Ezertaka

“Ezertaka” is a long-distance hiking route in Latgale with a total length of about 1070 km. Proportions of road surfaces along the route: 59% are gravel roads, 21% are country, forest and meadow tracks, and 20% are asphalt roads. The route is divided into 49 sections, of which 13 are longer and will take several days to complete. Geographically, the sections are grouped by location: in Northern Latgale (9 sections), Central Latgale (25 sections) and Southern Latgale/Sēlija (15 sections).

Why is “Ezertaka” special?

The schematic drawing of the route is shaped like a figure eight, or infinity sign, with the crossing point around Lake Rāzna. In total, 134 lakes and other bodies of water can be found along the Ezertaka route. The route includes some of the deepest lakes in Latvia: Lake Geraņimova-Ildza (46 m), Lake Lielais Gusens (38 m) and Lake Ormija (43 m) in the Krāslava area, and Lake Riči (Latvian side – 39.7 m) and Lake Svente (38 m) in Augšdaugava Municipality. Latvia’s largest lakes, Rāzna (by water volume) and Lubāns (by area), are also part of “Ezertaka”.
The route runs along the lake with the most islands in Latvia, Lake Ežezers. In southern Latgale, where the route runs almost along the border with Belarus and Lithuania, three border lakes can be seen: Lake Riči, Lake Sita (LV/BY border) and Lake Lielais Kumpotis (LV/LT border).

When walking several sections along the border of Latvia with Belarus or Russia, a border zone permit must be obtained in advance; it can be applied for electronically via the portal Latvija.lv. In summer, walkers will be able to cool off in some of the clearest lakes in Latvia: Lake Svente (transparency 7.5 m) and Lake Medumi (5.2 m) in Augšdaugava Municipality.