A tour across five national parks. Klaipeda (Memel) – Vilnius – Warsaw (11 days)
The most breathtaking and picturesque national parks in Lithuania and Poland await you. This tour across five national parks offers you a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the diverse landscapes and nature of the two countries whilst breathing in the fresh air, exercising, and getting familiar with the surroundings on two wheels. The cycle tracks run not only along the Baltic coast but also through green forests and marshes, which are home to unique species of fauna and flora. The main landmarks of this trip – the two capitals Vilnius and Warsaw, the old towns of which are listed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.
The overall length of the trip: approx. 240 miles by bike and 4500 miles on a bus.
Trip agenda:
Day 1: Arrival in Klaipeda. Meeting the tour guide (6 PM). A tour around Klaipeda. An overnight stay in Klaipeda.
Day 2: Klaipeda – Palanga – Klaipeda. (Approx. a 19-mile-long bus ride and 19 miles on a bike)
The first bike ride in the tour takes place on a cycle track stretching across the Baltic Sea Regional Park. Palanga is the most popular seaside resort in Lithuania. It is home to the historic Tiskeviciai Palace and a unique Amber Museum. A bus ride back to Klaipeda. An overnight stay in Klaipeda.
Day 3:Klaipeda – Nida – Klaipeda. (Approx. 34 miles on a bus and 31 miles by bike)
We reach Nida by bus. On our way, we visit Juodkrante. In Nida, we hop onto our bikes and ride all the way across the fishermen’s village. After a visit to the summer residence museum of the Nobel prize-winning author Thomas Mann, we get ready for a bike ride across the national park. An overnight stay in Klaipeda.
Day 4: Klaipeda –Kaunas (Approx. 124 miles on a bus and a 22-mile-long bike ride)
After a bus trip to the historical Memel region, currently Klaipeda region, we reach the Canal Guillaume and get onto our bikes for the fourth stage of our bike tour. We will head to the Vente Cape ornithological station where the local bird ringing professionals will tell us more about bird ringing practices and bird migration. After lunch, we will get on a bus and take a trip to Kaunas, where we will take a brief tour around the cozy old town of the second largest city of Lithuania. An overnight stay in Kaunas.
Day 5: Kaunas – Trakai – Vilnius. (Approx. a 62-mile-long bus and a 22-mile-long bike ride)
Early in the morning we leave Kaunas and take a bus ride to Semeliskes. From Semeliskes, we head along the picturesque Trakai National Park. In Trakai, we pay a visit to the medieval castle and try some Kibinai – a local delicacy produced by the only remaining Karaite ethnic minority in the world. Next, we take a bus to Vilnius. An overnight stay in Vilnius.
Day 6: Vilnius – Marcinkonys – Druskininkai. (Approx. 68 miles on a bus and a 22-mile-long bike ride)
After breakfast, we take a tour around the Old Town of Vilnius. It is home to one of the largest old towns in Europe and is featured on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites. Afterward, we get on a bus and travel to the Dzukija National Park, where we unload our bikes and begin our trip along with the old ethnographic villages in the region of Dzukija. In Marcinkonys, we stop for a hearty picnic and taste the local delicacies. It is also a great spot to meet our local guide who will take us on an excursion around the local marshes. Next, we leave for Druskininkai – a resort famous for its mineral streams and SPA treatments. An overnight stay in Druskininkai.
Day 7: Druskininkai (a 25-mile-long bike ride)
Today, our bike tour will take us around Druskininkai and its surrounding areas. We will cycle to the Grutas Park – an open-air museum in the middle of a forest. It is home to numerous statues dating back to the soviet time in Lithuania. This is the only museum of this kind in the world. Afterward, we ride towards the Raigardas Valley across the nature reserve and the ethnographic village of Svendubre as well as other famous landmarks. After lunch, you are free to enjoy SPA procedures in Druskininkai. An overnight stay in Druskininkai.
Day 8: Druskininkai – Seinai – Seinai/Augustow (Approx. 43 miles on a bus and a 34-mile-long bike ride)
We leave Lithuania and hop onto our bikes on the border crossing to Poland. We ride whilst soaking in the picturesque landscapes up to the historic Camaldolese Monastery. It is situated in the middle of Wigry National Park and is surrounded by Wigry Lake. An overnight stay in Seinai/Augustow.
Day 9: Augustow – Goniadz. (Approx. a 19-mile-long bus ride and 31 miles on a bike)
Another exciting day on two wheels. We start from our hotel and, after a short stop at the center of Augustow, reach Goniadz. This day’s tour stretches along the Biebrza National Park – home to the confluence of Biebrza and Narew rivers, forming one of the most beautiful waterway systems in Europe. Biebrza National Park occupies a territory of more than 146,343 acres and is the largest national park in Poland. An overnight stay in Goniadz.
Day 10: Goniadz – Warsaw. (Approx. 105 miles on a bus and a 25-mile-long bike ride)
The last cycle track runs across a national park, so you will have plenty of time to enjoy diverse landscapes, wet meadows, tall willows, vast marshes and swamps. After lunch, we reach the capital of Poland and take a tour around its beautifully restored old town, which is featured on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.
Day 11: Breakfast and departure or extension of the trip.
Additional information
Tour dates:
- 19.06-29.06.2024
- 24.07-03.08.2024
- 21.08-31.08.2024
Bike tour with a guide, price per person:
- 1390,- Eur
- 290,- Eur extra for a single-occupancy hotel room
Included in the price:
- 10 nights in hotels, incl. breakfast;
- 2 three-course dinners with tea or coffee (1 in Klaipeda and 1 in Goniadz);
- Guide services on days 1-10;
- Bikes and technical maintenance;
- Baggage transfers;
- Bus transfers, according to trip agenda;
- Ferry tickets to Nida and Klaipeda;
- Museum entry fees: Amber Museum, Bird Ringing Station, Summer Residence of Thomas Mann, Trakai Castle, excursion to the raised marsh, Camaldolese Monastery in Wigry, Biebrza National Park;
- Excursions in Klaipeda, Kaunas, Vilnius, and Warsaw.
Additional services subject to an extra charge
- Rent of an electric bike with 7 gears 250 Eur;
- 8 three-course dinners with tea or coffee 150,- Eur;
- Additional night and breakfast in a hotel in Klaipeda:
- Double room: 99,- Eur;
- Single room: 89,- Eur;
- Transfers to and from airport in Palanga/ to Warsaw International Airport 45,-Eur;
- Transfer from the ferry terminal in Klaipeda 25,-Eur;
- Transfer from the bus/train station in Klaipeda 25,-Eur;
Note:
- The smallest number of participants – 10 people;
- The largest number of participants – 20 people;
- You are welcome to book a tour on another date subject to a group of no less than 10 participants.