Although most tourists rarely venture out this far, the wildlife reserve and national park at Ķemeri is one of Latvia’s most impressive natural treasures. Its ancient raised bogs, swamps, forests and lakes were created roughly 8,000 years ago when the sea retreated to its current position.
The park is home to a wide range of fauna including rare birds like the black stork not to mention moose, deer, elk, foxes, wolves and wild cattle and horses that were reintroduced into this unique ecosystem with some help from the World Wildlife Fund. Nearly 900 varieties of flora can also be observed in the park including certain plants that are found nowhere else in the country. Although recent conservation efforts have protected the park from the modern world, several types of flora, once abundant in the area, haven’t been seen in over 20 years and are believed to have been relegated to the pages of history.
A vast network of wooden boardwalks and nature paths traverse the park making for a pleasant walk or a rigorous 12km hike depending on your level of physical fitness and desire to experience nature in its nearly virgin state.
The Melnalkšņu dumbrāja trail is only 500m long and takes roughly 30 minutes to walk, but it’s the most convenient as it begins at the Meža māja park information centre. However, a much more challenging, and in our view interesting, trail called the Slokas ezera taka is available just down the road near Lake Sloka. The walk is just over 3km long and takes you along the lake and also includes a 7m-tall bird watching tower located on a floating platform on the water. The more adventurous can extend the walk and hike all the way to the beach. Admission to the park is free.