Self-drive
Winter experience in the Baltics
Program
DAY 1 : ARRIVAL IN TALLINN
Welcome to Tallinn! Pick up your rental car at the Tallinn airport and check into the hotel.
Overnight: Tallinn at St. Barbara*** or similar.
DAY 2: DISCOVER TALLINN
On a guided walking tour of Tallinn you will explore a well-preserved medieval center known as the Old Town. You will visit many historic sites including Toompea Castle, a stately baroque castle which today houses the Parliament of Estonia, the 13th century Dome Church, the Russian Revival Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and many more.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Tallinn at St. Barbara*** or similar.
DAY 3: LAHEMAA NATIONAL PARK | TALLINN – SAGADI (DRIVE ~85 KM, HIKE ~7 KM)
After breakfast, drive to a scenic coastline northeast of Tallinn. Lahemaa National Park is considered one of the last unspoiled regions of the Baltic coastline. To see the beauty of the park join a guided snowshoeing tour and explore the surrounding wilderness. The snowshoes take us to places where it is otherwise impossible to go. To get the full outdoor experience on the tour, hot tea and snacks made on the campfire will warm you up.
Meals included: Breakfast, light lunch – snacks and hot tee
Overnight: Lahemaa National Park at Sagadi Manor hotel*** or similar.
DAY 4: ALONG THE LAKE PEIPUS | SAGADI – MUSTVEE – TARTU (DRIVE ~170 KM)
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, and afterwards drive along the shore of Lake Peipus, which is the fifth-largest lake in Europe. It is also the largest transboundary lake on the continent, as it shares borders with both Estonia and Russia. The old traditions are still alive and honoured by the Old Believers living on the shore of Lake Peipus. At the Old Believers Museum, a tea ceremony is waiting for you. The ceremony will be led by an instructor wearing a headscarf required by local customs.
In the late afternoon, arrive in Tartu, the second-largest city in Estonia. Join a Tartu Old Town walking tour. Enjoy the historic streets, Town Hall Square with the statue of Kissing Students, St. John’s Church with its many terracotta sculptures, and Tartu University, which was founded in 1632.
Meals included: Breakfast, tea and snacks at the Old Believers Museum
Overnight: Tartu at Lydia hotel**** or similar.
DAY 5: DOG SLED TOUR | TARTU
After breakfast, join a dog sled tour and enjoy the wide open space of a natural landscape in a primeval manner in Järvselja forests and Peipsiveere Nature Reserve. At lunch time sit at a fireplace and enjoy the food prepared on the fire. Afterwards, get on your dog sled and continue through the ancient forests and untouched places. Late afternoon, return back to Tartu.
Meals included: Breakfast, tea and snacks at the Old Believers Museum
Overnight: Tartu at Lydia hotel**** or similar.
DAY 6: GAUJA NATIONAL PARK | TARTU – RIGA (DRIVE ~260 KM)
In the morning, drive to Latvia and the heart of the Gauja National Park and Sigulda town, also known as the Little Switzerland of Latvia. In Sigulda you’ll visit the bobsleigh track and go for a Soft bob ride. On the ride you’ll slide down 16 turns and over 1200m. This activity promises to deliver an adrenaline-fuelled experience that will last long in the memory.
After drive to Riga, the largest of three Baltic capitals, and boasts a real kaleidoscope of architectural styles.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Riga at AC Hotel Riga by Marriott**** or similar.
DAY 7: DISCOVER RIGA
Today is reserved for Riga. Take a guided walking tour to see the Art Nouveau most famous buildings on the streets of Alberta and Elizabeth, as well as the Old Town with Riga’s Castle and the Three Brothers houses, oldest dwellings in the city.
Make a visit to the Riga Central Market, one of the largest covered markets in Europe. Taste smoked meat, pickled vegetables, Latvian bread, seasonal treats, and more. The market opened in 1930, and it consists of five former Zeppelin airship hangars.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Riga at AC Hotel Riga by Marriott**** or similar.
DAY 8: AUKŠTAITIJA NATIONAL PARK | RIGA – RUNDALE – PALŪŠE (DRIVE ~315 KM)
After breakfast drive to Rundale Palace and on a guided tour immerse yourself in Latvia’s most beautiful palace. The Rundale Palace is like a time capsule of the 18th-century, a beautifully preserved and restored Baroque architecture ensemble. It is built by Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who also created for the Russian tsars Winter and Tsarskoye Selo Palaces.
After, drive to Aukštaitija National Park, which is the oldest national park and has preserved its pristine nature. Hundreds of lakes are covering its land. After, continue to Palūše. Before steering in your accommodation, stop at Palūše wooden church that is one of the oldest praying houses in Lithuania.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Palūše in Tiki Inn guest house or similar.
DAY 9: BIKE TOUR IN AUKŠTAITIJA NATIONAL PARK & TRADITIONAL SAUNA
In the morning you will join a guided fat – bike tour. A fat-bike allows you to get through otherwise impassable woodland areas, such as muddy off-road, iced and snowy hills, and swampy terrain. On the tour you‘ll discover authentic cultural heritage sites, dense forests, and beautiful lakes. After the tour you will relax in the heat of the traditional sauna and taste some sauna-special tea, brewed with local herbs and enjoy your delicious hot lunch cooked over open fire.
Meals included: Breakfast, and lunch
Overnight: Palūše in Tiki Inn guest house or similar.
DAY 10: TRAKAI ISLAND CASTLE / VILNIUS – TRAKAI – VILNIUS (DRIVE ~110 KM)
After breakfast, drive from Paluše to Trakai. Join a guided snowshoeing tour. The tour will bring you around the medieval Trakai Castle, the landmark of the area. Afterwards you will visit this impressive gothic fortification, built in the second half of the 14th century out of red brick and stone. Next, continue to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. You will continue to Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Vilnius at Hotel Vilnia**** or similar.
DAY 11: CITY TOUR OF VILNIUS
Spend the morning on a guided walking tour of the Old Town, the medieval heart of Vilnius. The highlight of Vilnius is the Cathedral Square. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1783. It is Lithuania’s premier Roman-Catholic church. Moreover, its mausoleum is the final resting place for some notable figures throughout history, including grand dukes of Lithuania and even King Alexander of Poland.
On the tour you will see the Gediminas Tower, the 15th-century St. Anne’s Church, Vilnius University, the oldest university in the Baltics, the Gate of Dawn, and the city’s medieval defensive fortification, built around a chapel that remains a major catholic pilgrimage site in Lithuania. Free time in the evening.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Vilnius at Hotel Vilnia**** or similar.
DAY 12: DEPARTURE
On the departure day, drop off the rental car at the Vilnius airport.
Meals included: Breakfast
Tour map
Price in double occupancy
Two persons travelling is 1650 EUR per person.
Included
- 9 overnights per program in centrally located 3-star / 4-star hotels with breakfast;
- 2 overnights in Palūše guest house with breakfast;
- VW Polo car rental for 12 days;
- Walking tours in Tallinn, Tartu, Riga, and Vilnius
- Tea ceremony at Lake Peipus;
- Snowshoeing tour in Lahemaa National Park and Trakai;
- Dog sled tour in Järvselja forests and Peipsiveere Nature Reserve;
- Rundale Palace guided tour;
- Guided fat – bike tour in Aukštaitija National Park.
Not included
- Any meals or drinks not mentioned in program;
- Gratitudes.
How to dress
In winter, temperatures often drop well below zero degrees Celsius. Please, dress accordingly to the weather forecast! Due to very changeable weather, layering is the key to enjoying the tour. Any warm and comfortable shoes are good enough for this tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who we worked for
Testimonials
History of the area, knowledge of all the events happened over the years . Very courteous and knowledgeable
September 22, 2021
We (4 adults aged 32 – 76 travelling from the UK) went on a private 8 day tour through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania starting and finishing in Tallinn. Valdis is a fantastic logistical organiser and gave us a really smooth private tour through the Baltics, even with all the extras needed during Covid. Valdis made it all very easy for us, even booking and taking us for our PCR tests required for returning to the UK. He is very responsive; adapting the tour to our interests (wildlife and history), he is flexible, easy to get hold of, a good laugh, knowledgeable, passionate about nature and being in the outdoors. We had very wet weather and strong winds for August, but that didn’t stop Valdis giving us a fantastic tour. When we had problems with one of our hotels, Valdis was quick to respond and find a solution – we ended up being moved to a much better apartment (!). Valdis did some of the city and sight tours himself and at other places organised for really excellent colleagues to take us round. We’d go with Baltic Nature Travel again and may ask Valdis to take us hiking next time. Thank you Valdis and Baltic Nature Travel!
August 13, 2021
I booked a private hiking tour that was fantastic. Valdis (the tour guide) is a very enthusiastic person that knows everything one must see and visit. The tour even included some best homemade Latvian sandwiches. Highly recommended!
July 24, 2021
Kayaking in eastern Lithuania’s Aukštaitija (ox-sta-tee-ya) National Park is an amazing way to experience the beauty of its lakes and rivers and vast forests, enjoy picnic lunches on grassy islets and swim in crystal clear waters. Valdis and his colleagues at Baltic Nature Travel did a wonderful job in organizing a self-guided tour. In addition to a well-thought-out daily agenda, he was always available to answer our questions and offer helpful suggestions. My wife and I live in Switzerland and have traveled all over the world. We can honestly say this was one of our most memorable vacations.
The walking tour from Mindaugas of the charming capital of Vilnius (UNESCO world heritage site) and a guided kayak trip around Trakai castle was a great introduction to the history and culture of Lithuanians, who have preserved their identity despite incredible adversity.
We were then driven to our well-equipped wooden cabins, with a stop-off at a supermarket for provisions. Every morning, we were picked up punctually by friendly drivers who transported us and our kayaks to the starting point and then met us at the finish line in the afternoon. (We are both over 50, not experienced kayakers, and we managed the 4-5 hours of medium paddling per day with only a few muscle aches.) And on the last day, we were driven back to the airport. Everything went smoothly, and when we briefly lost electricity one evening, Valdis intervened remotely to fix it.
The only downside to the trip in summer is the insects – wear lightweight, long sleeves, pants and a cap to deter the deerflies and consider mosquito nets for the nights. We were lucky with the weather, but rain gear and zip-lock plastic bags (in addition to the supplied dry bags) are still a must. Another tip is to learn a few phrases in Lithuanian. You will get a lot of smiles, and it may even help you in some situations, as not everyone speaks English. A fun way to get started is the podcast Lithuanian Out Loud.
I can enthusiastically recommend this trip to anyone who is a fan of “soft adventures,” loves kayaking, appreciates pristine nature and wants to discover the fascinating story of this Baltic republic. Do this trip before it’s discovered by the crowds.
July 20, 2021
The trip started with a small tour of Ogre city center and continued along the Ogre river. After a short break we went hiking in the Blue Hills National park till the Dubkalnu quarry. The smell of pine trees brought back childhood memories, while the refreshing waters of the quarry helped to relax before heading back. We had many lively conversations with the tour guide, who was very attentive and adjusted the pace of the hike to my needs. I highly recommend this trip! It will be interesting to have it also in the winter and try skiing in the Blue Hills park.
June 26, 2021
Absolutely incredible tour by visiting two castles, Segulda and Turaida on December 17 with Valdis. Even during the Covid timing the tour was magnificent to learn more about history of this incredible and lovely country. Valdis was knowledgable, friendly and lovely. The tour started with ruins of Segulda castle and finished with visiting Turaida. This time of the year with less people and some uncertainties it was magical to wonder around the castles in more tranquil environment and learn more about history of Latvia. Thank you very very much.
December 16, 2020
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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