My Summer Plans – Sailing the Nemunas!

On this day eight years ago, I set sail from Rosslare in Wexford (Ireland) on a huge adventure – to travel through Europe in a small camper van, seeking out delicious food and wonderful scenery. That trip took me through England, France, Spain, Portugal, Switerland and Germany before arriving here in Lithuania. What was meant to be a short break to fix the air conditioning in the camper turned into a whole new adventure as I bought a small house and set about renovating it to create a cosy homestead.

The last eight years have passed in a blur, full of highs and lows, as is the way with life. I began to grow most of my own vegetables, kept chickens and a goat, took part in a TV show, wrote two books and then toured Lithuanian schools and libraries with one of those books. I also took up wildlife photography, which has become one of my consuming passions. All in all, it’s been an incredible eight years.

But like most people, having been tied to one spot for the last year, I am getting itchy feet! So I can’t tell you how delighted I was to be invited to sail the length of Lithuania’s longest river, the Nemunas, this summer on a fabulous raft called Nemo. Nemo is the brainchild and personal creation of its captain, Renatas Žyla. Renatas designed and built the raft himself, managing to squeeze a huge amount of accommodation and facilities into a relatively small space. Guests onboard the Nemo can enjoy a luxury glamping experience, with comfortable accommodation, excellent food, nightly entertainment and an onboard sauna. And all of this while sailing along the beautiful Nemunas river, with stunning scenery, amazing wildlife and spectacular sunsets at every turn. The RiverWord experience is an adventure from start to finish!

The trip begins in Druskininkai, a town in southern Lithuania not far from the border with Belarus, and runs for over 500 km to the Curonian Lagoon on the western side of Lithuania, weaving through towns and villages along the way. I have created a map of the trip and will be sharing photos and stories along the way, so be sure to subscribe to the blog to watch the trip unfold. For daily updates, follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

Click individual sections of the river on the map to see details of that trip.

Disclosure: This post is not an advertorial or sponsored post. While I will be travelling as a guest aboard the Nemo, I am not being paid to write content or share photos. I am taking part in the trip because it sounds phenomenal, and as part of my long-established desire to share the beauty of Lithuania with the world.

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