- Address: Estonia;
- Length: 144 km;
- Basin area: 6,920 km²;
- Source height above sea level: 76 m;
- Estuary: The Gulf of Riga.
One of the longest rivers in Estonia is the Pärnu River. Throughout its entire length it crosses cities, picturesque landscapes, dams and even small hydroelectric power stations.
General information
The length of the Pärnu River is 144 km, the area of the basin is 6900 km ². The river takes its beginning from a small village Roosna-Alliku, which is located in the heart of Estonia. Here the water of a small river is distinguished by its amazing purity and unique taste. The river flows into the Bay of Pärnu near the town of the same name . The water in Pärnu does not freeze every year. Usually, stable ice is formed from the middle of December to the end of March.
Features of the river
The Pärnu River is not wide, deep-water and has basically a calm current, which is a comfortable environment for the rafting. In places where its channel passes below sea level, there are long rolling and pools. In the vicinity of the town of Tyure, Pärnu is much wider and fuller, here a large number of rivers flow into it. The mouth of Pärnu is with a tidal current and there are a lot of fish in these places.
Trekking along the river Pärnu
One of the main entertainment on the water is rightly considered a rafting along the river. Enjoy the magnificent scenery, hear the breath of nature, feel like a part of it can both adults and children. Canoe and catamaran rafting offers a large number of organizations located all along the river. If you do not have your own boat, you can rent all the necessary equipment in specialized places. So, in the city of Pärnu at Uus-Sauga, 62 there is a leisure and leisure center Fining Village. Anyone who wants to rent a boat over the age of 18 can submit a document. In the center you will be offered a ride along the Pärnu River on a historic ship in 1936. The cost of the trip is € 100 for the first hour of hire and € 50 for each subsequent hour.
Trekking along the river from Rae to Kurgia
A popular and favorite piece for rafting is the site from a small village Rae to the town of Kurgia. At a distance of 25 km downstream from the town of Türi and 60 km upstream from the city of Pärnu is the center, which is the starting or ending point of travelers. This place is Samliku. You can choose any distance - 3 km (the duration of the hike is 1 hour) or 13 km (4-5 hours), so the beginning of the road will be either in Samliku, or in Rae. The cost of hiking for an adult is € 10, for a child € 5.
Also, the tourist center Samliku invites vacationers to spend the whole day on the program, which includes: 2-hour rafting on the river (8 km), lunch (soup, drinks, dessert), tour of the museum building and yard, outdoor recreation, bathing in the river and fishing at will. The beginning of the road is near the village of Rae, the final stop is Kurgia. The cost for an adult is € 24, for children € 16. The price includes kayaking, lunch, life jacket and briefing. You can also choose a short alloy path - up to Samliku. The cost for an adult in this case is € 19, for children € 11. You can make a raft of three canoes, which allows you to simultaneously raft up to 12 people.
Fishing on the river
The Pärnu River is one of the richest rivers in Estonia in terms of fish stock. In the water live: salmon, pike, trout, perch, burbot, etc. In total - about 30 species of fish! Do not forget that in some parts of the river it is prohibited to catch a certain type of fish. Thus, on the section from the Cindy Dam to the Bay of Pärnu, it is prohibited to catch nets all year round, it is forbidden to fish while standing in the water during spawning of salmonids and trout. In some cases for fishing it is necessary to have a license that is purchased from local authorities and costs € 1 per day. For fishing using only a fishing rod, a license is not needed.
In the vicinity of Pärnu a large number of places for fishing. You can rent a boat and go to the backwaters or the numerous tributaries of the river. So, the center of leisure and leisure Fining Village besides a campaign on the river offers fishing together with the experienced guide. Caught fish (pike perch, pike, perch, etc.) can be cooked at the stake in the form of soup or smoky. Capacity in the boat is up to 5 people. The cost for the group is € 240.