Spring Birdwatching Tour

A tour of the capital city Riga and its Old Town.

Overnight in Rīga.

Breakfast.

Sites and attractions en route:

• The Svēte flood-lands - a majorsirte of migrating geese, ducks and different


• plovers;


• Jelgava Palace’s island (reserve);


• The Dunduri Meadows are an important part of the forested area of the Ķemeri Heath along the curvy shores of the little Slampe River. There is a birdwatching tower, as well as so-called Throat of Melnragi -wetlands flooded by beavers;


• The Jaunmokas Manor Park.

Overnight in Jaunmokas.

Breakfast.

A wetland path near a forest hut and the damp forests which surround it. The short Path takes one through the black alder wetlands of the Vēršupīte River, as well as the wetlands between the Forest House and Lake Sloka.

A visit to the visitors centre.

Overnight in Jaunmokas.

Breakfast.

Sites and attractions en route:

• an overgrown seashore with reefs - ideal places to watch wading and water bird;


• Lake Engure, a pasture of wild horses and cows and a birdwatching tower (the Lake Engure Nature Park);


• Mērsrags seashore meadows and Pekrags. A complex of lagoon-type biotopes, including meadows, areas of reeds, a rocky seashore, shoals and bird watching tower. This is a small area of wetlands located where a lagoon from the ancient Litorine Sea once was.

Overnight in Košrags.

Breakfast.

Sites en route:

• Cape Kolka is one of the best places for birdwatching when it comes to the diversity of species during the spring migration – nearly all of the species that are present in Latvia can be found here at the right time;


• The Pēterezers Nature Trail (3,5 km), which offers a set of dunes with high swamps and a samp lake that are unique at the European level;


• The wetlands of Ģipka;


• Slītere National Park - the former coastline of the ancient Baltic Ice Sea.

Overnight in Košrags.

Breakfast.

Sites and attractions en route:

• The Irbene radar station;


• The coastline of Ovīši, a sandy seashore;


• The Užava Estuary, with a restricted area to protect a biotope which includes the grey dunes - rare in Europe;


• The meadows and polders of the lower reaches of the Užava River;


• The steep shores of the little Muižupīte River.

Overnight in Labrags.

Breakfast.

Sites and attractions en route:

• The cape of Labrags;


• The Liepāja port;


• Lake Liepāja;


• Village of Nīca;


• The Old Durbe School.

Overnight in Durbe.

Breakfast.

Sites and attractions en route:

• The Līguti Estate park;


• The Vītiņi Meadows on the eastern shore of Lake Liepāja are the largest area of damp meadows in Latvia. The last nesting place for the
  dunlins.


• Pastures of wild horses and cows;


• The fish ponds of Skrunda.

Lunch in Skrunda.

Overnight in Saldus.

Breakfast.

Sites and atttractions en route:

• The Sātiņi fish ponds are an important place for water birds to feed and rest
  (Northern swans, waders). The territory can be viewed from different locations;


• Lunch in Saldus;


• Zvārde – former military base;


• The Tērvete Park, river valley.

Overnight in Pilsrundāle.

Breakfast.

Sites and attractions en route:

• The Rundāle Palace Park and the palace itself;


• The Cena Heath;


• Getliņi.

Departure.