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The Kola Peninsula is beautiful and filled with miracles.

© Jan-2012

Camper and caravan holiday in Northwest Russia description:

If you have lesser time for your travel, please email us your points of interests and we will send you the best route and offer.

Day 1: Finland – Saint-Petersburg via Vyborg (200 km) or Narva (200km)
Drive to Russia via Border crossing point Vyborg or Narva.
Drive to Saint-Petersburg and stay at a camping place in Saint-Petersburg’s suburb. (electricity and water supply, sewage system for draining toilets).

Day 2, 3, 4: Excursions in Saint-Petersburg: Hermitage, Petergof Palace etc
Explore the city on your own according to the map.
Optional 1: Hiking excursion in the city with an English speaking or German speaking guide to see the most famous places of interests. Lunch in a cafe (optional). After lunch you can have an excursion in the Hermitage without a guide.
Optional 2: Come to the start point of the bus for an excursion to the Petergof palace. You can take a sit in a bus according to your voucher. English speaking guide cannot be guaranteed. The trip starts at 11.30. Lunch during the day on your own. Come back to the start point around 17.00.

Day 5: Saint-Petersburg to Olonets (320 km): Smolensky Cathedral
Drive to Olonets direction. On the way visit Monastery Alexander Svirsky Staraya Sloboda. Hike in Olonets city including a park on the place of Old Fortress where Historical Museum is located. Visit the museum: it has a model of the Old Fortress. Also there is a big beautiful Smolensky Cathedral on an island in a lake of the city. Stay overnight close to Olonets with possibility to connect electricity, fire place as well as sauna and kitchen.
 

Day 6: Olonets to Sortavala (180 km): Geese fields and Marble mine

On the way you can visit to a big ancient stone (like a train wagon) laying on a beach. Hike through forest and over beach.  Visit a marble mine. Stay overnight in camping place on lake side at a bungalow park with toilets, electricity, water supply, sewage system for draining toilets.
 

Day 7: Excursion to Valaam.
Boat trip to Valaam Island. Island excursion, visiting Monastery. Lunch in the Monastery dining room. Coming back by boat around 17.30 and driving back to the bungalow park.
 

Day 8: Sortavala to Syapsya (210 km): Kinerma village and Zoo Komplex of local wild animals
Excursion in Kinerma village where they keep the  traditional style of building of Karely-Livviki, visit to an ancient Chapel of XVIII century, watching an exhibition of the village’s history and making Folk dolls as well as traditional Karelian pies. Stay overnight at a parking place with possibility to use toilets, shower, electricity.  Visit a Zoo complex to see life of wild animals.
 

Days 9, 10: Syapsya to Petrozavodsk (105 km): Boat excursion to 'Kizhi Island' with traditional Karelian buildings
Drive to a camping specially equipped for campers not far from Petrozavodsk: electricity and water supply, sewage system, toilets, showers, kitchen, also big lake where you may swim and nature where you can hike.
From the camping are transfers Petrozavodsk and back. Hike in this beautiful city to Embankment street. Boat excursion to Kizhi Island for a hike along the beautiful wooding buildings in Karelian style.

Optional: a guide to show you the Kizhi Island. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon come back to Petrozavodsk. Visit museums including the Museum of replicas of old ships, and the Smithy work shop. Optional: Guided city tour
 

Day 11: Excursion to Sheltozero (140 km): Culture of Pomor people
Drive to Sheltozero village to see architecture of Vepse people and visit to Historical Museum. Traditional Veps tea.

Optional: a guided excursion program including tea with pies. Drive back to the camping for overnight.
 

Day 12: Petrozavodsk to Konchezero (120 km): Martsialnye Vody Resort build by Peter the Great
On the way visit the Martsialnye Vody Resort (Peter the Great establishment). Stay overnight at a bungalow park’s camping place. Possibility to take fresh water.
 

Day 13: Konchezero to Belomorsk (330 km): Kivach waterfall and Belomorsk canal
During way you can visit “Kivach waterfall”. Visit a sluice of the Belomorsk canal. Stay overnight in Belomorsk with electricity and water supply, sewage system, toilets, showers, kitchen.
 

Day 14: Belomorsk to Kem (120 km): Petroglyphs (rock carvings)
Hike to the Petroglyphs (rock carvings) which are not far from the camping place. Drive to Kem. Visit the museum about Pomors (local sea dwellers) in Kem city. Stay overnight at harbour hotel parking place. (Possibility to take fresh water)
 

Day 15: Excursion to Solovetsky Island.
Boat excursion to Solovetsky Islands.( from 8:00 till 17:30). Visit the Monastery. Come back to Kem in the evening. Stay overnight at harbour hotel parking place.
 

Day 16: Kem to Loukhi (190 km): Belugas (white whales)
Drive to Loukhi. Visit a Diving Centre on the White sea shore. There is a very big water open-air cage for white whales (Beluga) there. Overnight close to Loukhi.

Optional: Boat excursion to the cage and watch a Beluga performance, to feed, to stroke and even swim with them.
 

Day 17: Louchi to Kandalaksha (150 km): Wooden Church of Kovda
On the way visit Kovda village and the famous Kovda wooden church. Drive to Kandalaksha city and stay for overnight at a hotel parking place. (Possibility to take fresh water)
 

Day 18: Kandalaksha to Umba (110 km): Boat excursion to Stone Labyrinth
Optional: Boat excursion to ancient stone labyrinth “Babylon”. Drive by own cars to the harbour of Kandalaksha. Cars stay on a guided place.  It is possible to watch seals and sometimes white whales (beluga's) in the sea. Traditional Russian shashlyk party on the shore. Fishing is possible.
Drive to Umba village and stay overnight at a parking place of a guest house. Possibility to have sauna and dinner in a guest house.
 

Day 19: Umba to Lodochny Spring on the White Sea shore (120 km): Pomor folk concert
Optional: In Umba village possibility to visit the historical museum and a Pomor folk concert, but Umba village is since 2007 restricted area and a permission of Federal Security Board is necessary. We take care about that on before hand.
Proceed to drive along the coast to Kashkarantsy, a traditional Pomor village. Visit the Chapel of the Unknown Monk near the sea. Sauna and overnight at a camping of our tourist base at Lodochny Spring on the White sea shore. In the evening you can go for brown bear watching.
 

Day 20, 21, 22: The White Sea Shore. Wooden Church Complex of Varzuga and lucky stones: Amethyst
You can drive to Varzuga village – ancient place located on the shore of Varzuga River. Visit to Church Complex of the17th century. Take a boat on another side of Varzuga River and walk on wooden pavements between small cosy houses.
Optional: Hiking excursion to Saint Spring. Hike with a local guide to a very special place situated in the forest behind Varzuga village (4 km). Distance Lodochny Spring - Varzuga = 20 km
Or you can stay in Lodochny Spring. There is a left Amethyst mine nearby. Everybody can find his lucky Amethyst stone brush there. In the evening brown bear watching.
 

Day 23: The White Sea shore - Polyarnye Zori city (260 km).
Drive to direction of Polyarnye Zori city. Stay for overnight on a parking place of a mountain park. Possibility to use showers and toilets as well as electricity connections. (Possibility to take fresh water).
 

Day 24, 25: Polyarnye Zori city – Kirovsk (120 km): Atomic Electricity Station,  fish ponds and Botanical garden
Drive to Polyarnye Zori city. Visit to the Informational Centre in the city demonstrating exhibits about the Nuclear Electricity station, its museum and you can see a movie about the Station. Visit fish-ponds for breeding trout and sturgeon.
Drive via Apatity city where you can visit Mineralogical Museum and Museum of the North to Kirovsk city where you can see the most old and far to the North Botanical garden as well as Museum of Discovery of the North and first house of the Pioneers of the North.
First possibility for overnight is at parking place close to a hotel in the centre of Kirovsk city with possibility to use electricity and water connections.
Second possibility for overnight is at a recommended place in wild nature of Khibiny Mountains. It has no electricity or water connections but beautiful nature around.
The third possibility is to drive 35 km to guesthouse “Yolki-Palki” and park in a yard. Possibility to use kitchen, dry toilets, electricity and sauna. (Possibility to take fresh water).
 

Day 26: Kirovsk – Lovozero – Reindeer fold (260 km): Visit Saami and their reindeers
Drive to Lovozero village. Lovozero village is a place on Kola Peninsula where all Lappish people live. Excursion in Museum of Saami History. Stay overnight on the parking place of a Saami sight. Optional: Excursion in the reindeer fold.
 

Day 27, 28: Reindeer fold – Murmansk (120 km): Worlds biggest city above Polar Circle and Atomic Icebreaker
Drive to Murmansk. Park at a camping place near a hotel beside Murmansk city. Possibility to use electricity and water connections there. There is a swimming pool with SPA and restaurant with delicious meals. We suggest you visit the Regional Historical Museum, the Art Museum and the Folk Art Centre. One of highlights of the city is Second World War Memorial “ALESHA”; a figure of a watchman with a rifle of a height of 34 meters, which is visible almost from any point of the city. There are a number of interesting places to visit that are related to the sea and maritime culture. These include Worlds First Nuclear Icebreaker “Lenin”, the Naval Museum, the Shipping Company Museum and the Oceanarium with performances of seals and other sea animals. Optional: guided city tours
 

Day 29: Murmansk – Kirkenes (250 km): Valley of Glory and Steinberg
On the way you can visit the Valley of Glory. Hiking tour to the height “Steinberg”. Then proceed the way to the border.
Optional: Guided hiking tour to the height “Steinberg”; a German front-line strong point in WW II. The name was given by German soldiers. It consists of trenches, caves, underground galleries where Germans had base, headquarters, sauna and sleeping rooms.

This itinerary can be changed according your wishes and time-table. We are waiting for your request: >> info@kolatravel.com!

Bus excursion tour details

Accommodation:

Site

Saint-Petersburg

Olonets

Sauna

fireplace

Syapsya

Sortavala

Petrozavodsk

Konchezero

Belomorsk

Kem

Loukhi

Kandalaksha

Umba

Lodochny Spring

Sauna

fireplace

Polyanrye Zori

Kirovsk

Oktyabrsky

Lovozero Reindeer fold

Monchegorsk

Cafe

Murmansk

Level:

not applicable

Group size:

From 1. Click here for an offer!

Duration:

29 days on Russian Territory (or shorter or longer on request)

Dates:

From beginning of June till end of September. Click here for more information!.

Price:

Prices on request. Click here for an offer!

Price includes:

• Mentioned accommodations

• Detailed roadbook with routes (with gps-coordinates), information, and city maps

• Permissions for Umba entrance

• Visa invitation

• Migration registration

Optional:

• Saint-Petersburg:

  • Guided hiking excursions for groups up to 10 persons.

  • English or German speaking guide per hour.

• Visit centre near Olonets:

  • Rental Sauna.

  • Rental Kitchen.

• Boat excursion to Valaam island:

  • Boat tickets and 4 hour guided excursion in Central Monastery yard.

  • Boat tickets and 7 hour guided excursion in Monasteries incl. lunch).

• Kinerma village:

  • Excursion in the village (visits to two Chapels, two historical exhibitions and a photo exhibition, lunch).

  • Course in making Folk dolls for groups.

  • Course in baking traditional Karelian pies for groups.

• Zoo complex:

  • Entrance ticket.

• Petrozavodsk:

  • Guided hiking excursions (see attachment).

• Kizhi island:

  • Boat tickets to Kizhi (two ways).

  • Entrance fee to Kizhi Island.

  • English speaking guide on Kizhi Island.

• Solovetsky Islands:

  • Boat tickets.

  • Excursions in Solovetsky Islands.

• Specialized camping places close to Petrozavodsk and Belomor canal:

  • Picnic (snacks, grilled meat).

  • Hiking excursion to Petroglyphs (rock carving).

  • Taxi to Petrozavodsk.

• Diving base:

  • White wale (beluga) Performance..

  • Swimming with beluga's.

  • Rental swimming suit's.

• Kandalaksha:

  • 6 hour boat trip to Labyrinth Babylon by a big boat with picnic lunch for groups up to 15 persons.

  • 6 hour boat trip to Labyrinth Babylon by a small boat with picnic lunch for small groups up to 3 persons.

• Umba Pomor village:

  • Breakfasts, lunches and dinners in guesthouse.

  • Sauna for groups in guesthouse.

  • Excursion in Museum of History and work shops in Umba village for groups up to 10 persons.

  • Entrance ticket to the Museum of History.

  • Folk concert of local sea dwellers for groups.

• Lodochny Spring on the White Sea shore:

  • Breakfast: EUR 10,-- pp, lunch: EUR 12,-- pp, dinner: EUR 15,-- pp prepared on campfire.

• Tourist base “Yolki-Palki” close to Kirovsk:

  • Breakfast: EUR 10,-- pp, lunch: EUR 12,-- pp, dinner: EUR 15,-- pp.

• Kirovsk area:

  • Excursion in Mineralogical Museum in Kirovsk.

  • Excursion in Museum of the North in Kirovsk.

  • Excursion in Northern Botanical garden in Kirovsk.

• Murmansk:

  • Guided Bus excursion in Murmansk including visit museums and World's First Atomic Icebreaker for groups.

  • Excursion to the Historical Museum of Murmansk region with a lecture in English language for groups.

  • Entrance ticket to the Historical Museum of Murmansk region.

  • Entrance ticket to the Naval Museum.

  • Excursion to the Naval Museum with a lecture in English language for groups up to 10 persons.

  • Visit to the Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography with a lecture in English language for groups up to 10 persons.

  • Excursion to Atomic Icebreaker with a lecture in English language for groups up to 10 persons.

• Kola Travel services

  • Standby and support during the tour by Kola Travel Helpdesk (in Russian, English, Dutch and German language).

  • Third Party (Own Liability) Car insurances for Russian Territory.

  • Additional Kola Travel guide service per day on Kola Peninsula.

  • Additional Kola Travel guide with own car per day on Kola Peninsula.

Documents

• Passport must be valid at least 6 months after date of return. A visa is required. We handle the tourist invitation.

Insurance:

• The participant must possess medical insurance that at very least covers the European part of the Russian Federation.