Baltic Camino: Latvia - Section 1

Baltic Camino: Latvia - Section 1 (until Riga)

Not in the story-mood? Scroll down for the Quick Budget Fact Overview: an itemized information summary of Latvia! ↓

Plan A was walking the longest trail of Estonia (the 820km Peraküla-Aegviidu-Ahijarve Trail). When that trail turned out to be an overgrown bush of impenetrable wilderness, I decided to cease the bushwacking and switch to Plan B: the Baltic Camino. The beauty of this by now legendary change of plans is that the universe seemed to agree with me, and had the thus-far miserable weather make a 180. Another upside is that instead of one country, I could traverse three of ‘em on one single walk. Way more bad-ass! And I raise you a 180 extra kilometres, I’m gonna hit the 1000, as that also sounds much-much better than 820 (somehow it even sounds better than 1100, I don’t know the science behind that). When life gives you lemons… pick ‘em up and throw them right back in life’s face to show it who’s boss: you are in charge, never the circumstances.

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Keep in mind that these are the official stretches, but 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, now I made new recordings available per section, I do strongly recommend mine over the official ones. Not to brag and I don’t gain anything from that, but you do: Unlike the official GPX I marked 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 12: Valka – Turna

(Official Section: Also Valka – Turna, 20km)

Distance: 25.2km, as I started walking from the other end of Valka (also, I noticed that the “official distances” aren’t always correct).
Terrain: Dirt road (mostly), natural trail, asphalt.
Views: Forest, countryside, town.
Water situation: Shops in Valka. Along the way there are very few water sources, but there are some houses where you could ask for water (“ūdens” in Latvian).
Food situation: There are many supermarkets in Valka. Buy everything you need there, as you won’t have any along the way until tomorrow. The Camino website mentions a shop in Turna, but as per 2023 this one did not exist anymore.
Well-marked? It’s pretty well-marked indeed. Still, on some crossings I was hesitant as to where I was supposed to go, so GPS is still recommended.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. In the forest just after the village of Turna there’s a picnic site at the lake, including fire places and picnic tables. As you have water access there as well, it’s a great place to spend the night. Expect some locals to visit the spot as well. (This spot is the end of my GPS recordings of that day – coordinates: 57.749851, 25.773853).
Accommodation: Tautas Nams Turna, sleeping on mats or the sofa (+371 28308292 / Dace / [email protected] / website / donativo of min. EUR 5).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

It was already afternoon when I finally decided to start hiking out of Valka (Valga in Estonian, Valka in Latvian). I Couchsurfed with an Estonian-Turkish family with no less than 6 children and got captured into this overwhelming yet pleasant whirlwind of chaos, and not in the least by the warm hospitality received. I walked out of the destination which was described by my hosts as “insignificant”… yet, as I mainly had to deal with 3-street villages so far, Valka made a decent impression on me. A proper town with actual stuff going on, what an experience! Besides the sign informing me that WINE is forbidden in the public parks (a disgrace, an outcry!) I took quite the liking in this rather lively township that has a country border cutting right through it.

The first kilometres in Latvia consisted of countryside, forest and some more countryside. Endless strips of agricultural land with farmers waving at me, because as it turns out: the Latvians are quite extraverted. They might not think of themselves as such, and maybe in absolute, global terms it’s an exaggeration… but I just came out of the Land of the Timid (Estonia) where people would even shiver of the mere thought of striking up a conversation with a stranger… so to have Latvians actively seeking contact and even approaching me to ask what I’m doing or wish me a good day, was just mind-blowing at the time.

The end goal of the day, Turna, turned out the be a modest collection of houses with cows playing football (I kid you not) and people thriving on solitude and silence. It always intrigues me, who decides to live in those places? I say that without a negative tone. I continued on to the picnic site at the lake, which I had found by the cumbersome process of copy-pasting coordinates from the not-so-user-friendly Mammadabba website into Google Maps and checking if they are on the Camino somehow (a tiring process I hereby spared you). The day felt quite unfinished, as I got used to walking at least 30k a day… but I couldn't deny the splendour of this spot: picnic tables, fire pits, mowed grass, a water source and a million-dollar-view, free of charge. Dramatically I threw my 17kg backpack on the ground, I wasn’t going to walk a meter further.

Day 13: Turna - Strenci

(Official Section: Also Turna – Strenci, 34km)

Distance: 37.3km.
Terrain: Dirt road (mostly), natural trail, asphalt (hardly any).
Views: Forest, bog, countryside.
Water situation: Streams along the way. Houses in the tiny villages.
Food situation: Supermarkets in Seda and Strenci.
Well-marked? Yes, it’s hard to get lost.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. There are two (open) observation towers in the Seda Bog where you could potentially spend the night, or you could camp anywhere along the waterfront of the bog (lots of mosquitos though). I also marked some abandoned buildings and picnic areas on the GPS. In Strenci the recording ends at a public picnic area with sheltered picnic tables, dry toilets and water access… I camped at this very suitable spot.
Accommodation: Jerenci Guesthouse, bit expensive (+371 29288247 / Gatis Lovkins, speaks English / [email protected] / website). Hostel Ceļa Viesnīca Strenci (+371 27573944 / Elina / Valkies Iela 11). Evangelical Lutheran Church Strenci, no shower (+371 26334361 / Solvita, speaks English / [email protected] / donativo / Bazniecas Iela 5). Guest House Strenci, call for special Camino price (+371 20242829 Mrs. Jana, speaks English / Rigas Iela 28a).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

The humidity made for an extremely cold night. Not only did I sleep inside of the sleeping bag dressed in three more layers, I also had a scarf wrapped around my entire head, so I could breathe the hot air right back into my face. Of course I woke up to a family going for an early morning SWIM in the lake… Latvians, a different species! I can only watch and admire.

I had a long and very enjoyable hike ahead today. The forest I was camping in gradually turned into a countryside environment, after which I entered an actual bog. Apparently Estonia doesn’t have the exclusive rights to bogs, Latvia is pulling in some weight bog-wise as well! The Seda Bog inside of the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve is formed by peat, a type of soil that can serve as an alternative to firewood. This used to be the main source of employment for the inhabitants of the back-then-communist Seda town. As such, the ongoing extraction transformed the bog into a conglomeration of shallow, overgrown lakes, which in its turn provides an excellent nesting place for birds. Nowadays, over 100 species can be spotted here! You know who else just loooove the humidity of the bog? Mosquitos! By the thousands! I didn’t even complete two full weeks on the Camino, and I already had to purchase my second bottle of repellent… I seem to make a complete fool of myself though, as this Baltic Mosquito Army (more like a terrorist organization) couldn’t care less about my pathetic spray.

It's possible to spend the night in or around Seda, but I decided to power through to Strenci, a pleasant borough resting on the banks of the Gauja River. There was just one problem… it was already getting dark and I didn’t have a single clue as where to spend the night. Normally I check Google Earth for suitable camping environments, but I couldn’t get my remaining Estonian data to work and I hadn’t passed a store yet where I could buy a Latvian simcard. So I sat down in Strenci’s central park to trace down public Wi-Fi, a spot where I also prepared dinner while drinking cider… like the homeless bum I am. At last, in the pitch dark I walked to a location which was marked as a “beach”, even though I seemed to be at quite the distance from the Baltic Sea. I had no idea where I eventually pitched my tent, which added a welcome surprise factor to the next morning.

Day 14: Strenci - Valmiera

(Official Section: Also Strenci – Valmiera, 29km)

Distance: 30.2km.
Terrain: Dirt road (mostly), natural trail, asphalt.
Views: Forest (predominantly), countryside.
Water situation: The trail mainly follows the Gauja River, which I strongly recommend filtering before consumption. There are some houses along the way as well.
Food situation: Supermarkets in Strenci and Valmiera, so only at the beginning and end of the trail.
Well-marked? Yes.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. There’s good riverside wild camping in the entire forested area between Brengulu and Valmiera. Two specifically good spots with picnic benches and river access are marked on the GPS.
Accommodation: Guest house Jaunaraji (+371 29121702 / Ms. Janis / website). Camping place Baili Valmiera (+371 29488398 / Mrs. Andra, speaks English / website). Time Machine Apartment Valmiera, sleeping on mats (+371 27767876 / Mrs. Marcis, speaks English / [email protected] / Kracu Iela 2). Hostel of Valmiera Technical School, single beds only in summer (+371 26672425 / Vadu Iela 3). Hostel Hanza Valmiera (+371 28626085 / Miera Iela 3a).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

Once again I woke up in a freezing tent, moist from the inside out due to a thick mist resting on the land of Latvia. I was quite curious to get out, as I had no idea where I had plunged my tent down. Just in case, I had put an early alarm to avoid the stares of potential early dog-walkers. Good thinking, as I was indeed smack-bam in the middle of a downtown recreational area. I had set up camp at the riverside, conveniently between sheltered picnic tables and dry toilets, which now came in handy for my breakfast ritual. Excellent midnight location management, if I say so myself!

Not only did the cold communicate to me that autumn had arrived, spots of yellow slowly started to color in the trees… with the slightest breeze of wind flying over you like nature's confetti. Europe’s golden season is, rain aside, one of my favorites! I love it much better than summer, when the heat squeezes all motivation to perform any physical activity right out of you. After 12km I stopped for a lunch break at a 2-street village called Pupoli, where looking at the sheer amount of playgrounds it started to dawn on me how many young families choose to live in such remote countryside villages. In my head it were only the elderly who got left behind there. I can 100% imagine though that this is a more pleasant place to raise your children than in the roaring heart of Riga.

I took yet another break 5km further down the road, as I passed the Brengulu Brewery. Besides the bigger cities, this is the first bar I traced down on the entire hike since Tallinn. If anyone might still be confused between the Baltics and the Balkan… this is in my opinion the biggest giveaway: there aren’t any hole-in-the-wall-bars in the Baltics! Where in the Balkan every unlikely, god-forgotten outpost somehow has a run-down drinkery to cheaply booze up, they’re entirely absent in the Baltics! Even though I was often hoping for one at the end of a demanding stretch, no such luck, no matter how thirsty I might be. I don’t even like beer (I swore fidelity to dry red wine), but this brewery carried a symbolic meaning. And a stamp! They even had a Camino stamp! Something normal in Spain or France, but hard to trace down on the “Baltico.”

The nature trail connecting Brengulu to Valmiera is one of pure joy. Adventurous yet accessible, dotted with amazing wild camping spots, making you want to hang out here for weeks… the Latvian Camino is truly nailing it today!

Day 15: Valmiera – Leukadijas (Rauna Campsite)

(Official Section: Valmiera – Liepa, 21km)

Distance: 30.2km.
Terrain: Natural trail, dirt road.
Views: Forest (predominantly), countryside.
Water situation: The trail mainly follows the Gauja River, which I strongly recommend filtering before consumption. There are some houses along the way as well.
Food situation: Supermarkets only in Valmiera.
Well-marked? No. At some point the marks at the riverside stop altogether, and also the officially provided GPS has recording gaps (but you can follow my GPS now). In Gauja National Park the Camino community is not allowed to paint trail marks. In some areas, they solved this issue by hanging up birdhouses with the Camino shell on it, but it’s insufficient to flawlessly find the way.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. You’re entering the Gauja National Park now, where there are amazing free campsites everywhere. Today you’ll pass two official campsites. I marked also a great wild camping spot, as well as an opportunity to cave-camp at the Licu-Langu Cliffs on the GPS… but you’ll find many suitable spots.
Accommodation: Camping Caunites, Vaidava Parish at right side of the river, own sleeping bag needed (+371 29408146 / Mr. Valdis Vanags, speaks English / website). Camping Lici (+371 27062583 / Mr. Artis, speaks English / only 3 euro for a bed without bed sheets!). Country House Lejas Ozoli (+371 29432515 / Mr. Ivars, speaks English / [email protected] / website). Methodist Church of Liepa (+371 26411463 / Ms. Ilzīte / website / donation of min. EUR 10). Liepa Manor Liepasmuiža, 3,5km from away from trail (+371 28490600 / [email protected]).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation. The official GPS has several gaps today, but you can use mine instead. I kept following the riverside, as that’s most scenic, but some stretches are extremely overgrown. I double-checked this with the Camino community, and it seems that this is the case because within the Gauja National Park no maintenance of the trail is allowed to be done by outsiders. Definitely wear long pants and longsleeves today!

I decided to spend two nights in Valmiera, as my feet were begging for a rest day. I had walked 8 days in a row as I simply didn’t want to stop as long as it was dry… but when I was in Valmiera, heavy rain was predicted (and the promise was lived up to). And what do you do on a miserable rainy day? Correct, visit a museum. I had heard about the Neonija Museum, evolving around the topic of neon light. However, instead of the usual informative nature of a museum, this one evolved around an odd storytelling theme* aiming to transfer the unsuspecting visitor to something that seemed to balance between an alternate reality and some hocus-pocus-ayahuasca-wonderland. It was done rather low budget, which stopped me from being able to fully submerge into the experience, but it was definitely something I had never seen before.

* One of the texts in the exhibition: “It's about the most wonderful mountains. It's about birds with sparkling voices, strange islands, lakes that have no limits, strange light-emitting trees and the moon. It is inhabited by unusual creatures capable of flying and radiating sincerity and goodness.” Floaty enough for you?

Rested and refreshed I left the house of Didzis, a boxing instructor and Valmiera’s main fitboy, and embarked on a hiking day that was also predicted to be rather rainy. This was a (negative) motivation that kept on pushing me forward, unwilling to take any breaks as I “might be ruining dry hiking time.” Chased by the sound of distant thunder, I never got more than light drizzle though. In hindsight, I wish I would’ve taken my time a bit more, as today I officially entered the Gauja National Park, which was hands down going to be the absolute highlight of the entire Baltic Camino. The national park was founded in 1973, and with that it gained the status of the first national park in the territory of Latvia. The main focus is the protection of the 91,745ha it contains, but the opportunities for educational and leisure tourism are a welcome by-product. Gauja National Park hosts almost all natural ecosystems that are characteristic of Latvia's wilderness, including forests, natural grasslands, bogs, rivers and lakes. The old valley of the River Gauja has the highest proportion of Latvia's old forests… forests cover in fact 47% of the park's total domain. The nature variety is huge: About 900 plant-, 149 bird- and 48 mammal species live here, as well as almost all protected bat breeds of the country. The most iconic part of the national park is its name-giver, the River Gauja. On its banks sandstone and dolomite cliffs developed, as well as rocks and caves. Some of them I saw today on the Camino! The Licu-Langu Cliffs are a formation of sandstone rocks, multiple springs, as well as various caves and niches. I was surprised to see that a lot of people had vandalized this natural monument by scratching their names into the sandstone. Yet, suddenly I noticed that the dates were in the 1800s and early 1900s, which I first immediately sent off to the Land of Bullshit. But then I realized the Cyrillic writing, symbols of Communism and sometimes German texts actually matched the occupational years of the Russian Empire, Nazi Germany and later the Soviet Union. This man-made blend of nature with history made it suddenly more interesting… but still, children, thou shall not be a dick - just leave nature untouched!

Even though today’s (and tomorrow’s) stretch were hardly signposted at all and the GPS also had many open gaps, I somehow found my way through the wilderness of sometimes armpit-high vegetation (and the nasty kind, the stinging nettles and spiky thistles attacking you right through the clothing). At exactly 30km, which is generally my minimum benchmark, suddenly an absolutely perfect public campsite appeared. It wasn’t marked anywhere, I didn’t see it on Google Maps, but there it was at my uttermost convenience. Blissfully equipped with multiple picnic benches and fire places, a toilet, direct access to the River Gauja (and even stairs to reach it hassle-free) and even a tent shelter! This night it was going to rain and life granted me a tent shelter! I can guarantee you one thing, there were a lot of “yoohoo’s” involved in this occurrence. Once again, I felt like I was just absolutely winning this Camino.

Day 16: Leukadijas - Jaunraksti

(Official Section: Liepa – Cesis, 23km)

Distance: 31.6km.
Terrain: Nature trail (mainly), dirt road, asphalt.
Views: Forest, town.
Water situation: The trail mainly follows the Gauja River, which I strongly recommend filtering before consumption. You can find shops and houses in Cesis.
Food situation: Supermarkets only in Cesis.
Well-marked? No, only from Cesis onwards. You’re also dealing with a very overgrown trail.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. You’re in Gauja National Park now, where there are amazing free campsites everywhere.
Accommodation: Camino Cesis, discount for pilgrims (+371 29408385 / Mrs. Līga Pommere, speaks English / Rīgas Iela 20/2). Private Host Cesis, bring own sleeping mat and bag (+371 26849293 / Mr. Gregory Salnit, speaks English / Palasta Iela 19 / donativo).
GPS: Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted the trail recording of this day. I’m only human, and a clumsy one. Find here the official GPS files of the entire Latvian Camino, which I merged into one file for convenience.

all_merged.gpx
File Size:	860 kb
File Type:	gpx

Download File

For the first time in 650km I started the day with a dry tent, thanks to the shelter. To not walk the entire morning with a heavy wet tent, and to not have to unpack and repack my entire bag just to let it dry with the day’s first sunrays… wow, that’s such a welcome change! I was embarking on yet another day in the gorgeous Gauja National Park, but I was going to have to work for it! As the Camino community is not allowed to intervene in the trail maintenance in this protected area, I was facing long challenging stretches of aggressive bushwacking while eating an impressive quantity of spiderwebs. It got so extreme at some point that I, quite the weathered hiker overall, checked out and took a detour through a village to avoid some impenetrable trail-parts. By all means, I hike for fun and after 6k of this shit I wasn’t having it anymore.

That said, outside of these menacing components, it’s once again a glorious trail day. I learned that The Way actually overlaps with the Baltic Forest Trail in the Gauja section… and if this is a forebode of what that entire trail is like, I’ll certainly come back to the Baltics one day to walk it in its entirety. It also started to dawn on me that it’s good to have walked the Estonian Camino first, no offense. I had an unforgettable time on the Estonian Camino. I met interesting people, made my way through authentic villages and explored the pristine forests of this country I truly started to love (I even ended up renting a place there)… but often I also had to deal with rather long, boring stretches of asphalt. Something that is much less present in Latvia, maybe because some of the areas are so undeveloped that asphalt simply hadn’t been introduced here yet (good for us!). Overall, the nature-trail-ratio is just extremely high in the Latvian section and the whole walk feels like an exciting adventure, making me curious about what's happening around every corner. Fair enough, Estonia can’t be beaten with regards to their organized free campsite system, but also in Latvia I stumbled upon campsites and picnic areas almost every day, even though there was no information to be found about it in advance, which makes planning a little harder (but I did the work for you now). Latvia is just doing a very good job Camino-wise.

The trail bends away from the Gauja River to allow you to pop in and out of Cesis, an adorable little town leaning on eye-pleasing architecture and historical heritage. Together with Kuldiga and Ligatne (we’ll visit that place tomorrow) probably my favorite town in Latvia! Yes, beating Riga. While sipping on a well-deserved glass of red I oddly enough happened to meet some fellow-Dutchies, who informed me of the nickname “Switzerland of Latvia.” As I on and off live in the Swiss Alps I found that comparison rather far-fetched, but surprise-surprise, I did later on pass by a ski slope. Skiing in flat little Latvia, I would have never ever guessed! This country is full of surprises.

Day 17: Jaunraksti – Berzi

(Official Section: Cesis - Ligatne, 26km)

Distance: 35.7km.
Terrain: Natural trail (mainly), dirt road, asphalt (a bit).
Views: Forest, countryside, village.
Water situation: The trail mainly follows the Gauja River, which I strongly recommend filtering before consumption. You can buy water in Ligatne, where there are also houses.
Food situation: Ligatne has two small shops, as well as some restaurants.
Well-marked? Nope. Only the stretch right after Cesis, then that signage disappears entirely again.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. You’re in Gauja National Park now, where there are amazing free campsites everywhere. There are some picnic spots close to the ski slopes just after Cesis, and between Cesis and Ligatne there are also 2 official national park campsites (free of charge). After Ligatne, towards the end point of the recording, there are another 6 (!) free campsites. Enough choice today.
Accommodation: Rehabilitation Center Ligatne (+371 26467747 / [email protected] / website). Christian Reatreat Centre Ganchauskas Ligatne – very cheap (+371 28264612 / Mr. Vitaly, speaks English / [email protected] / website). The Happy Land Ligatne (+371 29338503 / Mr. Raitis Vilumovs, speaks English / [email protected] / Pilsoņu Iela 4 flat 17). Ligas Apartments & G18 Apartment, pilgrim discount (+371 29408385 / Mrs. Liga Pommere, speaks English).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

The days were getting shorter. This meant that I now usually had to walk in darkness for an hour or two, relying on my headlamp to get me to my desired stopping point. Some might find it rather creepy to wander the forests alone at night, but I learned to embrace and appreciate the abrupt change of the landscape, incomparable with the daytime-forest. It gave an additional dimension. However, finding a camping spot can be tricky if you can’t see much further than a few meters ahead of you… but luckily, my midnight location management remained on point. Also this morning, when I woke up in god knows whatever place I pitched my tent after a few wines too many in Cesis… but I could only marvel at the outstanding sleeping spot I arranged for myself. Peacefully hidden, embellished by pine trees and right next to a babbling stream to allow me to prepare some coffee and oatmeal.

I continued yet another day through the Gauja National Park, a section I hoped would never end. Seriously, if the entire Camino were just circles going up and down this national park I’d be the last one to complain. Some natural monuments were about to pass the revue, the first one being the Sarkanas Red Cliffs, a title that fully covers what’s there to be seen. The next one up was the Zvartes Rock, described by its information sign as “one of the most beautiful and picturesque sandstone outcrops in Latvia.” Two sights to ease into the real treat of the day: Ligatne! This area forms a nature reserve called “Ligatne Nature Trails” which provides shelter to rescued animals from all over Latvia, such as bears, lynxes, elks, bisons, roes and deer. The charming town itself has the Ligatne Paper Mill as its main landmark, a factory called ‘Anfabrika’ carved right out of the 17m-high red sandstone cliffs in 1815. An unusual sight. A potential additional attraction for the enthusiasts is the Ligatne Ferry, the last ferry that crosses the River Gauja and the only one of this type in the Baltics.

Tired from all the impressions I walked on until I felt ready to set up camp. Plenty of options, as today I would pass by no less than eight well-equipped campsites, all free of charge and all on the banks of the Gauja… my shower for the night for the first time in three days. Yuk!

Day 18: Berzi - Ramkalni

(Official Section: Ligatne – Sigulda, 27km)

Distance: 32.3km
Terrain: Natural trail (mainly), dirt road, asphalt (a bit).
Views: Forest, countryside, village.
Water situation: The trail mainly follows the Gauja River, which I strongly recommend filtering before consumption. You can buy water in Sigulda and Ramkalni, and there are also quite some houses along the way.
Food situation: Sigulda is a big town with many supermarkets and restaurants. There is also a shop and some restaurants in Ramkalni.
Well-marked? Mostly not. Some stretches around Sigulda are alright-marked, but then it entirely disappears again. GPS is definitely necessary.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. You’re in Gauja National Park now, where there are amazing free campsites everywhere. You’ll find one before Sigulda and one after on the way to Ramkalni, both marked on the GPS. There is also a fire place in Krustini (coordinates: 57.125561, 24.638409)
Accommodation: Airītes Guesthouse Sigulda (+371 22061922 / Mrs.Kristine, speaks English / [email protected] / 7km from road, pickup needed). Manor of Krimulda (+371 29111619 / +371 26478158 / website / Mednieku Iela 3). Evangelical Lutheran Church of Krimulda (+371 29137927 / Mr. Sandis Kalnins / website). Guesthouse Aivari Krustini, pilgrim discount (+371 29221519 / Mr. Aivars). Hunting Palace of Incukalns Krustini, I had zero luck arranging anything with them (+371 29142716 / +371 26559986 / Mr. Rolands or Mr. Modris, speak English / website / donativo). Camping Zusu Plava Krustini (+371 25986448 / Mrs. Inguna, speaks English / website / donativo).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation. Due to the heavy rain I was facing, I skipped the detour up and down to Krimulda and just continued on the river side to finish asap (which was still 32km).

I woke up at 6AM by some fishermen screaming their way around the campsite, when there were clearly two tents pitched. Some people have absolutely no consideration for others (…and why do you have so much to say at that hour anyway, what could have possibly happened already so worth of sharing?). Often people ask me if I don’t get lonely out alone in the woods, or in general, traveling the world for 9.5 years, mostly on my own… These situations remind me that the answer to that is “yes”, in the most positive sense of the word.

It was supposed to start raining again at 4PM, which would have given me some time to get some kilometers in… but joke’s on me: the weather report had changed. I hardly started walking or a rainstorm of biblical proportions poured out right over me. It could have been a wonderful day in Sigulda, a city I heard many great things about… there was even an autumn festival going on, at my exact moment of arrival. Well, they got some autumn alright: The whole celebration was just washed away, impossible for anyone to enjoy. I would’ve liked to stroll around town and get some sightseeing in, maybe even visit the Gotmans Cave around the corner, but there was really no point. It was the kind of weather that people only run through, short distances at a time. So I took shelter in a local pizza joint, stuffing my face while marinating in self-pity.

I would have liked to have a short hiking day. If any day, this would be the one. I also would have liked to book Camino accommodation, for the very first time in Latvia. I was soaked to the very last fibre and the cloudburst was not going to clear up anytime soon… the very least I could do to provide myself with some much-needed motivation, was to guarantee a dry and warm place to look forward to. Life, however, decided to test me some more. While hidden under my poncho to keep my phone water-free, I called the numbers on the Camino list, one by one… Most just hung up instantly as soon as they heard me speak in English. Even though the Camino Accommodation List informed me English was spoken, this turned out not to be the case, which was demonstrated in the rudest possible way. Others were vague and unhelpful with regard to being able to open the door or not. Then there were some hosting loud stag parties, or being tormented by Covid (how is that still a thing?). NONE of the places on the list could accommodate me. And after eight tent shelters yesterday, today I would of course pass none, as I was leaving the Gauja National Park.

Then, while blasting out the last 25km without interruption because there wasn’t a single shelter or cover, I got an idea: my Couchsurfing host of tomorrow speaks Latvian, maybe she could help? She most certainly could. Somehow she got her hands on the number of a fellow pilgrim, Inga, who was happy to pick me up in Ramkalni and let me sleep in her house. Done! I’m in! Release me from this misery already! It was already dark when I finally found Inga, greeting her in my current state of “wet dog.” At this point, she resembled The Messiah herself, providing me a warm shower, a savoury meal, a washer and dryer and her own bed to sleep in while she slept on the couch. I was submitted to the necessary suffering that day, a test of perseverance, but in the end I got Inga as a reward. The Camino people are truly looking out for each other.

Day 19: Ramkalni - Carnikava

(Official Section: Sigulda - Krimulda, 11km – all info on this section under Day 18)

Distance: 40.4km.
Terrain: Natural trail, dirt road, asphalt (mainly).
Views: Forest, countryside, village.
Water situation: The trail keeps following the river, and you’ll also pass many natural streams. There are houses along the way, as well as shops in the towns mentioned below where you can buy water.
Food situation: Supermarkets in Ramkalni, Vangazi, Adazi and Carnikava.
Well-marked? Not really, no. Some stretches are alright, others are not, so I would recommend GPS to not get lost.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. You’re leaving Gauja National Park now, so with that the perfect free campsites are gone too. There’s one shelter just after Ramkalni, but otherwise you’ll just have to wild camp. The closer you get to Carnikava, the more populated it becomes (you’re getting closer to Riga now).
Accommodation: Midforest House Vangazi, 4km away but pick-up at Vangazi Church possible (+371 29414142 / Ms. Zane Enina, speaks English / donativo). Mazpipari Recreation Complex (+371 29667472 / Ms. Gunita, speaks English / website). Hostel Muižas Adazi (+371 29511470 / Mrs. Jolanta, speaks English / [email protected] / Muižas Iela 5). Vijas House Adazi (+371 29876593 / Mrs. Vija / Zelta Iela 5). Boats House Carnikava (+371 29693904 / +371 29401436 / Mrs. Dace & Mr. Janis, speak English / Stacijas Iela 21 / donativo, min EUR 10). Elitas B&B Carnikava (+371 27404764 / Mrs. Elita, speaks English / Negu Iela 7).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation.

Sometimes I am stretching my own boundaries too much. Like today, there was absolutely no need to walk over 40km, but I did. Why? Because I told a stranger from Couchsurfing that I would probably arrive that day, and even though this host was entirely flexible I decided not to be. So after I finished Inga’s tasty and energizing breakfast, I set out on a journey which was going to be too long to be pleasant.

The first stretch still leads you over natural trails, but then you reach those villages under the smoke of Riga. Peaceful, attractive villages, like Vangazi, sure enough… but this does turn the trail into asphalt roads with traffic racing by. The joys of city life, I almost forgot what that was like. In hectic Adazi I had to sit down for a while, as 30km on that hard surface had about destroyed my knees and I still had another 10 to go. The logical step would be taking a bus to my host in Carnikava, and just take one back to this point tomorrow. But no, middle finger to logic, let’s just ignore whatever my body is trying to tell me.

Right, I stayed not one but two nights in Carnikava. Feverish and vomiting my way through the night, my body had collapsed. Well done, Stephanie. Luckily I was in the caring hands of an actual natural healer, using the Earth’s forces to nourish me right back on my feet. It worked. My weakness made place for renewed strength, prepping me for the last stretch until the split-off: Riga!

Day 20: Carnikava - Riga

(Official Section: Krimulda – Vangazi, 23km – all info on this section under Day 19.

At this point I’m 3 sections ahead of the game: Section Vangazi - Carnikava, 27km, is described under Day 19; Section Carnikava – Vecaki, 16km, is covered today. Section Vecaki – Riga, 23km, is also covered today.)

Distance: 32.2km
Terrain: Naturel trail, beach, sidewalk, asphalt.
Views: Forest (if you take the alternative route), beach, industrial area, city.
Water situation: Natural streams so close to the city are not suitable for consumption. There are houses and many shops.
Food situation: There are shops in Carnikava. Then there comes a beach stretch with nothing (maybe some vendors in summer season). Once you’re off the beach you will pass supermarkets all the way through.
Well-marked? No. There's the occasional arrow, but by no means are they sufficient to find the way. GPS is needed.
Camping: Wild camping is legal anywhere in Latvia on public land. However, you are reaching the capital city right now. Your best bet is in the forest strip or on the beach just after Carnikava, after that it’s just urbanized area and city. You do pass a big park in Riga, and if you’re sneaky enough you might find the opportunity to wild camp there.
Accommodation: Kaktus Vecaki, very expensive (+371 26341891 / Ms. Sandra, speaks English / Pludmales Iela 10). Viesu Nams Impērija, special pilgrim prices (+371 25123690 / Mrs. Mareta, speaks English / Iela 85). Treehouse Hostel Riga (website / Kalku Iela 11a). Doma Hostel Riga, cheap ([email protected] / Mrs. Vineta Pogule, speaks English / website / Maza Jaunavu Iela 8). Holy Joseph Monastery of Congregation of Betania Jacobin Sisters (+371 26643372 / Ms. Hannah -Rita Laue, speaks English / website / Drustu Iela 36a).
GPS: Click here! I marked all water sources, shelters, supermarkets, picnic areas and campsites on the GPS for better planning and orientation. The stretch from Carnikava Forest to the beach is an alternative route, which was recommended by a local.

My host decided to join me on the first chunk of the hike. She looked at my Camino route leaving from Carnikava and bluntly said “… but that’s f’cking boring, can I suggest a much more interesting route?” Ehm, okay! I’m usually pretty strict with committing to the trail, but if I’m not going to compromise on distance, why not trust the local? The official Camino trail was indeed one straight boring line towards the coast, from where you turn left and will be stuck on a straight coastline for two hours. I’m always happy when I see a beach, but that joy generally last for max. an hour. For hiking, coastline is just killing for me. Not even so much for the loose sand slowing you down, but just due to the lack of variety. No curves, no change… the end never seems to get closer. It’s like one of those nightmares when you’re running but not moving forward. I mean, most people who say they “like a beach walk” are referring to 2km tops, they don’t walk 30km like we do. So indeed, I was quite pleased to cut half of the Camino beach-stretch away with some varied forest trails. Like this, I had an hour left along the Baltic Sea, which was very appealing but enough.

If you’re facing high temperatures and you decide to jump in, keep in mind that you still have 25km left to Riga. 25 mind-drenching, motivation-killing kilometres. We loudly and clearly left the Gauja National Park, the fun is over. Yes, Riga’s Old Town* is known to be very charming and carefully polished for tourists… but that takes about 15 minutes to walk through (not even exaggerating, it’s that small). However, today we’re crossing the industrial harbour zone of Riga, followed up by the long lines of Stalinist concrete living blocks that make up Riga’s suburban areas. Honesty forces me to tell you that it’s just pretty horrendous, there’s no other way to describe it. Zero added value.

I tried to remind myself of an old thought I once had during the Camino Frances: The Way is just a mini-version of life itself. In some stretches everything seems to go as desired and life is just a joy to live, in other stretches you’re struggling and beauty seems hard to find in the day-to-day reality. The key is just to keep on going, no matter how pointless or complicated it seems. With full energy, blasting forward towards better times.

* Read more about Riga in this blog

I combined the original recordings of the Latvian Camino (published on their site per section) in one route on Google Maps here. Keep in mind, that those do not include the pincic and camping areas, water sources and supermarkets... so I would only use it as a back-up on the side.

Quick Budget Fact Overview

Latvia Facts

Capital: Riga
Language: Latvian (a minority speaks exclusively Russian)
Population: ± 1.9 mln
Sq km: ± 64,600
Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
Electricity Outlet: F / 230 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
Country Code Phone: +371
Emergency Phone: 112
Visa: Schengen visa (Latvia 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). Healthcare is very cheap in Latvia.
Climate: Cold Winter Humid Continental Climate (Dfb)
High season: July-August

Short History Recap

650: Curonians & Livonians. 750: Curonians fight at Swedish side in Battle of Bravellir. 800: Rebellion against Swedes → refusing to pay tribute. 850: Danish came to conquer, but got butchered and plundered. ’54: King Olaf of Sweden attacked Seeburg & Apulia, area subjected to Sweden again. ’70 & ‘90: Struggles with Danes. 925: Icelandic influence. ’50: Norse occupations. 1100s: First settlements in Courland, Semigallia, Talava, Koknese & Jersika. 1184: Missionaries & Crusades. 1201: Riga founded on site of earlier Livonian settlement. ’02: Catholic military order Livonian Brothers of the Sword founded (by Bishop Albert), fought Livonians and later Estonians. Defeated in ’36 by Samogitians & Semigallians at Battle of Saule. ’42: Alexander Nevsky defeats Livonian Order. ’82: Riga member of Hanseatic League. 1452: Archbishop of Riga & Livonian order rule Livonia together. 1558: Russian Ivan the Terrible attacks. ’61: Livonian War → Livonia now Lithuanian → in ’69: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 1629: Peace of Altmark → Livonia/Courland become Swedish Livonia. ’89: Testaments translated in Latvian. 1700-‘21: Great Northern War between Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sweden & Russia. ’21: Part of Russian Empire (until 1918). 1841: Famine. ’87: Russification. 1914: Start WWI. ‘18: Independence proclaimed. ‘18-’20: Civil war ends in peace treaty with Soviet Russia. ’40: Soviet Union (SU) annexes Latvia / Estonia / Lithuania. Mass deportations to Siberia and Central Asia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades. 70,000 Latvian Jews killed by Nazis & Latvian paramilitary units. ’44: SU returns = more deportations and repression of resistance. ’86: Anti-Soviet demonstrations and nationalism. ’91: Referendum in favor of independence. Later on declared during anti-Gorbachev coup in Moscow. ’94: Last Russian troops leave. 2003: Referendum vote backs EU membership. ’04: Nato & EU. ’06: Citizenship requires to pass Latvian language test. ’08: International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves 1.68bn euro rescue package. ’10: Unemployment 20%, highest in EU. ’11: Pro-Russian Harmony Centre largest party in elections → coalition government excludes it. ’12: Referendum on giving Russian joint official language status rejected by large margin. ’14: Joins Eurozone. ’15: Nato reinforces its presence in Baltics. ’22: Russia invades Ukraine. Latvia declares state of emergency along Belarusian border due to illegal border-crossing attempts.

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 Latvia: Mego, LaTS, Top!, Spar, Vesk, Sky, Elvi, Aibé, Rimi, Lidl and Maxima. Mego, Lidl and Maxima are the more budget-sensitive ones. On the Latvian Camino you will run into a supermarket almost every day, with a max. of 2 days in between them, depending on how much distance you cover per day. 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: Bukstinbiezputra (heavy bacon porridge), Griki (buckwheat – eaten for breakfast), Rasols (vegetable potato salad with mayonnaise), Kartupeļu Pankukas (potato pancakes), Stoveti Kaposti (stewed sauerkraut), Piradzini (lard), Karbonade ar Kaulu (pork chops), Asinsdesa (blood sausage), Smoked Fish, Pelekie Zirnie Ar Speki (grey peas with lard), Silke Kazoka (herring), Sasliks (shaslik), Piradzini (meat-stuffed bread), Rupjmaize (rye bread), Maizes Zupa (rye bread soup), Aukstā Zupa (cold beet soup), Frikadeļu Zupa (meatball soup), Skābeņu Zupa (sorrel soup), Galerts (head cheese), Auksta Gala (cold meat in jelly), Biezpiena Sierins (curd snack), Rupjmaizes Kartojums (rye bread and cream dessert), Biezpiena Placenisi (cottage cheese pancakes).

The Veg Situation: Going veg could be complicated in Latvia, as traditionally meat and fish are central in most meals. That said, most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here. These are concentrated in the bigger cities, you won’t pass many of them hiking. Local veg dishes: Griki (generally contains butter), Rasols (with mayonnaise), Kartupelu Pankukas (generally served with sour cream), Stoveti Kaposti, Rupjmaize, Maizes Zupa, Auksta Zupa, Skabenu Zupa (soups mostly include sour cream and sometimes bacon – verify before), Sierins (dairy), Rupjmaizes Kartojums (dairy), Biezpiena Placenisi (dairy). So basically as a vegan you’re f’cked, unless you feel like surviving on rye bread. They love mushrooms too, those might save the day for you.
National Drink: Beer (Alus in Latvian), Kvass (fermented beer-like drink, alcohol-free / same as Kali in Estonia), Medalus (honey beer), Cider, Sweet Berry-Based 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 100-120 grams! The local Estonian company 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, Latvia is right in the middle when it comes to costs (Lithuania is cheaper, Estonia is more expensive). The bigger cities in Latvia are however swiftly moving towards Estonian prices. That said, 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 Riga (most people just hung up on me if I called in English). Therefore, it’s useful to make some Latvian contacts in advance to make the phone calls on your behalf. Agita Ubele is the person responsible for Latvian Camino accommodation, her WhatsApp is +371 29284599.
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 request 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 Latvia is rather big and active, and many of the hosts live on or close to the Latvian Camino. In the Latvian section, I Couchsurfed on 3 occasions (and another 4 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 Latvia, 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. There is not such an organized system as in Estonia, with free state-provided campsites all traceable in an app… but the national parks (the main one you pass is Gauja NP) all contain plenty of free campsites, with tent shelters, picnic tables, dry toilets, a fireplace and water access. The website Mammadaba gives some coordinates of fireplace and picnic spots where you could also set up your tent, although I don’t find it very user-friendly. In the article I listed the campsites I could find per section.

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

Greetings

Sveiki = Hello
Labrit = Good morning
Labdien = Good afternoon
Labvakar = Good evening
Es nerunaju latviski = I don't speak Latvian
Es esmu… (holandietis) = I'm… (dutch)
Paldies (tev) = Thank you
Piekriaana = Cheers to that, agreeing

Hiking

Pargajiens = Hiking
Es eju tukstos kilometru = I walk 1000km
Kempinga = Camping (the activity)
Telts = Tent
Gulet = Sleep
Iela = Street

Food & Drinks

Udens = Water
Vins = Wijn
Alus = Beer
Kafija = Coffee
Prieka = Cheers
Laby Apetiti = Enjoy your dinner
Izbaudi = Enjoy

Mama Said

Safety: Latvia is a very safe country. No animals will kill you here. Bears are so rare that when one is spotted, it actually makes the news. Latvian people are more extraverted than Estonians, but generally they keep to themselves and besides a small chit-chat here and there they won’t bother you.
Tap Water: is safe to drink. Latvians 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 LTM, Zelta Zitvina / Tele2 and Bite. LTM 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 in one of their outlets, or otherwise at any gas station, kiosk or supermarket. You don’t need to bring an ID. As their packages are inconveniently weekly and not monthly, I preferred to visit an LMT outlet and pay the exact amount of credit for the number of weeks I intended to be in Latvia (at the end of the week the package automatically renews if you have enough credit). As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. In order to use your sim outside of Latvia but within Europe, you must turn roaming on… keep in mind that the amount of minutes and data you can use outside of Latvia is less. Bite has the cheapest deals, but a rather bad reputation. Tele2 is decent, but their connection is not as fast and widespread as LTM’s.

Transport

Walking: This is the main purpose of this journey, of course. On the Latvian Camino, expect a combination of (mainly) nature trails, dirt roads and asphalt roads, all easily accessible except of a small section in Gauja NP. A big chunk of the Latvian Camino overlaps with the beautiful Baltic Forest Trail.
Cycling: Most stretches of the Latvian Camino are also suitable for cycling. Latvia is pretty bicycle-friendly, with even the occasional bicycle lane.
Public Transport: Riga has a combination of city buses, trolleybuses, minibuses and trams, which operate from 5AM until midnight. However, outside of the capital you can only find buses to get around in town. You can buy tickets at the occasional ticket machine (not at every stop), Narvesen outlets, on the Mobily app or (more expensively) pay the bus driver in cash. In most buses, you can’t pay by card. You also have to validate your ticket at the electronic validator. During the 4-5 weeks I spent in Latvia, I have never been checked for a ticket though.
Taxi / Uber: Uber is not available in Latvia (2023/2024), but Bolt is. Another option is Yandex.
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 1188 app or website or the (rather user-unfriendly) website Autoosta.lv.
Train: Latvia’s train network connects Riga with certain parts of the country in a rather low-cost manner, but the lines and departure times are limited. The operating company is called PV, and you can check the routes and buy 10% discounted e-tickets on their website.
Car Rental: is pretty cheap in Latvia. The best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport, from other locations it can be 3 or 4 times more expensive.
Airport: Riga Airport (RIX).
Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Latvia, but definitively not common. Not everyone is willing to invite a stranger into their car, so waiting times might be slightly longer compared to other countries. That said, I hitchhiked on plenty of occasions in Latvia and I always managed with relative ease (as a woman alone)… with the exception of some deserted roads in the south around Kraslava.

Next?

International Destinations Close By: Russia, Estonia, Lithuania, Belarus, Sweden.

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