Karelia discovery tour

Enjoy the untouched beauty of the land of pine forests, rivers, and lakes!


Tour highlights:
 

• Experience childlike joy traveling by  a steam-powered passenger train
• Walk along a beautiful marble canyon of Ruskeala mountain park
• Stay in a cozy cottage hidden in the pine forest
• Have fun rafting on  the Shuja River
• Discover the authentic Karelian village and meet the locals
• Admire the wooden wonders of the Kizhi Island
   

Day 1

Morning arrival to Sortavala
(Moscow train arrives at 8.28 am.)
Breakfast, an optional brief walking tour of Sortavala

10:20-12:30 Take the steam engine retro train to Ruskeala Park.

Guided tour of Ruskeala park. Walking along the marble canyon, you'll have multiple stops to enjoy its incredible scenery. The park is both natural and historical sight. The marble from this quarry was used in the past to decorate palaces in St. Petersburg.

Free time for lunch and optional activities. You may take a boat, follow a trail throughout the park for exceptional photo opportunities or try bungy jumping or ropeway thrill.

17:30-18:30 – train back to Sortavala, transfer to the forest resort.

Free time and dinner (not included)

Day 2

Free morning at the forest resort.

Optional boat tour to see the Ladoga skerries - a rocky archipelago on Lake Ladoga. You'll pass by numerous islands, discover the most unusual rocks, and get fantastic panoramic views of Ladoga lake.

12:30 – meeting with the guide and driver.
Transfer to Kinerma village

Kinerma is a cozy old village that has been preserved almost intact since the 19th century.

During the tour, you'll see a picturesque wooden church, houses with a 19th-century interior, meet the locals, try delicious Karelian pastries, and even learn how to cook them.

After lunch, we'll transfer you to Karjala park hotel. It is a perfect place to escape from busy city life and enjoy the unity with nature. Scandinavian-style chalets stay in the depth of the pine forest; the Chuya River is flowing below.

Day 3

Breakfast.

10:00 - 13:00 – Chose one of the fun Karelia experiences:

Take a rafting tour along the Shuja River. Experience bright emotions and enjoy the power of the river. The route of the tour includes whitewater rafting through several Class I-II rapids and one Class I-III rapid

As an alternative, you may take a quad bike tour to experience adventure. You'll drive through the forest through fallen trees and water obstacles, enjoying the beauty of Karelian nature. Tea with treats in a genuine Sami tent will revive your energy.

Lunch at the hotel

14:00 -16:00 - Dog-trekking. Huskies are the most human-friendly dogs in the world, so it won't take long to make friends with them. The trail is about 3 km long and goes through the picturesque Karelian pine forest. After you finish trekking, enjoy hot tea with biscuits.
Free time to enjoy the scenery of the place

Dinner (not included)
 

Day 4

Breakfast, Morning transfer to Petrozavodsk
11:15 Departure for Kizhi Island by hydrofoil.

12:45 Walking tour of the Kizhi open-air museum. You will see the 22-domed Transfiguration Church, the Intercession Church, and other gems of wooden architecture. You'll also visit several authentic houses with the enactments of life as it was, with a woman spindling thread, people making traditional wooden toys, a farmer using his ax to make the wooden cuts for the domes.

Lunch break (lunch boxes)

After lunch, we take a bus and go to the other side of Kizhi Island, where the restoration complex is situated. You will have a chance to witness the unique process of restoration of the church.

16:45 Departure for Petrozavodsk by hydrofoil.

18:15 Arrival in Petrozavodsk. Brief city tour

Tour cost:

Rub pp 47000  in the group of 4 people)
 

Included:

Private English-speaking guide, driving services, accommodation, entrance fees, activities according to the program, breakfast and lunches, express train Sortavala – Ruskeala

Excluded:

Train to/from Karelia, medical insurance, optional activities, dinners