A kick-sled trip in Otepää, the “Winter Capital,” on the Pühajärve ice trail. Drone photo. The ice trail runs between the Sõsarsaarte islands and the mainland. In the distance, the opposite shore of the lake in the village of Sihva is shrouded in fog. Kloostrisaar is clearly visible on the left. On the right are Murrumets and the Angunina Peninsula.

Ice Skating Trips in Otepää, on the Ice Trails of Lake Pühajärv

To ensure that people can skate even in snowy winter weather, we are building ice rinks on Lake Pühajärv, with nature’s permission.

Date and time

During the winter, from the beginning of January to the end of March

Duration

1-4 tundi

Distance & location

Various loop trails ranging from 2.5 to 10 km

Pühajärve Ice Track

Additional info

Up to 25 skaters at a time

Announcements!

Come and explore the nature around Lake Pühajärv from the frozen lake surface.
A skating trip will give you a new, active outdoor experience!

⛸️ Ice skating is a great way to enjoy the fresh air and the beauty of winter on natural ice.

Suitable ice conditions begin to form in late December on forest lakes and bog ponds, creating ideal snow-free conditions for cross-country skiing.

Since the skating trip is highly dependent on the weather, we’ll also arrange an alternative winter activity just in case.

The ice must be thick enough, with little or no snow, and as smooth as possible.
At Lake Pühajärv, we help make this happen ourselves—with nature’s permission, we clear a skating trail on the lake by shoveling away the snow.

A skating trip on Lake Pühajärv usually lasts 2–3 hours.
During this time, we skate 2.5–10 km along the snow-cleared ice trail.

Tour leaders and guides liven up the rest stops with group games and fascinating stories about nature, the region’s highlights, and modern life—both in black and white and in all its colors.

If ice and weather conditions permit, breaks are held on the frozen lake; otherwise, the group gathers on the islands and takes breaks at campfire sites along the shore.

The pace of the outing is adjusted to suit the participants. Anyone who can cross-country ski in the winter will also be able to skate on the lake ice.

Under no circumstances should you venture out alone onto the first ice of the season or on fragile spring ice in search of adventure!
Falling through the ice is no joke!

On hikes, we always check the condition of the ice before stepping onto it and continue to monitor it throughout the outing.

We provide ice axes to all participants as safety equipment. In addition, the tour guides will have throw lines and a first-aid kit on hand.
Hiking gear includes hiking crampons that attach to ski boots with clips and adjustable-length hiking poles.

In Otepää, on the ice of Lake Pühajärv, we have been responsible for establishing and maintaining a 10-kilometer-long skating trail for the past 7 years. With nature’s permission and within reason, we use an ATV tractor to clear the snow.

Touring skates do not require perfectly smooth ice. Unlike regular skates, touring skates have long blades—up to 58 cm—which make skating more stable and reduce the risk of falling.

During the snow-free season, when the ice is naturally smooth as a mirror, we skate anywhere on the lake’s ice. When the ice is covered with snow, we skate along a trail on Lake Pühajärv that follows the shoreline.

* Täpne hind selgub konsulteerimisel ja võib olla näiteks toimumisaegade lõikes erinev.

  • 25€ /koolinoor (12-17.a.)
  • 35€ /täiskasvanu
    • Hinnas sisaldub: käibemaks, instruktaaž, uisutamise ohutuse ja mugavusvarustuse kasutus.
    • Õpilasgruppide korral, lausjää korral, olenevalt grupi suurusest, on teiega uisumatkal alati kaasas üks kuni kaks meiepoolset instruktorit.
  • Lisateenused:
    • 75€ /grupp piirkonna või loodusgiid
    • 10-15€ /in lisatasu eest pakume matkakorralduse juurde matkaeine looduses (supp, ürdisai, plaadikook, tee; pukklauad, lõke). Toidukorra min tasu 120€
    • 15-35€ /in lisatasu eest pakume looduses metsarestorani teenuse (supivalik, ürdid, pudrud. lihad, magusaampsud, joogid). Metsarestorani min tasu 150€
    • 150€ /grupp /2 tundi haagisel torusaun “Leilitaja” Pühajärve rannas.
  • Koguneme Pühajärve matkabaasi juures.
  • Seejärel jaotame uisuvarustuse (sobiva pikkusega uisud ja matkakepid), jaguneme gruppideks ning viime läbi instrueerimise ja infojagamise matkamarsruudi kohta.
  • Järgneb kas giidi või instruktori saatel grupimatk või iseseisev uisumatk Pühajärve jääl.
  • Palume matkale riietuda vastavalt ilmastikule. Ilmaprognoosi saate vaadata siit.
  • Soovituslik on kihiline riietumine, lisaks peakate, kindad, torusall.
  • Jalga soovitame panna sportilikud vabaaja või murdmaasuusa püksid.
  • Jalanõudeks võtke kaasa oma murdmaasuusa saapad (võimalusel uisusuusasaapad, millel on pahkluu toestus).
  • Kaasa sobib võtta 0,5l pudeliga vett või teed ja väike suupiste (müslibatoon). Võimalusel veekindel seljakott isiklike asjade jaoks (kuhu saab näiteks seljast riideid vähemaks panna), vahetusjalatsid (niiskuskindlaks hooldatud matkasaapad) ja sokid.
  • Lisaks veekindel seljakott isiklike asjade ja kuivade varuriiete kandmiseks. Kindlasti ei kuulu komplekti alkohol.
  • Kaugemalt ja varem kohale tulla soovijatel soovitame majutuse, toitlustuse ja saunategevuse valida majutusasutustest.
  • Parim viis plaanilistest matkadest ja headest pakkumistest osa saamiseks on liituda meie uudiskirjaga, kus anname kohe teada kui on mõni tore ettevõtmine kavas.
  • Retkejuhtide kaasabil on võimalik külastada räätsadel või jalgsi mitmeid lähikonna rabasid ning avastada loodust tõukeratastel. Ettevõte tegeleb ka laste- ja noortelaagrite ning ettevõtete suve- ja talvepäevade läbiviimisega.
  • Pered ja väiksemad grupid saavad liituda avalike piletimatkadega või laenutada matkauisud Pühajärve matkabaasist.
  • Kui toimumispäeval pole uisutamiseks sobivat jääd, asendame tellimuse võimalike talviste alternatiividega.
  • Näiteks matkasuusa-, tõukekelgu-, lumeräätsa või sooräätsadel loodusmatkaga või mõne muu liikumistegevusega jalgsimatkarajal.
  • Loodusturism.ee rajab ja hooldab looduse loal ja vajaduspõhiselt Otepää Pühajärvel vabariigi pikimat, üle kogu järve 10km ulatuses kaldajoont kopeerivat lumest lükatud jäärada.
  • Lisaks teeme varasemad tagasipöörded ringipikkustega 2,5 ja 5km.
  • Jäärada algab Pühajärve matkabaasi vahetusläheduses, Pühajärve Mõisalahest.
A kick-sled trip in Otepää, the “Winter Capital,” on the Pühajärve ice trail. Drone photo. The ice trail runs between the Sõsarsaarte islands and the mainland. In the distance, the opposite shore of the lake in the village of Sihva is shrouded in fog. Kloostrisaar is clearly visible on the left. On the right are Murrumets and the Angunina Peninsula.

Ice Skating Trip on the Pühajärve Ice Track

  • Loodusturism.ee builds and maintains—with permission from the nature conservation authorities and based on need—the country’s longest ice trail at Lake Pühajärv in Otepää, which follows the shoreline for 10 km across the entire lake.
  • In addition, we maintain existing loop trails with lengths of 2.5 and 5 km.
  • The ice trail begins in the immediate vicinity of the Pühajärve hiking base, at Pühajärve Mõisalaht.
  • From the ice trail, you’ll see the hills surrounding Lake Pühajärve from a completely different perspective.
A kick-sled trip in Otepää, the “Winter Capital,” on the Pühajärve ice trail. Drone photo. The ice trail runs between the Sõsarsaarte islands and the mainland. In the distance, the opposite shore of the lake in the village of Sihva is shrouded in fog. Kloostrisaar is clearly visible on the left. On the right are Murrumets and the Angunina Peninsula.

Ice Skating on the Solid Ice of Lake Pühajärv

  • By “solid ice,” we mean ice without snow covering the entire surface of the lake.
  • Most often, solid ice forms when a layer of snow that has become saturated during the thaw freezes from above, but it can also form at the beginning of a snowless winter if temperatures are cold enough.
  • This makes it possible to skate anywhere and in any direction.
  • Access to the ice is near the Pühajärve hiking base, at Pühajärve Mõisalaht.

We’ll keep you updated on the ice conditions at Lake Pühajärv on the Pühajärve Hiking Base Facebook page.