South-Estonia

A guide for all friends of nature

Welcome, friend

of nature!

We invite you to South-Estonia, where you will

be greeted by unique rolling hills, lakes and rivers

which bring flood waters seasonally, pristine bogs

and marshes, primordial forests, wildlife and birds

– everything that makes the South-Estonian nature

magnificently diverse and enjoyable.

Here you can find plenty of opportunities for hiking,

for active leisure and for taking part in competitive

sports. There are over 90 nature reserves in South-

Estonia, two of which are national parks. There are

also more than 125 hiking, wildlife and exercise trails.

The rivers and lakes in the area are excellent for

explorations by canoe, kayak, raft, boat, traditional

sailboat or a barge. You cannot even list everything

the area has to offer – golf, archery, cycling, fishing,

horseback riding, safaris, team games and hunting

are just a mere fraction of all the activities you can

enjoy in South-Estonia!

An additional bonus for all travellers is the fact that,

due to South-Estonia’s relatively small size, you can

see and experience a lot in just a few days. See you
soon!

South-Estonia is waiting for you!

Additional information:

www.visittartu.com

turism.valgamaa.ee

www.polvamaa.ee

eng.otepaa.ee

www.visitvoru.ee

www.viljandimaa.ee/turismiinfo

www.visitjogeva.com

www.visitsetomaa.ee

www.visitpeipsi.com

www.vortsjarv.ee

www.visitestonia.com

Nearest airports:

Tartu, Tallinn, Riga, Helsinki

One of the most exciting South-Estonian hiking trails
is the Vällamäe hiking trail in

Haanja Nature

Park

, which takes you from the bottom of Estonia’s

highest hill

Vällamägi

(relative height 84 m) to its

summit. The slopes can be rather steep in places
(with a 35-40 degree angle). The bog with the
thickest peat layer is also located at Vällamäe and on
the foot of the hill a campfire site is a perfect place
to take a break and admire the ancient wildlife.

Rõuge Suurjärv

(Lake Rõuge), the deepest lake in

Estonia (38 m) is also located in Haanja Nature Park,
as well as the

Rõuge Ürgorg

(Rõuge Primordial

Valley), which dates back to pre-Ice Age times and
is 10 km long.

You can find lots of hiking trails, camping spots and
campfire sites in

Karula National Park

, which

was created to preserve the domed hilly landscape
rich with forests and lakes, the wildlife and cultural
heritage characteristic to South-Estonia.

When driving to Põlva or Võru from Tartu, we
suggest you take the

Postitee

(Postal Road) that

offers varying landscapes and has a distinctive and
exciting history – the road was both a trading route
and warpath connecting Tartu and Pskov (Pihkva) in
Russia. The horses of Swedish, Russian and Polish
rulers have galloped down this road. In addition
to the beautiful landscape, the road is dotted with
what has been preserved of old traditional pubs or
taverns (‘kõrts’ in Estonian) and post stations.

To hikers in Viljandi County we recommend the 12
km hiking trail around

Lake Viljandi.

One of the

Estonian sports events with longest traditions is
the

Grand Race Round Lake Viljandi

, which

welcomes all cross-country running enthusiasts and
wildlife lovers on the 1

st

of May each year. In addition

to exploring the exercise trails, you can awaken your
body even more with a visit to the

Energy Farm

,

which offers fascinating insights into the world of
herbs.

The main attraction in the

Paistu Ürgorg

(Paistu

Primordial Valley) near Viljandi is the

Loodi Põrgu

(Loodi Hell or Underworld) – a 23 m wide and 15 m
high sandstone cliff, which you can reach via a hiking
trail beginning from the Paistu Paisjärv (Paistu Dam
and Lake).

When it comes to forests, Estonia is one of the
richest countries in the world! Nearly half of our
mainland is covered with forests. The

State Forest

Management Centre

’s (RMK) nature centres

and hiking trails in South-Estonia are worth a visit.

Travelling along unique

rolling hills

The usual flat plains of Estonia begin to alternate
between hills and valleys when moving towards the
south from

Viljandi

. The magnificent view to the lake

in the valley below from the ruins of the Viljandi Castle
has even been compared to Switzerland. Several red
sandstone cliffs also make the landscape unique, and
one of them is close to Viljandi.

The most southerly counties of Estonia,

Valgamaa

and

Võrumaa

(Valga County and Võru County) are

both clearly distinguishable from the rest of Estonia by
their varied terrain, diverse communities and habitat,
relatively continental climate and by a way of living that
has evolved and been maintained over centuries. Here
you can enjoy a distinctive landscape of hillocks and
valleys, not found anywhere else in Estonia. In Estonia’s
largest landscape protection area,

Otepää Nature

Park

, with its rolling terrain, hiking and exercise trails

have been created for people who appreciate nature
and wildlife.

On the summit of

Suur Munamägi

, which is the

highest point in the Baltics (318 m above sea level), you
can find an observation tower offering a magnificent
view of the South-Estonian nature in a 50 km radius.
The domes of the Pechory Monastery and Lake Pskov
(Pihkva) across the border with Russia are also visible
from the tower. Be sure to visit the Haanja Nature Park,
in the highest region of Estonia, the

Haanja Uplands

,

where 18% of its area is over 250m above sea level.

Notable swamp areas in Tartu County are located
in two nature reserves of European scale –
the

Peipsiveere

and

Alam-Pedja Nature

Reserves

. For birdwatchers the

Ilmatsalu-

Kärevere Linnutee

(Ilmatsalu-Kärevere Bird

Trail) offers exciting discoveries all year round. Its
meadows belong to the Natura 2000 network.
On this 5 km long hiking trail it is possible to spot
nearly 200 bird species, several of which are
classified as endangered – for example the Black
Stork.

Another bird area of international importance
is located in the northern corner of Lake Peipus
– the

Räpina Polder Preservation Area

is

Estonia’s biggest land improvement area, with
several bird watching towers.

The

Luhasoo Bog

in Võru County, Haanja

Uplands, is under nature protection as a well-
preserved wild wetland area, characteristic to
South-Estonia. A boardwalk has been built in wet
lower areas of the swamp and bog.

The heart of Vooremaa is the

Ice Age Centre

near Tartu, which explores the causes and
development of the Ice Age and climate change,
tying it to the modern world. You can make
shorter or longer rides on the picturesque

Lake

Saadjärv

or take a trip to the nearby

Elistvere

Animal Park

, where wild animals common in

Estonia are being kept in as natural conditions as
possible.

People have begun to call

Soomaa

(Swamp

Land) Jõemaa (River Land) instead, because of
its many rivers. The best way to explore this wild
area is to take a canoe trip, with a hike in the
middle of the excursion. On the

Beaver Trail

near the Soomaa Visitor Centre you can see signs
of beaver activities, and on the Trail of

Lemmjõe

Keelemets

you can admire an ancient alluvial

forest – long gone in the rest of Europe. On the

Ingatsi Hiking Trail

you can climb a set of

wooden stairs to the top layer of peat of Europe’s
highest bog, which is 8 m high.

You can explore the South-Estonian bogs even
in winter by

snowshoeing

– hiking on walking

aides that resemble tennis racquets. Snow shoes
enable you to move along fluffy mounds of
snow and bogs and travel into areas not usually
accessible on foot.

Enjoying the silence in

wild nature

Estonia is an exceptionally swampy area – nearly 22%
of the territory is under wetlands. In Estonia you can
find bog landscapes that no longer exist in other parts
of Europe! One of the best places to admire them is in

Soomaa National Park

, part of the international

PAN Parks network, which was established to preserve
primeval nature areas throughout Europe. The diverse
nature of Soomaa and the numerous species of birds
and animals living there are a showpiece for both
casual hikers and travellers interested in specific nature
observation experiences.

Soomaa has many rivers and is also famous for its spring
flood waters, which flood not only the meadows and
forests, but also most of the roads, cutting local people off
from the outside world. The largest floods have covered
an area of up to 175 km². The locals call the flooding
the

“fifth season”

and it has become a natural part

of Soomaa’s way of living and culture. Thanks to the
initiative of local people, the knowledge and skills of
making a Finno-Ugric one log dugout boat or

haabjas

-

characteristic to Soomaa - has been preserved. You might
even be taught how to make one.

In addition to the bog landscapes, you get a sense of the
primeval origins of South-Estonia through the markings
left by the Ice Age in

Vooremaa

. The drumlins and

depressions in the area surrounding

Lake Saadjärv

between

Tartu County

and

Jõgeva County

create

one of the finest drumlin fields in Eastern-European
flatlands. This complex of unique land reliefs gives an
unbelievably good picture of how the ice used to move,
and has attracted the attention of scientists. When
admiring these powerful landforms, one gets a sense
of why Vooremaa was a centre – even the very heart –
of the stories which were to become the Estonian epos
“Kalevipoeg” (“Kalev’s Son”).

For the enjoyment of canoe and kayak enthusiasts,
South-Estonia offers plenty of options for water
activities. The longest of Estonia’s more than
7000 rivers, the

Võhandu River,

has stretches

varying between calm and fast flowing waters,
and is also suitable for trips lasting several
days. The

Võhandu Marathon

offers lots of

excitement – it spans a 100 km stretch of water
between the town of Võru and the Võõpsu village
on the coast of Lake Peipus, and people take part
in it using various kinds of water crafts.

One of the most popular tourist sites in the

Piusa

River Ancient Valley

landscape reserve are the

Piusa Caves

, which were created during sand

mining in the 1920s. The Piusa Caves are also the
largest hibernating area of bats in the Baltics –
seven species have been counted and the number
of individual

bats

can reach up to 3000.

South-Estonia is adored for its numerous little
lakes hidden behind forests or among hills.
Private refreshing dips in

tiny bodies of water

and bog lakes

are also enjoyed by the locals.

On the

sailing barge nature trips

you can view

the starry sky, listen to bird songs or take a trip to
bat habitats. To find out how the barges are built,
visit the

Barge Hall

in Tartu by the river Emajõgi.

South-Estonian rivers and lakes also offer a
relaxing fishing holiday – you can enjoy the
solitude of an early morning on a river or a frozen
lake in winter. Visit the

western coast of Lake

Peipus

to explore the traditional coastal villages

and see sandstone cliffs stretching out from the
waterline.

You can enjoy views to Lake Võrtsjärv or even
arrange to taste a special eel soup or smoked
bream on a traditional trawling sailboat called
the

kalepurjekas.

The

Lake Museum

on

the lakeside of Lake Võrtsjärv has big aquariums
to exhibit live fish, aquatic plants and bottom-
dwelling animals and you can view plankton
organisms under a microscope.

Adventures on lakes

and rivers

Estonia’s most beautiful river, the

Emajõgi

has

historically been an important waterway, linking

Lake

Võrtsjärv

to

Lake Peipus

(Peipsi), the fifth largest

lake in Europe. The estuary of Emajõgi, the largest
territory of swamp islands and delta wetland in Estonia,
the

Emajõe Suursoo

(Great Wetlands of Emajõgi), are

covered by the

Peipsiveere National Reserve

. As

early as in the 14th century, barges arrived in Tartu from
Russia along the Emajõgi, laden with furs, wax, honey,
and hemp. The memory of the unique barges of Lake
Peipus has not yet faded and during the summer season
you can enjoy a boat ride on the river Emajõgi in one of
the small riverboats or in a

Peipsi barge

, built using

ancient building techniques. Sailing, rowing and driving
a motorboat on Lake Peipus are popular activities
nowadays as well.

The largest inland body of water in Estonia is the shallow

Lake Võrtsjärv

, which is home to 36 different species

of fish. The lake is also known as Europe’s biggest natural
eel farm, where glass eels originating from the Sargasso
Sea and carried by the Atlantic currents to the British
coast, have been flown to Estonia to continue their
lives. From various ports on Lake Võrtsjärv you can sail
out for an expedition on a special, traditional trawling
sailboat –

kalepurjekas

. Both Lake Võrtsjärv and

Soomaa National Park have received the “destination
of excellence” title from the prestigious European
tourism competition

EDEN

(European Destinations of

Excellence).

An old saying has it that at least once in their lifetime,
each Estonian must visit the ancient sacred spots by
the

Ahja river

in Põlva County: the most famous is

the almost 24 m high

Suur Taevaskoda (Great

Heaven’s Hall)

. On the banks of the Ahja River there

are nearly 40 unique sandstone cliffs, estimated to be
around 400 million years old. When drifting quietly
downstream you may catch a glimpse of the bright
blue

Kingfisher,

who is truly a sight to admire on the

backdrop of dark evergreen conifers and white blooms
of the Bird Cherry (prunus padus).

Vapramäe, Vellavere

and

Vitipalu

are three

beautiful places in Tartu County near Elva, which
are connected by a close network of study, hiking
and exercise trails and recreation areas. Hiking
gatherings are held regularly in the area.

The hiking and skiing trails in

Haanja Uplands

and

Võru County

are a great way to explore

nature all year round. Winter brings snow to
Haanja, even when there is none in the rest of the
country. The

Haanja Ski Marathon

in March

polishes off the Estonian skiing season.

The

Otepää Adventure Park

and

Tartu

Adventure Park

offer novel, adventurous and

exciting recreation activities “between the earth
and sky”.

Marathons! The popular sports series with the
biggest number of participants in Estonia is the
Tartu Neliküritus (Tartu Complex Event), which
consists of the

Tartu Cross Country Skiing

Marathon, Tartu Running

and

Nordic

Walking Race

,

Tartu Cycling Road Race

and

Tartu Mountain Bike Race

. Other

possibilities are the

Tartu Inline Skating

Marathon

and

Tartu City Marathon

. Each

event includes shorter distance options for less
athletic people.

At the

Holstre-Polli

sports and recreation

centre in Viljandi County you can enjoy skiing
and ice skating in winter and hiking and roller
skating in summer. A 25 m high observation
tower enables visitors to glimpse the area’s
beautiful nature.

One of the best known skiing trails in South-
Estonia is the 14 km long

Kekkose Trail

, which

passes over the massive

Harimäe

upland. It is

named after the Finnish president Urho Kaleva
Kekkonen, whose visit to Kääriku is also marked
by the famous Kekkose sauna - very popular
amongst skiers after competitions.

Having an active

vacation

South-Estonia is a favoured destination all year round
for those wishing to have an active vacation. There
are plenty of opportunities for people to take part
in competitive sports or to enjoy less active leisure
activities. In addition to hiking on trails and enjoying
time on lakes and rivers, you can go hunting, horseback
riding and practice your archery skills. Excellent cycling
and roller skating tracks are sure to excite all sports
lovers. You can try your hand at playing golf or tennis.
Of course, there are extreme sports, as well! And this is
by no means a full list of all the activities South-Estonia
has to offer!

Wintertime in Estonia offers a wealth of adventures!
A “must visit” destination is

Otepää

– the Winter

Capital of Estonia - the best known winter sports centre
in the Baltics and the most popular holiday destination
in South-Estonia. Thanks to its hilly landscape, climatic
peculiarities and well developed sports centres, as well
as several accommodation establishments, visitors can
enjoy everything winter has to offer from December
till April. Skiing, downhill skiing and snowmobile
trails, ski jumping and sledding hills, ice skating rinks
and snowtubing are all available to you. International
sports audiences know Otepää as the host location of
the World Cup Cross-Country Skiing events. You can
observe the athletes’ training sessions or competitions
from the viewing platform of the

Tehvandi

Ski Jump

Tower

, with its wonderful view of the Otepää area in

every direction.

Text: LIVE, Foundation South-Estonian Tourism. Translation: Laura Erik. Photographs: Photobank of Estonian Tourist Board,

Tartu County Tourism Foundation public photostock, photobank of Valga County, Jaak Nilson, Aivar Naaber, Eha Moosel,

Aivar Ruukel, Lake Võrtsjärv Foundation, Võrumaa Tourist Information Centre, Otepää Adventure Park, FOCUS Database OÜ.

Design: GBF Design. Print: PAAR. Publisher: Foundation South-Estonian Tourism.

See you in South-Estonia!