Tallinn ↔ Vihula Tour through Lahemaa National Park

Lahemaa National Park is one of the most beautiful parts of Estonia: waterfalls, bogs, the sea coast and historic manors on one route. Artsantaxi offers a private tour from Tallinn to the seven main sights of the park and its surroundings, ending at Vihula Manor. The tour takes 8 to 10 hours. If you have less time, you can choose individual places and shorten the trip to 4-6 hours. The best time to go is spring, summer or autumn.

Tour Route

Jägala Waterfall
Viru Bog
Käsmu Captains' Village
Palmse Manor
Altja Nature Trail
Sagadi Manor
Vihula Manor

Jägala Waterfall

The first stop on the way to Lahemaa is Jägala Waterfall, the highest natural waterfall in Estonia. The Jägala River falls from an eight-meter ledge. The waterfall is at its most powerful in spring, when the snow melts, and after heavy rain. A viewing platform offers a great view of the falls, and in good weather you can walk down the path closer to the wall of water. In winter the spray freezes into huge icicles and ice arches, making the waterfall a favorite spot for photographers.

Viru Bog

Viru Bog is one of the best-known places in Lahemaa National Park. A wooden boardwalk about 3.5 kilometers long crosses the bog. It is safe and suitable for people of any age and fitness level. The trail winds between moss islands, peat pools, sparse trees and shrubs. In the middle of the route there is an observation tower with a panoramic view of the bog. In spring the bog is fresh and moist, in summer emerald green, in autumn golden and burgundy, and in winter covered with snow.

Käsmu Captains' Village

Käsmu, known as the captains' village, lies on the coast of the Gulf of Finland in Lääne-Viru County. In the center of the village is the Käsmu Maritime Museum, founded by local resident Aarne Vaik. The museum is housed in a former border guard station. It displays old navigation instruments, fishing nets, ship wheels and boats used by local sailors, and tells the story of fishermen and captains, shipbuilding and smuggling.

In the village you can see an old chapel and a cemetery where 25 captains are buried. Huge boulders lie along the shore, and a hiking trail introduces the features of the area. In summer Käsmu hosts music festivals and other cultural events.

Palmse Manor

Palmse Manor is one of the most beautiful baroque manors in Estonia. From the 13th century these lands belonged to the Monastery of St. Michael in Tallinn, and the two-story stone main building in the baroque style became a symbol of aristocratic life in the 18th century. The interiors preserve a wooden staircase, tiled stoves and wall paintings from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The manor park has a rotunda, a bathhouse, a coffee house and a pond. Read more about the manor on our Tallinn ↔ Palmse tour page.

Altja Nature Trail

The 3-kilometer Altja trail shows the life of an old fishing village. The route starts at the village tavern and leads through the forest and along the sea, crossing a suspension bridge over the Altja River. In the forest you may see a kingfisher or a dipper, as well as a huge boulder 4.1 meters high and 19 meters around. On the shore there are information boards about the Soviet period, when the coast was a closed border zone, and old fishermen's huts that are still in use today.

Sagadi Manor

Sagadi was first mentioned in 1469, and the manor took its present form in the 18th century, when the main building was built in the early classicism style. Today it houses a forest museum, a manor museum, a nature school, a hotel and a restaurant. In the interactive forest museum you can not only look at the exhibits but also touch them, so it is interesting for both children and adults. The interiors preserve original furniture and household items, and the manor is surrounded by a park with ponds and alleys.

Vihula Manor and Spa

The route ends at Vihula Manor, whose history dates back to the 16th century. Today it is the Vihula Manor country club and spa: more than 25 restored buildings among gardens, ponds and the Mustoja River. Guests can walk around the grounds, visit the manor museum, relax in the spa and try local cuisine in the restaurant. If you would like to stay at Vihula for a few days, book a separate Tallinn ↔ Vihula transfer.

Why Choose a Lahemaa Tour with Artsantaxi

You are accompanied by an experienced driver who knows the roads of the region well and a guide who shares stories and facts about every place on the route. The driver meets you at the agreed point: a hotel, airport, port or railway station, and stays with you until the end of the route. Artsantaxi works 24/7, so the tour can be planned for any time.

Our fleet includes sedans for private trips and minibuses for groups of up to 15 people, and for larger groups buses with 18, 24 and 55 seats. The vehicles undergo regular technical inspections and are equipped with climate control, drinking water and wet wipes. Child seats are available on request, and along the way we stop at gas stations and rest areas.