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Karelia

Republic of Karelia – The land of thousand lakes.

In the north-west of Russia there is a strikingly beautiful land of “midnight sun”, the land of white nights. Here forests spread for many miles; there are thousands of big and small forest lakes surrounded by deep swamps or picturesque wild rocks. This is the land where you meet industrious and hospitable people. The name of this land is Karelia.
The Republic of Karelia is one of the most popular regions in international tourism. It has a lot of natural, architectural and historical sites on Kizhi and Valaam Islands, which arouse higher scientific and tourist interest. Architectural wooden monuments made Karelia world known. Kizhi Pogost is an outstanding work of Russian craftsmen. Nowadays Kizhi is not only an open-air museum of national architecture. All the authentic traditions, national handicrafts, customs and games are regenerated here.
Valaam Island is situated in the south-east of Karelia in Ladoga Lake. It is one of the largest orthodox cathedrals in Russia. The cultural monuments of Valaam – immense architectural ensembles, hand-made gardens, engineering constructions and ancient buildings – augment the majestic nature of the island. Valaam’s nature impress even very experienced tourists. Queer indented coastline, numerous channels, gulfs, and bays, century-old coniferous forests, ten internal lakes – make the island the centre of tourists’ attention.
Karelia is the motherland of Kalevala, famous Karelo-Finnish epic – a literary monument of world significance. Ancient Vepps, Karelian and Pomorian settlements built several centuries ago are well-preserved for tourists.

The two largest lakes in Europe – Onega Lake and Ladoga Lake – are situated on Karelian territory. One of the mysteries of the Onega Lake is located on the Besov Nos (Demon’s Nose) cape. Here some pictures painted by the people of the late Stone Age have survived. Scientists call them petroglyphs. They were also discovered on the shore of the White Sea. Petroglyphs made 5 thousand years ago represent one of the first examples of ancient culture. They are considered to be one of the most outstanding monuments of primitive art in Northern Europe.

There are 170 territories under protection in Karelia now. They build a good foundation for ecological tourism development, which spins up popularity in the world. One of the most visited places here is the Kivach waterfall on the Suna river. It is the second largest waterfall in Europe, and its height amounts to 11 m. Walking trips are very popular here as well. One can find here both summer and winter routes.

No less unique is the White Sea. In summer it is warm, in winter, severe and arctic. Water of a depth of 100 m becomes a phenomenon known as liquid frost, as its temperature is -1,5’C. Despite the severe climate, 27 rare species of birds and animals reside on the islands of the White Sea. Cultural potential of the White Sea region is huge. Solovetskiy monastery, petroglyphs, Kuzova archipelago – all these places attract fans of history and tourists who are not seeking for comfortable rest.

Besides, fans of fishing and hunting come here as well. In winter they usually go hunting for bears, elks, wolves and hare. The main fishing places are the Onega Lake, Topozero, the rivers Kem’, Vonga, Pista and the White Sea. As for the other activities, one can go skating, skiing and tobogganing, or participate in a snow-shoeing trip or snowmobile safari in winter, and rafting, cycling, trekking, in summer. Come to Karelia to dive into atmosphere of ancient times, where people have been living united with nature.

The following kinds of tourism have a wide distribution in Karelia: Culture and history tours in Karelia, culture events, sea and river cruises, winter products, outdoor adventures and nature activities, nature-based products in national parks, Health and recreation, snowmobile and ski tours to historical and cultural heritage sites in Karelia.