The Otepää Nature Park is one of Estonia's most scenic regions: rolling hills, mysterious forests and countless lakes. Tehvandi Villa sits in the middle of this landscape, so hiking and health trails are often reachable on foot straight from your accommodation.
The Tehvandi health tracks
As the snow melts, the Tehvandi Sports Centre trail network becomes a summer landscape for fitness and hiking. Running, Nordic-walking, cycling and mountain-bike tracks of varying length and difficulty suit both a calm stroll and a workout. A MOBO orienteering trail adds extra fun for families.
The Lake Pühajärv trail (14 km)
Pühajärv is one of Estonia's best-known and most beautiful lakes. A 14 km hiking trail runs around it, starting from the Otepää Nature Centre car park. The trail has boardwalks across wetlands, bridges over streams, eight information boards, a viewing platform and three staircases. On the western shore at Angunina there are two campfire sites with a shelter, benches and a privy where you can take a longer break.
The Murrumetsa nature trail (3.5 km)
For a shorter hike, the Murrumetsa loop in Pühajärv Park is a good choice. The path is 3.5 km long and takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. Information boards in Estonian, English and Finnish introduce the birds, animals and plants of Otepää's forests and cultural landscape, which makes the trail well suited to families with children too.
The Otepää Nature Park and views
The whole Otepää Nature Park is full of shorter trails, viewpoints and hills that open up over the upland landscape. Tehvandi's own viewing tower and stadium surroundings offer a wide panorama from above. The area is well marked, so trails can be combined to match the length of your day.
Nature all year round
- Spring and summer - lush greenery, swimming spots and long bright evenings.
- Autumn - the upland colours make even the shorter trails memorable.
- Winter - many trails carry on as ski and ski-touring routes. See the winter options →
Practical info
- Wear footwear suited to the weather; wetlands have boardwalks, but the ground can be soft.
- Take water and a small snack; the longer trails have campfire and rest spots.
- The trails suit hikers of varying fitness, from a short family loop to a full-day hike.
After a hike, the villa's own sauna and lounge are waiting. Discover the sauna and spa options → or see all activities in Otepää.
Accommodation this close to nature is booked quickly - reserve the entire Tehvandi Villa for your group.
Photos: Lake Pühajärv in summer - Ilmo Tamm, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons). Lake Pühajärv in winter - Arvo Meeks, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).