Weekends in Karelia and St. Petersburg

We invite you to get acquainted with the ceremonial St. Petersburg and the land of amazing nature - Karelia.

You will visit the Ruskeala Mountain Park, admire the Kivach and Akhvenkoski waterfalls, see the Girvas volcano and Lake Palaeozero.

Additionally, in Karelia you can take water trips to the islands of Valaam, Kizhi, Solovki, go on excursions to the Museum Petrozavodsk and Kemska Volost, take a ride on Lake Onega or rafting on the Shuya River.

And while staying in St. Petersburg, you will visit the Petrovsky Water Area, Pavlovsk and the Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich.

Location

Republic of Karelia, Sortavala
from
$340
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
7 Days
6 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • Dates for next season
    • 12 – 18 June, 2025
    • 19 – 25 June, 2025
    • 26 June – 2 July, 2025
    • 3 – 9 July, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    6 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale
  • Premium
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
Up to 50 people
Minimum age
5 years old
Group meet at
Republic of Karelia, Sortavala
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

A big tour of St. Petersburg
You will visit the ceremonial center of modern St. Petersburg and see the Petrovskaya Aquatoria
The business card of Karelia
Go to the Ruskeala Mountain Park and admire the turquoise waters of Lake Marmara
The first Russian resort
Taste the healing mineral water from 3 springs at the Marcial Waters resort
Pavlovsk Palace and Park
Visit the summer residence of Emperor Paul I and stroll through one of the most beautiful parks in the world
Flexible program
You will spend 4 days in Karelia and will be able to choose additional programs to your taste
Interesting activities
If desired, go rafting on the Shuya River, get acquainted with sled dogs and play Karelian bowling

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Sortavala. Ruskeala Mountain Park. Valaam Island (for an additional fee)

    Gathering of the group at the railway station in Sortavaly at 08:22. Guide with a sign "Karelia". 

    08:30 And now we are on the shore of the boundless Ladoga, the city of Sortavala descends to it like a stone fan.

    For an additional fee, we offer: 

    09:00 Excursion "Legendary Northern Athos..." (Valaam Island) (booked strictly upon purchase of the tour).

    Cost: adult — 4,400 rubles, child up to and including 12 years — 2,200 rubles.

    The time of a water trip on a meteor is 45 minutes in one direction. 

    During the main tour: acquaintance with the central estate of the monastery and a visit to the majestic architectural monument — the active Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior, where the relics of the founders of the monastery Herman and Sergius of Valaam rest. 

    The time spent on Valaam Island is ~ 2 hours.

    13:00 Return to the city of Sortavala.

    For those who did not go on the tour:

    Sightseeing tour of Sortavale (Serdobol). 

    Nicholas Roerich called it one of the few places on Earth where there is a special breath. 

    During the tour, we will walk through the ancient streets of the city, inspect the Singing Field, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built at the expense of St. Petersburg merchants Eliseev in the Russian style designed by architect N. P. Grebenka and climb the observation deck — Mount Kukhavuori

    Free time in Sortavala for an independent lunch (~2.5 hours).

    For the whole group:

    Transfer to the Ruskeala Mountain Park, on the way stop for a photo shoot at the Akhvenkoski Waterfall (the filming location of the film "And the dawns are quiet here...").

    The Ruskeala Mountain Park is a picturesque monument of nature and mining. 

    Emerald-colored groundwater, bizarre outlines of steep cliffs, mysterious tunnels and grottoes

    It was here that marble was mined for a long time to decorate the cathedrals and palaces of St. Petersburg. 

    On the way to the park, the guide will tell you about the appearance of the Marble Lake, and upon arrival you will have the opportunity to explore the land part of the park yourself. 

    The total time spent in the park is 2.5 hours.

    We leave for the "cultural capital" of Karelia — the city of Kondopoga.

    Approximately at 21:30 accommodation in the rooms of the Karelia hotel ***.

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  • Day 2 - Free day. Additional excursions
  • Day 3 - Free day. Additional excursions
  • Day 4 - Girvas volcano. The Kivach Nature Reserve. Lake Palaeozero. The resort "Marcial waters". Transfer to St. Petersburg
  • Day 5 - Great sightseeing tour of St. Petersburg
  • Day 6 - Pavlovsk — tour of the palace and park
  • Day 7 - Excursion "Palaces of St. Petersburg and their owners"
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    6 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale
  • Premium

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel in Karelia (3 nights) and in St. Petersburg (3 nights).

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

Karelia 3* (Kondopoga), buffet breakfast + Valo Business 4* (Saint Petersburg), buffet breakfast:

Check-in datesDouble with
separate beds
Single room
Standard + Comfort
13.06–25.0734 35047 100
01.08–15.0834 05046 050

Karelia 3* (Kondopoga), buffet breakfast + Comfort Port Ligovsky 29 4* (Saint Petersburg), buffet breakfast:

Check-in datesDouble room with separate bedsTriple
(2 main+additional cr.)
Single roomTriple
(2 main+additional cr.)
Standard + Smart (formerly Smart Plus)Standard + Superior
04.07–15.0834 80034 80048 30037 350

Discounts:

  • for children up to and including 13 years old — 1,400 rubles.;
  • children aged 14-16 — 1,000 rubles.;
  • for students (full—time Russian State universities) - 400 rubles.;
  • for pensioners (if there is a pension certificate on the tour) — 400 rubles.

Check—out time in hotels is 12:00. Guaranteed check-in after 15:00. 

"Karelia" 3 nights

The Karelia Hotel is located in the city of Kondopoga, not far from Lake Onega. A wide range of services is provided to guests here: there is a dentist on the 1st floor and a taxi service. 

Free access to an uninterrupted Wi-Fi network is available throughout the territory. All floors are equipped with coolers with cold and hot water, as well as a refrigerator and places for eating.

The hotel has 99 comfortable rooms. All of them are divided into categories such as "standard", "suite", and there is also a family unit and beds in dormitories. Each of them is equipped with comfortable sleeping places and high-quality furniture. The rooms are equipped with a private bathroom.

There is a cozy cafe on the 2nd floor of the building, where you can not only have a delicious and satisfying meal, but also have a good time. You can also use the tea set for free or drink coffee with sweets. You can reheat ready-made food in a microwave oven.

A sled dog kennel is located 100 m from the hotel, on Tokarskaya Embankment. Nearby there is a mini zoo, a water station, as well as a Sami chum with a bonfire. Petrozavodsk Airport is 46 km away, and Kondopoga Train Station is 1.5 km away.

6 more photos
"Valo Business" or "Comfort Port Ligovsky 29" 3 nights

Tour conditions

Group
up to 50 tourists
Minimum age
5 years old
Duration
7 days 6 nights
Group meets at
Republic of Karelia, Sortavala

Included in price

  • habitation;
  • breakfast;
  • guided tours and daily transportation services according to the program;
  • tickets to museums according to the program;
  • guide support.

In Karelia:

  • transport services in Karelia;
  • habitation;
  • 3 breakfasts;
  • guided tour service according to the program;
  • guide support.

Paid extra

  • railway tickets to Sortavala and back from St. Petersburg;
  • meals not included in the tour program;
  • the resort fee, paid directly at the hotel, is not included in the tourist package (from 04/01/2024 an experiment on the introduction of a resort fee starts in St. Petersburg) — 100 rubles/day;
  • additional excursions (options for excursions in the Karelia tour are booked strictly together with the purchase of the tour);
  • additional payment for foreign tickets (excluding the CIS) — 300 rubles. 

It's important to know

Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?

Railway tickets to Sortavala and return air and railway tickets from St. Petersburg are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

A train ticket from Petrozavodsk to St. Petersburg on the fourth day of the tour is included in the price.

Is insurance included in the price of the tour?
What is the check-out time at the hotel?
What are the discounts on the tour?
What important information do you need to know about the tour?
Are there any possible changes in the program?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification
  • from
    $343
    12 – 18 Jun, 2025 7 days 6 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $343
    19 – 25 Jun, 2025 7 days 6 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $343
    26 Jun – 2 Jul, 2025 7 days 6 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $343
    3 – 9 Jul, 2025 7 days 6 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $343
    10 – 16 Jul, 2025 7 days 6 nights
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    No need to pay now

Reviews

  • M
    Maria
    19 Nov, 2024
    about provider
    The tour was absolutely wonderful! I fell in love with the city! The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and engaging, sharing fascinating stories and little-known facts about the lives of the emperors that you won’t find in ordinary history books (they even recited poetry at times). I was thoroughly impressed with the entire experience and will definitely be coming back next year
    19 Nov, 2024
  • I
    Irina
    18 Nov, 2024
    about provider
    Thank you to the tour team for a fantastic experience! The hotel was great, the food delicious, and the excursions both informative and enjoyable. Overall, everything was excellent—we couldn’t be happier!
    18 Nov, 2024
  • SM
    Svetlana Matafonova
    5 Nov, 2024
    about provider
    The tour organization is impeccable.
    5 Nov, 2024