Find out how interesting it is to relax among the enchanted forests of Karelia: what to do, what to see and where are the best places to stay.
Live in a tent by the lake
Where to rest in Karelia in the summer, if not in a tent by the lake? Starry skies, gorgeous sunsets, fishing, heartfelt campfire conversations, romance. Not only residents of St. Petersburg come, but also locals. The most popular is Syamozero, because it is not far from Petrozavodsk. Unfortunately, during our trip to Karelia, we did not uncover the tent - we were always hindered by something, and we didn’t have enough time.
In general, in Karelia there are many places where you can put up a tent. Some tourists prefer to live in safety and convenience at tourist centers and campgrounds. The other part wants to stay away from people and not pay money. It would seem that Karelia is the land of lakes, put up your tent wherever you want. But not everywhere there are convenient entrances to them. Those who have found cool secluded places with convenient access to the lake are in no hurry to share their find. I read the reviews and wrote out such places. Find out where in Karelia it is better to rest with tents.
Get ready for a hike
In Karelia, we went on one-day hikes several times - it was all very simple trekking from an hour to three or four. We climbed to the observation deck of the Tutinlahti and Parlahti bays, the Hiidenvuori mountains and Vottovaara. No preparation is required for lifting.
I know that on Vottovaar, on the plateau by the lake, people calmly pitch their tents and live a long time. Minus - there is no drinking water, the source is just below. Set up your tent so that there is protection from the wind - the mountain can be harsh! Or you can live at a camp site in the village of Gimoly, and go hiking in Vottovaara. Find out how to get there, where to live and what to see on the mystical mountain Vottovaara.
If you want to really relax in Karelia from the city - with long hikes, breakaway from civilization and digital detox - go to Paanajärvi National Park. It is located almost on the border with Finland. 75% of the entire territory of the park is occupied by forests with lakes and waterfalls. You can get to the park only with a voucher and a permit, which must be obtained at the visitor center in the village of Pyaozersky. You can live in a hut or put up a tent. An excursion without accommodation costs 240 rubles, a snowmobile excursion costs 800 rubles per hour, you can also rent skis.
No less beautiful are the Kalevalsky and Vodlozersky National Parks - a real northern taiga with even spruces, pines and larch trees!
Rent a house in nature
This option is for those who want to take a break from the big city with comfort and coziness. There are a lot of houses in nature where you can relax in Karelia both in summer and in winter - from "grandmother's" options with an outdoor toilet to luxurious park-hotels such as "Winter's Dachas" or Sorola Village.
It is unlikely that you will be seduced by a slanting house with a minimum of amenities, so I recommend beautiful, but relatively inexpensive houses and cottages:
- Mantiansaari cottages - from 2200 rubles.
- Vepsian farm - from 6200 rubles.
- House in "Pines" - from 4200 rubles.
- Salokyla farm - from 5000 rubles.
- Park-hotel "Khutor Jarvi" - from 5000 rubles.
Rafting
Relax actively in Karelia - go rafting! Not all rafting requires preparation - there are routes where even children can take part. For example, Shuya, a simple river, is popular with tourists.
Great for rafting the Okhta, Uksa, Suna, Kereti, Umba rivers. And the Pistajoki River is for fans of beautiful rafting, because you will be surrounded by almost virgin nature. They have different degrees of difficulty, please check.
The best time for rafting or catamarans is July and August.
Go for mushrooms and berries
Where there are dense forests, there should be a lot of mushrooms and berries! We have seen this for ourselves. We have never seen so many berries as in Karelia. All the trip we ate lingonberries, blueberries and blueberries.
I won't say anything about mushrooms, because I don't understand. Read on this site exactly where to look for them, or rather ask around the locals.
Learn to kayak
It is believed that the Karelian rivers are good (if not ideal) for learning to kayak. Tourists advise the river Shuya, Pistajoki and Ladoga skerries, because such beauty must be viewed from the water.
Go fishing
Fishing is as strongly associated with Karelia as berries and mushrooms. There are so many reservoirs and such fertile conditions that it seems that wherever you cast your bait, it will bite everywhere. They say that there are more than 50 species of fish in Karelia. Fishing is best in the summer, but in general it is possible all year round.
If you, like me, do not know anything about fishing, but you want to try it, it is better to rent accessories at the camp site, they are almost on every one.
Many tourists take their boats and kayaks, sail to secluded islands and fish there, living in a tent.
Take care of health
Why not have a rest in Karelia like abroad? I associate spa primarily with all sorts of Turkey and Thailand, but unexpectedly there are hotels with spa in Karelia. And in Marcial Waters there are sanatoriums that also do all kinds of massages, rejuvenating procedures, wraps, mud and water treatments, baths, saunas, hammams ... In general, see for yourself:
- Spa-hotel "Karelia"
- Clinic "Kivach"
- Ladoga manor
- Sanatorium "Marcial Waters"
- Sanatorium "Palaces"
- Sanatorium "White keys".
Cognitive rest
In Karelia, the sights are very scattered, so you need to go by car if you want to see a lot or some hard-to-reach places, for example, visit Mount Vottovaara, Onega or White Sea petroglyphs and an abandoned church in Lumivaar. If your goal is popular sights such as Ruskeala, Kizhi and Valaam, then you can come without a car.
The main points from where it is convenient to visit the sights: Petrozavodsk, Sortavala, Ruskeala, Lakhdenpokhya, Kondopoga, Medvezhyegorsk, Belomorsk, Kem.
Indulge in winter fun
Winter in Karelia is the same high tourist season as summer. There is a lot of entertainment.
Take a ride through the Karelian snow-covered taiga on sleds pulled by dogs - it's fun! Kind fluffy malamutes and huskies can be cuddled by several breeders: in the villages of Kalevala, Kudama, Matrosy, Chalna, the Belaya Runa nursery. By the way, you can ride in a dog sled in the summer - they just replace sledges with cards. They also go on hiking trails in the company of huskies.
You can relax in Karelia in winter by skiing and snowboarding in the Yalgora and Malaya Medvezhka ski centers. Also go for a ride on cheesecakes, snowmobiles and reindeer sledding. Excursions to the Karelian Father Frost - Talvi Ukko are popular. His patrimony is in Chalna.
And the main thing to do in Karelia in winter is to see the northern lights.
