by snowmobile to the wooden domes of Kizhi island and old Karelian villages 
3 days / 2 nights
This snowmobiling itinerary will take us to the island of Kizhi in the Russian North, along the shores and across the ice of Onego lake, the 2nd largest lake in Europe. You will see the island of Kizhi with its unique multi-domed wooden church and visit usually inaccessible old Karelian villages and chapels located on the islands of Snow Necklace.
Length: 300 km
Group size: 6 persons (1 pax on snowmobile) and 12 persons (2 pax on snowmobile)
Note on duration: this 3-days tour might be combined with another 3 days snowmobile tour (e.g., Great Lakes before/after the current itinerary).
Day 1
9 AM – arrival in Petrozavodsk, the capital of Karelia, by overnight train* from Moscow (6.50 AM – arrival from St. Petersburg), meeting at the railway station, transfer a cafe, breakfast. Getting equipped, safety briefing and instructions.
11.00 AM – start your snowmobile tour (112 km) from The Petrozavodsk Gulf of the Onego lake (the 2nd largest lake in Europe) across the lake ice and along forest tracks to Ivanovsky islands – Shardonsky islands, picturesque rocky islands towering over snowdrifts – The Bolshoye Onego Gulf – Yuzhniy dvor village with St Nicholas church with an impressive belfry visible from far away – Kizhi island – Bolshoy Klimenetskiy island. Lunch on the way.
05.00 PM – arrival at a guest house, accommodation in twin rooms, banya (Russian sauna), dinner.
Day 2
Breakfast. 11.00 – start the 2nd day of snowmobiling, which will be full with discoveries. Snowmobile to the Kizhi island, the UNESCO heritage site, an open-air museum of wooden architecture with an amazing creation of the XVII-XIX centuries’ masters of the Russian North – an ensemble of traditional wooden structures - church, mills, barns, and Russian houses (izbas).
After the guided tour of Kizhi, head for the Kizhi Necklace – the islands of the Onego Lake with old wooden chapels surrounding the Kizhi island like a precious necklace. Route: Yeglov island that hosts Yeglovo village with a line of traditional peasant houses along the shore of the lake facing the tiny island with the Blessed Virgin chapel – Velikaya Guba, a large village in the south of Zaonejie peninsula – Yandomozero with its wooden St George chapel – Ust-Yandoma, a village with a few remaining traditional northern houses and St Varvara’s church – Tipinitsy with a road chapel-house of Holy Spirit built by the locals – Sibovo – Sennaya Guba. Lunch on the way.
Return to the guesthouse. Dinner, sauna (optional for additional fee)
Note: the day itinerary might be altered depending on the ice condition on the Onego lake
Day 3
Breakfast. 11.00 – start your last day of adventures and discoveries (93 km). Snowmobile to Sennaya Guba – Uzkie Salmi – Guba Bolshoe Onego - Ivanovsky islands – Petrozavodsk. Lunch on the way.
16.00 – arrival at Petrozavodsk, optional sauna. 17.30 - early dinner in a restaurant
18.15 PM – transfer to Petrozavodsk railway station and departure by overnight train* to Moscow at 19.00 (Free time for acquaintance with Petrozavodsk in the company of your guide for those who leave for St Petersburg at 23.00)
