The bicycle will give you wonderful freedom and unique opportunity to get straight into the heart of Karelia – the land north off St Petersburg - and discover its well-hidden gems. In a biking adventure, you find picturesque wooden churches and traditional houses – living masterpieces of architecture, enjoy the beauty of the austere northern nature, and feel the harmony of the old Karelian and Russian settlements with the landscape.
We will cycle up and down the hills, along meandering roads, through the forest, along lake shores to discover relic Karelia. Numerous lakes and rivers will not become an obstacle on our way – we will cross them by motor-boats. And in the end of the trip, the main pearl of Karelia – UNESCO heritage site Kizhi island, with its unique wooden multi-domed church - is awaiting us.
Day 1
9 am – arrive in Petrozavodsk by overnight train* from Moscow (06.50 from St Petersburg). Meeting at the railway station, breakfast in a city cafe. Safety briefing, getting equipped and outfitted.
Transfer by bus to Sopokha village (60 km, 1.5 h). Start the first day with easy radial biking from Sopokha village: Sopokha – 10 meters high waterfall Kivach – Sopokha village (16 km).
Change the vehicle for motor boats on lake Sandal to reach Yershy village and visit Lychny island with its St. Peter and Paul’s church (1620) and traditional houses (20 km by boats).
Continue by bikes to the place of overnight – 7 km
Dinner cooked over camp fire, overnight in tents
Day 2
Breakfast. Continue biking along dirt roads from Yershy village with its wooden chapel typical for the architecture of Russian North to Kedrozero village and further to the picturesque lake Vikshezero (60 km, up to 9 hrs). Lunch on the way.
Dinner cooked over camp fire, overnight in tents
Day 3
Breakfast. Continue biking along dirt roads through lakes and forests from lake Vikshezero past villages MAiozero and Unitsa to lake Turasmozero with its historical Sapun-hill (56 km, up to 6 hrs). Lunch on the way.
Dinner cooked over camp fire, overnight in tents
Day 4
Breakfast. Free day at lake Turasmozero. Time at leisure in the scenic surrounding area, rides around the lake in inflatable boats
Lunch and dinner cooked over camp fire, overnight in tents
Day 5
Breakfast. Continue biking along dirt and forest roads to see the living monuments of wooden architecture: Tcherkasy village - mineral spring 3 Ivans - lake Seletsky – Lambasruchey village – Yuzhniy dvor village (57 km). Visit Nikolskaya church (17c.) in Yuzhniy dvor village.
Dinner cooked over camp fire, overnight in tents
Day 6
Breakfast. Continue biking from Yuzhniy dvor village to Lipovitsa village and Oyatevschina village. Lunch on the way
Transfer from Oyatevschina to Garnitsa by boat
Dinner cooked over camp fire, overnight in tents next to Garnitsy village
Day 7
Breakfast. Tour of the Wooden architecture museum on the Kizhi Island to see the traditional masterpieces from different regions of Karelia collected in one place (wooden multi-domed church, houses, auxiliary structures)
13.00 Transfer by hovercraft to Petrozavodsk
Meal in a city café (extra-cost), transfer to the railway station
19.00 Departure from Petrozavodsk by overnight train to Moscow (and free time for exploring Petrozavodsk for those who depart for St Petersburg at 23.00)
* Time on train one-way: from Petrozavodsk 14.5 hrs to Moscow and 8-9 hrs to St Petersburg; comfortable night trains
The Tour Operator reserves the right to introduce changes in the itinerary due to weather conditions or other factors out of Tour Operator control
