Ilmatsalu Hotels

Ilmatsalu Motell: Stay and watch wildlife near Tartu

This is a very reasonably priced option in the countryside near Tartu. The rooms in the motel are newly decorated and comfortable and there is a spacious dining area where a good buffet breakfast is provided. Evening meals - deliciously cooked in the straightforward Estonian manner - are available on request at a very reasonable price.

If you want to combine the city of Tartu with the countryside, this is a most convenient place to do so. It is within a short drive of Tartu - an interesting and historical city which is relatively small and easy to negotiate - with excellent bird-watching almost literally on the doorstep.
The motel website specifically mentions bird-watching and lists some of the species you might see. If these look interesting, be warned - it's likely to be even better than the motel says it is! I'm pointing this out as someone who visited in mid-July and, as any bird-watcher will tell you, that is not the ideal time to be looking for birds. It is worth mentioning, however, that there are some attractive butterflies to be seen in the summer, (e.g. Camberwell Beauty, White Admiral, Purple Emperor).
There are some attractive pools right next to the hotel and even these produce things like Green Sandpiper. The real interest, however, is along the trail towards the observation tower where - and this is a particular delight for those of us who don't live around the Baltic area - you can find things like Red-necked Grebe, Common Rosefinch and various warblers which we would be familiar with only as accidental visitors. Various birds of prey are possible - Lesser Spotted Eagles nest in the area - and I gather that Great White Egrets are a relatively new feature as, I presume, are the breeding Whooper Swans. Black Storks can be found - the White variety are rather tame, like in much of Estonia where they sometimes have a habit of walking in the middle of the road - and apparently the area attracts thousands of wintering geese.
Thus if you want a quiet place with the city and wildlife close at had, Ilmatsalu comes highly recommended. I can only speak from experience about July, but there is every reason to suppose that bird-watching is good at most times of year - here and in Estonia generally.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Related to: Historical Travel, National/State Park, Birdwatching
• Written October 14, 2010

Ponds in front of the motel

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