Mammal watching

The geographic location and diversity of biotopes ensure a wealth of mammals in Latvia. If you learn to be quiet and careful while looking at the lives and habits of forest denizens, you have every opportunity to hear hooting owns, rooting bucks and howling wolves. You may smell a racoon dog, run into a doe with her fawns, watch a beaver bu
ilding a home, or spot a group of stags swimming in a lake during the foggy morning. Animal-watching is in the presence of a guide and in small groups of one to five people (the park asks that children under the age of 15 not be brought along) is recommendable. The process involves sitting around in special towers for several hours, which is why such tours are offered only when the temperature is above 0°C. You must bring water-resistant and comfortable shoes, warm and “quiet” apparel (it doesn’t crinkle or make other noise, and it is not in a noisy colour). Bring binoculars and a camera.

What are the group tours?
Overview Tour details
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10 days
Latvia

A wild experience in Latvia

Autumn is a peak bird migration time when huge flocks frequently cross the sky above your head. Cranes perform impressive displays in the fields. There are still some dragonflies and butterflies to see, plus wild animals including wild boar, deer and beaver. The landscape acquires its beautiful autumn colours while we people can enjoy oursleves gathering the wild autumn harvest - mushrooms, cranberries, cowberries and much more.

From Riga the tour goes along the Vidzeme sea coast with areas of Devonian sandstone, coastal meadows and numerous places to watching wading birds. At Salacgriva you visit the traditonal lamprey weirs and can taste them grilled. The tour goes to Seda bog, which is an important nesting site for water birds. Here you might see several types of geese, swans and cranes as well as some mammals and dragonflies. Then the route goes to natural coniferous forests at Mežole with great biological diversity. Next the tour focuses on mushrooms and berries in the Gauja National Park which also provides great views of the river valley with some steep Devonian banks with several medieval castles and manors perched on top. Then the tour goes back to Riga and on to two important national parks. Ķemeri National Park has a Black Alder trail through wet forest, ideal for spotting woodpeckers. In contrast the Big Heath trail passes though a landscape of raised and transit bog and sulphurous springs. At Slītere National Park you have a wildlife day visiting a beaver lodge, tracking variousforestanimals and possibly seeing some of them. Cape Kolka offers excellent costal migration action. The tour goes along the steep sea coast of Jurkalne, stops at Ventspils town for lunch with a bracing walk along its breakwater, then turns inland towards Riga. On the way there are stops at the Abava ancient valley and Sabile wine hill.

Birdwatching Mushroom picking Mammal watching Active season months9-10