Soomaa translates as “land of mires”, this national park was established in 1993 to protect untouched mires. Mires cover one-fifth of the mainland area of Estonia, making it a third in the world after Finland and Canada in our abundance of natural mires.

For the most part, the national park is made up of five very different bogs – those of Kuresoo, Öördi, Kikepera, Valgeraba and Riisa. Due to the formation of peat deposits, their surface level has risen some 5-6 metres above the surrounding mineral soil.