[1/2] Dzūkijos nacionalinis parkas | Dzūkija National Park is located in southern Lithuania, close to the Belarusian border and less than 100km east of the Sulwalki Gap. It’s the largest protected area in the country, enclosing vast pine forests, inland dunes and waterways/ wetlands. The park also contains several ethnographic villages that preserve wooden architecture and customs. We took the Zackagirio takas | Zackagiris Trail, beginning at the park’s Visitor Centre in Marcinkonys; we soon encountered some of those traditional houses (📷1). Much of the trail is pine forest, but waypoints include Šaudzyklos kalnas | Shooting Range Hill, a 13m high sandy edge overlooking the Grūda River (📷2), the Klonių (Gaidžių) kopa sand dune (📷3) and Meškos šikna | Bear’s Butt raised bog, which the trail skirts. We ended the day at ež. Kastinis, a small lake just a few kilometres from the trailhead (📷4). A 13km/ 4h circular hike. 🇱🇹 #europe #baltics #lithuania #lietuva 🚀 #travel 🚐 #camperVan #nomad #roadTrip #vanLife 🥾 #hiking #nature #nationalPark