On the north-south axis of the neighboring countries of Estonia and Latvia, there are three completely distinct wonderlands for nature-loving individuals: Lahemaa and Soomaa National Parks in Estonia and Gauja National Park in Latvia. All of them are blessed with ancient and pristine nature, each in its own way.<\/p>\n
The jewels of Lahemaa National Park include not only the clean air of its bog forests but also magnificent manors, quaint fishing villages with a sense of the era, and a unique submarine harbor.<\/p>\n
Soomaa National Park’s greatest pride lies in its bogs, species-rich floodplain forests, and unique large-scale floods.<\/p>\n
The value of Latvia’s largest Gauja National Park is its diverse landscape, biologically rich forests, and picturesque views of sandstone cliffs and outcrops.<\/p>\n
With the changing of the seasons, one can find extraordinary views from land, water, and air in the national parks. Visitors can easily access countless hiking trails, whether on foot, by bicycle, on horseback, or by watercraft. There are relaxation opportunities for every taste. Local culture and traditions also offer experiences worth discovering.<\/p>\n
Lahemaa National Park \u2013 Viru Bog, Hara Submarines, Manors, and Captain’s Village<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Upon arriving in Estonia, it’s a good idea to start by exploring the pearl of North Estonia, Lahemaa National Park. Lahemaa wins hearts with its lush forests, beautiful beaches, and fishing villages characterized by the region’s unique architecture. The park is traversed by several well-marked long-distance hiking trails, such as the RMK Oandu-Ikla hiking trail and the Metsa trail, which is part of the E11 international hiking route. The first trail offers camping spots along the way, while the second provides local accommodation at the end of the day’s journey.<\/p>\n In Lahemaa, there are several places where you can pitch a tent or stay in a hut: Mustoja, Kalmeoja, and N\u00f5mmeveski are a few of them. The campsite is equipped with a fire pit with a grill, picnic tables, firewood, and a dry toilet. All of this can be used responsibly for free. One must only remember that the right of everyone applies – everyone has equal rights to stay and camp there.<\/p>\n For a shorter hike, the trail in Viru Bog is ideal, located just a half-hour drive from the capital, Tallinn. This bog hike alone is worth the trip to Lahemaa. The first part of the bog and the observation tower can also be accessed by wheelchair and stroller. The total length of the trail is six kilometers, and it\u2019s advisable to set aside a couple of hours to complete the easy route.<\/p>\n However, Lahemaa is not just a nature park. Here, several well-maintained manor complexes offer visual delights. One cannot overlook Palmse Manor, first mentioned in the Middle Ages when the Danish king gifted the land to the St. Michael’s convent in Tallinn. However, nuns have never been seen in Palmse, which has been famous for its manor community over the centuries. Today, an open-air museum operates here, where visitors can stroll through the manor gardens and the palm house and get a glimpse of the luxurious lifestyle of the gentry.<\/p>\n A unique attraction in the entire Baltic region is located in Lahemaa at Hara Bay, where the Soviet border guard built a military harbor with a submarine base.<\/p>\n Once you’ve had your fill of military heritage, you can embark on an adventure trip from the harbor to the military town, Hara Island, and the forests and coastal villages of the Juminda Peninsula.<\/p>\n For those indifferent to military heritage, the Majakivi hiking trail is just a stone’s throw away, where you will encounter a massive boulder, the third largest erratic in Estonia. You can climb up a ladder to admire the surrounding pine forest from the treetops, and why not do some yoga, write in a hiking journal, or have a picnic there. There are about a thousand similar “giants” in Estonia, but only a few can be climbed using a ladder. One of them is located in the legendary Captain’s Village of K\u00e4smu, right by the water’s edge.<\/p>\n K\u00e4smu stands out from other coastal villages with its more impressive houses. Here, sailors were once trained, and many of them reached the rank of captain in their careers. This naturally meant a more substantial income, which was reflected in the grandeur of the houses. Today, K\u00e4smu is a summer retreat for the cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me of Estonia’s cultural figures. The maritime museum located in the heart of K\u00e4smu is like the dot over the “i” in the Lahemaa exploration.<\/p>\n Soomaa National Park \u2013 the Fifth Season, 10,000-Year-Old Bogs, and the Haabjas<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Established in 1993, Soomaa National Park in Central Estonia is characterized by vast bog plains, with winding, low-banked rivers that seem made for water trips. The bog and forest hiking trails are a dream destination for those wishing to experience untouched nature. The surrounding area has a hypnotic effect, and time perception and haste quickly fade away while moving through this region.<\/p>\n The Soomaa area is the bottom of a glacial lake formed nearly 10,000 years ago when the continental ice retreated, leaving behind sediments that do not allow water to pass through. As the ice and lake receded, flat marshy areas remained, which over time transformed into bogs. During the Soviet era, the authorities wanted to convert the marshes into farmland and established drainage systems in several places, which today’s Estonian state is trying to revert back to wetlands.<\/p>\n Soomaa got its name over 100 years ago from geography professor Johannes Gabriel Gran\u00f6, who first mentioned the area by this name. There are five major bogs in Soomaa. The largest, Kuresoo Bog, is also the largest bog massif in Estonia. It can be admired on a few-kilometer hike along the Ingatsi educational trail, where a mesmerizing view opens from the observation tower over the bog. To reach the bog, one must walk up stairs, as the bog has risen over ten meters over the millennia, while the forest has not. The bog continues to rise by one millimeter each year.<\/p>\n Between the hiking trails of Soomaa, you can travel by car or bicycle, as in several places, rivers interrupt the paths of hikers. It is definitely worth taking a picnic basket and towel on your hike to enjoy swimming in the bog lakes. Bog swimming can also be done on the Riisa and H\u00fcpassaare hiking trails, in addition to the Ingatsi trail.<\/p>\n Soomaa is one of those places that is much more than it seems at first glance. The biggest feature and magnet of this area are the floods, which locals call the fifth season. The spring flood is caused by a large amount of precipitation or rapid snowmelt, causing the water to overflow the low-banked rivers and inundate the surrounding landscape. In some years, the floodwaters have risen nearly a meter per day and continued like this for three to four days in a row.<\/p>\n In many places, you can see signs of the record-high water levels from flood years. Standing on dry ground, it seems unimaginable that the water can be chest-deep and even submerge the handrails. Just like humans, the plant, animal, and bird species here have adapted to the temporary abundance of water.<\/p>\n The largest “floods” arrive in Soomaa in March-April, but they can occur in any season with heavy rains. One thing is certain, each fifth season has its own character. Then all of Soomaa transforms into a vast water expanse, leaving even the lower roads submerged. Some locals have to conduct their affairs using watercraft. In contrast, interested visitors have the opportunity to paddle a canoe, kayak, or SUP board as if in a real Amazon – through forests, floodplains, and river meadows. This natural wonder has gained fame for Soomaa worldwide and continues to attract more tourists from near and far.<\/p>\n Three low-banked rivers flow through the national park – Lemmj\u00f5gi, Halliste, and Raudna. Canoeing is a popular way to move around here even when the flood recedes. In the past, single-log boats, or haabjas, were crafted and used here, which has become one of the symbols of the protected area. In Soomaa, the boat was made from willow wood and was the only means of transportation during floods. The haabjas was, of course, used year-round for trips to the store, school, or dairy. In 2021, the haabjas was included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list.<\/p>\n In Soomaa, beavers feel at home, and their activities can be observed on the fairytale-like Lemmj\u00f5e language forest trail and the Beaver Trail in T\u00f5rama. The latter begins at the visitor center of Soomaa National Park, where you can find more detailed information about hiking trails, local nature, and attractions, as well as facilities for washing and camping.<\/p>\n Gauja National Park \u2013 Amazing Nature and Memorable Settlements<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Latvia’s largest, Gauja National Park, is known for its primeval forests, sandstone cliffs, and biological diversity. In the national park, one natural wonder follows another, with nearly 500 cultural and historical monuments in between: manors and castles, fortresses and citadels, mills and churches, remarkably beautiful architecture, and museums.<\/p>\n The national park was established in 1973 and is named after the Gauja River, where, with a bit of luck, you might catch a glimpse of kingfishers flashing by. The area is an ideal place for leisure activities, whether hiking on foot, cycling, or canoeing.<\/p>\n If you happen to visit the area, be prepared to encounter primeval nature, relax from the fast-paced city life, and challenge yourself on some nature hikes.<\/p>\n The national park stretches from Sigulda to Valmiera, with the ordinated town of Cesis and the former paper industry town of Ligatne in between. Both have beautifully preserved history, and moving around gives the feeling that the entire settlement is one large museum.<\/p>\n In Sigulda, located at the southwestern edge of the national park, you can ride a cable car and go bobsledding on a track that has only 18 similar ones worldwide. Thanks to the surrounding forests, Sigulda has gained fame for its clean air and relaxation opportunities for centuries. While there, find out what the locals have with their walking sticks. You can see them both on city streets and in souvenir shops. If you still have energy, climb the tower of Turaida Castle (especially recommended in autumn!) and take a walk at the grave of the Turaida Rose, which has a rather sad story according to local legend.<\/p>\n One of the trademarks of Gauja National Park is the variously colored sandstone cliffs, nearly 350 million years old. They contain both caves and fascinating rock formations. The most famous cliffs are the 22-meter-high Erglu Cliff, which offers a magnificent view of the Gauja Valley from its edge, and the nearly half-kilometer-long Sietiniezis Cliff, which translates to “sieve rock.” Caves and pillars, niches and arches – there is something to admire at every turn. Additionally, this wall has a rare gray hue. For relaxation, you can find both a picnic area and a swimming spot nearby. Just pitch your tent and soak in as much peace and quiet as your heart desires.<\/p>\n In some very old forests, you may feel like you are in a fairy tale, where forest fairies live among moss-covered trees and ferns. In fact, forests cover almost half of the national park. With 33 lakes and nearly a hundred kilometers of the Gauja River, you can alternate between hiking and cycling with water activities.<\/p>\n At the end of the Gauja National Park tour, take a breather at the Valmiermui\u017ea Brewery, established in an old manor, which is much more than just a place to taste hop beverages. Here, you can find local artisans’ crafts and delicious food, and the air is thick with history.<\/p>\n For those who appreciate saunas and water treatments, head harmoniously into nature to the Ziedlejas Nature Spa, where special rituals cleanse both body and spirit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On the north-south axis of the neighboring countries of Estonia and Latvia, there are three completely distinct wonderlands for nature-loving individuals: Lahemaa and Soomaa National Parks in Estonia and Gauja National Park in Latvia. All of them are blessed with ancient and pristine nature, each in its own way. 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