8 days Self-guided Cycling Tour Around the Curonian Lagoon (Lithuania) 2010 New!

Download PDF file with the program & nice pictures

The Baltic Sea coast with Palanga Resort and the Curonian Spit National Park, designated by UNESCO as the World Heritage Site, explored by bicycle on highly scenic routes. Experience a real Lithuanian country life when cycling in the Nemunas River Delta region. This tour partly covers the Lithuanian Seaside Cycle Route which is the first and only officially signposted high quality cycle route in Lithuania opened a few years ago.

CYCLING ITINERARY FROM/TO KLAIPEDA, Saturday to Saturday* (~270 km)

Day 1 Saturday: KLAIPEDA
Arrival in Klaipėda. Individual transfer to the hotel (not included). Check-in and optional dinner at the hotel. OVERNIGHT at 3* hotel in Klaipėda.

Day 2 Sunday: KLAIPEDA-PALANGA-KLAIPEDA (app. 55 km)
9:00 a.m. information meeting at the hotel, where you will be greeted by representative of a travel agency. Cycling to Palanga resort and back along the Lithuanian Seaside Cycle Route leading through Giruliai Forest and the Seaside Regional Park. En route you may explore the Dutchman’s Cap – a 24-meter-high coastal cliff and Plazė Lake. In Palanga you may visit the Botanical Park and Amber Museum, cycling along J.Basanavičius car-free street featuring plenty of cafes, restaurants and a pier heading 470 meters into the Baltic Sea. Return to Klaipėda the same way back. Optional dinner at the hotel. OVERNIGHT at 3* hotel in Klaipėda.

Day 3 Monday: KLAIPEDA-PRIEKULE-SILUTE (app. 65 km)
Cycling on forest trails and countryside road through Dituva allotment gardens and Pamarys Meadows to Šilutė. En route you will cross 24-km long Klaipėda Canal, also referred to as King Vilhelm Canal, which was dug in the 19^th century to link the Minija River with the Curonian Lagoon in Klaipėda. Arrival in Silute, check-in and optional dinner at the hotel. OVERNIGHT at 4* hotel in Silute.

Day 4 Tuesday: SILUTE-RUSNE ISLAND-SILUTE (app. 45 km)
Explore Silutė town named after “Silokarcema” (a pub in the boscage) and go for a return cycling trip to Rusnė Island, the only such big island in Lithuania, located in the Nemunas River Delta Regional Park. En route you may explore the ethnographic fisherman’s homestead – a museum of Rusnė, the old water pumping station – a polder museum and the 19^th century lighthouse in Uostadvaris Harbour. Optional dinner at the hotel. OVERNIGHT at 4* hotel in Silute.

Day 5 Wednesday: SILUTE-VENTE-NIDA (app. 45 km)
Cycling to Ventė Cape where you may visit a bird ringing station with a museum of ornithology and the 19^th century lighthouse which offers an amazing view of the landscape and a glimpse of the shining sand dunes of the Curonian Spit. Take a boat for crossing the Curonian Lagoon to Nida. Arrival in Nida followed by a bike ride to the hotel. Check-in and optional dinner at the hotel. OVERNIGHT at 3* hotel in Nida.

Day 6 Thursday: NIDA
Free day in Nida which is an old fishermen’s village on the Curonian Spit washed by the Baltic Sea from one side and the Curonian Lagoon from other side. Today Nida is the largest settlement of the town of Neringa and one of the most beautiful resorts in Lithuania. Cycling or walking along impressive sand dunes and visiting the most popular places of interest – the Fisherman’s House, the summer house of famous German writer Thomas Mann, and the Amber Gallery. Optional dinner at the hotel. OVERNIGHT at 3* hotel in Nida.

Day 7 Friday: NIDA-JUODKRANTE-KLAIPEDA (app. 60 km)
Cycling on an asphalt bike path of the Seaside Cycle Route which takes you along the Curonian Spit to Klaipėda. En route you may stop at “Dead” sand dunes and colony of grey herons and cormorants, visit the Hill of Witches which houses a hundred fanciful and folksy wooden sculptures scattered along a forest path, swimming in the Baltic Sea and take the sun on golden sand beaches. Arrival in Smiltynė where take a ferry to the Old Town of Klaipėda. Check-in and optional dinner at the hotel.
7:30 p.m. Meeting with travel agancy's representative who will collect the rental bicycles. OVERNIGHT at 3* hotel in Klaipėda.

Day 8 Saturday: KLAIPEDA
Breakfast at the hotel. End of the tour.

* - the tour can be started and finished on Sunday, but then the program of Day 2 (Klaipeda-Palanga-Klaipeda) will be shifted to Saturday (Day 7).

Tour code:	Departure dates, 2010:	Terminating dates, 2010:	Rate per person in EUR:
SG01	May 29	June 5	DBL 445 SGL 625
SG02	June 5	June 12	DBL 445 SGL 625
SG03	June 12	June 19	DBL 445 SGL 625
SG04	June 19	June 26	DBL 445 SGL 625
SG05	June 26	July 3	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG06	July 3	July 10	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG07	July 10	July 17	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG08	July 17	July 24	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG09	July 24	July 31	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG10	July 31	August 7	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG11	August 7	August 14	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG12	August 14	August 21	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG13	August 21	August 28	DBL 475 SGL 665
SG14	August 28	September 4	DBL 445 SGL 625

THE TOUR INCLUDES:

7 nights at the hotels
All hotel taxes
Breakfast daily
Luggage transport on day 3 (Klaipeda-Silute), day 5 (Silute-harbour-Nida) and day 7 (Nida-Klaipeda)
Boat trip across the Curonian Lagoon
Individual information package (city guide, maps, program and route description)
Emergency alarm number

THE TOUR EXCLUDES:

Arrival and departure transfers
Bicycle rent
Lunches & dinner
Tips

OPTIONS:

TRANSFERS

Single person arrival or departure transfer – 40 EUR per person (Palanga Airport) or 26 EUR per person (Klaipeda ferry terminal);
Arrival or departure transfer for a party of 2 persons - 20 EUR per person (Palanga Airport) or 13 EUR per person (Klaipeda ferry terminal);

RENTAL

Rental of hybrid trekking bicycle equipped with 7-speed hub gears or 21-speed derailleur gears (optionally) and waterproof back pannier (Ortlieb), and including bicycle delivery to/collection from the hotel in Klaipeda – 60 EUR per person

MEALS

3-course dinner package (7 dinners) – 98 EUR per person

PRE/POST TOUR ACCOMMODATION

3* Hotel in Klaipeda or similar
SGL 60 EUR per room per night, including breakfast
DBL 72 EUR per room per night, including breakfast

For more information and reservation of the tour send an E-mail to travel@bicycle.lt