Wild Estonia

After arriving in Tallinn, we first travel to the west coast to Matsalu National Park. Here we check into a guesthouse in a stunning setting, not far from the Baltic Sea. That same evening, we embark on our first hike through Matsalu National Park to observe moose and the local birdlife.

Today is dedicated to the Estonian archipelago. More than 2,200 islands belong to Estonia, many of them pristine and uninhabited. We’ll first take a ferry to Hiiumaa (German: Dagö), Estonia’s second-largest island, and then transfer to a small fishing boat that will take us to the smaller islands just offshore. Rare ringed seals, part of the southernmost Baltic Sea population, frequent the islands of Hanikatsi and Saarnaki. Not at all shy, they often peer curiously out of the water or rest on rocks in the shallow Baltic Sea. We’ll anchor off the small, uninhabited island of Saarnaki and explore its historic farmsteads and the surrounding juniper forests. In the evening, we’ll return to the mainland.

Today we’re exploring Matsalu National Park, searching for moose, beavers, and rare birds. Hunting is prohibited in the delta of the small Kasari River, making sightings of the magnificent moose highly likely. The floodplain and reed forests of the national park are the most important resting area in the Baltics during the northern bird migration. Millions of migratory birds pass through in spring and autumn, including almost the entire population of northern swans, geese, and cranes. In late spring, the meadows in the delta and along the shallow sea bays offer a wide variety of orchid species and other rare flowering plants. This afternoon, we’ll take a boat trip along the Kasari River. From here, we’ll have the opportunity to see northern geese, cranes, ducks, moose, bats, and beavers.

In the morning, we will visit the lagoon city of Haapsalu, the former spa town of Russian tsars and the composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The city’s train station, built entirely of wood, and its imposing bishop’s castle are particularly impressive. In the afternoon, we will change accommodations and travel to Soomaa National Park, the largest raised bog national park in Europe. The word “Soomaa” means bogland, and here in southern Estonia, it is primarily vast raised bogs that have formed over a process spanning millennia. In spring, the melting snow causes regular flooding, which the locals call the “fifth season.” The inhabitants have adapted remarkably well to the constantly changing conditions and have developed their own flood culture without interfering with the natural water cycle.

In addition to raised bogs, the national park also protects naturally meandering rivers. This morning, we’ll take a canoe trip on the beautiful Raunda River. In comfortable canoes, we’ll paddle past beaver lodges, ancient aspen trees, spruces, and oaks. The Kuresoo raised bog covers ten thousand hectares and has a peat layer up to seven meters thick. It’s a vast freshwater reservoir. Only with bog boots can we venture into the enormous, domed bog and discover its unique flora and fauna. Among the plants, we’ll find many special species that prefer nutrient-poor conditions, such as sundew, dwarf birch, bog rosemary, and cloudberry. The forests bordering the bog are particularly charming, home to the three-toed woodpecker and the hazel grouse. Here, we can sometimes also spot the majestic golden eagle and the elusive black grouse.

About half of Estonia’s 1,000 wild bears live in the forests and bogs of the country’s northeast. To see them, we drive to the Alutaguse forest area in the afternoon and settle into a comfortable, specially constructed cabin. The bears are cautious and only reveal themselves before sunset. While we wait, we enjoy watching raccoon dogs, foxes, badgers, and perhaps even moose, which occasionally like to drop by. Various birds can also be observed from the cabin.

Today we travel to Tallinn, Estonia’s capital. Our hotel is located right in the Old Town. In the afternoon, we meet for a two-hour guided tour. It takes us through what is probably the most intact medieval city in Europe, with an original street system dating back to the 13th century. Many houses from the 15th century still stand in their original size and form, and all the important and representative government buildings and churches are intact.

The morning is free for individual exploration of the city. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home. We would be happy to arrange a trip extension for you.