May holidays in Karelia

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The world of fabulous nature, reservoirs, fluffy forests and waterfalls is waiting for us!

We will get acquainted with the capital of the Republic of Karelia, visit the Marcial Waters resort and Kivach Waterfall, visit the Ruskeala Mountain Park and participate in a master class on national baking.

And we can also go on a visit to sled dogs and reindeer.

Location

Petrozavodsk

Sightseeing tours

from

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

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Tour highlights

The history of Petrozavodsk

Let's get acquainted with the historical center, the governor's Park, the monument to Peter the Great

National cuisine

Let's taste Karelian cuisine and taste alcohol from a Karelian manufacturer

Kivach Nature Reserve

Let's admire the Kivach waterfall, the most famous in Karelia, sung in Russian poetry as the "northern hero"

Ruskeala Mountain Park

We will see the Marble Canyon, which was formed on the site of an abandoned quarry for the extraction of stone

Itinerary

Day 1 - A tour of Petrozavodsk. A master class on wickets. Sled dog kennel (for an additional fee)
We meet our dear guests at the Petrozavodsk railway station upon arrival of train No. 18 (~07:50).
The guide greets you with a sign "May holidays".
Tourists arriving on earlier trains or on their own transport approach the meeting place.
For tourists arriving by train No. 92 (~ at 09:58), a meeting at the railway station and a free transfer will be arranged to meet the group on the route. In this case, tourists have breakfast on their own.
Tourists arriving from St. Petersburg at 11:57 on the Swallow (train No. 804H) skip breakfast, a sightseeing tour and a master class on national baking. The cost of unproven services is deducted from the tour.
Meeting tourists at the railway station upon arrival of the Lastochka train.
Breakfast in a cozy cafe.
A tour of the capital of the Republic of Karelia (duration 1.5–2 hours).
Petrozavodsk is the younger brother of St. Petersburg, born with him 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.
A master class on national baking.
Kalittoa (Karelian: kalittoa) — since the XV century, traditional pastries of Karelians and Veps, an open pie made of unleavened rye dough with a filling inside. Gates have long been one of the business cards of Karelia.
At our master class, you will prepare the wickets yourself. The results are fixed by a tea party with wickets sculpted by your hands.
A delicious lunch.
Accommodation at the selected hotel after the end of the excursion program.
Optional, for an additional fee, excursion to the kennel of sled dogs and reindeer (duration 2.5–3 hours)
Booking an excursion when booking a tour.
You will touch the beautiful world of the Far North and the original culture of the ancient Sami, learn how tundra deer live.
In the largest sled dog kennel, you will make friends with the best athletes in Russia — energetic Alaskan huskies, good-natured malamutes and sociable Siberian huskies.
In the Sami village, you can visit the indigenous inhabitants of Karelia and try on traditional costumes of the northern peoples.
Cost (for a group of 4 people or more):
adult — 2,200 rubles/person.;
children under 12 years of age — 2,000 rubles/person.
Transportation service along the route is included, as well as a tour of the nursery.

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Day 2 - The resort "Marcial waters". Girvas volcano. Kivach Waterfall
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for a country tour of the first Russian resort "Marcial Waters" — Girvas volcano — Kivach waterfall (duration about 8 hours).
An introduction to the interesting history of the resort "Marcial Waters", founded by Peter I in the XVIII 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 area of the village of Girvas, where the remains of the oldest volcano in Karelia, which is about 3 billion years old, are located.
Fossilized lava flows can be observed in the drained riverbed of the Suna River.
And if we are lucky, we will see an amazing sight – the spring spillway at the Girvasskaya HPP.
The height of the falling water is about 32 meters.
A truly fascinating event that usually takes place only once a year during the May holidays.
Lunch. Tasting of tincture of local berries as a gift.
The final stop of the excursion day is the Kivach Nature Reserve.
In the reserve you will admire the Kivach waterfall, the most famous in Karelia.
He is praised in Russian poetry as the "northern hero".
Here you will also see the Karelian birch – the famous "cinderella" of the northern forests, get acquainted with the collection of the arboretum and the Museum of Nature.
Return to Petrozavodsk.

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Day 3 - Ruskeala Mountain Park
Breakfast at the hotel.
Room release.
Departure for a country trip to the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
Moving 260 km in one direction.
Along the way there are picturesque Karelian landscapes, the surface of forest lakes and a magnificent panorama of Lake Ladoga framed by rocks. Travel information.
On the way, stop at a picturesque place near Ruskeala waterfalls.
The shooting of the cult Soviet film "And the dawns are quiet here" took place here.
Now it is a great place for walks and photo shoots in nature.
Lunch at a cafe along the route.
Tour of the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
The pearl of the park is the Marble Canyon, which was formed on the site of an abandoned quarry for stone extraction.
For more than 200 years, decorative light gray marble has been quarried here to decorate the temples and palaces of St. Petersburg, the fountains of Petrodvorets and the columns of Tsarskoye Selo.
Today, the quarry is filled with crystal clear water filtered by sedimentary rocks.
The rock grotto and tunnels carved in marble will make an indelible impression on you.
In your free time (for an additional fee) you can:
visit the tour "Underground Ruskeala";
take a ride on a trolley and admire the view of the Marble Lake from a bird's eye view (zip-line);
to eat in the cafe of the mountain park;
to buy souvenirs.
Departure by bus from Ruskeala.
For tourists who will be leaving Sortavala for home: We recommend that you take the Ruskeala Express retro train from the mountain park along the Ruskeala — Sortavala route. This interesting journey takes place in the atmosphere of the early twentieth century. There is a dining car on the train.
Buy train tickets in advance on the Russian Railways website (tickets are not included in the tour price).
Departure home (one of two options):
1. By train from Sortavala (transfer from Ruskeala Mountain Park to Sortavala is included in the tour price). Convenient trains:
18:45 to St. Petersburg by train No. 822H "Swallow" (arrival at 22:43);
20:25 to Moscow by train No. 160A (arrival at 10:16 the next day).
2. Return to Petrozavodsk by tour bus (approximately 3.5 hours on the road).
Transfer to the railway station.
Departure by evening trains (departure time after 21:30).
If you want to extend your vacation in Karelia, we will book additional accommodation in a hotel or in a country club.

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

2 nights

Comfort

Upscale
Premium

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel in Petrozavodsk.

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

	Double room placement	Single room placement	Additional place
Hotel "Zarechnaya" 3* Breakfast is a buffet	23 600	28 300	20 300
Hotel "Peter Inn" 4* Breakfast is a buffet standard / comfort	27 300 / 28 600	35 600 / 38 200	20 900
Hotel "Fregat" 4* Breakfast is a buffet business number	28 700	36 500	21 500

Discounts:

child under 7 years old — 900 rubles/person.;
a child of 8-16 years old — 500 rubles /person.;
for tourists arriving by Lastochka train at 11:57 a.m. — 1,000 rubles/person.

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

Hotel "Severnaya" 4*

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.

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.

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Another option

Hotel "Fregat" 4*

The Fregat Hotel is located in a quiet location in the center of Petrozavodsk, on the picturesque shore of Lake Onega. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. It offers a restaurant and secure parking.

The rooms are equipped with a minibar and a flat-screen TV with Smart TV technology. They are equipped with a work desk, a telephone and a safe. The modern private bathroom comes with underfloor heating, a hairdryer and toiletries.

The hotel's restaurant serves a buffet breakfast, as well as European and Russian cuisine. The gym and lobby bar of the Fregat Hotel are open around the clock.

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Another option

Hotel "Zarechnaya"

The hotel is located in the central part of the city, on the banks of the Lososinka River. It is perfect for tourists, businessmen, and business travelers. Within walking distance is the famous landmark of Petrozavodsk — the Doll House, as well as the Provincial Park and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

All rooms have modern furniture, European-level plumbing, double-glazed Windows with mosquito nets, LCD TV, refrigerator, Internet, telephone.

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Tour conditions

Group

up to 30 tourists

Minimum age

7 years old

Duration

3 days 2 nights

Group meets at

Petrozavodsk

Included in price

accommodation in the selected hotel (2 nights in Petrozavodsk);
meals according to the program (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, tasting of Karelian alcohol);
sightseeing tour of Petrozavodsk;
a master class on national baking;
excursion to the Kivach Nature Reserve;
Marcial waters;
Girvas Volcano tour;
excursion to the Ruskeala Mountain Park;
transportation services according to the program;
the work of the guide and accompanying person is 3 days.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Petrozavodsk and back from Sortavala / Petrozavodsk;
meals not included in the tour price;
excursion to the kennel of sled dogs and reindeer (reservation when booking a tour):
- adult — 2,200 rubles/person.;
- children under 12 years of age — 2,000 rubles/person.

It's important to know

Insurance is not included in the tour program. You can purchase additional travel insurance on the website of a Large Country without commission directly from insurance companies.

It is also important to remember that the period from early May to mid-June is particularly dangerous due to the activity of encephalitic ticks. Prepare in advance for a trip to Karelia during this period – get a preventive vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis, take a special ointment with you, as well as clothes and hats that cover all parts of the body as much as possible.

The best protection against ticks is compliance with safety regulations:

It is not recommended to climb into the impenetrable thickets of low-growing shrubs unnecessarily.
Moving along the forest road, do not tear off branches.
The legs should be completely covered (shorts are not recommended).
Sweatpants, tights (preferably with a smooth surface) should be tucked into socks.
It is mandatory to have a headdress (cap, headscarf).
It is advisable to hide long hair under a headdress.
After hiking in the forest, it is necessary to check (shake off) both outerwear and underwear.
Examine the whole body.
Be sure to comb your hair with a fine comb. If you find a crawling tick, it must be burned. Ticks are very tenacious, it is impossible to crush it.

If you find a tick that has already dug into your skin:

In no case do not pull it yourself, because you can tear the body away from the head (the head can exist without a body).
To remove the tick, it is necessary to pour it with camphor or vegetable oil, after 10-15 minutes carefully pull out the tick with tweezers.
Lubricate the bite site with green paint or iodine.

Vaccination provides the most effective protection. If the immunization schedule is followed, human diseases are extremely rare and usually occur in a mild form. The difficulty of vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis lies in the duration of the course of vaccinations, you can find out more in detail at the vaccination center in your region.

It should be remembered that all vaccinations must be completed 2 weeks before the start of the tick activity season, i.e. by the end of March.

Tick bite insurance is not included in the tour price. We recommend that you insure your health.

Dates and Prices

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27 – 29 Apr, 2025 3 days 2 nights

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8 – 10 May, 2025 3 days 2 nights

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Reviews

S
Svetlana

6 Nov, 2024

about provider

A wonderful trip with our fantastic guide, Lyudmila, who was with us every step of the way. Everything was quick, well-organized and professional. Thank you!

6 Nov, 2024