Winter Kizhi: snowmobile safari

The pleasure of a trip through the snow-covered Karelian expanses harmoniously complements the aesthetic pleasure of contemplating the splendor of the wooden architecture of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve.

With a group request of 6 people or more, it is possible to organize a tour in individual terms.

Location

Petrozavodsk
from
$578
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
2 Days
1 Night
Departures
  • Group departures
    • 1 – 2 Feb, 2025
    • 8 – 9 Feb, 2025
    • 15 – 16 Feb, 2025
    • 1 – 2 Mar, 2025
    • 15 – 16 Mar, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Guest House
    1 night
Comfort
  • Basic+
Difficulty
Moderate
Low physical intensity for amateurs and non-experienced travelers
Group
Up to 16 people
Minimum age
12 years old
Group meet at
Petrozavodsk
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

The incredible Kizhi Island
Let's feel the excitement of touching the masterpiece of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
Snowmobile Delight
Let's experience the drive of riding a snowmobile through the endless icy expanses of Lake Onega
A new experience
Let's learn how to drive a snowmobile and cook red fish in an unusual way
Juicy cuisine
Let's try the dishes of Karelian cuisine: traditional pastries, cranberries in sugar and cloudberry jam
Wooden architecture
We will see the ancient buildings of Zaonezhye, the "fallen asleep" Karelian villages in winter landscapes

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Snowmobiling through the ancient "fallen asleep" and abandoned villages of Zaonezhye

    Meeting of the group at the Petrozavodsk railway station (according to the arrival time of train No. 018 from Moscow).

    We meet in Petrozavodsk under the spire of the railway station and go for breakfast.

    We get to know other tour participants better.

    We get on the bus – it takes a little more than an hour to drive.

    In the ancient village of Gorka, we are greeted by instructors – brave funny guys. They help you choose the equipment: overalls, waterproof shoes, balaclava, helmet, gloves.

    We go through the briefing and go out on the ice of Lake Onega, the second largest lake in Europe.

    Millions of years ago, a glacier passed through these places, leaving us with an amazingly beautiful landscape.

    We accelerate and feel incredible freedom, conquering the icy expanses.

    Ancient Karelian villages are scattered all over the Zaonezhye – the northern part of the lake, indented by bays and elongated shores. Most villages are deserted, but wooden chapels and churches still tower over the area, steadfastly preserving history.

    We drive into the village of Pegrema, an example of the wooden architecture of Zaonezhye. No well-trodden paths, no smoke from chimneys. The inhabitants left it 50 years ago. Roofs collapsed in huge two-storey houses, and only the chapel of Varlaam Khutynsky from the 1770s was preserved intact thanks to caring people.

    We're having a picnic. The instructors prepare a red fish for us on a log, while conducting a master class. We drink tea and help ourselves to cloudberry jam.

    We continue on our way, following the recreation center.

    We are staying in a guest house located on the shore of Lake Onega, 1 km away. from the world-famous monument of Russian wooden architecture "Kizhi", the village of Yersnevo.

    We have dinner and go to the hot Karelian bathhouse.

    Distance: 100 km on snowmobiles.

    3 more photos
  • Day 2 - Kizhi Island tour. The village of Yuzhny Dvor. Return to Petrozavodsk
Difficulty
Low physical intensity for amateurs and non-experienced travelers

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Guest House
    1 night
Comfort
  • Basic+

The tour includes accommodation in a guest house.

The cost of the tour is for 1 person with double occupancy (group of 4 people or more):

  • 2 people on a snowmobile — 49,400 rubles/person;
  • 1 person on a snowmobile — 69,700 rubles/person.
Guest House 1 night

The guest house is located on the shore of Lake Onega, at a distance of 1 kilometer from the Kizhi Museum – Reserve, some rooms overlook the Transfiguration Church, there is a cafe on the ground floor. 

The house is equipped with centralized electricity, water supply (artesian well), sewerage, ventilation. 

Satellite TV is available in the lobby on the second floor. Free Wi-Fi is available.

The management and maintenance of the guest house is carried out by members of the Yelupov family, who have been living in the village of Yersnevo for several centuries, which allows you to bring family coziness and comfort to the hotel's atmosphere.

Double Room:
Two 1-bedroom beds, rooms are equipped with all necessary, environmentally friendly furniture, bathroom and shower in the room.

Triple Room:
Three 1-bedroom beds, rooms are equipped with all necessary, environmentally friendly furniture, bathroom and shower in the room.

Tour conditions

Group
up to 16 tourists
Minimum age
12 years old
Duration
2 days 1 night
Group meets at
Petrozavodsk

Included in price

  • transportation services according to the program;
  • meals according to the program;
  • accommodation according to the program: 2 people in a double room (1 night);
  • sauna (2 hours);
  • the work of instructors and an accompanying translator/guide;
  • snowmobile and equipment rental, fuel;
  • a master class on cooking red fish;
  • tour of Karelian villages with a visit to ancient chapels;
  • walking tour of Kizhi island.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Petrozavodsk and back;
  • additional day of accommodation;
  • insurance of medical and other unforeseen expenses — from 100 rubles/person/day.

It's important to know

Personal equipment you need for the tour
  1. Backpack or travel bag. It is highly undesirable to bring things in a suitcase, because it does not fit into the trunk of a snowmobile and is inconvenient to transport.
  2. Clothing for an active snowmobile day:
    • thermal underwear (pants and jacket);
    • comfortable warm sportswear is an optimal suit for snowboarding or downhill skiing. We recommend not to come in jeans, because they restrict movement and do not warm;
    • fleece jacket or sweater;
    • socks should be on your feet (thin cotton + necessarily warm wool);
    • gloves and a hat.
  3. The form of clothing for an active day on the husky:
    • The same as for a snowmobile day, BUT it is important to note that no additional equipment is provided when riding a husky. You're riding in your clothes. The exception is the programs in which you come to the sled dog kennel on snowmobiles. In this case, you will remain in snowmobile gear.
  4. We recommend having a protective mask (for snowboarding), it will protect your face from wind and small splashes while riding a husky. If there is no such mask, you can use a balaclava or an ordinary scarf for this purpose.
  5. A set of clothes for the night:
    • a set of spare underwear;
    • comfortable shorts/sweatpants and T-shirt;
    • slippers or warm socks.
  6. For a trip to the sauna:
    • a swimsuit (if you need one);
    • slates/sandals for sports.
  7. Shoes: comfortable warm shoes WITHOUT heels.
  8. Personal items:
    • personal hygiene products (individual shower sets (shampoo, soap) are available in the rooms at the recreation center;
    • individual first aid kit;
    • hair dryer (if you need it);
  9. Documents:
    • passport;
    • medical insurance policy (photocopy is available).
  10. Money. 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.

If you wear glasses, then you should remember that under the helmet the shackles can press and cause discomfort. Also, from your breathing under the helmet, the glasses fog up, and freeze quickly in the cold. Also, the glasses fog up when you want to go into a warm room from the cold. If possible, lenses should be provided.

Clothing should be suitable for outdoor activities (extreme types of tourism), that is, not to interfere with movement, protect from adverse environmental factors, and meet special safety requirements for the type of extreme tourism.

What kind of equipment is provided on the route?
What are the rules of conduct on the route?
What are the rules to follow when driving a snowmobile?
What are the rules for the operation and storage of equipment and equipment?
Can a child take part in a snowmobile tour?
How can I prepare for the tour?
Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?
Is insurance included in the price of the tour?
Are there any possible changes in the program?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification
  • Individual dates available on request
    14 Feb – 15 Mar, 2025
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $578
    1 – 2 Feb, 2025 2 days 1 night
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $578
    8 – 9 Feb, 2025 2 days 1 night
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $578
    15 – 16 Feb, 2025 2 days 1 night
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $578
    1 – 2 Mar, 2025 2 days 1 night
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $578
    15 – 16 Mar, 2025 2 days 1 night
    Submit request
    No need to pay now