The Kiauna River route is for those who aren’t keen on spending much time paddling through lakes or visiting mounds and other well-known spots. Kiauna is for thrill-seekers, as it’s one of the most winding rivers in Eastern Aukštaitija, stretching through the Labanoras forests and marshes.

You’ll start your canoe trip from the bridge at the end of Pakiaunio village. Once you get into the canoes and paddle under this bridge, you’ll find yourself in the Kiauna Landscape Reserve. As you paddle further along the Kiauna River, the shores will delight you with rich vegetation, forests feeding the river, and you’ll pass marshes, which are an integral part of our nature. Paddling in spring, you’ll see dams built by beavers from branches, other terrestrial vegetation, mud, water grasses, and other materials these “builders” find in nature. After admiring the beavers’ “architecture,” you’ll pass many villages: Stirnines, Briedines, Jakutiškis, Vasiuliškės village, and further on—Žvirbliškė, Kūrinių village, recognizable by the road bridge.

From the aforementioned Vasiuliškės village, the more thrilling experiences begin: you’ll pass fallen trees, swift bends, and stone “obstacles.” Maybe you’ll get lucky and take a dip in the swift Kiauna current! The more adventure-filled stretch of the trip will continue until the Kūrinių village bridge.

When you paddle under the Kūrinių village road bridge, connecting the Molėtai-Ignalina road, you’ll paddle the winding Kiauna for about 2 km, with trees that have grown there for a long time leaning along the shores. The riverbed will gradually become straighter, adorned with a pleasant tree alley, leading you into Lake Gilūtas.

With the current helping, paddle to Gilūta, then steer the canoes to the left—towards the east—and continue for ~0.6 km. until you reach the lake’s channel. The length of the lake’s channel is ~800 m. Continuing through it, you’ll enter Sekluočio Lake.

On the right side of the channel, you’ll see a cozy sandy shore. Here, you can take advantage of the great opportunity to wade or swim. After enjoying the water activities, leave the resting area clean and tidy!

After passing the channel and entering Sekluotis, you’ll likely be greeted by elegant swans. Paddle along Sekluotis—eastward. This lake isn’t very deep, so the canoe bottoms will be brushed by tall water grasses. Now you probably understand why the lake got its name J. After paddling about 0.75 km, as you approach the shore, direct the canoes to the right—southward. Then paddle all the way to the river flowing out of Sekluotis.

FINISH (I)

This little stream, which will carry you to the finish, is part of the Kiauna River but is sometimes called Kernauja. You’ll soon see Kukliai village, embracing the riverbanks. In Kukliai, before reaching the concrete bridge, you’ll find a convenient shore for disembarking on the right side, in the meadow.

IF YOU PADDLE FURTHER…

Think you still have energy left? If so, you can continue the trip towards the Žeimena River. The banks of the Kiauna River will be lined with pine forests. After paddling about 2 km, the current will slow down, gradually carrying you to the mouth of the Kiauna River. Kiauna is the first right tributary of the Žeimena River.

FINISH (II)

You’ll enter the Žeimena River at the confluence of Kiauna and Žeimena, located in the village of Šakališkės. At the confluence, you need to turn left, so that after 400 m. you can disembark on the shore of Šakališkės village or, a bit further (3 km from the confluence) in the town of Kaltanėnai. If you finish the journey in Kaltanėnai, you’ll visit the Kaltanėnai church, built of red clay bricks, distinguished by its early 20th-century neo-Gothic style. The church was built between 1903 and 1909.