Duration
The duration of the tour depends on your return train tickets
Included in cost:
- accommodation in rooms with private facilities (shower and toilet in the room).
Petrozavodsk - 2 nights at the Severnaya Hotel (city center), village. Rabocheostrovsk (Kem) - one or two nights at the Prichal hotel (White Sea shore) - meals: 3 or 4 breakfasts, 1 packed breakfast, 2 lunches
- excursions: Kizhi island, Petrozavodsk, Ruskeala mountain park (Marble Canyon), Valaam island, Kivach waterfall, Solovki
- accompaniment of a tour guide and transport services according to the tour program (including water transport)
Tour program "Kizhi - Valaam - Solovki":
Day 1 - Kizhi Island and Petrozavodsk:
Arrival in Petrozavodsk by morning trains.
From Moscow trains No. 18 and No. 92, from St. Petersburg - No. 12 or 242.
09.00-09.30 Group gathering at the main entrance to the railway station building from the city side.
The guide meets the group with a sign "Karelia Lines".
Boarding the bus.
09.40 Breakfast in the restaurant of the Severnaya Hotel.
Bus tour of Petrozavodsk.
You will see the famous embankment of Lake Onega and get acquainted with the historical center of the city.
You can dine on your own in one of the cafes or restaurants located next to the Severnaya Hotel, as well as in the hotel restaurant.
Day 2 - Valaam Island + Marble Canyon:
Breakfast (packed rations).
06.00 Departure by bus to the city of Sortavala (260 km from Petrozavodsk).
You can dine on your own in the cafe of the Prichal Hotel.
Day 4 - Visit to the Solovetsky Archipelago (White Sea):
Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
For tourists who book a four-day tour, rooms will be released.
Exit to the port.
08.00 Departure of the ship to Solovki (travel along the White Sea - 2 hours).
10.00 Arrival on the island.
10.30 Sightseeing walking tour of the Solovetsky Kremlin with a visit to the exhibitions “Monastery Prison”, “Solovetsky Fortress”, “Solovetsky Furnaces”. The guide will introduce you to the history of the Solovetsky Monastery. You will be able to visit the central complex of the monastery, active churches, objects of economic activity of the monastery, and the Solovetsky fortress.
13.15 End of the excursion.
Free time. Optional: walk to the shore of the White Sea to the grove of “dancing birch trees”, visit to the seaweed and souvenir shop.
Also, in your free time, you can have lunch on your own in a cafe on the island.
15.00-17.15 Walking tour "History of the Solovetsky special purpose camp 1923-1939."
You will learn about the Solovetsky special purpose camp and the fate of the prisoners. Visit the new exhibition about the camp and the monument to Solovetsky prisoners.
19.00 We head back (2 hours by boat on the White Sea).
21.00 Arrival in the village. Rabocheostrovsk.
- Tourists from Moscow can leave on the same day by night train or stay in a hotel to rest and leave by train in the morning.
- For tourists from St. Petersburg there are no night trains, so an overnight stay in a hotel is required.
For tourists from Moscow (when booking a four-day tour):
Transfer by bus to the railway station of the city of Kemi (12 km).
Departure to Moscow by night trains (trains No. 225, 285 at 01.36, No. 293 at 03.38).
For tourists from St. Petersburg and Moscow (five-day tour):
Day 5 - Departure home (only when booking a five-day tour):
Breakfast in the hotel cafe. Release of rooms.
Transfer to the railway station in Kem.
Departure of the group by morning trains:
for tourists from St. Petersburg - train No. 15, for tourists from Moscow - No. 91.
Tour dates in 2019:
Tour cost:
| Tour | Double number |
Single accommodation |
Additional place |
| Tour 4 days | |||
| Tour 5 days | |||
|
Discount for a child under 10 years old - RUB 2,350 per person. Discount for a child under 12 years old - RUB 1,000 per person. Discount for children from 12 to 16 years old - 300 rub./person. Discount on tour from July 26 to 28 - 270 rub./adult, 135 rub./children under 12 years old. Discount on tour from August 9 to August 11 - 500 rubles / adult, 150 rubles / student Additional payment for a foreign tourist as part of a group of Russian tourists - 250 rubles. (tour 4 days), 500 rub. (tour 5 days) |
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The tour price includes:
- accommodation at the Severnaya Hotel in Petrozavodsk (2 nights),
- accommodation at the Prichal hotel in Rabocheostrovsk (1 or 2 nights),
- entrance fees on the islands of Kizhi and Valaam, in the Kivach nature reserve and in the Solovetsky Museum,
- excursions around the island Kizhi, o. Valaam, on Solovki, in Petrozavodsk, the Kivach nature reserve and the Ruskeala mountain park,
- transfers on meteors to the island of Kizhi and the island of Valaam, by boat to Solovki,
- meals (3 or 4 breakfasts, 1 packed breakfast, 2 lunches),
- guide support and transport services according to the program.
From August 9 to 11, the Ruskeala Symphony festival will be held in the Ruskeala mountain park, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan. There will be no excursions for groups on these days. On August 10, the tour will include an excursion to Valaam Island without visiting the Ruskeala mountain park.
The tour price does not include:
Useful information about the tour:
A reminder for tourists, as well as a list of things that we recommend taking with you:
* The time for group gathering and meeting with the tour guide is from 09.00 to 09.30.
*** The times in the program are approximate and may change.
**** On the first day of the tour, in the morning, all things can be left in the hotel headquarters room or in the luggage compartment of the bus.
On subsequent days during the tour, after your rooms are vacated, your belongings will be in the luggage compartment of the bus or in the hotel headquarters room, that is, you will not need to carry them with you during the excursions.
- comfortable clothes and shoes for a long stay outside, an umbrella or raincoat, a camera, a charger for a mobile phone and camera, and a good mood.
- Please note that the tour includes many walking tours! Therefore, shoes should be comfortable and practical for different weather conditions (without heels).
- To visit the monastery on the island of Valaam, women will need a headdress and a skirt below the knee (skirts and scarves are also given out at the entrance to the temple), women will need covered shoulders, and men will need long trousers. Men must not wear hats.
- Documents for the trip: passport (general civil or foreign; for a child under 14 years old - birth certificate), citizens of the Russian Federation are recommended to take a compulsory medical insurance policy card for each trip participant.
- From Moscow to Petrozavodsk:
No. 018A "Moscow–Petrozavodsk" (branded train). Departure at 21.05, arrival - 08.55.
No. 092A "Moscow-Murmansk". Departure at 19.50, arrival - 09.18. - From St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk:
No. 012A "St. Petersburg–Petrozavodsk". Departure at 23.20, arrival at 06.50. - From Kemi to Moscow when booking a five-day tour:
No. 091A "Murmansk-Moscow". Departure at 10.10, arrival at 10.36.
No. 015A "Murmansk-Moscow" (branded train). Departure at 06.47, arrival - 06.50. - From Kemi to Moscow when booking a four-day tour:
No. 225C "Murmansk-Adler". Departure at 01.45, arrival - 23.59.
No. 285A "Murmansk-Novorossiysk". Departure at 01.52, arrival at 23.54.
No. 293A "Murmansk-Anapa". Departure at 03.15, arrival - 01.56. - From Kemi to St. Petersburg:
No. 015A "Murmansk-Moscow" (branded train). Departure at 06.47, arrival at 22.16.
Karelia and the north of Russia have always aroused great interest among pilgrims, tourists and painters, poets and prose writers. Therefore, first of all, we will figure out where Solovki, Valaam and Kizhi are located. They are scattered at a fairly large distance from each other and located in different regions and water spaces. Karelia includes the islands of Valaam and Kizhi. Solovki is an island already in the White Sea in the Arkhangelsk region. Now let's take a closer look at each of these objects. Below you see the water surfaces of Karelia. Valaam in the photo is white with the dome of the church. All objects are unique and have not only beautiful views, but also a very interesting history.
History of Valaam Island
In the northern part of Lake Ladoga, the largest in Europe, rocky Valaam rises. Karelia with the peoples who inhabited it in time immemorial gave it a name that translates as “high, mountainous land.”
According to legend, the first to appear here was the Apostle Andrew the First-Called as an educator and spreader of Christianity. He erected a stone cross, in the place of which the monastery now stands.
Nine hundred years have passed. Missionaries from Greece arrived in Karelia on Valaam: Herman and Sergius. Thanks to them, a brotherhood of monks appeared on the island. They were erected at the beginning of the 15th century. Slowly, monks from other places came here. They erected outbuildings and other structures made of wood. A hundred years later, the monastic brotherhood grew to a thousand people. By the standards of the time it was rich. It was regularly robbed by the Swedes, the monks were killed, and temples, manuscripts and books were burned. The place was empty.
Recovery
By order of Peter the Great, the monastery was restored. In 1720, the wooden Transfiguration Cathedral was built, which was consecrated in the name of St. Andrew the First-Called and John the Theologian. Outbuildings and cell buildings grew. The Assumption Church was built ten years later. The fire of 1754 destroyed everything. Eleven monks began to restore the monastery thanks to the help of Elizabeth Petrovna. New construction began: the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, St. Nicholas, Assumption and Gate churches, and new cells were erected. This is how the difficult history of Valaam in Karelia unfolded.
Acts of the abbot
Rapid stone construction began under Abbot Damaskin, who came from peasant background.
This new rector, a strong and extraordinary personality, invited experienced architects from St. Petersburg. Valaam in Karelia literally flourished: gardens and vegetable gardens were planted, livestock was raised, the monks went fishing and they had bakeries, a pharmacy, a hospital, and a bathhouse. The surplus was sold. For more than forty years the monastery was ruled by Father Damascene. The rules under him were strict: young monks and novices were in the care of the elders. All church services were required to attend, as well as many hours of labor obedience. No one could voluntarily leave the island, which since the 16th century had also been a place of exile for guilty monks.
Development from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century
For more than a hundred years, the archipelago was part of the Principality of Finland. It, in turn, was part of the Russian Empire. The next rector was Jonathan II (Ivan Dmitriev). He completed the construction of the majestic stone two-story, bright, five-domed Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral with a belfry.
Through his efforts, the huge library of the monastery was put in order. A water supply system was installed on the island. After the revolution, Finland became an independent state, where the majority of churches are Lutheran. The monasteries of Valaam turned out to be a “national minority”. To attract the flock, the monks began to conduct services in Finnish. Their number has decreased. The remaining brethren accepted Finnish citizenship. During the Finnish War, the island was bombed, and the monks, taking all the valuables, moved to the continent. In the town of Hajnovesi they created a monastery called “New Valaam”. It became the center of Orthodoxy in Finland.
On Soviet Valaam in Karelia, worldly life was going on. A school for cabin boys and boatswains was established in the monastery. In 1940, the island was again occupied by Finland, but in 1945 after the war it again went to the USSR. Five years later, the monastery housed a home for disabled people of the Great Patriotic War and Labor, which closed in 1984.
New life of the old monastery
Thanks to the beauty of Karelia’s nature, tourists began to visit Valaam Island by boat in the 60s. In the fall of 1989, the monastery was transferred to the Leningrad diocese; in December, on the day of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, six monks arrived on the monastery grounds. They had a lot of work to do to put in order not only the monastery in Karelia (Valaam), but also to redevelop the lands that were transferred to them, and restore fifteen monasteries. This requires an amount of approximately 370 million rubles. In total, 15 million were received.
The lands that were given to the monastery are of little use for agriculture, while good ones are empty. The monastery contains 23 cows, and could even have one hundred and forty, as it was in the 18th century. The monks donate milk free of charge to schools and kindergartens, and at cost to hospitals. There is not enough feed for dairy cows; they have to be purchased on the mainland. The monastery has a lot of problems.
Let's give four examples. The issue of transferring the ancient bakeries in which delicious wood-fired bread was made has not been resolved. It didn't get stale for several days. Tourists filled the forests with rubbish. If they were rented out to the monks, and no one wants to solve this issue, then everything would be cleared away.
There is also no decision to create a National Park on the island, which can fully preserve nature. And the plants and animals here are unique: relict coniferous forests, oaks, ash trees, larch trees, chestnut trees, thujas, cedar groves. On the banks you can see colonies of terns and gulls, as well as rookeries of the Ladoga seal. Nobody wants to build a plant for processing solid waste (glass containers, bags, polyethylene) and remove it from the island, as well as a system for treating fecal waste, which causes hepatitis and dysentery.
Monastery complex
The Valaam Monastery in Karelia was fully formed in 1862. On the island they made bricks from which everything was built. From the bay, along a granite staircase that runs through an alley of larch trees, tourists and pilgrims approach the monastery. A gate opens in front of them with the Church of Peter and Paul above it. Several rows of cells and churches form two quadrangles.
The small one is located inside the large one, and it houses the main cathedral - the Transfiguration Cathedral. Its five domes are a symbol of Jesus Christ and the four apostles. On the ground floor there is the Church of Sergius and Herman. Their relics are buried deep below. The bell tower consists of three tiers. It has 13 bells. The largest of them - “Apostle Andrew” - weighs fourteen tons.
During night services, you can hear ancient choir chants, which are not performed anywhere else.
Operating hermitages
There are only 10 of them left:
The rest are being restored and built.
Travel to Karelia
Tours to Karelia will be readily offered by numerous travel agencies. At your request, you can choose the duration of the trip from two to eighteen days. Tours to Karelia to Valaam are carried out all year round. In summer, in addition to the sights, you can enjoy the romance of the white nights. If you add fishing and walks surrounded by pristine nature, your vacation will undoubtedly be memorable and successful. Holidays in Karelia on Valaam, in the country of forests and lakes, will allow you to completely disconnect from the busy life of the metropolis and enjoy peace and quiet.
In winter, especially during the New Year holidays, it is nice to pamper your child with an acquaintance with Chukchi sled dogs: Siberian Huskies with blue eyes, Alaskan Malamutes, Taimyr sled dogs. The mushers will teach how to harness dogs to sleds. And how interesting it is to ride along the two-kilometer track on the dogs of the famous traveler Fyodor Konyukhov! It's easy for them. After all, they walked with him the most difficult path from the North Pole to Canada across the Arctic ice. Then you will be invited to drink hot tea in the tent and eat red fish soup. The next day, cheerful gnomes will surround you, divide the group into teams and begin competitions. And this is not all that will be offered to you! Santa Claus will also appear.
Karelia, Valaam Island: how to get there
You can fly to Valaam, which is completely surrounded by water, by air, but the water route is most often used. From St. Petersburg, the high-speed hydrofoil boat "Meteor" will deliver a tourist or pilgrim in four hours.
A trip by boat is much more expensive and longer. Most people prefer to choose the road from Sortavala. The motor ship takes two and a half hours, and the Meteor takes fifty minutes. But they don't have a clear schedule. The most convenient way is to board a speedboat with an excursion. Only singles are accommodated in the remaining free places. And if there are not enough places, then you will have to while away the time on the pier. The monastery's pilgrimage service will also provide a similar service.
Lake Ladoga can be rough and stormy. Then all flights are cancelled. In this case, the tourist will either get their money back or be asked to wait 2-3 days. You need to remember this and have a few days in reserve.
Wooden architecture on Lake Onega
Kizhi is the 8th wonder of the world, which was created by Russian craftsmen from the most short-lived material. The entire architectural ensemble is under the auspices of UNESCO. And for good reason. Such beauty as the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord or the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, next to which stands a restored hipped bell tower, cannot be found anywhere else. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord is a true marvel.
Its pine frame consists of eight sides, on which two more octagonal churches are placed. The structure is crowned with twenty-two chapters. The four-tiered iconostasis contains one hundred and two icons dating from different centuries. This is a summer church, and in winter services are held in the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin. If a tourist doesn’t have a lot of time, then the usual route around Karelia: Kizhi, Valaam.
Another extraordinary place in Russia
Back at the beginning of the 15th century, two hermits arrived in the White Sea, far, far to the north: Herman and Savvaty. The place was swampy, with many lakes, and covered with birch forest. They apparently had a hard life. Trusting only in the mercy and help of the Lord, they erected a cross and a cell. After the death of Savvaty, monks began to sail here. We know the date of foundation of the monastery - 1436. It was rich and built of huge stones and bricks.
No one has yet figured out even approximately who the builder of the monastery was, since some of the stones of the Kremlin and the walls of the fence weigh about eight tons. The lichen that covers them is approximately two to three thousand years old.
A hundred years after the founding of the monastery, the monks connected all the lakes with canals. Traveling through them will take at least ten hours.
There is also an underground passage, the length of which is 1.5 km.
At the end of the 19th century, a botanical garden was created on the lands of the monastery, in the greenhouses of which watermelons, melons, and peaches were grown.
Place of exile and prison
This has been the case since the 16th century. In the 20th century, the monastery no longer exists, and only a Special Purpose Camp for intelligent political exiles remains, and later a Special Purpose Camp, which was closed in 1939.
Nowadays
In 1990, monastic life was resumed. Shrines reappear in it, before which an Orthodox person wants to kneel. About twenty thousand tourists and pilgrims arrive at the monastery every year.
Karelia, Kizhi, Valaam, Solovki: tour, reviews
If you visit all three places at once, it will take nine to ten days. But the impressions will last a lifetime. But this is a superficial inspection. A leisurely one takes about three times longer. Tourists recall a wonderful time spent and excellent guides. On Solovki, some celebrate sunsets of fantastic beauty. Some travelers find it difficult to bear the motion and remember it with horror. In general, local residents reproach tourists for the dirt they leave behind. The opinions of the travelers themselves were divided into two parts. The first notes that the domestic service is very bad, the second has no complaints about it.
The center, the monument to Peter I, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the governor's park. Promenade along the beautiful city embankment along Lake Onega.
Optional, for an additional fee, a trip on the Meteor to the island of Kizhi (1 hour 15 minutes on Lake Onega).
Excursion to the world-famous open-air museum, where a unique collection of monuments of wooden architecture is collected. You will see the 22-domed Transfiguration Church during the restoration period, visit the interiors of the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary and an ethnographic exhibition in a peasant hut with a demonstration of traditional peasant crafts.
Dinner .
Accommodation in a hotel in Petrozavodsk.
Day 2:
Breakfast (packed rations).
Early departure (moving about 250 km).
Along the route there are picturesque Karelian landscapes, smooth forest lakes and a magnificent panorama of Lake Ladoga framed by rocks. Travel information.
Excursion to a unique natural site: the Ruskeala mountain park.
Marble was mined here in the 18th and 19th centuries to decorate the palaces and temples of the Northern capital. And now they admire the emerald waters of the man-made Marble Lake, visit the preserved grottoes and adits, explore the “Italian Quarry”, where all the shades of marble are in full view, and walk along Marble Square. There are no analogues either in Russia or in Europe.
You will admire the most famous waterfall in Karelia, sung in Russian poetry as the “northern hero”. Here you will see a real Karelian birch - the famous “Cinderella” of the northern forests, and get acquainted with the collection of the arboretum and the Museum of Nature.
Excursion to the “Povenets Stairs” of the locks of the White Sea-Baltic Canal.
This is where the waterway begins that connected Lake Onega and the White Sea. You will learn about the history of the construction of the White Sea Canal in 1931-1933 - one of the difficult and grandiose construction projects of the Soviet era.
Dinner.
In the evening, arrival at the tourist complex “Prichal”.
Accommodation.
Free time.
Dinner on your own for an additional fee in the cafe of the tourist complex.
Day 4:
Early rise and breakfast.
Free time.
Day 5:
Breakfast .
Release of rooms. Items are placed in a storage room.
Bus tour “Mount Sekirnaya. Holy Ascension Skete" + "Botanical Garden" (3 hours).
You will visit one of the highest points of the Big Solovetsky Island - Mount Sekirnaya, from the top of which an unforgettable view of the island and the White Sea opens. Get acquainted with the history and monuments of the active Holy Ascension monastery, where during the Solovetsky camp there was a punishment cell - a place of detention and punishment of prisoners. A visit to the northernmost botanical garden in Russia with a tour of the archimandrite’s dacha, the Alexander Chapel and the worship cross.
Excursions will be offered upon request for an additional fee.
Excursion “Sights of Bolshoi Zayatsky Island”. Boat trip to Zayatsky Island (travel time 45 minutes). You will visit the largest pagan sanctuary of the 2nd-1st millennia BC, stone labyrinths, a complex of religious and funerary buildings, the first stone harbor in Russia, monuments of St. Andrew's Skete.
Transfer from the hotel to the pier at 18:30.
19:00 departure from Solovki back.
21:00 arrival on the mainland.
Accommodation in the tourist complex "Prichal".
Free time.
Dinner for an additional fee.
Please note: For tourists from St. Petersburg, it is possible to depart from Solovki at 16.00 for train No. 21. Transfer to the railway station will be organized free of charge immediately after the ship arrives at the pier.
Tour route: Petrozavodsk - o. Kizhi - o. Valaam – Kivach waterfall – White Sea-Baltic Canal – one-day cruise to Solovki - Belomorsk
We offer a classic version of the program, including visits to such famous sites as the open-air museum in Lake Onega - about. Kizhi, Holy Island - Valaam, White Sea-Baltic Canal and 1-day cruise on the White Sea with a visit to the Big Solovetsky Island.
Transport: According to the program.
Accommodation
In Belomorsk: hotel "Gandvik": Single and double standard rooms (shower, toilet, minibar, TV, telephone). Infrastructure: bar, restaurant, gym, tanning studio, beauty salon, laundry.
Tour program
1st dayMeeting in Petrozavodsk upon arrival of train No. 18 (08.55) at car No. 7.
Breakfast("Buffet").
Bus tour of Petrozavodsk. Inspection of the main streets and squares of the city, the monument to Peter I, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. A walking tour along the embankment, where the open-air museum is located - sculptures donated by the twin cities.
Traveling on the high-speed ship "Comet" along Lake Onega to Kizhi Island(1 hour 15 minutes). Excursion program in the museum-reserve with a visit to the Intercession Church and ethnographic exhibitions.
Lunch on Kizhi island. Return to Petrozavodsk. Accommodation at the Park Inn hotel.
Nutrition: Breakfast. Dinner.
Cities: Petrozavodsk, Kizhi
Attractions: Onega embankment, Kizhi Island
Reservoirs: Lake Onega
2nd day
Transfer by bus to Sortavala (250 km). Breakfast on the way.
Transition on the high-speed ship “Meteor” along Lake Ladoga to the island. Valaam (45 minutes). Sightseeing tour of the central estate of the monastery with a visit to the Transfiguration Cathedral, Resurrection and Gethsemane monasteries.
Lunch in the monastery refectory.
Transfer to Sortavala. Return to Petrozavodsk.
Nutrition: Breakfast. Dinner.
Cities: Sortavala, Valaam
Attractions: Valaam Island
Reservoirs: Ladoga lake
3rd day
Breakfast("Buffet"). Release of rooms. Departure by bus to Belomorsk(370 km).
Excursion to the Kivach nature reserve, inspection of the most famous waterfall in Karelia and the second largest flat waterfall in Europe - Kivach. Visit to the arboretum, where you can see the famous Karelian birch.
Excursion to the White Sea-Baltic Canal, connecting the White Sea with Lake Onega. Inspection of the lock in the village of Povenets.
“Green parking lot” in a pine forest on the shore of Lake Onega. Dinner, rest, swimming, walking in the forest, picking mushrooms and berries.
Arrival in Belomorsk. Accommodation at the Gandvik Hotel.
Nutrition: Breakfast. Dinner.
Cities: Kondopoga district, Belomorsk
Attractions: Kivach waterfall, White Sea-Baltic Canal
4th day
Breakfast. Transfer to the port, boarding a three-deck sea-class motor ship "Sapphire". On board: 3 comfortable passenger lounges, a cafe, an open promenade deck, a souvenir kiosk, a library.
08.00-23.00 One-day cruise on the White Sea with a visit to the Big Solovetsky Island, during which you can admire the picturesque islands, watch sea ducks and Arctic terns, feed seagulls, and if you’re lucky, see White Sea seals and beluga whales. Program of stay on Solovki (7 hours):
Sightseeing tour of the Solovetsky Kremlin, acquaintance with its history and architecture, visiting the territory of the central complex of the monastery, existing churches, objects of economic activity of the monastery, monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Walking tour "Cape of Labyrinths" along the picturesque shore of the White Sea, where you will see “dancing” Solovetsky birches and “labyrinths” - spiral-shaped stone displays, a cultural monument of prehistoric civilizations.
Free time. Optional visit to the maritime museum, the exhibitions of which tell about the spiritual and economic development of the sea open spaces and coastal territory of the Russian North, as well as souvenir pavilions and the company store of the Arkhangelsk algae plant, where you can purchase products from the White Sea algae (medicinal cosmetics, food additives, marmalade).
18.30 Boarding the ship. Dinner.
23.00 Return to Belomorsk. Transfer to the railway station. Departure of night trains to Moscow/St. Petersburg.
Upon request for extra. overnight stay at the Gandvik Hotel
(2-bed standard - 3,200 rubles/room, 1-bed standard - 2,800 rubles).
Nutrition: Breakfast. Dinner.
Cities: Solovetsky district, Belomorsk
Attractions: Solovetsky Kremlin, Cape Labyrinths, Solovetsky Maritime Museum
Reservoirs: White Sea
Tour conditions
Meeting point Meeting of guests at the Petrozavodsk railway station upon arrival of train No. 18 at car No. 7.Souvenirs. Discounts For additional space according to the price table.
Meals According to the program Important It is necessary to arrive at the meeting point at the appointed time, otherwise responsibility for joining the group falls entirely on the tourist. We recommend that citizens of the Russian Federation take a compulsory health insurance card for each trip participant when traveling.
Water crossings on Lake Onega (on Kizhi Island), on Lake Ladoga (on Valaam Island) and on the White Sea (on Solovki Island) are carried out under favorable weather conditions and the absence of storm warnings.
Children Accepted from 6 years of age Attention The company reserves the right to change the procedure for providing services without reducing their volume.
When visiting active monasteries and temples, women are not recommended to enter the territory in trousers or shorts and without a headdress. Insurance is not included in the tour price. Be sure to no later than 7 days before arrival, please provide information about the arrival of tourists in Petrozavodsk (train number, arrival time and mobile phone number of tourists) and also on departure from Belomorsk (train number and departure time).
What to take with you: Useful tips
Recommended trains:
from Moscow from Leningradsky station to Petrozavodsk train No. 18, from St. Petersburg from Ladozhsky station to Petrozavodsk train No. 12. comfortable clothes that do not restrict movement, for long periods of time outdoors, comfortable shoes without heels; camera, charger for mobile phone and camera; personal hygiene supplies.
When visiting existing temples and the territory of the internal square of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery, men must be without headdresses, women must have skirts and a headdress. It is not allowed to visit the monastery in sports or revealing clothes. During excursions we recommend wearing comfortable clothes and shoes. In the icon and souvenir shops of the monastery you can buy icons, candles, and submit notes.
In June and August on Solovki
Tour route: Holidays in the resort "Verkhovye" - o. Kizhi - Mount Sampo - Marcial Waters resort - Girvas volcano - o. Valaam - Ruskeala - rafting on the Shuya River - Petrozavodsk - "Kantele House" - Kivach waterfall - White Sea petroglyphs - Solovetsky Islands
A tour for those who want to see everything at once!
You will get acquainted with the natural and historical riches of Karelia. You will see the rare beauty of northern nature, the unique architectural ensemble of the Solovetsky Monastery and the most interesting historical monuments! On the holy land of Valaam you will feel spiritual grace and tranquility, on Fr. In Kizhi you will admire the 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration, and with bated breath you will admire the largest flat waterfall in Europe - the Kivach waterfall.
Accommodation in the country cottage complex "Verkhovye", rooms with all amenities, as well as in the hotels "Prichal" and "Solovetskaya Sloboda" - all rooms with amenities.
Check-in every Sunday from 05/28/2017 to 09/18/2017.
Check-in is possible the night before, after 18.00 - without additional payment for accommodation. It's convenient and free.
Transport: According to the program.
Accommodation
Cottage complex "Verkhovye", 20 km from Petrozavodsk, 50 meters from the Shuya River, 700 meters from two beautiful lakes: Ukshozero and Konchozero.
Cottage No. 4: Double rooms with private facilities(2-bed/1.5-bed, table, chairs, TV, kitchenette (microwave oven, electric kettle, refrigerator), shower, toilet, hairdryer; each room with a separate entrance - exit to the street).
Infrastructure:
Cafe, Russian wood-burning sauna, outdoor swimming pool, gazebo for relaxation. For a fee: barbecue, smokehouse, bicycles, boat with motor. Free: darts, soccer and volleyballs, table tennis, badminton, fishing rods. For children: a playground with a house, a sandbox, a jeep - a wheelchair for kids, a large trampoline, a battery-powered jeep.
Tourist complex "Prichal" Kem: Double rooms(shower, toilet, TV). The tourist complex is located near the port in the village. Rabocheostrovsk is 100 meters from the shore of the White Sea.
Infrastructure:
cafe, sauna, guarded parking, barbecue area.
Tour program
1st daySunday
Free day. Rest on the territory of the resort "Verkhovye."
Meeting at the Petrozavodsk railway station upon arrival of train No. 18 (08.55), (tourists who arrived on train No. 012A St. Petersburg - Petrozavodsk are waiting for the Moscow train). The central entrance to the station, from the side of the platform, under the clock (a representative with a sign “K/k Verkhovye”).
Transfer to the cottage complex "Verkhovye" (20 km).
Accommodation in comfortable rooms.
Breakfast.
Recreation at the base - games of volleyball, football, badminton. Bicycle rental, barbecue (additional fee). If you have a fishing rod, you can take it with you to go fishing on the river bank.
Dinner.
Free time. Bathhouse upon request for extra charge. fee.
Dinner.
Cities: Petrozavodsk
2nd day
Monday
Excursion to Kizhi Island
Breakfast.
A trip on a comet to the island. Kizhi(1 hour 15 minutes on Lake Onega).
The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is one of the largest open-air museums in Russia - 89 monuments of traditional wooden architecture: ancient chapels and houses, mills and barns. The pearl of the collection is the 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration, 37 meters high. The winter Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary and the bell tower were erected next to it. The basis of the museum collection is the ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost - a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site since 1990.
Return to Petrozavodsk.
Transfer to Verkhovye.
Dinner (with soup).
Cities: Kizhi
Attractions: Kizhi Museum-Reserve
Reservoirs: Lake Onega
3rd day
Visit to Mount Sampo, Marcial Waters resort, Girvas
Breakfast.
Free time.
Lunch (hot soup with croutons).
Departure for a country excursion. Visiting a cult place from the Karelian-Finnish epic - Mount Sampo (37 km from Petrozavodsk). The mountain owes its name to the Soviet-Finnish film "Sampo", which was filmed in these places in the 1960s of the last century. Climbing to the top of the mountain you can enjoy the panorama of centuries-old forests and a thirty-kilometer string of islands on Lake Konchezero.
Moving. Visit to the first Russian resort “Marcial Waters”, where Peter the Great personally stayed for about 90 days. Visit to the Church of the Apostle Peter, built in 1721. This is the only architectural monument of the resort that has survived to this day. Tasting marcial water from several sources.
Transfer to the village of Girvas, inspection of the crater of the oldest volcano in Karelia. Girvas Volcano is a geological natural monument of federal significance. Girvassky volcano was discovered in the 60s of the twentieth century.
Return to the complex.
Dinner.
Cities: Kondopoga district
Attractions: Marcial Waters resort, Mount Sampo, Girvas volcano
4th day
Excursion to the island Valaam and the Ruskeala mountain park
Early rise.
Breakfast (lunch box).
Transfer to Sortavala (~250 km). Departure along Lake Ladoga to the island. Balaam on the meteor (45 minutes one way).
Sightseeing tour of the central estate of the monastery with a visit to the Transfiguration Cathedral, Assumption Church, chapels, cell buildings, utility and hotel buildings. Visit to the Old Brotherly Cemetery.
Lunch (in the monastery refectory).
Moving to Nikonovskaya Bay, visiting the Resurrection and Gethsemane monasteries.
Next, an excursion to one of the brightest and most amazing places in the Northern Ladoga region: mountain park "Ruskeala. The main attraction of the Mountain Park is the Marble Canyon - a monument to industrial culture (mining) of the late 18th - early 20th centuries, officially included in the list of cultural heritage of Russia in 1998.
Late return to "Verkhovye".
Dinner (lunch box).
Cities: Balaam
Attractions: Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, Resurrection Skete, Gethsemane Skete, Ruskeala Mountain Park
Reservoirs: Ladoga lake
5th day
Rafting on the Shuya River
Breakfast.
Transfer to the beginning of the rafting site. The Shuya River is a large and deep river in South Karelia (translated from Karelian as “deep”). It originates in the northeastern tip of the lake. Suoyarvi, flows into Petrozavodsk Bay of Lake Onega.
Instruction, selection of equipment (helmet, paddle, life jacket). Training sessions on the water. There are no age restrictions.
Passing rapids of I and II difficulty categories.
Lunch in the clearing.
Return to "Verkhovye".
Dinner.
Reservoirs: Shuya River
6th day
Excursion around Petrozavodsk, visit to the Kantele House
Breakfast.
Departure to Petrozavodsk.
Sightseeing tour of Petrozavodsk "Karelian Capital"- a quarter of the historical building "Old Town", where the oldest building of the quarter has been preserved, an example of urban industrial architecture, presumably from the end of the 19th century - a forge. Embankment of Lake Onega, pl. Kirov, Lososinka River, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Museum of Industrial History, memorial complex, in the central part of which there is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the Eternal Flame of Glory, Governor's Park.
Excursion to the Kantele House. Kantele is the pride of the Karelian people. Its crystal sound is the music of the heroes of the Kalevala epic. You can not only get acquainted with the instrument, but also hear it live.
Free time.
Return to the resort "Verkhovye".
Dinner.
Cities: Petrozavodsk
Attractions: Onezhskaya embankment
Reservoirs: Lake Onega
7th day
Moving to Kem. Visit to the Kivach nature reserve, Zaonezh embroidery factory. White Sea petroglyphs
Breakfast.
Release of rooms.
Long drive to the city of Kem (440 km). Along the way we visit the Kivach nature reserve, admire one of the largest lowland waterfalls in Europe, see the Museum of Nature and the Karelian birch reserve.
Dinner.
A visit to the brand store of the Karelian Patterns factory - one of the large enterprises of folk art crafts in the North-West of Russia, producing linen products with traditional embroidery. You will have the opportunity to purchase products made by the hands of Zaonezh craftswomen.
Along the way, a stop to visit the White Sea petroglyphs - a complex of rock paintings in the sites of ancient people, dating back to the period of the 3rd - 2nd millennium BC. (Comfortable shoes and mosquito repellent required).
In the evening, arrival in the village of Rabocheostrovsk. Accommodation at the hotel "Prichal" on the shore of the White Sea.
Cities: Kondopoga district, Belomorsky district, Kem
Attractions: Kivach waterfall, White Sea petroglyphs
Day 8
Sunday
Transfer to the Solovetsky Islands. Excursion to the Solovetsky Kremlin. Walk to the Cape of Labyrinths
Breakfast.
Exit to the port. Departure by boat to the Solovetsky Islands(transition 2.5 hours along the White Sea). Arrival at the Solovetsky Islands.
Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation in a room with private facilities Hotel "Solovetskaya Sloboda"
Sightseeing tour of the Solovetsky Kremlin. The excursion introduces you to the history of the Solovetsky Monastery, the Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp, the Northern Fleet Training Detachment and the School of Young Boys. You will visit the territory of the central complex of the monastery, active churches, monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and objects of economic activity of the monastery.
Dinner.
A walk to the Cape of Labyrinths to the “dancing” Solovetsky birches.
Free time.
Cities: Primorsky district
Attractions: Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery
Reservoirs: White Sea
9th day
Monday
Departure day. Bus tour "Mount Sekirnaya - Botanical Garden"
Breakfast.
After breakfast – vacate the rooms. Things are handed over to the headquarters room.
Bus excursion “Mount Sekirnaya – Botanical Garden”. During the excursion you will visit one of the highest points of the Big Solovetsky Island - Mount Sekirnaya, from the top of which an unforgettable view of the island and the White Sea opens. Get acquainted with the history and monuments of the active Holy Ascension monastery, where during the Solovetsky camp there was a punishment cell - a place of detention and punishment of prisoners. You will see a unique lighthouse church, one of the northernmost botanical gardens in Russia, the Archimandrite's dacha, the Alexander Chapel, a worship cross, and the building of the camp commandant's office.
Lunch at a cafe.
Transfer from the hotel with things to the pier.
19.00 Departure of the boat from the Solovetsky Islands to the mainland. The journey takes 2.5 hours along the White Sea.
Arrival in the village Rabocheostrovsk.
Transfer to the railway station in Kem.
ATTENTION!!! Let us know in advance which train you are going back to, so that if necessary, you can book a room at the Prichal Hotel (1,600 rubles per person for a bed in a double standard room).
Cities: Kem, Primorsky district
Attractions: Mount Sekirnaya, Botanical Garden
Reservoirs: White Sea
Tour conditions
Meeting point Meeting at the Petrozavodsk railway station upon arrival of train No. 18 (08.55). The central entrance to the station from the side of the platform, under the clock (a representative with a sign “K/k Verkhovye”).Transport According to the program.
The price includes Accommodation according to the program: in the resort "Verkhovye" (6 days), overnight in the hotel "Prichal" (Kem), accommodation on Solovki in the hotel "Solovetskaya Sloboda" 1 (day);
meals: 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 6 lunches, 6 dinners;
transport services according to the program;
museum tickets;
Excursions: sightseeing tour of Petrozavodsk, excursion to the Kantele House, excursion to the island. Kizhi, excursion to the island. Valaam, excursion to the Ruskeala mountain park, excursions to the Solovetsky Islands: Solovetsky Kremlin, walk to the Cape of Labyrinths, "Mount Sekirnaya - Botanical Garden", excursion to the Kivach nature reserve;
visit to the Karelian Patterns factory;
visiting the White Sea petroglyphs;
visit to Sampo, the Marcial Waters resort, Girvas Possible additional payments Railway tickets: Moscow - Petrozavodsk, Kem - Moscow or St. Petersburg - Petrozavodsk, Kem - St. Petersburg;
Meals: lunch (day 6), dinner (day 7), dinner (day 8);
If you need an overnight stay at the end of the tour in Kemi at the "Prichal" hotel: double room at the "Prichal" hotel (day 9) - 3,200 rubles/day without breakfast.
Souvenirs. Discounts According to the price table.
Meals According to the program Important It is necessary to arrive at the meeting point at the appointed time, otherwise responsibility for joining the group falls entirely on the tourist.
We recommend that citizens of the Russian Federation take a compulsory health insurance card for each trip participant when traveling.
Water crossings on Lake Onega (on Kizhi Island), on Lake Ladoga (on Valaam Island) and on the White Sea (on Solovki Island) are carried out under favorable weather conditions and the absence of storm warnings.
Insurance is not included in the tour price. Insurance is not included in the tour price. Useful tips
from Moscow from Leningradsky station to Petrozavodsk train No. 18, from St. Petersburg from Ladozhsky station to Petrozavodsk train No. 12. When visiting existing temples
and the territory of the internal square of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery, men must be without headdresses, women must have skirts and a headdress. It is not allowed to visit the monastery in sports or revealing clothes. During excursions we recommend wearing comfortable clothes and shoes. In the icon and souvenir shops of the monastery you can buy icons, candles, and submit notes. Rafting
designed for ordinary city residents - “newbies”. It does not require special physical training, experience of water trips or even the ability to swim! Before the start of the rafting there will be a safety briefing and the instructor will give each tourist equipment: a life jacket and a paddle. Prepare your swimwear, because in hot weather there is nothing more pleasant than swimming in clean river water. And after the rafting, a set of dry, changeable clothes will be useful to change into. Rafting charges everyone with energy and positive emotions.
When going to Solovki, think about your luggage:
1. In June and August, Solovki can be quite cool, so warm clothes will come in handy at this time of year. To travel by sea in any month, take a warm jacket or warm sweater and a windbreaker with you.
2. For rainy days, it is better to take waterproof shoes and a rain cape or raincoat (an umbrella is not convenient).
3. Comfortable shoes are a must.
4. To visit temples and monasteries, women must take a long skirt and headscarf.
5. In the summer there are a lot of midges and mosquitoes on Solovki, take mosquito repellent with you.
6. Additional batteries, film and batteries for your camera will be useful.
7. It is not necessary to bring food with you, you can buy it on Solovki in shops and retail outlets, but know that everything will be more expensive on Solovki, because... There is an island surcharge.
8. Be sure to take individual medications, incl. pills for motion sickness.
9. Fishing gear will be useful for amateur fishermen. Night trains will depart from Kemi in the summer in the direction of Moscow.
