Early check-out (~04:30), breakfast, lunch box (must be picked up at the hotel reception).
Transfer to the most beautiful corner of Karelia – Northern Ladoga region (260 km, 4 hours on the way), Ruskeala Mountain Park.
On the way, stop at the observation deck at the Akhinkoski waterfalls, where the footage from the movie "And the dawns here are quiet" was shot.
Upon arrival at the Ruskeala Mountain Park, there will be a Marble Canyon land tour.
The old and abandoned quarry of stone mining, which has been developed for almost three centuries, is now equipped for tourists to visit.
You will see a unique creation – a huge bowl, carved by human hands in an array of marble strata, which stretches from north to south for 456 m, and its width is 109 m.
Take a walk along the extraordinary lake, which is framed by gentle and steep cliffs of light gray marble, reaching a height of 25 m above the water mirror.
Free time in the park (until ~16:30).
Advance booking of additional services in the mountain park is not possible. Tickets for the underground route, boat rentals, meals — everything is in the order of the queue and availability of seats.
You can explore all the additional services and their cost on the official website of the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
At the specified time in the programs, the group gathers for a transfer to Sortavala.
Free time in Sortavala (~2 hours).
Optional, for an additional fee, an excursion to Valaam Island (booking in advance, payment on site). The cost for an adult is 6,200 rubles, for a child under 12 years of age – 3,500 rubles.
Departure to Sortavala from the mountain park at (~12:00 pm).
Transfer by meteor along Lake Ladoga to the island of Valaam (50 min).
There is a full program on Valaam (5 hours stay on the island, walking programs).
Guided tour of the monastery's Central estate + lunch in the monastery refectory + excursion to one of the hermitages of the Valaam archipelago (the choice of the hermitage is distributed by the pilgrimage service, as technically possible):
Excursion to Nikolsky skete — one of the most beautiful sketes of Valaam or "New Jerusalem". Voskresensky and Gethsemane skete, climb Mount of Olives.
Valaam is the Northern Athos, the holy monastery, the magical land. At one time, N. Roerich, I. Shishkin, A. Kuindzhi, F. Tyutchev, representatives of the Romanov dynasty, and prominent church figures loved to visit Valaam. Valaam will not leave you indifferent!
Return to Sortavala (~ 20:00 hours).
Gathering with the main group.
Transfer to Petrozavodsk (4 hours on the way).
Late arrival in Petrozavodsk (~ 00:00 hours).