Flora & Fire: The Off-Grid Sauna Skills Camp

Date: 2026-06-15, 14:00

Location: Sauna garden
Map: Melkys vil. Pikeliškių county, Vilnius

Day 1 — Arrival, Plants and First Pirtis

The first day is an arrival day. Participants gather in the afternoon, from around 14:00–15:00, settle in, meet the group and enter the atmosphere of the camp.

We begin simply: with a practical introduction to prepared plant materials and natural pirtis care. The plants, herbs, infusions, aromatic waters and body-care mixtures will already be prepared in advance, so this first meeting is not a long forest walk or harvesting session. It is a calm introduction to how plants can be used in the pirtis space.

Participants get familiar with herbal teas, plant aromas, gentle scrubs, cooling infusions and simple natural body-care preparations. The focus is on direct experience: smell, touch, warmth, steam and comfort.

In the evening we enter the pirtis. This first session is light and welcoming. It helps the group arrive, relax after travel, and prepare for the more practical days ahead.

You will experience:
arrival, group introduction, prepared plant materials, herbal teas, aromatic pirtis water, simple natural body-care, and a first evening pirtis session.

You will make or prepare:
a simple personal plant-based pirtis mixture or tea blend, using materials prepared for the first day.

Day 2 — Plants, Whisk Binding and Preparation for Wild Pirtis

The second day is dedicated to plant knowledge, gathering and the making of whisks.

In the morning we go outdoors to learn about local plants used in pirtis practice. Depending on the weather, timing and group condition, this may include a plant walk, ethical gathering and, if possible, a slower therapeutic walk through the local hillfort landscape.

The aim is practical: to recognise useful trees and plants, understand when and how to gather them, and learn how not to damage the place we take from.

In the afternoon we bind whisks. Birch, oak, maple, willow, hazel, juniper and other plants may be used depending on what is available and appropriate. We look at their different qualities: softness, strength, scent, heat, flexibility and how they feel on the body.

Later in the day we begin preparing the off-grid pirtis area for the following day. This may include sorting stones, preparing firewood, choosing the place, planning the temporary bathing space and setting up the first elements of the outdoor pirtis environment.

In the evening we test the freshly made whisks in the pirtis. The focus is simple and practical: how the whisk moves steam, how it touches the body, how different plants feel, and how to use them with care.

You will experience:
plant recognition, ethical gathering, possible hillfort walk, whisk binding, preparation of the off-grid pirtis area, and evening practice with fresh whisks.

You will make:
your own whisk for use in the pirtis.

Day 3 — Off-Grid Pirtis: Fire, Stones and Wild Water

The third day is the most technical and outdoor-based part of the camp.

We continue building the temporary off-grid pirtis environment using simple materials: stones, wood, poles, rope, canvas, water and fire. The purpose is to understand how a bathing space can be created with minimal infrastructure.

The group learns the basic logic of a temporary stone krūsnis: how stones are selected and stacked, how the fire is managed, how heat is stored, and how the hot stone core becomes the source of steam.

We also prepare the temporary shelter, organise the bathing area, arrange water, and build a simple wild shower. Safety, fire control, stone stability, cooling and group responsibility are part of the practice.

The day may also include an introduction to the Japanese kamaburo tradition as a comparison with Lithuanian and Northern European steam bathing. This gives participants a broader view of how people in different cultures have used earth, heat, enclosure and stillness.

In the evening the technical work becomes a bathing experience. We use the space created by the group: heated stones, steam, whisks, water, cooling and rest.

You will experience:
temporary stone heating, field pirtis preparation, wild shower making, outdoor steam bathing, fire and water management, and off-grid group bathing.

You will make:
part of a temporary off-grid pirtis environment: stone heater, shelter elements, water system and bathing space.

Day 4 — Ecology, Pirtis Care and Closing

The fourth day is dedicated to care: care for the place, care for the pirtis, and care for what remains after the camp.

We clean and restore the bathing area, dismantle temporary structures, sort materials, remove waste and return the site to good order. This is not just housekeeping. In traditional pirtis culture, how we leave the place is part of the practice.

We discuss ecological responsibility in pirtis work: responsible gathering, fire safety, water use, ash and soot, plant waste, cleaning products, and how to maintain a pirtis without damaging the surrounding environment.

We also look at basic pirtis maintenance: drying, ventilation, cleaning, care of wood, stones, tools, buckets, whisks and plant materials.

The camp closes with a short reflection: what was learned, what can be taken home, and how these skills can be used in personal, family or professional pirtis practice.

You will experience:
space cleaning, ecological site restoration, pirtis maintenance, final discussion and camp closing.

You will take home:
practical knowledge of plants, whisks, steam, off-grid bathing, pirtis care and ecological responsibility.

Accommodation and Practical Details

Participants will stay in a simple shared house located about 1 km from Pirčių sodas, the main place of the course. The house is in a quiet natural area surrounded by forest, so the whole camp keeps a close connection with nature, silence and outdoor living. This is not hotel-style accommodation, but a simple shared living arrangement suitable for a practical nature-based camp.

Accommodation is shared dormitory-style, with space for up to around 10 people. Participants should expect simple, communal conditions: shared sleeping areas, shared facilities and a relaxed group atmosphere.
There is a separate kitchen where food can be prepared. Meals and cooking can be organised practically within the group, depending on the final camp arrangement.

The accommodation place also has a small pirtis/sauna, which may be used in the evenings outside the main course programme. This gives participants an additional opportunity to relax, warm up and enjoy the atmosphere after the day’s activities.

The main course activities take place at Pirčių sodas, about 1 km away. Participants can walk there, or transport by car can be arranged when needed.
The expected accommodation cost is  €20-30 per person per night, depending on the final number of people sharing the house.Overall, the accommodation is part of the camp experience: simple, close to nature, communal and connected with the rhythm of pirtis, plants, fire, water and outdoor life.

Themes covered

• Making whisks

  Practical theme, which includes:

  • collecting and preparing twigs;
  • types of whisks;
  • ways of making whisks;
  • quality requirments;
  • conservation of whisks.
• Recognising plants

  Excursion to the nature, looking for the plants to be used in sauna. Collecting herbs and branches for whisks. Rules of collecting plants.

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• Whisking with different whisks

  Practical theme which includs:

  • testing different whisks;
  • whisks for steaming, whisking, heat protection, natural aromatherapy, scrubing;
  • using different types pf whisks ir whisking scenario.

  A glimpse to seminar

  

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  This theme has additional information available only to logged in users.

Rimas Kavaliauskas

The event is open foe everyone, no special skills required. 

Early registration price 460€ (till May 15), normal 560€. The registration requires paying 160€ and the rest is payed upon arrival. 
Important! Accomodation price is not included! If you plan to stay in a hollyday house booked for the participants, the expected accommodation cost is €20-30 per person per night.