Legends of the North: Karelia

For those who do not have enough time, but dream of visiting the famous Karelian islands: Kizhi and Valaam, we have developed an interesting tour program with a comfortable stay!

We will fully enjoy the views of Valaam, Ruskeala, a huge number of waterfalls, hear the sounds of the largest lake in Europe — Ladoga, see the beauty of Kizhi Island and the capital of Karelia — Petrozavodsk, as well as visit the sights of the famous "Golden Ring of Karelia".
All the most interesting things are waiting for you!

Location

Republic of Karelia, Sortavala
from
$373
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
4 Days
3 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • Dates for next season
    • 19 – 22 May, 2025
    • 26 – 29 May, 2025
    • 2 – 5 June, 2025
    • 9 – 12 June, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    3 nights
Comfort
  • Premium
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
Up to 50 people
Minimum age
4 years old
Group meet at
Republic of Karelia, Sortavala
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Marble Canyon of Ruskeala
We will see the most visited tourist site in Karelia, stunning with its fantastic views
An ancient variety
Let's take a walk around the city with Swedish roots
The Sacred island of Valaam
We will go on meteors to the largest and most famous Karelian monastery, as well as the most beautiful protected area
Open-air Museum
We will visit the pearl of Karelia — Kizhi Island, a UNESCO monument
The taste of Karelia
Let's try the local cuisine and feel like real locals

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Sortavala. On meteors to Valaam Island

    For those who cannot start the tour in Sortavala, it is possible to leave Petrozavodsk at 04:00 in the morning by our bus, without additional payment.

    08:20 Meeting of the group and gathering at the railway station of Sortavala. Our guide will meet you with a sign at the main entrance to the Sortavala railway station.

    08:40 Breakfast at the cafe. 

    09:10-10:50 Sightseeing tour of Sortavala with a visit to the main attractions of the city. 

    It is one of two Russian cities with Swedish roots (the second is Vyborg). The architecture here is an incredible mix of cultures – Swedish, Finnish, Soviet, Russian.

    11:00 Departure by meteors to Valaam Island. The holy island is not so far away – only 22 kilometers. 

    11:50-16:50 Arrival at Valaam, sightseeing tour of the central manor of the monastery, performance of the male choir, lunch in the monastery refectory. 

    We will visit the Transfiguration Cathedral, where the relics of Saints Sergius and Herman, the founders of the monastery, are located. The New Jerusalem tour will reveal unknown fragments of the island's history. We will visit the Resurrection Hermitage.

    16:50-17:50 Return trip by meteor to Sortavala. 

    18:00 Visit to the Kronid Gogolev Art Gallery. We will see an exhibition of paintings made in a unique manner of wood carving.

    19:00 Check-in at the hotel, dinner, free time and rest.

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  • Day 2 - Ruskeala Mountain Park
  • Day 3 - Petrozavodsk and Kizhi Island
  • Day 4 - Mount Sampo. The resort "Marcial waters". Girvas volcano. Kivach Waterfall
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    3 nights
Comfort
  • Premium

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel.

Adult (main seat) — 39900 rubles.
Children under 14 years old — a discount of 4,600 rubles. 
Pensioners, veterans of the database, the disabled — a discount of 500 rubles.

Accommodation in an additional place — a discount of 2,400 rubles.
Single occupancy — an additional fee of 6,500 rubles.

To accommodate tourists, we provide comfortable rooms in superior hotels and service levels located in the city center and within walking distance from the waterfront of Petrozavodsk, restaurants and entertainment centers, souvenir and grocery stores. 

We accommodate our guests in the following hotels: Severnaya, Prionezhsky, Onega Castle, Sakvoyazh, Cosmos, Boutique hotel 13 chairs, Peter INN. These are some of the best hotels in Petrozavodsk, consistently providing a high level of service and high-quality accommodation.

You get breakfast at the hotel in the price of the tour

All excursions will also start from the hotels (a maximum of 10 minutes walk from the meeting point for the tour, including on the day of check—in and check-out, as large buses are difficult to access some hotels). 

We will leave Petrozavodsk for the northern Ladoga region for 1 night. You don't have to take all your things with you — we will return to Petrozavodsk, to the same hotel (you can leave your things in the luggage room, and take the most necessary things with you). Accommodation in a small hotel with room amenities.

You can write your wishes in advance on choosing a specific hotel and we will try to ensure that you check into it, but the specifics of group tours are such that the accommodation grid is drawn up at the last moment, based on the available room quotas in the hotels we have booked.

Severnaya Hotel or The Prionezhsky Hotel or 2 nights
Severnaya Hotel

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 hotel offers a wide range of rooms, suites and apartments equipped with everything necessary.

The hotel has a business center with meeting facilities.

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Another option
The Prionezhsky Hotel

The Prionezhsky Club Hotel is located in Petrozavodsk, in its historical district, on the shore of the lake.

The hotel has comfortable rooms, the comfort and equipment of which allow you to relax after an eventful day. Apartments are recommended for long-term stays

Meals are served in the restaurant with a bright and cozy room, as well as impeccable service. The bartender will prepare any classic or exclusive cocktail.

The conference hall accommodates 45 people and has the necessary equipment and ergonomic furniture. Upon request, the staff will develop a coffee break menu.

The hotel is located in a picturesque area, which is suitable for walking, secluded recreation, as well as for active sports.

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Another option
Onega Castle Hotel

The Onega Castle Hotel is located in the center of Petrozavodsk. From the windows of the hotel you can observe panoramic views of the lake and the surrounding area of the city.

All rooms are distributed according to comfort and furnishing. If desired, you can additionally order sleeping places. There are a number of attic rooms from which you can see the lake scenery.

There is a restaurant serving international and Russian dishes. You can try several dishes of Karelian cuisine. The bar provides various types of drinks, as well as cold snacks.

The swimming pool is open to the public, and you can also use the sauna or spa center. You can book a hall for special events.

The nearest attraction is the embankment with the monument "Fishermen". The local Museum of Local Lore is within walking distance.

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Another option
Hotel "Sakvoyazh"

The Sakvoyazh Hotel is located in the northeastern part of the city of Petrozavodsk, in the vicinity of the city's embankment.

The hotel has different types of rooms, both standard and superior comfort. The facilities include comfortable beds, necessary furniture, a private bathroom with hygiene products, a TV, Wi-Fi. Some rooms have a sauna and a kitchenette. You can book rooms with a view of the courtyard or the city.

Breakfast is served every morning, which includes a variety of dishes made from organic products according to the buffet system.

The distance to the railway station is 2 kilometers, and Petrozavodsk Airport is 18 kilometers away. Nearby is Petrovsky Square and the Park of the Onega Tractor Plant.

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Another option
Cosmos Hotel

The modern Cosmos Petrozavodsk Hotel is located in a picturesque part of Petrozavodsk, not far from the famous Onega Lake. A wide range of services is provided for guests.

Comfortable rooms are provided for accommodation, made in a classic simple design. The rooms have all the necessary furniture and appliances, a private bathroom or shower with a bathroom.

There is a restaurant on site. There is a wide range of dishes.

You can hold a seminar or a business meeting in an equipped conference room with appliances.

The train station can be reached in 10 minutes by public transport, and the airport is 30 minutes away. Within walking distance there is a beautiful promenade along which you can walk.

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Another option
Boutique hotel "13 chairs"

Boutique hotel "13 chairs" is located in the center of Petrozavodsk. It offers uniquely decorated rooms and an indoor pool with sauna. It offers free Wi-Fi and free private parking. 

All rooms are decorated in a classic style and feature air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a safe and a refrigerator. The bathroom comes with free toiletries, slippers and a hairdryer. A continental breakfast is served every morning in the hotel's cafe. Access to the swimming pool with sauna and hot tub is subject to an additional fee. 

A children's playground is available for the youngest guests. Lake Onega is a 5-minute walk away, and the lively Lenin Avenue is 900 m away.

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Another option
The Peter INN Hotel

The Peter INN Hotel is conveniently located in the center of Petrozavodsk and offers guests high standards of service and a wide range of services. The reception is open 24 hours a day.

The rooms are bright rooms that are decorated in a modern style. Functional furniture and new appliances are installed in each category. The bathrooms are individual for each room. Some rooms offer stunning views of Lake Onega.

Meals are served in the restaurant, which offers local, Bavarian and international cuisine. In addition, there is a sushi bar and a lounge cafe on site.

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"Sortavala" or Ladoga or 1 night

Tour conditions

Group
up to 50 tourists
Minimum age
4 years old
Duration
4 days 3 nights
Group meets at
Republic of Karelia, Sortavala

Included in price

  • 4 breakfasts, 1 lunch (on Valaam), 1 dinner (in Sortavala);
  • the work of a tour guide;
  • hotel accommodation;
  • all entrance tickets according to the program;
  • transport service by bus;
  • meteors on Kizhi and Valaam.
     

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Sortavala/ Petrozavodsk and back;
  • meals not specified in the tour program;
  • retro train tickets;
  • souvenirs and extras.expenses are optional.

It's important to know

Personal equipment you need for the tour

Required: identification documents.

Recommended: 

  • repellent;
  • women's headdress for visiting the temple;
  • windbreaker with hood;
  • sunglasses;
  • comfortable shoes.
Are train tickets included in the tour price?
Is insurance included in the price of the tour?
Are there discounts on the tour?
What are the features of the tour?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification
  • $373
    19 – 22 May, 2025 4 days 3 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • $373
    26 – 29 May, 2025 4 days 3 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • $373
    2 – 5 Jun, 2025 4 days 3 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • $373
    9 – 12 Jun, 2025 4 days 3 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • $373
    16 – 19 Jun, 2025 4 days 3 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now

Reviews

  • O
    Olga
    2 Nov, 2024
    about provider
    I was very impressed with the guides and would gladly recommend them to friends and family. Our guide, Marina, shared fascinating insights about Karelia and made sure everyone felt completely at ease.
    2 Nov, 2024
    5 more photos
  • N
    Natalya
    21 Oct, 2024
    about provider
    Ihr seid einfach großartig! Macht weiter so
    21 Oct, 2024
    2 more photos
  • G
    Galina
    26 Jul, 2024
    about provider
    The guides told us in an interesting way about the history of Karelia, the traditions and the way of life of the population who previously lived on this territory.
    26 Jul, 2024
    6 more photos