The northwestern part of Russia is rich in natural beauty, dull but memorable landscapes and amazing routes for unique walking tours. The nature reserves of Karelia, which are especially popular with Petersburgers, often become a place of recreation for residents of the northern capital, who do not even have to wait for a vacation to make a trip to nature.
Three K's are easy to remember
The letter "K", like Karelia itself, begins the names of two reserves located on the territory of the republic:
- The state natural reserve "Kivach" was organized back in 1931, and the Karelian waterfall of the same name became its main natural object. Despite the relatively low height - only 10, 7 meters - Kivach is in fourth place among similar lowland waterfalls in Europe. The Museum of Nature and the Arboretum at the foot of the Kivach are allowed to visit organized tourist groups. Entrance is carried out by tickets, and in addition to the waterfall and the museum, the guests of the reserve are often interested in walking routes through the territory of the natural park. Among lovers of observing animals, Kivach has gained fame as an interesting object where gray partridges, orioles, kestrels, quails and corncrake can be found.
- The Kostomuksha Nature Reserve got a start in life at the end of 1983, when it was time to think about the restoration of the territory damaged as a result of the activities of the local mining and processing plant. Northern taiga forests and lakes form the basis of the reserve's relief, and its inhabitants include hazel grouse and squirrel, elk and marten, brown bear and reindeer. The shores of Lake Kamennoe look especially beautiful, where dozens of rare animals listed in the Red Book live.
On marble quarries
In addition to the reserves of Karelia, which have an official status, there are many popular places for recreation in the republic, distinguished by unique landscapes. One of the natural Karelian tourist pearls is Ruskeala.
This tourist complex is a marble quarry where the development of the stone ended. The bed of the quarry was filled with groundwater, forming an amazing lake, up to 50 meters deep. Ruskeala marble was used for facing the Isaac and Kazan cathedrals, several metro stations and the Mikhailovsky castle. The views of the quarry, the lake and the surrounding landscape are the reason for the popularity of this national reserve in Karelia, which is called here a mountain park.
