New Year's Karelia, Kizhi through Zaonezhye

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure of the bus to visit Karelian Santa Claus — Talviukko!

Here you will get acquainted with the best sled dogs in Russia, admire the reindeer and their timid fawns, as well as touch the unique culture of the forest Sami and tea from Karelian medicinal herbs. And most importantly, visit, chat and take memorable photos with the Talviukko — Karelian Santa Claus, in his personal northern residence!

The largest kennel of sports sled dogs in Russia, where you will make friends with the famous Alaskan huskies, Alaskan malamutes and Siberian huskies, feel the boundless trust and love of these beautiful creatures, take kind photos for memory.

Talviukko's assistants will conduct an excursion and tell you many amazing things about summer and winter riding sports, the diversity and purpose of each of the riding breeds, the characteristics of the character and roles in the team of each of the four-legged athletes.

In a dense forest near a small lake, real reindeer live, the special pride and love of Talviukko.

Winter Grandfather's assistants will show you a deer farm where you will chat with cautious reindeer and admire their timid fawns.

You will visit authentic Sami dwellings, see ancient household items, drink tea from Karelian medicinal herbs, taste real Karelian pastries and for a moment be transported back to ancient times when man and the forest were one.

You will have a chance to see the laboratory of wonders of the Winter Grandfather — Talviukko, his study, where weather contracts are concluded, and the reception room, which has been visited by a variety of people and magical creatures. 

And then you will ride with excitement from the miracle slide (do not forget about winter warm sports shoes and clothes).

For everyone, for an additional fee:

• The Palace of Lumikka — the Karelian Snow Maiden, where we will see the exhibition "Karelia in miniature" — an analogue of the "Grand Layout of Russia" with Solovki, Kizhi and other Karelian attractions.
• Dog sledding or reindeer sledding is a Karelian folk fun! Huskies and malamutes will take you with a breeze through the snow-covered forest and you will feel the drive and speed, wrapped in a warm cape. Sledges and dogs, as well as deer, have always been used in the North to move from one point to another, passing from 80 to 100 kilometers in 1 day.

Additional services can be purchased directly at the patrimony.

Return transfer to Petrozavodsk.

Late lunch.

Evening master class "The Riddle of the national Karelian Doll". 

At Christmas, it will be nice to receive an Angel as a gift, and a handmade one will be doubly so. 

The Angel doll is very easy to make, but at the same time it is very original. 

In 1 hour we will tell you about the Karelian customs of folk dolls, as well as make a charm doll with our own hands, which each guest will take with him.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Departure for an excursion to Ruskeala.

Today is waiting for usThe Northern Ladoga region is another amazing natural treasure trove of Karelia.

Ladoga Lake is decorated with the first largest lake in Europe — Ladoga Lake. 

There are 260 kilometers on the way.

But we will start with another pearl of the Ladoga region — we will see the Tokhmin or Ruskeala waterfalls.

The famous Soviet film "And the dawns are quiet here..." was shot here. 

For those who wish, for an additional fee, there is a newly opened ecological trail with bridges suspended directly above the waterfalls

We will eat at the Lutheran Church today.

Marble Canyon Ruskeala is a Karelian brand of modern times. 

We are also waiting for a walking tour of the marble canyon (1 hour).

The 1.5-kilometer-long ecotrope around Ruskeala has many panoramic platforms from which you can enjoy views of this unique place.

In addition, you can move away from the main trail a little and go into the depth of a through cave (tunnel).

Here you will discover the real secrets of the canyon, its heart.

You can also look at the deposits of Italian marble.

After a sightseeing tour around the canyon, we provide free time (2.5 hours). 

Among the additional services in the mountain park in winter: Trolls (zipline) over the canyon, an exhibition of wooden sculptures "Abode of Angels", an excursion "Underground Ruskeala". 

You can also go to the railway station (10 minutes from the ticket office of the mountain park) and visit the retro train, go into the restaurant car and take pictures in the interiors of the 19th century train.

All additional services are purchased on site, at the ticket offices of the mountain park: on a first-come, first-served basis and subject to availability. Unfortunately, the park administration does not provide the possibility of pre-booking.

In addition, on the territory of Ruskeala park there is an opportunity to eat in cafes and buy souvenirs in shops.

At 16:30, a real show awaits us — the inclusion of color lighting, thanks to which the canyon will sparkle with new colors and the glare of light on the luxurious marble will shock your imagination!

Ruskeala Canyon is beautiful at any time of the year.

Full of impressions, and very satisfied, we go to the hotel in Petrozavodsk. 

21:00 Arrival in Petrozavodsk.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Karelian nature has created amazing monuments — rocks, waterfalls, volcanoes, springs. 

We suggest visiting the most important of them, located in Karelia, on a day trip to the Golden Ring of Karelia.

The tour starts from the Sampo mountain. It was here that the legendary Soviet fairy tale film "Sampo" was shot, based on the Karelo-Finnish epic "Kalevala". 

Karelian rocks are unique — they are amazingly harmonious and beautiful. And the view from them is amazing. Sampo Mountain offers a wonderful panoramic view of the surrounding area.

But we are already going to the "Marcial Waters" — the very first Russian resort. Tsar Peter, who founded it, visited these regions four times and advised everyone to drink iron-rich water found in local springs for health. 

By the way, only here the church of the XVIII century, built according to the sketches of Peter himself, has been preserved. 

You will be able to see everything with your own eyes, drink healing water and take it with you.

The pearl of the North is a natural masterpiece: the Kivach waterfall.

This is the most famous waterfall in Karelia, sung by the first governor of our region, the Russian poet Gavrila Derzhavin: "The mountain is pouring diamonds..". Indeed, the falling water and its power are fascinating. Everyone should see this.

Karelia is a country of stone and rocks. Therefore, we will definitely go to the factory, where craftsmen make the most beautiful products from a unique stone — shungite. 

We will sit in the shungite grotto, a room completely isolated by shungite, and also drink Karelian tea. 

Shungite has a beneficial effect on the body and charges with the most powerful energy, which will be useful to us during our entire journey.

17:30 Arrival in Petrozavodsk.

A bus tour from Petrozavodsk to the village of Velikaya Guba will introduce you to interesting facts from the history of the region, its traditions, nature and notable places of the Zaonezhye region.

Together with the guide, you will make a stop in the village of Shunga, the only deposit of shungite in the world — a stone with unique healing properties.

Or at one of the most famous springs in Karelia, Tsaritsyn Klyuch, which is famous for its crystal clear water, which has an amazing taste and soothing effect.

Next, from the village of Velikaya Guba, you will have a trip to Kizhi Island on a hovercraft "Khivus-10" (travel time is 30 minutes), upon arrival you will get acquainted with one of the main visual symbols of Russia — the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi pogost.

As part of the Kizhi Island excursion program, you will have a sightseeing tour of the main exposition of the island.

The tour price includes a visit to the main exposition of the Kizhi Museum, namely, an inspection of the appearance of all monuments on the island, as well as a visit to the interiors of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the house of Oshevnev from D. Oshevnevo or Elizarov's house from D. The middle (by the decision of the guide, in the summer).

During the tour, you will see the unique multi—headed temples and iconographic decoration of the Church of the Intercession of the Kizhi churchyard, enter the house of the Zaonezhsky peasant, find out how and how these people lived, see the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus - the oldest in Russia, which was revered as an Orthodox shrine.

Lunch is included in the price, it will be after Kizhi, at about 16:30.

The cafe on the island is open only in summer, please bring tea and sandwiches / food, snack, as lunch is late.

20:30 Arrival at Petrozavodsk railway station.