The route starts in a north-easterly direction. After a few kilometres there are dense forests on both sides of the road. These forests, often part of large National Parks, will determine the image for the coming hours.
Before the route enters such a National Park, the Vilkasalė restaurant is a nice place for a cup of coffee.

Labanoro Regional Park is a beautiful and diverse protected area in eastern Lithuania, covering parts of Švenčionys, Molėtai and Utena counties. The park was established in 1992 and covers approximately 553 square kilometres, making it the largest regional park in Lithuania.
The park is known for its rich biodiversity, with a variety of landscapes including dense forests, numerous lakes and wetlands. About 80% of the park is covered by forests, mainly pine forests. The park is home to about 285 lakes, including the impressive Black and White Lakes Lakajai, Stirniai and Siesartis. These water bodies, together with the park’s rivers and streams, create a picturesque and serene environment.
Labanoro Regional Park is also a haven for wildlife, with many protected species of plants and animals. The park is famous for its populations of elk, wolves and lynx. In addition, the park contains several cultural heritage sites, including ancient burial mounds, old settlements and traditional wooden architecture.
The park offers various recreational activities including hiking, bird watching and water sports, making it a popular destination for nature lovers and tourists.

The route passes right by Visaginas, the site that was purpose-built for the Ignalina nuclear power plant. The Ignalina nuclear power plant was similar to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, both in design and in its lack of a robust containment system. Because of these similarities and safety concerns, Lithuania agreed to close the plant as part of its accession to the European Union. The first reactor was shut down in December 2004 and the second reactor in December 2009.
The plant supplied about 70% of Lithuania's electricity demand and was responsible for 25% of the country's electricity production capacity. After the plant's closure, proposals were made to build a new nuclear power plant on the same site, but these plans have not yet been realized.

Just before the border with Estonia, in this sparsely populated area, RestoBaZar in Zarasai is a lovely place for lunch.

In Estonia, the route soon follows the Daugava River. The Daugava River, also known as the Western Dvina or the Väina River, is a large river that rises in the Valdai Hills in Russia. The river flows through Belarus and Latvia and empties into the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. The total length of the Daugava is approximately 1,020 kilometers, of which 352 kilometers flows through Latvia and 325 kilometers through Russia.
The Daugava River has an important historical and cultural significance. In the Middle Ages, the river was part of the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks, an important route for the trade of furs and Byzantine silver. The river is also a national symbol of Latvia and is often mentioned in literature and music.

After leaving the riverbank, only about 130km remained to the city limits of Riga. The last part of the route runs through a green, glowing and watery part of Estonia.

Riga is a distinctly different city from Vilnius, where this route began. Riga, the capital of Latvia, is a city with a rich history and vibrant culture. Situated on the banks of the Daugava River, Riga is the largest city in the Baltic States and an important economic, cultural and political centre in the region. Things to see in Riga include the Old Town, Riga Cathedral and the Freedom Monument.