A Guide to visiting Kemeri National Park Latvia in 2025

Kemeri National Park, Latvia, is located west of Riga and is the 3rd largest of the Latvian national parks.  It covers an area of 381 km², with 57% forest and 24% bogs.  It was established as a National Park in 1997.  It is one of the 5 Latvian National Parks and probably the prettiest.

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About Kemeri & Ķemeri National Park

Kemeri National Park was originally developed as the park for the resort town of Kemeri, with many walking paths for users of the resort, where they could walk to convalesce.  Some of the trails are over 30km.

The town of Kemeri was first established in 1838 when a public bathing establishment was built on state owned land and had been allocated to be used for sulfur water therapy by Emperor Nicholas I.  From then on the resort flourished with the oldest church in Kemeri built in 1893 and as it became popular with Russians, a railway line was built directly from Moscow to Kemeri in 1921.

In 1936, the Kemeri Hotel was opened, and at the time was one of the biggest buildings in Latvia, with 107 single rooms and 7 double rooms.

The resort started to decline in popularity in the 1990s after Latvia became independent from Russia, and it is now more of a sleepy town than before.

How to get from Riga to Kemeri National Park

As I had seen most things in Riga and wanted to go explore further afield.  The people in my hostel recommended that I go to Ķemeri National Park from Riga, as the weather had turned due to it being mid-September, and it was no longer beach weather, and it is one of the great Riga day trips.

Kemeri National Park. How to get there: The trains run from Riga train station every 2 hours, and you want the train for Tukums 2 or Tukums 1.  I decided to get the 9.30 am train, which takes about an hour.  

You need to get off at the Kemeri Railway Station, and it costs 2.50 euros each way.  You can also catch the train from Jurmala if you are staying there, it only takes 30 minutes, or if the weather is good, you could stop at the beach before or after your trip to Kemeri.

You can also get a bus from Rigas SAO, which is just next to the Train Station, and it will take about 1 hour.  The buses run every 1.5 to 2 hours and expect to pay around 2 euros.

If you have a car, then you can drive straight to Great Kemeri Bog, which will take around 45 minutes along the A10 road until you see a sign.  Also, expect to pay for parking when you arrive, though entrance to the national park is free.

Getting to Kemeri National Park from Kemeri Railway Station

When I got to the train station, I went outside and there was a map of the area, there was no tourist information, and the station was unmanned, so the map was the only thing to help you. The shortest walk in the area is the 3.5km walk around Great Kemeri Bog Boardwalk, but you have to bear in mind that it’s a 3km walk from the train station to the start of the boardwalk!!

Depending on the season and day of the week that you go, it may be possible to rent bicycles from the information centre, close to the train station, which was closed when I was visiting during the second week of September.

Great Kemeri Bog Boardwalk

Make sure from the train station you follow the sign that reads “Leila Kemeru tirela taka – Kemeri Bog Trail,” as this will take you mostly through the woods, so you don’t have to follow the main roads to the entrance.

I decided that another good hike was exactly what I needed after my hike the previous day around Sigulda, so off I set on the 3km walk to get to the Great Kemeri Bog.  If you decide to do this hike, turn left out of the train station, cross the railway tracks, and about halfway down this road, you will see a path on the right; take that path as it is a shortcut.

When you get back to the main road, you will see a road practically opposite. Keep walking down that road, past the graveyard, and at the end you will get to the Great Kemeri Bog Boardwalk.  It will take you about 30 minutes to walk from the main road down to Kemeri Bog, so don’t think you are lost.

From here, follow the signs and do the 3.5km walk around the boardwalk. There are signs in English giving information about the plants, flora, and fauna in the area and the different birds and animals that can be found.

I continued walking until I got to the observation platform, which, if you climb to the top, gives you amazing views of the area.  Great Kemeri Bog is known for its mineral waters and therapeutic muds that are found there.

I stopped for a bit to enjoy the views as the skies were clearing, before continuing to walk around the rest of the boardwalk.  It’s a nice and easy walk to do, and if you have a car, you can park right by the start of the walk.  (If you have a car, take the A10 from Riga to the Kemeri Park.  Riga Kemeri is about 46km).

I then walked back towards the train station, and as I still had a few hours before the train I needed to catch back to Riga, I decided to do part of another walk.  Obviously 9.5km at this point was not enough!!

Green Dune

This time, I was hiking part of the Green Dune, which is also a cycling path, so watch out for the bikes while you are walking.  If you hike the whole route, it is 14km, but I decided to only walk to the sand dunes as I needed to get back for the train.  From the train station to the sand dunes, it’s about a 4.5km hike.

The forest you walk through is beautiful and very peaceful, but I was a little disappointed when I got to the sand dunes and found it just looked like a hill; you couldn’t really tell it was a sand dune!!!

After this, it was a quick walk back to the train station to get the train back to Riga.  I was exhausted after my 18km day!!!

If you are going there for the day on the train, it’s a good idea to bring a packed lunch, as I saw no restaurants near the train station and only one shop where you could buy snacks.  Make sure you check the train times for returning when you get to Kemeri train station, as the trains are not very frequent. Alternatively, you can also get a bus, so have the bus times handy in case you miss the train.

It’s a beautiful area, and if you have seen everything in Riga & Sigulda and it isn’t beach weather, then a visit to Kemeri National Park is a nice day out.

Lake Kanieris

This is the best place for bird watching in Kemeri National Park. There is a bird watching tower at the lake, and you will walk through a large area of junipers to get there.  To get to Lake Kanieris, it is a little far to walk from Kemeri Railway station, but if you have a car, you could drive there, or if not, then rent a bike.  You can either do this in Riga and take on the train with you or rent one in Kemeri once you are off the train (though it was closed when I was there in early September).

Kanieris Hill Fort

This is located near Lake Kanieris, and you would need a car or a bike to get here.  The Lake Kanieris Castle mound trail and sightseeing platform is a 1.3km circular trail.

Lake Sloka

Another popular trail is the Lake Sloka nature trail and the bird watching tower.  It is around a 3km walk from Kemeri Railway station to the start of the trail, which is then a circular 3.1km trail.

Where to stay near Kemeri National Park

If you are planning on a trip to Kemeri National Park, you can either do it as a day trip, or if you want, you can stay in Kemeri or Jurmala, which is a short distance away by train and on the coast.  Kemeri has only 1 hotel, but there are many options in Jurmala.  Here are some of the best.

Kemeri

Kemeri Hotel  – It is located near the train station on the outskirts of the town, it has a spa with sauna and hot tub, and a kitchen and BBQ for guest use.  Breakfast is not included, but there is a cafe/bar on site.  Click here for more details & prices.

Jurmala

Kurshi Hotel & Spa – It is located 5 minutes from the beach and train station and has a Spa centre.  Breakfast is included, and there is also a restaurant on site for dinner.  Click here for more details & prices.

If you are on a budget, then there are some cheaper options in Jurmala, so you can enjoy both Kemeri National Park and the beach.

Feeling Cone – If you want something a little different on a budget, then try a tent in a tree. It is definitely a different experience, but you will enjoy being surrounded by trees. It is about 1km from the train station, but the beach is around a 50-minute walk.

FAQ’s about Kemeri National Park

You might also find these guides useful:

• How to spend 3 nights in Riga
• A day trip to Sigulda
• What to do in Vilnius, Lithuania
• What to do in Parnu Estonia

Are there any other day trips from Riga that you think I should do?  If so, then let me know in the comments below.

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