The Efa Dune is located at 42 kilometers of the Curonian Spit, stretching from Zelenogradsk (Kaliningrad region) to Lithuanian Klaipeda. The sand ridge received its name in honor of Wilhelm Franz Eph, a German scientist and engineer who was involved in strengthening and landscaping the spit.
Oddly enough, but a couple of hundred years ago, today’s attraction posed a serious problem for the local population. Long-term deforestation and cattle grazing led to the fact that in the 18th-19th centuries. A real environmental disaster broke out in this area of the dune landscape. The place turned into a lifeless desert, and the sands that began to move began to fill up the houses of local residents. The German authorities (at that time the territory of modern Kaliningrad belonged to Prussia) decided to stop the advance of the dunes by entrusting the development of a project to strengthen particularly dangerous sections of the spit to V.F. Efu. It is thanks to the efforts of the engineer that today’s visitors to the heights of Efa can admire its desert landscapes without fear of being buried under a layer of sand.
Walk among the dunes
Regular excursions are organized to the Efa dune, while at the same time many travelers prefer to get acquainted with the natural beauty of the height on their own. Since the area of the site is small, it is easy to get around on foot. The tourist route passes through the southwestern slope of the Orekhovaya dune. The highest point of this majestic dune is the height of Efa (64 m above sea level).
Please note: to avoid accidents, walking on the Efa dune itself is prohibited. For walks and excursions, wooden boardwalks are used here, leading to the main viewing areas.
The sand ridge is located a little away from the 42 kilometer of the highway, as evidenced by the road sign. If you are traveling with your own car, then leave it at the roadside parking lot and walk along the wooden boardwalk passing through the pine forest. Along the way you can come across a large number of information stands telling about the flora and fauna of the Curonian Spit, as well as the history of this amazing natural-anthropogenic landscape.
Walking along the footbridges winding among the snow-white hills, don’t be too lazy to climb the Orekhovaya dune. It is from here that a wonderful view of the Curonian Lagoon, the Baltic Sea and the nearest village of Morskoe opens.
An interesting fact: the history of the village of Morskoye began in the 13th century. The first settlement on this section of the spit was founded by the knights of the Teutonic Order, giving it the name Pilkoppen. Throughout its existence, the village was periodically covered with sand, which is why it changed its location three times.
The height of Efa is equipped with 2 observation platforms, from which you can not only admire the cosmic landscape of the ridge, but also see the remains of the dune fortification system invented by a German scientist. On some slopes, fragments of fences made of dry reed stems are still preserved. Herbs with a powerful root system were planted in these improvised cells, which helped hold the sand mountains in place.
How to get there
Since the Efa Dune is located in close proximity to the highway, it is better to get here by car or bus. You can rent a car immediately upon arrival in Kaliningrad. Those who prefer to travel by public transport have two options: bus route 593, which goes from Kaliningrad to the village of Morskoye, or a trip on route 210, which departs from Zelenogradsk.
The large dune ridge begins at 16 km of the Curonian Spit and stretches along the coast of the Curonian Lagoon towards the Lithuanian border. The average height of the ridge is 30–40 meters, and the highest is 62 meters. Only one third of the dunes are mobile, the rest are fixed by green spaces.
The 42nd kilometer of the Curonian Spit, where the ecological route “Height of Efa” begins, is always crowded. Here tourists can purchase souvenirs made by sellers in workshops here on the Curonian Spit.
The most popular ecological route among tourists, “Height of Efa,” runs along the southwestern slope of the Orekhovaya dune. The height of the Orekhovaya (Petsch) dune is 62 meters, length 1.8 kilometers, width 0.6 kilometers, it was planted with forest in the 80s of the 19th century. “Efa Height” is the highest point of the Orekhovaya dune.
Dune Efa is one of the highest moving dunes of the Curonian Spit, its height above sea level is 64 meters. It was named after the dune inspector, Franz Ef. At one time, he led the work to restore the forest and consolidate the eternally moving dune sands of the Curonian Spit, which more than once threatened the nearby village of Pillkoppen (today Morskoye). Wilhelm Franz Efa worked as a dune inspector on the Curonian Spit for more than 40 years. In his honor, a memorial granite block was placed at the top of the Petsch dune, which has not survived to this day.
During the 18th century, Pillkoppen was forced to change its location three times due to the threat of being covered with dune sand. At the end of the 19th century, the previously calm dune suddenly moved towards the village. In 1888 the sands reached the first houses. However, Pillkoppen was saved from inevitable falling asleep by the landings on the dune, made in a timely manner by inspector Efa.
The “Height of Efa” route begins at the highway in a forest clearing, after walking 200 meters along it, turning onto a forest path, climbing a wooden deck with steps, travelers find themselves at the first observation deck. From the observation deck you can see a rare beauty of the landscape of white and gray dunes, the Curonian Lagoon, green forest and the Baltic Sea. Directly south between the observation deck and the bay are Staroselskaya Mountain. According to legend, this is where a pagan fortress stood, where the Curonians worshiped their gods. In the 13th century, the Crusaders built their fortress in this place, near which a settlement subsequently grew. But already in 1655 it began to be covered with sand, so soon the residents were forced to move to a new place. But if you walk further 350 meters along the wooden deck, climb to the second observation deck you can see the shore of the Curonian Lagoon, endless dunes, the forested Efa dune, the village of Morskoye with its picturesque houses covered with red tiles.
When the wind gets stronger, it lifts small grains of sand into the air, which quickly move across the desert.
Of all the settlements on the spit, Pillkoppen, modern Morskoye, has the richest history, full of vicissitudes of fate. The history of the village began in 1283. Today, the former Pillkoppen is considered a village that has preserved its former appearance better than others. Nowadays, Morskoye is developing primarily as a tourist center. Active construction is underway, primarily of small private boarding houses and holiday homes.
Already existing recreation centers are also expanding, such as the Leisure Motel, comfortably located on the very shore of the Curonian Lagoon. You can relax here all year round, regardless of the vagaries of the changeable Baltic weather.
Dune Efa is the highest sand dune on the Curonian Spit. Its height is approximately 64 meters. The sand dunes of the Curonian Spit are among the highest in Europe. From the observation platforms we saw all the splendor of the spit’s landscapes: the sea, the bay, open white dunes, shifting sands, forest spaces, cozy houses of the Morskoye village.
A special route has been created for inspection, called “Height of Efa”. It is more correct to call the highest point not the Efa dune, but “Efa Height”. It is located on the southwestern slope of the Orekhovaya dune (formerly Petsch). 
The route consists of a wooden boardwalk leading to an observation deck from where you can enjoy the view of the dune: 
Along the way we come across informational posters: 
The road gradually climbs up the mountain, thereby making it clear that we are climbing the highest dune on the Kursk Spit: 
After some time we find ourselves at the first observation deck. To the south of it there are massifs of loose sands of the Staroderevenskaya dune: 
To the west, it can be seen that the central areas of the spit are forested. The Baltic Sea is visible in the distance. 
The Curonian Lagoon is visible through the trees: 
We go up to the second observation deck: 
From here we see the shore of the Curonian Lagoon, endless dunes, the forested Efa dune, the village of Morskoye with its picturesque houses. 
Coastal water flows move sand towards the shore, and constantly blowing winds move it onto the spit, forming the movement of sand dunes. In the 19th century, the dune rapidly moved towards the Curonian Lagoon. In 1888, the sands reached the first houses of the village of Pilkopen (now Morskoye). Only as a result of systematic forest planting, which had been carried out for five years before, the danger threatening the village was averted. Much of the credit for this goes to Franz Ef, the dune inspector whose activities were dedicated to securing the moving dunes. One of the highest points of the peninsula was named Efa Height, and the inspector himself began to be called the dune king of the Curonian Spit. On the information board you can clearly see what a house covered with sand means: 
At the moment, the advance of the dunes has been stopped. Some even say that the process of weathering the dunes is now in reverse. To prevent this, sand traps are installed (below photo): 
The lattice fortifications of the dune slope are clearly visible in the foreground: 
This is where the tour ends. We return back along the same wooden path. The village of Morskoye is famous for its fishing. For beer lovers, at the entrance to the “Heights of Efa” route you can buy local ram: 
Lastly, I want to show you a photo
Dune Efa (Petsch) is the highest dune in the Baltic and Europe, its height ranges from 61 to 64 meters. A pile of sand that was once a wandering (or nomadic) dune is named after Franz Efa, the man who managed to stop it.
Dune inspector Wilhelm Franz Efa gave more than 40 years of his life to the Curonian Spit. Here he died on September 16, 1904 in the village of Rossiten (now Rybachy), and was buried here.
Over the past five centuries, wandering dunes have been the main enemies of residents of coastal villages and towns. Subject to the force of sea winds, the dunes move from the Baltic Sea to the Curonian Lagoon to end their journey in the water. They simply crawl forward with the speed and determination of a steamroller. If a village gets in the way, so much the worse for the village. Sand penetrates into the cracks of houses, windows and doors until it occupies the entire house. People can only move to a new place.
Once upon a time, trees grew on the Curonian Spit, the roots of which held back the sand. But by the 17th century, the trees were cut down, and huge masses of sand were freed from captivity. The dunes swallowed up a dozen and a half villages, so some measures had to be taken. But money was found only when the wandering sands began to threaten the existence of the navigable strait, the Memel Canal and the Curonian Lagoon itself - the richest fishing reservoir in Prussia.
In 1768, a competition was announced in Danzig for the best project to save the spit from becoming a sandy desert. The winning project was Professor I.-D. Titius, who proposed to consolidate the dune sands by planting trees. That is, to return the Curonian Spit to its original appearance.
Work on the Curonian Spit began at the beginning of the 19th century. In accordance with Titius's project, a foredune began to be poured onto the coast: a “brake shaft” for sand, and a dune plain was created right behind it. Work on arranging and securing the foredune along the entire sea coast of the spit (which is more than 100 km) lasted 100 years. It happened like this: first they built fortifications like fences made of brushwood, which were covered with sand over time. Then the next row of wattle fences was erected on top. As soon as the height of the shaft became suitable, fascines were placed on top - square cells made of brushwood. Wooden stakes were driven into the nodes of the squares to a meter depth, and grass was planted inside, which grows well under the sea wind and hot sun, holding the soil together with long, strong roots.
And on the stopped sands they planted pine trees, the roots of which spread wide and grew deep. What does Franz Efa have to do with it? It was under his leadership that systematic forest planting was carried out in 1880, which stopped the advance of the wandering Petsch dune to the village of Pillkoppen (Morskoye). Dune inspector Efa saved an entire settlement, and his contribution to the salvation of the Curonian Spit can hardly be overestimated: with him, the technique of strengthening dunes and planting forests was brought to perfection.
The dune stopped by Efa has maintained its height, shape and location for more than a hundred years.
Started two centuries ago, work to strengthen soils continues to this day. To date, about 85% of the Curonian Spit has been secured. They did not tie the legs of the rest of the dancing dunes - they were left to entertain tourists. There is a tourist route leading to the Efa Dune with two observation platforms, offering stunning views of the dunes and the Curonian Lagoon.
Important
To enter the territory of the Curonian Spit National Park, you need to issue a one-time pass for yourself and for transport. This document can be obtained at the park checkpoint. A one-time entry pass will cost 250 rubles.
Walking on the dunes is officially prohibited - every step creates a real avalanche, and tons of sand fall into the bay.
The hiking trail is made of wooden planks. Be careful - these boards are rotten, broken, and wobbly in some places. They are also quite slippery after rain.
Local features
On the Curonian Spit, as throughout the whole region, the weather is very changeable. As Kaliningraders say, if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. If you like it, same thing. Therefore, be prepared for anything, take a raincoat or umbrella with you, even if the sun is shining.
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One of the most popular attractions in the Baltic is the Efa Dune. It stretches along the Curonian Lagoon for 4.5 kilometers and extends all the way to the border with Lithuania. Compared to other similar sand mountains, this one is the largest in Europe. Many tourists from all over Russia, Lithuania and various countries come to see the unusual sand mountains.
The Orekhovoy dune is often called Efa height because of its highest point, which reaches 64 meters.
Until the 18th century, the Efa dune was surrounded by numerous trees whose roots held back the sand, but for unknown reasons they were cut down. No longer having any barriers, the wandering sands, under the influence of the wind, began to move freely across the territory, which resulted in the destruction of 14 nearby villages.
The sand gradually fell into the houses and after some time absorbed them completely. Over the course of a year, the dune moved approximately twenty meters; local residents did not know how to stop such a natural phenomenon and simply left the villages. When the Efa Dune became a threat to the fishing industry and shipping, people began to look for a solution to the problem. In 1768, a competition was announced in Europe on this matter. The most relevant and appropriate idea at that time was the proposal of Professor Titius. He advised planting trees around the spit, thereby returning it to the appearance it had many years ago.
The dune was reinforced with cages of dry reeds, which held back the sand, making the dunes grow taller. On high mountains, grasses and shrubs were planted with large roots to strengthen the edges and hold the mound in one place. The work lasted for a hundred years, supervised by dune inspector and forester Franz Efa for 40 years; the highest point of the dunes was named in his honor. Thanks to his work, it was possible to stop the huge sand and prevent the destruction of many villages, one of which is the village of Morskoy, which used to be called Pillkoppen. Residents, in gratitude, installed a memorial plaque to Franz Ef on the dune, but after many years, it can no longer be found.
Despite the fact that work to strengthen the dunes lasted for quite a long period of time, they have not stopped to this day; approximately 15 percent of the mountains remain to be planted with vegetation. According to experts, this is the most mobile dune of Efa, which was left as a feature of the area. For convenient viewing of all the beauties of the dunes, walking excursion routes have been laid along the spit, along which you can leisurely admire the unique landscapes of the Efa dune. In addition to the unusual vegetation and topography, the Curonian Spit is a place of bird migration, therefore, especially in autumn or at the end of summer, many birds can be found here. Not far from the mountains there is an ornithological station where birds of a wide variety of species are ringed, which provides a high probability of capturing them.
Passing the route
To preserve the high dune mounds, walking throughout the entire territory is strictly prohibited, so tourists take a tour along specially installed wooden platforms along the entire route, which stretches for 2.8 kilometers. You can cover this distance in about two hours.
But despite the ban, many people break the rules and go down to the bay directly along the dunes, which can damage it and destroy centuries-old work. The beginning of the route is marked with a sign, but it is difficult not to notice it, since there are always a lot of people and vehicles here, and there are also souvenir shops. The entire tourist route is located on the southwestern slope of the dune and is called “Height of Efa.” The beginning of the path extends through a forest clearing, where the beauty of the pine forest delights with its freshness.
Observation platforms
After walking about 200 meters you can go up to the first observation deck and see the famous dunes in greater detail. The second site is located a little further, it is located at a higher point of the dune, so it allows you to see much more terrain. Thanks to such platforms, you can see the indescribable landscapes of the heights of Efa, where you can see a magnificent view of the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. Also from the second site you can see the entire Morskoy village in all its glory. The structure of the sand mountains resembles a desert; when the wind rises here, it creates the feeling of being in a sandstorm, which leaves an unforgettable impression. The first viewing platform allows you to clearly see Staroselskaya Mountain; it has its own history. According to legend, it was here that the crusaders built a fortress, and local residents worshiped the ancient gods. But the wandering sands destroyed everything and hid it under its thickness.
How to get there
You can get to Efa Heights by bus that comes from Kaliningrad, or get to Zelenograd and transfer to the Zelenograd - Morskoye bus. It is also very convenient to travel by minibus, it is much faster than a bus. Many tourists prefer to come by personal transport or taxi. You can call a taxi using the Uber app. In this case, you need to apply for a pass, since the Efa Dune is a national park, this can be done at the park checkpoint. The cost of travel to the territory is 300 rubles and includes a driver’s fee. For each individual passenger you need to pay 150 rubles. Children under 12 years old are admitted free of charge. Veterans and disabled people receive 50% discounts.
To avoid getting lost on the road, do not miss the route sign before the village of Morskiy.
Where to stay
Tourists who come to see the Efa Dune often need a place to stay overnight. You can stay both in Kaliningrad and in the village of Morskoy itself. Everyone can find a suitable place for themselves. The city has quite a variety of offers - from expensive hotels to more modest apartments and hostels. Various tourist recreation centers and guesthouses have been built in the village, which are ready to receive tourists all year round. It is worth considering that the Baltic climate is very changeable and changes often, a sunny warm day can suddenly give way to downpour, or vice versa, so you need to prepare in advance, taking with you not only a hat and a Panama hat, but it also wouldn’t hurt to take an umbrella and a raincoat. But despite this, the impression of the unusual relief and landscape of the heights of Efa will remain for a long time.
Curonian Spit National Park "Efa Height"
