Walk Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Experience Overview
Discover the rugged beauty of the Baltics on this walking holiday through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. This tour takes you through the three capitals, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius, as well as the states' biggest national parks. Try your hand at bog walking (seasonal), traverse the dunes of the Curonian Spit and uncover ancient fortresses in sprawling forests.
Explore the Baltic capitals - Wander through the enchanting capital cities: Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn.
Walk the Curonian Spit National Park - Take on the vast sand dunes of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bog Walking - On July to September departures, try your hand at bog walking in Lahemaa National Park
Highlights
Discover the Baltic States with six easy walks in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania|Explore the pristine national parks of the Baltics|Discover the cultural heritage of the region
Trip Details
Product Code: 20212
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: BusFerry
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
Explore Worldwide
Supplier Code: ELL
Starts: Estonia
Finishes: Estonia
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
- Explore Tour Leader
- Driver(s)
Accommodation
- Park Inn by Radisson Central Tallinn
- Palmse Distillery Guesthouse
- Kollona Cesis
- Rixwell Konventa Seta Hotel
- Nidus Hotel
- Amberton Vilnius Hotel
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2,280 ($285 /day)
Itinerary
Our tour of the Baltics starts in the capital of Estonia, Tallinn. The city itself is something of fairytale wonder, perched on a hill overlooking the sea and with a charming medieval old town that's earned itself UNESCO World Heritage status.
For those arriving in time today, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for a welcome meeting followed by the option to go for dinner. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive at any time. If you would like an airport transfer, you will need to arrive into Tallinn Airport (TLL), around a 20-minute drive from our hotel. If you miss the meeting, our tour leader will catch you up ASAP.
Tallinn is a walkable city so if your flight arrives earlier, you might like to stretch your legs and explore. Take a stroll down the cobbled streets that lead to the bustling town square and marvel at the 14th-century town hall.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Park Inn by Radisson Central Tallinn
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - No
- Breakfast Provided - No
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: None
This morning, we'll start with a short walking tour of Tallinn's enchanting Old Town. Walking through the cobbled streets, the colourful houses show off influence from the German, Scandinavian and Russian periods of Tallinn's history, we'll pass by them and wander towards the old merchants' quarter and the busy town square.
Afterwards, we'll travel east to Estonia's largest national park, Lahemaa National Park. As well as its abundant nature, the park also celebrates Estonia's culture heritage and is home to ancient fishing villages and 17th-century manor houses. Today, we'll walk the Beaver Trail, discovering the diversity of plant and animal life and looking out for beaver dams along the Altja River Valley. If we're lucky, we might see the beavers themselves.
Our walk ends in the 400-year-old fishing village of Altja. On trips departing from July onwards, we've the opportunity after lunch to learn to bog walk in traditional shoes. Similar in construction to snowshoes, these strap onto your walking bootshoes and the frame prevents the wearer from sinking into boggy terrain. Unfortunately this activity isn't available between April and June due to bird nesting season.
Tonight, we'll spend the night in the national park in a beautifully converted distillery.
Today's Beaver Trail walk covers 4 kilometres/2.5 miles and is expected to take around 2 hours along gently undulating forest tracks. The afternoon bog walk covers 6 kilometres and is expected to take around 3 hours.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Palmse Distillery Guesthouse
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
Today, we'll cross the border into Latvia and drive to Cesis in the Gauja National Park, a four hour drive away. En route we may break the journey at the small town of Viljandi. Gauja National Park is the biggest in the country and has been given the nickname the Latvian Switzerland thanks to its rolling hills. Within the park, you can find the valleys of the Gauja River as well as over 500 historical sites including forts, castles, and windmills. The medieval town of Cesis is over 800 years old and its 13th-century castle was the main stronghold of the Livonian knights who ruled Latvia and Estonia during medieval times.
This afternoon, we'll take a forested nature trail through the park to the banks of the Gauja River, finishing by Eagle's Cliff from where there's a beautiful views. The 3 kilometre/1.8 mile walk should take around 45 minutes and the terrain is slightly hilly and forested. There are some sections of wooden steps, not always well maintained, where care should be taken.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Kollona Cesis
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
This morning, we'll drive to Sigulda to walk another nature trail through the forests and river valleys of the Gauja National Park. Our route will take us past the ruins of the Livonian medieval fortress and the neo-gothic castle ending at the 13th-century Turaida Castle. Along the way, we'll take a ride in a cable car to get a view of the forest from above.
In the afternoon, we'll journey on into Latvia to its capital, Riga. On arrival, we'll take a walking tour to get acquainted with the city. Riga is a very walkable destination, with most of its must-sees in one area - we'll take advantage of this and tick off the Freedom Monument, Gunpowder Tower, Saint Jacob's Church and the cathedral along the way.
Today's walk covers 8 kilometres/5 miles and should take around 3.5 hours. The terrain is undulating and forested.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Rixwell Konventa Seta Hotel
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
This morning, we'll drive west to Kemeri National Park, which was founded in 1977 to preserve the local wetlands, coastal lakes, and dunes. We'll take a walk along the raised boardwalk above the wetlands, discovering the distinctive mosses, bog pine trees and small pools and lakes. We'll then return to the seaside and spa resort of Jurmala for lunch. Jurmala has drawn tourists for years thanks to its curative mineral waters and therapeutic mud.
After lunch, we'll continue south and cross the border into Lithuania. We'll continue for around six hours to Klaipeda before taking a ferry to Nida on the Curonian Spit, our base for the next two nights.
Today's walk covers 4 kilometres/2.5 miles and is expected to take around 1.5 hours. The terrain is flat.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Nidus Hotel
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
Today we'll begin to explore the wild landscapes of the Curonian Spit. The Curonian Spit National Park is a 98-kilometre-long sand dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. Chains of sand dunes up to 60 metres high, breaking waves, pine forests and old Curnonian houses all make up this UNESCO Heritage Site.
We'll take an 11 kilometre/6.8 mile walk through the varying landscapes of the national park. Our walk is expected to take around 3.5 hours and the terrain is mainly flat and sandy with some forested areas.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Nidus Hotel
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
We have a long journey ahead of us today, around six hours, to Trakai, the former home of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Located on a peninsula in Lake Galve, Trakai is famous for its 15th-century castle, which sits on its own island. We'll stretch our legs with a scenic walk around the town and the castle.
After our castle visit, we'll make the short journey onwards to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. On arrival, we'll take a short walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town, taking in the ancient university, the cathedral and St Anne's Church.
Today's walk covers 4 kilometres and is expected to take around 2 hours. The terrain is mostly flat with forested trails in some parts.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Amberton Vilnius Hotel
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
Our tour of the Baltic capitals ends at our hotel in Vilnius.
There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like a hotel transfer, you'll need to depart from Vilnius International Airport (VNO), around a ten-minute drive from the hotel.
Accommodation:
- Type -
- Accommodation Name -
- Grade -
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Explore Worldwide
A prominent adventure travel company with over four decades of experience, this business that offers a comprehensive array of unique and thrilling experiences worldwide. Catering to various interests, they provide small group journeys, walking and cycling trips, solo holidays, and family adventures.
In Business Since 1981
Reviews
Michael - Traveled, August 2024
Walks are easy and only part of this trip. Don't need walking boots - I mostly wore heavy duty sandals. The trip felt quite fast-paced, because there could be several activities each day and long drives on some days. I appreciated that to do the itinerary these journeys were necessary, but there was not much free time. I enjoyed the old towns of each of the capital cities but it would have been nice to spend more time in them, especially Vilnius. Accommodation was all very good. The group leader Leva did an excellent job. I was impressed how she handled one couple who clearly had not read the trip notes! My favourite place was Nida, a resort on the Curonian Spit which I'd never heard of - a lovely laid-back place where we spent 2 nights and we had some free time. The bog walking on day 2 was an "unusual" experience. Finally the Baltic States have, for me, a fascinating history and geography of which I was previously only vaguely aware but thanks to Leva I now appreciate more.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/15/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2024
Walks are fairly short and easy. Walking boots not really necessary except for keeping your feet dry bog walking likewise only a small rucksack needed. Good mix of city break and seeing the countryside.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/21/2024
Karen - Traveled, June 2024
Organised and efficient way to see the highlights of the 3 Baltic states with a small group.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/21/2024
Lisa - Traveled, June 2024
This was my second Explore trip, and it didn't disappoint. Our leader, Ona, was very knowledgeable of the area's history (being Lithuanian). She shared quite a few stories - some folklore and even her personal history - during our bus travel, which made the trip more interesting. Hotels were all very good. The hiking was not strenuous, but folks should be fit walkers. As others have noted, the visit to Riga was far too brief and fell at the end of a longer travel day so made it harder to fully enjoy the city. A good itinerary overall to see this area of the world !
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/21/2024
Andrea - Traveled, June 2024
The trip was an introduction to the Baltic States with an itinerary that included enough walking to make it interesting, but not too demanding. It was a group of 11 women, which I have not experienced before with a walking tour, but there were no issues . Our guide, Ona, was extremely capable, very informative and passionate about the history of the 3 countries. The driver, Lambert, had a medical emergency which Ona coped with very well at short notice. The itinerary was diverse, including the 3 capital cities and several coastal and rural destinations. Everything was fascinating. The hotels were very good, particularly the Konventa in Riga.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/21/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2025
Very nice sample of the three countries. I particularly enjoyed the medieval towns. We had a nice mix of forests, beaches, castles, old towns, and bog walking. For me, one bog walk was enough. I appreciated the knowledgeable and witty tour group guide.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/15/2025
Ross - Traveled, June 2025
A pleasant tour of the Baltic capital cities and surrounding countryside with some reasonably long but comfortable drives in between. The hikes are largely flat and undemanding, but quite scenic. This particular departure was somewhat let down by a guide who was knowledgeable, but failed to develop any rapport with the group so the experience felt quite subdued and uninspiring.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/13/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2025
Accommodation excellent, but could be a little less hotel chain like. Itinerary is busy and days should start earlier to avoid late meal time. Guide very knowledgeable and caring about customers but could better pace the hikes, not easy as the group had very different walking speed.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/07/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, September 2024
Beautiful countries and cities. Our knowledgeable guide helped convey the history and culture of where we visited.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/15/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, September 2024
Great tour—Tauno was very knowledgeable and cared about giving a great tour. The itinerary was great—however, I’d say it was a bit too fast-paced and the days were too long. Maybe too ambitious for the amount of days. Perhaps making it an 8 or 9 day tour would be better.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/24/2024
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