Winter Karelia welcomes guests with clean snow, frosty air and entertainment. Find out about the weather in winter, excursions, New Years and tourist reviews. We give the prices for holidays in Karelia in the winter of 2020-2021 for tours, meals and accommodation at the bases.
Rest in Karelia in winter is no less attractive than in summer. Residents of cities are happy to spend their holidays among the snow-covered pine forests. Tourists live in warm cozy cottages and recreation centers. They enjoy snowmobiling, dog sledding and skiing, taking excursions and ice fishing. Many people come to Karelia with their families and companies to celebrate the New Year.
Winter weather
Snow in Karelia begins to fall from mid-October. The snow cover becomes permanent in November and lasts for about 170 days - until April. Snowfalls here are protracted - snow can fall without interruption for several days in a row.
At the end of January, thanks to the cold air from the Arctic, the thermometer often drops to -25 ... -35 ° С. The coldest and windiest month is February. But you don't need to worry too much! The mighty Karelian forests reliably protect from cold winds, so frosts are tolerated relatively easily.
Average air temperature
| December | January | February | March | |
| in the afternoon | −3 ° С | −5 ° С | −7 ° C | −2 ° С |
| at night | −8 ° С | −12 ° C | −13 ° C | −8 ° С |
How to get there
You can fly from Moscow to Petrozavodsk by plane and take a train. The flight takes just over 1.5 hours, and the journey by rail takes 15 hours.
Trains and buses run from St. Petersburg to Karelia. The fastest Lastochka train reaches Petrozavodsk in 5 hours. By bus you can get to the capital of Karelia in 8.5 hours.
How to relax in winter in Karelia
Rest in Karelia in winter is very popular. Here you can improve your health in sanatoriums, go on excursions and do active tourism.
Dog sledding trips. Vacationers like to get new experiences and ride sled dogs in the snow. There are several husky kennels in Karelia, and Karelian excursion bureaus offer sledding tours. They are quite expensive - from 3,700 rubles. To save money, many tourists come to kennels on their own, interact with dogs and ride sleds. A trip of 0.5 km for children costs 1,500 rubles, and for adults - 2,500 rubles. Excursion to the nursery →
Snowmobile safari. The average depth of snow cover in Karelia is about a meter, so snowmobiles are one of the essential modes of transport. During their holidays in Karelia in winter 2020-2021, tourists enjoy snowmobiling. Renting a snowmobile with a sleigh costs 1,000 rubles per hour, and a one-day snowmobile safari + a second snowmobile with an instructor will cost 5,000 rubles.
Visit to Santa Claus. What kind of rest in Karelia in winter without visiting the Karelian Father Frost - Talvi Ukko? His patrimony is located just 20 minutes from Petrozavodsk. People come there from the capital of Karelia on their own or as part of an organized tour. This is especially interesting for children. Several programs are held in the residence, during which tourists drive a Finnish sleigh, ride a slide, ride a sleigh behind an all-terrain vehicle, participate in national Karelian fun and tea with pies. Prices start at 650 rubles.
- Where to celebrate the New Year in Russia
- Where to relax in winter in Russia
Winter fishing. At the beginning of the snow season - in October and November - brown trout and chard peck well. Active ice fishing for roach, whitefish, trout, pike, perch and burbot begins in February. At the recreation centers, fishermen are offered rental of ice augers and fishing tackle, as well as delivery by snowmobile to the fishing site.
Hunting. Wild boar hunting is allowed in Karelia until December, and elk hunting is allowed until January. Until the beginning of February, hunters can hunt hares, troches, muskrats, minks, martens, beavers, badgers and wolves. In addition, hunting for wood grouses, hazel grouses, black grouses, partridges and woodcocks is open all winter.
Walks and excursions. Karelian winters are snowy, so it's best to ski in the forest. It is pleasant to walk around the city in Petrozavodsk. Tourists who have come to Karelia on vacation in winter enjoy walking along the embankment along Onega.
The Ruskeala mountain park is open in the winter months. They fly to Kizhi by helicopter. In addition, hovercraft sail on the ice of Lake Onega. Tourists are in demand for excursions to Karelian cities - they are happy to go to Belomorsk, Kondopoga, Olonets, Kem and Sortavala. Find out what to see in Karelia.
Popular excursions:
- Excursion to Ruskeala from St. Petersburg for 1 day - 1830 ₽ / person.
- Kivach, Marcial Waters, Sampo Mountain - 5000 ₽ for 1-6 persons.
- Outbound excursions from Petrozavodsk
Skiing. The hills and ridges of Karelia cannot be compared with the mountains of the Caucasus, but there are also winter resorts here. They are popular not only for beginners, but also for experienced skiers and snowboarders. In winter, the Kurgan ski and biathlon complex and the Gorka entertainment center in Petrozavodsk, the Spasskaya Guba ski resort, the Yalgora active recreation center, the Kallivo Park ski center and the Malaya Medvezhka country club are open.
The maximum elevation differences on the slopes in Karelia are small - only 70-100 m. However, all the necessary infrastructure has been created at the winter resorts: equipment and ski rental, instructor services and a school for beginners.
Map of ski resorts in Karelia
New Year's Eve. In Petrozavodsk, the New Year is traditionally held on Kirov Square, in the city center. They organize festivities and fairs, hold a festive program and put on fireworks.
Karelian recreation centers are ideal for celebrating the New Year with family and friends. A festive feast and funny contests are organized almost everywhere. Find out how to celebrate the New Year in Karelia.
Prices for winter tours to Karelia
Tours for recreation in Karelia in winter in 2020-2021 are designed for 2-5 days. These are rich trips, the program of which includes acquaintance with the Karelian sights, Russian baths, fishing, ski trips, snowmobile safaris and dog sledding.
There are tours for active recreation with children. During them, extreme modes of movement are not provided. Those looking to test their endurance opt for multi-day snowmobile, skiing, sledding or combination trips.
Prices for two-day tours start from 10 thousand rubles, and for a trip lasting 5 days they ask from 19 thousand rubles. The price includes transport services in Karelia, food, accommodation, equipment rental, equipment and guide services. Excursions, entertainment and the road to the starting point of the route are additionally paid. As a rule, travel starts in Petrozavodsk, Kem or Chupa station.
Accommodation at recreation centers
According to reviews, rest in Karelia in the winter of 2020-2021 turns out to be quite budgetary when compared with the winter resorts of Sochi or Europe.
During the holidays, it is convenient to stay in country estates, cottages and tourist centers. In the first half of December, at the end of January, in February and March, a double room with breakfast for two costs 1500-2000 rubles.
On New Year's holidays, prices go up. If in the off-season a holiday cottage for 4-5 people can be rented for 3800 rubles, on New Year's Eve they ask for it 4400 rubles per day. Bathhouse is paid separately: 3 hours - 1500 rubles.
There are no all-inclusive recreation centers in Karelia. Three meals a day are offered only by Karelian sanatoriums, the Niska tourist center in the Loukhsky district of the republic and the Hunter Paradise recreation center in the village of Yashozero.
Prices for food in cafes and shops
Winter is not the best time to cook over a fire, so even the most passionate fans of the outdoor life prefer to eat in cafes and restaurants. According to tourists, 600-800 rubles a day is enough for food.
Budget catering establishments should be looked for away from tourist attractions. Near the tracks, these are cafe-canteens where truckers usually eat. They feed them for 250-300 rubles. Dinner for two in an inexpensive restaurant, excluding the cost of alcohol, will cost 1000-1300 rubles.
Small cafes are open at many Karelian recreation centers and country estates. Breakfast, lunch or dinner in them costs 250-400 rubles. Although the cafe serves guests, it is always happy to set a table for passing tourists.
If during your winter holidays in Karelia you want to cook on your own, buy groceries in chain stores - in "Lenta", "Pyaterochka" or "Magnet". Prices are lower there.
Rest in Karelia in winter with children
Both parents and children like family holidays in Karelia in winter. There are many winter entertainments in the republic - roller coaster and sledding, skiing and excursions. Children are very impressed by the frozen waterfalls, the Doll House in Petrozavodsk, the Three Bears zoo complex, a trip to Santa Claus and a trip to the Marble Canyon.
It is worth visiting a sled dog kennel and a reindeer farm with a child. Reindeer sledding for children under 12 costs 1000 rubles, and for adults - 1200 rubles. Find out about the best recreation centers for families with children.
Car ride
Autotrip is not as popular in winter as it is in the warm season. Winter roads require skillful driving and sections of icy roads are unsafe. Here's what experienced car tourists advise:
- If you decide to go on vacation to Karelia in winter by car, use studded tires.
- Karelian weather is capricious. Before the trip, be sure to check the latest forecasts of weather forecasters.
- Country roads may not be cleared after snowfall, so drive on main roads and do not turn into blind branches.
Safety Tips
Clothes and footwear... Prepare thoroughly for your trip to Karelia in winter. Due to the high humidity, even a slight frost is felt in open spaces. Wear warm, waterproof shoes with woolen socks. Wear thermal underwear, warm sweaters and trousers. Go outdoors in windproof hooded jackets and spare mittens!
Hygiene products. Use hygienic lipstick to keep your lips from chapping in the wind and frost. Oily creams will help protect the skin on the face and hands.
Short daylight hours. Karelia does not belong to the regions of the Far North for nothing. In winter, it gets light here after 10:00, and it gets dark after 15:00. Consider this when planning your travel and excursion schedules.
Ice. During thaws, the snow melts. In the cold, the puddles freeze and the streets turn into a skating rink. Roads and sidewalks are not sprinkled with sand everywhere, so walk carefully.
Reviews of tourists about the rest in Karelia in winter
There are a lot of rest in Karelia in winter pluses:
- There are no sudden changes in temperature, so the Karelian climate is suitable for most tourists.
- A good infrastructure for winter recreation has been created in the republic. There are comfortable hotels, warm cottages, recreation centers for fishermen and hunters, amusement parks and ski centers.
- Winter vacation in Karelia turns out to be budgetary.
disadvantages:
- Due to snowfalls and poor quality of roads in winter in Karelia it is not easy to travel by car.
- In winter, you cannot reach many Karelian sights, for example, the Onega petroglyphs.
- Short daylight hours shorten the excursion program.
- Local travel agencies inflate prices for excursions.
Whether it is worth going to Karelia on vacation in winter, everyone decides for himself. But those who have already been here speak positively about the Karelian vacation.
