winter self-drive Lithuania - Baltic Nature Travel

Self-drive winter experience in Lithuania

Self-drive

Winter experience in Lithuania

7 days / 6 nights

Vilnius - Trakai - Kaunas - Mindunai - Paluse - Vilnius

November - March

Program

DAY 1. ARRIVAL IN VILNIUS

Welcome to Vilnius! Pick up your rental car at the Vilnius airport and check into the hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight: Vilnius at Hotel Vilnia**** or similar.

DAY 2. CITY TOUR OF VILNIUS

Spend the morning on a guided walking tour of the Old Town, the medieval heart of Vilnius. The highlight of Vilnius is the Cathedral Square. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1783. It is Lithuania’s premier Roman-Catholic church. Moreover, its mausoleum is the final resting place for some notable figures throughout the history, including grand dukes of Lithuania and even King Alexander of Poland.

On the tour you will see the Gediminas Tower, the 15th-century St. Anne’s Church, Vilnius University, the oldest university in the Baltics, the Gate of Dawn, and the city’s medieval defensive fortification, built around a chapel that remains a major catholic pilgrimage site in Lithuania. Free time in the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight: Vilnius at Hotel Vilnia**** or similar.

DAY 3. ANCIENT LITHUANIA | VILNIUS – TRAKAI – KAUNAS (DRIVE ~110 KM)

After breakfast, drive from Kaunas to Trakai. Join a guided snowshoeing tour. The tour will bring you around the medieval Trakai Castle, the landmark of the area. Afterwards you will visit this impressive gothic fortification, built in the second half of the 14th century out of red brick and stone. Next, continue to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. You will continue to Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight: Kaunas in Best Western Santakos hotel****

DAY 4. EXPLORE KAUNAS OLD TOWN

In the morning join a guided walking tour will take you around the Old Town and show you such landmarks as the Town Hall Square and the House of Perkunas, a gothic merchant house that dates back to the 15th century. You will also visit Kaunas Castle, a gothic fortress built on a hill overlooking the Nemunas River, dating back to the middle of the 14th century.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight: Kaunas in Best Western Santakos hotel****

DAY 5. AUKŠTAITIJA NATIONAL PARK | KAUNAS – MINDUNAI – PALŪŠE (DRIVE ~110 KM)

In the morning, drive to Aukštaitija National Park, which is the oldest national park and has preserved its pristine nature. Hundreds of lakes are covering its land. To see a magnificent view of the surroundings climb an observation tower in Mindunai. After, continue to Palūše. Before steering in your accommodation, stop at Palūše wooden church that is one of the oldest praying houses in Lithuania.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight: Palūše in Tiki Inn guest house or similar.

DAY 6. BIKE TOUR IN AUKŠTAITIJA NATIONAL PARK & TRADITIONAL SAUNA

In the morning you will join a guided fat – bike tour. A fat-bike allows you to get through otherwise impassable woodland areas, such as muddy off-road, iced and snowy hills, swampy terrain. On the tour you‘ll discover authentic cultural heritage sites, dense forests, and beautiful lakes. After the tour you will relax in the heat of the traditional sauna and taste some sauna-special tea, brewed with local herbs and enjoy your delicious hot lunch cooked over open fire.

Meals included: Breakfast, and lunch

Overnight: Palūše in Tiki Inn guest house or similar.

DAY 7.DEPARTURE FROM VILNIUS (DRIVE ~115 KM)

Drive back to Vilnius. On the departure day, drop off the rental car at the Vilnius airport.

Meals included: Breakfast

Tour map

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Price in double occupancy

Two persons travelling is 910 EUR per person.

Included

4 overnights per program in centrally located 4-star hotels;
2 overnights in Palūše guest house;
VW Polo car rental for 7 days;
Walking tour in Vilnius, and Kaunas;
Snowshoeing tour in Trakai;
Fat-bike tour in Aukštaitija National Park;
Entrances in Vilnius University and Kaunas Castle.

Not included

Any meals or drinks not mentioned in program;
Gratitudes.

How to dress

In winter, temperatures often drop well below zero degrees Celsius. Please, dress accordingly to the weather forecast! Due to very changeable weather, layering is the key to enjoying the tour. Any warm and comfortable shoes are good enough for this tour.

Request a tour

Read our Terms & Conditions thoroughly and carefully before booking

Baltic nature travel

5.0

Based on 15 reviews

Michael Warden

2024-06-15T13:26:11+0000

Valdis took my wife and I in June 2024 from Riga to Kuldiga to see the Venta waterfalls. He told us a lot of... interesting information and gave me the inspiration to walk across the falls. He was very considerate regarding the time to spend at each location and the speed of walking through the township. I would recommend this tour for anyone wanting to see the Latvian countryside - we really enjoyed the tour with Valdis - Thank you very much.read more

Dona Zavislan

2023-09-25T14:40:43+0000

I loved this tour and it was a highlight of my five days in Latvia. After spending a few days in Riga, I wanted to... explore more of the country and do some hiking. I considered renting a car for the day, but this tour provided just what I was looking for and so much more without the expense and hassle of a car rental and figuring out where to go. I was picked up and dropped off at my hotel and was able to enjoy the drive and an opportunity to see area surrounding Riga. Guide Valdis is a native Latvian and has a lot of experience hiking and much knowledge about the area and Latvia. The 15 K hike was rigorous, but doable. I found the park gorgeous and peaceful. We hiked through a forest, along the river, crossed bridges, explored caves and sandstone carvings and passed other notable places. Valdis made the hike very interesting with stories and he pointed out other activities available in this beautiful park and surrounding area. We stopped midday for a lovely picnic. Valdis also gave me information about other places to consider exploring in Latvia. A perfect day and I highly recommend this tour.read more

Tom Moore

2022-11-19T14:17:21+0000

Had a fantastic hike with Valdis today. He's really friendly and knowledgeable. I highly recommend him.

Zijian Hua

2022-10-16T08:47:16+0000

Valdis is an experienced guide, a local from Riga. He has a wealth of knowledge and is always able to tell you... interesting history along the way. The route plan of the hiking is also reasonable. In autumn, the fallen leaves near Sigulda are also very beautiful. If you are planning to do an outdoor hike in Latvia too, then don't hesitate to join a walking group organized by Valdis.🇱🇻read more

Sheila Dunk

2022-06-04T01:33:30+0000

Absolutely brilliant day out with Valdis, we didn’t stop talking from the moment he picked me up. He was knowledgeable... about the area, answered all my questions about Latvia and was just delightful to be with.The area of the hike was stunning, we got some good spots for views and pictures, the weather was beautiful and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend the day. The hike isn’t difficult, plenty of ups and downs and with a decent level of fitness anyone can do this hike.read more

Betti Sewell

2020-11-28T17:19:37+0000

The hike was beautiful and Valdis was relaxed, helpful and informative. Highly recommended.

Chris Palin

2020-11-15T07:39:38+0000

Had a great experience with Valdis. The hike was really interesting with lots of points of interest including an... abandoned bob sleigh track. A great guide, fantastic day out.10 out of 10 I would definitely recommend to anybodyread more

Elisa Bozzotto

2020-10-31T21:30:28+0000

I love the atmosphere in the group and the offered trails. They show a part of the countryside that is still not yet... well know but definitely worth seeing. With woods that look like the one from a fairy story book and really good company it's definitely a suggested tou experience for the lovers of outdoors activities..The guide is super available and offer explanations and curiosity. Particularly useful is the description of how to reach the starting point with public transport (even with the specific schedule time). So I definitely recommend it 😉read more

Lina Kulikauskaite

2020-10-31T18:04:12+0000

Nicely chosen trail 🍂🌲very friendly and supportive guide. Had a lot of fun! Looking forward for next trip 👣📸

Kristīna Dzelme

2020-10-05T05:49:53+0000

I am very grateful to Valdis for leading our hike through the Gauja National Park near Sigulda. It was the perfect... combination of the city sightseeing and enjoying nature. Valdis made stops at the most remarkable objects both in the city and in nature and told the most important things, which were neither too much nor too little. He really took good care of the group. Thank you for this day! Highly recommended!read more

Victor Papin

2020-10-04T15:43:17+0000

Great welcoming & service, great hike.

Oskars Ikstens

2018-04-27T12:18:35+0000

Zane Kurševa

2018-04-22T14:12:43+0000

Armīns Maslovskis

2018-04-22T13:39:50+0000

Liene Lote Čemme

2018-03-01T14:27:46+0000

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What travelers say about us

EXCELLENT

36 reviews on

claire wallick moy

2025-06-19

Our small family group 2 seniors and 2 adult children all agree our 10 day “best of” Lithuania was excellent. We were very happy we went with a private tour and driver. (same person, Tomas) This way we could include all (or most) of the destinations within the country in this short time. Valdis arranged our itinerary, suggested museums, parks and researched accomodations including local guest house and vacation rentals when there were no hotels (or not available) close to our destinations. We loved visiting the national parks and UNESCO heritage sites. Our travels with Tomas was excellent. He is very knowledgeable about the history and geography of Lithuania and happy to share this with us. He was very helpful with all the arrangements the tickets for entry at various attractions and accomodations (all of which was included and arranged by Baltic Nature Travel). Tomas was also helpful in guiding us for food and drink choices. And suggesting restaurants in Vilnius, Siauliai and kaunas. He is also an excellent driver and the van was very comfortable. We feel really lucky to have had this opportunity. The 4 of us agreed that where we visited and having Tomas as our tour guide made our Lithuania holiday very special. Although most people speak some English it is not enough to have the in depth conversations that Tomas was able to translate for us. The 2 days we had to tour the Curonian Spit were lovely even though we had some rain. And though thunderstorms interfered with our planned kayaking Aukstaitija NP, we were able to do a short kayak ride in Dzukija NP. Also our pottery visit in Merkine was a highlight. If you are planning a trip to Lithuania I suggest contacting Baltic Nature Travel and let them handle arrangements for you.

Laura Lopez Vinasco

2025-06-19

Fue un viaje que llenó nuestras expectativas por mucho, una gran sorpresa cada lugar que visitamos

Michael Neilson

2025-05-26

We toured the Curonian Spit with Kristina who provided a great mix of nature, history and personal experiences to give us a very entertaining and enjoyable day.

michelle leow

2025-05-20

Kuldiga: charming streets, and wides waterfall in Europe on 7th May 2025 We joined a private tour of 6 people to this exotic location. Our vacation was made an even better experience by a knowledgeable and friendly tour guide Valdis, who provides us with all the information about the place and enlightens us on the history and culture of the region. Despite the chilly weather, Celsius 5 degree. It was a few hours walking tour around the newly built tower that oversees the magnificent view, waterfalls, and the old town. Valdis waited for us patiently taking photos. Because we saw so many beautiful places of interest, our vacation was well worth the time and money we spent on it. Apart from showing us the various places of interest, Valdis also managed our transportation and meals recommendation, all of which he did very efficiently. Please accept our heartfelt thanks, Valdis.

Priya Bhatt

2025-05-12

Loved the trip, every day was truly amazing Estonia is worthy and so I would recommend people to visit Estonia through Baltic travels, Mr Valdis did a terrific planning, every details were given and made my journey memory very happy 😃

Samuel Lister

2025-02-08

We had a fantastic tour with Tomas around Vilnius. He was informative, friendly and helpful and despite there being no snow for snowshoes it was a brilliant experience. I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to experience Vilnius.

SisterBliss66

2024-11-02

Great day out - lovely walk in Gauja - Līgatne trail - in the crisp autumn air followed by the paper mill. Then on to Sigulda Castle and Gutman Cave. Valdis was very knowledgeable and we had some interesting conversations about the places visited, history, culture and lots more besides. Friendly guy, fluent in English. It was awesome getting out of Riga to see more of the country.

Jane Bower

2024-09-30

My partner and I (69 and 75) are just back from a 17 day self-drive tour put together with the help of Valdis from Baltic Nature Travel. It was an absolutely delightful and fascinating experience. We asked for quirky or unusual accommodation and a mix of hotels and self-catering - great fun. We went at our own pace and chose what to see. Everything was beautifully organised - a couple of small hitches were dealt with straight away on the phone. We are well-travelled but didn't know these stunning countries at all. Our overall impression is CLEAN and GREEN. Thank you, thank you for such a unique and special holiday.

Andrew Golding

2024-09-16

First Class Personal Tour of the Baltic Republics organised by Valdis: a bespoke, friendly, intelligent, safe and varied introduction to this wonderful part of the world. Wholly recommended.

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