Lahemaa National Park
Lahemaa National Park
4.5
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4.5
207 reviews
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Very good
54
Average
9
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2
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0
Beatriz M
Düsseldorf, Germany5,677 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
Very beautiful national park! Recommend to visit on a sunny day. I took an organized daytrip from Tallinn but it would be possible to go by public transport. I did the walk Viru Bog which is the most recommended one. There is a very nice viewing platform. The walk is super easy! The only thing is that it is narrow. Try not to take large bags with you to make it easier. I didn't see any eating or toilet facilities in the walk. But in the beginning and in the end of the walk there was toilet.
Written 12 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jbg74
Saint Paul, MN1,163 contributions
Sept 2024 • Family
This is a beautiful national park. We did a bog walk, visited the 18th century Palmse and Vihule manors, visited some old Baltic fishing towns, and saw an old Soviet naval base. It was a great introduction to the Estonian countryside.
Written 8 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jellybellydancer
Burscough, UK1,470 contributions
June 2017 • Family
Lahemaa is Estonia's largest national park and includes coastline, forest, peat bogs and large Ice Age boulders. An hour away by car, it makes a perfect day trip from Tallinn, although you easily spend much longer exploring.
We started our visit at the national park visitor centre at Palmse Manor. Although small, the staff were friendly and knowledgeable and small maps were available to buy with all the main sights clearly marked. There were interesting displays about the area, but most of the descriptions were only in Estonian so we did't stay long.
The manor looked very impressive from the outside, but we'd been advised that it took a few hours to explore, time we unfortunately didn't have, so we admired it from afar and carried on.
Our next stop was Kasmu, on the coast. We drove to the end of the road, parked up and joined the start of the Kasmu Nature and Culture Trail. It was clearly signposted with plenty of information about the area. We were particularly interested in the erratic boulders which are randomly scattered everywhere.
We had a very tasty lunch at a little cafe that was signposted from the main road in Kasmu before continuing to Tammispea to see an even bigger boulder that's hidden in the forest there. At nearly 8m high, it is very impressive.
As we headed back towards Tallinn on E20, we took a slight detour to follow the Viru Bog Nature Trail, a boardwalk across the peat bog. A nice gentle walk that passed a viewing platform; well worth climbing up for a fantastic view of the area.
Our final stop was Jagala waterfall, not strictly in Lahemaa, but at 8m tall, well worth a visit.
There was so much more that we could have done, but it was lovely to get out of the city and explore some of Estonia's natural charms.
We started our visit at the national park visitor centre at Palmse Manor. Although small, the staff were friendly and knowledgeable and small maps were available to buy with all the main sights clearly marked. There were interesting displays about the area, but most of the descriptions were only in Estonian so we did't stay long.
The manor looked very impressive from the outside, but we'd been advised that it took a few hours to explore, time we unfortunately didn't have, so we admired it from afar and carried on.
Our next stop was Kasmu, on the coast. We drove to the end of the road, parked up and joined the start of the Kasmu Nature and Culture Trail. It was clearly signposted with plenty of information about the area. We were particularly interested in the erratic boulders which are randomly scattered everywhere.
We had a very tasty lunch at a little cafe that was signposted from the main road in Kasmu before continuing to Tammispea to see an even bigger boulder that's hidden in the forest there. At nearly 8m high, it is very impressive.
As we headed back towards Tallinn on E20, we took a slight detour to follow the Viru Bog Nature Trail, a boardwalk across the peat bog. A nice gentle walk that passed a viewing platform; well worth climbing up for a fantastic view of the area.
Our final stop was Jagala waterfall, not strictly in Lahemaa, but at 8m tall, well worth a visit.
There was so much more that we could have done, but it was lovely to get out of the city and explore some of Estonia's natural charms.
Written 3 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sir_meeshoo
Gdynia, Poland443 contributions
July 2017 • Family
It would be a challenge to find nothing suitable in the Lahemaa National Park.
For a half-day trip, I would recommend Kasmu & Viru Bog. We took the Kasmu first, as we live by the coast ourselves and presumed if would make less of an impression than the Viru Bog - so we saved the best for last. Both locations are in fact nature trails, 4 & 3,5 kilometer-long respectively. That might be misleading however, since the Kasmu Nature Trail forms a loop, while one has to find his/hers way back in the other case. But we'll get to that.
Kasmu is very easy to reach - just type in the name and drive till the road ends. Should there be no parking spots left, you can park a hundred or so meters back or by the church - it doesn't really matter, you will probably be making full circle anyway. If you are in a hurry, you can settle for the seaside with impressive stones - just make sure you come no earlier than mid-July (some areas are restricted before). After anjoying the seaside, the second part of the loop takes you through the forest - the stones are there as well, with a variety of mosses. This part is rather wild, so a trolley is out of the question.
The Viru Bog is quite different - it is an extensive swamp. You can reach this area close to Kemba from the north (Jõelähtme-Kemba) or from the west (Liiapeksi-Loksa). Most people seem to choose the latter, reach the Viru Bog after a few-hundred-meters walk, go directly to the observation tower, and... go back. It has one upside - you can use the trolley. The best part is further north though, and when you complete the trail you have to go all the way back through the forest and do a substantial detour to reach the parking place. If I did it again, I would choose approach from the north, go to the tower through the swamps (enjoying the best part) and then turn 180 degrees and go back same way again, not bothering the "civilized" part (as it is the least interesting).
Should you consider a full-day trip, Palmse Manor as well as Altja fishing village are both viable options.
For a half-day trip, I would recommend Kasmu & Viru Bog. We took the Kasmu first, as we live by the coast ourselves and presumed if would make less of an impression than the Viru Bog - so we saved the best for last. Both locations are in fact nature trails, 4 & 3,5 kilometer-long respectively. That might be misleading however, since the Kasmu Nature Trail forms a loop, while one has to find his/hers way back in the other case. But we'll get to that.
Kasmu is very easy to reach - just type in the name and drive till the road ends. Should there be no parking spots left, you can park a hundred or so meters back or by the church - it doesn't really matter, you will probably be making full circle anyway. If you are in a hurry, you can settle for the seaside with impressive stones - just make sure you come no earlier than mid-July (some areas are restricted before). After anjoying the seaside, the second part of the loop takes you through the forest - the stones are there as well, with a variety of mosses. This part is rather wild, so a trolley is out of the question.
The Viru Bog is quite different - it is an extensive swamp. You can reach this area close to Kemba from the north (Jõelähtme-Kemba) or from the west (Liiapeksi-Loksa). Most people seem to choose the latter, reach the Viru Bog after a few-hundred-meters walk, go directly to the observation tower, and... go back. It has one upside - you can use the trolley. The best part is further north though, and when you complete the trail you have to go all the way back through the forest and do a substantial detour to reach the parking place. If I did it again, I would choose approach from the north, go to the tower through the swamps (enjoying the best part) and then turn 180 degrees and go back same way again, not bothering the "civilized" part (as it is the least interesting).
Should you consider a full-day trip, Palmse Manor as well as Altja fishing village are both viable options.
Written 21 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colin M
Malaga, Spain27 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
Wonderful countryside, ideal for walking short or long distances. Plenty of wildlife. We visited the Viru Bog, which had boardwalks all the way round to protect the landscape and keep your feet dry! There was a brood of 4 recently fledged swallows in the roof of the viewing tower, and they were being fed by the adults as we watched.
In the forests around, lots of biting insects when we were there, so protect yourselves!
In the forests around, lots of biting insects when we were there, so protect yourselves!
Written 23 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Globetrotter045
Haacht, Belgium5,401 contributions
June 2019 • Solo
Lahemaa, Estonia's largest national park is certainly worth a visit. Only an hour by car from Tallinn and the roads in the park are excellent. It has a lot on offer, so you have to choose if you only go 1 day. I stayed 3 days in Lahemaa and wasn't bored for 1 minute. I saw the lovely coastline with boulders in Käsmu and Altja, spent a pleasant afternoon on a very nice beach in Võsu. I visited 2 manors Palmse and Sagadi, both equally grand. Just pick one. Plenty of wooden houses, but the most beautiful are in Käsmu.
A lot of forest ofcourse with many trails. The Viru bog trail is the best with a viewing tower in the middle. The Käsmu nature and culture trail with the many boulders is also good. Another good one is the bever trail.
Something totally different was the urban-explorer-style visit to the abandoned Soviet submarine base.
And also important I found excellent restaurants.
A lot of forest ofcourse with many trails. The Viru bog trail is the best with a viewing tower in the middle. The Käsmu nature and culture trail with the many boulders is also good. Another good one is the bever trail.
Something totally different was the urban-explorer-style visit to the abandoned Soviet submarine base.
And also important I found excellent restaurants.
Written 2 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nlgenxer
South San Francisco, CA192 contributions
Aug 2011 • Friends
Someone we met on a free tour in Riga recommended that we take the Lahemaa one-day tour through Scanbalt Experience.
It was significantly cheaper than the other tours we saw advertised around town (19 euros) and seemed to cover similar ground.
We stopped at a waterfall, a monument with a nice view, burial mounds, and a good restaurant serving traditional foods and beer for lunch. The highlights were a beautiful lake and a hike through some gorgeous marshland to a wooden tower you could climb for some nice views.
I've been to many national parks in my lifetime, and this one was different enough to be a worthwhile day trip from Tallinn. It's probably not necessary to spend more than a day, if you have limited time in Estonia.
It was significantly cheaper than the other tours we saw advertised around town (19 euros) and seemed to cover similar ground.
We stopped at a waterfall, a monument with a nice view, burial mounds, and a good restaurant serving traditional foods and beer for lunch. The highlights were a beautiful lake and a hike through some gorgeous marshland to a wooden tower you could climb for some nice views.
I've been to many national parks in my lifetime, and this one was different enough to be a worthwhile day trip from Tallinn. It's probably not necessary to spend more than a day, if you have limited time in Estonia.
Written 20 November 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony E
Switzerland590 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
This was our second Baltic boardwalk after Kemeri, and we enjoyed it even more. It is a great place for a break if you are driving from Tallinn to Saaremaa or to Pärnu. The walk we took started just a kilometre north of Risti, on the way to Piirsalu. It's called the Viru Bog Trail (there are additional reviews on TripAdvisor under that name). The walk starts from the carpark, a few hundred metres off the road, and starts in open countryside before entering a beech forest, the trees relatively low and slender because of the thin topsoil. Following the well-maintained boardwalk, you slowly leave the forest and the ground becomes marshy, the vegetation changing accordingly. Further still, the mature bog starts, and finally you reach a three-floor viewing tower surrounded by mysterious black ponds. All the way, the boardwalk has information tables explaining how a bog forms, and its characteristic flora and fauna. You walk back to the car along the same path, but this is no hardship as you experience the transition from bog to marsh to forest in the other direction. The boardwalk is so well maintained that it should be suitable for push-chairs and wheelchairs, though obviously they cannot ascend the viewing platform. The guidebooks state that the walk is 3.5 km, but it seemed longer (perhaps because we took so long studying the - for us Middle Europeans - strange landscape). Close to the walk are two stately homes - Palmse and Sagadi - which do open to the public but we didn't have time to visit them.
Written 30 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SaruneZet
Tallinn, Estonia19 contributions
Apr 2016 • Friends
Hey, nature and peace lover. Yeah, you there, i am talking to you! Trust me, if you wanna see something awesome, go there. Just breath fresh air, listen to birdies chirping. Have some lovely time with your friends and family or with yourself only. We were traveling there by car. Roads are pretty good.I am not sure if you can pick some mushrooms there in forest, but OH EM GEE, there must be a lot of them on autumn time. Gonna come back there for sure. And the beaches.. Enough talking, back your bag and just go there. It's full of attractions.
Written 21 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
agnes296
Sydney, Australia13 contributions
Aug 2015 • Solo
If you're a little tired of the crowds in Old Town, why not take a day tour? I chose this one and had a great time. It was a great way of seeing something of Estonia and to learn a little of its rich history. The small group I was in left Tallinn strangers, and came back friends. We were lucky to have such a lovely guide name Kris. Apart from a great sense of humour, he had a sound knowledge of Estonian history. He also made sure we didn't get into too much trouble when we wandered off. We had a full on day where we got to experience a range of things from Viru Bog, the Kasmu Sea Museum and an old submarine base at Hara. I highly recommend this tour
Written 15 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does one need special footwear/boots for the bob walk in Lahemma National Park. Thanks
Written 21 October 2024
Hi, would it be safe for a tourist to rent a car and drive here in mid-january?
Written 30 December 2019
Hi! Yes, I think it would be quite safe in winter as in any other season. The quality of roads is very good. I am not sure if it’s open in winter though. You’d better check. In mid January the temperature is likely to be -5-0 C. Have a nice trip.
Written 31 December 2019
Is it possible to go there and explore the Park with a baby carriage?
Written 8 August 2019
The national park is huge, crisscrossed with mostly tarmac roads. You can visit pretty villages, beautiful manors, beaches with a baby carriage. No problem at all. And you can do a part of the excellent viru bog trail and even climb the tower in the middle of the trail with a baby stroller. All the other trails in the woods, that would be difficult.
But go, Lahemaa NP was a highlight of my trip to Estonia.
Written 8 August 2019
Can we take a bus from Tallin to Lahemaa National Park?
Is there an info point where we can rent a motorcycle?
Written 24 November 2018
Lahemaa park is a very large area. I think that you must have a car. There is the information office of the park near to Palmse Manor. You can ask for rent car or motocycle.
Written 25 November 2018
Bonjour, je pars bientôt pour faire une randonnée de 6 jours dans le parc Lahemaa. Je n'ai pas pu trouver de carte topographique du parc, j'espère pourvoir en trouver à Tallinn. Mais est-ce que vous avez des conseils sur les endroits où se procurer ces types de cartes ou alors comment est-ce qu'il est possible de prévoir son itinéraire de randonnée? Merci pour votre réponse :)
Written 22 September 2018
Здравствуйте!) А я не была в этом месте) я задавала вопрос путешественнику, который там был)
Written 28 September 2018
Александр, а где вы оставляли машину?)
Written 21 September 2018
На 52-ом километре шоссе Tallinn-Narvа повернуть налево (указатель "Võsu 25, Loksa 15"). Проехать один километр, справа у дороги будет парковка (указатель "Viru raba").
Written 21 September 2018
camaramamadou664
Orleans, France
Bonjour je voudrais avoir quelque bibliographie ou des sites qui me permettra d'avoir plus de connaissance sur le Parc.
Merci pour la compréhension
Written 13 September 2018
Ach ja. Es gibt ein paar Herrenhäuser, hier gibt es so weit ich weiß Öffnungszeiten und Eintrittspreise. Uns waren die Trails aber wichtiger.
Written 12 September 2016
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