Nestled among inland sand dunes, Lake Bakanauskai is a hidden gem in Dzūkija National Park—a mysterious lake surrounded by pristine wilderness, lying at the heart of a remote bog. This remarkable landscape is home to an exceptional variety of rare and protected plant species, including marsh clubmoss (Lycopodiella inundata), downy willow (Salix lapponum), sphagnum mosses, heather, wild rosemary (known for its strong, intoxicating fragrance), bog rushes, and bog bilberries. Growing among the sphagnum moss is one of Lithuania's rarest fungi, the sphagnum earth tongue (Geoglossum sphagnophilum).

Lake Bakanauskai and the surrounding bog were formed when a block of glacial ice, left behind by the retreating ice sheet and buried beneath sediments, eventually melted, creating the lake basin. Today, the Bakanauskai Bog covers 29.4 hectares, while the remaining lake spans 4.2 hectares.

A narrow wooden boardwalk, approximately 100 metres long, leads visitors safely across the bog all the way to the lake, offering a unique opportunity to experience this extraordinary landscape without disturbing its fragile ecosystem.