The Off-Grid Sauna and Plants Camp
A four-day off-grid pirtis field course from the Lithuanian Bath Academy. Participants build temporary stone heaters, bind whisks, learn plant-based bathing care, and construct wild showers in the forest near Vilnius. No prior sauna experience required.
The Pirčių sodas venue near Vilnius. Photo: Lithuanian Bath Academy. Official source
The Lithuanian Bath Academy’s Off-Grid Sauna and Plants Camp is a four-day field course in survival bathing, held at Pirčių sodas near Vilnius. The curriculum covers plant identification and ethical gathering, whisk binding from birch, oak, maple, and juniper, construction of a temporary stone krūsnis (heater), fire and water management, and site restoration.
Day one introduces prepared plant materials and a light evening pirtis session. Day two moves outdoors for plant walks, whisk making, and preparation of the off-grid bathing area. Day three is the centerpiece: building the temporary stone heater, wild shower, and cooling area, culminating in an evening bathing session in the space the group created. Day four covers care, dismantling, and restoration of the site.
The Academy was founded by Rimas Kavaliauskas and Birutė Masiliauskienė to restore Lithuania’s pirtis tradition, which nearly vanished after independence in 1990. It holds ISA membership and Lithuanian intangible cultural heritage recognition, and has trained roughly 5,000 students across Europe, Japan, and the US.
Registration
- Early bird: €360 (until June 24, 2026)
- Regular: €460
- Deposit: €160 required
- Accommodation: €20–30/night (shared house, separate)
- Capacity: ~8 participants