Kretinga District Municipality, with parts in Skuodas and Plungė districts
Samogitia
regional park with ancient river valleys and karst landscape
Visitor centre: Laivių g. 9, Salantai, Kretinga District
56.06200, 21.57600
half a day to a full day
late spring to autumn, when the river valleys are most attractive
Salantai RP
Salantai Regional Park: land of river valleys and stones
Salantai Regional Park was established in 1992 and protects one of Samogitia's most distinctive corners: the ancient valleys of the Minija, Salantas, and Erla rivers and the karst landscape around Salantai town. VLE gives the park's area as about 13,265 ha, covered with forests, cut by river valleys, and dotted with stony fields.
This is a park where nature and culture form one whole. Winding river valleys, steep slopes, and boulder fields stand beside hillforts, old villages, and churches, so the park is not one place but an entire network of visitor sites.
Natural values
The main axis of the park is the ancient river valleys. The Minija, Salantas, and Erla valleys, with outcrops and springs, form the most scenic part of the park. A separate highlight is Šaukliai Boulder Field, called Lithuania's tundra: a large stone field with junipers, reminiscent of a northern landscape.
The park also has many other natural monuments, including large stones, outcrops, and old trees. The karst character of the region and rich fauna mean that parts of the territory are protected as reserves and included in the European protected-area network.
Cultural heritage in the park
Salantai Regional Park is also known for cultural heritage. It contains Imbarė Hillfort, one of the region's most impressive Curonian hillforts, as well as Kartena and other hillforts. Near them stand the Neo-Gothic Salantai church and old village homesteads.
The park's most famous cultural site is probably Orvidai Homestead in Gargždelė, a space of stones and wooden sculptures created by the Orvidas family. This combination of hillforts, churches, and unusual homesteads makes the park convenient to visit as a continuous route.
How to visit
The park is managed by the Samogitia Protected Areas Directorate, and a visitor centre operates in Salantai at Laivių g. 9, where you can get maps, trail information, and see an exhibition. The park has nature trails, water and cycling routes, and an observation tower near Kalnalis.
The park territory is visited freely and without a general entry fee. It is best to come from late spring to autumn, when the river valleys are most beautiful. Allow half a day or a full day and combine several sites: Imbarė Hillfort, Orvidai Homestead, and river-valley trails.
