Jaanikeste – River, Caves and Trails

Jaanikeste combines the river landscape of the Võhandu with unusual caves, a marked route and the expansive Leevaku Reservoir. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house for a nature-focused stay will find various ideas here for active days and peaceful discoveries. The landscape can be explored on foot, by bicycle, in winter through cross-country skiing and on the water.

Waterscapes along the Võhandu

Leevaku Reservoir, also known as the Leevaku water reservoir, has a water surface area of 46.1 ha and is open to the public. The Võhandu flows through the reservoir and also runs through the Jaanikeste area. When choosing accommodation, this places the focus on a landscape shaped not merely by a single viewpoint, but by the river, its banks and the expanse of water.

Those interested in longer stretches on the water can use the 100 km Võhandu Waterway Hiking Route as a guide to the region. It follows the Võhandu through Võru and Põlva Counties. This is an interesting perspective for holiday planning if you would like to combine Jaanikeste with a trip in which the river plays a central role.

Marked trails for different day plans

A hiking trail marked by RMK begins and ends in the Räpina polder and leads, among other places, through Kõstrimäe, Toolamaa, Saareküla, Jaanikeste, Nulga, Rahumäe, Sillapää, Ristipalo and the town of Räpina. The route is publicly designated for walking, cross-country skiing or cycling. You can therefore shape your stay according to the season and your preferred way of getting around, without experiencing Jaanikeste from just one perspective.

For families or travel groups with different interests, this combination offers several possibilities: while some may use the route for hiking or cycling, the surroundings can also be explored through the water and natural features. Specific daily distances or walking times are not provided for the route, so plan the desired distance according to your own preferences.

Caves, sandstone and a folk tale

Kuri Cave is located in the village of Jaanikeste on the right bank of the Võhandu. It is associated with a folk tale: the Devil’s wife is said to have woven fabric on the riverbank using iron looms. Alongside the landscape’s natural form, such stories give it a cultural and regional dimension.

Another distinctive feature is Punnküla Cave, also known as Tiketare Cave. It lies on the slope of the Võhandu Valley in a 4 m-high Devonian sandstone outcrop. Approximately 7 to 8 m of the cave can be explored on foot. Those interested in geology, unusual landscape formations or local stories can deliberately include these sites in their travel plans.

Choose accommodation according to your desired travel experience

When looking for accommodation in Jaanikeste, it is worth deciding what you want to focus on during your trip: should the Võhandu and its riverside landscapes, a route on foot or by bicycle, Leevaku Reservoir or the caves take centre stage? Kopra Holiday House is located on the bank of the Võhandu in the village of Jaanikeste, near Leevaku, at Kopra Farm. There, you can explore the rock walls and caves along the river by raft and visit the Toolamaa picnic area.

Jaanikeste is particularly interesting when water, trails and landscape discoveries are all part of your travel plans.

More places for your plans

If you would like to compare Jaanikeste with other destinations in the surrounding area, here are the direct connections: Räpina, Toolamaa.

To the higher-level travel overview: Räpina.