Dates:
October 2025 – April 2026 upon request
Tour overview:
Kizhi Island is definitely worth visiting no matter when you travel to Karelia. From October till May, when the navigation from Petrozavodsk is closed, the only guaranteed way to see Kizhi Island is to drive from Petrozavodsk by car or minibus through Zaonezhye to the neighbouring Velikaya Guba Village and then cross the Onego Lake by speed boat or by hovercraft.
Zaonezhye is the area of rare beauty and rich history in Karelia. Local residents were skillful carpenters, who built big wooden houses, which united the living quarters and the household part and served as a fortress for families in winter time. They also erected cozy chapels and magnificent churches. The apex of their work is the famous Kizhi Church Ensemble, which was the centre of Zaonezhye culture.
Tour highlights:
- Cozy Karelian villages in Zaonezhye
- Trip by hovercraft across the frozen Lake Onego
- Wooden Church Ensemble, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List
- Hot lunch in Karelian house
Price includes:
- transfer by car/minibus
- hovercraft Velikaya Guba – Kizhi Island – Velikaya Guba
- lunch and dinner
- entrance tickets
- guide services