Visit the most beautiful place created by nobody else but nature. 126 lakes and lakelets are scattered in the Aukštaitija National Park.
The biggest lakes are Kretuonas, covering 829 ha, and Dringis, covering 725 ha. The Tauragnas Lake is the deepest lake not only in the Park, but in Lithuania as well. The Žeimenis Lake is the deepest in the Park (about 10 km). The Baluošas Lake is a unique one. It surrounds several islands, where Ilgasalė (near the village of Šuminai) is the most interesting one. In the middle of this island there is a small but a very deep lakelet – the only one lake in the lake in Lithuania.  A small stream starts from this lake and flows into Baluošas. This place is extremely popular among lovers of water tourism.
The lakes are interconnected by linkups and rivulets thus forming a kind of lake labyrinth.
All waters of the lakes and rivers of the Park flow into the Žeimena River, which runs from the Aukštaitija National Park down to the Curonian Lagoon.

Aukštaitija National Park is the first national park in Lithuania known for its superb and clean lakes connected by picturesque straits, ethnographic villages, expressive forms of the land surface and abundance of forests. The park protects the unique ecosystem of the upper reaches of the Žeimena at the juncture of three different types of landscape, the old Ažvinčiai Forest and the ecosystem of Lake Baltis. The park abounds in lakes (126), of which the largest are Kretuonas (829 ha), Dringis (725 ha) and Baluošas (442 ha). It also boasts Lithuania’s deepest lake, Lake Tauragnas (60.5 m). The highest hills in the park rise more than 200 m above the sea level.

Nature

The main natural features include the interesting ridge of Šiliniškiai with the hill-forts of Ginučiai and Papiliakalnė, and the mound of Ladakalnis, one of the finest viewpoints in Lithuania. Other unique sites are lakes Tauragnas, Dringis, Lūšiai, Baluošas and others.

The largest forests comprise those of Ažvinčiai (with pine woods more than 200 years old), Linkmenys and Minčia. Also noteworthy are the Ginučiai oak wood and the juniper grove by Lake Baluošas.

The natural monuments include the capes/peninsulas of Dringis and Ožiai in Lake Dringis, the Ilgasalė island in Lake Baluošas, and the small lakes of Ešerinis. Other impressive sites are the oaks in the villages of Salos, Puziniškis, Trainiškis and Varniškiai, the pines at lakes Asalnai, Labakaršis and Žeimenis, the juniper grove of the Obelys peninsula and other unique trees. The Mokas stone by the Tauragnai-Kazitiškis motorway is also noteworthy.

Cultural heritage

Among the cultural features are the ruins of the 12-15th-century defensive line of north-eastern Lithuania, with the hill-forts of Taurapilis, Ginučiai, Puziniškis, Linkmenys and Vajuonis, the old rampart at Rėkučiai, the unique archaeological site of Kretuonas with ancient settlements and burial mounds (Lithuania’s second largest burial ground numbering over 300 mounds), the Minčia, Vyžiai, Šakarva, Palūšė, Kaltanėnai, Šventas and other mounds and Stone Age settlements.

The park contains the unique ethnographic villages of Salos II, Varniškiai II, Vaišnoriškiai, Šuminai (Pabaluošė), Strazdai, Kretuoniai, Benediktavas (Makniai) and others, the urban complex of Kaltanėnai, the architectural ensemble of the wooden church in Palūšė, water mills, graves of rebels of the 1863 uprising against tsarist Russia in Minčia Forest, as well as other values and monuments of cultural heritage.

Museums

The Beekeeping Museum in Stripeikiai is probably the most interesting. Here various old beehives and beekeeping equipment are on display, and visitors can learn about bee products and the history of beekeeping in Lithuania.

The park has as many as six water mills. In one of them, in Ginučiai, a complete set of authentic machinery has survived. For this reason the site has been listed as a monument of technology. The museum also contains a small display called Rugio kelias (The Way of Rye).

The village of Reškutėnai boasts a branch of the Nalšia Local Culture Museum of the Švenčionys district containing more than 2,000 exhibits.  

In the village of Gaveikėnai, the Augulis family has established a museum of country life and the Lithuanian stylised costume.

Recreation

Thorough information about the park can be obtained at the Information Centre in Palūšė. The Ecological Education Centre in Meironys can serve as a venue for seminars and small-scale conferences.

The park’s recreation areas are in Palūšė, Jonalaukis, Vaišniūnai, Gaveikėnai, Ginučiai and Pavajuonis. Tourists can camp out at eight camping sites set up by the administration and at four private sites. The camping sites are easy to find when travelling by car. The most beautiful camping sites are located by lakes Žeimenis, Dringis, Asalnai, Almajas, Pakasas, Lūšiai and Ūsiai.

Those looking for accommodation can stay in cabins at the Palūšė Tourist Centre or on rural tourism farmsteads of varying standard.

To understand the distinctiveness of the landscape of this park, it is necessary to take a look around the place from the viewpoint on Ladakalnis hill that in good weather offers a view of six lakes framed by the forest.  

The series of lakes seem to be specially created for water tourism. Travellers can go as far as 70 km by the park’s lakes and straits, and those wishing to sail further can reach even the Curonian Lagoon. Tourists themselves are able to choose the length and difficulty of a trip, and they can seek assistance from guides. Palūšė has two boat rentals.

Walkers can travel along the trail running by picturesque lakeshores and impressive hillcrests, from Palūšė through Meironys, Ginučiai and Stripeikiai to Tauragnai (42 km). The forest around Palūšė offers a 5 km health path. At the Palūšė forestry office begins the 3.5 km circular path around Lake Tarama along which visitors can get familiar with the park’s botanical values.  

The design of a bicycle trail running from Palūšė through Puziniškis, Ginučiai and the Šiliniškiai crest to Tauragnai is nearing completion, while now both cyclists and tourists in cars can travel along the routes marked and described in the plan of the park.

The first international regatta, Aukštaitijos ežerai (The Lakes of Aukštaitija) was held on Lake Lušiai in the summer of 1999. Palūšė boasts a bathing place. Most of the water bodies are known to offer good conditions for bathing and abundant fish resources. The tradition of ice fishing is also widespread here.

Palūšė can offer not only lodging and food but also ski rental. In winter visitors can go for a sleigh ride.