Business environments are increasingly talking about employee well-being, maintaining creativity, and the need for the team to be able to quickly adapt to changing situations. Employers should think about team-building events, including outdoor events. Latvia, with its accessible and diverse nature and developed infrastructure, offers ample opportunities for companies that want to invest in employee motivation and creativity using the natural environment. Such activities are not just entertainment – they are a strategic investment in employee loyalty and long-term productivity.
Time spent in nature improves concentration and reduces stress levels. Also, being in a natural environment strengthens interpersonal relationships and promotes team cohesion. It is precisely because of these properties that nature is an excellent environment for motivation and bonding events for company teams, where creativity and team spirit can be developed in an informal atmosphere. Events in nature can be part of a company's employee motivation strategy, which strengthens not only the quality of daily work, but also the company's reputation as an employer.
Benefits of outdoor activities
- Employee well-being. By taking care of employees, a company reduces employee turnover and increases job satisfaction.
- Improved concentration. After spending time in nature, people return to work with fresher thinking and a higher ability to focus.
- Stress reduction. Physical activity and simply being in nature lowers cortisol levels, which in the long term reduces the risk of professional burnout.
- Team building. Joint tasks in nature promote cooperation skills and trust.
- Promoting creativity. A new environment stimulates the emergence of ideas and the search for non-standard solutions.
- Loyalty. The experience outside the office creates an emotional connection with the employer.
Advantages of Latvian nature
- Accessibility. Most natural sights are located no more than a couple of hours' drive from the largest cities.
- Diversity. Forests and national parks, rivers, lakes, the Baltic Sea coast and vast meadows are available.
- Authenticity. The relatively untouched nature creates an environment that provides a true experience.
- Seasonal opportunities. Each season offers different activities – from summer water adventures to winter hiking or skiing.
- Developed infrastructure. Certified guides, safety equipment, glamping sites, guest houses, local craftsmen and professional service providers are available.
Nature-inspired motivational event locations in Latvian regions
Vidzeme
Vidzeme is rich in picturesque landscapes. It is home to both the only rocky coastline in Latvia and the region's special gem – the Gauja National Park. The beauty of the ancient Gauja valley with sandstone outcrops, such as Sietiņiezi and Gūtmaņala, is especially striking in the autumn season, when the slopes turn golden. Here you can observe the landscape from the aerial cable car. In turn, from the Turaida Castle tower, an excellent panorama opens up across the valley, which allows motivational event participants to feel the power of nature and the presence of history.
Hiking trails and cycling routes have been created in the Gauja National Park, where you can go with your colleagues, enjoying the fresh air and landscapes. Teams can try their hand at orienteering competitions in the forests or adventure hikes with tasks. For example, in Valmiera, in the Sense Park, you can go on a rope course in the trees and rush across the Gauja River on ropes, as well as follow the Baskaju trail, which is made up of natural features. Such activities not only provide a rush of adrenaline, but also train trust and teamwork.
Meanwhile, lovers of water adventures in Vidzeme can go on boat trips on the Gauja River – the calm flow alternates with faster sections, offering both relaxation and challenge. Stand-up Paddle (SUP) board trips on lakes or tributaries of the Gauja are also popular, which allow the team to learn balance in the literal and figurative sense. After an active day, you can take a breather in picturesque accommodation. Glamping and cosy holiday homes are also available in the region. For example, near Cēsis, you can spend the night in special wooden houses 5 to 6 metres above the ground in the tops of pine trees. Such an unusual overnight stay in nature will stay in the team's memory as a unique experience.
Latgale
Latgale attracts many people with its countless lakes and its unique traditions. It is in Latgale that nature and the local cultural environment are particularly closely intertwined – here you can encounter both picturesque lakes, hills and forests, as well as warm-hearted people and authentic hospitality. Rāzna National Park with the largest lake in Latvia offers wonderful landscapes from the Great Liepukalns and the observation tower. In turn, the nature park Daugavas loki allows you to explore the ancient valley of the Daugava River. A two-day team boat trip from Krāslava to Daugavpils takes you through nine famous Daugava loops, where pristine landscapes are still visible. The slow river, the expanse of forests and meadows around help the team to completely disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy being together on the water. After rowing for miles, the team is rewarded with a wonderful view from the Priedaine observation tower over the magnificent Daugava valley.
There is no shortage of other nature adventures in Latgale region. You can organise SUP trips in water bodies or joint swimming after a job well done. Orienteering games or bird watching hikes can be organised in forests and swamps. An observation tower with special stargazing chairs has been created in the Numernes valnis nature park. Here, the team can look at the starry sky together at night and go on a bike ride around the area during the day. Latgale nature trails also lead through places steeped in history and legend, for example, to the mystical Velnezers (Lake Čertok) in a picturesque forest or Ežezers with approximately 70 islands, about which legends say that some of the islands have sunk or appear and disappear. Such shared stories and adventures in nature bring colleagues closer together and create a special team spirit.
Kurzeme
Kurzeme boasts a wide Baltic Sea coastline and untouched nature. The border area, which was closed during the Soviet era, has retained its original charm. Here, the team can go on long hikes along the sea, walking for miles along the sand without seeing another soul. In turn, the steep coast of Jūrkalne surprises with a breathtaking view of the sea. Jūrkalne is a popular place for water sports enthusiasts, especially kiteboarders, as the coast often has strong winds and waves. It is possible to enjoy both surfing and SUP trips on calmer days at the steep coast, allowing the team to overcome their fears together and gain intense feelings.
In Northern Kurzeme, teams can explore the special Livonian Coast, which is partly part of the Slītere National Park. The Slītere Park features unique coastal dunes, forests and marshes, where trails and cycling routes have been established along the seashore. Here you can go on guided hikes to observe forest animals and birds in their natural environment. The Slītere forests are home to many rare species, and a visit to the park encourages the team to think about nature protection and sustainability. We should definitely mention Kolkasrags – the furthest cape, where the waves of the open Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga meet, creating impressive whirlpools.
Kurzeme nature adventures are unthinkable without getting to know the local coastal culture. In small fishing villages, for example, in the Ragaciems area, participants can taste freshly smoked fish and get to know the traditions of fishermen. After an active day by the sea, the team can stay in a coastal glamping or campsite – for example, in Pāvilosta there are romantic holiday cottages where you can feel the charm of a small town and the sea at the same time. At the end of the evening, you can organise a bonfire on the beach to discuss the day's impressions together.
Zemgale
Zemgale is a region of plains and fertile fields. Although the terrain here is mostly flat, the landscapes of Zemgale are full of beautiful views and natural objects. The region is home to the famous Tērvete Nature Park, which boasts century-old forests with themed trails with wooden sculptures based on Latvian fairy tales, and a tall observation tower that offers a view of the landscape over the treetops. A modern glamping site has been set up next to the park, where the cottages are located both in the trees and underground, offering all the amenities for a peaceful rest after an active day.
Zemgale offers unusual natural places. One example is the Pokaiņi Forest – an ancient sacred place with mystical stone piles and legends about healing energies. A walk together in the Pokaiņi Forest can become a special adventure, as some visitors feel unusual energy currents here. Another unique object of Zemgale is the Lielupe floodplain meadows – periodically flooded river meadows where about 70 wild horses graze. From the observation tower, you can observe this wild herd and many protected bird and plant species. Ķemeri National Park, which partially extends into the west of Zemgale, offers the famous Great Moorland Boardwalk – a walk through the marsh landscape all the way to the observation tower in the middle of the marsh. A hike through the marsh with special “shoes” is magical in the early morning hours or at sunset, when the fog and the play of light create a unique atmosphere. Such a shared experience – watching the sun rise or set over the marsh lakes – unites the team in a completely unconventional environment.
Zemgale also has its own charm in the winter season. Although the region is a plain, Milzkalns proves that you can also enjoy alpine skiing in Zemgale. The group can go together to the ski base, where there are several slopes and even a snow park – a great opportunity to learn something new and support each other on skis. For those who prefer more peaceful activities, there are cross-country skiing trails in the forests or sled rides in the Zemgale farmsteads.
Authentic traditions and well-being in nature
In addition to nature adventures, motivational events in Latvia can be enriched with elements of local culture and traditions. In all regions, travellers and teams are welcomed by warm hosts who are happy to share their skills. For example, in Latgale, at the Aglona Bread Museum, a team can bake their own loaf of bread together with a real Latgalian hostess and taste a traditional feast according to ancient recipes. Such a joint culinary activity unites and at the same time allows you to get to know the cultural heritage.
Latgale is also famous for its potters – in a master class with a local ceramist, colleagues can try their hand at creating clay vessels, taking home a souvenir they have made themselves. In Līvāni, on the other hand, you can visit a glassblowing workshop, where more than 100-year-old glass processing traditions have been revived in modern times. There, a master will show how hot glass mass is transformed into a work of art. On the Kurzeme coast, the team can visit a fisherman to smoke freshly caught fish together and later enjoy it for dinner on the seashore. Vidzeme and Zemgale also have plenty of farms that offer culinary and creative workshops – from making honey products at a beekeeper's to even herbal tea master classes in summer meadows. Such activities give participants the opportunity to learn something new in an informal atmosphere and gain inspiration from the rhythm of Latvian rural life.
The Latvian sauna tradition deserves special attention – an ancient ritual that uniquely combines relaxation with the use of natural resources. In the sauna ritual, brooms of various herbs, herbal teas and natural oils are used under the guidance of an experienced bathhouse attendant to cleanse the mind and body. It is the presence of nature that makes this process especially healing – beating aromatic herbal brooms improves blood circulation and relaxes muscles, while cooling off in a hot sauna in a pond or river strengthens immunity. The main purpose of the Latvian sauna for centuries has been to help people get rid of stress, anxiety and tension. That is why saunas are often included in company reunion events as a wellness activity – a joint sauna evening will informally bring colleagues closer together, give them a boost of energy and introduce them to the authentic cultural heritage of Latvia.
