Baltic Camino: Lithuania | Budget Bucket List

Baltic Camino: Latvia / Lithuania - Section 2 (Riga onwards)

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This was it. The last stretch of what was going to be a story I would talk about for a lifetime. The last section of a trail that was going to be immortalized in my heart and on my skin, next to the other long-distance-trail-sign tattoos. Because this is the kind of stuff that counts. Mini-versions of life demonstrating that the world and its circumstances can be hard on you sometimes, requiring the highest of your capabilities, but that it’s strength and personality that gets your through it all… others can’t do the work on your behalf, you have to save you. You are your own redemption. Showing you that life has ugly stretches, but beauty is never far away and can be found where you least expect it. Showing you that you really don’t need much to be happy, just possessing the mere basics without all the fluff will stop blinding you from what truly matters. Showing you that unlike popular believe the world contains a large percentage of good people and just a very few bad ones, not the other way around. Long-distance trails show you the main basics and truths of life, which can sometimes be lost in all the background noise that we call modern living. Simultaneously it transforms you, both physically and mentally. You can finally see clearly, close all those mental tabs, while your body turns into this muscular machine. It’s magic, pure magic.

This was the last week of my Big Baltic Camino Adventure, pilgrimage of natural connection, mental grounding and sanity. I was going to reach my self-imposed end destination of 1000km, not a meter more nor less. I was ready.

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Keep in mind that these are the official stretches, but these are rather short for experienced hikers. Therefore, my trail reports contain longer stretches to provide more of a challenge. These intervals are also rather convenient for campers, as it generally stops at good camping spots (note that this also means you’ll walk with a much heavier backpack – I carried 17kg). That said, the trail can be walked in any speed that suits your personal interest and fitness level, there is no good or bad way to do it.

The official Estonian Camino website provides the GPX-files, which I highly appreciated. However, now I made new recordings available per section, I do strongly recommend mine over the official ones. Not to brag and I don’t gain anything from that, but you do: Unlike the official GPX I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites to allow for a better overview and planning of the day…This is information I would have liked to have when I walked it, but I didn’t. So you’re welcome! The links I share are recorded in the Wikiloc app. You can use the GPS in this app, or simply click the app option “Send Trail as File” to send the GPX recordings to your own used GPS device (Suunto, Garmin, Apple Watch, Wear OS, Amazfit, Wahoo, Polar, TwoNav) or acquire the GPX-file.

Day 21: Jaunmarupe – Kalkis (Kemeru National Park)

(Official Section: Riga-Jaunmarupe, 17km, skipped. Next Official Section: Jaunmarupe – Tireli, 27km)

Distance: 32.5km.
Terrain Dirt road (mainly), asphalt, nature trail.
Views: Forest, countryside.
Water situation: Hardly available along the way, besides a few streams that need to be filtered. You won’t pass by a lot of houses either. Bring enough from Jaunmarupe to last until Tireli (shop closes at 8PM).
Food situation: Shops in Jaunmarupe and Tireli.
Well-marked? Relatively well.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. You won’t pass any official campsites, but you can find plenty of wildcamp spots in the forest between Jaunmarupe and Tireli. There is a spot with picnic tables (marked on GPS), but this is located right next to a mass grave, so it’s not for everyone. After Tireli it gets tricky.
Accommodation: Guesthouse Jaunmartini Jaunmarupe (+371 2925597810 / Mrs. Guntars [email protected]). Guesthouse Cafe Laura Jaunmarupe (+371 20212666 / [email protected] / Mazcenu Aleja 37a). Camping Riga Musu Draugiem Jaunmarupe, very expensive (+371 29397428 / Mrs. Valdis, [email protected]). Camping Bejas Jaunmarupe, very expensive (+371 26673507 / [email protected] / Viestura Iela 11). Albergue Zvaigsnukalni Tireli (+371 29412333 / Mrs. Indra / [email protected]). Albergue Rancho Tireli, cheap (+371 26544243 / Mrs. Jolanta, speaks English / [email protected] / Tirela Iela 42). Guesthouse Aitilauvas Tireli (+371 29160393 / Mrs. Brigita, speaks English / [email protected]). Klive Church Kalnciems (+371 25904065 / Mrs. Iveta Kokmane / donativo).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation. I decided to skip the Riga-Jaunmarupe Section, but if you want to walk it find the GPS here: …

As written before: I am generally not the person who skips things. If I choose a trail to walk I commit to it in its entirety, no cheating allowed, not even the slightest meter. At the same time, I had lived through the unfortunate experience of hiking 25km through the industrialised area hiding under the grey, polluted smoke of Riga… and today a similar experience was awaiting me when walking out of the capital. It started to dawn on me that I was swiftly approaching the 1000km-mark I had in mind as my absolute stopping point, and I wanted to enjoy this last stretch to the fullest. That meant: not “wasting” my precious kilometres on trail stretches that aren’t worth it. I mean, I’m walking the Baltic Camino with no intention to reach Santiago de Compostela anyway, so any section I skip here I will just compensate for at the end in Lithuania. No biggie.

So I took a bus to Jaunmarupe and kicked off with some blissful forest instead. Yay! The trail took its time to break loose from Riga… it was first just asphalt within a forest setting, then shyly turned into a dirt road until it finally transformed in some sort of beaten-path-nature-trail-situation. What gave an extra dimension to the day was the unexpected sight of the Antinu Cemetery, which is the largest WWI mass grave of Latvia. You won’t be alone here in the forest, the corpses of 1800 Latvian archers are buried here, as well as an additional 2000 Russian Army soldiers who were relocated here from other mass graves. There’s a picnic and camping area right next to it, who’s keen? It truly is hard to imagine this peaceful forest to once be the scene of the (lost) Christmas and January Battles, initiated to liberate Jelgava. To fully immerse in that part of history, you can find a reconstruction of the trenches just a stone’s throw away (it’s not signposted nor easily visible, you have to deviate to the right side of the trail to trace it down).

Another sight includes a massive observation tower, offering widespread views basically summarizing the Latvian landscape: endless lush seas of forests. Nothing can beat that panorama of course, but I must say I was also pretty impressed with someone’s successful attempt to hang his/her backside over the handrail and shit down on the tower from dazzling heights. A bold pooper!

I continued hiking with the idea to hitchhike to Jurmala at the end, to spend the night there and check off a new Latvian destination, as a Couchsurfer there had invited me to come over. Unfortunately, when I reached the highway of Tireli it was already pitch dark, which kinda cockblocks all hitchhiking plans in every situation (hitchhiking as a woman alone is adventurous as it is, I won’t also risk being mistaken for a hooker). So instead, I stocked up on supplies (read: wine) and continued onwards on a horrendous stretch along the highway, headed for Kemeru National Park where I hoped to find a suitable camping spot. Unfortunately, Kemeru is not Gauja. And the Camino is somehow only rubbing the sides of this national park, following a straight, seemingly-never ending dirt road just alongside of it (I mean, why?). I did not find a good place to camp, but I was exhausted, so I eventually settled with a semi-flat surface I could find right along the road side.

As being flattened by tractor seemed an unheroic death, I managed to build some kind of hazard triangle with my hiking sticks, ornated with blinking reflectors. Alright, buen f’cking camino to me and buenas noches.

Day 22: Kalkis - Berze

(Official Section: Tireli - Livberze, 24km).

Distance: 26.7km.
Terrain: Dirt road (mainly), natural trail.
Views: Forest, countryside.
Water situation: Hardly available along the way, besides a few streams that need to be filtered. Hardly any houses en-route either, so bring enough from Tireli.
Food situation: Only a supermarket in Livberze.
Well-marked? Relatively well, but certain sections have no signage. Bring GPS.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. Today you won’t pass by any campsites or picnic places, and unfortunately it’s also quite hard to find a place to camp as it’s all just farmland. I managed to find a wild camping spot at the tiny bush of forest I traced down (end of recording).
Accommodation: Albergue Livberze (+371 29284599 / Mrs. Agita, speaks English / [email protected] / website / Berzu Iela 7-14). Guesthouse Piksas Museum (+371 26670812 / Mrs. Ilga, [email protected] / website / GPS 56.659940, 23.482012 / in off-season closed in weekends). Culture and Relaxation Center Berzmuiza (+371 29863994 / [email protected] / GPS 56.686638, 23.437734).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

Hiking-wise, today didn’t have much to offer. I kicked off on the dirt road next to Kemeru National Park, where I had also slept alongside of (uncomfortably, but sufficient). This muddy road follows a 9km-long man-made canal, which was still actively under construction when I crossed it. The canal makes for one stripe of a trail, without a single curve or turn, that only once bends into a 45-degrees angle. Just one long swampy strip of ugly straightness with machinery sounds in the background. I remember literally cheering when I finally got off of it.

Little did I know that there wasn’t much to cheer about. What follows is another series of incredibly long and straight dusty dirt roads, 3-4km each. Fair enough, the forest’y surroundings seemed pleasant, be it that they were currently being cut down.

Monotonous doesn’t start to cover it. The day ended in endless fields of farmland, without a single spot to camp. So when I finally traced down 20 meters of bush surrounded by ploughland and cows, I sneaked right into it. Creepily enough, I had to remove actual bones from the one tiny clearing I could find, but I managed: I set up camp hidden from the public eye and without destroying private farming area. I’ll consider that as a win.

Day 23: Berze – Tervete Reservoir

(Official Section: Livberze - Dobele, 18km).

Distance: 36.7km.
Terrain: Dirt road, asphalt, trail.
Views: Countryside, villages.
Water situation: Few rivers that need filtering. Some countryside houses and villages where you could ask for water. Shops available.
Food situation: Supermarkets in Dobele and a small one in Krimunas.
Well-marked? It's good until Dobele, but then it gets spotty again.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. Today you won’t pass by any official campsites, and unfortunately it’s also quite hard to find a place to wild-camp as there’s a lot of farmland. That said, I marked a few abandoned buildings that could serve as shelter. Another option is the Tervete Reservoir, where I set up my tent inside of the observation tower, which has a roof and windows. GPS coordinates: 56.503221, 23.404912.
Accommodation: Student Hostel Dobeles Amatniecibas Un Visparizglitojosas Vidusskolas Dienesta Viesnica, cheap (+371 26162054 / website / Gaurata Iela 8 / Jun-Aug, needs booking and prepayment). Bed in private room at Valentinas (+371 28805434 / Mrs. Valentina / Francmana Iela 8 dz.5 / donativo). Hotel Dobele (+371 63721229 / [email protected] / website / Uzvaras Iela 2). Pilsetas Maja Dobele (+371 22319919 / Mrs. Anda, speaks English / [email protected] / Tirgus Laukums). Bed in Private Room at Annas, Dobele (+371 26544153 / +371 26185578 / Mrs. Anna or Ms. Regina / Sporta Iela 1 / donativo). Guesthouse Eglaji Dobele, cheap (+371 26558790 / Mr. Eriks / [email protected] / website / Darza Iela 33). Country House Lielstralas Dobele (+371 29558292 / Mrs. Marite / [email protected] / GPS 56.592096, 23.309931). Guesthouse Kaupena Dzirnavas, in Zalenieku Pagasts (+371 28708819 for English / Mrs.Gundega / [email protected] / website / GPS 56.492044, 23.419388). Glamping Tervete, at Tervete Reservoir (+371 26115333 / [email protected]). Apartment Palena Tervete, expensive (+371 29297084 / Mrs. Anitra, speaks English / [email protected] / website / GPS: 56.481406, 23.389968). Guesthouse Spridisi, expensive (+371 26532691 / Mrs. Rasma / [email protected] / website / GPS 56.483667, 23.376376). Bed in Private Flat ([email protected], only Latvian and Russian). Apartment Ores (+371 27006660 / Mr. Madars / [email protected])
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation. The end of the recording goes slightly away from the Camino (there’s a marking in the GPS exactly where), but I do recommend checking out the Tervete Reservoir. A beautiful picnicking and swimming area!

I woke up well-rested and pretty content with my unusual little camping spot in the mini-forest… but this night will always go into the books as ‘The Night of the Pepperspray.’ Yes, take a seat and let me enlighten you: Somewhere in the middle of the night I woke up from scratching alongside my tent. A rat? A mole? I tried to scare it away with sounds and slapping on the tent canvas, as even though I had no fear of the animal itself, I was weary for any damage to my tent. It continued. Suddenly I remembered I had a little can of pepperspray with me, as in Estonia I crossed bear territory… and needless to say, as a woman out in the woods by herself I want to have a little backup as well against physically stronger men. So I decided to stretch my hand out of the tent and spray whatever was trying to get through, holding the can outside the outer canvas so I wouldn’t accidentally breathe it in. As it was the first time I used it, somehow a little side-ways “puff” came out of it as well, touching my hand. The problem is… I didn’t have anything to wash my hands with. I had hand sanitizer and wet wipes, but that was about it…

I forgot about the incident in the morning… and proceeded to put in my contact lenses. OUCH. That’s half an hour of my life I’m never getting back. Instead, I was lying down suffering and hyperventilating. That stuff WORKS, but it would work even better if it doesn’t touch your own hand when spraying it. I couldn’t get the damned liquid off, what is this wicked devil-water!? Without exaggeration, I washed my hands about 40-50 times in some lunchroom in Dobele, like a psychopath. After thoroughly washing I kept sticking my fingers in my mouth to see if it was still there, and every time it was like sucking on a Carolina Reaper. I don’t mind it in my mouth, I eat spicy food like it’s my profession, but my hand was slowly swelling up and started to show a red’ish hue. This didn’t look healthy. It took two full days for it to disappear. I guess this is what karma looks like, sorry little rat!

I tried to focus on the trail to distract myself from the discomfort. Of course there’s the town of Dobele, which has a kind of peculiar, incompatible architectural mix of classic and modern going on, confirming nor denying its identity. Those looking for an extracurricular activity can visit the Dobele Museum, the Castle Ruins (1335), potentially the Baltic Candle Factory and of course the three churches. I had no time for any of that, as I needed to reach the Tervete Reservoir, a hike of 36.7km in total. You see, I was facing yet another midnight thunderstorm and I had very little desire to endure that in my little tent. So when I spotted an observation tower which had actual windows in it, my firm decision was made. I was gonna sleep inside of that bad boy.

So I did. Was it any good? You bet your ass it was! While the wind was raging over the lake and downpours slammed to the windows, I was just inside my little shelter… cooking dinner and reading books. Fair enough, it wasn’t necessarily clean. The dead bodies of a couple of thousand flies were there to keep me company, and in the morning some loud birds had joined me inside and were unable to get out. But I was inside of my inner tent and I was dry and comfy. Considering how I have been “doing” the Camino, this was glamping indeed! It’s an art of life to not need much, but yet feel incredibly grateful and content.

Day 24: Tervete Reservoir – Zagare (Lithuania)

(Official Section: Dobele - Tervete, 25km, mainly covered under day 23. As I’m one section ahead again since Jaunmarupe, the next Official Section is: Tervete – Zagare, 22km).

Distance: 29.6km.
Terrain: Trail, dirt road, asphalt (not so much).
Views: Forest, villages, countryside.
Water situation: Few rivers that need filtering. Some countryside houses and villages. Several shops.
Food situation: Supermarkets in Tervete, Augstkalnes and Zagare. Food is slightly cheaper in Lithuania.
Well-marked? On and off. Some stretches are clearly marked, then there's nothing at all for a while… The marking in Lithuania is excellent.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. The same goes for Lithuania. Today you won’t pass any official campsites, but you can trace down some spots for wild camping. I ended up camping at a picnic spot in the park of Zagare, a bit away from the main paths.
Accommodation: Camping Camino Latvia (+371 25632139 / [email protected] / Mr. Maarten Leysen, speaks English / Ausros Gatve 21 / April-Oct). Zagares Dvaro Sodyba (+370 67115033 / Mrs. Modesta, speaks English / [email protected] / website / Maluno g. 3).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

When I swiftly packed my tent after a quick breakfast, many fishermen were already out and about on the lake, unaware of the hidden guest in the tower. They were after the 14 different fish species that inhabit the lake, which as a by-product also attracts birds that feed and nest here. I had a short forest trail to go to Tervete, which was hosting a little weekend market, incl. some folk dancing. I would’ve loved to stay and watch, but as more rain was looming above my head I opted for an early lunch at a riverside restaurant. Sharp move, as within minutes the heavy and only rainfall fell tediously from the sky.

With fully dry weather I continued onwards over a path that in one minute could beat whatever I had seen in the three previous days, trail- and landscape-wise. I noticed it had gotten significantly colder all of a sudden. After walking around in a tanktop the entire month of September, autumn had finally made its full arrival. A cold wind pierced through my clothing, but it was unable to break my mood. Today was a special day: I was going to cross another border! After Estonia and Latvia, I was now also going to add Lithuania to my Camino-list. A country I had already visited before (and would travel in for another 2 weeks upon completion of the 1000km), therefore I didn’t mind spending only two hiking days there… it was of symbolic meaning that all three Baltic States were included in this memorable endeavour. The fact that this time I didn’t take a flight to reach it, but walked 940km to get here strongly added to the excitement of my visit.

Singing and cheering I crossed the border. It might have been in my head, but the country immediately just felt different. A bit more rough, a bit more loose. Louder. All in the positive sense of the word. I made an immediate connection with the local people. I was just so exhilarated to be there that I was just radiating happiness, smiling like an idiot and waving to everyone I saw. They seemed rather tickled by it and responded with sudden smiles.

Zagare is an attractive little town as well. Initially it existed out of two separate parts, Old Zagare on the left bank and New Zagare on the right bank of the River Svete. The Camino leads you passed the wooden houses along the waterfront, arranged like colorful gifts on a Christmas morning. I noticed the memorials in front of certain homes, written in Hebrew. Jews began to settle in Zagare during the 18th century, starting a flourishing community. This local chapter of history was abruptly put to an end in 1941, when a large group of young men were shot at the Jewish Cemetery, and the rest of the 2402 Jews in town imprisoned in the ghetto, where they would be murdered later that day by both Nazis and Lithuanian collaborators.

I looked around me and noticed the sun started to set. As I had once again farmland ahead of me, I decided to just camp in Zagare. I settled with a forgotten and overgrown picnic area in the back of its local park. That’ll do. Little did I know this would be the last night of Camino-camping…

Day 25: Zagare - Kanelis

(Official Section: Zagare – Buivydziai, 28.8km)

Distance: 33.1km.
Terrain: Dirt road (mainly), asphalt (not so much).
Views: Countryside.
Water situation: A few rivers, some countryside houses and some villages.
Food situation: Supermarkets at the start in Zagare, and small shops in Skaistgirys and at the end of the village of Kanelis. There were some restaurants and coffeeshops in Skaistgirys too, but they were all closed (on a Saturday?).
Well-marked? Yes.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Lithuania on public land, just like in Estonia and Latvia. Today you won’t pass any official campsites, but there are some official picnic areas and abandoned shelters where you could set up camp comfortably. Wild camping is always possible, but it might be hard to find suitable spots along the farmlands.
Accommodation: Rural Tourism Homestead Buivydziai (+370 61084683 / Daiva / [email protected] / Tvenkinio g. 3).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

I had another countryside day ahead of me. Which I don’t mind, if you purely look at the scenery. It’s soothing to me. It’s just those long, straight 5-6km uninterrupted roads that break me up mentally. I just had to deal with it, didn’t I? Difficulties are part of life, and as such, also of this miniature-version of life.

I stopped in a village with an unpronounceable name (Skaistgirys), where I charged my phone while raiding the coffee machine and stuffing my face with snacks I had never seen before. As everywhere, I was understandably stared at for being the unusual figure I am in those nothing-ever-happening-rural-villages, but the local shopkeeper kept typing the kindest messages on Google Translate. It’s been less than 24hrs, but I’m already declaring my love to all Lithuanians.

A love that was promptly answered. At some point I reached Buivydziai (seriously, who’s in charge of place names here?), the official end point of the town. But besides the “rural tourism homestead” I was just in the middle of bumfuck nowhere… it didn’t matter, I had still some kilometres in me, and every kilometre I walk today I didn’t have to do on my last day tomorrow… which meant, more time to spend in the fancy hotel I booked for myself as a me-to-me-gift to celebrate the victory. On the map I located a pond next to the a place called Kanelis, and decided to set up camp there that night, for the very last time. As I didn’t feel much for life-straw’ing it all night, I just needed some tap water… so I knocked on a random door. A man peeped through the window, unable to believe the very situation he was in. I held up my Google Translate text in Lithuanian, explaining my 1000km-endeavour and need for hydration. He nodded, and rushed out with a water can and a kilo of apples, a common Baltic courtesy in this fruitful harvest season. I shook his hand and continued my journey.

Before I could reach the end of the street, he came running after me. Did I want some coffee with the neighbours? Ehhh… yeah sure. A hot drink before a cold night, why not? Marvelling over this sudden kindness, I suddenly saw a plate full of food coming out of the kitchen. Massive dumplings, stuffed with potato, pork, and goat cheese, soaked in the for the Baltics holy sour cream. Oh my! My sudden host pointed at some awards and licenses, I was dealing with a qualified chef. They stared at me while I greedily attacked, and before I could even swallow the last piece, they grabbed my hand to show me something. A room. With a bed. And a shower. They put their thumbs up with a questioning face. Would I want to spend the night here, they pointed at the lake and made a shivering symbol. Rhetorical question, of course: Yes, 100% yes! Thank you thank you thank you dear strangers!

And so it happened. My first night in Lithuania, and they’re already making a homerun. My last night on the Camino, and it’s just symbolic of all the kindness I have received on this 1000km journey. On this 9,5-year long journey.

Day 26: Kanelis – Jauciunai (shortly after Gatauciai)

(Official Section: Buivydziai - Gatauciai, 26.5km)

Distance: 25.94km… until 1000km exactly.
Terrain: Dirt road (mainly), asphalt (not so much).
Views: Countryside.
Water situation: A few rivers, some countryside houses and some villages.
Food situation: Supermarket at the start in Kalnelis and shortly after in the properly-sized town Joniskis, where you can also find restaurants and coffeebars. Ziniunai and Gatauciai also have a shop.
Well-marked? Yes. But after Gatauciai the official GPS deviates from the marked route, so it can be rather confusing as to where to go.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Lithuania on public land. Today you won’t pass any official campsites, but there are some official picnic areas and abandoned shelters where you could set up camp comfortably.
Accommodation: Poilsis Kaime Jakiskiai (+370 68713329 / Rimante / Dvaro g. 23). Sunday Nights Camping Gatauciai, very cheap (+370 62606735 / Kamile Rygos g. 12a).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

I got up early for my very last day of hiking on the Baltic Camino, detecting an undefined feeling in my stomach. A feeling that was immediately eaten away by the rich breakfast my spontaneous host was already preparing for me, together with a packed lunch and the home-made barbecue sauce that had marked a turning point in his career as a chef.

I had to walk 25,94km exactly. I did and re-did the math with almost religious dedication and I was going to do it right down to the exact meter. I wish I could tell you some more about the route… about Joniskis which was named after Bishop John of the Lithuanian Dukes (by himself), who baptized the local population and “freed” them from their pagan religions worshipping fire, snakes and the God of Thunder… about the countryside roads leading to Gatauciai… but my head was elsewhere today. The day just passed by in a trance. I just remember that it was sunny but cold and very windy, and everything I did was the very last time on the trail I would be doing that. Until all of a sudden it was there. Staring at my odometer and recordings I realized it was almost over. The last steps were about to be walked.

It wasn’t a scenic location on the trail. Somewhere in between two fields on an asphalt road. A street sign informed me that locals refer to the spot as Jauciunai, however you were supposed to pronounce that. It didn’t matter where it was. It was a place of pure beauty at that moment. I looked up from my phone and started running towards the invisible finish line. I made it. I really did it. I threw down my backpack, 17kg of torture, and starting shouting. Something that could maybe pass for dancing. Then I lay down for a while, using the backpack as a pillow, at the shoulder of this otherwise meaningless road which now meant everything to someone.
It was an explosion of emotions, fighting to find a balance between euphoria and emptiness. It felt done, the chapter was closed right here right now. I had zero desire to keep on walking, I finished my business. I felt pride and a strong sense of accomplishment, I just successfully completed the ultimate test of the brain and body, once again. I went to the top of my strengths to uncover my weaknesses. I embraced the ultimate state of being, the ultimate state of nomad, the purest version of human.

After the emotions slightly settled, I stood up and put up my thumb. I’ll never stop being a nomad, a wanderer. It came to my attention that one of the main sights of Lithuania, the Hill of Crosses, was only a stone’s throw away from my current location. During my last visit I skipped it, as it seemed to much out of the way, but this time it couldn’t be more on the way… I would literally stumble over it on my way to Siauliai, where I had booked a fancy hotel room for a few nights. The Hill of Crosses started to emerge in the 14th century, when the area was occupied by the Teutonic Knights of the Holy Roman Empire. At the time, the spot recited the desire of Lithuanian independence. In medieval times, crosses kept on being placed by Catholics for religious reasons, whereas in the 1830s they served as memorials of the missing and murdered rebels who fought against the Russian control. The Hill even survived the Soviets, known to propagate atheism and punish any religious outbursts. Fair enough, they bulldozed the site no less than three times, but it kept re-emerging. Nowadays, an estimated 200,000 crosses crown the holy hill, which was even visited by the pope. Incomprehensibly, the Baltic Camino does not go through the holiest site of Lithuania. I detected a Camino shell and even received a pilgrim passport stamp, but the main trail goes right passed it.

I looked up, it started raining. It was going to, non-stop, for the days to come. I smiled. I was shown a hard time on the Peraküla-Aegviidu-Ahijarve Trail, but ever since I switched to the Baltic Camino it had just been one long joyride with only the occasional weather resistance. It was almost like the universe just wanted me to have this. Faith? Who knows.

Quick Budget Fact Overview

Latvia Facts

Capital: Riga
Language: Latvian (a minority speaks exclusively Russian)
Population: ± 1.9 mln
Sq km: ± 64,600
Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
Electricity Outlet: F / 230 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
Country Code Phone: +371
Emergency Phone: 112
Visa: Schengen visa (Latvia is part of the EU). Easy visa application here.
Vaccinations: None, although it’s recommended to get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease if you plan to spend a lot of time in the forests, as this is rather common in the Baltics (I personally caught Lyme disease in Estonia but detected it early, so I could get it treated with antibiotics). Healthcare is very cheap in Latvia.
Climate: Cold Winter Humid Continental Climate (Dfb)
High season: July-August

Lithuania Facts

Capital: Vilnius
Language: Lithuanian (a minority speaks exclusively Russian)
Population: ± 2.8 mln
Sq km: ± 65,300
Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
Electricity Outlet: F / 220 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
Country Code Phone: +370
Emergency Phone: 112
Visa: Schengen visa (Lithuania is part of the EU). Easy visa application here.
Vaccinations: None, although it’s recommended to get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease.
Climate: Cold Winter Humid Continental Climate (Dfb)
High season: July-August

Short History Recap Latvia

650: Curonians & Livonians. 750: Curonians fight at Swedish side in Battle of Bravellir. 800: Rebellion against Swedes → refusing to pay tribute. 850: Danish came to conquer, but got butchered and plundered. ’54: King Olaf of Sweden attacked Seeburg & Apulia, area subjected to Sweden again. ’70 & ‘90: Struggles with Danes. 925: Icelandic influence. ’50: Norse occupations. 1100s: First settlements in Courland, Semigallia, Talava, Koknese & Jersika. 1184: Missionaries & Crusades. 1201: Riga founded on site of earlier Livonian settlement. ’02: Catholic military order Livonian Brothers of the Sword founded (by Bishop Albert), fought Livonians and later Estonians. Defeated in ’36 by Samogitians & Semigallians at Battle of Saule. ’42: Alexander Nevsky defeats Livonian Order. ’82: Riga member of Hanseatic League. 1452: Archbishop of Riga & Livonian order rule Livonia together. 1558: Russian Ivan the Terrible attacks. ’61: Livonian War → Livonia now Lithuanian → in ’69: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 1629: Peace of Altmark → Livonia/Courland become Swedish Livonia. ’89: Testaments translated in Latvian. 1700-‘21: Great Northern War between Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sweden & Russia. ’21: Part of Russian Empire (until 1918). 1841: Famine. ’87: Russification. 1914: Start WWI. ‘18: Independence proclaimed. ‘18-’20: Civil war ends in peace treaty with Soviet Russia. ’40: Soviet Union (SU) annexes Latvia / Estonia / Lithuania. Mass deportations to Siberia and Central Asia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades. 70,000 Latvian Jews killed by Nazis & Latvian paramilitary units. ’44: SU returns = more deportations and repression of resistance. ’86: Anti-Soviet demonstrations and nationalism. ’91: Referendum in favor of independence. Later on declared during anti-Gorbachev coup in Moscow. ’94: Last Russian troops leave. 2003: Referendum vote backs EU membership. ’04: Nato & EU. ’06: Citizenship requires to pass Latvian language test. ’08: International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves 1.68bn euro rescue package. ’10: Unemployment 20%, highest in EU. ’11: Pro-Russian Harmony Centre largest party in elections → coalition government excludes it. ’12: Referendum on giving Russian joint official language status rejected by large margin. ’14: Joins Eurozone. ’15: Nato reinforces its presence in Baltics. ’22: Russia invades Ukraine. Latvia declares state of emergency along Belarusian border due to illegal border-crossing attempts.

Short History Recap Latvia

1400s: Jews arrive. 1657: Plague. 1915: German occupation WWI. ’18: Independence. ’20: Independence recognized by Soviet Russia (Treaty of Moscow). ’26: Nationalist party leader Smetona seizes power in military coup. ’39: Soviet military bases. ’40: Soviet invasion, Lithuania incorporated in USSR. ’41: Thousands Lithuanians deported to Siberia. Nazis invade USSR and occupy Lit. ’44: Soviets return, further deportations and repression. ’88: Lithuanian Movement for Reconstruction (Sajudis). ’89: Parliament approves declaration of sovereignty. ’90: Sajudis wins elections, leader: Vytautas Landsbergis, chairman. USSR imposes embargo → economic difficulties → suspension of independence. Soviet troops shoot civilians. ’91: Referendum votes favor independence → recognized by USSR after failed coup. Joins OSCE and UN. ’92: New constitution: Presidency. ’93: Brazauskas president. Litas currency. Complete soviet withdrawal. ’94: Treaty of Friendship with Poland. ’95: Banking crisis. Centre-right coalition. ’97: Border treaty & cooperation agreement with Russia. ’98: Adamkus president (US citizen) → ’99: contract to sell Lithuanian state oil to US. ’03: Paskas presisdent. ’04: Joins NATO. ’04: Paskas dismissed (relation Russian crime). ’04: Joins EU. ’04: Adamkus again president. ’08: Nazi and Soviet symbols banned. ’09: Pres Grybauskaite. ’15: Euro €.

Camino Packing List

(Cursive items are only necessary when you decide to camp, like I did):

Hiking boots
Flip-flops to air the feet at night, and for hygienic reasons when showering
Socks: 3 pairs
Underwear: at least 3 pairs, depending on own levels of hygiene. Sports bra for ladies.
Pants: 2 pairs, preferably covering the top of the shoes to prevent rocks from getting in.
Quick-dry tanktops or t-shirts: 3 pieces, depending on own levels of hygiene.
Fleece layer
Lightweight padded jacket
Hat or cap
Swimming suit
Poncho or rain suit
Rain covers for legs and shoes. The Baltics are incredibly damp, so also without rain you’re likely to get soaked in the morning when walking through overgrown nature trails.
Gloves
Scarf, can be used to cover throat, the head or for picnicking and cleaning.
Microfibre towel
Emergency blanket
Hiking poles
Sunglasses
Reflectors
Headlamp
Phone & chargers (make sure you download the GPS tracks for offline use)
Headphones (I take 2 pairs)
Local simcard: Telia has the best coverage (scroll down for more info on simcards)
Powerbank (when camping: 2 powerbanks or a sun-energy powered one)
E-reader & charger, optional
Pen and paper
Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes, ear buds, lip balm, deodorant, soap, shampoo bar. Optional: hair brush, hair ties, tampons, little mirror, contact lenses and/or glasses, razor.
Sunscreen
Mosquito repellent
Ear plugs and sleeping mask, optional
First aid kit: bandaids, bandages, betadine, aspirin, anti-diarrhoea pills, other needed medication… and very important: a tick pen, there are plenty of those here and they need to be removed asap as Lyme disease and encephalitis are common here.
Feet care kit: Tape, Vaseline, blister bandaids, foot patches, talc powder.
Disinfectant gel
Electrolytes for fast hydration
Camel bag and/or water bottle (when camping: with the potential to hold at least 3 litres).
Lifestraw or water filter
Tent
Sleeping bag
Sleeping mat
Ziploc bags
Pocket knife
Food for up to 2 days. On the Camino you’ll find a shop almost every day, depending on how fast you walk. You burn more energy than on a regular days, so bring more food than you usually eat.
Camping gas, cooking kit, fire (both a lighter and matches)
Titanium pan, cutlery, potentially a plastic plate and cup.
Rope, strong bag & tupperware for strong-smelling food. Repeat after me: Never EVER leave food inside of your tent… if not for bears, then for rats who can eat their way through your tent to reach it. Believe me, I am talking out of experience, I once in Patagonia woke up from rats walking over my face... Always cook far away from your tent and hang the food up in a tree by attaching a stone to a rope and throwing it over a high branch to lift the bag up.
Pepper spray
Passport
Cash money and 2 different credit cards

Budget Bites

Main Supermarket Chains Latvia: Mego, LaTS, Top!, Spar, Vesk, Sky, Elvi, Aibé, Rimi, Lidl and Maxima. Lidl, Mego and Maxima are the more budget-sensitive ones.
Main Supermarket Chains Lithuania: Iki, Norfa, Silas, Narvesen, Cia, Aibé, Rimi, Lidl and Maxima. On both the Latvian and Lithuanian Camino you will run into a supermarket almost every day, with a max. of 2 days in between them. As such, you won’t have to carry much weight in food. Sometimes it will be a local over-the-counter-shop with limited choice, but it’s better than nothing.
Local Dishes Latvia: Bukstinbiezputra (heavy bacon porridge), Griki (buckwheat – eaten for breakfast), Rasols (vegetable potato salad with mayonnaise), Kartupeļu Pankukas (potato pancakes), Stoveti Kaposti (stewed sauerkraut), Piradzini (lard), Karbonade ar Kaulu (pork chops), Asinsdesa (blood sausage), Smoked Fish, Pelekie Zirnie Ar Speki (grey peas with lard), Silke Kazoka (herring), Sasliks (shaslik), Piradzini (meat-stuffed bread), Rupjmaize (rye bread), Maizes Zupa (rye bread soup), Auksta Zupa (cold beet soup), Frikadeļu Zupa (meatball soup), Skabenu Zupa (sorrel soup), Galerts (head cheese), Auksta Gala (cold meat in jelly), Biezpiena Sierins (curd snack), Rupjmaizes Kartojums (rye bread and cream dessert), Biezpiena Placenisi (cottage cheese pancakes).
Local Dishes Lithuania: Cepelinai (potato dumplings with meat), Saltibarsciai (cold soup), Burokeliu Sriuba (beetroot soup), Silke (herring), Zemaiciu or Bulviniai Blynai and Kugelis (meat pancakes), Karbonadas (pork steak), Saslykai (grilled fat meat), Vedarai (pig intestines), Skilandis (stuffed pig’s stomach), Kepta Duona (fried bread), Kibinai (meat and veggie pastries), Vistienos Sultinys (chicken broth), Desra (sausages), Troskinti Rauginti Kopustai (sauerkraut stew), Didzkukuliai (potato dumplings), Lasiniai (pork fat with skin), Grybukai (cookies), Ragualois (high cake).

The Veg Situation: Going veg could be complicated in Latvia and Lithuania, as traditionally meat and fish are central in most meals. That said, most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here and here . These are concentrated in the bigger cities, you won’t pass many of them hiking.
National Drinks Latvia: Beer (Alus in Latvian), Kvass (fermented beer-like drink, alcohol-free / same as Kali in Estonia), Medalus (honey beer), Cider, Sweet Berry-Based Wines.
National Drinks Lithuania: Mead / Stakliskes (fermented honey drink), Beer (also Alus in Lithuanian), Kaimiskas Jovary (naturally fermented beer), Samane & Starka (rye spirit), Traiktine Dainava (fruit liquor), Sweet Berry-Based Wines.

Hiking food: You want to go high-energy and low-weight. For breakfast I swear by oatmeal, which I make with milk in powder-form. I usually add nuts, seeds or any fruits I can find along the trail. This gives me energy for hours and it’s easy to carry. For lunch I generally make simple sandwiches, which are very filling with the Baltic rye bread. Dinner has to fit in one pot, so I generally make pasta, rice or fastest of all: couscous. I carry low-weight vegetables like mushrooms or salad and generally cut some dried sausage on top. For flavor I carry basic spices (as well as loooots of chili) and sauces in powder form… liquids are too heavy! For snacks I focus on nuts, dried fruits, muesli bars and berries I find along the trail.

→ A great solution for tasty trail meals offering a bit of variation are freeze-dried foods. The technique of freeze-drying refers to a low-temp dehydration process, which preserves the food’s original healthy nutrients. The great advantage for us hikers is the low weight of these products… a more-than-enough portion weighs as little as 100-120 grams! The local Estonian company Baltic North offers an impressively big collection of freeze-dried meals, varying from paella to Indian curries to mashed potatoes. They even provide the service of sending them directly to you on the trail, via the Omniva post boxes that can be found all over the Baltics next to almost every supermarket. Like this, you can restock easily and you won’t have to carry too much weight.

Conveniently, this company also provides all type of outdoor equipment as well as rentals that can be sent directly to you on the trail.

Sleep Cheap

Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: Of all Baltic countries, Latvia is right in the middle when it comes to costs. Lithuania is cheaper than Latvia. That said, you are walking the Camino, and that comes with certain perks: On every section affordable accommodation is made available to pilgrims, usually in the pastor houses of churches. I listed the options in the articles per hiking section. Most are donation-based, but a tip of minimum EUR 10 is expected. Unlike Spain, France and Portugal, you will most likely be the only pilgrim visiting, so a prior reservation is necessary to guarantee someone can open the door for you. Emails are generally not replied to, and English is not widely spoken outside of the bigger cities (most people just hung up on me if I called in English). Therefore, it’s useful to make some Latvian and Lithuanian contacts in advance to make the phone calls on your behalf. Agita Ubele is the person responsible for Latvian Camino accommodation, her Whatsapp is +371 29284599.
Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Latvia is rather big and active, and many of the hosts live on or close to the Latvian Camino. In the Latvian section, I Couchsurfed on 3 occasions (and another 4 times at a later stage outside of the Camino route). In Lithuania I didn’t Couchsurf on the Camine route itself, but I had 4 Couchsurf stays in the weeks after, I also used Warm Showers, which is in principal a bikepacking community focussing on 1-night stays. That said, long-distance hikers fit well with these type of travellers and are warmly welcomed.
Wild Camping: is entirely legal in both Latvia and Lithuania, with the exception of private land. You can literally spend the night anywhere you want, as long as you don’t leave a mess and treat nature with respect.

Useful Latvian Trail Words (at least, they were to me)

Greetings

Sveiki = Hello
Labrit = Good morning
Labdien = Good afternoon
Labvakar = Good evening
Es nerunaju latviski = I don't speak Latvian
Es esmu… (holandietis) = I'm… (dutch)
Paldies (tev) = Thank you
Piekriaana = Cheers to that, agreeing

Hiking

Pargajiens = Hiking
Es eju tukstos kilometru = I walk 1000km
Kempinga = Camping (the activity)
Telts = Tent
Gulet = Sleep
Iela = Street

Food & Drinks

Udens = Water
Vins = Wijn
Alus = Beer
Kafija = Coffee
Prieka = Cheers
Laby Apetiti = Enjoy your dinner
Izbaudi = Enjoy

Useful Lithuanian Trail Words (I spent less time here, so less words)

Greetings

Sveiki = Hello
Labas = Hi
Labànakt = Good night
Saldzhiu sapnú = Sweet dreams
Iki (greito) = See you (soon)
Aciu = Thank you

Food

Kava = Coffee
Vandua / Vandens = Water
Ar turi vyno? = Do you have wine?
I sveikata = To your health
Suris = Cheese

Mama Said

Safety: Latvia and Lithuania are very safe countries. No animals will kill you here. Bears are so rare that when one is spotted, it actually makes the news. Latvian people are more extraverted than Estonians, and Lithuanians are more extraverted than Latvians, but generally they keep to themselves and besides a small chit-chat here and there they won’t bother you.
Tap Water: is safe to drink. Latvians also love their natural water sources for water provision, but you’ll generally need a local to point those out to you as they’re not clearly signposted. I drank straight from the streams in the forest without any issues, but I used a lifestraw/filter for the water from the bigger rivers or when close to a town or farmland. However, when cooking a filter wasn’t needed, as the act of boiling already kills the bacteria.
The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Most Latvian and Lithuanian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are generally accepted everywhere, even in the countryside.
Simcard Latvia: Buying a local simcard is by all means cheaper than using your international roaming option. The main providers are LTM, Zelta Zitvina / Tele2 and Bite. LTM has the biggest network coverage and the fastest connection, which makes it most attractive for a hike in the countryside. You can cheaply buy their simcard in one of their outlets, or otherwise at any gas station, kiosk or supermarket. You don’t need to bring an ID. As their packages are inconveniently weekly and not monthly, I preferred to visit an LMT outlet and pay the exact amount of credit for the number of weeks I intended to be in Latvia (at the end of the week the package automatically extends if you have enough credit). As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. In order to use your sim outside of Latvia but within Europe, you must turn roaming on… keep in mind that the amount of minutes and data you can use outside of Latvia is less. Bite has the cheapest deals, but a rather bad reputation. Tele2 is decent, but their connection is not as fast and widespread as LTM’s.
Simcard Lithuania: You can continue using your Latvian simcard in Lithuania, as a chunk of your data will still work in other European countries. However, if you want a Lithuanian sim, you can choose between Telia (Extra & Ezys, only the latter has data roaming), Tele2 (Pildyk) and Bite (Labas). You can simply buy them in the brand stores, supermarkets, gas stations, kiosks and post offices. No ID is needed.

Transport

Walking: This is the main purpose of this journey, of course. On the Latvian Camino, expect a combination of (mainly) nature trails, dirt roads and asphalt roads, all easily accessible except of a small section in Gauja NP. A big chunk of the Latvian Camino overlaps with the beautiful Baltic Forest Trail. In Lithuania, it’s mainly countryside until at least Kaunas.
Cycling: Most stretches of the Latvian and Lithuanian Camino are also suitable for cycling. Latvia is pretty bicycle-friendly, with even the occasional bicycle lane. I found the traffic to be quite intense in Lithuania, with many reckless drivers.
Public Transport Latvia: Riga has a combination of city buses, trolleybuses, minibuses and trams, which operate from 5AM until midnight. However, outside of the capital you can only find buses to get around in town. You can buy tickets at the occasional ticket machine (not at every stop), Narvesen outlets, on the Mobily app or (more expensively) pay the bus driver in cash. In most buses, you can’t pay by card. You also have to validate your ticket at the electronic validator. During the 4-5 weeks I spent in Latvia, I have never been checked for a ticket though.
Public Transport Lithuania: The capital Vilnius offers a combination of buses, express buses and trolleybuses. In the countryside there are only less-frequent buses that only go once or several times a day. You can top up the JUDU or Vilniecio card for payment, available in train- and bus stations, airports and kiosks, or buy tickets online at the m.Ticket or Trafi apps. It is also possible to buy a more expensive paper ticket from the driver, paying in cash.
Taxi / Uber: Uber is not available in Latvia (2023/2024), but Bolt is. Another option is Yandex. Uber does operate in Lithuania, as well as Bolt and eTaksi.

Intercity Buses: are very frequent in the bigger cities, but generally only go once or a few times a day in the countryside. Therefore, prior planning is key. Google Maps is unreliable for bus times, as it’s not always up-to-date. Instead, use the local 1188 app or website or the (rather user-unfriendly) website Autoosta.lv. In Lithuania, you can buy tickets online at Autobusubilietai.lt.
Train: Latvia’s train network connects Riga with certain parts of the country in a rather low-cost manner, but the lines and departure times are limited. The operating company is called PV, and you can check the routes and buy 10% discounted e-tickets on their website. In Lithuania the train network is operated by LTG Link. The further in advance you buy your ticket, the cheaper it gets.
Car Rental: is pretty cheap in Latvia, as well as in Lithuania. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport, from other locations it can be 3 or 4 times more expensive.
Airport: Riga Airport (RIX). Vilnius International Airport (VNO). Kaunas International Airport (KUN).
Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Latvia and Lithuania, but definitively not common. Not everyone is willing to invite a stranger into their car, so waiting times might be slightly longer compared to other countries. That said, I hitchhiked on plenty occasions in Latvia and I always managed with relative ease (as a woman alone)… with the exception of some deserted roads in the south around Kraslava. It’s easier in Lithuania than in Latvia.

Next?

International Destinations Close By: Russia, Estonia, Belarus, Sweden, Poland.

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