Big Country Travel: Trips to Russia, Adventure Tours & Vacation Packages

10 more

A bright and dynamic weekend in fabulous Karelia!

We will see the best sights of Karelia in all their glory and taste delicious dishes of national cuisine.

According to individual requests, the program can be organized on any date.

Location

Petrozavodsk

Sightseeing tours

Tour highlights

A trip to Kizhi

Let's take a fast Meteor to the legendary island with a temple complex

A trip to the Ruskeala Mountain Park

We will see an ancient marble quarry where rock was mined for the imperial palaces

A walk around Petrozavodsk

We will see the main locations of the capital of Karelia and walk along the Onega embankment

Itinerary

Day 1 - Petrozavodsk city tour and a trip to Kizhi
We welcome our dear guests at the Petrozavodsk railway station.
07:50 Upon arrival of train No. 18, the guide meets you on the platform at the railway station building with a sign "Weekend in Karelia".
Tourists who arrived on earlier trains or on their own transport approach the meeting place.
Breakfast in a cozy cafe.
*If tourists arrive later (train No. 92 at 09:18), they will be met at the railway station and a free shuttle service will be provided to meet the group on the route.
In this case, tourists have breakfast on their own.
Guided tour of the capital of Karelia (duration: 2-2.5 hours).
Petrozavodsk is the younger brother of St. Petersburg, born in the same year.
It was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great.
You will get acquainted with the historical center, the monument to Peter the Great, the Governor's Park.
A promenade along the beautiful city embankment along Lake Onega, where there is a collection of original sculptures located in the open air.
The guide will also show you cozy restaurants and cafes where you can taste national cuisine.
Excursion to Kizhi Island, the pearl of Karelian wooden architecture (trip duration is 7 hours).
Meteor ride on Lake Onega to Kizhi Island (1 hour and 30 minutes on the way).
Visit the famous open-air museum, where a unique collection of wooden architecture monuments is collected.
You will see the 22nd Transfiguration Church after restoration, visit the interiors of the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin and the ethnographic exhibition in a peasant hut, where traditional peasant crafts are demonstrated.
Supper.
Accommodation at the hotel after the end of the excursion program:
The 4* Severnaya Hotel is located in the very center of Petrozavodsk. Nearby there are museums, souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants.
Day 2 - The unique Ruskeala Mountain Park
Breakfast at the hotel (buffet).
Departure to the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
The crossing is about 250 km.
Along the way, there are picturesque Karelian landscapes, the surface of forest lakes and a magnificent panorama of Lake Ladoga framed by rocks.
On the way, stop at the Ruskeala waterfalls on the Tohmajoki River, where the filming of the cult Soviet film "And the dawns here are Quiet" took place. Now it is a great place for walking and taking photos against the background of nature.
Here you can walk along the ecotrope with suspension bridges and look at the waterfalls from above (for an additional fee).The fee is ~ 400 rubles/ adult, 300 rubles./children, pensioners, students).
Land walking tour of the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
It is the most visited tourist site in Karelia at the moment.
For about 300 years, marble has been mined here to decorate palaces and temples in the Northern Capital.
A marble lake was formed in a huge man-made bowl, which is now admired by numerous tourists. The rocky grotto and tunnels cut into the rocks, the Italian quarry, the Marble Square will make an indelible impression on you.
There are no analogues to this unique natural object either in Russia or in Europe!
Free time on the territory of the mountain park.
For an additional fee:
boat trip;
Underground Ruskeala Tour;
Trolls over Lake Marmara (zip-line);
bungee.
There are several cafes and souvenir shops on the territory of the mountain park.
* Additional services are purchased directly on the spot, at the ticket offices of the mountain park. They are not booked in advance.
Return to Petrozavodsk.
Supper.
Day 3 - "Marcial waters". Girvas volcano. Kivach Waterfall
Breakfast at the hotel (buffet).
Room release.
Country tour "The first Russian resort "Marcial waters" — volcano Girvas - Kivach waterfall".
An introduction to the interesting history of the Marcial Waters resort, founded by Peter the Great in the 18th century. Tasting of water from three healing springs. Inspection of the Church of St. St. Peter the Apostle, built in 1721 according to the drawings of the emperor himself.
Then the way lies to the Girvas village area.
Please note! In the period from December 1 to April 1, the ancient Girvas volcano is snow-covered, our guide will tell you about this unique place, along the paths you can walk to the panorama of the mouth of the ancient volcano.
You will have the opportunity to see a unique natural monument: the Girvas volcano.
It is an extinct volcano in the riverbed of the Suna River. Just imagine — he lived about two billion years ago. There are frozen lava, rocks, sand dunes, and dense pine forests.
Next, you will admire the most famous waterfall in Karelia, praised in Russian poetry as the "northern hero". Here in the Kivach Nature Reserve you will see a real Karelian birch and visit the Nature Museum.
Return to Petrozavodsk.
Supper.
Transfer to the railway station.
Departure by evening trains after 17:00.
See you soon in Karelia!

Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

2 nights

Comfort

Upscale
Premium

The tour includes accommodation in a Petrozavodsk hotel (breakfast buffet).

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

	Double Room	Single Room	Additional place
Hotel "Severnaya"	31 200	36 400	28 500

Discounts on the tour:

a child under 6 years old — 2,500 rubles.;
a child from 7 to 16 years old — 2,000 rubles.;
a pensioner over 60 years old — 300 rubles.

You can specify the accommodation requirements: DBL (2-bed room with one bed) or TWIN (2-bed room with two separate beds).

Severnaya Hotel is located in the center of Petrozavodsk, just 1 km from Lake Onega and a 15-minute walk from the train station and public transport stops.

The Severnaya Hotel offers a wide range of rooms, suites and apartments equipped with everything you need.

The hotel has a business center with meeting facilities.

The attentive staff of the Severnaya Hotel will assist with visa processing and can arrange excursions on request.

Shopping and business areas of the city can be visited near the Severnaya Hotel, as well as restaurants and museums nearby. Guests can explore the neoclassical architectural heritage of Petrozavodsk or take a walk along Lake Onega.

4 more photos

Tour conditions

Group

From 2 to 25 tourists

Minimum age

5 years old

Duration

3 days 2 nights

Group meets at

Petrozavodsk

Included in price

accommodation in rooms of the selected category (2 nights in Petrozavodsk);
meals specified in the program (3 breakfasts, 3 dinners);
sightseeing tour of Petrozavodsk;
excursion to the Ruskeala Mountain Park;
excursions to the Kizhi Museum-Reserve;
excursion to the Marcial Waters resort, Girvas volcano and Kivach Nature Reserve;
transportation services according to the program;
the work of the guide according to the program (3 days).

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Petrozavodsk and back;
meals not included in the tour price;
services not included in the tour price;
airport transfer;
a walk along the ecotrope at the Ruskeala waterfalls:
- adult — 400 rubles/person.;
- children, pensioners, students — 300 rubles/person.;
additional programs on the territory of the Ruskeala Mountain Park (purchased on site, not booked in advance):
- boat trip;
- excursion "Underground Ruskeala";
- trolley ride (zip-line);
- bungee;
personal expenses.

It's important to know

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

Reviews

N
Nina

about provider

15 Jun, 2025

2 more photos

Thank you so much for organizing such a wonderful experience. The excursions were heartfelt and meaningful, and the guides were fantastic. We visited some truly remarkable places and were very pleased.:) I’d especially like to mention our guide Lyudmila — a warm, kind-hearted woman who shared incredibly engaging and insightful information.
A
Anna

about provider

6 Jun, 2025

6 more photos

I discovered the tour provider "Big Country" online while searching for vacation options on the White Sea. Out of many offers, theirs stood out and immediately caught my attention. I submitted a request and received a callback very quickly. From that point on, nearly all communication — including booking and registration — was handled through Telegram, with the occasional phone call when clarification was needed. The managers were consistently polite and friendly. It was my first time working with them, and I sincerely hope it won’t be the last. There are several things I especially appreciated about the organization of the Solovetsky Islands tour: 1). The option to book a private room (without roommates) for an additional fee — a big plus for solo travelers. 2). The ability to pay for the trip in installments by a set deadline. "Big Country" offers a convenient payment system where you can always check the total cost, the amount already paid, and the remaining balance. Multiple payment methods are accepted — card, bank transfer, and more. After each payment, I received Big Country receipts and confirmations via email and Telegram. 3). The managers responded promptly to any questions I had during the trip. 4). A transfer was provided from the train station to the hotel, with early check-in arranged at the hotel in Rabocheostrovsk. 5). Meals were thoughtfully included: breakfast before departing to the island, a set lunch after the island and monastery tour, and buffet breakfasts at the hotel. 6). We were accompanied by a lead guide who explained everything clearly, met us at the tourist base, and made sure the group knew where to go — from breakfast locations to the pier for the boat to Solovki. After the tour, she also ensured a smooth return to Kem. On the islands themselves, she handed us over to local guides for excursions and met us again afterwards. 7). The tour was very well organized. Aside from the scheduled excursions, there was plenty of free time to explore at your own pace. Some rented bikes to ride through the village or forest, others went on boat rides, and some simply wandered around enjoying the scenery. 8). A return transfer to the train station and a follow-up message after the trip — small touches, but much appreciated. All in all, the experience was outstanding — great service + excellent organization+ a high level of comfort. The providers really left a lasting impression.
S
Svetlana

about provider

17 May, 2025

6 more photos

Thank you. Everything was excellent. From the warm welcome at the train station to the hotel check-out before heading home, everything was well organized. I also appreciated that we had some free time to explore the beautiful sights of Karelia on our own (although we were told we'd have two hours at each stop, they were often combined, which made the schedule feel a bit rushed).

Autumn weekend in Karelia