The best relaxation and the way to really get to know nature and local culture is by hiking. There are 4 national parks and several local nature reserves in Estonia where, guided by signposts, you can walk along country paths and byways observing at close hand, seeing things that hurrying tourists can never take in from the coach window. The quite small territory of Estonia embraces different geological surface forms and associations of everyday and rare plants, birds and animals. Only by hiking can you perceive the deeper layers of nature and culture. To listen to the silence, to stroke the rough bark of an ancient oak, to pick wild berries, to feel the acrid smell of marsh rosemary and to notice the natural world from its tiniest forms to its most magnificent wonders. The best path-finder is a local guide who knows the particularities and peculiarities of the countryside and its most delicate nuances.
