Teici Nature Reserve

Teici protects around two hundred square kilometres of raised bog, forest and lakes in eastern Latvia, the largest intact mire complex in the Baltic states, formed over some nine thousand years and reaching several metres of peat depth. It holds bog lakes, islands of mineral ground carrying forest, and a bird list that includes cranes gathering in autumn in numbers, along with black grouse, golden plover and wood sandpiper. Access is strictly controlled: most of the reserve is closed and visits are on guided routes with a ranger, with a boardwalk and a lookout tower at the accessible point giving the view over the open mire. Autumn crane roosts are the main draw.

What you actually see

• The open mire - the raised bog surface with its pools and hummocks.
• The lookout tower - the platform above the bog at the access point.
• Crane gatherings - the autumn roosts before migration.
• Bog lakes and islands - the water and forested mineral ground within the mire.

When to go

September and October for the crane gatherings, which is the reserve's peak; May to August for the bog flora and breeding birds. Guided visits must be booked in advance. Winter access is limited.

Honest expectations

Most of the reserve is closed and independent walking is not permitted; a booked guided visit is the only way in. Boardwalks are slippery. Cranes are distant and a scope helps. Mosquitoes are severe in summer.

Nearby

Madona lies northwest; Jekabpils is southwest.