Wanderlust guides
I am a second-generation nature tour guide in my family. I firmly believe that immersing oneself in nature is the best way to relax and hit the reset button. On our nature journey together, I aspire to guide you in observing your surroundings and providing you with a memorable experience. My various hobbies complement my role as a nature tour guide, whether it’s self-development practices, backpacking adventures, choir singing, or growing my own food. I discovered my true calling when studying nature guiding at Luua Forestry School. Prior to this turning point, I worked abroad, focusing on diplomacy and development cooperation. My return to Estonia was driven by the desire to enjoy all four seasons and be closer to our marvelous nature, which I also invite you to explore!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English, French, Finnish
I’m from Lahemaa, and thus wandering through the forests, bogs, and along the coastline has captivated me since I was a young boy. I feel fortunate to engage daily in a field that I love and derive genuine joy from – through developing Wanderlust.ee, I contribute to local nature tourism, plan hiking trails and events, scout new areas, explore local stories, and host memorable experiences. With me, you can embark on various adventures – from quiet forest hikes to wandering through bogs on bogshoes, enjoying a kayak, canoe, or SUP board trip or even speeding around on electric fatbikes. I also organize GPS games that foster teamwork. Beyond hiking, my hobbies include beekeeping, singing, playing the guitar, motorcycle adventures, and snowboarding. I acquired my nature tour guide qualification at Luua Forestry School. Previously, I studied business management and finance and worked in the financial sector for an extended period. I also serve as a board member at Lahemaa Tourism Association (VisitLahemaa.com), which brings together tourism enthusiasts in the Lahemaa region.
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
I know the scent of misty pine forests, the taste of river Emajõgi, and where you can find the best view in Estonia – because I am a nature tour guide, paddleboard instructor, and an lookout towers enthusiast.
By education, I’m a designer who finds equal joy in crafting leather accessories and designing services. Five days a week, I work at Wanderlust.ee to ensure our messages reach our target audiences. During the summer, I organize SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) tours and GPS games all over Estonia. Above all, I enjoy exploratory journeys, and I’m delighted to say that our small Estonia continues to surprise me with new exciting places. See you on the trail!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
I spent most of my twenties on a journey of self-discovery in Asia, New Zealand, and Iceland. Along the way, I realized that I feel most alive in the vastness of nature and on hiking trails. Upon returning home, I decided to supplement my expertise in the field by studying at Luua Forestry School. I have previously studied Asian cultural history, and at my daily work I am involved in technical event production and videography. I increasingly wish to spend time exploring Estonian small islands and islets by kayak or paddling along rivers in a canoe. My goal is to take the adventurers away from their daily routines, creating new insights about themselves, their abilities, and nature as we navigate the waters. See you on the water!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
I live in a flat country and I am a climber – good joke :). I am a designer by profession, working as a landscape architect and designing furniture. Exciting challenges and nature have always fascinated me. I have been climbing for more than 11 years now, and because of that, I got to touch the rock in many different places.
I started climbing while living in Denmark, another very flat country. When I came back to Estonia, I looked for climbing training in Tartu and now I am part of the Estonian climbing community. My great wish is to make climbing as popular in Estonia as it is in Denmark, for instance.
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
As a nature tour guide, I don’t chase kilometers. While hiking, I aim to help you find peace and learn to observe and appreciate your surroundings. I have a deep interest in biodiversity, whether in the city or in the wilderness. In Tartu, I promote a sustainable lifestyle in urban gardens and occasionally contribute to urban development as a landscape architect. You can find me on hiking trails here and there. I am especially drawn to expansive, sweeping views – I’m always ready to climb to great heights for them. If time were unlimited, I would explore all the hidden places, learn to speak every language in the world, and endlessly investigate how life works. So, let’s seize the day!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
I started hiking and sharing my knowledge on nature more than 10 years ago in my job with the State Forest Management Center. During these years, most of Estonia’s hiking trails have become familiar to me besides the travelling done in more faraway places.
In addition to childhood exploring, I have acquired a large part of my knowledge on nature while studying gardening at the Estonian University of Life Sciences. In 2021 I started my studies at Luua Forestry School as nature guide. All this in order to make you feel comfortable and safe while hiking with me.
What I love most are multi-day hikes, when you can take a break from the daily routine and comfort zone, and experience something new and exciting that brings a smile to your face. It is so true that being in nature makes us each a better person!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian
Probably not a single day passes in my life where hiking does not play a role – be it hiking as an activity, generating new ideas for hikes and preparing hiking routes or simply dreaming of future hikes and remembering the previous ones. The biggest part of my heart belongs to mountains but in my home country I am most fascinated about bog islands, old railway dams and exciting cultural historical places. What I love the most are multi-day and longer exploration hikes as they
enable me to switch off completely from the rest of the world and be in the moment.
In addition to hiking and guiding, I work as a landscape architect in Tartu. In 2020 I graduated from the greatest school in the world – Luua Forestry School – on nature tourism.
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
My passion is camping food! Above all, I am annoyed by the waste and reckless consumption of food. This is why hiking and cooking food by the campfire in ascetic conditions offers me enormous satisfaction. I am driven by the longing for the authenticity of nature – the worse the weather and the harder the trail, the more memorable the experience!
I am an architect by education, but currently working as a graphic designer. In addition to passionate cooking, I see a creative approach to problem solving and a keen eye for details as my strengths.
In 2021, I started studying at Luua Forestry School as a nature guide in order to combine hiking gourmet, genuine emotions and moving in nature into a combo that can be shared with you!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
I feel most comfortable on the water and I invite everyone to enjoy the silence and freedom that can be experienced while gliding on the waves in a kayak. Lakes, coastal seas, winding rivers offer views and experiences that remain unattainable on dry land.
It is great to see the emotions that beginners experience when making their first rowing strokes and realizing how simple and natural this movement is. I also enjoy the fatigue I feel by the campfire after a day of hiking. In these moments, the best ideas for new hikes come.
Adventures, hikes and travels are an integral part of my life. Sometimes I pack my backpack for several months and go to explore the wider world. So far, my favorite destinations are in Southeast Asia, where local culture, food, warm weather and the sea keep calling me back. In the meantime, I take shorter hikes in my country and as job I help companies and individuals furnish different areas with furniture.
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
Hiking became a passion for me while studying biology and geography at university, where I embarked on various short and long hikes in both Estonia and abroad with fellow students. I started organizing hikes myself after completing the nature tour guide program at Luua Forestry School. Living in the picturesque and diverse landscapes of Karula National Park, I developed a desire to introduce this beauty to others. Thanks to my deep love and fascination for nature, as well as my diverse hiking experience, I also lead tours beyond Southern Estonia.
My favorite style of hiking is on foot, where there are plenty of opportunities to venture off the beaten path, explore, and truly connect with the natural world. Additionally, I am comfortable on skis and on the water. I’ve been told that my enthusiasm and cheerful nature are infectious, and I have a talent for simplifying even the most complex topics. My motto is that a true hike fulfills three criteria: it is educational, adventurous, and above all, enjoyable! See you on the trail!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
I invite you to wander, to discover secret paths, to note the imperceptible and to learn survival tips that anyone who picks mushrooms should know.
My nature education began to take root in the 5th grade, when I had to go to summerschool in nature education 🙂 Later I studied environmental protection and finally acquired the specialty of hiking guide at Luua Forestry School.
I started to deal with survival more seriously when I was a conscript in the Narva-Jõesuu Sissikompani, and I have continued it later as a member of the Estonian Defense League.
I share with you my own experiences, knowledge and skills about how to move in nature, where to find water and food, so that you don’t panic if you get lost. So that you can feel the joy of exploring new places with peace of mind.
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English, Spanish
Growing up in the countryside, I developed an interest in nature from a young age. “The Guide to Estonian Plants” was my favorite reading material during my teenage years. I studied agronomy at the Estonian University of Life Sciences and worked for many years as a senior agronomist at the Estonian Crop Research Institute. In my youth, I spent my vacations exploring the vast expanses of our “great homeland” on hiking trips, from the Putorana Plateau to Kamchatka and the Southern Kuril Islands, occasionally also as a group leader. Later, I backpacked through Southeast Asia and India-Nepal. I have visited 63 countries.
As a volunteer, I have organized sports and nature events for children, led a culture club, and coordinated hiking technique competitions. My new passion is organizing retro hikes where anyone interested can participate in hikes styled after the 1980s. We get acquainted to the equipment, clothing, menus, and preparations of that era, read hiking diaries, listen to stories from the past, and conquer “hills,” among other activities. Overnight hikes with cooking on a campfire and evenings filled with hiking stories and songs are also possible. Trust me, it’s all quite different from modern hiking!
I recently retired, making my time besides gardening and activities with grandchildren, and my expertise in nature and hiking experiences available to you. Families with children are also welcome. A few years ago, I completed the nature tour guide program at Luua Forestry School, where I found some of the best companions in life. Nature is fantastic!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English, Russian
My favorite way to travel is with a kayak. While adventuring on rivers, lakes and the sea, you can discover a whole new world, which is very easy to fall in love with. When you are on the water, you forget everything else and you can enjoy pure presence and a better connection with your companions and the surrounding nature. Kayaking offers endless opportunities to learn and develop. If you have a fear of water, I will be happy to help you overcome in a safe environment.
Come and let’s discover the charms of Estonian waters together!
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English, Finnish, Russian
I like being in nature and being active. What drives me forward is curiosity – who is staring at me from under the carpet of moss or how high is really that rock on the horizon? When I get enough of being active, I sit down and play some instrumental music.
I am a musician and I am also involved in all kinds of activities – rock climbing, flying, hiking. I graduated as a recreational activity instructor at the Tartu Vocational College in order to learn how to pass these activities on to others. You can find me at Ronimistehas in Tartu where I guide climbers or install climbing routes.
And of course you can find me here at Wanderlust where I’ll help you have a good time in nature.
LANGUAGES:
Estonian, English
