Baltic Camino: Estonia - Section 2

Baltic Camino: Estonia - Section 2 (Alternative Route)

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I love long distance-trails. It’s not just the pleasure of a physical challenge set against the backdrop of a stunning landscape of your choosing. That gain you can obtain by simple day hikes as well, a characteristic that got me hooked on hiking to begin with. The added value of long-distance trails, however, is the transformation. First of all the transformation of the body. I mean, it’s not normal to walk that long of a distance every single day, day in day out… whereas at the same time it really is: You’re in fact doing what we humans were meant to do, as original hunters and gatherers, nomads… when physical fitness and longevity guaranteed our pure survival. Yet, for the modern human, this became unusual. As such, your body gets a shock at the very beginning. Everything hurts, even muscles that you didn’t know you had, and every night you are just shattered, unable to flexibly move and keep even the simplest conversation going out of pure exhaustion. But then, after a couple of days, your body just ‘clicks.’ It’s like “alright, is this what we’re doing now? I’ll better efficiently allocate your resources and adjust your strength, then!” A magnificent process. Within no time you see your body changing into a tight, fit and strong entity, and all of a sudden your initial tiredness disappears and turns into an end-of-the-day-satisfaction.

The mental transformation is also one of pure beauty. Especially for a person like me, with a brain that always has 20 tabs open. I’m not one for yoga or meditation… instead of calming me down, this works on my nerves, I just don’t have the patience for it. It’s not a grounded activity for me, it’s some floaty high-in-the-sky-hippie-process. Each to their own, but hiking in the pure serenity of off-the-grid-nature is what gets my head straight. No distractions, so I can finally pay attention to tab after tab after mental tab, and close them down one by one. A process that I noticed is easier when moving. When I’m sitting still my thoughts run around in circles. As we Dutchies say “you can’t see the forest when all the trees are in the way.” Suitable. But moving forward pushes your thoughts forward to, you’re thinking in a straight, problem-solving line… coming to pure insights and helpful conclusions. Until there are no thoughts left. Just the sounds of the birds and your feet breaking the twigs. Inner peace, at last. A state that must come close to what all these yogi masters, life gurus and spiritual leaders are aiming for. Just there for grabs, in the silence of nature, while you put your body through its absolute limits.

I was slowly getting into the second week of the Baltic Camino, wrapping up the Estonian stretch via the so-called “alternative route” connecting to the Latvian Way.

This blog covers: Pärnu-Jaagupi - Valga

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Keep in mind that the official stretches are divided by the Estonian Camino organization to match accommodation options and distances for people new to hiking, in which they've done a great job. However, these are rather short for experienced hikers. Therefore, my trail reports contain longer stretches to provide more of a challenge. These intervals are also rather convenient for campers, as it generally stops at good camping spots (note that this also means you’ll walk with a much heavier backpack – I carried 17kg). That said, the trail can be walked in any speed that suits your personal interest and fitness level, there is no good or bad way to do it.

The official Estonian Camino website provides the GPX-files, which I highly appreciated. However, I have now made new recordings available per section marking all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites to allow for a better overview and planning of the day…This is information I would have liked to have when I walked it, but I didn’t. So you’re welcome! The links I share are recorded in the Wikiloc app. You can use the GPS in this app, or simply click the app option “Send Trail as File” to send the GPX recordings to your own used GPS device (Suunto, Garmin, Apple Watch, Wear OS, Amazfit, Wahoo, Polar, TwoNav) or acquire the GPX-file.

Day 6: Pärnu-Jaagupi - Selja (close to Tori)

(Official Section 6: Vagala – Pärnu-Jaguupi, 21km)

Distance: 30.6km
Terrain: Dirt road (mostly), natural trail, asphalt
Views: Countryside
Water situation: A few streams that need filtering. Houses along the way.
Food situation: Supermarkets in Pärnu-Jaagupi. Nothing along the way, your next option is Tori.
Well-marked? No. Besides 2 or 3 Camino stickers in the beginning, no marking whatsoever.
Camping: There are no official campsites along the way, but wild camping is legal anywhere in Estonia on public land. There will be a lot of private farmland along today though, which needless to say isn’t suitable for camping, so it could be challenging to find a spot.
Accommodation: Suigu Public House (+372 5261898 Sirje Juss / +372 5105498 Vilja Alamaa / [email protected]). Suigu Baptist Church (4km away from trail / [email protected] / Eduard Kakko).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

Sleeping at Pärnu-Jaagupi’s pastor house was a golden decision. It felt contradictive in a way, as after a week of rain and misery on the Peraküla-Aegviidu-Ahijarve Trail it had been just laughter and sunshine on this Camino. I felt like I should be outside camping, this is no weather to spend indoors. Yet, at the same time, on endeavours like this one, listening to your body is key. I needed this bodily rest in a proper bed. Even though this ended up being the only time in the entire Baltic Camino I’d use the official Camino accommodation, I appreciate this being made available as an option. Estonia turned out to be quite an expensive country (I swiftly learned that the Baltics and the Balkan cannot be compared, even though they’re both post-communist and my mind took that as a mental shortcut – my bad)… so whereas EUR 35-40 a night for the absolute cheapest thing I could find on Booking.com would involve a ‘conscious decision to make’ for a budget backpacker like me, these donation-based options are a financial no-brainer. I was however used to paying EUR 5 on the Camino Frances, which was generally listed as the official nightly rate when I walked it pre-covid (nowadays prices went up), here I learned that EUR 10 is the expected minimum donation. Considering the modest amount of people walking this trail, soon enough the entire local Camino scene will know of your existence. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be known as “oh… that one”, that frugal bastard who doesn’t tip enough. Simultaneously it’s also fair, considering how this small community of enthusiasts built the Camino trail on sheer volunteer work… no government or commercial institutions were involved in this in the Baltics, passion is the pure foundation. It’s worth supporting.

By all means, this good night’s sleep set me up for a blissful day of hiking. I blasted through the first 20km without a single break, making my way through the Estonian countryside on primarily dirt roads. At some point the way transforms into asphalt, so I opted for a wilful detour away from the original trail (specifically marked on the trail recording – slightly longer). I hate asphalt, it destroys my knees and kills the scenery. It was the right call, the detour led me through soothing farmland only twice interrupted by ranches from where local inhabitants enthusiastically waved at me. It ended in a slightly overgrown but enjoyable nature trail, connecting to the Pärnu-highway to be crossed to reach Tori.

But I didn’t do that. From there I hitchhiked to Pärnu instead, a town which is part of the ‘Original Estonian Camino’, but not of this alternative section. Time for a break-day!

Rest Day: Pärnu

I stood before the choice: Taking a day off now and hitchhike to Pärnu. Or keep going for two days more to cross the Sooma National Park, and hitchhike up to Tartu after that for some me-time. I weighed it… in one hand I had the big city of Tartu, a place I was really interested in seeing, so where I would be walking around as long as I possible could to admire all the main sights, not giving myself any rest… and in the other hand I had Pärnu, the country’s prime beach destination and spa resort, probably not on the way to anything else later on when I would backpack some more through Estonia. An easy election, of course! I would just do Tartu later on, I would probably want to stay multiple days there anyway (4 indeed, read the blog here!).

I walked 6 days in a row, 30-40km every day… the idea of just planting my sore ass in the sauna was simply a delightful one, my muscles deserved that little treat. I was accompanied by Kristen, my Couchsurfing host who shared my passion for hiking, an easy basis for an instant friendship. Everything about this break-day was just exactly right, and even a little bit better. I was in the Bath, the Baden-Baden, the Baños of Estonia, right on the discount day (Sunday: 11 types of saunas for 16 bucks, a bargain). At the country’s most loved beach I could dip my beaten feet in the Baltic Sea when, believe it or not, a national kite festival was going on. Hundreds of house-sized kites just dotting the sky, what a spectacle! And the city itself? Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! Colorful architecture bringing me right back to life, quality street musicians providing the soundtrack of an already bubbly street scene and quaint swirling alleys luring you in, curious to discover the next surprise. I learned that the Old Town was in fact bombed during WWII and had to be rebuilt completely, which was done in a manner that didn’t necessarily match the exact pre-war reality… very much like Riga, for example. They could’ve fooled me! It was done in a highly classy and tasteful manner, if not celebrating the past than surely the glorious present. Thank you, Pärnu, appreciated!

Day 7: Selja – Sooma National Park

(Official Section 7: Pärnu-Jaguupi – Tori, 30km)

Distance: 31.4km
Terrain: Asphalt (mostly), dirt road, natural trail (bog), boardwalk when taking recommended detour (pinned on GPS)
Views: Countryside, villages, national park (bog and forest)
Water situation: Streams that need filtering. Houses along the way. Water tap at end point.
Food situation: Supermarket only in Tori. Coffeeshop in Jõesuu.
Well-marked? It’s decent: some stickers, arrows and yellow stripes / points to indicate direction. Yet, I still recommend using GPS.
Camping: On this section, you’ll find the free RMK campsites in the Sooma NP. There’s one marked before the end point, but have a look at that one in time, as you have to cross the river beforehand and bend away from the Camino trail (the GPS recording doesn’t do that). The end point contains an RMK campsite as well as free-to-use huts, truly amazing.
Accommodation: I would just stay in the free huts at the end point of this recording, if I were you. It is located next to the National Park Office, which I heard also lets long-distance hikers spend the night at times if you arrive early enough. Worth a try! Otherwise, find paid accommodation on Booking.com or at the Sooma website.
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

Reaching the Sooma National Park simultaneously filled me with excitement and terror. Excitement, as yay: a national park! I love national parks, they’re baptized that way for a reason! But terror, as it was a f’ing bog. And bogs were the décor on the Peraküla-Aegviidu-Ahijarve Trail where these cursed parasite-flies attacked me by the thousands, crawling into my hair and eyelids like an outright zombie apocalypse. I waded knee-deep into these bog-swamps, as that other trail was entirely invisible and swallowed by the forest, and in the pouring rain while being under constant attack by these hooligan-flies I couldn’t just easily get my phone out to check directions. Bogs had quite a traumatic connotation for me, you could say.

Turns out, it doesn’t have to be that way. It isn’t like that here at all. Sooma NP presents you a civilized bog experience, with family-friendly boardwalks and everything! That said, you wouldn’t see any of that if you blindly follow the Camino GPS directions, as regrettably it doesn’t include any of the nature detours. It just blows my mind that the Camino includes such a glorious location, which attracts locals and foreigners alike who go out of their way to make it down here, but it fails to even suggest to check out these ‘educational trails’ as that would mean extra, unanticipated kilometres. I’m not criticizing the Camino organisation of Estonia, they did a fabulous job on a voluntarily basis… but I am telling you: DO anticipate on these extra kilometres here, go out and walk them! These perfect boardwalks and RMK trails lead your passed the highlights of this national park and maybe even of Estonia, and if you simply follow the Camino trail you’ll see nothing of it. It’ll be just an endless, straight, mind-destroying asphalt road. Don’t do that to yourself.

If you happen to cross this section in early spring time, you might actually have to grab a canoe! The so-called ‘fifth season’, usually in March/April, tends to flood the entire national park, attracting thousands of visitors rowing themselves through the dazzling scenery. I simply walked it though, and ended the day on an extremely positive note. I had checked out the campsites, and with the detour included, calculated that I had to walk 40km that day to reach the next RMK fireplace. However, suddenly I stumbled upon the national park office after a pleasant 31km, where I not only detected a massive camping area (nowhere to be found on the app), but also a drinking water tap (true luxury for a camper!). When I then suddenly also noticed actual huts with bunk beds inside that were left open for anyone to use, I just found myself singing and dancing through the forest. Sometimes, no – very often actually, I feel like I’m just winning at life. This was one of those moments. Like how I used to say on the Spanish Camino: ¡Gracias vida!

Day 8: Sooma National Park – Kopu Forest

(Official Section 8: Tori – Kopu, 42km… most hikers divide this section in two)

Distance: 32.6km
Terrain: Dirt road & asphalt (mostly), nature trail, boardwalk (on side trails).
Views: National park (bog and forest), villages.
Water situation: Water tap at the beginning. A few streams along the way that need filtering. Shop in Kopu.
Food situation: Supermarket only in Kopu.
Well-marked? Some yellow dots and stripes. I still recommend using GPS.
Camping: While in the Sooma NP, you’ll pass a few more RMK campsites (marked on map). Once you’re out, there are some abandoned buildings before Kopu, and a forest after Kopu where I camped myself. Wild camping is legal anywhere in Estonia on public land.
Accommodation: Tipu Nature School / Village House (+372 53536961 / [email protected] / non-profit organization that hosts hikers / donativo). Kõrtsitalu Külalistemaja Cafe (+372 5807814 / [email protected] / website / https://www.kortsitalu.ee/en/kopu-kortsitalu-accommodation-at-the-gate-of-soomaa-national-park). Kõpu Lutheran Church (+372 53485573 Hedi Vilumaa / [email protected] / donativo / no shower).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

I woke up by the sound of the wild little woodpeckers. Curious animals I previously only knew from that cartoon on TV, but who now daily add some colour and sound to my hikes in the Baltics. I decided to kick off with the 2km-nature-trail right next to the National Park Office, which turned out to be the highlight and therefore also the deception of the day. It wasn’t going to get better than that. In fact, today was going to be pretty damn horrible. I walked 26km on a never-ending road without a single bend or turn, either beating my knees up on the asphalt or eating the dust on the dirt road shoulder when traffic blasted passed, entirely unwilling to slow down for this unsuspecting pedestrian. This is what nightmares are made of, that feeling of running but seemingly never moving forward. It’s sad that you can find yourself physically located in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, but it is presented to the hiking public in such a way that you just pray to get out as soon as humanly possible. Really, national parks should be catering to long-distance hikers, not to daytrippers who drive around in a vehicle and stop for a tiny little stroll here and there. RMK, take notes!

When I finally finished this soul-crushing section I felt destroyed, feeling the mental and physical toll this uninspiring road took on my body and especially my mind. And I still had a while to go! Please, pretty-please, let’s fast-forward to the next day.

Day 9: Kopu Forest – Karksi

(Official Section 9: Kopu – Halliste, 24km. If you need a break day, Viljandi is a recommended option – I visited at a later stage, read more about it here.)

Distance: 32.8km
Terrain: Dirt road (mostly), asphalt.
Views: Forest, countryside, villages.
Water situation: A few streams that need filtering. Houses along the way. Shop in Halliste.
Food situation: Supermarket only in Halliste.
Well-marked? Some yellow dots and Camino stickers. GPS is useful.
Camping: There are no official campsites on this section, but wild camping is legal anywhere in Estonia on public land. I camped right next to the Karksi church.
Accommodation: Halliste Leeli Talu Farm (+372 56238288 / [email protected] / donativo). Halliste St. Anna Church (+372 56616797 or + 372 58455395). Halliste Public House at Klubi 5 (+372 58861997 / [email protected]).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

I dig the cycle of life. Today was so much better than yesterday. In fact, the trail was so enjoyable that I knocked out 20km straight after breakfast, just blissfully making my way through thick forests, laidback countryside and two-roads-and-a-cow-villages that by now seemed to be iconic for Estonia.

I finally came to a halt in Halliste. A tiny village with a supermarket, allowing me for a lunchbreak while charging my powerbanks inside of the shop (some time-consuming processs you truly have to plan as a camper, as you don’t want to be left without a working phone in potential emergency situations). The Soviet past of this area of Europe comes in fact with an advantage: the Communist living quarters, rather uninviting concrete blocks that persist until today’s day and age, have the pleasant characteristic of hosting communal washing lines outside. Excellent spots to dry your tent, which persist to be a daily activity in the Baltic humidity.

I proceeded another 10km until I reached a ‘parish’ called Polli, where the water of the pond enabled the preparation of my dinner. Something told me I wasn’t going to have water at my sleeping spot, and this turned out to indeed be the case: due to the lack of other suitable camping options, I just plunged my tent right next to the Karksi-Nua church, at a convenient little corner hiding from the public eye. Mentally prepping for a night of extreme rain and thunderstorms…

Day 10: Karksi – Patküla

(Official Section 10: Halliste - Taagepera, 21km… the odd thing about this is that the trail doesn’t actually go through Taagepera, but goes by it on the northern side through the village of Ala.)

Distance: 34.8km
Terrain: Nature trail, dirt road, asphalt
Views: Forest (mainly), countryside, villages
Water situation: A few streams that need filtering. Houses along the way. Shops in Ala.
Food situation: Two supermarkets in Ala.
Well-marked? Pretty well-marked with yellow dots and stickers. I would still recommend GPS though.
Camping: There is one RMK campsite about 15 minutes off the trail (turn-off marked on GPS). Otherwise a few abandoned houses and shelters. Wild camping is legal anywhere in Estonia on public land.
Accommodation: Taagepera Lutheran Church (+372 5249654 Arvo Lasting / +372 5132846 Enn Toomberg / [email protected]).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

I woke up at the side of the church, the most suitable location for a pilgrim to rest. It had been a rough night though. At some point the wind gusts were so incredibly strong that it ripped out some of the tent pegs, causing the canvas to flap around and give free leeway to the rainstream. I had to swiftly jump out of my sleeping bag and rush outside in the midst of a thunderstorm to rapidly fix it, before my tent would start flooding. I can imagine more pleasant scenarios to wake up to, but hey #campinglife or something like that.

Fortunately, the day that was ahead of me would serve as a proper compensation, with mainly nature trails to connect villages that besides the occasional pilgrim every few months are unlikely to receive any international visitors. Places with names like Ainja, Kartjatnurme and Ala. The latter, which with two supermarkets* could be considered “the proper one” of the series, has an internet description limiting itself to: “A village in Tõrva Parish, Valga County in Estonia”… because that is indeed all there is to say about it. There’s no reason to visit, which is why it’s all the more beautiful to pass through, as these type of villages have prepared nothing to impress you. It just sits there in its purest form, like a conservation display of the actual daily life many local people are living, uninterrupted by external influences or pretentiousness. This is Estonia, the country you decided to visit and are now truly seeing.

* Which don’t even show up on Google Maps – so I carried two days’ worth of food for no reason.

Day 11: Patküla - Valga

(Official Section 11: Taagepera – Järvesilma, 21km… As you can see, I walked it a bit faster, as Official Section 13 is: Järvesilma – Valga, 23km. Combined with the 42km Tori – Kopu section, most people walk the Estonian Camino in 14 days.)

Distance: 30km
Terrain: Nature trail, dirt road, asphalt
Views: Forest (mainly), countryside, villages
Water situation: A shop along the way in Hummuli, but otherwise almost no water sources at all besides a pond and a river (needs filtering).
Food situation: Supermarkets in Hummuli and at the end point Valga.
Well-marked? Pretty well-marked. Yet, as usual, GPS will make your life easier.
Camping: There are no RMK campsites on this stretch, but there is forest where it’s easy to find a suitable spot. Wild camping is legal anywhere in Estonia on public land.
Accommodation: Hummuli Public House (Maire Riit / [email protected]). Valga Tolli Hostel (+372 523551514 / website www.tollihostel.ee).
GPS: Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted my own trail recording of this section. My bad! Therefore I uploaded the official (shorter) Hummuli-Valga GPS on Wikiloc, which, as is always the case with the official GPS coordinates, unfortunately doesn’t have the supermarkets, campsites and water sources marked.

This morning I did not wake up in a damp tent. I woke up feeling like a Trail Princess in a comfortable king size bed. I kinda forgot that I had this ‘Open Couchsurfing Trip’ published on the platform, but suddenly a fellow traveler and mother-of-three popped over an invitation to spend the night in a village nobody has ever heard of, excited to welcome a foreigner in this unlikely place. Kobela is over 30km away from the trail, but even after initially turning down the kind but too kind offer, she confirmed and re-confirmed that it really wasn’t too much effort to pick me up and drop me off again. Because that’s how Estonians are as well. They might indeed be proper quasi-Scandinavians: incredibly introverted (honestly to the point of communal autism), 100% minding their own business and absolutely zero of yours… but once you take that bold step to approach them and disturb that bubble of northern individualism, they just instantly melt down to the level of basically-family (I guess this doesn’t happen often here, so when it does it truly is a special event). Luckily, the local Couchsurfing network is full of predominantly those Estonians who are mentally open to have this cultural comfort zone interrupted, with a tiny minority of even those very few Estonians that could be actually qualified as extraverted. Merilin was one of the last category, inviting me in her house with open arms, warm meals and the first shower in 4 days’ time (honestly, I did it more for them than for me at this point). She and her half-Estonian / half-Jamaican family had made the big move from bustling London to the absolute bum-fuck countryside of the Baltics, without the slightest slice of regret. Away from the Bri’ish madhouse they could finally enjoy a more peaceful environment to raise their offspring while embracing a higher quality of life, moving the axis more strongly in favour of natural balance and family time… far away from the energy-draining ‘daily grind’ of chasing money, careers and fast lifestyles. With less money needed, there’s no chase… and isn’t life better unchased and unstressed?

(It is indeed. So I ended up renting an apartment for the month in the exact same street.)

A similar move was made by yet another Couchsurfing family I would spend the night at in Valga, who were in this case Estonian-Turkish with a similar escaped rat-race background in Germany. They met via this traveller’s network, which swiftly resulted in no less than 6 children. My god. I sometimes need these moments to remind myself why I don’t have any. I have nothing against kids, but I will never love one more than silence, freedom and having all my undivided time to myself. Luckily for Estonia, most people don’t think like me and actually repeatedly underline to necessity to replenish the national population (indeed, Estonia is bigger than the Netherlands, but they have 1.3mln inhabitants and we have 17.5mln – I think they’re winning though). This kind and hospitable family for sure did their part, while nevertheless always making space for an extra traveler.

A traveler that was wrapping up the Estonian stretch of the Camino three days faster than anticipated, while simultaneously celebrating 500 glorious kilometres on the trail (combined with the 170km on the Peraküla-Aegviidu-Ahijarve, which of course cannot be ‘un-walked’). And adventure of a lifetime in the making, and fully aware of the fact.

Quick Budget Fact Overview

Estonia Facts

Capital: Tallinn
Language: Estonian
Population: ± 1.3 mln
Sq km: ± 45,339
Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
Electricity Outlet: C + F / 230 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
Country Code Phone: +372
Emergency Phone: 112
Visa: Schengen visa (Estonia is part of the EU). Easy visa application here.
Vaccinations: None, although it’s recommended to get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease if you plan to spend a lot of time in the forests, as this is rather common in the Baltics (I personally caught Lyme disease in Estonia but detected it early, so I could get it treated with antibiotics)
Climate: Cold Winter Humid Continental Climate (Dfb)
High season: July-August

Short History Recap

11000-9000BC: End Glacial Era → Pulli settlement, on the banks of the Pärnu River. 6500BC: Kunda culture establishes fishing and hunting communities in north. 5300-1750BC: Narva culture → mainly fishers, hunters & gatherers. 500BC: Iron works start. 100: Roman senator Tacitus uses the name Estonia for the 1st time to describe region. 100-600: Coastal settlements. Wind worshipping religion. 750: Battle of Bråvalla → Estonians & Swedes battle against Danes. 790: Viking Era (most Estonian Vikings are Oeselians). 1206: Start Danish Era → in response to frequent raids by Oeselian Vikings, the Danes strike back → King Valdemar II conquers Saaremaa & expands on Estonian territory. ’08: Baltic Crusades by Germans, converting Estonia to Christianity. ’20: Control divided between Danes in the north & (Germanic) Livonian Brothers of the Sword in south. 1343: St. George’s Night Uprising → unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Danes. ’46: Estonia (and Latvia) sold to German Teutonic Order, defeated in 1410. 1410-1558: Livionian Wars over territory. Local population declines to 120,000. 1558: Swedish protection. Estonian land privatised, Baltic Germans arrive. 1700: Battle of Narva on Estonian ground between Sweden & Russia. ’10: Sweden’s defeat → Estonia incorporated into Russian Empire. 1850: Estonian Age of Awakening = nationalist movement. ’90: Russification policy, only strengthens nationalism. 1918: Independence from Russia. ’20: Peace treaty with Russia. ’34: Prime Minister Pats’ bloodless coup establishes authoritarian rule. ’38: Pats president. ’39: Soviet Union (SU) military bases in Estonia. ’40: SU troops arrive. Estonia incorporated into SU (Estonia was neutral in WWII, but SU is not). ’41: German Nazi troops invade. ’44: Estonia reannexed by SU when German forces retreat. 10,000s Estonians deported to Siberia and Central Asia. ‘60s: Some deported Estonians allowed to return. ’88: Democratic vibes. ’87-’91: Singing Revolution in all Baltic states: demonstrations of spontaneous singing of banned hymns and songs. ’91: Communist rule collapses. Soviet government recognizes independence of the Baltic Republics. ’94: Partnership for Peace → limited military cooperation with Nato. ’97: EU negotiations. ’98: Changes in citizen laws to encourage Russian-speaking minority to become Estonian. 2002: EU invites Estonia. Overwhelming referendum votes in favor of joining. ’04: Nato. Officially joins EU. ’05: Estonia & Russia sign treaty delineating border. Russia withdraws in response to dispute over treatment of Soviet past. ’07: Law prohibiting display of monuments glorifying Soviet rule. ’11: Euro as currency. ’14: Estonia & Russia sign a new treaty ending border dispute. Nato presence rises in Baltics. ’21: Kaja Kallas 1st female prime minister. ’22: Estonia gives military and political support to Ukraine after Russian invasion.

Camino Packing List

(Cursive items are only necessary when you decide to camp, like I did):

Hiking boots
Flip-flops to air the feet at night, and for hygienic reasons when showering
Socks: 3 pairs
Underwear: at least 3 pairs, depending on own levels of hygiene. Sports bra for ladies.
Pants: 2 pairs, preferably covering the top of the shoes to prevent rocks from getting in.
Quick-dry tanktops or t-shirts: 3 pieces, depending on own levels of hygiene.
Fleece layer
Lightweight padded jacket
Hat or cap
Swimming suit
Poncho or rain suit
Rain covers for legs and shoes. The Baltics are incredibly damp, so also without rain you’re likely to get soaked in the morning when walking through overgrown nature trails.
Gloves
Scarf, can be used to cover throat, the head or for picnicking and cleaning.
Microfibre towel
Emergency blanket
Hiking poles
Sunglasses
Reflectors
Headlamp
Phone & chargers (make sure you download the GPS tracks for offline use)
Headphones (I take 2 pairs)
Local simcard: Telia has the best coverage (scroll down for more info on simcards)
Powerbank (when camping: 2 powerbanks or a sun-energy powered one)
E-reader & charger, optional
Pen and paper
Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes, ear buds, lip balm, deodorant, soap, shampoo bar. Optional: hair brush, hair ties, tampons, little mirror, contact lenses and/or glasses, razor.
Sunscreen
Mosquito repellent
Ear plugs and sleeping mask, optional
First aid kit: bandaids, bandages, betadine, aspirin, anti-diarrhoea pills, other needed medication… and very important: a tick pen, there are plenty of those here and they need to be removed asap as Lyme disease and encephalitis are common here.
Feet care kit: Tape, Vaseline, blister bandaids, foot patches, talc powder.
Disinfectant gel
Electrolytes for fast hydration
Camel bag and/or water bottle (when camping: with the potential to hold at least 3 litres).
Lifestraw or water filter
Tent
Sleeping bag
Sleeping mat
Ziploc bags
Pocket knife
Food for up to 2 days. On the Camino you’ll find a shop almost every day, depending on how fast you walk. You burn more energy than on a regular days, so bring more food than you usually eat.
Camping gas, cooking kit, fire (both a lighter and matches)
Titanium pan, cutlery, potentially a plastic plate and cup.
Rope, strong bag & tupperware for strong-smelling food. Repeat after me: Never EVER leave food inside of your tent… if not for bears, then for rats who can eat their way through your tent to reach it. Believe me, I am talking out of experience, I once in Patagonia woke up from rats walking over my face... Always cook far away from your tent and hang the food up in a tree by attaching a stone to a rope and throwing it over a high branch to lift the bag up.
Pepper spray
Passport
Cash money and 2 different credit cards

Budget Bites

Main Supermarket Chains Estonia: Coop, Maxima, Selver, Rimi, Prisma, Grossi and Lidl. Maxima, Grossi and Lidl are the more budget-sensitive ones. On the Estonian Camino you will run into a supermarket almost every day, with a max. of 2 days in between them. As such, you won’t have to carry much weight in food. Sometimes it will be a local over-the-counter-shop with limited choice, but it’s better than nothing.
Local Dishes: Kartulisalat (potato salad), Rosolje (beetroot salad with herring and pickles), Mulgikapsad (pork-cabbage dish), Rämm (herring), Mulgipuder (meat porridge), Kama (porridge), Kiluvõileib (meatball soup), Hernesupp (pea soup), Leivasupp (sweet soup with apples and whipped cream), Verivorst (blood sausage), Sült (head cheese), Rukkileib (rye bread), Kiluvõileib (rye bread sandwich with fish), Pirukas (stuffed dough pastry), Kringel (sweet or savoury pastry), Kohupiimakreem (curd cheese dessert), Vastlakukkel (cardamom bread roll), Kohuke (cold dairy curd snack), Mannavaht (semolina cream), Kompott (compote), Kirju Koer / Kass Artur / Küpsisetort (cookie cakes).
The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Estonia, as vegetarianism and veganism is widely accepted. Most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here. That said, these are concentrated in the bigger cities, you won’t pass many of them hiking. Local vegetarian dishes: Leivasupp, Rukkileib, Kohupiimakreem , Vastlakukkel, Kohuke, Mannavah, Kompott, Kirju Koer / Kass Artur / Küpsisetort. Local vegan dishes: Porgandi-Oakotletid (carrot and bean fritters), Nogese Kartuli Kotetid (potato fritters), Hapukapsa-Peedisalat (sauerkraut and beetroot salad), Seenesupp (wild mushrooms soup), Lillkapsa Ja Läätsesupp Seentega (cauliflower, lentil and mushroom soup), Porgandi Ja Kruubivorm (barley and carrot pudding).

National Drink: Vana Tallinn (liquor) and Vodka, Kali (alcohol-free fermented drink), Beer, Sweet Fruit Wines.
Hiking food: You want to go high-energy and low-weight. For breakfast I swear by oatmeal, which I make with milk in powder-form. I usually add nuts, seeds or any fruits I can find along the trail. This gives me energy for hours and it’s easy to carry. For lunch I generally make simple sandwiches, which are very filling with the Baltic rye bread. Dinner has to fit in one pot, so I generally make pasta, rice or fastest of all: couscous. I carry low-weight vegetables like mushrooms or salad and generally cut some dried sausage on top. For flavor I carry basic spices (as well as loooots of chili) and sauces in powder form… liquids are too heavy! For snacks I focus on nuts, dried fruits, muesli bars and berries I find along the trail.

→ A great solution for tasty trail meals offering a bit of variation are freeze-dried foods. The technique of freeze-drying refers to a low-temp dehydration process, which preserves the food’s original healthy nutrients. The great advantage for us hikers is the low weight of these products… a more-than-enough portion weighs as little as 100-140 grams! The local Estonian company Hiking Baltic North offers an impressively big collection of freeze-dried meals, varying from paella to Indian curries to mashed potatoes. They even provide the service of sending them directly to you on the trail, via the Omniva post boxes that can be found all over the Baltics next to almost every supermarket. Like this, you can restock easily and you won’t have to carry too much weight.

Conveniently, this company also provides all type of outdoor equipment as well as rentals that can be sent directly to you on the trail.

Sleep Cheap

Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: Of all Baltic countries, Estonia is the most expensive one. Expect Western European prices for food and accommodation. However, you are walking the Camino, and that comes with certain perks: On every section affordable accommodation is made available to pilgrims, usually in the pastor houses of churches. I listed the options in the articles per hiking section. Most are donation-based, but a tip of minimum EUR 10 is expected. Unlike Spain, France and Portugal, you will most likely be the only pilgrim visiting, so a prior reservation is necessary to guarantee someone can open the door for you. Emails are generally not replied to, and English is not widely spoken outside of the bigger cities (most people just hung up on me if I called in English). Therefore, it’s useful to make some Estonian contacts in advance to make the phone calls on your behalf. The Baltic Camino Facebook group is helpful for that. Note: Please take into account that on the entire Camino, I used only once a pilgrim accommodation. All information on accommodation that I shared I received from other hikers and from the local Camino organization. I cannot guarantee that all information is 100% accurate as I can’t base it on my personal experience.
Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Estonia is rather big and active, and many of the hosts live on or close to the Estonian Camino. In the Estonian section, I Couchsurfed on 5 occasions (and another 3 times at a later stage outside of the Camino route). I also used Warm Showers, which is in principal a bikepacking community focussing on 1-night stays. That said, long-distance hikers fit well with these type of travellers and are warmly welcomed.
Wild Camping: is entirely legal in Estonia, with the exception of private land. You can literally spend the night anywhere you want, as long as you don’t leave a mess and treat nature with respect. Estonia really goes above and beyond, as their local nature conservation institution, the RMK, provides a great number of free campsites, easily traceable via their app. Most contain sheltered picnic tables, a fireplace with free fire wood, a dry toilet, water access and sometimes even a tent shelter for rainy weather. Truly phenomenal!

Useful Estonian Trail Words (at least, they were to me)

Greetings

Tere = Hello
Tere hommikust = Good morning
Tere päevast = Good afternoon
Tere õhtust = Good evening
Head ööd= Good night, sleep well
Päeval = Day
Hüvasti = Farewell
Head aega = See you
Lähme = Let’s go
Aitäh = Thank you
Vabandust = Sorry
Ma ei räägi eesti keelt = I don’t speak Estonian
Olen… (hollandlane) = I am… (Dutch)
Minu nimi on… = My name is….

Hiking

Matkamine = Hiking
Telk / Telkimine = Tent / Camping
Seiklus = Adventure
Vihma = Rain
Päike = Sun
Kiire = Fast
Väsinud = Tired
Eravaldus = Private land

Food & Drinks

Piim = Milk
Kohvi = Coffee
Vein = Wine
Veepudel = Waterbottle (vesi = water)
Janu = Thirst
Näljane = Hunger
Head isu = Enjoy your meal
Poodi = Shop

Traveling

Autoga peale võtmine / Hääletamine = Hitchhiking
Hotel / hostel = hotel / hostel (yihaa, an easy one)
Reisija = Traveler
Reis = Trip
Muusika = Music

Mama Said

Safety: Estonia is a very safe country. Besides bears there aren’t any dangerous animals, and even the bears are unlikely to interact with humans. Similar to the Estonians themselves: they really keep to themselves and won’t talk to you unless you talk to them. No one will bother you.
Tap Water: is safe to drink. Estonians also love their natural water sources for water provision, but you’ll generally need a local to point those out to you as they’re not clearly signposted. I drank straight from the streams in the forest without any issues, but I used a lifestraw/filter for the water from the bigger rivers or when close to a town or farmland. However, when cooking a filter wasn’t needed, as the act of boiling already kills the bacteria.
The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Most Estonian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are generally accepted everywhere, even in the countryside.
Simcard: Buying a local simcard is by all means cheaper than using your international roaming option. The main providers are Telia, Tele2 and Elisa. Telia has the biggest network coverage and the fastest connection, which makes it most attractive for a hike in the countryside. You can cheaply buy their simcard, confusingly called ‘Super’, in any gas station or supermarket and then download the app to top it up. As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. Tip: instead of paying straight away for a calling or data package, first top up via the app and then pay with that money. Like this, you get free bonus data and minutes, while still having the full amount of money available for payments. In order to use your sim outside of Estonia, you must not only allow roaming on your phone, but also in the app (very odd and unusual, I didn’t know this and got stuck in the Latvian forest without reception… and all my Estonian data had already expired once I found out). Elisa has the cheapest deals, but a rather bad reputation. Tele2 is decent, but their connection is not as fast and widespread as Telia’s.

Transport

Walking: This is the main purpose of this journey, of course. On the Estonian Camino, expect a combination of nature trails, dirt roads and asphalt roads, all easily accessible.
Cycling: The Estonian Camino is also suitable for cycling. Estonia is pretty bicycle-friendly with mild and considerate traffic, and even the occasional bicycle lane.
Public Transport: Tallinn has a combination of city buses, trolleybuses and trams. However, outside of the capital you can only find buses to get around in town. You can either buy a Ridango card from the bus driver and charge it at the bus stations or pay the bus driver in cash. In most buses, you can’t pay by card. During 2 months in Estonia, I have never been checked though.
Taxi / Uber: Estonia has taxi apps such as Uber and Bolt. However, the cheaper local app is called Forus.
Intercity Buses: are very frequent in the bigger cities, but generally only go once or a few times a day in the countryside. Therefore, prior planning is key. Google Maps is unreliable for bus times, as it’s not always up-to-date. Instead, use the local Tpilet app. You can buy tickets on this app as well, or pay in cash or with the Ridango card. Card payments are usually not accepted! Golden budget tip: In the south of the country, if on the Tpilet app it says “no bus tickets available” this generally means the ride is FREE with the Ridango card (which you can buy for EUR 2 from the bus driver). That’s right! I have of course tested this theory, and with one exception, this was indeed true. It includes lines connecting from and to Tartu.
Train: Estonia’s train network connects certain parts of the country in a rather efficient and budget-friendly manner. The operating company is called Elron, and buying tickets online gives you a 15% discount. Alternatively, you can buy tickets at the train station or in the train itself (they check 100% of the times).
Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Estonia. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport.
Airport: Tallinn Airport (TLL). If you’re on a budget, Riga Airport in Latvia generally has much cheaper connections. Affordable buses connect Riga with Tallinn in just a few hours.
Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Estonia, but definitively not common. The shy and introverted nature of the Estonians makes them a bit less likely to invite a stranger into their car, so waiting times might be slightly longer compared to other countries. That said, I hitchhiked on plenty occasions in Estonia and I always managed with relative ease (as a woman alone).

Next?

International Destinations Close By: Russia, Latvia, Finland, Belarus.

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