Forest mushroom hunting in Lithuania
Mushroom hunting tours in Lithuania. Contact vacation villa “Dzukijos uoga” for wild mushroom foraging experience: info@dzukijosuoga.lt +37069963565 (WhatsApp, Viber)
Mushroom hunting in Lithuania is the way of life. This is a popular weekend activity for locals. We even host an annual forest mushroom festival in the southern town of Varena. Here you can participate in the mushroom hunting tournament and taste various mushroom recipes of Dzukija land. Traditionally, we boil, fry, bake, dry or pickle them for later.
Most Lithuanians acquire wild mushroom foraging skills in early childhood.Usually, when picking forest delicacies together with their families.It is not surprising that many people can be found in the woods just when the season begins.
Boletus edulis ( Cep, Penny Bun,Porcini, King Bolete) is a frequent catch during our mushroom hunting tour in Lithuania.
There are more than 380 types¹ of edible mushrooms in our country. But be careful. One can only imagine how many types of poisonous mushrooms grow here.Therefore, we decided to organize wild mushroom foraging tours for vacationers from abroad. Plan your next vacation in Druskininkai – Lithuania with us!
Mushroom foraging tour in Lithuania
Mushroom foraging tour in Lithuania for families with kids. Ask us about forest mushroom hunting: info@dzukijosuoga.lt +37069963565 (WhatsApp, Viber)
The hosts of the forest vacation lodge organize individual mushroom picking trips. No matter whether you are a family with children or a group of 15 fungi hunters.Here is what we offer:
♦ Presentation of edible fungus in Lithuania and mushroom hunting tips in Dzukija region;
♦ Guided mushroom foraging tour in Dzukija National park, in the vicinity of the holiday home;
♦ Cooking wild mushroom soup on a fire according to traditional Lithuanian recipes. The soup is made from the catch collected by the participants of the mushroom tour;
♦ Accommodation in a cozy vacation villa in Dzūkija National Park. The holiday home is located a tiny charming village surrounded by pine forest and waterfront;
♦ Mushroom harvesting experience can be combined with other outdoor activities: guided kayaking tours, sightseeing trips, tasting of traditional Lithuanian food and relaxation in a wood-fired steam sauna.
Cooking mushroom soup on firewood in the yard of the “Dzukijos uoga” holiday cottage. Contact us for mushroom foraging activities in Lithuania: info@dzukijosuoga.lt
Mushrom hunting festival in Varena
Dzūkija is the most forested region of southern Lithuania, famous for mushrooms and berries.Varena is a small quiet town in Dzukija, unofficially called the capital of mushrooms. It is located next to the Dzukija National Park with all the interesting places of Druskininkai region.
A well-known mushroom festival is held in Varėna every year.Crowds of tourists come here for a mushroom picking tournament, a colorful fungi-hunters parade, local handicraft bazaar and Lithuanian folklore concerts. And of course for the abundance of wild mushroom dishes and traditional drinks.
The catch of the Lithuanian mushroom hunting tournament in Varena. Contact us for mushrooming : info@dzukijosuoga.lt +37069963565
The exact date of the Varena Mushroom Festival may vary from time to time. It is better to ask the local hosts when the fungi festival will be held this year. Anyway, the mushroom hunting tournament in Lithuania always takes place in September. This is the height of mushroom season in the land of Dzukija.The spectacular fungi fiesta attracts enthusiasts from all over the world.
Traditional Lithuanian cuisine dishes in Varena mushroom festival
Lithuanian mushroom hunting tournament dates & order
Typical order of Varena Mushroom Festival in Lithuania:
♦ 07.00 – 10.00 Mushroom hunting championship. The tournament usually starts in the village of Marcinkonys near Varėna;
♦ 10.00 – A ceremonial welcome of the train of mushroom pickers at the Varėna railway station;
♦ 10.30 – A colorific mushroom festival parade, combined with various attractions and traditional Lithuanian food;
♦ 11.00-17.00 –Local handicraft market, folk music bands, Lithuanian cuisine, mushroom hunting champion awards and various competitions throughout the town of Varėna;
♦ 17.00- 22.00 – Concerts of local bands;
♦ 22.00 – Fireworks.
Fungi collecting tips & mushroom season in Lithuania
Mushroom hunting tips & seasons. Contact us for the mushroom tour: info@dzukijosuoga.lt +37069963565
What is the best time to pick mushrooms in Lithuania? Mushroom foraging season in Dzukija National Park begins at the end of August. Depending on weather, it can last until the end of October or even the beginning of November.
We always present mushroom foraging dos and don’ts for vacationers. Here are some of them:
♦ Never pick unknown mushrooms! Lithuania has a wide variety of edible and poisonous fungus. The most popular edible mushrooms in Lithuania are: different kinds of Boletus, Russula, Chanterelles, Butter-Mushrooms, Parasol Mushrooms, Saffron Milk Caps, Milk Agaric, Green Mushrooms and many others.
In addition to edible the fungi, there are many extremely poisonous ones. We even have a Green Death-Cap ( Amanita phalloides ) that can kill you in a seconds. By the way, it has some similarities with Green Russula!
Poisonous mushrooms in Lithuania : Red Death – Cap is a common fungi in our forests
♦ Make sure your smartphone is fully charged and local navigation is enabled. This is the only way of communication in case you get lost
♦ Don’t walk alone. It’s a good idea to go to a group or hire a local mushroom expert. Southern Lithuania is famous for its endless forests. You must have experience to go there. Having a local mushroom connoisseur near you can be a big plus!
Find more holiday ideas in our Lithuania photo gallery >>
How to cook wild mushrooms?
Lithuania travel video: how to cook wild mushrooms. Tips & tricks
Cooking times for wild mushrooms may vary. It depends on the specific species. It usually takes 30 to 45 minutes. Here are some tips for preparing wild fungi dishes.
♦ Cook the same day you collect them. Keep them in a cool place;
♦ Clean the mushrooms and wash well just before cooking;
♦ Put the cleaned mushrooms in boiling water and cook for at least 30-45 minutes;
♦ Once boiled, mushrooms can be fried in a pan with vegetables or added to various dishes.
♦ Only a few types of mushrooms can be fried directly on the pan without boiling (such as chanterelles and russules)
♦ Fry mushrooms on butter for the best taste!
Mushroom hunting experience from the past
A group of experienced mushroom hunters from Ireland visiting holiday cottage “Dzukijos uoga” in Lithuania.
Mushroom festival in Varena is the biggest local celebration of the year.The Fungi fiesta attracted a wide variety of people from all over the world.The festival has also been targeted by various film companies.
In recent years, groups of Japanese, German, British, French, Polish and Irish mushroom connoisseurs and movie makers have visited “Dzūkijos uoga” vacation cottage in Alytus county. They were pleased with our comfortable accommodation and great excellent activities in Lithuanian nature.
A family from the UK cooks a traditional mushroom soup from their catch.Respite after an active mushroom hunting tour with the family.
Mushroom hunting attraction in Lithuania is a great activity for families with children. You will be surprised how much fun it is to find a forest mushroom. Not to mention all the other entertainment offered by the owners of the villa “Dzūkijos uoga”.
That’s what happens when you find boletus on a mushroom hunting tour. Contact vacation villa “Dzukijos uoga” to find out about the attractions of your next holiday in the Lithuanian countryside: info@dzukijosuoga.lt +37069963565
Forest accommodation for mushrooming tour
A stylish vacation villa “Dzukijos uoga” for your wild experience in Dzukija National Park, Lithuania
For groups of mushroommers, we are happy to offer comfortable forest accommodation with a waterfront view.We can host groups from 8 to 18 holidaymakers.We accept only one group of vacationers at a time.You will be alone in the entire territory of our comfortable holiday letting in Lithuania.
Besides the mushroom foraging,we can also arrange guided kayaking tours around Druskininkai, traditional Lithuanian dishes on a campfire, relaxation in a fire-heated steam sauna and much more. So if you are dreaming of a special holiday in Lithuania – go for “Dzukijos uoga”!
ASK US ABOUT MUSHROOM HUNTING IN LITHUANIA!
