Big Country Travel: Trips to Russia, Adventure Tours & Vacation Packages

8 more

This journey is your own saga in the ancient lands of the legendary Karelians, Sami and Veps, sung by the storytellers-rune singers.

You will have a unique opportunity to visit the mountain kingdom of Ruskeala Canyon and take an unforgettable steam train ride.

The Ruskeal landscape surprises and amazes the imagination of the guests. Nature and people have been interacting here for three centuries. The great works of generations of mining masters have given this place a special aura.

Contemporaries come here not only to have fun and relax vividly, but also to touch the history of mining, look into the secrets of the Karelian depths, and worship the northern stone.

Location

Moscow

from

Contact the tour coordinator

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

Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Scenic Mountain Park

Admire the turquoise lake surrounded by marble cliffs

The charm of Sortavala

Take a walk through the historical Karelian city and get acquainted with the architecture of the Northern Ladoga region

Traveling by retro train

Travel from Sortavala to the mountain park on the Ruskeala Express, a steam—powered train

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure of the train from Moscow
16:50 Departure of train No. 160 from Leningradsky railway station in Moscow.
Day 2 - Tour of Sortavala. Ruskeala Mountain Park
08:25 Arrival of the train at the railway station in Sortavala, meeting with the guide on the platform.
You take your things with you and leave them on the tour bus. Boarding a retro train on the Sortavala — Ruskeala Park route is without belongings, and there is also a walk in the park without belongings.
08:30-10:30 Walking sightseeing tour of the historical Karelian town of Sortavale, exploring the sights and architecture of the Northern Ladoga region.
Return with a guide to the railway station. Sortavala Center, boarding the Ruskeala Express retro train.
10:57 Departure of the Ruskeala Express train from the station. Sortavala Center to Ruskeala Mountain Park station.
12:05 Arrival at Ruskeala Mountain Park. Meeting with a guide on the platform, organized passage to the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
The most famous natural and man—made attraction of Karelia is the Ruskeala Mountain Park, based on the Ruskeala marble quarry.
The magic marble "the color of white nights" began to be broken out here as early as 1769, by decree of Catherine II, to decorate the most magnificent temples and palaces of St. Petersburg: the Marble Palace, St. Isaac's Cathedral, and the Mariinsky Palace.
Today, Ruskeala Mountain Park consists of canyons and crystal lakes, labyrinths of underground tunnels and picturesque steep marble cliffs.
12:30 p.m. Marble Canyon tour is a great place to explore the park.
The Ruskeala Marble Canyon is one of the most popular attractions in the whole of Karelia, which consists of steep marble cliffs that go vertically down and break off into emerald-green water.
The main location of the park is the marble slopes of the canyon.
Take a walk in the "Dry Tunnel" and visually get acquainted with the history of mining. A stone-working workshop has been opened along the route, where guests will be able to observe the work of the master and purchase original souvenirs.
Free time for relaxing, walking in the park and buying souvenirs.
17:00 Transfer by bus to the Akhinkoski Waterfalls.
Walking along the eco-trail. "Alley of Fairy tales".
Ahinkoski is a complex of four plain waterfalls at the flood site of the Tohmajoki River. It was here that the famous Soviet film "And the dawns here are quiet" was shot.
There is an ecotrope along the route, which includes several suspension bridges directly over the waterfalls. Souvenirs and Karelian delicacies (jam, honey, dried mushrooms) are sold near the park.
18:00 Transfer to Mount Paaso. Walking along the eco-trail.
Mount Paaso is a picturesque hill near the town of Sortavala.
About 10 centuries ago, the entrance to the Paaso settlement was located on the southern slope of the mountain, where the forest trail leading to the very top of Paasonvuori now originates.
The mountain offers a panoramic view of the endless forests and lakes of Karelia, and in the evening the steps of the trail are illuminated by artistic lighting.
19:50 Transfer to Sortavala railway station.
20:52 Departure of the train from the station Sortavala railway station.

5 more photos
Day 3 - Arrival of the train to Moscow
09:08 Arrival of the train at the Leningradsky railway station in Moscow.

Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Train

2 nights

Comfort

Midscale

The tour includes accommodation in train cars.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, rub.:

Category	Four-seater compartment
For adults	24 150
For children from 0 to 9 years old inclusive	23 430

Purchase of an additional seat in a four–seater compartment - 11,650 rubles.

For accommodation during the tour, you can choose a place in a four-person tourist train.

The carriages are 2 storeys high, tourists take their things with them, leave them in the tourist bus at the time of the excursions.

1 paid shower per train in the staff car. The cost of use is 150 rubles/person. Hygiene.set – 150 rubles/person (shampoo, gel, sponge, washcloth).

There is a dining car.

Four-seater compartment

2 lower ones+2 upper shelves, 1 medium towel for 1 person, linen change (extra charge), compartment cleaning – no, traveler's kit – no

Tour conditions

Group

up to 50 tourists

Duration

3 days 2 nights

Group meets at

Moscow

Included in price

travel in the "coupe" carriage category on the route Moscow – Sortavala / Sortavala – Moscow;
travel by the Ruskeala Express retro train on the Sortavala – Ruskeala Mountain Park route;
entrance ticket to Ruskeala Mountain Park;
Marble Canyon tour program;
entrance tickets to the territory of the Akhinkoski waterfalls;
entrance tickets to the territory of Mount Paaso.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Moscow and back;
personal expenses;
nutrition;
Underground Ruskeala tour program;
purchase of an additional seat in a four–seater compartment - 11,650 rubles.;
trolls (zip-line).

It's important to know

Air and railway tickets to Moscow are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

It is impossible to know in advance whether passengers can board and disembark at non-fixed stops, upon arrival at which the tour service is provided (there may be parking on the train, but boarding/disembarking may not be allowed. There are various reasons for this. For example, the length of the platform does not allow, the train is on the sidings, and there is basically no platform.). The tour operator is not responsible for boarding and disembarking passengers when the train stops without sightseeing services.
Tourists can join the tourist route on any part of it, where there is a train parking with an excursion day service. But without recalculating the cost of the tour in terms of railway transportation. Since a cruise train ticket is issued from the start point of the tour to the end point of the tour, there will be no recalculation of the cost of railway travel in this case. For sightseeing days when tourists will not be present on excursions, we will recalculate the cost.
In a 4-seater compartment for two people, top+bottom accommodation is provided. Placement on the two lower shelves is possible only in a 2-seater compartment or a single compartment.
The purchase of the fourth seat in the compartment is optional, accommodation with check-in is possible.
Tours on the territory of the Russian Federation do not imply the presence of a notarized consent from one of the parents / legal representative for the child's trip accompanied by a third person. However, we recommend a handwritten consent from one of the parents /legal representatives to make a decision if medical care is needed for the child + a copy of the first page and the page with the registration of the parent / legal representative giving the handwritten consent.
Smoking is prohibited on the train (both electronic and plain cigarettes; a fine of 1,500 to 2,500 rubles). You can smoke in the train parking lots, if possible, get off the train in smoking areas specially designated on the platforms.
The tour operator issues railway tickets at a tariff without carrying animals (for group railway transportation of tourists, this tariff is not possible for registration). In addition, it is not allowed to enter the tour bus with animals (there may be allergies in the group). Pets are also not allowed to enter the museums.

Dates and Prices

$269

21 – 23 Mar 3 days 2 nights

Tour option - The winter Karelian saga. Railway cruise

Submit request
No need to pay now
$279

30 Apr – 2 May 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
$279

2 – 4 May 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
$279

8 – 10 May 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
$279

9 – 11 May 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
$279

16 – 18 May 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
$279

23 – 25 May 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
$279

30 May – 1 Jun 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now

Reviews

M
Marina

about provider

5 Mar, 2025

Great team! Well done! Thank you all!

5 more photos

Ruskeala — the Karelian saga