Accommodation during the trip
Languages
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Accommodation during the trip
Languages
Experiences you'll have
Your winter holidays in Karelia will be active and diverse. Just in 3 days you will try different types of outdoor activities:
This winter program is good for a family weekend in Karelia. Riding a husky team in the woods, snowmobile excursions, snowshoeing, as well as hospitable locals and delicious Karelian specialities are waiting for you.
We also recommend you to see a similar winter route in Karelia: during this trip you will visit the island of Kizhi — a world famous open-air museum, which is included in the UNESCO world heritage list.
Itinerary
The journey begins in Petrozavodsk, where you should travel to on your own. We are ready to help with the purchase of tickets, if necessary, leave a comment in the application.
Meeting the group on the first day of the tour — at 7:50 am at the railway station of Petrozavodsk (by the time of arrival of the train №018 A from Moscow).
Note: the itinerary may slightly change due to weather conditions, but all the main elements of the program will be completed.
Day 1 Dog sledding tour
You will be met at the railway station of Petrozavodsk and taken to a cafe for breakfast. Then you will move to the Kivach reserve, where you will see the second of the largest plain waterfalls in Europe, falling from a height of 11 m with four ledges.
Then you will move to the village of Sopoha where a dog sledding tour will begin. Here you will meet with the musher, as well as will pick the gear and go some training. Dogs will race you through the picturesque forest along the ring route (10 km). After completing the route, you can take a photo with the huskies and go for a walk through the forest on snowshoes.
In the forest, you will have a picnic by the fire and learn about a special recipe of cooking red fish on a log. You will also try traditional fish soup with cream.
Then you will be taken to the base, where you will live for the next few days. Here you can stay in your rooms, relax, and have dinner in the restaurant in the evening.
The length of the route is 10-12 km on dog sleds, 2-3 km on snowshoes.
Day 2 Snowmobiling to the old Karelian village
After breakfast you will pick up your equipment and have a safety briefing before driving a snowmobile and practice your skills in a training session.
Your itinerary will start with a ride on snow-covered forest trails. Then, you will pass frozen Sandal Lake and reach the Lychny Island. Here, the wooden church of Peter and Paul is located. This is the oldest church in Karelia — it was built in 1620. During a break, you will drink hot tea and taste cranberries in sugar.
Next point of the route will be Mount Belaya ("White" in Russian). More than a hundred years ago, Tivdia marble was mined here. It was used for the construction of buildings in St. Petersburg. Here, you will also see a marble church of the 19th century — it was designed by the architect of the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Konstantin Ton.
You will have lunch at a cozy cafe near the river. Here, you will taste 7 types of vendace (northern fish). Also, the owner of the base will teach you how to fry red fish on a stone.
On the way back, you will pass through several ancient villages. They are called "asleep" because life here has almost stopped. In Oyazha village only one residential house remained. Near Ershi village you will see an old chapel.
In the evening, you will return to the touristic complex, have dinner and relax in a bathhouse.
Day 3 Picnic at an ancient volcano
Today, snowmobiles will take you to the ancient volcano Girvas, which is located in the riverbed of the Suna river. It was opened only in the 70s, when Palyeozerskaya hydroelectric power station was built. Here you will also visit a trout farm.
Next you will get to the landing strip of an abandoned airfield. During the World war II, this territory was occupied by the Finns. Then you will get to the Poor-Porog location, where you will admire the ancient rocks; their age is several million years. In this place, a new version of the famous soviet film "The dawns here are quiet" was shot.
Here you will also have a winter picnic: for lunch, you will taste smoked fish with cranberry sauce, hot tea and cloudberry jam. Then you will return to the base by snowmobiles. From here, you will take the bus to Petrozavodsk. After dinner at the restaurant, you will return home on one of the evening trains.
The length of the route is 50 km on snowmobiles.
Accommodation during the trip
Languages
Accommodation during the trip
Both nights of the trip you will spend in the touristic complex "Shishki" located 85 km from Petrozavodsk. You will stay in double rooms. Each room has a separate entrance from the street, a place for outerwear and shoes, a hallway, a bathroom with a shower cabin and warm floors, a spacious living room, a kitchenette and a loft bedroom. The living room is equipped with an LCD TV, DVD-player, coffee table and sofa, which can comfortably be used as additional seat for two more people. A window in the living room is with a panoramic view of Sundozero.
There is a fridge-freezer, microwave, electric kettle and a dining table with 4 seats in the kitchenette.
There is a restaurant and a Russian bathouse on the territory of the complex.
Common questions
English and French-speaking guide will accompany you throughout the tour. During dog-sledding tour and snowmobiling support and your safety is provided by an experienced instructor. Before going on the route, he will teach each participant how to drive a snowmobile.
During the trip you will have three meals per day. Breakfasts and dinners will be served in a cafe in Petrozavodsk or at a tourist complex.
On the first and the third days of the trip you will have a picnic by the fire. Red fish cooked on a log, traditional fish soup with cream (day 1), smoked fish with cranberry sauce (day 3) are waiting for you. On the second day of the program, you will have lunch at a cafe located on the river bank — here you will try 7 types of vendace (northern fish).
Also, during short breaks en route, you will have snacks with hot tea and sandwiches.
You will drive a snowmobile STELS Vityaz (new lineup of 2020).
Also you will be provided with the following equipment:
We recommend the train №018A from Moscow am or train № 012A from St. Petersburg with arrival at 07:50 am and 06:50 am respectively at the first day of the tour. As for return tickets, we recommend the trains departing from Petrozavodsk in the evening.
Also we can advise you to combine this trip with visiting Moscow or St. Petersburg. If you want to add city-tours here, please, leave a comment in the application.
Children can participate in this journey. For kids under 12 years old are available, please ask manager for the details.
Booking
Accommodation during the trip
Languages
double accommodation in a tourist complex
meals as per program
transport services as per program
English-speaking guide's and instructors' service
rent of snowmobiles (double-rider) and necessary equipment, fuel
dog-sledding tour (10 km)
excursions in old Karelian villages
culinary workshop
railway tickets to/from Petrozavodsk
single-rider snowmobile fee (+170 EURO pp)
accommodation in a single room (+23 EURO pp)
health insurance (+1 euro per day)
double accommodation in a tourist complex
meals as per program
transport services as per program
English-speaking guide's and instructors' service
rent of snowmobiles (double-rider) and necessary equipment, fuel
dog-sledding tour (10 km)
excursions in old Karelian villages
culinary workshop
railway tickets to/from Petrozavodsk
single-rider snowmobile fee (+170 EURO pp)
accommodation in a single room (+23 EURO pp)
health insurance (+1 euro per day)
