Snowy Christmas in Karelia

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Let's spend the Christmas holidays in magical Karelia! An exciting journey awaits us to the land of lakes and pointed fir trees, full of Karelian legends and Finnish towns with funny names.

We will visit Bastion Park and Ruskeala Mountain Park. We will visit the village of Kindasovo, where we will be able to participate in a master class on playing traditional musical instruments. We will also take a ride on a dog sled in the company of Santa Claus.

Location

Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

Sightseeing tours

from

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

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Tour highlights

Let's play musical instruments

We will take part in a master class in the village of Kindasovo and play traditional Karelian musical instruments

Visit to the Hasky Moa eco-complex

At the polar explorer's residence, we will be able to ride a dog sled in the company of Santa Claus

Bastion Theme Park

We will visit the museum of living history of the Viking age "Black Bear Fortress" and an exhibition of wooden sculptures

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival, walk along Ladoga skerries, Ruskeala Mountain Park
Meeting of train No. 160 at the railway station of Sortavala.
If you arrive earlier: waiting for the arrival of the main group.
If you arrive later: transfer for an additional fee and program adjustment.
Breakfast in a cafe in the city.
A ride on an air sled /hovercraft along the Ladoga skerries.
Lunch at the cafe.
Transfer to Ruskeala Mountain Park.
Group land tour in the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
Ruskeala is perhaps the most famous and visited modern attraction in Karelia. Marble has been mined here for centuries, and today it is a mountain park, in the center of which there is an amazing canyon with steep silver walls.
You will have a pleasant walk around the artificial lake, with stops at observation decks, and a story about interesting facts from the history of the quarry and marble mining.
Free time in the park.
Return to Sortavala.
Accommodation in the turklass hotel, rooms with amenities.
Meals: breakfast, lunch.
Day 2 - Sightseeing tour of the capital of the Northern Ladoga region
Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
Rooms are available until 12:00. We leave things in the storage room.
Sightseeing tour of the capital of the Northern Ladoga region.
Sortavala is one of the most ancient cities in Karelia. It has the status of a historical city of national importance, has an original architectural appearance and has many beautiful architectural objects.
The city is often called the open-air museum of Finnish architecture. Now Sortavala is the only city in Karelia where the ancient buildings have been preserved.
Mount Paaso is a 10th—12th century Karelian settlement discovered by Finnish archaeologist Otto Appelgren.
You will admire the fantastic panoramas and find out why the ancient Karelians settled on the highest cliffs.
About 10 centuries ago, the entrance to the Paaso settlement was located on the southern slope of the mountain, where the forest path leading to the very top of Paasonvuori now originates.
The mountain offers a panorama of the endless forests and lakes of Karelia.
Lunch at a cafe in Sortavala.
Visit to the Museum of the Northern Ladoga Region.
The museum was started by exhibits transferred from the Valaam State Museum-Reserve. Now the museum's funds include collections of local lore, represented by objects on the history of the Northern Ladoga region.
There are monuments of the XVI-XVII centuries, you can see objects of modern painting, numismatics, everyday life and ethnography, book and documentary collections, a wide mineralogical collection.
The museum has temporary exhibitions telling about various milestones in history.
Visiting the exhibition of the unique woodcarver Kronid Gogolev is a real gem of Sortavala.
It is a private collection of works by the famous Russian artist Kronid Gogolev. Believe me, it is impossible to take your eyes off his picturesque paintings created in the style of relief woodcarving!
Transfer to Petrozavodsk.
Accommodation in the hotel "Peter Inn" 4*, standard rooms.
Meals: breakfast, lunch.
Day 3 - Visit to the Hasky Moa eco-complex
Buffet breakfast in the hotel cafe.
The release of rooms in the hotel.
Departure to the most beautiful corner of Karelia – Ladoga region.

On the way, visit the eco-complex "Hasky Moa", the residence of polar explorer, traveler Viktor Simonov.
Get to know the northern sled dogs, Arctic explorers – participants of Arctic expeditions. 80 pets will give you their unconditional love and boundless kindness.
Have a fun ride with Santa Claus on a dog sled through the picturesque snowy Karelian forest. Take a walk to the wish tree.
And in the polar explorer's house by the fireplace with a live fire, you will write a real letter to the North Pole.
Enjoy a fragrant lunch in the traditions of Karelia with lohikato, a rustic plate (pickles and smoked meats), a gate in the best traditions of the north, a morse of northern berries, herbal teas and Karelian tinctures of different strength (18+).
Arrival in Sortavala (about 4 hours on the way). Accommodation in the turklass hotel ― rooms with amenities.
Free time.
Meals: breakfast + lunch.
Day 4 - Sortavala and Bastion Theme Park
Sightseeing tour of the capital of the Northern Ladoga region.
A small European town, by the will of fate, found itself in the lands of Russia. It is one of the most ancient cities of Karelia.
It has the status of a historical city of national importance, has an original architectural appearance and has many beautiful architectural objects.
The city is often called the open-air museum of Finnish architecture.
Now Sortavala is the only city in Karelia where the ancient buildings have been preserved.
Mount Paaso is a 10th—12th century Karelian settlement discovered by Finnish archaeologist Otto Appelgren.
You will admire the fantastic panoramas and find out why the ancient Karelians settled on the highest cliffs.
About 10 centuries ago, the entrance to the Paaso settlement was located on the southern slope of the mountain, where the forest path leading to the very top of Paasonvuori now originates.
The mountain offers a panorama of the endless forests and lakes of Karelia, and in the evening the steps of the trail are illuminated with artistic illumination.
Bastion Theme Park.
The following locations are available for you in the park:
Museum of Living History of the Viking Age "Svartbjarnarborg" — "Mustankarhunlinna" — "Fortress of the Black Bear";
The Museum of Living History "Four Fronts", which is dedicated to the Soviet-Finnish armed conflicts of the XX century;
The Stone Age eco—site is a natural space with petroglyphs painted on stones;
the exhibition of wooden sculptures "The secret life of insects".
Meals: breakfast + lunch.
Day 5 - Ruskeala Mountain Park
Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
Room release.
Departure to the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
Group ground tour in the Ruskeala Mountain Park "The Road of mountain masters".
Ruskeala is perhaps the most famous and visited modern attraction in Karelia.
Marble has been mined here for centuries, and today it is a mountain park, in the center of which there is an amazing canyon with steep silver walls.
You will have a pleasant walk around the artificial lake, with stops at observation decks and a story about interesting facts from the history of the quarry and marble mining.
Free time in the park.
After dark, bright lights of landscape lighting and artistic illumination of the majestic marble canyon light up in the park.
Free time in the park.
Return to Sortavala.
Lunch with elements of Karelian cuisine at 16:00.

Transfer to the railway station of Sortavala.
Returning home with pleasant memories of wonderful days in Karelia and a suitcase full of souvenirs from Karelian craftsmen.
Meals: breakfast + lunch.

Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

4 nights

Comfort

Midscale
Upscale

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel.

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

Hotel/Room	"Petra"/"Piypun Piha"
2-bed standard	53750 rubles/person.
1-local standard	62500 rubles/person.
Extra space	48500 rubles/person.

The discount for children under 12 years old is 2500 rubles.

A small number of rooms will allow you to enjoy your stay in a homely and cozy atmosphere. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a TV, a refrigerator and a private bathroom.

On the ground floor there is a gastrobar "BOTTEGA", which serves dishes from Europe, Italy, Asia and the Middle East.

The distance to Besovets airport is 14.4 km, to the railway station ― 0.4 km.

1 more photo

Tour conditions

Group

up to 50 tourists

Minimum age

3 years old

Duration

5 days 4 nights

Group meets at

Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

Included in price

accommodation in the selected hotel;
meals according to the program: (5 breakfasts, 1 tea party, 4 lunches);
entrance tickets to museums;
sightseeing, transport services;
visit to the Hasky Moa eco-complex;
visit to the Bastion theme Park;
excursion to the Marble Canyon mountain park of Ruskeala.

Paid extra

travel to Petrozavodsk (the beginning of the tour), travel from Sortavala (the end of the tour);
meals not included in the tour price;
additional excursions and services, optional (for more information, see "Important to know").

It's important to know

personal items. Travel clothes should be, first of all, comfortable. Take with you what you usually wear for hiking and recreation. The weather in Karelia is capricious and changeable;
camera or video camera, charger (powerbank);
cash or cards (for souvenirs, other personal expenses);
individual first aid kit.

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification

$526

1 – 5 Jan, 2025 5 days 4 nights

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Reviews

K
Konstantin

26 Jul, 2024

about provider

Grand tour of Karelia and the Solovetsky Islands, a very interesting and exciting tour. Comfortable accommodation and buses. Qualified guides. A competent, positive, responsible guide Vera Ivanovna. Thank you very much.

26 Jul, 2024