
Cross-country Skiing: Estonia
Cross-country skiing in Estonia’s remote south east
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Vacation Style Holiday Type
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Skiing
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Winter
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Activity Level Multi-Level
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Group Size Small Group
The beauty of Estonian winters attract people from across the world, looking for a mix of snow covered forests, fairy-tale towns and pristine landscapes. Our week of cross-country skiing is based in the southeastern ski capital of Estonia – Otepää. Here we enjoy five full days of classic cross-country skiing both on and off track, through beautiful pine forests and famous tracks. One day will be spent skiing on part of the route of the Tartu Ski Marathon which takes place in the region annually. On the last day we travel to Tallinn, the best preserved medieval city in Northern Europe and enjoy some free time exploring the walled old town dating back to the14th century.
* All breakfasts
* 7 nights at 3 and 4-star hotels with en suite rooms
* All transport and listed activities
* Tour leader and professional ski coach throughout. Group normally 5 to 14. Min age 16 yrs.
* Airport transfers (at designated times)
* Skies, poles and boots
- Flights
- Single Accommodation (available on request, inquire for supplement)
Highlights
- Ski on the famous Tartu Ski Marathon track
- Classic skiing technique sessions with professional coach
- Try shooting with a professional biathlete
- Explore 14th century Tallinn
- Stay in a comfortable hotel with easy access to ski tracks
- Day 1 Start Otepää
- Day 2 Ski in Otepää and Kääriku; try some biathlon shooting
- Day 3 Explore fantastic forest ski tracks in Haanja; afternoon hike
- Day 4 Ski in Tehvandi and perfect your technique
- Day 5 Ski on the famous Tartu Ski Marathon track; enjoy some night-skiing
- Day 6 Final day skiing in the beautiful Estonian wilderness
- Day 7 Transfer back to Tallinn; explore the historic capital and optional spa visit
- Day 8 End Tallin

Tehvandi Hotel & Tallink Spa Hotel
The first 6 nights are spent at the comfortable 3-star Tehvandi Hotel in Otepaa, offering a quirky design with a grass roof and perfectly located less than 100 metres from the athletics track. All 45 rooms were refurbished in 2014, each with an en suite bathroom. The communal sauna is free of charge in the morning and can be hired for groups in the evening (€20). On the final night we stay at the premium 4-star Tallink Spa Hotel in Tallin, located just a 5 minutes’ walk from the walls of the Old Town. It offers large rooms and a generous breakfast buffet. The large spa complex offers various types of saunas and hot tubs, as well as indoor and outdoor heated pools, a perfect treat to conclude an active week of cross-country skiing.
Dinners will be taken in the hotels or in a nearby restaurant. Cuisine in Estonia is often centred around pork, veal, fish, potatoes, sauerkraut and soups such as borsch (beetroot soup with meat). Dumplings are also very popular. While desserts include mannavaht (a cream made of semoline and juice or fruit), pancakes and rhubarb pies. Drinking beer with a meal is common and still more popular than wine. Local favorites include Saku and A.le Coq, the latter of which is brewed in Tartu.
Breakaway offers cross-country skiing holidays to suit a wide range of technical and physical levels. Our cross-country skiing grades reflect both the level of physical fitness required and the level of skiing experience required. They are comparable to the activity levels we use on our snowshoeing, cycling, activity and trekking holidays; however we believe a slightly different system is required, due to the tuition we provide on our holidays. This sets our cross-country skiing holidays apart, as we tend not to need to teach people how to ride a bike or walk. The aim remains to create groups of similar ability and fitness. Our descriptions are below, however feel free to call and speak to an expert if you are unsure which grade or type of holiday will suit you best.
In Estonia we offer grade 3 holidays:
Grade 3 Intermediates Equivalent Activity Level- Moderate, Level 3. A grade 3 week is ideal for those looking to push on, tackle some slightly steeper terrain and cover more ground each day. Typical groups will have a few weeks skiing behind them, be very comfortable with the basics and happy on longer day tours. There will still be tuition on these weeks, at the required level.