Canoeing/kayaking tours on Ahja

Canoe/Kayak Tours. 3-day tour on the Ahja River.

Ahja is one of Estonias best canoeing waters. It is a picturesque river which empties into Emajõgi (Mother River). Along the way it widens in places to create small lakes and runs through a spectacular landscapes.  Starting on the border of the County Põlvamaa in South-Estonia, the Ahja is one of  Estonia’s best canoeing waters. From its starting point, the river runs north through wilderness. This tour requires 2 land crossings.

The tour starts from the vicinity of the town Põlva and ends on the village Lääniste. 60 km of relaxing canoeing and two short land transports.
Keep a lookout for wild animals and birds. The forests of Põlvamaa are home to elk, roe deer,
foxes, wolves, bear and lynx and if you keep quiet and still near dusk you may see beaver in the river. You can even watch kingfishers, storks and eagles.
This is not a guided tour. This is a discovery of your own, taken at your own pace and you will choose your own campingsite each night. You will be given detailed guidance and advice before the start of the tour by the Matkajuht team.



The Tour:
(detailed information you will need for your experience, including a description of the route, is sent out once full payment has been received)
Your tour starts in Põlva, which you reach either by bus or car. After meeting we transport you to the river. Your tour starts in the vicinity of Põlva (Aarnaorg). You will now receive your equipment and the information about paddling technique and your route. Our team member will help you mark down the places on the map where you have to launch and take the canoe out of the water and some good campingsites. The tour includes two short lifts.
You follow the Ahja up to the first (broken) watermill dam Koorvere. There is first unclassified rapid and beginning of the most interesting stretch of the river. From the watermill of the Koorvere until the bridge of Otteni is under nature protection (The Ahja River ancient valley nature park). The gradient of the river in the nature park is 1.1-1.6 m/km, lending the river its mid-course mountain river character. The most eye-catching element of the nature park has to be its picturesque cliffs, which achieve their maximum height and splendour in the Kiidjärve-Valgesoo area.
And so your tour continues along the river Ahja until you reach to the watermill Kiidjärve. There is first short landcross (about 20 m). The next river section between Kiidjärve and Taevaskoja is where it is met by the Saesaare impounded lake. Next landcross is near Saesaare powerplant. Take the canoe out on the
right shore, just pass over the dam and launch again from the left shore.
On next river section you will see the most famous of the outcrops is Suur-Taevaskoja (Grand Heaven’s Hall), which is 150 metres long and 24 metres high. And right here you might come across Ahja's most famous birds - kingfishers and white-fronted dippers. The landscape of the park is dominated by forests. After Otteni bridge river guieten again and flowing calm to Lääniste.


View Ahja river route (South-Estonia). Ahja jõe kaart in a larger map

Dates for the 2011 spring/summer season.
08 May - 18.September 2011
Start: Sundays and Wednesdays at 2pm
Non-standard Start Days: Min. 4 adults required for custom start days/times. Smaller groups are possible (for safety reasons must contain min. 2 adults), charged at the full rate for 4 adults due to logistics.

Groups.
Every 14th participant free. We reserve the right to assign groups to certain camp sites.
For groups of min. 14 other departures outside the above-mentioned season are available. It is possible to book this tour for larger groups. Please contact us for a quotation.

Price of a 3-day tour:

Price €/person	Adult	Child 6-15yrs
Basic canoe package	63 EUR	31 EUR

The Price Includes.
Equipment. Canoe equipment: 2-person canoe/2-person kayak, paddles, life jackets, water can, topographical map, cleaning sponge and rubbish bags.
Please be careful with the canoe and the rest of your equipment! If some part of the equipment should break as a result of misuse or carelessness, you may be charged for the damage caused.
Instructor. Services of experienced and knowledgeable instructor before your tour starts.

What The Price Does Not Include.
Food, tent, sleeping bag. There is no food included. There are opportunities to shop in Põlva before you leave.

Equipment/clothes needed.
To make your canoe/kayak trip more comfortable, pack all your equipment in waterproof bags. Packing list (recommended):
Toiletries. Soap, toothpaste, plasters, moisturiser, sun-cream, painkillers, blister tape, mosquito repellent. Please ensure that items such as soap and toothpaste are fully biodegradable. A hat with mosquito netting or similar face covering can also be useful in the evenings at times when mosquito numbers are highest.
 
Clothes. Take clothes you are not afraid to damage. Quick-drying materials are best. Bear in mind that jeans and sweatshirts are difficult to dry. Pack rainwear (jacket and trousers), boots, shoes, a pair of warm socks, something to cover your head in case of heat or rain, a pair of gloves/mittens, a warm sweater, sweatshirt, T-shirt, shirt, trousers, long underpants, a pair of shorts, beachwear, underwear, anorak (or similar) and something to sleep in. Footwear for use in water.
Equipment. Sleeping bag, sleeping mat, towel, tent.
Additional. Compass (GPS), sunglasses, matches, knife, camera, binoculars, sufficient food and a good book.

Health requirements/experience.
Swimming ability required by adults. All participation at own risk. Minimum 2 persons. You should be in good health and have a reasonable level of fitness and strength, but you
need no previous knowledge or experience. However we recommend you to be used to outdoor life.
The tour involves 2 short liftings and numbers of unclassified, easy rapids. However, during dry summers you may have to step out of the canoe/kayak and drag the canoe/kayak next to you for short distances.

Information about the area.
The people of Põlvamaa are known for being friendly and helpful. Hospitality and obliging
manners are also typical characteristics for a person from Põlvamaa.
Põlvamaa is a rich mixture of primeval untouched nature and semi-natural landscapes shaped by human activities over the centuries. Hillocks and slopes are topped with farmhouses, valleys nest charming and shimmering lakes. Vast forests and clean bogs, as well as splendid lakes and rivers, welcome wanderers from Estonia and abroad. The nature of Põlvamaa offers something for every month of the year.
Springtime, shortly after the ice cover breaks up on rivers, provides the opportunity for memorable impressions of the rapid rivers flooding through the high sand banks.
In summertime the nature of Põlvamaa is in full bloom. The primeval valley of the Ahja River with its sandstone outcrops, called Suur Taevaskoda (Grand Heaven’s Hall) and Väike Taevaskoda (Small Heaven’s Hall), awaits those looking for spectacular sceneries. Piusa sandstone caves invite thrill seekers and lakes and rivers welcome swimmers. Summer is the best season for hiking, be it on foot or by bike. Keen nature-lovers might be interested in bogs, wetlands and wooded meadows or perhaps admire the distinctive dry sandy dunes of Setumaa.

Getting there:
By car.
By bus to Põlva (schedules: www.bussireisid.ee).

What to do next:
If you are interested in this experience, please make sure that you understand exactly
what the experience entails and are confident that you will be able to take part fully in all
activities included in the trip. If you have any doubts or questions, please discuss the
matter with us and we will be happy to advise. Similarly, if you have any particular
health or dietary requirements that we need to be aware of, please mention these at the
time of booking.
If you feel confident that you will be able to take part, then download and read our
TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Then, please contact us to make sure that your chosen dates
are available, and feel free to ask us anything else you like: we are keen to ensure that
your trip is an enjoyable and memorable experience for you – we love Estonia and we
want you to too!  

For more information on how to book this trip please send e-mail to info@matkajuht.ee, or call us: +372 566 78 113
Matkajuht - Outdoor and adventure holidays for independents, families and groups