Winter wonders on bends. Individual tour to Karelia

Breakfast (buffet).

One-day jeep tour along the route: "Petrozavodsk — Tsarevichi — Marcial Waters resort — Girvas volcano — Kivach waterfall" with lunch.

This optimal combination of an active and sightseeing component will allow you to enjoy driving a real SUV, see the beauty of Karelia and visit "iconic" sites.

The duration is 8 hours.

Meeting at the hotel.

Seating in jeeps (2-3 people + an instructor), getting to know the instructors.

Departure from the city along the Kola highway, in the direction of the village of Girvas.

A short stop along the way to contemplate the beautiful views of the islands of Lake Conchesero, opening from Mount Sampo.

This hill was so named after filming in these places in 1959, the film of the same name based on the Karelian epic Kalevala, where Sampo is a wonderful mill, a one—of-a-kind magical object with magical power and is a source of happiness, well-being and abundance.

We visit the first Russian resort — "Marcial Waters", founded in 1719 by decree of Peter 1, on healing springs, the water from which is still used by visitors of the sanatorium for therapeutic and preventive purposes, as it contains a large amount of iron and other trace elements.

And we have the opportunity to taste water from 3 springs, as well as buy souvenirs from Karelian producers.

At the entrance to the village of Girvas, we cross the dry riverbed of the Suna River by a dam — one of the hydraulic structures of the Palaeozersk hydroelectric power station.

When the water level in the system of lakes forming the reservoir rises to a critical level, floodgates are opened here and water is discharged.

It's an impressive sight, but extremely rare.

Hydroelectric power plant and Girvas volcano — we descend to the lava tongues of the oldest volcano in the channel of the idle spillway of the hydroelectric power plant — a rocky slope formed by molten rock of more than 2.5 billion years ago, during the formation of the Earth's crust.

The beginning of the off—road part of our route is along the channel of the Pioneer Canal.

A preliminary briefing on safety and the basics of driving a car in off-road conditions.

Tourists get behind the wheel.

An instructor is present in each car and monitors safety on the route.

It is necessary to follow his instructions and observe the recommended driving speed.

Turn on the four-wheel drive and start driving along the forest road.

We overcome off-road areas, sand pits, a swampy lake shore, ascents and descents.

We continue to move, improve our off-road driving skills, make photo stops in interesting places: an abandoned airfield, as well as a Port threshold - a place on the section of the Suna River, where the filming of the modern version of the film "And the Dawns are Quiet Here" took place in 2015.

Lunch at a cafe at a country recreation center.

Visit to the Kivach Nature Reserve.

Sightseeing of the waterfall of the same name on the Suna River, one of the largest Karelian rivers.

The height of the waterfall is about 11 meters (water falls from several ledges).

It is one of the largest lowland waterfalls in Europe.

We will visit the arboretum and the museum of Karelian nature.

Departure to Petrozavodsk.

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast (buffet).

Room release.

Departure for an excursion to the Ruskeala Mountain Park, we take our things with us (260 km from Petrozavodsk).

On the way, stop at a picturesque place near Ruskeala waterfalls.

The shooting of the cult Soviet film "And the dawns are quiet here" took place here.

Now it is a great place for walks and photo shoots in nature.

A ground tour of the mountain park as part of a group*. 

For 300 years, marble has been mined here to decorate the palaces and temples of the Northern capital. 

A Marble lake was formed in a huge man-made bowl, which is now admired by numerous tourists. 

The rock grotto and tunnels cut into the rocks, the Italian quarry, the Marble Square will make an indelible impression on you. 

There are no analogues of this unique natural object either in Russia or in Europe!

*Individual excursions are provided subject to technical availability with an additional fee!

For an additional fee: 

• excursion "Underground Ruskeala" (from December 4, 2023, the route will be closed for repairs, the exact date of their completion is not known);
• Trolls over Marble Lake (zip-line);
• bungee; 
• visit to the historical and cultural center;
• horseback riding through the territory of the mountain park on a sleigh (maximum 4 people, duration 30-40 minutes, it is better to book in advance), the cost is 5,500 rubles per group.

There are several cafes and souvenir shops on the territory of the mountain park.

Additional services are purchased directly on site, at the ticket offices of the mountain park.

They are not booked in advance.

From the mountain park, we recommend taking the Ruskeala Express retro train along the Ruskeala — Sortavala route — this interesting journey will take place in the atmosphere of the early twentieth century.

There is even a "Royal compartment" and a dining car on the train!

Buy train tickets in advance on the Russian Railways website (tickets are not included in the tour price).

Departure home from Sortavala by train:

• 18:45 to St. Petersburg No. 822H "Swallow" (arrival at 22:43);
• 20:25 to Moscow No. 160A (arrival at 10:16 the next day).

It is also possible to return to Petrozavodsk and leave Petrozavodsk.

If tourists want to extend their holidays in Karelia, we will book additional accommodation in a hotel or in a country club.