view of about 280°.
Kirdeikiai is a village on the western edge of the Park. A library is located in the multifunctional center of the settlement, in which interactive exhibits are held. Also, there is a museum exposition, where you can get acquainted with the local famous people, see the traditional things that were used in everyday life. The Church of St. John the Baptist was built and consecrated in 1927. The building is characterized by eclectic architecture. Near the church, at the bank of Pakasas Lake, there is an ensemble of wooden sculptures.
Taurapilis mound stands on the southern shore of the lake Tauragnas. A village with the same name is located right next to it. The mound is surrounded by water from three sides, and there were special defense mechanisms on the fourth side. The elderly say that there once grew a big oak tree on the top of this mound. An old pagan priest lived in the oak's hollow. Later, Christians built a church here, but after some time it vanished. Local legend says, that once a brave man heard the sound of an organ, so he carefully looked down the hole on the top of the mound and saw the vanished church and abandoned altars inside. Every St....
The Tauragnai mound is located on the southern shore of lake Tauragnas. On its eastern side flows the stream of Šventė. The mound is separated from neighbouring meadows by swampy hollows and steep slopes. The mound was used in the beginning of the 2nd millennium AD. Sources say, that up until the middle of the 20th century, Midsummer’s Days (also know as Joninės, St. John’s Day) were celebrated on the Tauragnai mound. The festivities included bonfires, people dancing around the fire, playing games and searching for the fern flower.
The permanent exhibition at the museum introduces the visitors to the past of Tauragnai region from 1261 until its regaining of the independence in 1990. The exhibition presents the most famous cultural figures of this region, along with exiles and fighters for the freedom of Lithuania. Besides the permanent exhibition, the museum also organizes various other exhibitions: folk, art, photography, paintings, graphics, etc.
Opening hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The last working day of the month is the day of cleanliness when visitors are not permitted.
The Stone Mokas amazes visitors by its sheer size. A smaller stone Mokiukas lies next to it. These stones are in the vicinity of Tauragnai, near Šeimatis village. Legend says that there was a Mokai family. After his wife drowned in a lake, Mokas and his son turned into stones. Geologists say that a glacier brought these stones from Scandinavia to Lithuania approximately 50000 years ago.
Stones Mokas and Mokiukas are the only geological natural monument in the Aukštaitija National Park, along with the state-protected mythological object of culture.
Extremely religious 82-year-old farmer from the village, Justinas Vitkaukas, donated 39 ha of land for the future chapel in 1925. The chapel was built in 1926. The church itself is reminiscent of folk architecture, as it is a rectangular, single-towered and modern style building. The interior of the church was designed in 1935. The main altar is in art deco style, which is uncommon in Lithuania, with the Heart of Jesus sculpture by a Lithuanian sculptor Bernardas Bučas. The present day church, which was also called a chapel until World War II, was built in 1933–1934. In 2000, a wooden carving made by Dr. Romualdas...
In the 18th c., there was a pub in place of Vaišnoriškė. It stood near the old highway of Tauragnai - Breslauja. In the 19th c., homesteaders began to settle in this place. Currently, Vaišnoriškė is a dispersed village of 4 homesteads. The arrangment of the village is rather compact and the homesteads are arranged on the left coast of the river Būka.
In the 18th c. the village was mentioned by Balošekulis name, where the family of Jurgis Strazdas used to live. In the mid-20th c., the steads were divided into separate lots. Thus started the formation of the scattered village.
On 11 April 1951, 7 partisans from "Bear's" special team of Vytautas Command led by Balys Vaičėnas - Liubartas were killed in Strazdai village. A monument was put up in memoriam of these partisans.
In historical sources Šuminai village was first mentioned in 1784 by the name Pabaluošė. It is believed that the first homestead appeared here much earlier, because the village belonged to Ažvinčiai Manor in 1554. The village was also called Užbaluošis, Smalaiškės, Smalgiškės. Later the village was called by the name of the families living. In the village there is an old pine tree and numerous maples, making the village particularly beautiful in the fall. The village of Šuminai is also famous for the 1972 film about Tadas Blinda (lithuanian Robin Hood) having been filmed here.
Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur) stood in Trainiškis village, which is located on the shore of Baluošas lake. Trunk girth - 6.1 m. Height - 23 m. Age - approximately 700-800 years. Unfortunately, it got knocked down during a storm on the 5th of October, 2016. It was the oldest tree in the territory of the park. In the spring of 2017 a young oak tree was planted beside the old Trainiškis Oak stump.
This spring has been known by the local people for a long time. They say that it is enough to drink a single glass of water from this spring and you won't feel thirsty or hungry for the rest of the day. The spring is running on really high energy, because it comes to the surface almost at the top of the hill. The source is approximately 160 m above the sea level, whereas the water level of the closest Dringis lake is only 138.5 m above the sea level.
The watermill was built in the late 19th century. The building itself has one storey, and there is a basement and an attic. A part of the old mill equipment has still remained here. Since 2007, the building of the mill belongs to Vilnius archdiocese.
