The way to the White Sea. Rafting on the Keret River

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The Keret River flows through the territory of North Karelia, one of the harshest and most attractive areas for real tourists. Pomors call this river "The Way to the White Sea" — it is beautiful, wide, full of water, its power can be heard from afar.

A tour along the Keret River is an interesting catamaran rafting, a real romance of taiga camps and an opportunity to get acquainted with the unique nature of the harsh White Sea.

Location

P. Louhi

Rafting

from

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

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Tour highlights

Sports alloy

We will ride catamarans with the passage of thresholds of 2-3 categories of difficulty

Vacation on the White Sea

We will swim, sunbathe, arrange high-speed races in the sea and arrange a competition for the construction of sand castles

A week in nature

We will live in a tent, eat food from the campfire, pick berries and enjoy a break from the bustling city

Itinerary

Day 1 - Rafting on the Keret River from Lake. Varlamovo to Lake. New
We will meet at the Louhi railway station (we recommend train No. 16A), get acquainted with the instructors — you will easily find them, they will be in branded blue T-shirts.
After a brief acquaintance, we get on the buses and go to the starting point of our adventures — Lake. Varlamovo (20 km). The journey will take about half an hour.
Already on the spot, we get to know each other better and are distributed among the crews, depending on personal preferences and experience. There is a long day ahead, so be sure to have a hearty breakfast and fill the thermos with hot tea with you on the road.
The whole group takes part in cooking, setting up camp and collecting firewood for the campfire.
We are going on a trip: we pack our belongings in hermetic bags, assemble and load catamarans.
We change clothes, get equipment: life jackets, helmets and paddles.
After listening to all the necessary information from the instructors, we launch catamarans for a training session — we get acquainted with the techniques of water tourism and safety.
So our vacation will be peaceful and we will keep only pleasant moments in our memory.
Well, are you ready?! Our journey begins right now!
We are going to go rafting on the Keret River, so let's say a few words about it.
The name Keret comes from the Sami word "giera", which means "top of the mountain".
Keret belongs to the rivers of the mountain-taiga type, it is relatively deep and wide. The river is a chain of lakes connected by rapids.
Route of the day: Lake. Varlamovo Lake. Nameless — pore. White fang — por. Murash — oz. New. A total of 12 km of the way.
Based on the conditions of the route, there is a hot lunch or snack on the way.
Today we are waiting for several driving thresholds at once.
Everything will start from the threshold of the White Fang (1-2 k.s.).
Before the first truly difficult and interesting Murash threshold (2 k.s.), we are waiting for shivers (rapid flow in shallow water with randomly located underwater and protruding rocks) and rifts (a shallow section of the river).
We pass the Murash threshold and go out into the New Lake.
Let's walk a little along the lake and stop at one of its shores.
We set up camp in a picturesque place and relax after a busy day.
Cooking dinner, swimming, singing songs around the campfire with a guitar — that's how the rest of this long day goes.
I would like to get some sleep, tomorrow we will walk 28 km!
Day 2 - Rafting on the Keret River from Lake. New to oz. Varatskoye
The route for today: Lake. New — pore. Dry — pore. Krivoy-2 — oz. Crooked — pore. A long time. Varatsky Lake. Varatskoye, 28 km.
Based on the conditions of the route, there is a hot lunch or snack on the way.
We're waking up.
We are doing exercises, so bring the perfect soundtrack!
Cheered up? Let's have breakfast.
It's time to pack up the camp and hit the road.
We recall yesterday's instructions from the instructors, we try to improve the rowing technique.
We try to walk smoothly along Lake Novoe, pass the threshold of Sukhoi, sail past a small village and a railway bridge.
We are waiting for 5 km of the reach (a section of the river with or without a calm current).
We pass the threshold of the Curve, which flows into the lake Curve.
Two more rapids — Long and Varatsky — and we go out into Lake Varatskoye.
We sail along the lake slowly — we need to choose a parking place.
And no matter what!
Tomorrow is the day, so we choose a secluded, quiet, calm place and definitely pleasant to the eye.
Today, you don't have to worry about tomorrow's early rise, because we have a day!
So you can stay by the campfire all night.
Day 3 - A day on the lake. Varatskoye
Today is a day at Lake Varatskoye, which means that there is no need to take off the camp, there is no need to hurry anywhere.
We relax, play active games, pick berries, mushrooms or herbs for tea, swim and enjoy the views.
Instructors always have ideas of a cool pastime in stock, it remains only to choose!
And today we will definitely flood the bathhouse.
Compact, quickly assembled in the field, a tourist bath is the best way to relieve fatigue during a hike.
"Bath procedures" smooth out the effect of high doses of adrenaline, relax muscles, and relieve tension perfectly.
Day 4 - Rafting on the Keret River: Lake. Varatskoye until then. Oil
Today we are going along the following route: Lake. Varatskoye is a port. Kareshka — pore. Red—fast - pore. Oil, 15 km.
Based on the conditions of the route, there is a hot lunch or snack on the way.
Today we pass exciting rapids — Kareshka (1-2 k.s.), Krasnobystry (3 k.s.) and Oil (2-3 k.s.).
We walk through the lakes, stop in good weather to swim.
We set up a camp on one of the shores, cook dinner, and remember how this day went.
Those who participate in such a hike for the first time can now tell the difference between thresholds and shivers without any problems. Isn't that right?
Tomorrow we will go out to the White Sea!

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Day 5 - Access to the White Sea
We wake up, warm up, have breakfast and hit the road again.
Now our group consists of several experienced crews, because yesterday we passed the test of the Varatsky threshold.
Today's route: por. Pavlovsky — por. Kolupaevsky — por. Curve-3 — pore. Morskoy — Oleniy Island, 29 km.
We pass the thresholds of Pavlovsky (2 k.s.), Kolupaevsky (2-3 k.s.) and Krivoy (3 k.s.).
The Keret River ends at the Sea threshold (2 k.s.).
Fish nets, fish pens and metal cables are installed in front of it across the river of the local fisheries, so we unload the catamarans, carry them along the shore and return to the water to roll down the threshold of the Sea directly into the bay of the White Sea.
Here it is, the sea. The northern nature enchants with tides, sea smell, surf, winds and calm, islands, stone foreheads, salt water.
If we have time, we will dock to the shore for lunch.
We will spend the night on one of the islands of the White Sea — Oleniy.
The road to it already lies through the White Sea, so we gather after lunch, stock up on fresh water and keep warm so as not to freeze during the transition.
Here we have dinner and relax after a busy day.

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Day 6 - A day on an island in the White Sea
Today we have a day on the island of Deer in the White Sea.
What do we usually do during the Day?! We rest, of course.
You can go explore the island where we stopped: on foot by land or on catamarans by water.
The underwater world of the White Sea is rich and peculiar.
The surface of the rocks is covered with soft corals and sea anemones, starfish, ophiura, crabs and shrimps crawl between the stones.
Of the fish, there are catfish, sea bass, flounder, kerchak, beldyuga, maslyuk and pinogor fish.
To spy on life underwater, it is not even necessary to have special equipment, since the water here is very transparent — no one will hide from our inquisitive gaze.
We definitely swim, sunbathe, arrange high-speed races in the sea, build sand castles and take test photos to remember our adventure.
We can go in search of berries again to cook compote, add to tea, or just eat.
And again we heat the bathhouse, for which we can prudently stock up on birch brooms during the exploration of the island.
Day 7 - Completion of the route in the village Lower Pulonga
The last morning of our journey.
Let's not be sad, let's be glad that such an adventure happened to us!
We have free time after breakfast.
Before lunch, you can take another walk around the island, pack your things, or go swimming and sunbathe, if the weather permits.
After lunch, we collect all the equipment, load the catamarans and go by sea to the village of Nizhnyaya Pulonga.
Here on the shore we are met by an old Pomeranian ship, the karbas.
We disassemble catamarans, load into buses.
On the way to the Chupa station, we will have time to go to the store to buy a snack on the way.
From Chupa station, we go home by night trains (we recommend train No. 15A).

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Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Accommodation

Tent

6 nights

Comfort

Basic

Throughout the tour, overnight stays in 3-seater tourist tents, check—in in tents for 3 people.

Each participant is provided with an individual thermal insulation mat.

If you need double or single accommodation without moving in, you can rent a tent, the cost of the service is 1,500 rubles. for the alloy. Please inform us about the need for a 2-bed tent when booking a tour.

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

Rafting on a 6-seater catamaran	5 participants + instructor	23 900
Rafting on a 4-seater catamaran	3 participants + instructor (only for ready-made crew)	31 700
Rafting on a 2-, 4-, 6-seater catamaran, without an instructor	2, 4, 6 participants, without an instructor (only for ready-made crew)	19 700

Applications for participation in the tour on a 4-seater catamaran are accepted only from ready—made crews - 3 people.

Applications for participation in a catamaran tour without an instructor are accepted only from ready-made crews.

The discount for children from 8 to 12 years old is 15%.

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Tour conditions

Group

up to 17 tourists

Minimum age

8 years old

Duration

7 days 6 nights

Group meets at

P. Louhi

Included in price

transportation services according to the program;
meals according to the program;
the work of instructors;
rental of rafting equipment: catamarans, oars, helmets, life jackets, sealed packages, motor and fuel;
rental of camp equipment: campfire equipment, tents, thermal insulation mats.

Paid extra

railway tickets to Louhi station and back from Chupa station.;
sleeping bag (comfort temperature +6°C, extreme 0°C; paid when booking a tour) — 700 rubles/tour;
neoprene suit (to be paid at the time of booking the tour) — 3,300 rubles/tour;
accommodation in a double tent — 1,500 rubles/tour;
insurance of medical and other unforeseen expenses — from 100 rubles/person/day;
personal expenses.

It's important to know

Take with you:

a backpack without a machine or a travel bag;
sleeping bag (if you do not have a personal one, you can rent it from the company, payment is made when booking a trip).

The form of clothing during the rafting:

socks should be on your feet (not thin cotton, tighter). Shoes that you don't mind getting wet (sneakers are perfect). If you have neoprene socks or neoprene boots, it is welcome;
rubber boots are prohibited, because when they get into the water, they pull the participant down;
as outerwear: comfortable sportswear for the weather or a neoprene suit (if available). It is desirable that the clothes be quick-drying. We recommend not to take jeans, any sweatpants will do instead;
Recommended: put on a light Bolognese suit (protection from wind and moisture). Raincoats made of dense materials can be used;
you can take thin cotton gloves or neoprene gloves on your hands (optional);
there will be a helmet on your head, you can put a bandana under it;
you can take a camera, there will be sealed packages on the rafts, in which it can be hidden at the moment of passing the threshold;
if you wear glasses, try to come up with a chain for them (so as not to lose them) or put on lenses for the duration of the alloy.

A set of clothes for changing clothes after rafting:

a set of dry comfortable outerwear;
dry comfortable shoes and socks;
beanie/bandana/buff;
a set of spare underwear.

Clothing for sleeping in a tent:

warm loose clothing (if available, thermal underwear);
warm socks (woolen ones are possible) and a thin hat (nights can be cool);
for the evening, a fleece jacket / sweatshirt / jacket.

For a trip to the tourist bath:

individual towel;
swimsuit (boys / girls go to the bathhouse all together, groups of 8-10 people);
slates/sandals for sports.

Shoes (comfortable, without heels):

one for rafting on the river;
the second one is for the camp (you can take rubber boots if it rains according to the forecast);
The third one is "urban".

Personal items:

knee pads (when rafting on a catamaran) — not necessary;
repellents (mosquitoes, midges);
flashlight with a set of spare batteries;
sunglasses and sunscreen and after sunburn, if it is sunny according to the forecast;
personal hygiene products (including toilet paper);
an individual first aid kit;
small polyurethane seat mat;
portable charger;
personal utensils (mug, deep bowl, spoon).

Documents and money in an airtight package:

passport;
medical insurance policy (photocopy is available);
We recommend that you always have a small amount of cash with you so that, if desired, you can quickly buy the necessary things at stops along the route.