Best kayaking destinations in the Baltics

Text by Valdis Čeičs

Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia offer a rich variety of water bodies like the Baltic Sea, rivers and lakes which you can enjoy kayaking solo, with friends or family. In this article, I share my favorite kayaking destinations and a few tips at the end.

The Gauja River in Latvia– explore the sandstone caves

The Gauja River flows through the Gauja National Park which has beautiful castle ruins, sandstone outcrops and cliffs along the river banks. Many of the sandstone outcrops have caves that are big enough for you to crawl in and explore them from inside. If you are lucky enough, you might even spot a bat.

If you are looking for an easy, but beautiful one-day kayaking tour, I recommend to start from Ligatne and finish in Sigulda, total paddling distance is approximately 25km.

Read more on the Gauja National Park Kayaking Tour page!

Aukštaitija National Park – chain lakes

More then 100 lakes scattered in Aukštaitijas National Park. Many of these lakes are interconnected by rivulets that make the dicovering of the area on a kayak very adventures. Paddle to remote traditional villages, grassy islets, swim in crystal clear waters. and enjoy the tranquility of the lush woods.

Read more on the Aukštaitija Kayaking Trip tour page!

The Trakai Lakes in Lithuania –around the island castle

One-fifth of the Trakai Historical National Park is occupied by lakes. The most valuable monument of the park is the Trakai Island Castle. It is located on an island in GalveLake, the biggest of the Trakai Lakes. You can paddle around this romantic ancient castle and enjoy the magnificent view. In the medieval times, this castle was one of the largest in Lithuania and served as a residence for a number of Lithuanian rulers.

Insider tip – go kayaking after 18:00 to see a beautiful sunset over the castle!

Read more on the Trakai Sunset Kayaking Tour page!

The Nemunas River Delta in Lithuania – wide and curvy

The Nemunas River, also known as the Neman River, is a wide and very flat river with a curvy flow. The Nemunas River Delta is unique with its swamp and the village Minga built on it. This village is called the “Venice of Lithuania”. As many migratory birds rest there, the Nemunas River Delta is a popular bird-watching destination, especially during the flood season when meadows are full of rare waterbird species.

If you are looking for an easy one-day kayaking tour, I recommend to start from Rusnevia Minga and finish in Vente, total paddling distance is approximately 25km.

Read more on the Nemunas River Delta Kayaking Tour page!

The Curonian Lagoon in Lithuania – see one of Europe’s biggest moving sand dunes

The Curonian Spit is a 98 km long narrow strip of a land split between Russia and Lithuania, it is one of Europe’s largest drifting dunes, on average, the height is 35 m. Paddling on the wide Curonian Lagoon you can see the charming fishermen’s villages and have the best view of the dune.

If you are looking for an easy one-day kayaking tour, I recommend to start from Pervalkaand finish in Nida, total paddling distance is approximately 16 km.

Read more on the Curonian Spit Kayak Tour page!

The Soomaa National Park in Estonia – the fifth season

“The fifth season” is annual flooding in the Soomaa National Park, when the water level in the biggest Estonian swamp is so high that you can kayak through the forest, past old farmhouses, and over the fields.

The kayaking period starts at the end of March and lasts until the beginning of April.

The Baltic Sea Coast – Bay of Riga, Finnish Bay and the Estonian islands

Kayaking on the sea is harder than on the rivers and lakes. The waves are your friends and enemy at the same time. The Bay of Riga includes the Estonian islands, also known as the Western Estonian archipelago. The kayaking trip usually goes between the Estonian islands or along the shore on the Bay of Riga or Finish Bay.

Tips

The most popular time for kayaking is June, July, and August when the rivers are calm.
Springtime is more suitable for experienced kayakers as the ice and snow melts and turns relaxing paddling into white water rafting.
Don’t forget to enjoy swimming too! All the Baltic water bodies are freshwater, even the Baltic Sea gets its water mostly from rivers. Keep in mind that on average, water temperature in summer is between 14 to 20

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Frequently Asked Questions

Susanne W

We had 4 great weeks in Lithuania. This special trip was very well prepared and fully responded to our wants and needs. Baltic Nature Travel was very responsive during the preparation and Valdis always available for questions. super experience!

Luigi Sibilia

We are a couple of individuals who have completed yesterday a 290km private trekking along the Baltic Coastal Trail from Jurmala to Ventspils, organized by Baltic Nature Travel. Valdis, the company owner, has been assisting us in a very kind and professional way: he has perfectly organized the tour, has chosen the accomodations with intelligence, had our luggage transported from one location to the other and, in case of need, has provided us with anything else we were in need of. All has been wonderful. Valdis added his human touch to all of this. Highly recommended.We are going to use this company for future journeys in Baltic area.

Helen Johnston

I contacted Baltic Nature Travel to book a city visit and hiking trip to Riga and Latvia, and Vilnius and Lithuania, specifically the Coronian Spit. Valdis returned with an itinerary in line with my expectations, making minor adjustments as required. We had a fabulous holiday - the accommodation was accessible and clean, with helpful staff, while the hiking routes were interesting and picturesque. We were provided with an excellent transport service with our drivers going out of their way to make sure we had a good holiday. I would definitely recommend Baltic Nature Travel for anyone planning a similar trip.

Jane Coleman

Valdis organised a 12 night private tour of the Baltic States for us. He adapted the standard package based on our interests and our request for some self-catering accommodation rather than all hotels, and we had a fabulous time. The guides were all fabulous and local to the areas we visited. Everything went like clockwork, and Valdis was very responsive when I emailed with questions, both before and during our trip. I highly recommend Baltic Nature Travel.

ERICA HAUCK

Excellent self-drive tour of the Baltic countries! The itinerary was thoughtfully planned, with all reservations confirmed in advance and timely updates provided throughout the trip. The app was an excellent tool, making it easy to access the itinerary, directions, and sightsee options. Car rental delivered to the hotel and picked up at tour end was an added convenience. Valdis is an outstanding communicator. All questions and any issues were addressed promptly by email or phone. I highly recommend Baltic Nature Travel. Their excellent organization, attention to detail, and outstanding customer service made for a memorable and stress-free vacation.

David Morris

Just returned from a self-drive tour of Latvia and Lithuania. Its our second trip with Baltic Nature Tours and I highly recommend them. The itinerary, tour guides, online information, car hire arrangements and hotels were all excellent. Valdis and his team do a great job and we look forward to our next trip.

mark adams

We did a 6 week self drive trip to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with Baltic Nature Travel. Valdis did an amazing job creating an itinerary for us that was an excellent combination of cities, culture and outdoor activities. He took care of securing the car, transfers and all our accommodations. We highly recommend Valdis and Baltic Nature Travel and would travel with them again.

Thomas Olson

We had a fantastic 9 day visit to Lithuanian! Tomas our guide could not have been better, he is an outstanding driver and exceptionally knowledgeable of all things Lithuania. The staff at Baltic Nature Travel was so flexible in tailoring our to the towns my grandparents came from made this trip truly a trip of a lifetime. I most highly recommend this trip to anyone interested in their Lithuanian heritage.

Patricia Jones

My friend and I had an unforgettable tour through the beautiful Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The trip was just what wed asked for - at an easy pace with some really great and knowledgeable guides, but with free time to explore on our own as well. We were well looked after from first to last and will certainly be thinking about returning to these wonderful countries.

Angela B

I booked the Trakai snowshoeing tour. This company did a great job communicating with me leading up to the tour date. Unfortunately there wasn't enough snow for snowshoeing so they arranged a hike instead. Tomas was a great guide. He provided a lot of interesting information during both the walk/hike and the tour of Trakai. He was also so kind as to bring tea (which was great on such a cold day) and akotis (very delicious), which we enjoyed after walking through the trails at Varnikai Forest. If I am in the Baltic region again, I would definitely consider another tour with Baltic Nature Travel. Thanks for a great time!