Rafting on the Umba River with access to the White Sea

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The beauty of northern nature is not open to everyone, but anyone who has ever really seen the North will never be able to forget this harsh, but at the same time, touching land.

The Umba River route is one of the best water routes along the Kola Peninsula.

The absence of settlements, remoteness from large cities, places untouched by civilization, make this river attractive to people who are not indifferent not only to sports, but also to the beauty of the surrounding world.

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

Location

G. Apatity

Rafting

from

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

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Tour highlights

Sports rafting on catamarans

We will walk along the Umba River and go out into the White Sea

Petroglyphs on Lake Kanozero

We will see rock carvings that date back to the 2-3 millennium BC

The White Sea

Enjoy the views of the sea and take a walk along the shore

Itinerary

Day 1 - Rafting on the Umba River to Lake. Medium cabbage
08:00 We will meet at the railway station in Apatity, get acquainted with the instructors — you will easily find them, they will be in blue T-shirts.
We get into minibuses and move out to the starting point — the Umba River, 30 km on the way.
We set up camp on the spot and cook lunch.
During a delicious lunch, the instructors will introduce you to general information about the upcoming route, answer all your questions.
After lunch on the shore, we begin to prepare for the river: we assemble catamarans and inflate rafts, instructors conduct mandatory instruction on water safety and rowing techniques, show how to properly operate a watercraft and how to carry out rescue operations.
We get helmets, life jackets and paddles, and pack all personal and general items in waterproof bags.
We are divided into crews depending on the level of training and wishes.
We launch our vessels into the water, and already in practice we consolidate the theory — training sessions on the water.
Route for today: por. Padun (3-4 k.s.) — Cabbage lakes — por. Upper cabbage (2 k.s.) — lake. Medium cabbage, 19 km.
The Umba River is one of the largest rivers of the Kola Peninsula, flowing from the largest and deepest lake of the peninsula — Umbozera.
The Padun Threshold is one of the most difficult and picturesque rapids on the Umba. The threshold consists of four steps, each ending in a small waterfall.
We pass it after a mandatory inspection from the shore. Instructors explain the sequence of actions to each crew member.
We definitely make a video recording of the passage so that the memory of the first serious test remains for a long time.
After the Padun threshold, there are not many obstacles waiting for us today, several rifts, Kapustnoye Lake and the powerful beautiful Upper Kapustny threshold.
We get up for the night on the Sredny Kapustnoye lake.
We set up a camp and participate in cooking dinner together.
Dinner and overnight in the field.
Day 2 - Lake. Medium cabbage — pore. The robber is a thief. Sevenfold — Pearl ples — pore. Karezhka
The route to date: Lake. Medium cabbage — pore. The robber is a thief. Sevenfold (1 k. s.) — Pearl patch. Karezhka, 21 km.
Based on the conditions of the route, there is a hot lunch or snack on the way.
After a hearty breakfast and warm-up, we discuss plans for the day, assemble the camp and prepare to go out on the water.
In the morning, we continue to practice rowing, learn to keep up the pace — this is facilitated by a route without obstacles.
We pass through the lakes Sredny Kapustnoye and Nizhnyaya Kapustnoye to the first rapids — a total of about 8 km.
While rowing, we enjoy the nature around: the shores are low, overgrown with northern spruce forest, and what a sky in these places!
The first serious threshold catches up with us after about 1.5 hours — the Robber threshold (2-3 k.s.). Its length is about a kilometer.
Here there is a great opportunity to work out the skill of maneuvering, and for the captains of the crews — quick decision-making, because the threshold is a wide channel with a large number of stones, shafts and small barrels.
After the Robber threshold, there is a great parking place where we will cook a hot lunch, share our impressions of the rafting, recharge our batteries and go further along the route.
We continue our rafting.
The Sevenfold threshold awaits us, its length is about 7 km, but the most interesting and difficult thing when passing this threshold, of course, awaits us at the very beginning, and then there is a large shiver with good speed among the rock garden and pleasant fishing.
Until the next threshold, we sail along a beautiful stretch of the Pearl Ples River: steep sandy shores with tall pines. Here in the 17th and 19th centuries the shells of the river pearl oyster were mined, hence the name of the place.
Pearl barley (or freshwater pearl oyster) produces smaller grains of different shapes and colors, unlike tropical mollusks. Significant damage to pearl oyster production was caused by poachers, so mass pearl mining was suspended here.
Without inspection, we will pass the simple threshold of the Karezhka.
And you can choose a parking place.
We set up camp, cook dinner and spend time around the campfire with stories, memories and games.
Day 3 - Por. Karezhka — por. Karelian is a port. Kanozersky — lake. Kanozero
Route of the day: por. Karezhka — pore. Karelian is a port. Kanozersky (3 k. s.) — lake. Kanozero, 25 km.
We have breakfast and set off again after discussing the route for today.
As a warm-up, without inspection from the shore, we pass the threshold of the Karezhka. A government cottage with its own helipad is visible on the shore.
The next obstacle on our way will be the kilometer-long Karelian threshold (2k.s.): a wide shiver with surface and underwater rocks, local barrels and shafts.
In the next section, the river overflows, so the instructors will help us safely pass it without running aground and swimming ashore at full speed. After all, our task is to relax and remember this adventure as the best.
An interesting and incredibly beautiful threshold awaits us immediately after — the Kanozersky threshold (3 k.s.).
We definitely inspect it from the shore before passing, we discuss an interesting and safe way for each of the crews. And the high left bank will be an excellent platform for photographers and videographers.
We will definitely capture the process of passing the threshold, the shots are amazing!
The current leads us to Lake Kanozero.
Along the eastern shore, the Kanozersky Wildlife Sanctuary is located here — a state-protected area where rare and economically and culturally interesting animals are protected, scientific research and conservation activities are carried out.
You can not hunt and fish here, collect mushrooms and berries, and you can only stay on the territory of the reserve with the permission of the administration.
But the main pearl of Kanozera are petroglyphs — rock carvings that date back to the 2-3 millennium BC.
Here you will find various scenes from the life of Neolithic people: hunting for sea animals, diverse and unrecognizable wildlife, household sketches, images of warriors, shamans and pregnant women.
There are about 1300 drawings in total! Research is still ongoing, and sometimes amazing finds do happen.
We will walk along the lake under the engine.
We set up camp on one of the sandy beaches.
We spend the day watching the sun disappear over the horizon.

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Day 4 - A day on the shore of Lake. Kanozero
Today is the day, which means that there is no need to take off the camp, there is no need to hurry anywhere.
We relax, play active games, pick berries, swim and enjoy the views.
And today we will definitely flood the bathhouse.
Compact, quickly assembled in the field, a tourist bath is the best way to relieve fatigue during a hike.
Bath procedures smooth out the effect of high doses of adrenaline, relax muscles, and relieve tension perfectly.
After the bath, we cook fragrant mulled wine!

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Day 5 - Lake Kanozero — port. Padun (2 K.S.)
Route of the day: Lake. Kanozero — por. Padun (2 k.s.), 20 km.
After a day, we do not dive headlong into difficult thresholds, we enter the mode smoothly.
We continue to explore Lake Kanozero, and at the end of the route we will pass the Padun threshold (2 km.s.).
We look at the situation and stop for a snack or cook a full hot lunch on the way.
Dinner and overnight in the field.
Day 6 - Por. Padun — por. Maly Krivets is a port. Payalka — fishing village of Umba — White Sea
Route of the day: por. Padun (2 K.S.) — por. Maly Krivets is a port. Soldering iron (3-4 k.s.) — fishing village Umba — White Sea, 23 km.
Today we will finally go out to the White Sea!
We are enjoying the passage of the last rapids, the scenery around us and how confidently we control the watercraft.
After the Maly Krivets threshold, we pass stationary fishing nets that block the entire river. They were installed to control the pink salmon population.
The Umba is a spawning river and has always been famous for its fish riches. After the nets, the Umba is quite narrow and fast.
One of the most impressive and beautiful thresholds on the Umba awaits us further — the Soldering iron threshold (3-4 k.s.).
This threshold does not depend at all on the water level in the river, it's all about its architecture: all the water in the Umba basin rushes into a narrow drain. The water drop is almost 12 meters! We pass the threshold without inspection. The main thing is not to sit on the stones at the entrance.
We pass several more rapids, and sail past the fishing village of Umba.
The fishing village of Umba: the first mention of the Pomeranian village of Umba dates back to 1466. The local name of the right—bank part of Umba is "Old Umba". The historical complex of Pomeranian buildings has been preserved here.
Before going out to the White Sea, we make a stop for a snack or a full hot lunch, warm up and rush into the sea.
We choose a place for the next parking lot already on the shore of the White Sea.

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Day 7 - Completing the route
In the morning we rest at the sea.
At low tide, we walk, explore the littoral — a section of the coast that is flooded with seawater at high tide and drained at low tide, leaving pieces of wood, shells and unique inhabitants of wet sand on the shore.
The underwater world of the White Sea is rich and peculiar.
The surface of the rocks was overgrown with soft corals, anemones, sponges and hydroids.
Starfish, crabs and shrimps crawl in the cracks and between the stones. Of the fish, catfish, sea bass, flounder, herring, cod are often found. You can see hermit crabs.
After lunch, we pack up and load everything onto catamarans.
From the parking lot to the village of Umba, we will go along the White Sea under the engine.
We dock at the shore — our journey ends.
We pack our things, change from hiking clothes to city clothes and get on the buses.
Transfer to Kandalaksha, 100 km.
19:00 Arrival in Kandalaksha.
Departure by evening trains.

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Difficulty

Does not require specific skills, but one must be in good health

Accommodation

Tent

6 nights

Comfort

Basic

The tour includes accommodation in tents. Tents are triple, check-in for 3 people.

Each participant is provided with an individual thermal insulation mat.

The surcharge for accommodation in a 2-bed tent is 1500 rubles/tour.

Please inform us about the need for a 2-bed tent when booking a tour.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the choice of watercraft, RUB.:

Rafting on a 6-seater catamaran	5 participants + instructor	25 900
Rafting on a 4-seater catamaran	3 participants + instructor (only for ready-made crew)	33 700
Rafting on a 2-, 4-, 6-seater catamaran, without an instructor	2, 4, 6 participants, without an instructor (only for ready-made crew)	20 900

Applications for participation in the tour on a 4-seater catamaran are accepted only from ready—made crews - 3 people

Applications for participation in a catamaran tour without an instructor are accepted only from ready-made crews.

The discount for children from 10 to 12 years old is 15%.

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Tour conditions

Group

up to 17 tourists

Minimum age

10 years old

Duration

7 days 6 nights

Group meets at

G. Apatity

Included in price

transportation services according to the program;
meals specified in the program;
the work of instructors;
satellite phone for emergency communication;
rental of rafting equipment: catamarans, oars, helmets, life jackets, sealed packages, motor + fuel;
rental of camp equipment: campfire equipment, tents, thermal insulation mats.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Apatity station and from Kandalaksha station;
sleeping bag rental (comfort temperature +6°, extreme 0°; paid when booking a tour) — 700 rubles/tour;
accommodation in a 2-bed tent — 1,500 rubles/tour;
rent of a neoprene suit (by prior arrangement with the manager) — 3,300 rubles/tour;
insurance of medical and other unforeseen expenses — from 100 rubles/person/day.

It's important to know

1. A backpack without a machine or a travel bag.

2. Sleeping bag (if you do not have a personal one, you can rent it from the company, payment is made when booking a trip).

3. A set of clothes for changing clothes after rafting:

a set of dry comfortable outerwear;
dry comfortable shoes and socks;
beanie/bandana/buff;
a set of spare underwear.

4. Clothes for sleeping in a tent:

warm loose clothing (if available, thermal underwear);
warm socks (woolen ones are possible) and a thin hat (nights can be cool);
for the evening, a fleece jacket / sweatshirt / jacket.

5. For a trip to the tourist bath:

individual towel;
swimsuit (boys / girls go to the bathhouse all together, groups of 8-10 people);
slates/sandals for sports.

6. Comfortable shoes without heels, 3 pairs:

one for rafting on the river;
the second one is for the camp (you can take rubber boots if it rains according to the forecast);
The third one is "urban".

7. Personal items:

knee pads (optional);
repellents (mosquitoes, midges);
flashlight with a set of spare batteries;
sunglasses and sunscreen and after sunburn, if it is sunny according to the forecast;
personal hygiene products (including toilet paper);
individual first aid kit;
small polyurethane seat mat;
portable charger;
personal tableware (mug, deep bowl, spoon).

8. Documents — passport, medical insurance policy (photocopy is possible) in an airtight package.

9. 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.

10. You can take a camera, there will be sealed packages on the rafts, in which it can be hidden at the moment of passing the threshold.

Failure to comply with safety regulations (personal safety) while on the water causes increased risks to life and health. Therefore, follow these instructions.

Before going out on the water:

listen to the safety instruction from the instructor, sign in to receive it;
match the size of the life jacket and helmet, adjust all fasteners;
take a seat on the ship so that it is comfortable and safe.

General rules on the water:

do not smoke on the ship;
do not drink alcoholic beverages on the water;
Always collect loose ropes;
keep an eye on the tightness of the packaging of things, and their secure fastening on the ship;
carefully pack the piercing and cutting objects;
do not move around the ship without warning the instructor;
always moor (tie up) the vessel when going ashore;
secure oars, helmets, life jackets when going ashore;
go ashore carefully, avoiding falling into the water, as well as on the shore on wet rocks, if necessary, ask for help from an instructor or other group members;
it is forbidden to swim and dive from the ship;
observe the interval and the order of movement of vessels set by the instructor;
you can unbutton and take off your life jacket and helmet only with the permission of the instructor;
follow the instructions and instructions of the instructor;
do not exceed the standard number of people on the ship;
when on the water in sunny weather, use sunglasses, sunscreen and cover exposed areas of the body and head;
do not stay on the water during a thunderstorm.

When passing the thresholds:

everyone can refuse to pass the threshold;
before the threshold, check the reliability of securing things, the assembly of ropes, the degree of pumping of the vessel, if something is wrong, inform the instructor;
be sure to fasten your life jacket and helmet;
check that your clothes comply with the recommendations (neoprene, closed elbows and knees, shoes attached to the leg);
secure your legs so that you hold on securely, but you can easily free yourself when the ship turns over;
do not tie yourself to the ship, do not tie an oar to yourself, etc.;
follow the instructor's commands without committing unauthorized actions.;
Do not move around the ship;
do not push off the rocks with an oar without the instructor's command;
do not jump out on the rocks or into the water without the instructor's command.

In case of contact with water:

Before difficult thresholds, ask the instructor again in detail about your actions. If possible, practice getting on the ship from the water yourself in advance, swim in a life jacket, etc.

assess the situation, do not panic (remember that you are in a life jacket);
if your or a safety vessel is nearby, swim up to it so that you are upstream, grab the harness (rail);
if the ship is far away, but you have been thrown a spanker, take the spanker and hold it firmly, without attaching it to yourself or winding it on your hand;
if you are swimming along the stream, and the threshold does not end, turn on your back, with your feet downstream, bending them slightly at the knees, and swim, controlling the paddle;
if the "barrel" does not let you go, hold your breath and try to dive down where there is a jet;
do not let go of the paddle, it will be useful for controlling the jet, for going ashore;
do not try to get to the bottom on a strong jet, avoid jamming your feet in the rocks;
if you catch a spascon, avoid wrapping it around your body, neck, etc.

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification

Individual dates available on request

30 Jun – 15 Aug, 2025

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$254

6 – 12 Jul, 2025 7 days 6 nights

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13 – 19 Jul, 2025 7 days 6 nights

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20 – 26 Jul, 2025 7 days 6 nights

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27 Jul – 2 Aug, 2025 7 days 6 nights

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3 – 9 Aug, 2025 7 days 6 nights

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