Nature objects in Estonia

What's special about the nature in Estonia?

In Estonia, there stands the most impressive rock wall in the Baltics - the so called North Estonian "glint" (from Estonian language). Estonia has its own "Land of Inlets" - the Lahemaa region with its national park, the "Land of Islands" - the Saaremaa island and the Monzund archipelago. The Matsalu bay is one of the most significant rest stops for birds during their migration. In Estonia there is one of the most prominent impact craters in Europe, there are the greatest waterfalls and boulders in the Baltics, the Munamagi hill - the highest spot in the Baltics, the Lake Peipus - the 5th largest lake in Europe, - with long-standing fishing traditions, and the great variety of nature from West to East, from North to South.

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Overview Details
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Estonia

Trips aboard kaleships

Kale is a traditional wooden sailing ship for trawling nets on Lake Võrtsjärv, but its graceful appearance with two triangular sails often inspired pleasure trips too. Võrtsjärve Foundation supported the building of the ship Paula, completed in 2005 and Liisu in 2009. Trips aboard a kaleship are a genuinely memorable experience.
When booked in advance a sailing trip may include eating fish soup and freshly smoked fish.

Distance from countries capital city181 Active season months5-9
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Estonia

Skats uz Vaikas salam (Vaika saared)

No Vilsandi bākas un tai tuvākās apkaimes ir labi saskatāmas leģendārās Vaikas salas. Tām ir piešķirts rezervāta statuss, tādēļ salas var apskatīt tikai no attāluma. Mazākā no saliņām - Kullipank ir tikai pārdesmit metrus diametrā. Tā ir jūras ūdeņu izrobots zemas un asas dolomīta klints fragments, kas klāts ar oļiem, nelieliem laukakmeņiem un kādu atsevišķi stāvošu lakstaugu. Domājams, ka vētru laikā tā pazūd zem jūras ūdens. Savukārt, Alumine Vaigas – Apakšējā Vaikas sala ir lielākā no sešām salām. Šīs salas diametrs ir ~ 150 m un tā paceļas vismaz kādus divus metrus virs jūras līmeņa. Uz salas ir bagātīga veģetācija un pat kāds zems krūms salas centrā. Redzami arī metru augsti atsegumi. Uz salas vēl joprojām atrodas 20. gs. sākumā celto „putnu māju” paliekas, kas bija domātas ligzdojošo putnu piesaistīšanai.

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Estonia

Keila waterfall

This is one of the loveliest waterfalls in Estonia – up to 6 m in height and 50 m in width. Recommended: The rapid Keila River has carved a cliffy canyon behind the waterfall, with a flow of water that falls down a major distance. It’s worth hiking through the Keila park to the shore of the Bay of Finland (~1 km), then returning along the other bank of the river.
Distance from countries capital city31
Nature trail
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Estonia

Jägala waterfall

This is one of the greatest waterfalls in the Baltic States – 8 m high and up to 70 m wide. It is most impressive in the spring and after strong rains. The waterfall and its ~300 m canyon emerged from the limestone of the Ordovician Period. You may spot some fossils there. When the water is low, courageous people try to ford the river both above and below the waterfall. The limestone and the falling water have established a unique “tunnel” there.
Distance from countries capital city31
Nature watching
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Estonia

Tuhala Karst area, Witch’s well

One of the largest karst areas in Estonia is found here. The unique Witch’s well is one of the most interesting parts of this area. During spring floods (not every year, and for only a short period of time), the well erupts with underground river waters to create an unusually powerful karst stream that can pump out as much as 100 litres per hour.
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Estonia

The Panga cliffs

The highest and most beautiful wall of cliffs on Saaremaa Island (up to 21 m high), stretching along some 3 km. During strong winds from the W or NW, a part of the cliff is washed by the waves of the sea. The open face of the cliff has limestone, marls and dolomite, and there is a wealth of fossils at the base of the cliff – corals, stromatoporids, etc.
Distance from countries capital city230
Nature trailNature watching
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Estonia

Mejekoses pargajienu taka (Meiekose matkarada)

~ 3 – 5 km gara taka, kas ved pa veco ceļu gar Tēramā upes (Tõramaa jõgi) kreiso krastu. Takas malās izvietoti interaktīvi elementi bērniem, kas palīdz labāk uztvert dabā notiekošo. Taku ieskauj mitrie meži un palieņu pļavas, kas palu laikā atrodas zem ūdens. Tēramā (Tõramaa) ciemā apkārtnē atrastas cilvēka darbības pēdas jau no akmens laikmeta.

Distance from countries capital city149
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Estonia

Sõrve säär

Die Südspitze der Insel Saaremaa – eine aus Geröll in der Irbenstraße langgestreckte Landzunge. Militärbefestigungen, Leuchtturm (1960), Vogelbeobachtungsort.

Distance from countries capital city270
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Estonia

Stein Majakivi

Der dritgrößte Feldstein im Baltikum (584 m3, 7 m hoch, Durchmesser bei dem Grund – 32 m ). Auf estnisch bedeutet „Hausstein”. Befindet sich am Rande des Pikanõmme – Majakivi Pfades (4,5 km lang).

Distance from countries capital city60
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Estonia

Terama taka (Tõramaa matkarada)

Divarpus kilometrus gara taka (vienā virzienā) aizved līdz Hallistes palieņu pļavām, kur Hallistes upes labajā krastā ir uzcelts divstāvīgs koka skatu tornis. No tā paveras visaptverošs skats uz atjaunotajām (izcirsti krūmi) Hallistes palieņu pļavām. Pavasara palu laikā no torņa redzamā apkārtne un tornis atrodas ūdenī.

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Estonia

Oksas (Oksa) taka

Bijušā piecstāvīgā metāla skatu torņa apkaimē plešas Lemmjegi upes palieņu pļavas. Netālu atrodas kādreizējā Oksas kroga (Oksa kõrts) vieta, kur saglabājies iespaidīgs manteļskurstenis. Apkaimes apskatei izveidota 0,8 km gara koka laipu taka.

Distance from countries capital city175
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Estonia

Anhöhe Otepää

One of the three highlands of Southern Estonia with scenic hills and beautiful sights. In its center lies the bay-rich Lake Pühajärv (translating from Estonian - Holy Lake).

Distance from countries capital city230
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Estonia

Felsen Pakri

Die mächtigste Steilküste im Baltikum (bis zu 24 m hoch). In den kalten Winter werden hier phantastische Gletscherstürze entstanden. Pakri Leuchtturm.

Distance from countries capital city50
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Estonia

Klostri (Kloostri) skatu tornis

Metāla tornis Kazari upes kreisajā krastā, ~ 5 km attālumā no Matsalu līča. No torņa redzamās Kazari deltas palieņu pļavas atrodas tikai 0,3 – 1 m augstumā virs jūras līmeņa, tādēļ pavasara palos un stipru vētru (īpaši rietumvēju) laikā ūdens appludina milzīgu teritoriju. Uzskata, ka platības ziņā šīs ir vienas no lielākajām Eiropas palieņu pļavām, kas ir nozīmīga dažādu tārtiņveidīgo putnu sugu ligzdošanas, dzērvju un zosveidīgo putnu atpūtas un barošanās vieta. Ir pagājis laiks, kad zemnieki Matsalu pļavās ganīja govis un pļāva sienu, tādēļ šobrīd pļavu apsaimniekošanu veic nacionālā parka administrācija.

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Estonia

Piirissaar island

The island of 7.5 km2 in Lake Peipsi is largely inhabited by Russian-speaking Old Believers who have broadly retained their old traditions through time. Traditional trades are fishing and growing vegetables, mainly onion.
The entire island is a landscape protection area with a high number of protected bird and amphibian species and several rare plants.

Distance from countries capital city262 Active season months1-12
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Estonia

The Soomaa National Park

The word “Soomaa” means “land of the swamps” in Estonian. There are several major swamps in this area, along with rivers, lowland meadows, wetland forests, and other biotopes that are of key importance in terms of the diversity of species. Major floods occur here in the spring, which is known by locals as the “fifth season''. The fifth season is the best time to explore the landscape of Soomaa.

National park Distance from countries capital city150 Active season months1-12
FishingCross-country skiingBoat tourNature trailNature trailNature watching
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Estonia

Saka-Ontika-Toila-pank (cliff)

This is a cliff with various levels. Known as the North Estonian cliff, it stretches all along the shore of the Bay of Rīga in Estonia, including some of the local islands. The most expressive part in geological and landscape terms is the Saka-Ontika-Toila cliff, which is around 22 km long and offers an unusual natural environment. The cliff is as much as 53 m high, and it has a fairly virginal forest along its slopes. The layers of clay, sandstone, limestone, etc., come from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods. The Valaste juga (Valaste waterfall) is 24 metres high. After a longer period of freezing temperatures, the waterfall has a particularly impressive appearance. Seasonal waterfalls (8-10 m) can be found near the villages of Ontika and Toila.
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Estonia

Saleveres Salumegi kalns (Salevere Salumägi)

Litorīnas jūras laikā (pirms ~ 6000 gadiem) Saleveres Salumegi kalns bija sala, bet mūsdienās tas kā izteikta kāple (īpaši - ziemeļu pusē) paceļas virs Piejūras līdzenuma. Salumegi ziemeļu pusē slejas 4 - 5 metrus augsts kaļķakmens atsegums – silūra perioda (> 400 mlj. gadu) koraļļu rifa paliekas, kuru noskalojuši Litorīnas jūras viļņi. Atseguma piekājē izplūst Acu avots, kam piedēvē dziednieciskas īpašības. Salumegi apskates nolūkos izveidota lokveida taka (1,5 km). No kalna augšas paveras labs skats uz Matsalu līci. Šeit atradies arī sens pilskalns.

Distance from countries capital city132
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Estonia

Paunas taka (Pauna rada)

Kultūrvēsturiska taka (garums ~ 2 km) Tipu (Tipu) ciemā, kas iepazīstina ar vairākiem interesantiem objektiem: veco skolu (1931. g.), Hallistes upi, pirti un Paunas saimniecību, kurā dzimis viens no Igaunijas nacionālās kustības līderiem Villems Reimans (1861. – 1917.).

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Estonia

Gas mixture

Gas mixture is the main raw material for Estonia’s energy and chemical industries, and it is extracted in our day from open quarries or underground shafts. This layer was established during the Ordovician Period between 450 and 480 million years ago, and it is made up of the remnants of plants and animals from that age. In the Kohtla-Nõmme suburb, there is a shaft which can be toured in the company of a guide who will tell you that this is the only layer of its kind in the Baltic States. He will tell you about how the gas mixture has been extracted over the course of history.
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Estonia

The blue streams of Saula

Three little lakes can be found on the left bank of the Pirita River with many erupting “eyes” of streams, each with its own colour (bluish-green, white, dark). This puts together various colour combinations. These are often known as the most beautiful streams in Estonia. Some pump out as much as 20-30 litres of water per hour. It is said that the waters are good medical resources, particularly for the eyes. There are improvements in the area of tourists.
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Estonia

Saaremaa Island

The biggest sea island in Estonia. In translation - "Land of The Islands". A bridge, where cyclists can drive connects Saaremaa island to Muhu island .

Distance from countries capital city160
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Estonia

The Letipea Ehalkivi rock

This is the largest rock in the Baltic States and, according to some sources, in all of the segment of Northern Europe which was affected by the last Ice Age. Its size is 930 m3! The rock is 7.5 m high, 16.5 m long and 14 m high, with a circumference of 48.5 m. The rock resembles a huge pebble from a distance, and it is on the sandy and rocky beach. Depending on the season, it can be out in the water. The Ice Age carried the rock to its current location from the southern shore of Finland. It is made of pegmatite.
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Estonia

Kap Juminda

Der weiteste Nordpunkt der Juminda Halbinsel mit einer Raketen-Attrappe der Sowjetarmee, der alten Grabstätten, dem Juminda-Leuchtturm und einem Denkmal für die Opfern des Zweiten Weltkriegs.

Distance from countries capital city69
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Estonia

Erdi taka (Öördi rada)

1,2 km gara taka, kas pa purvainu mežu aizved līdz Ērdi purvam (Öördi raba) un tā austrumu daļā esošajam Ērdi ezeram (Öördi järv), pie kura izveidota atpūtas un peldvieta.

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Estonia

Naissaar island

Naissaar is a small island near Tallinn which was exclusively used by the Soviet military from 1945 to 1993. Attractions on the island include walking trails, varied habitats, a narrow-gauge railway, fortifications from the early 20th C, and a Soviet naval mines factory.

Distance from countries capital city12 Active season months1-12
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Estonia

Stein Tammispea

Die Größe dieses Feldsteins ist eindrucksvoll, obwohl er nach dem Volumen (262 m3) nur der 16. größte Feldstein Estlands ist. Die Länge beträgt 10,7 m, Breite – 6,5 m, Umfang – 27,8 m.

Distance from countries capital city70
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Estonia

The Ilumetsa meteor craters

There are three craters here, and the biggest one, known locally as Põrguhaud, or Grave of Hell, has a diameter of 80 m and a depth of up to 12 m. There are barriers around the crater that are several metres high. The other two craters are hard to spot. The craters around 6,000 years old. No scraps of the supposed meteorite have been found, however, and so the origins of the craters cannot be confirmed with certainty.
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Estonia

The Matsalu National Park

This is one of the most popular bird-watching locations in Estonia, and during spring and autumn migration there are a great many different kinds of birds resting and feeding in the meadows and shallow coastal waters of the Bay of Matsalu and the Kasari River.
National park Active season months1-12
Boat tourNature trailNature watching
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Estonia

Pärimusmatkad/Heritage Tours

The company provides wildlife tours – seal watching, walking, cycling or skiing trips, rubber boat trips to Vilsandi and other islands, orchid trips, and trips to learn about culture and life of the manors, towns and villages, crafts and seafaring. Miku forest park in Vilsandi National Park is where visitors can learn about and try various forestry jobs.
The Vilsandi NP centre is in Loona Manor along with a guesthouse and café-restaurant (www.loonamanor.ee).

Distance from countries capital city200 Active season months1-12