Solovki. My own view of history and legends

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Immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of Solovki, where history meets nature!

Here, among the picturesque landscapes and ancient monasteries, you can not only relax, but also clear your mind, enjoy the silence and grandeur of nature.

Experience the spirit of adventure as you explore the mysterious islands and their rich heritage.

Location

The city of Kem

Sightseeing tours

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Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Legendary Solovki

Visit the Solovetsky Archipelago and get acquainted with its history

Boat trip on the "inner sea"

Get the opportunity to go on an exciting boat trip around the Long Bay Lip

Flexible program

Choose a tour to suit your taste and learn even more interesting things about Solovki.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Kem. Crossing to Solovki by the White Sea. The History of the Solovetsky Archipelago Tour
Arrival in Kem by train No. 012H at 10:39 (from St. Petersburg).
Tourists arriving by other trains are waiting for the arrival of train No. 012H.
Meeting with a guide with a sign at the entrance to the station building from the platform.
Transfer to the pier in Rabochiostrovsk.
Boarding the ship.
Crossing to Solovki by the White Sea.
Arrival on the Solovetsky Islands.
Transfer of things to the hotel.
Lunch at a cafe.
Walking tour "The history of the Solovetsky archipelago" (duration — 3.5/4 hours).
The main natural and geographical features of the archipelago, information about the local flora and fauna, and rare phenomena observed on the islands are where we start and what makes Solovki unique in the first place.
Next, you will see the monuments of the village of Solovetsky with a story about the main historical epochs of Solovki: from the appearance of the first people on the islands in the VI millennium BC (stop at Cape Labyrinthos) to the events of our time.
"Solovki as a mirror of Russian history" — this idea runs through the guide's narrative like a red thread.
The fascinating story unfolds the innermost scroll of the Solovetsky chronicle, which tells about the islands' regular participation in significant events for the Fatherland and their influence on their course.
The builders of mysterious labyrinths, harsh Orthodox ascetics, prisoners of Solovetsky prisons are the main characters of this story.
During the tour, guests of the Solovetsky Islands will learn about the history of the Solovetsky Archipelago from the moment of its geological formation to the present day using the example of 30 attractions located in the village of Solovetsky.
Pedestrian crossing to the hotel.
Placement.
Rest.

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Day 2 - The Solovetsky Kremlin. Additional excursions (optional)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Meeting with the tour leader at the reception.
Pedestrian crossing to the tour desk.
Sightseeing tour of the Solovetsky Kremlin (duration — 2 hours 45 minutes).
The tour introduces visitors to the history of the Solovetsky Monastery.
Tourists visit the territory of the monastery's central complex, active temples, monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the monastery's economic facilities.
Free time.
Visit souvenir shops, a store of seaweed products from the White Sea.
Note! Optional excursions are offered for an additional fee. Additional excursions (to be booked and paid for upon purchase of the tour, the number of seats is limited).
Within the framework of this tour, you can book no more than 3 additional excursions out of 6 available:
"Islands of Tops" (duration 2 hours).
Lovers of serenity, tranquility and silence, as well as photographers – this sea trip is for you! In half an hour, a high-speed boat will take you to the tiny island of Bolshoy Top in the middle of the vast sea, where there is a lighthouse marking the dangers for large vessels. On the neighboring Small Top, far from the standard tourist routes, skuas and terns nest, and seals, ringed seals and sea hares rest in good weather.
The islands are covered with a tundra carpet, the "northern ginseng" grows here and the largest quartzite slab on the White Sea is located – sparkling milky crystals covered an area of about 30 square meters. And don't forget: the main principle of communication with untouched wildlife is "Don't touch anything!".
In the absence of waves at sea, disembarkation takes place on an unequipped shore! When planning to take part in this excursion, please calculate your strength in order to be able to jump off the bow of the boat onto dry land.
The cost of the tour: 4,000 rubles / person.
Boat trip "Cape Beluzhy" (duration 2 hours).
Often, for those who find themselves on Solovki, the most desirable thing is to see belugas – northern white whales. The peaceful inhabitants of the Arctic Ocean come to the White Sea in the summer. They do not swim close, appear on the surface for a short time and then swim quite a long distance.
But there is a special place on Solovki – Cape Beluzhy. A boat trip here will be remembered by every minute. The cape water area is one of the few places on the planet where you can observe whales in the wild. From the beginning of June to the middle of August, during low tide at sea, mating games of whales, birth and upbringing of cubs take place here. There is also a station of oceanographers who have the opportunity to observe these beautiful creatures every day.
Bring good weather and intention with you, don't make any noise, and you may be able to see a beluga literally at arm's length, feel the power and beauty of these amazing marine mammals.
Note: delivery to the shore of Cape Beluzhy is carried out by a sea boat. Beluga whale watching depends on the time of low tide, as low water is a good time to observe.
The cost of the tour: 4,000 rubles / person.
"The archipelago of the Body – the world of ancient man" (duration 5 hours).
Get ready to experience a storm of emotions: sea crossing on speedboats, landing on the rocky shore of the German Island and climbing to the highest point of the White Sea water area. You are in the heart of the nature reserve "Archipelago of the Body"! On the ascent, the climatic zones change from taiga to tundra, the outline of the cliff looks at the traveler like a frog or a shaman, and from the top opens an impressive panorama: Solovki, Karelian skerries and placers of the White Sea archipelagos.
During the trip, you will get acquainted with the archaeological heritage of the island and the ancient sanctuary – the mysterious Seidov plateau – a "collection" of megaliths, mysterious stones of the North, left to us by the first inhabitants. Among this splendor, enjoy the serene silence and the endless expanses of the sea, feel the special energy of the Bodies. In the absence of civilization, the world freezes and gives you the opportunity to feel and hear yourself... You can reach the heavens here!
The cost of the tour: 5,000 rubles / person.

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Day 3 - Free day. Additional excursions (optional)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Meeting with the tour leader at the reception.
Pedestrian crossing to the tour desk.
Note: Optional guided tours are available for an additional fee. Additional excursions are booked and paid for upon purchase of the tour, the number of seats is limited.
As part of this tour, you can book no more than 3 additional excursions out of 6 available.:
"Solovetskaya Dam" (duration 2-2.5 hours).
The most grandiose construction of Solovki after the Solovetsky Kremlin is the famous man–made causeway, a boulder road laid across the sea to facilitate transportation between Bolshaya Muksalma Island and the monastery. From the very beginning of construction in the middle of the 19th century, the dam aroused great interest among visitors to Solovki because of the scale and technology of construction. How and who built the dam, what is its purpose and how it was operated – you will learn about all this from the tour.
The new route allows you to approach the dam from the south side of the archipelago, revealing views of the famous monument that are completely unknown to tourists. Look into the arch of the dam and pay attention to the transparency of the water and the amount of algae!
When planning to take part in this excursion, please calculate your strength in order to be able to cross from the bow of the boat to the dam.
The cost of the tour: 4,000 rubles / person.
"Malaya Muksalma" (duration 3 hours).
Malaya Muksalma Island, a separate world behind the tourist facade of Solovki, has always been closed to the mass tourist. But we have opened this route!
We will take a speedboat along the coast of Bolshoy Solovetsky Island to the southern part of the Solovetsky Archipelago. Maneuvering through the rocky shoals, we will pass the huge Muksalom reef, which covers the approaches to Malaya Muksalma. This reef is one of the reasons the island is inaccessible.
Even among the local White Sea captains, only the most experienced and reliable know this route. Finally, we will disembark at the pier of the algae harvesting village — this is the purpose of our excursion — a unique place not only on the scale of the White Sea, but also, perhaps, the whole of Russia.
Here, from June to October, algae is extracted manually, as it was 100 years ago, on traditional White Sea carbine boats. We will see how kelp is harvested and dried before being shipped to Arkhangelsk, from where the algae will return to Solovki in the form of cosmetics and dietary supplements. And of course, we will learn a lot of details about the life and work of local fishermen, and about what and how they make algae.
The fishing village is a "non—tourist" place. No sleek "Potemkin" huts and animators imitating traditional crafts. Tourists are not expected here – there is a lot of work. We will also have the opportunity to observe the harsh life of the White Sea fishermen and feel the peculiar brutal spirit of this place.
The cost of the tour: 5,000 rubles / person.
Excursion "Long Lip" (duration – 4/5 hours).
An exciting ecological boat trip along the Long Bay, the "inner sea" of Solovki, where even in stormy weather there are rarely waves.
Open motorboats driven by a fresh salty wind will run past sandy beaches, countless islands and rocky ridges crashing into the water.
One of them has a bird family, and the other one seems to have a seal basking in the sun. Shallow depths allow you to see the underwater world: starfish are buried in the sandy bottom, translucent ultramarine jellyfish hover in the water, algae sway and stretch somewhere along with the sea current.
The price of the tour includes a bus transfer to Long Bay and back, as well as a tasting of White Sea mussels. Perhaps it is you who are lucky enough to find a real White Sea pearl in one of them.
Don't forget to bring a light snack and drinks.
The cost of the tour: 4,000 rubles / person.

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Day 4 - Excursion "Solovetsky hermitages. History and legends"
Breakfast at the hotel.
Room release.
Things are checked into the storage room.
Meeting with the tour leader at the reception.
Pedestrian crossing to the tour desk.
Excursion "Solovetsky hermitages. History and legends" (duration — 4 hours).
Minibus tour of the northern part of Bolshoy Solovetsky Island with a tour of widely known places and iconic but rarely visited monuments of Solovki.
The first stop is the Holy Ascension Skete with its controversial history and Sekirnaya Gora, the "fortress of light and darkness", where the lighthouse church stands, which became a penal isolation unit during the time of the ELEPHANT.
From Sekirka, the forest road leads to the Savvatievsky monastery, the first settlement of the Solovetsky monks, which in the early 20th century became an ELEPHANT business trip and the site of the first execution of political prisoners in Solovki.
From Savvatievo, we will go to Jung Alley — the remains of a residential town - the Solovetsky Jung school — this is where the elite of the USSR Navy were educated from teenagers during the war years.
Next, the route leads to Red Lake, where the famous lake and canal systems of Solovki originate and there are material traces of the Solovetsky history.
The dam of the 16th century, the realized idea of "turning back the rivers", still performs a whole range of functions centuries later, which changed the practice of economic activity of the monastery and the Solovetsky landscapes.
Worthy objects of display are worship and crosses, examples of cross—cutting craftsmanship.
The trip, full of meaning, will allow you not only to immerse yourself in the centuries-old Solovetsky history, but also to enjoy the landscapes and experience the beauty of the northern nature.
Free time.
Visit souvenir shops, a store of seaweed products from the White Sea.
Pedestrian crossing to the pier.
Baggage pickup at the pier.
Departure to the mainland.
Arrival in Rabochiostrovsk.
Transfer to the railway station.
Departure home after 19:30.
For those leaving home the next day, it is possible to book a hotel in Kem (for an additional fee).

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

3 nights

Comfort

Basic+
Midscale

The tour includes hotel accommodation.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB.:

1. The Solovki Hotel:

when staying in a double "standard" room – 61,100 rubles/person.;
when staying in a single "standard" room – 80,600 rubles/person.;
when staying in a double room "standard loft" room – 66,400 rubles/person.

2. The Solovetskaya Sloboda Hotel:

when staying in a double "standard" room in a hotel – 59,300 rubles/person.;
when placed on an additional a place in a double "standard" room – 39,800 rubles/person.

3. Solo Nord Hotel:

when staying in a double "standard" room – 54,000 rubles /person.;
for single occupancy – 67,000 rubles/person.;
when placed on an additional location – 45,300 rubles/person.

Surcharges for peak arrivals on 18-21.08.2025:

1.For the Solovki Hotel:

peak fare 18-21.08.2026:
- + 2,800 rubles/person to the base cost of the tour when staying in a double room;
- + 5,000 rubles/person to the base cost of the tour when staying in a single room

2. For the Solovetskaya Sloboda Hotel:

peak fare on 18-21.08.2026: + 2,800 rubles/person to the base cost of the tour when staying in a double room.

Discount for children under 18 years of age — 2,000 rubles/person.

The Solovki Hotel

The Solovki Hotel is located in the village of Solovetsky in the forest area, near the shore of the White Sea. The Cape of Labyrinths and the Solovetsky Monastery are located nearby. The hotel consists of 5 buildings built in the traditional Russian style. The administrative building houses a restaurant, a bar, a souvenir shop and an accommodation service.

The hotel has 46 Standard and Junior Suites. The rooms are decorated in the style of log cabins with mosquito nets on the windows. Each room has its own bathroom.

For lunch and dinner, guests can enjoy local cuisine. Packed lunches are available on request. The bar serves international cocktails.

Arkhangelsk Airport is located at a distance of 240 km, the railway station is 235 km away. There are several churches, a monastery and a Holy Lake within walking distance.

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Another option

Solovetskaya Sloboda Hotel

The Solovetskaya Sloboda Hotel is located in the center of the village, a 3-minute walk from the world-famous Solovetsky Monastery and 187 m from the Gulag Museum.

Each guest will be able to choose a suitable accommodation option from 45 comfortable and cozy rooms. All rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi, a sleeping place, and a flat-screen TV. There is a billiard room and a library on site. A shuttle service is available upon request.

Breakfast is included in the room rate. For an additional cost, guests can purchase delicious local dishes, as well as lunches and dinners at the hotel's restaurant. There is a restaurant with a bar on site.

The guest house provides its guests with a spacious conference room for business events and banquets. The hall is equipped with necessary furniture and appliances.

Solovetsky Port is a 20-minute walk away. Within walking distance there is the Church of the Annunciation, the Solovetsky Monastery and the Assumption Church. The distance to the airport is 1.4 km, and the Kem Railway Station is 54.2 km away.

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Another option

Solo Nord Hotel

Solo Nord Hotel is located in the center of the village, near the marina and the airport, next to the tour desk.

From the windows of the hotel you can see the main attraction of Solovki: the Solovetsky Kremlin.

All this combined with the northern hospitality, clean comfortable rooms, and good food make the hotel very attractive to guests.

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Tour conditions

Group

up to 30 tourists

Minimum age

2 years old

Duration

4 days 3 nights

Group meets at

The city of Kem

Included in price

guided tour service according to the tour program;
transportation service according to the tour program;
entrance tickets to the display objects;
hotel accommodation in rooms of the selected category;
meals included in the tour program (3 breakfasts, 1 lunch);
the tour leader's job.

Paid extra

railway tickets to Kemi and back;
meals not specified in the program;
additional excursions (to be booked and paid for upon purchase of the tour, the number of seats is limited):
- "Islands of Tops" – 4,000 rubles/person.;
- "Cape Beluzhy boat trip" – 4,000 rubles/person.;
- "The archipelago of the Body – the world of ancient man" – 5,000 rubles/person.;
- "Solovetskaya dam" – 4,000 rubles/person.;
- Malaya Muksalma – 5,000 rubles/person.;
- excursion "Long Lip" – 4,000 rubles/person.

It's important to know

1. Medical preparations for individual needs.

2. Documents: passport, insurance policy (medical).

3. Comfortable sports shoes:

sneakers or moccasins, but not new, but familiar and comfortable;
replacement shoes (light running shoes or sneakers).

4. Sportswear for hot and cool weather:

The jacket is windproof, waterproof;
raincoat;
warm tracksuit (sweatshirt, pants);
T-shirts with long (from sunburn) and short sleeves;
sports trousers;
shorts;
socks.

5. Headgear: cap, panama hat (with a visor).

6. Bathing suit.

7. Personal hygiene products.

8. Useful equipment:

small backpack (20-30 l);
a flashlight with spare batteries;
sunscreen (required);
sunglasses.

9. For photo and video equipment, take care of airtight packaging in case of rain.

Recommendations for participants of ecological excursions: be sure to have warm clothes for sea trips, mosquito repellents, optionally a bathing suit and a camera.

The Solovetsky Archipelago is located in the heart of the White Sea. The weather on the White Sea can change several times a day. The sun may greet you in the morning, and in the evening a storm will overtake you and the temperature will be around +5. It is necessary to provide a set of clothes that would be suitable for you in any bad weather. Comfortable athletic shoes for hiking in rough terrain are highly recommended. Trekking boots or sneakers.

Sea excursions involve crossings on small vessels and boats. If you get motion sickness, it's better to take pills that will help you cope with this ailment.

The White Sea is the North Sea, where storms often occur. We recommend that you take train tickets with the possibility of online delivery, in case the sea does not allow you to leave the island according to plan.

There are few ATMs in Solovki. The only branch of Sberbank operates on a schedule that is inconvenient for tourists. You will definitely need cash on Solovki, take care of it.

There are no COVID restrictions.

The tourist season in the Solovetsky Archipelago traditionally begins on June 1. The end of the season is usually no later than September 15th. This is due to the regular navigation of motor ships from the mainland to the island.

There are no roads on Solovki in the usual understanding of a city dweller. Roads inside the village are unpaved or concrete. Dirt roads of various conditions run along the island. This feature affects the transport used by tourists on the island. Large tourist buses are not used on Solovki.

All excursions start from the tour desk in the center of the village or from the pier near the Kremlin. Tourists walk from the hotel to the starting point of the tour. The duration of the trip is 5-15 minutes, depending on the selected hotel.

There is a local hospital in the village of Solovetsky. The hospital's facilities are limited. Not all specialists are represented in the hospital, and the technical base is limited. People with serious illnesses or pregnancy are kindly asked to take this into account and refrain from traveling if their condition may require urgent medical attention, since the nearest large hospital is located in Kem, in order to get to it, it is necessary to cross the White Sea by boat and get from the port of Rabochiostrovsk to the hospital in Kem. If there is a storm at sea and the patient's delivery may be difficult, we ask you to objectively assess your capabilities when planning a trip.

From 06/10/2026 to 07/28/2026, train 012A on the St. Petersburg - Murmansk route will arrive at Kem station at 12:04 p.m. The ship's schedule will be adjusted to match the train.

1. The Solovki Hotel.

The most comfortable on the Solovetsky Islands is located in one of the most picturesque places of the archipelago on the shore of the bay, a 5–minute walk from the famous Solovetsky Monastery and the ancient pagan sanctuary.

The hotel is designed in a traditional Russian style and was built in 2003 using the technology of northern craftsmen. The hotel is located in 6 buildings, 5 of which are designed to accommodate guests (4 buildings with 20 seats and 1 with 12 seats), and in the sixth there is an accommodation service, a bar and a restaurant.

Standard double room. The area is 12 sq. m. The room has 2 beds, 2 bedside tables, a folding table, chairs. There is a wardrobe at the entrance. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, toilet, sink, water heater, mirror and heated towel rail. There is a hairdryer and a sachet with toiletries, bottled water.

Standard single room. The room has one single bed, a bedside table with a table lamp, a chair, a chest of drawers, and a folding table. There is a wardrobe at the entrance. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, toilet, sink. The bathroom has a hairdryer, a set of disposable hygiene products (soap, shampoo, shower gel).

Loft standard. The area is 16 sq. m. The room has 2 separate beds or 1 large double bed, 2 bedside tables, a chair, a built-in wardrobe, a shelf with open shelves, a TV table, a full-length mirror. There are mosquito nets on the windows, blackout curtains. The room is equipped with a tea set, a TV and a mini-refrigerator, a quartz panel "TeplEco" as a heater. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, toilet, sink, water heater, mirror, heated towel rail and hairdryer. Towels, toiletries, bathrobes, slippers, earplugs and sleep masks are provided for each guest.

2. The Solovetskaya Sloboda Hotel.

The hotel is located a three-minute walk from the Solovetsky Monastery and is a four-story building with a facade stylized as antique brickwork. On the ground floor there is a restaurant with a bar and a banquet hall. The rooms are decorated in neutral tones, with wooden panels, and feature LCD TVs with satellite channels.

All rooms at the hotel have a private bathroom with free toiletries. The size and design of the rooms correspond to the European standard. It offers free wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi) in the hotel's rooms and restaurant, a souvenir kiosk and a tour center. During the day, meals are served according to a pre-approved menu, and in the evening the restaurant operates according to an A la carte menu. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks can be purchased at the restaurant's bar. The restaurant has a cozy banquet hall with 24 seats, where you can celebrate a family or corporate event.

Standard (max. 2+1). The area is 20 sq. m. It is located on 1-2 floors. The room has 2 separate 90x200 beds or one double bed, 2 bedside tables, a desk, chairs, and a luggage rack. There is a wardrobe at the entrance. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, toilet, sink, water heater, mirror and heated towel rail. There is a hairdryer and a sachet with toiletries. It is possible to put one extra bed.

3. The Solo Nord Hotel. The hotel is located 400 meters from the central architectural complex of the Solovetsky Kremlin, in the center of the village of Solovetsky. This is one of the oldest hotels in Solovki. It is a two-storey building built of wooden beams, with an extension of the same material.

Standard double room. The room has an area of 18 sq. m. It consists of one room and a small hallway. The room is equipped with modern and comfortable furniture. The room has two 1.5-double beds, two bedside tables, a work desk, a carpet. The room has a bathroom with a shower.

Standard single room. The area is 16 sq. m. Studio room, designed to accommodate 1 person. In the room: single bed, bedside table, table, chairs, clothes rack, bathroom with shower, Wi-Fi.

Dates and Prices

$737

8 – 11 Jun 4 days 3 nights

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$737

16 – 19 Jun 4 days 3 nights

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23 – 26 Jun 4 days 3 nights

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30 Jun – 3 Jul 4 days 3 nights

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7 – 10 Jul 4 days 3 nights

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14 – 17 Jul 4 days 3 nights

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21 – 24 Jul 4 days 3 nights

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28 – 31 Jul 4 days 3 nights

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4 – 7 Aug 4 days 3 nights

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11 – 14 Aug 4 days 3 nights

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$737

18 – 21 Aug 4 days 3 nights

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$737

25 – 28 Aug 4 days 3 nights

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$737

1 – 4 Sep 4 days 3 nights

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8 – 11 Sep 4 days 3 nights

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Reviews Leave a review

O
Olga

about provider

11 Dec, 2025

The host company organized our entire vacation in Karelia, and our wonderful guide, Olga, accompanied us everywhere, always making sure we were handed over smoothly to the next person. We were met, assisted, and transferred at every step. Everything was excellent!!! So many positive emotions!!! Our group was fantastic too! It’s a shame our time in Karelia went by so quickly.
E
Elena

about provider

1 Aug, 2025

Everything was perfectly organized.
R
Razida

about provider

2 May, 2025

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Everything was well organized, the information was provided on time, and all our questions about the tour were answered with care. Thank you!