The mystical mountain of Vottovaara and Lake Pisanec. Private jeep tour to Karelia

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Exclusive jeep tour of Karelia with a visit to the highest point of central Karelia — the mystical mountain Vottovaara and a trip to the deepest lake of tectonic origin — Pisanets!

A lot of positive emotions, hundreds of amazing photos, adrenaline rush from trekking along the mountain top — all this is our jeep tour!

The program also includes a visit to the first Russian resort "Marcial Waters", one of the largest lowland waterfalls in Europe — the famous Kivacha and the ancient volcano Girvas.

The tour is conducted on an individual request from the end of May to the end of September.

Location

Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

from

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

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Tour highlights

Climbing Vottovaara

Conquer the highest peak of the West Karelian Upland and enjoy the panorama of Karelian forests and lakes

Kivach Waterfall

Experience the power of nature next to the third largest plain waterfall in Europe

Pisanets Lake

Visit the long, narrow and incredibly deep Pisanets Lake

A delicious picnic

You will taste Karelian pies and gates with potatoes and liqueurs made from natural berries and herbs.

Thrilling jipping

You will feel the adrenaline burning energy as you drive along narrow forest paths with dilapidated bridges through the Karelian taiga.

Itinerary

Day 1 - A walk along the Onega embankment, "Marcial waters", Girvasskaya hydroelectric power station and Pisanets Lake
09:00 Meeting at Petrozavodsk railway station, accommodation by jeep. Breakfast in a cafe in the city.
A short sightseeing tour of the city, a walk along the Onega embankment.
10:00 Departure from Petrozavodsk along the Kola highway.
We are moving along the "old Murmansk highway" — the historical route along which Peter the Great traveled for treatment in the "Marcial Waters".
11:00 Visit to the first Russian resort "Marcial Waters" (founded by Peter I in 1719). Tasting of healing water from 3 underground springs.
Further movement to Girvas village.
12:00 Inspection of the operating Girvassky HPP (Paleozerskaya HPP), built in the period from 1933 to 1951 on a rock of volcanic origin.
We continue along the route — the asphalt ends, the road gets worse and worse, and here we are driving along a narrow forest path with dilapidated bridges through the Karelian taiga.
Safety instructions and the basics of driving an off-road vehicle. You can get behind the wheel yourself and, under the guidance of an instructor, take a ride on the Karelian off-road.

14:00 Rest stop on the shore of a beautiful forest lake, lunch. Sandwiches, pies and gates with potatoes (Karelian national pastries). Fresh vegetables. Hot tea, coffee. Tasting of balsam and sweet liqueurs made from natural Karelian berries and herbs.

Having refreshed ourselves, we continue our journey. Our current goal is a lake of tectonic origin — Pisanets. Unlike most Karelian lakes formed by the movement of a glacier, Lake Pisanets is a fault in the earth's crust — long, narrow and incredibly deep. The depth of this small-looking lake, according to some reports, reaches 200 meters!

16:00 We leave the jeeps, a 10-minute walk along the forest trail, and we go out onto the steep shore of Lake Pisanets. From the top point there is a beautiful view of a long rocky rift, at the bottom of which is Lake Pisanets.

Sightseeing of the lake, a walk along the steep shore, photos. Return to the jeeps, drive to Gimoli village.

21:00 Arrival at the guest house, dinner.

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Day 2 - Vottovaara and Kivach Waterfall
07:00 Early rising, breakfast.
08:00 Exit. Our destination is the mysterious mountain of spirits of Vottovaar.
Mount Vottovaara is the highest point of the West Karelian Upland and the oldest place of worship - a sacred place of the ancient Sami. The mountain offers a beautiful 360-degree view of the Karelian taiga, lakes and swamps.
We drive along the forest roads almost to the very top of Mount Vottovaara.
09:00 Trekking along the very top of Vottovaara (about 5 km in total), sightseeing of the seids and panoramas opening from the mountain. Photo.
12:00 Return to the cars, departure in the opposite direction.
14:00 Stop in the village, lunch at a cafe.
17:00 Departure to the Kola highway, heading to Petrozavodsk.
18:00 On the way – visit the Kivach Nature Reserve, visit the famous Kivach waterfall.
Movement to Petrozavodsk.
20:00 Arrival in Petrozavodsk.

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Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Accommodation

Guest House

1 night

Comfort

Basic+

The tour includes accommodation in a guest house.

The cost of the tour for 1 person / rub:

Number of people in the jeep	Cost
3 people	35 600
2 people	44 890

The tour includes accommodation in a guest house.

Tour conditions

Group

From 1 to 45 tourists

Minimum age

7 years old

Duration

2 days 1 night

Group meets at

Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

Included in price

SUVs (imported four-wheel drive vehicles, fuel, driver-guide);
hotel accommodation;
meals according to the program throughout the route;
tasting of alcoholic beverages made from Karelian berries and herbs;
entrance fees.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Petrozavodsk and back;
medical insurance;
personal expenses.

It's important to know

When choosing clothes for jeep tours, you can follow all the principles of choosing clothes for any active tour or just a hike in nature.

The main principles:

Clothing and shoes should be durable and waterproof.
You should be comfortable and comfortable in these clothes.
Clothes should not be heavy and take up a lot of space.

Modern travel clothes meet all these requirements. The widespread use of membrane materials makes clothes completely waterproof, but at the same time allows clothes to "breathe" – you won't get wet in a downpour, but you won't sweat like in a polythene raincoat.

Backpack. It is best to pack all personal belongings carefully in a travel backpack. You should not take bags or suitcases – they will be inconvenient to carry and pack in jeeps.
Footwear. Trekking waterproof boots, preferably high – above the bone. In the hot and dry period – durable sneakers. Most of the time you will be on the route in boots. Rubber boots are optional.
Outerwear. Travel waterproof jacket (or windbreaker), with a hood. Trousers are better for travel, but jeans or any sturdy trousers that you feel comfortable in will also work well. If the tour includes an overnight stay in nature, then you can bring a small sports down jacket for night gatherings around the campfire and during the cold season (even in summer, nights in Karelia can be cold), but it must be tightly folded and packed so that it does not take up much space. If you do not want to wear a hood, take a hat or a cap without nets and holes.
The middle and lower layer of clothing. A sweater (sweatshirt) or a pair of thick T-shirts (shirts) with long sleeves. Special thermal underwear can replace warm T-shirts. A pair of warm socks and thin socks for every day. Lightweight cotton sweatpants and a lightweight cotton T–shirt are used as nightwear (if overnight stays in tents are planned). Underwear. Swimming trunks, if you want to swim.
Personal hygiene products and anti-mosquito products. Towel, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and more. Insect repellents – mosquitoes, horseflies, midges (jeeps must have a set of anti-mosquito products). We recommend using aerosol sprays to apply to exposed areas of the body.
Documents. Passport, driver's license (if available). It is better to pack the documents in a plastic bag or a special sealed case.
Money. We recommend that you always have a small amount of cash or a plastic card with you, so that you can quickly buy drinks or sweets at the village shops along the route of the jeep tour.

Dates and Prices

Individual dates available on request

1 Jul – 31 Aug

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Reviews

VE
Viktor Egorkin

about provider

7 Apr, 2025

The tour was well organized. We received all the necessary information in a timely manner — including the contract, payment details, voucher, and contact information for the tour coordinators and guides. All of our inquiries were answered promptly, and everything ran smoothly without any issues.

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