Aukštaitija National Park is a national park in northeastern Lithuania, about 100 km north of Vilnius. Established in 1974, it is the oldest of the 5 national parks in Lithuania. Park territory occupies 405.7 square km. Over 70 percent of its territory is covered by woods, of which 80 percent are pine stands, some 200 years old. An amazing 64 species of plants, 8 of fungi and 48 different kinds of birds are found in the park. The park is famous for its biodiversity - 59% of all plant species in Lithuania can be found in the park, although it covers less than 1% of Lithuania's territory. Aukštaitija National Park is a national park in northeastern Lithuania, about 100 km north of Vilnius. Established in 1974 it is the oldest of the 5 national parks in Lithuania. At first it was named Lithuanian SSR National Park to emphasize that it is the first such park in the republic. In 1991 4 other parks were established and were renamed after ethnographic regions of Lithuania. The park was renamed after Aukštaitija. Park territory occupies 405.7 km². Ignalina district municipality controls about 50% of the area. Utena and Švenčionys district municipalities control 25%. Strictly protected areas occupy 2.1%. One can enter this territory only with accompanying employee of the park. Over 70 percent of its territory is covered by woods. 80 percent of woods are pine stands, some reaching 200 years old. 64 species of plants, 8 of fungi, 48 of birds that are found in the park are included in the Red book of Lithuania. The park is famous for its biodiversity - 59% of all plant species in Lithuania can be found in the park that covers less than 1% of Lithuania's territory. There are 116 villages in the park with about 2300 residents. The first villages are mentioned in the 14th century (Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, was first mentioned in written sources in 1323). The most famous of the villages is Palūšė where park administration resides. Its church, built in 1750, is considered to be the oldest surviving wooden church in Lithuania and was featured on 1 litas banknote. Stripeikiai is the oldest village in the park. It is now known for its unique Lithuanian Museum of Ancient Beekeeping. Ginučiai is another famous village. Tourist are attracted by its watermill built in the 19th century. It is one of the few mills that still has the original mechanisms. Thus it is declared an engineering monument. Two hill forts of national importance are nearby. Kaltanėnai town with 300 inhabitants is the biggest settlement.A classical 1972 Lithuanian movie about an outlaw and national folk hero Tadas Blinda was filmed in Šuminai village. This and other 5 villages are declared architectural monuments.
Lithuania's first national park - Aukstaitija - was established in 1974 and covers an area of 30 thousand hectares. Over 70 % of its territory is pine stands. Some of the pine trees are over 200 years old. Scattered among the woods and hills are some 100 smaller and larger lakes, often interconnected by rivulets and streams. The largest of them is lake Dringis - 721 ha. The Tauragnas is the deepest lake in Lithuania - 60 m. The Baluosas features seven islands, one of which has a little lake of its own, feeding the Baluosas waters through a small stream. The woods, marshes and meadows of the Aukstaitija National Park abound in rare plant species, including a number of plants that are listed in the Red Data Book of Lithuania and are protected as endangered species. The lakes and rivers, too, are rich in wildlife, from Canadian mink to a variety of birds that can bring quite a few exciting moments to a devoted birdwatcher. The parks territory embraces some 80 settlements and villages, some of which have retained not only their old original layout but also archaic wooden farm buildings and other structures. The Paluse village, which is a tourist centre of the Aukstaitija National Park, was first mentioned in written sources in 1651. It still boasts an octagonal wooden church dating back to 1757. One of the most beautiful views of the park is accessible from the top of the Ledakalnis (Ice Hill). Aukstaitija National Park is equipped with inexpensive camping grounds for those travelling by water or road. The campsites are well equipped with fireplaces, parking areas and other facilities. For 30 years Aukštaitija National Park (40,570 ha) has been famous as the foremost ecotourism area of the country with perfect conditions for water tourism. The territory fascinates with splendid clean lakes, connected by picturesque linkups, ethnographic villages, vivid shapes of the surface, abundance of forests and harmony of the nature. In this territory traveling is possible in all ways and in all seasons. In summer the Park becomes the capital of water tourism.
The Park has preserved the Ažvinčiai old forest, a unique ecosystem of the upper reaches of the Žeimena river, located at the junction of three different types of landscape. The park contains 126 lakes (the largest ones are Kretuonas (829 ha), Dringis (725 ha), Baluošas (442 ha), and the deepest lake is Tauragnas (60.5 m)) as if created precisely for water tourism. By lakes and their linkups one can sail up to 70 km and even reach Vilnius by sailing the Žeimena river. The height of the hills here reaches over 200 m, and the most imposing is the Šiliniškės crest with the mounds of Ginučiai and Papiliakalnė, and Ladakalnis, one of the most beautiful observation stations in Lithuania, opening the scenery of six lake pools. Visitors can also enjoy the views in the distance from a specially equipped tower near Ginučiai. The park is home to over 200 species of birds, 60 species of mammals and 900 species of plants, including 120 species listed in the Red Book. Aukstaitija National Park was founded in 1974. At present the total area of the park is 40,570 hectares. The park is located nearly 100 km to the north of Vilnius, and roughly 170 km to the north east of Kaunas. The railway St. Petersburg.- Vilnius - Warsaw - Berlin passes along the south-east boundary of the park. 50% of the park area belongs to Ignalina district, 25% to Utena district, and 25% - to Švenčionys district. The headquarters of Aukštaitija National Park is in the village of Palūšė, Ignalina disrict. Aukštaitija National Park has 116 villages with the total population of 2000. The largest settlement in the park is Kaltanėnai with 300 residents. Other 10 settlements have about 100 inhabitants. Most of villages are in fact as a group of a few farmsteads. The Northern part of the park with largest woods is the most sparsely populated. Here villages are located close to lakes or on riverbanks. There are some surviving lone farm- steads. Six ethnographic villages - Šuminai, Strazdai, Varniškės-2, Salos-2 - retained the old village development structure. Kretuonys, Sakališkės, Meironys, Ginučiai are villages vith one street planing structure. Their peculiarity is that houses are built on both sides of the streets with their narrow side facing the street and auxiliary building behind them. The relief of Aukštaitija National Park is especially various. The park area is on the average 150-155 altitude above sea level. The highest hills rise over 200 metres a.s.l. The deepest hollows (down to 40-60 m) are flooded by water. The range of surface variation is nearly 100 meters. The relief was shaped by Ice Age which had covered Lithuania a number of times. Moraine eminencies with lakes were shaped during the last glacier period. Siliniškės ridge of the hills is of special interest, extending into Ginučiai and Papiliakalnė mounds and the Hill Ladakalnis. From both sides it is surrounded by two deep lakes. The climate in Aukštaitija National Park is sea-continental. The park has on the average 1707 sunny hours of a year. The annual average temperature is +5.5 °C. July is the warmest month (average temperature +18.5 °C). The early frosts come in the second half of September, while the last ones may occur as late as May 20. Permanent snow cover forms in late December. Annual precipitation is 600-650 mm. The highest temperature of 33 °C was registered in summer of the 1992.
