Lithuania · Klaipeda · Premium route guide
Curonian Spit - Klaipeda to Nida
Pine forest, giant dunes and the lagoon on a UNESCO sand spit.
Take the vehicle ferry from Klaipeda to Smiltyne, then ride the only road down the Curonian Spit through Juodkrante, Pervalka and Preila to Nida, and back the same way. Built from our own track.
- Distance
- 117 km
- Peak elevation
- 25 m
- Elevation gain
- 272 m
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Lithuania · Klaipeda
- Out and back
- 100% paved
- Ferry required
The route
Ferry from Klaipeda to Smiltyne, south through the forest to Juodkrante, Pervalka, Preila and Nida, then the same road back to the ferry.
Works with Garmin, TomTom, BMW Navigator, Calimoto, Kurviger, komoot, MyRouteApp. Import as a track to ride the exact line. Road data from OpenStreetMap (ODbL); elevation from SRTM.
Track vs. route, how to load this into your GPS
What you are downloading is a GPX track, a dense, road-snapped breadcrumb of the exact line, with elevation on every point. It is not a GPX route (a short list of turn waypoints your device re-plans between). Tracks preserve our road choice; routes let the device pick its own way and can send you down a boring motorway shortcut.
How to use it on your navigator:
- BMW Navigator / Garmin Zumo / zumo XT: import as a track, then Convert to Route (or Trip Planner, new trip from track) if you want turn by turn prompts. Keep Recalculation off so it stays on our line.
- TomTom Rider: import the GPX in MyDrive, it loads as a track / itinerary. Enable Follow the exact route so it does not re-plan.
- Calimoto: open the GPX and choose Import as tour, Calimoto follows the track line.
- Kurviger / komoot / MyRouteApp: open the GPX and pick Import as track to keep the road choice. Only choose Import as route if you want the app to re-plan for your bike profile.
- Google Maps / Apple Maps: these do not read GPX. Use the map on this page for turn cues, or import the file into a GPX capable app first.
Rule of thumb: if your device asks "track or route?", pick track to ride our exact line, pick route only if you want the device to re-plan.
Elevation profile
From ~-2 m at the base to 25 m at the top, 272 m of total climbing across the route.
Our track is 117 km on the road plus about 1 km of ferry each way, with very little climbing. Allow about 2.5 hours of riding, plus ferry and stops.
Why ride it
One quiet road between the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon, fishing villages, smoked fish, and the huge Parnidis dune above Nida.
Hazards
Deer and elk crossing in the forest, strict speed limits and checks in the national park, summer weekend traffic and cyclists near the villages.
Fuel
Fuel in Klaipeda and Nida. Fill up in Klaipeda before the ferry.
Best months and difficulty
May to September. Difficulty: easy.
What to see along the way
- Klaipeda New Ferry Terminal - Vehicle ferry to Smiltyne.
- Smiltyne - Ferry landing on the spit.
- Juodkrante - Fishing village and Hill of Witches.
- Pervalka - Lagoon-side village.
- Preila - Smallest village on the spit.
- Nida - Turnaround point. Do not ride further south.
Rent a bike
Rent a motorcycle or scooter for Curonian Spit - Klaipeda to Nida
Flying in? Pick up a bike near the start of the route. We've pre-filled the pick-up city with Klaipeda / Nida - change it if you're basing elsewhere.
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