The best hiking routes in Soomaa rahvuspark

Soomaa rahvuspark is a vast wetland region in southwestern Estonia defined by its massive peat bogs, swamp forests, and meandering rivers. Unlike drier pine forests elsewhere in the country, this landscape is dominated by raised bog domes that rise several meters above the surrounding river valleys. Walkers here will transition between dense, dark alluvial forests and wide-open, mossy bog plains where stunted pines are the only trees capable of growing in the acidic soil.

Underfoot, the terrain dictates the route. To cross the wet, spongy peat of the bogs, you must rely on wooden boardwalks, which can be slippery when wet. Off the boardwalks, the trails follow natural river levees and sandy ridges where the ground is firmer, though often crossed by exposed tree roots. There are no hills or viewpoints of significant elevation here; the landscape is flat, and any sense of height comes solely from standing on the raised edges of the bogs looking down toward the forested river basins.

A defining characteristic of this park is the seasonal flooding, particularly during the spring thaw in March or April, when melting snow overflows the shallow river channels and covers the lower forests. During these periods, many land paths become inaccessible, and travel shifts entirely to the water. In drier months, the rivers return to their channels, leaving behind muddy banks and lush, overgrown floodplains that contrast sharply with the dry, heather-covered edges of the peat domes.