Kemeri National Park sprawls across the coastal lowlands of Latvia, a vast wetland wilderness where boardwalks lead through misty moors and sulphur springs bubble up from deep below the surface. Established in 1997 as the third largest national park in Latvia, it protects more than 380 square kilometres of forests, swamps, lakes, and lagoons along the Gulf of Riga. The Great Kemeri Moorland stretches across the southern half of the park, a raised bog where the silence is broken only by the calls of cranes and the rustle of wind through dwarf pines. Mineral springs have drawn visitors here for centuries, and the spa town of Kemeri remains a centre for health tourism.
Ķemeri National Park was founded in 1997 on an area of 381.65 km², which makes it the third largest national park in Latvia. It lies on the coast of the Gulf of Riga and includes forests, swamps and mires, shrubs, lakes or lagoons, natural mineral-springs and muds.
The Great Kemeri Moorland and Wooden Boardwalks
The Great Kemeri Moorland, known as Lielais Kemera tirelis, is the crown jewel of the park and one of the most important raised bogs in the Baltic region. Covering the entire southern half of the park, this vast expanse of peatland has been forming for thousands of years, with peat deposits reaching depths of several metres. A 3-kilometre-long wooden boardwalk, the Laipa Lielaja Kemera tireli, winds across the bog, allowing visitors to walk through this fragile ecosystem without damaging the delicate surface. The boardwalk leads to an observation tower that offers panoramic views across the moorland, where the horizon stretches endlessly, broken only by scattered pines and the occasional birch. The bog surface is a mosaic of hummocks and hollows, with pools of dark, tea-coloured water reflecting the sky. Here you can find carnivorous sundews, cotton grass, cranberries, and cloudberries, along with rare species of sphagnum moss. During the spring and autumn migrations, the moor becomes a resting ground for thousands of cranes and geese, whose calls echo across the open landscape. The park also features the DumbrAja laipa route, another elevated boardwalk that passes through a different wetland habitat, offering excellent birdwatching opportunities. Kanieris Lake, within the park boundaries, is home to 237 species of birds nesting on 14 islands, making it a paradise for bird-lovers and ornithologists. The lake is one of several lagoon-type water bodies in the park, including Lake Dunieris, Slokas ezers, and Valhuma ezers, which were formed when the Baltic Sea retreated after the last Ice Age.
Spa heritage and Natural Springs
The town of Kemeri, hidden among the trees at the heart of the national park, has been a destination for health tourism since the early 20th century. Its natural sulphur and mineral springs were first recognised for their therapeutic properties in the 1830s, and by the 1930s Kemeri had developed into a fashionable spa resort drawing visitors from across Europe. The spa treatments focus on musculoskeletal diseases, skin conditions, and neurological disorders, using the mineral-rich waters and locally harvested mud in therapeutic baths and wraps. The Kemeri sanatorium buildings, constructed in the Art Nouveau and functionalist styles, still stand as elegant reminders of this golden age. The tourist information centre in town organises guided expeditions, including bat observation walks and half-day nature seminars that explore the park diverse ecosystems. The park also protects the oldest primeval forest in Latvia, where trees have been left to grow, die, and decay naturally, creating a rich habitat for fungi, insects, and woodpeckers. Most of the park lies in the Zemgale region, with smaller portions extending into the cities of Jurmala, Jelgava, Riga, and Tukums. Accommodation options range from campsites and guesthouses in the park to spa hotels in Kemeri town, making it possible to spend several days exploring this remarkable landscape of bogs, forests, and coastal lagoons.
The reason for the declaration of the national park was an effort to preserve the unique local natural and cultural-historical values. The park contains many protected plants and microorganisms, which are typical for this climatic zone. Forests in the park are divided between numerous meadows and bushes. The largest swamps are Lielais Ķemeru tīrelis and Raganu purvs. In Ķemeri National Park there is a number of accommodation options, including camp.
Have you ever walked through a raised bog or visited a spa town in a national park? 🌍
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