Estonia is more than just Tallinn. As much as our glorious capital has to offer, you will miss a lot if you don’t drive outside of the city. Estonian forests, lakes, meadows and seaside are well worth exploring. Luckily, we have so many awesome hiking trails – from easy, one hour walks to serious all day hiking routes with overnight possibilities.
Where is Lake Pühajärv hiking trail?
Lake Pühajärv hiking trail is among the most scenic trails I have been to so far. It is located in the South of the country, only around 40 minute drive from Tartu. The trail runs around lake Pühajärv – famous for its summer parties, concerts and festivals. In summer, this place is quite crowded, so we recommend coming here in late September or October, when autumn is at its brightest with all the colors. Try to catch sunny weather!
We decided to start the trail anticlockwise, from SPA hotel, where we parked our car. Once on the trail, you will experience very unique and wild nature. Some parts of the trail run along the bog, but don’t worry – there is wooden floor above the water.
What you can expect
If you have enough time, bring some snacks and enjoy the time at one of the many resting spots of Lake Pühajärv hiking trail. Grill facilities and firewood are provided. Among other highlights, you will see Love spring, Hobustemägi (“horses’ hill”), the source of the Väike-Emajõgi River, Murrumets forest, Pühajärve Sõjatamm (“war oak”).
The path is very well marked, but you can also print a free map and brochure here. To make things more fun, use a fitness app like Endomondo to track your progress. Here is our map and stats from the walk:
As the sun was setting down, the views became incredible. I recommend planning at least 4 hours for the trail, as some parts may be harder to pass (depends on the weather) and sometimes you would just want to sit down and enjoy the view.
Where to stay overnight?
You can easily combine visiting this trail with SPA weekend holiday at Pühajärve SPA hotel. Why? Because it’s a great idea to relax in the pool and saunas after such a long hike on Lake Pühajärv hiking trail, enjoy fantastic meal at local pub and not having to worry about driving back on the same day.
Pühajärve SPA hotel has numerous SPA treatments, including different types of massage, beauty treatments, gym, large pool, Jacuzzi, saunas and even bowling! Local pub offers some really tasty meals and there is live music on weekends!
Sometimes, good deals can be found on Hotelliveeb (local hotel booking website). If you are lucky you might find a deal for as low as 50€ per night for 2 persons with breakfast.
How to get there?
The easiest way is by car, from Tallinn it will take around 3 hours. You can also travel by bus from Tallinn (at the time of writing ticket price was 11,50€, travel time 3h30min). Ticket info here
Do you like hiking? Consider Lahemaa National Park
Melissa
This looks like a wonderful place to hike! Did you get massages after ? That would of been the best to have after a long hike ! I love travelling and massages! They just go together well ! If you did get massages where at ? I am always checking out blogs just to know so if so ever visit Thankyou! 😁