Itinerary

Day 1

Riga Kandava Kuld PÄavilosta (310 km)The tour starts at about 10:30 from the hotel or from the Airport Riga. The travellers move into the direction of Kuld, through the beautiful nature park of the Abava River Valley. On the way a stop must be made to see the grandest oak in the Baltic Kaive's noble oak (its perimeter exceeds 10 m) and to climb the castle mound of Sabile. In Kuldga the travellers have lunch in a cosy pub, followed by a short walk in the old town centre of Kuldga and to the Venta River rapids (the widest 240 m - falls in the Baltic). Further on the roads become narrower and narrower until they turn into real forest paths, the Tebra River has to be crossed and after some time Paavilosta a small, nice town at the coast of the Baltic Sea comes into the view. If the weather is fine, a short walk can be taken along the harbour's breakwater. Then forest roads carry the travellers to the Lighthouse of Akmea†rags, built in 1921, where after mounting more than 150 steps it is possible to see the forests of the neighbourhood and also the lighthouse which continues to perform its functions. After seeing the lighthouse there remain a few more kilometres to the place of dining and the overnight stay a guest house located in a pine forest about 200 m from the sea.

Day 2

PÄavilosta Liepaja Curonian Spit Klaipeda - Plunge (310 km)First thing in the morning the route takes the travellers along country roads to Liepaja the third biggest city in Latvia. A short trip by car through the old, multiform city (the old town, military port, the Northern Forts, wind generators). About 40 km from Liepaja, shortly before crossing the Lithuanian border, we visit the wild horse pasture in Pape and the ancient fishermen farmstead in Village of Pape.
The main goal of the day two tour is the visit to the Curonian Spit (a national park). The sand dunes of the Curonian Spit are the highest in Europe - their height reaches 45 and even 68 metres! If the weather conditions are appropriate a short cycling tour can be organised to become closer acquainted with this singular formation of nature. To reach the Curonian Spit and get back again a ferry over the sea strait has to be taken from Klaipeda.
From Klaipeda the tour continues along country roads to Plunge where a substantial dinner and rest at the hotel awaits the travellers.

Day 3

Plunge Siauliai Ukmerge (280 km)The third day starts with an excursion in the National Park of Aemaitija representing the hillocks with lakes in between them so characteristic to the upland of Aemaitija (Samogitia); it is possible to see and purchase articles made by local craftsmen in the park. The travellers move on to Siauliai where they have lunch and then proceed to the Hill of Crosses the sacred place for Lithuanians. The first crosses were put up there at the beginning of the 19th century but today one can see more than ten thousand crosses of various shapes and sizes and their number is continuing to grow.
The tour proceeds along country roads with characteristic Lithuanian landscape to a guest house near Ukmerge. The third day is over.

Day 4

Ukmerge Trakai Vilnius (120 km)The first stop is at the beautiful Trakai Castle and then the travellers are welcomed by the capital of Lithuania Vilnius the city on hills at the junction of two rivers. Its population is about 550 thousand. The old town of Vilnius is one of the biggest in the Eastern Europe and it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is planned to have the hotel accommodation, lunch, an excursion and free time there.

Day 5

Vilnius Ignalina Daugavpils - Aglona (260 km)After the good rest the travellers move on to the National Park of Augaitija. The area there is less populated and wilder than elsewhere in Lithuania. Augaitija (lit. Highlands) is the hilliest area in Lithuania, with clean lakes, untouched nature and old country farmsteads.
After visiting the park the travellers have lunch and then the road takes them in the direction of Latvia, on the way having a look out of the car's window at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Station.
The vicinity of Daugavpils offers beautiful scenery and interesting country roads which sometimes become difficult to pass. After a longer viewing of rather poor country farmsteads and swaying along the bumpy roads, the Basilica of Aglona appears to be especially impressive, almost as if from another world.
Some more twenty kilometres of winding roads to the lake whose water has a very special hue Velnezers (the Devil's Lake), and the day's journey finishes in a guest house at the bank of the lake with the traditional local cuisine for dinner, a short boat trip in the lake, peace and quiet.

Day 6

Aglona Madona (200 km)Although the distance planned for day six seems to be rather short most of the roads are narrow, winding, hilly, sometimes difficult to pass. The nature and scenery will be remembered forever, though.
Along the numerous churches of Latgale, over the hills and streams, through valleys, the first sightseeing object is Makokalns (Cloud Hill) a hill offering a spacious and fantastic view to the nearby fields and Lake Razna. After some more tens of kilometres the travellers can have lunch at a guest house near Viani.
The lunch is followed by a walk of a little less than an hour not far from Viani along Teirumnki swamp path a footbridge has been built into the swamp leading to one of the swamp lakes. After getting back into the cars the journey continues past the biggest lake of Latvia Lubans; a bird-watching tower can be visited there.
A few more moments and we are approaching by off-road an abandoned USSR army unit in Mārciena. Huge deserted garages and multi-story buildings can be seen, one of the buildings can be climbed to get to the roof and have a look around. The winding country roads with the beautiful scenery take us further until after fording a river the route of day six ends in a small hotel in Village. The hotel is very homey, it offers all amenities, the food is delicious, but the most important thing is that the kindest and most welcoming employees of the neighbourhood work there!

Day 7

Piebalga Ape Lullemae Tartu (250 km)The winding roads continue until after an hour and a half the travellers arrive at one more abandoned USSR army unit. There one can see not only underground bunkers and deserted buildings but also missile storage cupolas. And for the mood to be perfect there is a huge granite head of Lenin. We proceed to Ape through forests little affected by people and the roads too can sometimes only be passed with a SUV. The lunch is arranged for in the borderland town Ape.
Soon after entering Estonia the travellers arrive at Karula National Park. There we hike along one of the hilliest pedestrian paths of Karula Highland.
Day seven ends in one of the most beautiful cities of Estonia Tartu.

Day 8

Tartu Rakvere - Tallina (200 km)In the morning the road takes us past the huge Lake Peipus and then through woodlands until Rakvere and after that Lahemaa National Park is reached. The park is located on several peninsulas near the Gulf of Finland. We have our lunch and an excursion there.
The route continues further to the capital of Estonia - Tallinn. A little more than 400 thousand people live in Tallinn; it is a port city and is situated just 80 km from Helsinki. The travellers stay at the hotel and have dinner there; they can also take a walk around the old town.

Day 9

Tallinn Vandra Moisakula - Valmiera (240 km)In the morning there is an excursion in Tallinn, lunch, after that we proceed by asphalt and gravel roads to Soomaa National Park – one of the newest Estonian parks but as to the area it takes the second place right after Lahemaa National Park. The majority of the park's territory is occupied by swamps separated by rivers. Soon after the visit to the park the border is crossed and the travellers are taken to the Nature Park of the Northern Gauja where by extremely narrow forest paths one of the most beautiful rivers of Latvia the Gauja is reached. Forest roads past the banks of the Gauja and its oxbow lakes end near Valmiera, just a few more moments and the travellers arrive at the place of their last overnight stay of the tour at Palace.

Day 10

Valmiera Sigulda Riga (180 km)Most of the last day's route is arranged through the Gauja National Park (the biggest in Latvia). The country roads rich in beautiful scenery first of all take us to one more military object of the former USSR army – the so-called Bunker. It is located almost 10 m deep under the sanatorium building and was intended as a shelter for the Government and the Communist Party administration in case of nuclear war. The most interesting thing about it is that all rooms and furnishings in the Bunker have remained intact until today.
The next object of interest is the crossing of Lagatne, where both people and cars are taken over the Gauja on a small ferry. After a half an hour there is lunch in Turaida and a ride on a funicular over the ancient valley of the Gauja.
A last few forest roads and at about 17:00 the travellers return at the beginning of the tour the Latvian capital Riga. The tour is over. Now the travellers can rest at the hotel or have an excursion in the Old Riga.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Accommodation, Lunches, dinners

Exclusions -

tickets

Extras -

minimum person in one tour - 3 people