The palette of Karelia and St. Petersburg

An exciting journey through two picturesque regions of Russia.

8 days of vivid impressions, colorful places and amazing stories are waiting for you. You will go to the mysterious corners of Karelia and get acquainted with the traditional culture of the northern people and the peculiarities of the region.

And then you will plunge into the atmosphere of the great and majestic St. Petersburg, visit the famous sights, stroll along the embankments of the Neva River, visit the Faberge Museum and see the splendor of Tsarskoye Selo and Peterhof.

Location

Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk
from
$371
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
8 Days
7 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • 19 – 26 May
    • 9 – 16 June
    • 16 – 23 June
    • 23 – 30 June
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    7 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale
  • Premium
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
Up to 50 tourists
Minimum age
5 years old
Group meet at
Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Ethnic immersion
At the national master classes, we will get acquainted with the traditional culture of the northern people and the peculiarities of the region, we will cook traditional rupittetu (gates) from rye flour
Flexible program
Additional excursions in Karelia will make your stay unforgettable
Excursion to the Faberge Museum in the Shuvalov Palace
We will see the most valuable and famous items in the museum's collection – 9 imperial Easter eggs created by Carl Gustav Faberge
The historical heritage of Tsarskoye Selo and Peterhof
An amazing journey into the history and luxury of a place associated with the imperial family awaits you
Girvas Volcano
We will see a unique geological object, the oldest (about 2 billion years old) a crater in Karelia
The first Russian resort "Marcial Waters"
We will visit the health resort, which was advertised throughout Europe by Peter the Great himself

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Arrival in Petrozavodsk. The Karelian Upper Room program. A master class on making wickets

    The group gathers at the Petrozavodsk railway station at 07:50 at car No. 10 upon arrival of train No. 018A.

    A guide with a sign "Karelia".

    Departure for an excursion program To the "cultural capital" of Karelia - Kondopoga.

    Transit stop at a cafe in Kondopoga.

    Breakfast buffet.

    The program "Melodies of Karelia". Performed by the ensemble, we will reveal the archaism and modernity of the region with its melodies, poetry, rhythms, and culture.

    The Karelian Upper Room program. At the national master classes we will get acquainted with the traditional culture of the northern people and the peculiarities of the region. Let's sit down at a wide table and, under the guidance of an experienced craftsman, prepare traditional rupittetu (gates) from rye flour.

    We will learn a lot of interesting things about the history of the Karelian doll and work on making a souvenir from Karelia. The result of the work will be a charm doll. Let's touch the strings of the ancient Finno-Ugric kantele and get our first lessons on the instrument. Let the "Karelian psaltery" sing about the wind, about a warm house, there will always be happiness and prosperity in it. The song "Letka-enka" will play and beckon you to take each other's hands. Let's hug a friend by the shoulders, wink at a friend in a Finnish dance.

    Tea drinking with products of our own production - gates.

    Accommodation in the rooms of the Karelia 3* hotel.

    Additionally: (to be booked upon purchase of the tour)

    Relaxing in a pine forest on the Shuya River with a picnic or rafting on inflatable rafts along the river:

    Safe rafting on the Shuya River + picnic + tasting of national drinks for adults.

    The duration of the rafting together with the transfer: about 6 hours.

    • The cost, including a picnic with alcohol tasting for adults: 2,750 rubles/adult, 2,300 rubles/child.
    • The cost of a picnic (without rafting) for an adult (with tasting): 1,750 rubles /person, 1,300 rubles/child.

    For those going on a picnic, rest in a pine forest, walking through the forest, swimming in the river, picking berries and mushrooms (according to the season).

    A shared picnic by the campfire.

    The menu includes Karelian trout soup, buckwheat with stew, salad of fresh vegetables, hot tea with lemon and biscuits. And, of course, the "winning" 150 grams of Karelian alcoholic beverages for adults.

    Return to the hotel.

    For non-rafting trips: lunch, dinner at the hotel (buffet/the cover is paid on the spot, the cost is 480 rubles/person).

    Additionally: Organ music concert. (to be booked upon purchase of the tour)

    The "Main King of Kondopoga" invites you to the Palace of Arts with marble statues, painted ceilings and luminous staircases.

    • The cost is 550 rubles/adult, 350 rubles/child.
    1 more photo
  • Day 2 - Free day. Excursions to choose from
  • Day 3 - Free day. Excursions to choose from
  • Day 4 - Free day. Excursions to choose from
  • Day 5 - Girvas volcano. Kivach Nature Reserve and Waterfall
  • Day 6 - Bus sightseeing tour of St. Petersburg. Excursion to the Faberge Museum in the Shuvalov Palace
  • Day 7 - Bus tour "Under the shadow of the Tsarskoye Selo Gardens"
  • Day 8 - Bus tour "Along the old Peterhof road". Peterhof
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    7 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale
  • Premium

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel for 4 nights in Karelia and 3 nights in St. Petersburg. 

The cost of the tour depends on the accommodation, the price is for 1 person in rubles:

Karelia 3* (Kondopoga), buffet breakfast + Moscow 4* (Saint Petersburg), buffet breakfast

Check-in dates

 

Double room with separate beds

Triple

(2 main+additional cr.)

Single AdultDouble room with separate beds

Triple

(2 main+additional cr.)

Single room
Standard + StandardStandard + Comfort
01.07-19.08.24338503325049750356503445053200

Karelia 3* (Kondopoga), buffet breakfast + Dostoevsky 4* (St. Petersburg), buffet breakfast

Check-in dates

 

Double room with separate bedsSingle roomTriple (2 main+additional beds)
Standard + StandardStandard + Superior.
08.07-19.08.24338504870034150

Karelia 3* (Kondopoga), buffet breakfast + Yard Residence Apart Hotel 4* (Saint Petersburg), continental breakfast

Check-in dates

 

Double with twin beds + Double with double bedSingle roomDouble room with separate beds

Triple

(2 main+additional cr.)

Single room
Standard + SmartStandard + Studio
15.07-19.08.243550053500358003445054250

Discount for children under 14 years old: 1,700 rubles.

Discount for children aged 14-16: 800 rubles.

Discount for pensioners (if there is a pension certificate): 500 rubles.

Karelia 4 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: on the 1st floor there is a dentist 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
Moscow or Dostoevsky or 3 nights

Tour conditions

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

Included in price

  • habitation;
  • breakfast after the first night;
  • guided tours and daily transportation services according to the program;
  • museum tickets;
  • guide support;
  • tickets for the Swallow Petrozavodsk-St. Petersburg.

In Karelia:

  • transport services in Karelia;
  • habitation;
  • 5 breakfasts;
  • tea party with gates, guided tour service according to the program;
  • animation program;
  • guide support.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Petrozavodsk and back from St. Petersburg;
  • meals not specified in the tour program;
  • additional excursions;
  • lunches and dinners in Karelia: (to be paid on site if desired) — 480 rubles for 1 lunch/dinner;
  • the resort fee of 100 rubles / day will be paid by guests directly at the hotel, and cannot be included in the tourist package (from 04/01/2024, an experiment on the introduction of a resort fee will start in St. Petersburg);
  • private transfer.

It's important to know

Are the tickets included in the tour price?

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

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 discounts on the tour?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification
  • from
    $371
    19 – 26 May 8 days 7 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $371
    9 – 16 Jun 8 days 7 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $371
    16 – 23 Jun 8 days 7 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $371
    23 – 30 Jun 8 days 7 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $371
    30 Jun – 7 Jul 8 days 7 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now

Reviews

  • A
    Anna
    about provider
    13 Feb, 2025
    My daughter and I took the St. Petersburg Collection tour for 7 days, and I highly recommend it for first-time visitors to the city like us. The tour is well-designed, allowing you to see the main attractions in a short period of time. A great advantage is that you can join on any day. Everything was well-organized—excellent guides, comfortable buses, and provided radio headsets for better communication. There were no delays or long waits. The schedule was planned in a way that left plenty of free time in the evenings for walks or additional sightseeing. The tour package includes hotel accommodation, with several options to choose from. I stayed at the Rossiya Hotel near Pobeda Park and was very satisfied. The rooms were clean, with daily housekeeping, fresh towels, and air conditioning—which was perfect given the pleasant temperatures of 24–30°C during our stay. A buffet breakfast was included—simple but sufficient to start the day. It was really convenient, as we would bring a small snack for the day and have dinner somewhere in central St. Petersburg. The hotel is within walking distance of the blue metro line, making it easy to reach the city center without transfers. There’s also a supermarket nearby, along with plenty of street food options. It’s also worth mentioning that additional excursions are available. We took a boat trip to the forts of Kronstadt and joined a nighttime tour to see the city's famous drawbridges—both were unforgettable experiences
  • E
    Elena
    about provider
    12 Feb, 2025
    First and foremost, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our personal manager in Big Country, Ksenia, for carefully selecting a tour that matched our preferences and for swiftly handling the changes to our group size. We had six unforgettable days on the banks of the Neva River! A huge thank you for the well-organized excursions, led by true professionals—Irina and Olga. We would be delighted to recommend traveling with Big Country to our friends and family!
  • M
    Margarita
    about provider
    12 Feb, 2025
    Many thanks to Big Country for the tour—everything was top-notch! We’ll definitely be back. Thank you!