Kizhi patterns. Snowmobile Safari

Kizhi Island is a pearl of Russian wooden architecture. 

Traditional buildings from all over Karelia were brought here and an open-air museum was built. Visiting Kizhi in winter is a real success, because until the lake rises, you can only get to the island by helicopter! It is only since the second half of winter that alternative ways to get there become available. 

We will go to Kizhi on snowmobiles: you will curb the temper of the iron horse, enjoy the silence and mesmerizing beauty of the Karelian landscapes and the sleeping Onega Lake. 

And you will come into even closer contact with the traditions of the northern peoples – you will taste the dishes of national cuisine and even learn how to cook them yourself!

With a group request of 6 people or more, it is possible to organize a tour in individual terms.

Location

Petrozavodsk
from
$593
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
3 Days
2 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • Dates for next season
    • 8 – 10 February, 2025
    • 15 – 17 February, 2025
    • 2 – 4 March, 2025
    • 9 – 11 March, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Guest House
    2 nights
Comfort
  • Basic+
Difficulty
Moderate
Involves moderate physical activity
Group
Up to 16 people
Minimum age
12 years old
Group meet at
Petrozavodsk
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Snowmobile trip
Let's learn how to drive a snowmobile and take a ride on the ice of Lake Onega with a breeze
National cuisine
We will be able to taste dishes of national Karelian cuisine and learn how to cook one of them
Hot bathhouse
Let's recuperate in a real Russian bathhouse

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Through the ancient “fallen asleep” and abandoned villages of Zaonezhye

    We will meet at the Petrozavodsk railway station under the clock on the main building from the platform (according to the arrival time of train No. 18 Moscow – Petrozavodsk).

    We go to a restaurant for breakfast to immediately set ourselves up for a great adventure.

    The buffet is at your service – here everyone will find a treat to their liking. 

    During breakfast, we get to know the guide and other tour participants better.

    We get on the bus – it takes a little more than an hour to drive.

    In the ancient village of Gorka, we are greeted by instructors – brave funny guys. 

    They help you choose the equipment: overalls, waterproof shoes, balaclava, helmet, gloves. 

    We go through the briefing and go out on the ice of Lake Onega, the second largest lake in Europe.

    Millions of years ago, a glacier passed through these places, leaving us with an amazingly beautiful landscape.

    We accelerate and feel incredible freedom, conquering the icy expanses. 

    Ancient Karelian villages are scattered all over the Zaonezhye – the northern part of the lake, indented by bays and elongated shores. 

    Most of the villages are deserted, but wooden chapels and churches still tower over the area.

    We enter the village of Pegrema, an example of the wooden architecture of Zaonezhye. 

    No well-trodden paths, no smoke from chimneys. 

    The inhabitants left it 50 years ago. 

    Roofs collapsed in huge two-storey houses, and only the chapel of Varlaam Khutynsky from the 1770s was preserved intact thanks to caring people. 

    We drive into the village of Yuzhny Dvor and arrange a hearty snack with sandwiches with red fish, Karelian pastries, local tea and cranberries in sugar.

    Let's explore the church, which has been standing here since the 18th century, and move on.

    With good ice conditions, we reach one of the most revered healing springs in Karelia – "Three Ivans"

    It was once considered one of the wonders of the world. 

    Locals believe that this water can be used to treat stomach diseases, eczema, ulcers and burns. 

    We taste the water, get healthier and it's time to go to rest.

    We are staying in a guest house located on the shore of Lake Onega.

    We're having dinner.

    Distance: 100 km on snowmobiles.

    2 more photos
  • Day 2 - Kizhi Necklace
  • Day 3 - Return to the city on snowmobiles, departure
Difficulty
Involves moderate physical activity

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Guest House
    2 nights
Comfort
  • Basic+

The tour involves accommodation in a guest complex on the shore of Lake Onega.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the number of seats on a snowmobile with double occupancy for a group of 6 people or more:

  • 2 people on a snowmobile – 56,000 rubles;
  • 1 person on a snowmobile – 89,000 rubles.

The surcharge for single room accommodation is 9,000 rubles/person.

Onega Hill 2 nights

Onega Gorka Guest Houses are located on the picturesque shore of Lake Onega in the village of Gorka near Kondopoga, in an accessible distance from the popular ethnographic museum of Kizhi Island.

Heating, supply and exhaust ventilation, hot and cold water. Shower and toilet (underfloor heating).

The kitchen is fully equipped with everything necessary for cooking (induction cooker, refrigerator, microwave, kettle, dishwasher, slow cooker, toaster, coffee maker). There are dishes for cooking, there are all the necessary utensils for table setting.

TV, satellite TV, Music center.

Each room is equipped with convectors with thermometers.

There is a TV in the bedroom.

Tour conditions

Group
up to 16 tourists
Minimum age
12 years old
Duration
3 days 2 nights
Group meets at
Petrozavodsk

Included in price

  • transportation services according to the program;
  • meals specified in the program;
  • accommodation according to the program: a room in a cottage;
  • the work of instructors and an accompanying translator/guide;
  • snowmobile and equipment rental, fuel;
  • a master class on cooking red fish;
  • tour of Karelian villages with a visit to ancient chapels;
  • walking tour of Kizhi island.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Petrozavodsk and back;
  • additional day of accommodation;
  • insurance of medical and other unforeseen expenses (from 100 rubles/person/day).

It's important to know

Personal equipment you need for the tour
  1. Backpack or travel bag. It is highly undesirable to bring things in a suitcase, because it does not fit into the trunk of a snowmobile and is inconvenient to transport.
  2. Clothing for an active snowmobile day:
    • thermal underwear (pants and jacket);
    • comfortable warm sportswear is an optimal suit for snowboarding or downhill skiing. We recommend not to come in jeans, because they restrict movement and do not warm;
    • fleece jacket or sweater;
    • socks should be on your feet (thin cotton + necessarily warm wool);
    • gloves and a hat.
  3. A set of clothes for the night:
    • a set of spare underwear;
    • comfortable shorts/sweatpants and T-shirt;
    • slippers or warm socks.
  4. For a trip to the sauna:
    • a swimsuit (if you need one);
    • slates/sandals for sports.
  5. Shoes: comfortable warm shoes WITHOUT heels.
  6. Personal items:
    • personal hygiene products (individual shower sets (shampoo, soap) are available in the rooms at the recreation center;
    • individual first aid kit;
    • hair dryer (if you need it);
  7. Documents:
    • passport;
    • medical insurance policy (photocopy is available).
  8. Money. We recommend that you always have a small amount of cash with you so that, if desired, you can quickly buy the necessary things at stops along the route.
What kind of equipment is provided on the route?
What are the rules of conduct on the route?
What are the rules to follow when driving a snowmobile?
What are the rules for the operation and storage of equipment and equipment?
Can a child take part in a snowmobile tour?
How can I prepare for the tour?
Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification
  • from
    $593
    8 – 10 Feb, 2025 3 days 2 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $593
    15 – 17 Feb, 2025 3 days 2 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $593
    2 – 4 Mar, 2025 3 days 2 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $593
    9 – 11 Mar, 2025 3 days 2 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now