- Important points
- Choosing transport
- Hotel or apartment?
- Transport subtleties
- Useful details
- Routes and trails
- Summer trip to Karelia
The Republic of Karelia has established itself as an interesting tourist destination for a long time. The land of blue lakes attracts fans of dim northern nature, lovers of outdoor activities, and those who prefer the masterpieces of Russian wooden architecture to exotic buildings of other religions and cultures. A rich and informative trip to Karelia is possible at any time of the year, because its reserves and attractions are always waiting for curious travelers.
Important points
- Tourist groups arriving in Karelia are strongly advised to register with the local water rescue service. This is necessary for the tourists' own safety, and the instruction received from professional rescuers can really help during river rafting and hiking.
- The main problem of the Karelian forest trails is mosquitoes and ticks, and therefore, when preparing a trip, it is advisable to vaccinate and have personal protective equipment against blood-sucking insects with you.
- In order to hunt in Karelia, you must obtain permission from the local hunting committees. Vouchers for the right to shoot moose and wild boars are issued in more than seventy departments of the State Committee for hunting.
- Navigation on Lake Onega usually opens in the first half of May.
Choosing transport
You can get to Petrozavodsk by direct trains from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Travel time from the capital is about 12 hours. Ticket price - from 2200 rubles. The road from St. Petersburg will take about 7 hours, and for travel in a reserved seat you will have to pay from 1,500 rubles.
The M18 highway from St. Petersburg to Murmansk passes through Karelia and along it you can get to Petrozavodsk and cross the entire republic in about 12 hours. The distance from Moscow to Petrozavodsk is 1050 km, from St. Petersburg - 425 km.
Petrozavodsk airport receives regular flights from both capitals.
Hotel or apartment?
You can stay overnight in Karelia in a hotel in the center of Petrozavodsk, in one of the many guest houses that have opened in the last few years, and in tourist centers on the shores of lakes.
The price per night in guest houses in the capital of the republic starts from 800 rubles, while guests will be offered a kitchen with the necessary utensils, free internet, a refrigerator and a bathroom - individual or shared. The owners of most guesthouses are loyal to pets, and therefore you can take a four-legged family member on vacation.
Hotels more impressive and even with stars on the facade offer rooms from 1,800 rubles per day.
You can also rent an apartment for the duration of your stay in Karelia, but the prices for a short rental will be more significant than the offers of guesthouses and even hotels.
Transport subtleties
If you have planned a trip to Karelia without a personal car, public transport of the republic is at your service. The bus service here connects the capital with all cities of republican subordination and regional centers.
The easiest way to get to the Paanajärvi Nature Reserve is by train. At Louhi station, you should change to a bus that goes to the village of Pyaozersky, where the park's administration is located.
You can see the architectural ensemble of Kizhi by going on the "Comet" along Lake Onega. Ships depart from the Water Station in Petrozavodsk, travel time - 1 hour 15 minutes. Tickets should be purchased in advance as this is a very popular destination. The second option is "Kometa", following from Petrozavodsk to Velikaya Guba, which makes a stop in Kizhi. She returns back in an hour, so this option assumes very little time to inspect the complex.
In winter, tourists are taken to Kizhi by hovercraft, snowmobiles and even dog sleds.
Useful details
- The Museum-Reserve in Kizhi is open all year round. In summer it is open from 8 am to 8 pm, in winter from 10 am to 4 pm, and in the off-season from 9 am to 5 pm.
- Due to its protected status, there are no hotels or guest houses on the island of Kizhi.
- An adult ticket to the reserve costs 500 rubles, children under 16 enjoy free admission, and discounts are provided for pensioners and students.
Routes and trails
A popular holiday in Karelia is rafting on its numerous rivers. Boats and kayaks, rafts and yachts are used as floating craft. Tourist companies of the republic organize both short rafting tours and hikes that take a whole week.
No less popular tourist destination of travel to Karelia is tours by off-road vehicles. Routes are laid along forest roads, and on the way, participants of jeep tours will find ancient Karelian villages and temples built of wood in the 17th-18th centuries.
Hunting and fishing is another interesting scenario for spending a vacation in Karelia. Their real fans will appreciate the Karelian forests full of game, and thousands of lakes and rivers, which are home to many species of freshwater fish. The services of a professional huntsman can be ordered at travel agencies and branches of the State Committee for Hunting.
Fans of Russian wooden architecture in Karelia will enjoy sightseeing tours that include excursions to Kizhi, Solovki and Valaam.
Summer trip to Karelia
The short, cool northern summer seems to leave no chance for a beach holiday, but in Karelia it is possible too. On the shores of many lakes there are equipped beaches, and nearby there are guest houses and cottages for rent. The most popular beach destinations in the republic are the shores of Syamozero, Vodlozersky National Park and Nizhnesvirsky Nature Reserve. The optimal time for such a trip is July and the first half of August, when the water and air warm up to comfortable values.
In summer, it is most convenient to see the architectural sights on Valaam and Kizhi. Firstly, it is easier and cheaper to get there, and secondly, precipitation is less likely in June-August. Ruskeala's abandoned marble quarry is also especially picturesque in the height of summer.
