Traveling will always have its range of experiences for you, friends, and family members to share.
Being that there are a lot of places in the world to do one could only hope to visit them all at one point. With discussions over climate change and world health gathering pace, ever more people express support for sustainable travel.
For those seeking sustainable under-the-radar experiences you have to know where to go. Well, one place you could consider taking a trip to is Lithuania.
This is a place of peaceful respite. Its natural forests offer the aesthetic pleasure of colour and sound.
There is plenty to do in Lithuania! Below you will find 7 opportunities to explore Lithuanian forest green in all its depth.
Herb Picking
Using herbs and herbal tea as a cure is an established tradition in Lithuania.
Most Lithuanians know the basics of herbal medicine: herbs that help digestion, ease coughing or other symptoms of cold and flu. But some go much deeper than that.
In North-Eastern Lithuania, in the forest-surrounded town of Anykščiai, professional herbalist Ramūnas Daugelavičius combines traditional Lithuanian experience with knowledge of other cultures and scientific methods to provide unique experience of herbs.
From herb picking for spices to special tea ceremonies, fire rituals and seed root coffee – all possible ways to enjoy the original gifts of nature.
Butterfly & Dragonfly Watching
Butterfly and dragonfly watching may be as interesting and rewarding as bird watching.
Lithuania is the only place in the world where dragonflies are professionally monitored and marked. These small animals travel thousands of kilometres, as the scientists have found.
At Ventė ornithology station the secrets of dragonfly migration are only now being uncovered.
Not far from the station, in the Western part of Lithuania, ecotourism enthusiast Daiva Stanislovaitienė offers butterfly, dragonfly and bird watching trips combined with cosy stay in a comfortable villa.
Forest Bathing
The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku or forest bathing is a way to heal and restore the human spirit, which tires of work and rush of the technology-dominated world.
The slow immersion into the forest through sight, sound, smell and even taste helps to relax, regain intellectual focus and strengthen health.
A certified guide of shinrin-yoku Mila Monk gives private and group tours in different Lithuanian forests.
The Largest Dreamcatcher In The World
Dreamcatchers are said to protect from bad dreams. Those with serious nightmares should visit the pine forest in Asveja regional park in Eastern Lithuania.
The largest dreamcatcher in the world is almost 13 metres high and 10 metres of diameter. It is made of more than 1 kilometre of rope, 700 hundred wooden parts, 319 beads and weighs 156 kilograms.
The dreamcatcher is located in the territory of the eco resort Golden Forest.
The resort also houses a forest labyrinth of four elements which can be passed only using the intuition, and holds the annual Masters of Calm festival for active and conscious community.
The Forest Gramophone
The forest sound catcher may be found in the Curonian Spit – the natural seaside reservation in the Western Lithuania.
3 metres high gramophone-like construction enhances the natural sounds of forest. The visitors should spend about half an hour inside to experience the peaceful flow of the forest symphony.
The Forest Dune
Sand dunes are the usual sight of the Baltic seaside. But some of them are located far from the sea and deep in the forests.
In the pine forests of South-Eastern Lithuania, the dunes totally transform the landscape and provide a unique experience of the raw nature.
Meteorite Crater
165 million years ago a huge meteorite landed near Vepriai in Central Lithuania.
The explosion and fire extinguished all life in the territory of Lithuania and left a crater of 50 square kilometres. The best way to explore the site is to take one of the many bicycle routes across the crater.