Gauja River kayaking trip
Private / self-guided tour

Gauja River kayaking trip

  • 6 days / 5 nights
  • Gauja National Park, Latvia
  • April – September

Program

DAY 1: ARRIVAL

Arrive in Gauja National Park and check in.

Overnight: double room in Cesis hotel or similar.

DAY 2: JĀŅRĀMIS – CĒSIS (PADDLINGDISTANCE APPROX. 13 KM)

Start the Self-guided kayaking on the river Gauja outside the Cesis vicinity from the Jāņrāmis camping ground and paddle all the way to the Cēsis bridge. In the middle of the route are the magnificent Eagle (Ērgļu) cliffs, where it is easy to get off and climb the stairs to the viewing platform and observe the picturesque landscape of the Gauja National park. In the afternoon stop paddling in Cesis and return back to the accommodation.

Overnight: double room in Cesis hotel or similar.

DAY 3: CĒSIS – LĪGATNE (PADDLINGDISTANCE APPROX. 18 KM)

In the morning start paddling from Cēsis to Līgatne throught the heart of the Gauja National Park. This section is one of the richest of naturally formed sandstone outcrops. The surrounding area of Ligatne will undoubtedly surprise you with their magnificence and beauty.  Stop paddling at the Ligatne cable ferry and return back to the accommodation.

Overnight: double room in Cesis hotel or similar.

DAY 4: LĪGATNE – SIGULDA (PADDLINGDISTANCE APPROX. 21 KM)

In the morning start paddling from Līgatne to Sigulda through the valley of the Gauja River. You will be able to enjoy not only the beauty of nature, but also take a look at the Turaida Castle, Krimulda Manor and Sigulda Medieval Castle.  Stop paddling at the Sigulda beach and return back to the accommodation.

DAY 5: SIGULDA – MURJĀŅI (PADDLINGDISTANCE APPROX. 18 KM)

Enjoy the last day of kayaking and start in the morning paddling from Sigulda to Murjāņi. On the way you will see the Devil’s cave, Lorupe estuary, and Pīķene Bluff. Stop paddling at the Rāmkalni adventure park and return back to the accommodation.

DAY 6: DEPARTURE

Check out from the hotel.

Highlights

  • Peaceful and beauty of surroundings of the Gauja National Park
  • Wonderful sandstone outcrops of the Gauja River
  • The cultural richness of the small towns

*Note:

Swimming skills are required and previous paddling experience is not necessary.

Please dress accordingly to the weather conditions, wear appropriate footwear (sandals or hiking shoes depending on weather conditions would be ideal).

Tour map

Foto gallery
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Private tour price

Double occupancy and tandem kayak:

  • 2 persons traveling is 780 EUR per person
  • 4 persons traveling is 680 EUR per person
  • 6 persons traveling is 650 EUR per person

Single room supplement: €300,00/per person

Single kayak supplement: €60,00/per person

Included
  • 5 x nights with breakfast in Cesis hotel or similar;
  • Double kayak with all necessary equipment (paddles, dry bags, safety gear);
  • Kayaking trip transport to the start and from the finish to the accommodation.
Optional
  • 4-star hotel in Cesis “Villa Santa” – 200.00 EUR/ per person
Not included
  • Lunch & dinner;
  • GPS navigation device.
Before the self-guided tour
  • Take with you comfortable boots, a rain jacket, and extra socks.
Physical rate from 1 to 10

5

Level of difficulty

The currents in the rivers and lakes are slow and safe to kayak without any previous experience.

Season

From April to September.

Bookings

Bookings are on request and should be made at least two weeks before the departure date. The itinerary can be modified according to the client’s wants and needs.

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What travelers say about us

EXCELLENT
36 reviews on
Jane Bower
Jane Bower
2024-09-30
My partner and I (69 and 75) are just back from a 17 day self-drive tour put together with the help of Valdis from Baltic Nature Travel. It was an absolutely delightful and fascinating experience. We asked for quirky or unusual accommodation and a mix of hotels and self-catering - great fun. We went at our own pace and chose what to see. Everything was beautifully organised - a couple of small hitches were dealt with straight away on the phone. We are well-travelled but didn't know these stunning countries at all. Our overall impression is CLEAN and GREEN. Thank you, thank you for such a unique and special holiday.
Andrew Golding
Andrew Golding
2024-09-16
First Class Personal Tour of the Baltic Republics organised by Valdis: a bespoke, friendly, intelligent, safe and varied introduction to this wonderful part of the world. Wholly recommended.
David Morris
David Morris
2024-09-10
Excellent booking experience - very easy and all the information we needed. Hire car arrived at the hotel as arranged and the handover was excellent. All the hotels that were booked for us were great and the itinerary was really wide-ranging and interesting. Estonia people were almost always friendly and helpful, and the restaurant food was great. Would definitely recommend Baltic Nature Travel and Estonia as a destination
Karen Green
Karen Green
2024-07-23
Valdis, the owner of Baltic Nature Travel, is a terrific tour organizer. His advance communication and arrangements were unfailingly responsive, prompt and helpful. On the trip, we had different guides as well as drivers in the different cities (Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn.) In each case, they were well-informed and on time at the meeting point. We never needed to worry or contact the guide (though we were provided with their information.) Every hotel Valdis chose for us was of a very good standard, well-run, clean, exceptionally well located, and with wonderful breakfasts. The restaurants he recommended were also excellent – we learned to just go where he suggested! The tour was an exceptionally good value. In sum, we couldn’t have been more pleased. Our trip was wonderful and we left wanting to see more of the Baltics' beauty. If we do go again, we would unquestionably work with Valdis. In the meantime, we will recommend him to all of our friends.
Lucía Gómez
Lucía Gómez
2024-07-17
Fantastic Self-Guided Hiking Experience! We recently completed a self-guided hike in Gauja National Park, which was wonderful. The trails were serene, and we rarely encountered other hikers. The provided materials and app were excellent and highly accurate. The hotels, luggage transfer, and overall transportation arrangements were flawless. Highly recommend this experience!
Paul Green
Paul Green
2024-07-12
Anna Brish was a fantastic tour guide for understanding Jewish history and culture in Vilnius. She was friendly, deeply knowledgeable, eager to answer our questions and accommodate our specific interests. Anna does other tours and we would take any of them, she’s amazing!
James Cornez
James Cornez
2024-07-11
Myself and my best friend came across this company whilst researching options to travel in Latvia and we are very pleased we did. Valdis was very amenable during the planning process by arranging video calls with both of us so we could better understand what was on offer for us to do. He compiled an 8 day itinerary for us that did not disappoint starting in Riga for 2 days. We paid for an optional 3hr walking tour which was very worthwhile to see the main sites of the city. Janis took us on the tour who is a great guy that gives you plenty of interesting information, ready to answer any questions regarding Latvian history/culture. We chose the self driving option to see as much of Latvia as possible which I would definitely recommend if you want to have more than just a city break. It took us to varied places ranging from the heavily forested and pretty areas of Sigulda (where we did a fun kayaking tour on the Gauja river) and Cesis to the pleasant coastal cities of Liepaja and Ventspills. Overall, definitely the company to approach if you want to authentically explore Latvia!
Esther A
Esther A
2024-06-21
Valdis and his team helped us to organise a guided 16 day trip across Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Helsinki. We had a very enjoyable experience! Coming from Singapore and not knowing Valdis beforehand, we were initially worried about language and logistical challenges. All these were unfounded as Valdis and his guides were not only knowledgeable but also responsive, helpful and flexible. We had some minor hiccups during the trip but Valdis was able to resolve them very promptly. I would highly recommend engaging Valdis for your next trip!
Annette Ihrman
Annette Ihrman
2024-06-16
The tour was very versatile and a good addition to our trip to Riga. We can recommend it!
K G
K G
2024-04-06
I joined Valdis for Gauja national park tour and experience breathtaking views, beautiful cave, Plus the experience to see the inside of luge and skeleton track. It’s an unforgettable experience to see something outside the Riga! Highly recommended!!!

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