The Pearl of Samogitia National Park (the route is adapted for travellers with reduced mobility)

The Samogitia National Park, which is located by the Plateliai Lake also called ‘the pearl of Samogitia’, welcomes over 150,000 visitors every year. Visitors to the park are attracted by the mysterious depths of Plateliai Lake, unique tourist attractions, variety of nature trails and other services for tourists. To make the acquaintance with the exceptional natural and cultural heritage available to all people, the park is continuously developing products and services that are accessible to everyone.

Those wishing to learn more about this protected area should start their tour at the Plateliai Visitor Centre. An interactive exposition – the Mysteries of the Land of Samogitia – installed there will be of interest not only to children but also to adults, while during the tour you can find out what makes the park exceptional or listen to the legend of the origins of Plateliai Lake.

An exclusive object in Plateliai is the display of Mardi Gras masks in the stables of the Plateliai Manor Homestead. It contains more than 300 masks for Mardi Gras celebration that could compete for the title of the most scary one. Those interested in the Samogitian way of life, traditions and customs will learn many interesting things and have exiting experiences in the Centre of Traditional Crafts of the Plateliai Manor Homestead. Here, the smell of beeswax emanates from candle making activities, yeast pancakes are cooked, tastings of traditional Samogitian dishes take place and educational activities to learn crafts and ethnocultural traditions are held that can also be attended by the groups of people with disabilities.

The most beautiful sights of Plateliai Lake can be admired and the breath of nature felt when walking along the Šeirė Nature Trail. It is best to start the route with the wonderful view of the lake at the Plateliai Lake observation deck, from which the nature trail along the shore of the lake leads through forests towards the Kumelkaktė peninsula. About 3 km of the trail is adapted for people with reduced mobility.

During the tour, you will see the Mysteries of the Samogitian Land exposition of the Plateliai Visitor Centre, the exposition of the Samogitia National Park and display of Mardi Gras masks, as well as will visit the Centre of Traditional Crafts of the Plateliai Manor Homestead, where you will participate in the selected educational activities available there (felting of wool, candle making, culinary heritage tasting educational activities, thematic pre-holiday educational activities (Mardi Gras, Christmas, Easter), butter croissant of the Plateliai Manor)*.

Recommended for groups of 10 to15 people.

The price is set individually based on the selected tourist attractions and educational activities.

*Objects adapted/partially adapted for disabled:

The Mysteries of the Samogitian Land exposition of the Plateliai Visitor Centre: The exhibition installed on the first floor is adapted for people with reduced mobility. Although access to the second floor is via staircase, there are interactive elements throughout the entire exhibition that can be of interest to people with visual impairments and mental disorders.

Samogitia National Park and Mardi Gras expositions: the display of Mardi Gras masks is adapted for people with mobility impairments.

The Centre of Traditional Crafts of the Plateliai Manor Homestead: adapted for people with disabilities and equipped with an elevator; various educational services are provided.

Educational activities suitable for people with disabilities:

Candle making: suitable for people with disabilities, except for people that have to move in wheelchairs;

Felting of wool;

Culinary heritage tasting educational activity;

Thematic pre-holiday educational activities:

Christmas period – baking of kūčiukai (Christmas Eve biscuits);

Mardi Gras – yeast pancake tasting educational activity;

Easter – decorating Easter eggs. Note: This educational activity is not suitable for the blind and partially sighted;

Butter Croissant of the Plateliai Manor.

Routes suitable for the disabled:

Tour around Plateliai town: During the tour, you will visit the exposition of the Plateliai Visitor Centre, Plateliai Manor Park (including the thickest ash in Lithuania), Plateliai Church (access to the church for people with mobility impairment is not available), and Plateliai Lake observation deck (adapted for people with disabilities). Number of participants: the minimum number of the tour participants is not defined and the maximum number of participants is 50.

Šeirė Trail: 1.5-km section of the Šeirė Trail is adapted for people with mobility impairments. The tour starts at the Plateliai Lake observation deck, which is adapted for people with mobility and visual impairments, and then continues on the Šeirė trial along the Plateliai Lake shore towards the Kumelkaktė Peninsula. On the Kumelkaktė Peninsula, there is an observation deck and a tactile stand in Braille, which provides information about the birds of Plateliai Lake.

The route is linear (returning via the same road); the distance is about 4 km.

The tour lasts about 2 hours.

Note: An assistant is required if a participant has a mobility impairment.

Note: the number of participants in each educational activity varies depending on the severity of the impairment. In all cases, we suggest consulting the staff who provide the service in question about the possibilities of adapting the service to people with different disabilities.