Experience the Mystical and Untouched Nature of Estonia!

When it comes to visiting Estonia, many people just come to see the picturesque Old Town in Tallinn and then take off. Although it is understandable that tourists want to make the most of their time to see everything altogether, the country has a lot more to offer to its visitors in addition to its magnificent medieval past!

Estonians have a special bond with their nature. And one can only appreciate this precious relationship considering the beauty of the country’s natural landscape. So it would be very unfortunate if you visit Estonia without really experiencing its untouched nature.

Being one of the least religious nations in the world, spirituality and nature worshipping plays an important part in Estonia. The form of local nature worshipping is called "Maausk" in which the trees and earth are cherished objects. I am dropping a link to the related BBC article for those who are curious for further reading.

The aim of this blog is to make the visitors aware of what they might be missing out on if they don’t give a chance to the wonderful Estonian Nature😊 Let's begin to discover what it has to offer!

Brief Background

The area that is called Estonia today was covered entirely with ice until the last glacier faded away about some 11,000 years ago! Thus making the traces of the Ice Age still clearly visible. And not long ago the entire land was made up of an archipelago of swamps. And thanks to that around three quarters of Estonia today is covered by forests and bogs!

On the other hand Estonia is not a very “high” country, the average elevation being only 50 meters and the highest point 318 meters! Unlike some countries like Norway, this actually makes it very easy to walk, hike and even cycle in the nature.

The Estonian nature is very picturesque and calm. You can take the best of photos if you try to catch the right angle of sunshine just when those migratory birds are passing by, or a Siberian flying squirrel is gliding down on the bark of a tree!

Also, the air quality throughout Estonia is among the highest in the world. So don’t forget to take deep breaths while you are out there exploring!

Main Landforms to Expect in Estonia

Some call Estonia the kingdom of bogs and marshes since there are a lot of them scattered around. No matter where you are in Estonia, the closest bog is probably within the 10 km diameter! 

Moist areas and the forests in Estonia are a sanctuary to the people where they can roam around freely and just connect. And by roaming freely, I mean it in a literal way since it is a right protected by the law here!

Land and water features are very diverse in Estonia. I’ll shut up now and let the numbers speak: There are 1,400 lakes and 2,222 island to be exact! Crazy, right?

Also among such features are meadows, bogs, beaches, forests, craters, plateaus, waterfalls and cliffs. All these landforms make Estonia a very diverse country that offers something for everyone. And not only humans appreciate this rich landscape but also the animals seem to be fond of it at the same time.

Some species that have gone extinct in other parts of Europe can still be seen in Estonia. You can encounter lynx, grizzly bears, wolves, wild boars, flying squirrels and beavers while hiking in the Estonian nature.

Things to Do & Where to Go

With such diverse landscape comes a diverse set of activities to do in the Estonian nature:

1- Camping

There are a lot (free) camping sites and communities in Estonia that you can get in touch with via facebook. Some are caravan friendly as well and you may check out this official website to find the locations of the campgrounds.

2- Birdwatching

Since Estonia is located on the migration routes of various birds, birdwatchers get to spot no less than 380 species of birds annually. Now I am not a pro at this so I would advise you to make further digging on your own if you are interested to find out more.

3- Hiking

Whether it is a warm day in summer or a snow-covered one during winter, Estonia is never short of amazing hiking trails. I have taken part in tours during each season and my personal favorite is to go out there in winter with your thermos full of hot coffee and sunglasses on accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, of course.

4- Ice Swimming

Although once came very close to doing it on one occasion I have not yet done this myself, but I know a lot of people who ice swim during winter. I am told that it is such a fun activity and not as terrible as one might think if you have never tried before!

5- Picking Mushrooms & Blueberries

As I mentioned in the first part, Estonians have a very special relationship with their nature. They do various things when they are out there, and picking mushrooms and blueberries are just two of those things. 

It is said that every Estonian has a special mysterious place where they pick the best of such berries and mushrooms but they won’t tell anyone of this place other than family. So don’t even think about asking as these are very private to each family and lineage 😏

6- Bog Walking

Bog walking is a must in Estonia if you are planning to spend a few days here. It is a fun activity no matter if you are by yourself or with a group of people. 

Bogs have a wooden boardwalk in the middle that leads the way so that you are not lost or drowned in the middle of the vast boggy field. And if you can make sure that it is safe, just try to go out of the track for a couple of steps and feel how bouncy the bog ground feels! It is like a gigantic trampoline made by the nature itself.

7- National Parks

There exists a total of 6 diverse national parks in Estonia. I have not had the chance to cover them all but it is a great opportunity for avid nature hikers to experience the Estonian nature at its best! 

My personal favorite is the Lahemaa Rahvuspark which can be your ticket to a perfect day trip just outside Tallinn. Here you will find stony and sand shores, bouncy bogs, rivers and giant rocks that arrived to Estonia all the way from Finland traveling on ice during the last Ice Age!

8- Canoeing

The rivers and lakes are rather calm in Estonia so pretty much everyone can try canoeing or kayaking in Estonian waters. Since such activities exist almost everywhere throughout the country, it is not difficult to reach out to an organizer.

9- Swimming and/or Surfing

Estonia has many beautiful beaches, some are even very close to the downtown in Tallinn. The ones I have been to are proper sand beaches with the necessary equipment, and some food/ice cream trucks in addition. So swimming and tanning are among your options as well as surfing when visiting Estonia!

10- Horseback Riding

What beautiful way to explore the forests other than horseback riding? Estonia has quite a few places that give you the chance to ride a horse in the beautiful nature. 

I personally like the Hipodroomi stables in Tallinn where you can take out a horse and ride through the forest and even on the beach! It was the first time I have ever seen someone riding a horse on the beach against the waves for real!

11- Meteorite Craters

There are various meteorite craters in Estonia. The one that I am going to recommend and is the most famous is the Kaali Crater located in the Saaremaa Island. It is a very mysterious area that blows the visitors’ minds with its crater lake that has been there for thousands of years. Also nearby there are smaller craters if you have the time.

12- Husky Sledding

If you are visiting during winter, you can also try the Husky Park in Rapla to experience a dog-sled ride on snow. The park has cabins, hot tea and some light meals to offer. It is outside of the city, but a well worth trip if you like Huskies in particular.

Bonus: The Estonian Flag!

As it must be pretty obvious by now, the nature plays a very important role in Estonians’ everyday lives. Having said that, it would be a shame to write a blog post about the Estonian nature and leave the Estonian flag out of it!

The Estonian flag is a tri-color flag with the colors blue, black and white in order from the top down. But ever wondered how this flag came out to be? Yep, you guessed right: The Estonian nature is at play again!

Below is the bonus ingredient of this post showing how the Estonian flag came into existence. Blue is the sky with black being the sea and the white part for the accumulated ice/snow. Not bad huh? Let me know what you think!