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

45 more

On this journey, you will discover the beauty of northern nature from three angles at once – from the air, water and land.

Panoramic views of the taiga expanses of Karelia are waiting for you from the helicopter cabin. You will go on individual excursions by speedboats and motorboats around Ladoga.

And you will live in a cozy domed glamping surrounded by a picturesque pine forest and Ladoga skerries.

The tour is available for groups of 3 or 4 people. Tour dates are selected individually upon request.

Location

St. Petersburg, Pulkovo airport

from

Contact the tour coordinator

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

Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Dream Flight

Fly over Lake Onega and admire the landscapes of the Russian north from a height

The history of Valaam Island

Take a boat trip through the Valaam Archipelago and spend an interesting day on the island

Escape to the Karelian taiga

Stay in a comfortable domed tent on the shore of Lake Ladoga

Open-air Museum

Take a walk around Kizhi Island and see historical and architectural objects brought from various parts of Zaonezhye

Variety of tastes

Take part in a chef's dinner with Karelian cuisine in the panoramic dome restaurant

Motorboats on Ladoga skerries

Explore the picturesque archipelago, which is located in the north of Lake Ladoga

Itinerary

Day 1 - By helicopter to Kizhi Island
The journey begins with a meeting at St. Petersburg airport, where you need to get to on your own on the first day of the program. It is recommended to arrive no later than 09:00-10:00.
In the morning, you will meet your guide at Pulkovo Airport and have breakfast at a restaurant.
After that, you will be transferred to the helipad and fly to the nearest island to Kizhi.
On the way, you will fly over St. Petersburg and Lake Onega, admiring the landscapes of the Russian north from a height (1.5 hours).
After landing by boat (travel time 10-15 minutes), go to Kizhi Island itself.
An individual tour of the island will be provided for you.
In the central part you will see the famous Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (visit is not included in the price) and visit the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
These structures are part of the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost, a monument of wooden architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the tour you will see historical and architectural objects brought from various parts of Zaonezhye: residential buildings and outbuildings from Karelian, Russian and Vepsian villages, ancient chapels and household items.
You will then transfer to a car to explore the far side of the island with its abandoned villages and ancient churches.
Then you will have lunch at a cafe and take a helicopter to the Northern Ladoga region to Havus Island, located in the very center of the Ladoga Skerries.
The Lago Ladoga glamping is located here. The total flight time will be about 3.5 hours.
You will find accommodation in cozy domed tents surrounded by a pine forest, a welcome drink and dinner from the chef with dishes of Karelian cuisine in the panoramic dome restaurant.

5 more photos
Day 2 - By boat in the Valaam Archipelago
You will have breakfast at glamping, after which you will take a speedboat to Lake Ladoga.
You will get acquainted with the Valaam archipelago.
The guide will take you on an individual tour of Valaam Island.
From the pier of the Monastery Bay, you will pass under the Holy Gates and enter the central estate of the Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery.
You will visit the main functioning temple of the island, the Transfiguration Cathedral, the Assumption Refectory Church, the oldest surviving church on Valaam, and the church of the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God.
Explore the cell buildings and outbuildings, admire the recently restored church of the Icon of the Mother of God.
Lunch will be served in the refectory of the monastery (lenten menu).
After lunch, you will listen to a concert of church music.
Next, we keep the route to Bolshaya Nikonovskaya Bay.
You will get acquainted with the ancient hermitages of the Valaam archipelago. You will see the recently restored church of St. Nicholas Skete, one of the masterpieces of Russian architecture of the second half of the 19th century.
The Predtechensky monastery, which has the strictest charter, is closed to the public: you can only see its bell tower and the cross of worship from the water.
The tour will end in the "New Jerusalem", at the Resurrection and Gethsemane hermitages.
You will return to glamping by boat, where a hot dinner from the chef will be waiting for you.
If desired and for an additional fee, you can relax in the furako sauna right on the shore of Ladoga or in the Russian sauna with a panoramic window.

4 more photos
Day 3 - A trip to the Ladoga skerries
In the morning, after breakfast, you will board motorboats and go on a guided tour of the Ladoga skerries.
This picturesque archipelago is located in the north of Lake Ladoga and consists of many small rocky islands separated by straits.
During a boat trip, you will explore the islands where the foundations of houses resembling pillboxes with bunkers have been preserved.
These are former Finnish farms: they were used as long-term firing points and were part of the line of defense during the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940.
Ladoga skerries are especially interesting for the so-called "reef mountains". These are mountains that drop into the lake with sheer cliffs up to 80 meters high.
You will climb to the highest point of the Ladoga skerries — Mount Aino.
It offers a magnificent view of the vast expanses of Ladoga and the Valaam Archipelago.
In the afternoon, you will return to glamping and have lunch.
After lunch, you will take a helicopter flight back to St. Petersburg (estimated arrival time in the city is 17:00).

6 more photos

Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Accommodation

Camp Site

2 nights

Comfort

Premium

3 more photos

The tour includes accommodation in a dome glamping. It is located on Havus Island, surrounded by a picturesque pine forest and Ladoga skerries.

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

Helicopter	Cost
Eurocopter EC 120 helicopter (4 seats, group of 4 people)	435 000
Robinson 44 helicopter (3 seats, group of 3 people)	455 000

Tour dates are selected individually upon request.

The surcharge for a single room in a tent is 15,000 rubles (optional).

You will stay in domed glamping, an autonomous forest hotel with a high level of comfort right on the shores of Lake Ladoga.

Glamping is located on Havus Island, surrounded by a picturesque pine forest and Ladoga skerries.

On the territory of glamping there are:

The panoramic dome is a restaurant where breakfast and dinner will be served for you every day. There is a dining and tea area inside the tent (hot and cold water, tea, coffee, sweets are always freely available), as well as a relaxation area with a fireplace and board games;
A small lounge area is a place where you can play board games, watch a movie, or just sit with a book while sipping tea with sweets.;
13 cozy geo-domes with a capacity of 1-3 adults or 1-4 people with children. Each of them has transformer beds — two comfortable lower beds (800x2000) or a double bed (1400x2000) and an extra bed upstairs with bed linen and towels, bedside tables, a coffee table with armchairs, a wardrobe, as well as sockets, a washbasin with room temperature water and a toilet;
the showers are in a separate building, with heating, hot water, hairdryer, shampoo and shower gel;
Furako sauna on the shore of Lake Ladoga — heated outdoor wooden font;
Russian sauna with panoramic window on Ladoga;
a campfire area with seating.

14 more photos

Tour conditions

Group

From 3 to 4 tourists

Minimum age

7 years old

Duration

3 days 2 nights

Group meets at

St. Petersburg, Pulkovo airport

Included in price

double accommodation in glamping (2 nights);
three meals a day according to the program (except dinner on the last day);
services of experienced guides, instructors, captains, pilots and chefs;
transportation services along the route (helicopter, boat, motorboats);
Kizhi Tour;
Valaam City Tour;
Ladoga Skerries tour.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to St. Petersburg and back;
visit to the Church of the Transfiguration on Kizhi (optional);
dinner on the last day of the program (optional);
single room in the dome – 15,000 rubles (optional);
furako sauna – 7,000 rubles/session for up to 2 hours and up to 4 people (optional);
Russian sauna – 9,000 rubles/ session for up to 2 hours and up to 4 people. (each additional person + 500 rub., comfortable for up to 6 people) (optional);
souvenirs (optional).

It's important to know

Personal belongings and equipment:

documents in sealed packaging: passport, medical policy;
backpack or travel bag;
sunglasses and sunscreen and after sunburn;
an individual first aid kit;
personal hygiene products;
change of underwear;
bathing accessories and slates (for visiting the furako baths).

Clothing and shoes:

comfortable sportswear for outdoor walks (according to the weather);
2 pairs of shoes: trekking boots / rubber boots + sneakers / lightweight replacement boots;
waterproof and windproof clothes for traveling on the lake;
headdress (cap, panama hat, sports hat).

Dates and Prices

Individual dates available on request

21 May – 31 Aug

Submit request
No need to pay now
from
$5,362

23 – 25 May 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
from
$5,362

13 – 15 Jun 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
from
$5,362

27 – 29 Jun 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
from
$5,362

6 – 8 Jul 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
from
$5,362

20 – 22 Jul 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
from
$5,362

10 – 12 Aug 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
from
$5,362

22 – 24 Aug 3 days 2 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now

VIP tour. Flying over Karelia