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Tipu Nature School is located at Soomaa National Park, amidst of true nature. We want to offer visitors experiences of the beauty, mystery and functioning of the surrounding nature. Our yard is home to cats, rabbits, chickens and ducks. The yard is open for visitors. Dried bread, carrots, other root vegetables, cabbage and apples are allowed to bring along for feeding the animals. Visiting the yard is free of charge but we kindly ask to leave a donation in the donation box to support the activities of the Nature School.
Additionally, educational programs, nature excursions, birthday programs and catering services can be ordered. The Pauna cultural historical hiking trail starts from the yard.
We invite you to discover the unique nature of Soomaa National Park with a guide – swim in a beautiful lake, enjoy wonderful views, and experience the magical peace of the bog!
Our journey begins on the Ingatsi nature trail. The first part of the trail runs through a dense forest. When we reach Kuresoo Bog, a charming viewing platform awaits. There, a breathtaking panorama opens over the surrounding landscape. We continue walking through the bog until we reach an enchanting bog lake.
While crossing the bog, we also encounter exciting structures and natural wonders – we explore Estonia's longest suspension bridge in Jõesuu and hear stories about Soomaa's rivers and the legendary floods that shape the landscape here.
At the end of the tour, there is an opportunity to enjoy, for an additional fee, delicious cake, herbal tea, and an authentic country sauna in the cozy atmosphere of Villa River Rose, a pleasant end to a day of hiking. Transport is not included in the price.
This is an experience that combines the beauty of nature, the magic of the bog, and peaceful relaxation – ideal for the whole family or a group of friends!
Note: The guide speaks German and Russian!
Alpacas are curious, albeit slightly shy animals that simply beam with positive energy and cheer you up with their large eyes and smiley faces!
In the Alpaca Farm, you can see alpacas – Peruvian animals grown for wool because of their wonderfully soft coat. Alpacas like to spend their days eating grass on the pastures. When guests arrive, they gather by the fence and wait for treats.
In the farm, you can pet an alpaca and feed it treats.
Beside alpacas, you can also see cute pygmy goats, miniature sheep, Angora rabbits, and chickens.
Come and visit the alpacas with your whole family!
You can buy souvenirs and products made of alpaca wool in our farm shop.
Kuraniidu Nature Study Trail goes through a real virgin forest as the boardwalk takes you through an old drained peatland forest. Those who have gone hiking on this trail, can tell about the enormous amount of energy the walk in the forest gives. Extraordinary tall and grand aspens grow in this forest.
Let's adventure in the footsteps of Soomaa's past!
Our hike will take you through historical trails that tell stories from the post-World War II era. We will walk along former farms, where people's everyday voices once echoed, but now nature has taken over these quiet places. We will examine animal tracks and listen to birds singing in the silence of former villages.
The hike offers an opportunity not only to discover nature, but also to experience the spirit of the past and understand how nature recovers and finds balance after historical events.
Those who wish can order a relaxing sauna and overnight stay at Soomaa Holiday Village after the hike.
You will find a sign by Jõesuu-Tõramaa Road that directs you to a boardwalk to the beautiful Riisa bog. The trail passes 8 rest stops and a watchtower.
A motorway, a car park, and an outhouse are located right by the gate at the beginning of the trail.
The hike begins in a spacious bog and briefly runs through the forest. In places like these, you can see the forest turning into a bog and vice versa – dry ground is replaced by wetland, and swamp plants with ancient spruce forests. You can also see some beautiful wetland pools along the trail.
This is the perfect location for a family picnic! The Riisa study trail is also accessible with a wheelchair and a baby scroller until the first wetland pool at the 1.2 km mark.
The nature school in the yard of the former Tipu School House in Soomaa National Park has become the educational centre of the park. Hikes, courses, and workshops for both schoolchildren and adults are becoming more and more popular year by year and can be booked in accordance with the price list.
Individual visitors can experience, discover, sense, and understand the beauty and mystery of the surrounding nature on the school grounds on their own.
The Pauna study trail starts next to the nature school.
The trail starts from the yard of the old Tipu schoolhouse by the Kõpu-Jõesuu road and is equipped with information boards introducing the nature.
The hiking trail reaches the Halliste River and runs downstream from the shore to Pauna Farm. Along the river, you can see traces of beavers. The trail then leads along an old causeway to Tipu meadow, which is special thanks to the great snipes and where, on summer nights, the crackling noise of corncrakes can be heard.
Explore the Hüpassaare nature trail in the heart of Soomaa!
The Hüpassaare hiking trail takes you on an adventure through Soomaa National Park, into Kuresoo Bog. The 4.4 km circular trail starts from the parking area, which also has a campfire site, a camping area, shelter, and a dry toilet. The boardwalk has several platforms where you can rest and enjoy the tranquility of the bog. There are two swimming spots for those who wish to take a refreshing dip on a warm summer day.
The trail's main attraction is Mart Saar's House Museum. The Estonian composer drew inspiration here for his nature-lyrical creations — the place helps explain the roots of his music and his sensory connection to the bog. To honor his creations and life's work, a sunrise concert is held annually on a bog island as part of the Suure-Jaani Music Festival.
The bog landscape here reflects evening light, making sunsets exceptionally colorful and open-skied. It is a popular yet peaceful place for photographers and nature lovers.
Note: Hüpassaare nature trail is closed for renovation until June 2026!
The Öördi hiking trails begins at a camp site where there's a hut and a bonfire site. The study trail goes along the road in the forest and takes you to lake Öördi. Sunsets create an especially romantic summer evening by the lake and there are lots of cranberries in the bog in autumn.
