Author & Specialist

Andris Kalniņš

Senior Outdoor Recreation Specialist

16 years designing accessible walking routes across Latvia's most beautiful parks, gardens, and heritage sites — with a focus on making outdoor experiences welcoming for everyone.

What I Do

Areas of Specialization

Accessible Walking Routes

I've documented over 40 walking paths throughout Zemgale, with detailed terrain assessments, rest points, and accessibility information for visitors of all ages and abilities.

Heritage Garden Design

My research into Rundāle Palace's baroque gardens spans over a decade. I combine historical knowledge with modern accessibility standards to help people experience these spaces meaningfully.

Senior Tourism Initiatives

Since 2015, I've worked with senior wellness organizations across Bauska and the Daugava Valley, creating guides and resources that make outdoor exploration safe and enjoyable.

Riverside Walking Guides

The Daugava and Mūsa rivers are central to my work. I've conducted comprehensive accessibility audits and created practical guides for riverside paths in Bauska region.

Background

How It Started

In 2008, I volunteered at Rundāle Palace as a landscape restoration assistant. Most people visit the gardens for a few hours. I was there for weeks, learning every corner, understanding the restoration work, noticing how the baroque design actually works. That experience changed everything for me.

I realized something important: the best way to understand a place isn't through a guidebook. It's through being there, walking it yourself, understanding what makes it special. And I became obsessed with a question: How can we help other people experience these places the same way?

That's what led me to landscape architecture school at LLŪAS. After graduation in 2010, I worked five years with the Bauska Municipal Tourism Board, where we developed the first real accessibility audit of the riverside paths. We measured everything — slopes, surface conditions, rest areas, sight lines. We didn't guess. We documented.

Since then, I've published multiple guides on accessible heritage tourism in the Zemgale region, worked with senior wellness organizations, and built partnerships with municipalities across Latvia. But the core mission hasn't changed: make it possible for people of all ages and abilities to discover Latvia's most beautiful outdoor spaces with confidence.

That's why I'm careful about every detail in my work. A slope angle that seems minor to a younger person becomes the difference between enjoying a walk and struggling through it. A missing bench matters. A poorly marked path matters. At kurumeyve Solutions SIA, I apply this expertise to create content that's not just informative — it's genuinely trustworthy.

Experience & Education

Professional Background

Education

Degree in Landscape Architecture Latvia University of Life Sciences and Environmental Sciences (LLŪAS), 2010
Certification in Accessible Tourism Design European Commission for Accessible Tourism, 2014
Advanced Studies in Heritage Conservation Latvian Institute of Culture, 2016

Professional Experience

Senior Outdoor Recreation Specialist kurumeyve Solutions SIA, 2020–present
Tourism & Accessibility Coordinator Bauska Municipal Tourism Board, 2010–2015
Landscape Restoration Volunteer Rundāle Palace Gardens, 2008–2009

Publications & Recognition

Accessibility Guide: Zemgale Heritage Routes Published 2017, updated 2023
Senior-Friendly Tourism Award Latvian Tourism Association, 2019
Contributed to 40+ Accessible Route Documentations Across Latvia's parks and heritage sites, 2010–present

My Approach

What Drives My Work

Details Matter

I don't write general descriptions. I measure slopes, test paths at different times of day, document exactly where benches are located, and note how shadows fall across a garden at different seasons. Why? Because someone planning a walk needs to know if they can actually do it — not just whether it sounds nice.

Accessibility Isn't an Afterthought

Too many heritage sites treat accessibility as an obligation added later. I believe it's inseparable from the experience itself. A well-designed accessible route doesn't diminish anyone's experience — it enriches it for everyone. Wider paths benefit families with strollers. Benches help people who want to rest and observe. Good signage helps all visitors navigate confidently.

Respect the Place and the Person

Every garden and walking route has a story. Every person has different needs and abilities. My work respects both. I don't simplify heritage sites into generic tourist stops, and I don't reduce people to their age or mobility status. I present authentic places for authentic people to experience them meaningfully.

Transparency Builds Trust

When I describe a route, I tell you what to expect — the terrain, the distance, the difficulty level, the facilities. I won't oversell a walk or hide its challenges. You'll know exactly what you're getting into, which means you can make a real decision about whether it's right for you.

Get to Know Me

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Rundāle Palace gardens special to you?

It's where everything started. The baroque design is intentional — every path, every vista, every garden room leads somewhere. But what really captures me is how the gardens have been restored and maintained. You're walking through 300 years of history that's still alive. And the challenge I've focused on is making sure people at any age can experience that richness. A senior visitor shouldn't miss the intimate garden rooms just because the main approach is steep.

Why focus on senior outdoor activities specifically?

I worked with tourism boards and wellness organizations long enough to see a real gap. Seniors want to explore — they've got time, curiosity, and often decades of travel experience. But there's a shortage of honest information about what's actually accessible and enjoyable for older adults. Most guides assume either you're young and athletic, or you need hand-holding. I wanted to create something in between — confident, practical, respectful of the person and the place.

How do you approach writing about routes you haven't personally walked?

I don't write about routes I haven't walked thoroughly. That's non-negotiable. I'll visit at different seasons, different times of day, in different weather if possible. I'll walk them at different paces to understand the actual experience. I'll talk to local people who know the area. Only then do I write about it, because my credibility depends on accuracy.

What's the most important thing you've learned in 16 years of this work?

That outdoor experiences are deeply personal. The same walk that thrills one person might feel overwhelming to another. My job isn't to convince people that a particular route is great — it's to give them enough honest information to decide if it's great for them. When someone successfully completes a walk because they had good information and knew what to expect, that's the whole point.

My Work

Ready to Explore?

Browse all senior-friendly walking guides and heritage route resources, or get in touch with any questions about outdoor activities and accessibility in Latvia.

Explore All Guides Get in Touch

Andris Kalniņš is a Senior Outdoor Recreation Specialist at kurumeyve Solutions SIA , a content and digital solutions agency based in Latvia specializing in heritage tourism, accessibility expertise, and authentic outdoor recreation guidance.