ABOUT US

Who we are?

Estonian Nature Tours is a new trade mark of Kumari Tours offering Birdwatching and Botanical Tours. Our individual and specialised approach to tourism was developed over a number of years of organising local travel services in Matsalu National Park, before broadening our operations in the spring of 2004 to include visits to a wide variety of nature reserves throughout Estonia.  

What is an ENT holiday?

The principal aim of these trips is to introduce visitors to the unique natural heritage and wildlife of Estonia, which have fortunately been preserved at many places in our country thanks to enlightened attitudes towards conservation, and a deep-rooted tradition of respect for the natural world. Each trip is escorted by a skilled Estonian leader with the necessary local expertise and these are often professional biologists or nature reserve employees. Our services can also include the reservation of accommodation, meals and transport to form a fully inclusive tour in accordance with the specifications of our clients.

Total area of Estonian fens and bogs is about 140 000 ha / Mati Kose

Mission

Our mission is to introduce the natural heritage preserved by moderate human activity, to design ecological thinking and awareness of nature and to improve local tourist services.

Philosophy 

We consider cooperation with the local community an essential part of organising nature trips. Lunch at a gourmet restaurant cannot compare with the direct experience that guests receive having conversations with locals at a farm picnic or buying handicrafts and farm products. When a trip tour guide neglects to count minutes or hours, the guest comprehends that the guide was able to give something back by making contact with locals, thereby valuing them and leaving warm feelings in the hearts of all the guests... And that gratitude towards the tour organiser is experienced over and over again.

Vision

Where are we located?

ENT & Responsible Tourism

Natural history tourism, and especially Birdwatching, are highly specialised areas of tourism that demand a high level of professionalism and an intimate knowledge of the subject matter from the ground agent. Estonia is enjoying an increasing recognition as an attractive birdwatching destination which each year brings ever more birdwatchers from all over Europe in search of the many interesting bird species found in our country. We are proud of this interest in our natural attributes but also aware of the potential dangers that uncontrolled tourism can pose to the fragile eco-systems supporting the birdlife, and the organisation of 'Responsible Tourism' through liaison with the management of our National Nature reserves is the ethos that dictates all our actions at Estonian Nature Tours.

We participate in the Väinameri project, which aims to unite nature conservation and rural development. This co-operation brings together farmers, artisans, local enterpreneurs and nature societies since 1997. The project is supported financially by WWF-Sweden and the governments of Estonia and Sweden, and through the work of local people.

Our staff

Our agents

Our sales agents in Europe are:

Naturetrek / UK    2003 -

Baltic Holidays / UK    2006 -

SNP / Holland   2006 -

Mare Baltikum / Germany   2006 -

Speyside Wildlife / UK   2007 -

Tringa / Finland 2008 -

Avifauna / Sweden   2010 -

Travelling Naturalist / UK  2010 -

Birdingbreaks / Holland 2010 -

Danmarks Rovfugle / Denmark 2010 -

Suomen Luonnonsuojeluliitto / Finland 2010 -

Birdfinders / UK 2011 -

Bird Holidays / UK 2011 -

WildWings / UK 2011 -

DOF / Denmark 2011 -

Our partners

We supported

ENT supports the yearly Young Conservationist Award through independent NGO Estonian Fund for Nature, also Sõrve Bird Station and bird conservation charities through Birdlife International.

Results

Estonian Nature Tours (ENT) is a ground tour organiser specialized in Birdwatching and Botanical Tours. Our individual and specialised approach to tourism was developed over a number of years of organising local travel services in Matsalu National Park, before broadening our operations in the spring of 2004 to include visits to a wide variety of nature reserves throughout Estonia. Our mission is to introduce the natural heritage preserved by moderate human activity, to design ecological thinking and awareness of nature and to improve local tourist services.

Also, ENT has been a pioneer in developing nature and bird tourism all over Estonia. We have long term experience in organising botanical and bird watching tours and the feedback from our clients has always been good to excellent. Every year we develope one or two new tour packages.

- The founder of Estonian Nature Tours, private entrepreneur Marika Mann, was awarded Best Tourism Developer of 2002 in Läänemaa county.

- In 2005, ENT (Estonian Nature Tours) participated in the contest "Top Environmentally Friendly Organizations", in which he Ministry of the Environment recognised our company for developing an environmentally friendly enterprise.

- In 2007, ENT was one of the top five Entrepreneur Award nominees in the category, "Tourism innovator 2007".

- In the autumn of 2007, we introduced our new offering, “Estonia in Early Spring”, which has proved very popular among our clients.

- In spring 2008, our oldest tour, “Estonia in Spring” , was accredited with the brand EHE  (Quality System Pure and Interesting Estonia).

- In 2008-2009, the President of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik Ilves praised Estonian Nature Tours, who promotes nature tourism by bringing birdwatchers from Europe to Estonia and thereby introducing Estonia as an extremely interesting country for nature tourism. Read more...

- In autumn of 2009 we came out with totally new opportunities in Estonia – "Estonia in Summer“ (wild flowers, birds & butterflies) and "Mammal Watching“ (mammals & birds).

ENT is a member of the Rural Tourism Association and NGO Läänemaa Tourism. Our permanent clients include NGO Terra Maritima  (nature tourism , study tours and seminars), Environmental Board  (seminars and study tours), Ministry of the Environment (seminars and study tours) and many nature educational nature NGOs (outside studies). Executive manager of ENT, Marika Mann, is also a member of the Estonian Ecotourism Association and the Läänemaa  Bird Club.

Estonian Nature Tours (ENT) is a trade mark of Kumari Reisid OÜ offering Birdwatching and Botanical Tours.

Kumari Reisid OÜ is registered in the Register of Economic Activities.

Media about us

ESTONIA From raccoon dogs to flying squirrels, and bears to beavers, this little known Baltic country has it all. BBC Wildlife Magazine September 2010

Marika Manni on edasi aidanud soov ise oma elu muuta Bioneer 20.01.2010

Eesti on soodne koht läbirändavate lindude jälgimiseks ETV Osoon 19.07.2009

Tedrevaatlus hollandi linnuturistidega. ETV Osoon 04.05.2009

Eestisse on koos rändlindudega saabunud ka linnuvaatlejad. ETV AK 05.04.2009

Läänemaa reisifirma osales maailma suurimal linnuvaatlejate messil. Lääne Elu / Eleri Illik 28.08.2008

Kumari Reisid toob välisturisti terveks päevaks loodusesse. Lääne Elu / Kaie Ilves 01.07.2008

Tarvo Valker: Eesti võiks olla linnuturismimaa. Postimees / Tarvo Valker 15.09.2008

Eestist võiks saada linnuturismimaa. Postimees / Marina Lohk 18.09.2007

KUKU raadio Keskkonnatelk:  seminar "Linnuturism Eestis". Kuku Keskkonnatelk. 02.12.2007

Marika Mann müüb Eesti loodust. Äripäev / Elo Odres 09.05.2007

Kuidas minust sai Matsalus parem inimene. Postimees / Kai Lippasaar 15.09.2006  

Laupäev linnuturistina. Postimees / Agnes Männiste 09.10.2004

Kuksema meelitab vaatlejaid. Järvamaa Teataja / Kaarel Aluoja 14.04.2005

Hooaeg algab: linnuvaatlemine. Äripäev / Hendrik Aavik 31.03.2006

Ka kodumaine linnuvaatlus võib tulu tuua. Äripäev / Kaarel Aluoja 19.04.2005

Lihulas avatakse loodusturismi infopunkt. Roheline värav / Silvia Lotman 13.07.2006

Välismaalased tuuakse Eestisse linde vaatlema. Eesti Päevaleht 20.06.2007

Read more 

Lihula mõisahoone saab uued aknad. Lääne Elu / Kaie Ilves 23.01.2007

Inglise turistid otsivad Matsalust võtmelinde. Lääne Elu / Kaie Ilves 13.09.2005

Messil on ka väike nähtaval. Lääne Elu / Lehte Ilves 22.02.2005

Linnuturistid vallutasid Läänemaa. Lääne Elu / Kaire Reiljan 22.05.2003

Paigalpüsimiseks tuleb kiiresti joosta. Läänemaa portaal / Ene Pajula 09.10.2002

We write in media

Loodusturist – õnn või õnnetus?  Ööviiul nr.6 / 2007 / Marika Mann

Loodusetundmine aitab näha tervikut. Õpetajate Leht / Marika Mann 03.02.2006

Sookurgedest, turismist, hoolivusest ja kapitalismist. Roheline Värav / Marika Mann 09.12.2004

Matkapäevad Matsalus. Läänemaa portaal / Marika Mann 01.08.2003

Press releases from Estonian Nature Tours

Kas Eesti vajab linnuvaatlusturismi? Seminari kokkuvõte. Infoturism / M.Mann 08.03.2005

Eesti loodusturismi tippsündmus 2010. / M. Mann 07.08.2010

Linnuvaatlusturism Eestis. Seminari kokkuvõte. Infoturism / M.Mann  14.12.2007

Releases in media of the FAM-trips for journalists of the birdmagazines

Mammal Watching in Estonia / FAM trip 2010