Kaibala: Cultural History and Natural Sites

• Dzejas ozoli is in Kaibala, in Lielvārdes pagasts, Ogres novads.
• The oaks at Dzejas ozoli were planted on 21 September 1971.
• Kaibala School opened in 1869 and is nearby.
• The Kaibala standing stone is 1.4 m high, 1 m wide and 0.8 m thick.

Dzejas ozoli is in Kaibala. On 21 September 1971, members of the A. Pumpurs family planted one oak, poets and writers planted a second, and representatives of the “Lāčplēsis” estate planted a third. Dzejas ozoli is considered a continuation of the tradition of the sacred Dieva ozoli. The group of trees thus connects a specific planting date with a cultural tradition.

Kaibala School, which opened in 1869, is also nearby. A park was laid out around the school. The group of trees and the school grounds offer different ways to explore the area’s cultural history: the oaks foreground a tradition passed down over time, while the school offers a specific date from its history.

The Kaibala clay outcrop on the Daugava is an unusual natural formation. The Kaibala standing stone lies a few hundred metres beyond Dzejas ozoli, across the Kaibala ravine. Its dimensions are precisely documented: 1.4 metres high, 1 metre wide and 0.8 metres thick. This makes it possible to identify the group of trees and the standing stone as distinct sites, rather than treating them as a single complex.

A local article from 2025 also describes a path leading to an embankment built at Kaibala during the collective-farm era and to the ruins of a former mill. The embankment points to a former structure, while the mill ruins offer another link to the past. This route description complements the natural formations with traces of earlier use of the landscape.

There is a recreation area by the school and the Daugava in Kaibala. A local description calls it well maintained and popular with both locals and tourists. A picnic area with a barbecue or fire pit and a toilet is also listed at the mouth of the Kaibala River, where it meets the Daugava.

If you plan to use the picnic area, check before your visit whether the listed facilities will be available on your chosen date. This keeps your plans focused on the site’s specific amenities without assuming they are currently available.

In October 2024, the municipality reported that a children’s playground had been built in Kaibala and the surrounding grounds landscaped. Farms also offer ways to make the most of a visit: at “Lienas medus” on “Puteņi” in Kaibala, you can arrange a farm tour with stories. Contact the farm in advance to arrange a visit.

“Māras mellenes” in Kaibala offers self-picked berries for sale. The offer is seasonal, so check in advance whether berries and visits are available on your chosen date. A farm tour with stories and seasonal berries for sale are different ways to get to know the local farms.

Discover more destinations: Jumprava, Gobas, Dzelmes, Lielvārde and Lēdmane.

What facilities are listed for the children’s playground?

The municipality’s October 2024 announcement lists a play structure with a slide, swings and a sandbox; the surrounding grounds were also landscaped. Check the current condition before visiting.

For how many people can a farm tour be arranged at “Lienas medus”?

Groups of up to ten people can arrange a farm tour with stories. The offering is listed as available from April to October; arrange your date directly with the farm in advance.

What is included at the picnic area at the mouth of the Kaibala River?

A barbecue or fire pit and a toilet are listed for the picnic area at the mouth of the Kaibala River, where it meets the Daugava.

To the main travel overview: Lielvārdes Novads.