Camping in the Baltics
Camping in the Baltics

In Wild nature

Camping in the Baltics, fall asleep to the lulling sounds of the Baltic Sea lapping its sandy shores and wake up to the distant call of a heron breakfasting in a nearby swamp. Replace your morning coffee with a mug of herbal tea with a touch of energising peppermint or jump into the sea or nearest lake for an invigorating swim to kickstart the day.

Wild camping is allowed and even encouraged in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, provided you respect some general rules. You’ll be rewarded with intensely fresh air, scenic sunsets and sunrises, and an excellent night’s sleep leaving you refreshed and enthusiastic for your return to daily life post-holiday.

Coastal Hiking

General rules for camping in the Baltics

Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia boast liberal public access laws, however, you should never set up camp in designated protected areas such as nature reserves, fragile dunes or military zones. Feel free to hike and forage in public and private forested areas unless signs advise otherwise. Try to plan ahead and consider free-of-charge camping grounds near natural attractions where you’ll have access to basic toilets, fire pits and rubbish bins.

Should you choose to pitch your tent or hang your hammock outside a designated camping area, choose wisely, so as not to affect the wildlife and your own safety. Avoid areas with visible animal trails, as well as single standing trees in case of lightning threats. Always extinguish your fire before leaving and dispose of any rubbish at the nearest bin, even if this means carrying it with you.

When relieving yourself in the outdoors, stay away from water sources. Wash dishes and yourself without strong detergents or soap.

For more detailed information, browse the websites of:

  • RMK – Estonia’s State Forest Management Centre – www.rmk.ee
  • LVM – Latvia’s State Forests – www.lvm.lv
  • GMU – Lithuanian State Forests – www.vivmu.lt
Camping in the Baltics

Things to be aware of when camping in the Baltics

Insect repellant is a must-have as mosquitoes are quite active from spring to autumn but it’s most important for avoiding ticks, which can carry Lyme disease and Tick-borne encephalitis. Protect yourself from the latter by getting a vaccination prior to your trip. And pick up a tick removal tool from a pharmacy.

Make sure to wear suitable clothing to protect yourself from insect bites. Tuck trousers into socks to limit ticks’ access to your skin, wear light-coloured clothing, so you can spot ticks and flick them off early, and choose “slippery” materials, which ticks can’t get through. Sleeves should be tight-fitting at the wrists.

Snakes aren’t a major threat in the Baltic outdoors, however, one venomous snake does call the Baltics home – the Common European viper. When planning your trip, for these reasons and your general safety, take note of the location of the closest medical centre.

Another factor to consider when hiking and camping in the Baltics is hunting season. Hunting is highly regimented and hunting areas are marked in advance, so it’s unlikely to affect your plans.

Camping in the Baltics

Camping season in the Baltics

In winter, temperatures often drop well below zero degrees Celsius, which can be appropriate for day hiking, but less so for camping unless you’re trained and equipped with professional gear. Of course, winter camping can be a beautifully serene experience, but do prepare accordingly! Generally, April – October are the most comfortable months for camping.

Due to very changeable weather, layering is key to enjoying your Baltic camping experience, and rain protection is a must-have.

Camping in the Baltics

Be considerate when camping in the Baltics

Always keep in mind the fragile nature of our flora and fauna. Stick to marked trails whenever possible. Look out for signs and information. Enjoy your wild adventures so that the next generations can enjoy them too!

To plan your nature trip take a look at our nature and culture site. If your perfect holiday involves hiking and overnighting in the wild, camping in the Baltics is right for you! We’ll gladly help plan your trip.

closer to the core of the Baltic States

What travelers say about us

EXCELLENT
36 reviews on
Carmen Daams
Carmen Daams
2023-09-22
I took the Kuldiga trip with Valdis. The experience was amazing. The entire day was great. He is a great guide, and knows a lot of interesting information. He would definitely make your whole experience even better. Kuldiga is such a captivating city, very unique with a very special style and soul. If you are visiting Latvia, don't hesitate to take this trip, it is a "must".
Stanley Wallerstein
Stanley Wallerstein
2023-08-29
Great Tour and great guide. Baltic Nature Travel is excellent.
Maria M Andrade
Maria M Andrade
2023-08-28
Valdis organized an absolutely wonderful 10 day trip to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania trip for my sister, a friend, and myself. He arranged all details including our private chofer and tour guide up the last detail. He went far and beyond when he knew I had an accident in Estonia. We met him Latvia and he make us feel welcome. He recommended the most amazing restaurants for us and he took care of my doctor needs where he was the interpreter. In every country we had the best guys one can possibly ask for. All hotels were walking distance from city centre. Thank you Valdis we will always remembered this trip!!!!
Sarah Daniels
Sarah Daniels
2023-08-21
Thank you, Valdis, for helping my family have a wonderful two week trip to the Baltics! Your advice and recommendations were very helpful, and our tour guides in 4 different cities were each outstanding! I highly recommend a vacation in the beautiful and fascinating Baltics, and I highly recommend using Valdis to help you plan it.
Rita Derencius
Rita Derencius
2023-08-09
Tours and tour guides, Tomas and Mindaugas, exceeded my expectations. We were able to curate our tour of Lithuania. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and adapted the tour based on our input. Valdis was responsive and easy to work with. Extremely happy we chose to have private tour guides. Best trip ever!
Deniz Demirors
Deniz Demirors
2023-08-08
Valdis did amazing job to organize us a 15 day, 14 night self drive adventure trip to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Thanks to his valuable advise before and immaculate documentation with names of the locations, guides etc we had a magical experience. We hiked, biked, walked, beached and off course drive all over in all 3 beautiful countries. We felt very safe. Everyone we met were very friendly. The car was delivered to our first hotel in Tallinn and picked up from last hotel in Vilnius. They were professional and kind people. We encountered few minor issues but Valdis resolved very promptly so our program was not impacted. We met him in Riga as he was our guide. Thanks to Valdis & his team of guides we had an unforgettable time and experience. Valdis is very gently, kind, hears his clients wishes and makes adjustments in his existing programs. Job well done Valdis. Thank you very much.
Catherine Herway
Catherine Herway
2023-06-24
These are the only places on earth where eastern and western architecture can now meet in harmony. The architecture tells a social history translated into excellent English on this tour! The hotels were clean, comfortable, and safe. The food was outstanding as well, I only wish I had more time!
Artur Iwański
Artur Iwański
2023-05-03
A very good and interesting guide. Customized trips - which is very useful. If you want to get to know Latvia (which is worth it!) there is no one better. Highly recommended.
Giovanni Paolo Palamara
Giovanni Paolo Palamara
2023-01-07
Very interesting trip. Definitely worth it!

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Baltic Nature Travel
Baltic Nature Travel