Why Karelia?
Karelia is 60,000 lakes, thousands of islands and pine forests stretching beyond the horizon. Summer brings white nights and rapids rafting. Winter offers the Northern Lights and ski trails across frozen lakes. Kizhi, Valaam, Ruskeala — here, history and nature are inseparable.
Why go to Karelia
Best fares
Where to stay in Karelia
From cosy wooden cottages on the lake shore to contemporary hotels in Petrozavodsk — Karelia offers accommodation for every travel style.
Districts and places
When to visit Karelia
Karelia is wonderful year-round: summer brings white nights and water tourism, winter offers the Northern Lights and skiing.
Tours to Karelia
What you need to know before you go
How to get there
Moscow–Petrozavodsk flight — 1h 20min, from 2,800 ₽. Lastochka train Moscow–Petrozavodsk — 9–11h, from 1,200 ₽. From St. Petersburg to Sortavala — Lastochka in 3.5 hours.
Best season
June–August — white nights and all water routes open. December–March — skiing and Northern Lights. April–May — most affordable period.
Transport
Petrozavodsk has car-sharing and taxis. To Kizhi — Meteor from the embankment. To Valaam — ferry from Sortavala. Car rental is the best way to explore the countryside.
Connectivity and money
Excellent 4G in cities. No signal on remote trails — download offline maps. ATMs in Petrozavodsk and Sortavala.
Что привезти
Карельский бальзам на травах, иван-чай, варенье из морошки и брусники, калитки из местных пекарен. Из несъедобного — шунгит и изделия из карельской берёзы: покупайте в фирменных лавках Петрозаводска и Сортавалы, а не на трассе.
Рыбалка и сплавы
Ладога и Онего — судак и окунь, на северных реках — хариус и кумжа. Сплавные классики — Шуя и Укса, сезон с мая по сентябрь: в мае вода самая бурная, к августу маршруты подходят новичкам и семьям. Разрешения на лов оформляют организаторы туров.
Must-try experiences
A flooded marble quarry near the Finnish border — a 460×100 m canyon with turquoise water 50 m deep. Marble from here adorns St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Hermitage. Perimeter trail 1.5 km, boat ride 600 ₽, evening illumination 22:00–23:00. From Sortavala, 30 min by car or on the Ruskeala Express train (steam locomotive).
A museum-reserve of wooden architecture on an island in Lake Onega — UNESCO. The Church of the Transfiguration, built in 1714 with 22 domes, was erected WITHOUT a single nail. From Petrozavodsk, 1.5 hours by Meteor (1,800 ₽). Tour duration 4–6 hours. Best time — June–August. Winter access is difficult: Khivus only when ice conditions permit.
The Shuya River — Karelia's finest route for beginners and intermediate level: 200 km, grade 2–3 rapids, pristine water. Tours from 2 to 7 days with instructors and equipment. Camping on islands, dinner by the fire with freshly caught trout. From 15,000 ₽/day per person. Season June–August.
Northern Karelia (Kalevala, Loukhi, Kostomuksha) — aurora borealis zone from October to March. Chance of viewing on a clear night — 70%+. Best spots: Lake Paanajärvi, Mount Vottovaara. Tours from Petrozavodsk 3–5 days (from 45,000 ₽) — include astrophotographer guide, heated bus and guesthouse accommodation.
Karelian rivers and lakes — the finest fishing for brown trout (lake trout), rainbow trout and grayling in European Russia. Licence 1,200 ₽/day at managed fisheries (no catch limit). Shuya, Keret, Kem — top rivers. With a guide — near-guaranteed catch. Followed by smoking right on the shore or dinner at camp.
An archipelago of 50 islands on Lake Ladoga with the Transfiguration Monastery (founded in the 10th century). Hermitages, cells, churches from XII–XIX centuries. From Sortavala, 50 min by Meteor (1,500 ₽), tour from 4 hours. Better with an overnight at the monastery guesthouse — silence after tourists leave and liturgy at 7:00 AM.