Highlights of Winter Karelia

11:50 Arrival in Petrozavodsk. Meeting with the guide. Lunch.

13:00 Transfer to the snowmobiling starting point.

14:00 Upon arrival meeting with instructors. We take you through snowmobile safety instructions, do a riding briefing and equip you with boots, a special snowmobile suit and a helmet. Now it is time for your snowmobile adventure to begin!

Today we cover 40 km by snowmobile and enjoy the trill of speed in the Karelian wilderness (2 persons per snowmobile). Tea with sandwiches on the way.

18:00 Departure for Petrozavodsk.

Upon arrival accommodation. Night in Petrozavodsk.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:30 Meeting with the guide. Departure for Velikaya Guba Village (280 km).

12:00 Upon arrival hot lunch with dishes of Karelian cuisine. 

13:00 Transfer to Kizhi Island by hovervraft (30 min).

13:30 Excursion in the Kizhi Open-Air Museum of Wooden Architecture. You will visit the village of the 19^th century and get acquainted with the world-known wooden church ensemble, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

15:30 Transfer by hovercraft to Velikaya Guba by hovercraft and then to Petrozavodsk by car/minibus (280 km).

17:00 Dinner in Medvezhyegorsk.

21:30 Arrival in Petrozavodsk. Night in Petrozavodsk.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:30 Transfer to the husky farm (85 km from Petrozavodsk).

11:00 Upon arrival excursion around the husky farm. You will get acquainted with the residents of the farm, Alaskan and Siberian huskies. Your guide will tell you about the history of the breed, teach you how to harness huskies and how to prepare sledges for the ride, and give you full instruction in handling your sled and caring for your husky team.

While the sledges are being prepared, you will get acquainted with reindeer and feed them with their favourite snack, which is moss.

After the dogs are harnessed, begins a true adventure. Joyful huskies’ bark will break the silence of the sleeping Karelian forest and color it with vivid emotions. Total distance of the dog sledding route is 10 km (2 persons per sledge).  

Return to the husky farm. Lunch with dishes of Karelian cuisine.

14:00 Transfer to the Kivach Nature Reserve. You will get acquainted with the second highest plain waterfall in Europe and typical and rare Karelian plants. The eco system of the Kivach Nature Reserve is unique. Apart from the picturesque landscapes you will enjoy its crystal clear air.

15:30 Transfer to Petrozavodsk.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Transfer to Ruskeala Marble Park (250 km).

12:00 A short stop near Ruskeala Waterfalls. Lunch.

14:00 Guided tour of the Ruskeala Mountain Park. The gem of the park is a marble canyon, which is a natural and an industrial sight. Ruskeala marble was mined for decorations of the St. Petersburg palaces and cathedrals. Today massive walls of grey and white color of the canyon make it one the most visited sights in Karelia. Free time.

17:00 Departure for Sortavala by Ruskeala-Express Retro train. This is the only daily steam-powered passenger train left in Russia, which runs with a locomotive built in 1949.

18:10 Arrival at the railway station in Sortavala.

18:38 Departure for St.Petersburg by Lastochka train.

22:39 Arrival in St.Petersburg.