Kamanos Reserve is the largest northern peat complex surrounded by agricultural lands in Lithuania. The reserve includes the Kamanos Peatland (2434 hectares) and the surrounding peatland forests. During the last glacial retreat, the glacier's front melted in multiple stages, leaving concentric moraine ridges. Later, post-glacial basins were filled with sediment. In the depressions between the ridges, lowland bogs gradually formed into raised bogs, growing over the ridges and merging into a cohesive peat massif. The former ridges are now marked by islands and peninsulas. The average thickness of peat in the peatland is 3.8 meters, with the maximum reaching 7.2 meters. Notable formations in the raised bog include peat bog pools and hard-to-reach areas surrounded by thick sphagnum moss. In twelve of Kamanos' quaking bogs, there are more than 120 bog pools. The northern part of the peatland features a larger Kamanos Lake (6.6 hectares).

Kamanos Peatland formed in the junction of the Venta River and its tributary, the Vadakstis. The southern drainage is facilitated by the Pragalvis along with small right-bank tributaries of the Venta. From the west, the Ašva with the Swamp contributes, while from the east, the Agluona tributaries feed into it.

In the 19th century, ditches were dug along the edges of the peatland to drain water, and the network continued to expand. In the early 20th century, canals were dug up to Kamanos Lake, after which it experienced a significant decline. In the seventh and eighth decades of the last century, old canals were renovated, and many new ones were dug, aimed at draining the forest. Their total length is over 12 km. Recently, there has been particular concern about the impact of drainage canals, and efforts are made to restore the groundwater level, with some canals being redirected.

The largest areas of Kamanos Reserve's raised bogs are covered by stunted Scots pine forests with low pine trees, mosses, heathers, and bog blueberries. Bog hummocks are covered with peat mosses. In these areas, cranberries, heathers, and cotton grasses dominate among shrubs and grasses. The peatland is surrounded by forests composed of various coniferous and deciduous trees, often mixed forests. Unique communities in the clearings of raised bogs are the white Sphagno tenelli-Rhynchosporetum albae communities, where dominant herbaceous plants are white cottongrass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri) and round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia). The raised bog also contains rare round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), rapidly declining marsh fragrant orchid (Hammarbya paludosa) in transitional bogs, military orchid (Orchis militaris), and others in meadows.

The insect world in the reserve is represented by such rare butterfly species as the globally protected large copper (Lycaena dispar), black Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne), and swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

There is a large and colorful variety of bird species in Kamanos. During migrations, flocks of greylag geese (Anser anser) and cranes (Grus grus) settle here. During the breeding season, rare northern lapwings (Pluvialis apricaria) that have found a refuge in Kamanos can be observed. The reserve is also home to a substantial population of black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix), corncrakes (Crex crex), and various other bird species.

In the forests around Kamanos, you can find black storks (Ciconia nigra), lesser spotted eagles (Aquila pomarina), and honey buzzards (Pernis apivorus). Many mammals also find excellent shelter in the reserve. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) and moose (Alces alces) are among the characteristic inhabitants of Kamanos. Additionally, rare mountain hares (Lepus timidus), hardly found elsewhere in Lithuania, breed here. One or two wolf (Canis lupus) families permanently live in the area, and lynxes (Lynx lynx) are occasionally encountered.