"Amazing!"
Johanna was so knowledgeable about the history and culture of
the Baltic States. Really deep and broad knowledge. She was also entertaining and fully “on” for the entire trip.
The balance of activities and driving was very good.
"Enlivened sightseeing bus"
This has been one of my best sightseeing experiences yet! I'd recommend this as an alternative way of covering Estonian to Latvian towns than the regular bus or train ride. Johanna is a great tour guide and kept the ride from Tallinn to Riga quite interesting with her personal and enthusiastic opinions of history and culture meshed into her delivery of her knowledge of the different areas we went to- Viljandi, Cesis, Ganja National Park, among others that we visited. I wish the operator can also provide the guides with a terminal in case anyone wishes to pay tips by card.
"Great Trip"
Excellent trip from Tallin to Riga. Johanna was a great guide full of interesting facts etc as well as having a brilliant humour to back up the points.
"City transfer with history and sightseeing fun"
Our guide, Johanna, showed up in a large comfortable van and we left Tallinn through back road passes to our first destination, a small Estonian town of Viljandi, we park by a tall Lutheran Church, which we step into. Then we continue to the ruins of a castle along a river. We see several cats a thing that they Estonians do is the city may pick a native animal and they make concrete structures out of them as their road blocks in the city. We’ve seen pigeons and snails as these concrete friends. It’s a nice walk through the area and we head back to the vehicle. We have a walk through a forest, the Gauja National Forest, where our guide talks to us about forging for mushrooms and blueberries. Lots of pine trees and spruce. Estonia is known for Christmas trees. We visit Ceces a beautiful city where we have time to sightsee for 50 minutes of our own time which we used to go walk through the Church, old castle, Orthodox Church, the new castle, and through the quaint town. For lunch a brewery buffet, inexpensive yet delicious collection of local dishes and the beer is amazing. Suggest trying the honey beer and the unfiltered beer it pairs well with the sausage. Our final stop is at the Sigulda Bob sled Course outside of Riga designed by the Soviets. We walk down much of the path. Along the way Johanna provided informative commentary on the area, culture, and history. Johanna provided a thesis worthy history of Estonia and Latvia from pagan time to modern talking about how they have been slaves and peasants for millennium. Ruled by Swedish, Danes, and the Russians for centuries. The last was the Russians during World War I And when they had their revolution, the countries declared independence, but it lasted only hours as the Russians declared war. Estonia won their independence from Russia, but it was short-lived until World War II when in 1940 the Russians made a deal with the Nazis and took control of the Baltics. Then the Germans invaded and followed again by the Soviets until 1989. One Stop along the way, she talked about the Baltic Way where the brave countrymen held hands in millions in 1989 indicating that they should be free. It’s one of the best trips really fun. She had a lot of discussions about the area food, the use of sauna in their culture, you can’t go wrong with this tour and we lucked out having the best tour guide, Johanna.
"Very informative and entertaining (:"
Johanna is a wonderful guide! She is very knowledgeable about the region and can tell you a lot about the more esoteric parts of Estonian history, religion, tradition, and culture, if you’re interested as well. Aside from that, it was very fun! Lots of beautiful sights throughout Latvia and Estonia, and I felt I was given a very thorough and entertaining introduction to the two countries. I would highly recommend Traveller Tours and Johanna specifically to anyone!
"Amazing Opportunity To Travel Off The Beaten Path From Riga To Tallinn!"
This was such a fantastic experience & a really enriching way to travel from two capital cities avoiding the dull highway or public transport. Such a rich texture of places visited including rural villages & town, forest & beyond. Johanna especially made our trip as engaging as possible & it was a real treat to be part of a small group to maximise her time & knowledge of the two countries. 100% would do this again & can't recommend traveller tours enough!
"Magical Historical) mystery tour"
What a great way to travel from Riga to Tallinn. Of course you can do it quicker but this combined a history lesson, sightseeing as well as personal insights. Johanna was an excellent host, professional but also funny and very human. We particularly enjoyed her observations on recent social changes in Estonia and Latvia.
"Excellent and must do tour when you want to see the other side of Estonia "
I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see the other side of Estonia. It takes you to the Russian side of Estonia, where Russian is the main language and hardly speak Estonian or English. In Narva it feels like you're in a totally different country, you're like in little Russia. Also if you wants to experience how life in Russia could be without want to visit that country at all (which is ofcourse impossible nowadays). Also native Estonians hardly visit that region or even not at all. A lot of history story telling and sightseeing on this tour.
I actually came to see the bridge that connects Russia and read a lot about Narva, but the whole tour, it sightseeings and region in the end is worth it. Even more then 5 stars, ofcourse thanks to the excellent tourguide Johanna ;)
The tour don't go often and after 5 weeks with enough people the tour finally continues I have heard from the guide That's awesome, I came just on the right time ;) Actually people have to do this tour in my opinion, because to really understand Estonia's past, present and future. There is more then Tallinn ;)
"Fantastic tour and way to travel "
Johanna was a fab guide ! Very informative and funny - good ratio of information given and questions answered - made the trip from Riga to Tallinn seem short and fun rather than using a bus. Was a small group size which was nice for the price paid.
"Narva: More Than a Day Trip!"
We went on the trip a few days ago with Johanna. We had a small group which made the trip that much better. Johanna was wonderful, very knowledgeable and accommodating. We explored castle ruins to old Soviet mining towns and stood at the boarder looking into Russia. It’s a great way to see a totally different side of Estonia that most people miss. Highly recommend!!! Thank you Johanna.
"Fantastic day out"
Decided to tour Lahemaaa as we wanted something different to do, after several days in Vanalinn. We were shown around by Johana who was fantastic. Extremely knowledgeable she was more than happy to answer all my questions and tell us all about the region. Saw the waterfall, forest and the bogs. Later having Estonian lunch at a very picturesque restaurant. Well worth it.
"Excellent Day Tour"
We had a private day tour from Riga to Tallinn. Johanna was an excellent and accommodating tour guide. Extremely pleasant and knowledgeable and we had an amazing time touring the countryside and seeing more of Latvia and Estonia. We are so glad we didn't just take the train 😊and highly recommend this to everyone!
"A fun and informative way to travel. "
We had an amazing day travelling from Tallinn to Riga. Our guide was very friendly and informative about all of the places we stopped along the way. The stops were evenly distributed so the effectively long journey passed quickly. The lunch stop was lovely.
"Fantastic Tour"
We had a wonderful time on our trip from Riga to Tallinn. Our guide, Johanna, was friendly and knowledgeable, always happy to answer questions, a good driver, and clearly had a lot of interest and enthusiasm for the places she took us. We learned a lot, enjoyed a great mix of city and rural locations, and definitely recommend this trip! It's a great way to get from one city to the other without settling for a train ride or a boring trip on the highway.
"Excellent day trip from Tallinn"
We very much enjoyed our day trip to Lahemaa NP with Johanna. During an 12-day trip entirely based in cities, it was nice to get out into nature for the day (kind of a vacation from the vacation!). There's a good variety of activities -- waterfall, forest/beach hike, lunch, manor house, bog walk. We learned a lot about Estonian history, culture and geography that enhanced our visit to the country.
"Best tour ever! "
I absolutely loved this tour! It was a full day packed with fun, learning, and great company. As a solo traveler, I really appreciated the small group setting—it made it easy to connect with others, and we did everything together as a team. Our guide, Johanna, was fantastic! She is a local and shared so much fascinating information throughout the day and brought every stop to life with her knowledge and enthusiasm. This experience exceeded my expectations, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging and well-organized tour.
"Great way to travel from Riga to Tallinn"
I had a wonderful time on the tour from Riga to Tallinn! The itinerary was thoughtfully designed, with memorable stops at the bobsleigh track in Sigulda and the charming town of Viljandi. Walking along the bobsleigh track was fascinating, as it offered a unique chance to learn about the sport and its history. Viljandi’s picturesque streets and warm atmosphere were equally captivating, and trying the village swing was such a fun highlight! The tour was well-organized, the guide, Johanna, was engaging and shared many of her own perspectives as an Estonian, The stops made the journey between Riga and Tallinn truly special. Highly recommend this tour for a perfect blend of culture and unique experiences!
"Best way to travel through the Baltic Countries "
I am so glad I made the decision of taking this transfer. Johanna is an amazing guide, the sight seeing is fantastic and I was able to acquire a deeper knowledge of Estonia and Latvia throughout the day
"Fantastic Tour to Lahemaa with Traveller "
The day trip was informative & enjoyable, Johanna is a wonderful guide & provided us with excellent information & details about the area. Wish we had booked more trips through Traveller during our time in the Baltics!
"A special day"
We enjoyed the tour and Johanna was an excellent guide.
"what a wonderful day !"
Despite the very rainy weather, we were able to enjoy all 4 sites. Everything was perfect thanks to Johanna, our guide. It is hard to choose, but the hike in the peat bog was magical. In short, don't hesitate to do it.
"Great trip!"
Fantastic tour, very friendly and insightful guide!
"Fantastic day touring and learning from a great guide."
We had a great, fun day with Johanna touring through the wonderful Latvia and Estonia. Her knowledge and passion for this region, and willingness to share her experiences and reflections made this such a worthwhile and enjoyable experience for us. Highly recommended.
"Great way to travel "
So fun! My sons (18 and 21) and I traveled with the tour. Our guide was from the region and added a great personalization to the tour and the stops. The day flew by with interesting places to see that we would have missed driving ourselves. Take a raincoat and wear comfortable shoes -- you'll have a great time.
"Lovely day!"
Highly recommend… the tour was a great way to explore Northern Estonia a bit, and our guide Johanna was knowledgeable, funny, and skilled. Super interesting and fun. Lunch at the pub was amazing.
"Great day at Lahemaa!"
Had a fantastic time on a five-person Lahemaa day trip last week! Johanna was our guide and she was absolutely incredible. She has a lifelong connection with Lahemaa and a deep knowledge of the place. We had great group conversations and a lot of laughs, but Johanna also made sure to spend time with everyone individually. We did some great hikes through beautiful forests (including the otherworldly Viru Bog!), saw picturesque fishing villages, had free time to explore Sagadi Manor, and had a classic Estonian lunch at the very atmospheric Altja Korts. Johanna was also my guide the following day on the Tallinn to Riga tour, and that too was incredible!! Highly, highly recommend!
"Definitely worth it!"
Had a fantastic small group trip, four of us plus Johanna, and she shared a lot of history and anecdotes about the places we visited. We stopped at Jagala water fall, both fishing villages, the national park for a hike, and the Viru bog. She knew a lot about forging as well, and we tried a couple of things on the walk. The fog was the group favorite. I think, it was just so otherworldly! I’d definitely recommend a trip with the company, and especially Johanna!
"Relaxed and stylish travels with a phenomenal guide"
Pick-up in Riga was on time, Johanna welcomed us to the tour and fortunately she was such an easy-going guide - we chatted 10 hours non-stop and got on well from the word go.
The bus was comfortable and clean, Johanna a careful driver and a very knowledgeable guide, answering all our questions.
The stops along the way were worthwhile, from the bob-sledge track in Sigulda, Cesis with its medieval character and a nice walk in the Gauja National Park - all amazing. The stop in Vijandi was equally interesting as was the stop at a local brewery for lunch.
Arrival was exactly on time as planned
All in all, excellent tour with an excellent guide - wish there was more of them :).
Well done Traveller Tours, we"ll use you again if in the vicinity.
"The most "NARVA-lous" tour ever!"
Cloudy skies and drizzly rain could not dampen our enthusiasm for our tour of Estonia: Narva, Sillamae and the Ghost City! Johanna's knowledge and personality overflowed as she drove the Renault van two hours to Narva and back. She explained the why and when of each location (including military history) of the Hermann Castle and the Ghost City, plus the many “faces” of Simmalie throughout its history. She opened its museum just for us! Her fluency in Russian, Estonian and English were impeccable!
"The most "NARVA-lous" tour ever!"
Cloudy skies and drizzly rain could not dampen our enthusiasm for our tour of Estonia: Narva, Sillamae and the Ghost City! Johanna's knowledge and personality overflowed as she drove the Renault van two hours to Narva and back. She explained the why and when of each location (including military history) of the Hermann Castle and the Ghost City, plus the many “faces” of Simmalie throughout its history. She opened its museum just for us! Her fluency in Russian, Estonian and English were impeccable!
"nice tour to Lahemaa park and wonderful guide"
We really enjoyed the trip, there were only two of us plus the guide Johanna. She was very nice, friendly and helpful. thanks for the beautiful day!
"Great Tour with a Fantastic Guide"
If you want to get a feel for Estonia outside of Tallinn this is a must do tour. We had a fantastic guide (Johanna) who lives on the edge of the national park. Her knowledge of the area made it that more special. The meeting point for the tour being the Tourist Information Office made meeting up easy and staying in the old town it is a very short walk for us. There were only 4 on the tour so it was very personable. Now the tour, the scenery was great, the waterfall followed by the walk through the bog on a lovey cool but sunny day was fantastic. Whilst the walk through the bog was about 3km it was a very easy stroll along the boardwalk. The boardwalk is not suitable for those who require disability aids as it is a narrow structure. After a nice simple lunch in a local tavern it was on to a superbly renovated mansion with beautiful gardens surrounding it. Unfortunately the inside of the mansion was closed for refurbishment but that was not a disappointing. After the mansion it on to a small fishing village with a nice walk through the forest to the beach. Walking along the beach brought us back to the start. Keep you eye out for local wildlife on the route. We were presented with the sighting of a fox.
"10/10 tour with our amazing guide Johanna"
We had a great time on this day tour through Lahemaa National Park. Our guide Johanna was such a pleasant person and we immediately felt very comfortable on this tour. Not only did we learn a lot about the history of the park itself, but also got insights on Estonian culture and everyday life thanks to Johanna, who is a local of Lahemaa and was super knowledgeable. The timing and amount of stops was very well balanced and it never got boring. We can highly recommend this experience!
