May Awakening in Karelia

Breakfast.

It's time to enjoy the amazing beauty of Karelian nature.

Transfer from the guest house to the ancient Girvas volcano.

The ancient Girvas volcano is a unique natural object in its beauty. Just imagine — he lived more than a billion and a half years ago. There is solidified lava, rocks, sand dunes, and dense pine forests. If you are lucky, you will get to the descent of water from the reservoir and see an amazing sight — the Girvas waterfall.

Kivach Waterfall is the second largest, after the Rhine, plain waterfall in Europe. The height of the water drop is 10.7 m. It is located on the Suna River in the central part of Karelia. There is a nature reserve of the same name around it.

The waterfall is incredibly beautiful and majestic. The waters of the Suna River, compressed by basalt rocks, fall down from an eight-meter height in a heavy cast stream, forming a powerful whirlpool in shreds of foam and creating an impressive noise.

Departure to the husky, reindeer and horse kennel.

In our kennel you will be greeted by 40 of the best sled dogs in Russia — champions and participants of famous races. 

You will also get acquainted with the beautiful reindeer, our reindeer breeder will tell you about them in as much detail as possible and provide an opportunity to feed them with hand-fed yagel.

Lunch.

Free time.

Supper.

Breakfast.

A boat trip on Sandal Lake, a visit to Lychny Island and the village of Yershi.

Sandal Lake is an ecologically clean body of water. The northern and eastern shores of this lake are high and rocky, while the western and southern shores are low—lying and swampy in places. Karelian birch and spruce grow on them, and sandy stretches are extremely rare here. 

One of the most remarkable monuments of wooden architecture in Karelia is a unique landmark — the Church of Peter and Paul, which is located on Lychny Island, in the northern part of Lake Sandal.

You can visit the temple, which was created in the tent style and is a legacy of wooden architecture of national importance. 

You will also have an unforgettable trip and boat tours and get acquainted with the historical architectural heritage, information about which has been preserved in the Scribe's Book by Andrey Pleshcheyev.

Ancient Karelian houses are preserved in Ruffs. These are typical solid two-storey buildings. According to them, one can judge the features of traditional buildings: the facades are oriented not to the main street, but to the south.

At the entrance to the settlement on the northern outskirts there is a wooden chapel of the Archangel Michael.

Return to the recreation center.

Late lunch.

Free time.

Early dinner with a rich program.

Let's check how well you have managed to get to know Karelia.

You will definitely discover something new and enjoy a friendly, fun atmosphere while playing quiz. 

You will also learn all about Karelian cocktails, find out what Karelian warming drinks are made from, and try to cook them yourself.

Happy May Day!

Early breakfast. Collecting things. Room release.

Departure to Ruskeala Mountain Park.

Arrival at the park, guided tour.

The Ruskeala Mountain Park is the only comprehensive monument to the nature and history of mining in Russia and Finland, a tourist attraction located in South Karelia.

Here, by the efforts of local craftsmen, slabs were broken for the cladding of buildings and halls of the Winter and Marble Palaces, Mikhailovsky Castle, Kazan Cathedral. But the most majestic and famous monument to Ruskeala marble was St. Isaac's Cathedral, erected by Auguste Montferrand in 1818-1850.

Free time in the mountain park.

On the way back, we will visit the Ahvenkoski Waterfall on the Tohmajoki River.

The name of the waterfall is a Finnish word meaning "perch threshold" or, according to another version, "water rapids".

Akhvenkoski is the largest waterfall of the cascade of four plain waterfalls, which are collectively called Ruskeala Waterfalls, due to the proximity of this place to the village and the Ruskeala Mountain Park. 

Another, less common name of the cascade — Tokhminsky waterfalls — comes from the name of the river.

Here, on the Tohmajoki River, next to the Akhvenkoski Waterfall, in 1972, filming took place of several scenes of the legendary Soviet film "And the Dawns are Quiet Here", based on the famous story by the writer-front-line soldier Boris Vasiliev.

Completion of the program.

Departure home from the railway station of Sortavala.