Hiking tour
Up and down hills of the Switzerland of Latvia
Program
This 17 km long hike brings you to the heart of the Gauja National Park and Sigulda town, also known as the Little Switzerland of Latvia. Scenic views are guaranteed! Don’t worry if the hiking path brings you up to steep bluffs – the Gauja National Park has established good infrastructure for hikers to climb to the best viewing points.
What is waiting for you on this hike? Impressive sandstone outcrops and the biggest cave in the Baltics – Gutman Cave. Ancient historical sites, like Sigulda Brother of Swords castle ruins and Krimulda manor. A well-established trail along the Gauja River. A bit of climbing on the steep river banks to see the primeval Gauja River valley. And… a lot of fresh air!
Highlights
- Sigulda town with its ancient castle ruins
- Primeval Gauja River valley
- Pīķene Bluff
- Krimulda manor
- Gutman Cave – the biggest cave in the Baltics
When and where
The meeting point is in front of the Sigulda train station at 9:05. The hike starts and ends at the same point. Return back around 15:00.
Transportation
You have three options – train, your own car, organizer’s vehicle. Train to Sigulda departs at 7:55 from Riga train station and arrives in Sigulda at 9:04 (2,85 € one way ticket). If you come by your own car, you can park it next to the Sigulda train station, there is free parking. You can reserve a seat in the organizer’s vehicle from Riga to Sigulda and back (10 € per person).
Meeting point
See it on
Video
Tour dates
Participation fee
15 € per person.
Included
- Route planning;
- English speaking hike leader;
- Taxes.
Not included
- Transportation costs;
- Food and drinks;
What to bring with you
- 2 l of water per person as a minimum
- Snacks and lunch for breaks and picnic
How to dress
Please, dress accordingly to the weather forecast! Due to very changeable weather, layering is key to enjoying the hike, and rain protection is a must-have. Any comfortable shoes or sandals are good enough for this hike.
Level of dificulty
A quite easy hike with few steep climbs. Walking around the town, small footpaths through the woods, boardwalks and countryside roads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who we worked for
Testimonials
Our guide Valdis Ceics was brilliant – sharing his local knowledge and fun facts, telling stories about the history of the Baltic States and how it affected the people. Not only did Valdis speak good English he also had to speak German. In fact on one occasion Valdis was only going to do the german tour, so several of us “jumped ship” and joined him.
June 6, 2019
Right from planning my trip through completion, Baltic Nature Tours team was a pleasure to work with. Ieva was always very responsive to my queries. Valdis was our tour guide and he was very good! He was very accomodating of the group’s preferences and when weather was dicey, he quickly helped pivot to alternatives. He had very good recommendations for things to do in free time as well as restaurant to try. The tours he led were very infortmative and always had a quirky fun edge. Certainly made my Baltics experience very memorable. I had a great experience and would certainly recommend them!
June 4, 2019
My wife and I had a wonderful time visiting Lithuania with the help of our guide Grazina. She was very knowledgeable about the places we visited, several of which were ‘off the beaten path’. Also, our local specialist Ieva arranged local guides for other places we visited such as the Open Air Museum of Lithuania, my grandfather’s village Zemaiciu Naumeistas, and the city of Kleipeda.
May 22 – May 30, 2019
My cousin and I had a great experience in Lithuania! Our tour guide Minda was fantastic and made the trip a special experience for us. We called him our Guardian Angel. As we drove or walked he gave us such great historical and cultural information just as we wanted. He felt like a friend or relative and was so comfortable to spend time with. We highly recommend him.
Leva did a great job helping us with our itinerary. I told her some places we wanted to go and the types of experiences we were looking for and she organized it perfectly for us. When I asked for some changes or soecial requirements like air conditioning she came through. Our only disappointment was not finding Kugelis! We found a dish that was very close though and enjoyed all of our meals. I will recommend Leva and Kimkimtravel to my fellow travelers!
Jun 5 – Jun 11, 2019
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