4x4 Arctic Off-road Adventure on Kola Peninsula

4x4 Arctic Off-road Adventure itinerary:

Day 1: Salla - Kandalaksha (200 km - 3h) Entering Russia via the Border Crossing point Salla. Drive to Kandalaksha town on the shore of the White Sea. Arrival in Kandalaksha in the afternoon. Possibility to go for shopping for the next days. Overnight in a hotel just outside Kandalaksha. This day is without guiding.
Asphalt: 200 km, Gravel: 0 km, Off-road: 0 km.

Day 2: Kandalaksha - Black River (140 km - 8h) An English speaking guide with Russian army truck or Landrover Discovery picks you up at 9:00 AM and drive eastwards; Your 4x4 Arctic Off-road Adventure Off-road Adventure starts with a 5 km with a breath taking downhill drive to the White Sea shore. Drive along the White Sea coast. Lunch in forest. Short visit of Umba village and the mighty Umba river. Drive to Black River for staying the night on the White Sea shore (no facilities). In the evening possibility for making campfire.
Asphalt: 110 km, Gravel: 0 km, Off-road: 30 km (a mix of sandy-, forest- and muddy roads with water pools).

Day 3: Black River - Lodochny Ruchey (100 km - 8h) After breakfast continuing driving eastwards along the coast. We have to cross a river. Lunch on the way in wilderness. On the way passing by traditional Pomor villages. Possibility for sight-seeing. Continue to drive a picturesque coastal track to Lodochny Bay. Visit the Chapel of the Unknown Monk and an old Amethyst mine. Sauna, dinner and overnight on the camp site of Lodochny Ruchey. In the evening you can try your luck in finding your own lucky Amethyst stone or go for a swim in the White Sea.
Asphalt: 40 km, Gravel: 30 km, Off-road: 30 km (river crossing, stony-, forest- and muddy road with water pools).

Day 4: Round tour Today we make a round tour to the mouth of the Varzuga River – the easternmost point on the Kola Peninsula accessible by all terrain vehicles. It contains 15 km beach drving, 20 km sand roads through a sand plateau and dunes area. We visit the 17th century village of Kuzomen and Varzuga, the earliest settlement on the Tersky Coast with the wooden Uspenskaya Orthodox Church, constructed in 1674. Lunch in a dune area. Drive back to our cosy campsite Lodochny Ruchey for sauna, dinner and overnight. Possibility to drive more along the shore or forest tracks or to find Amethyst stones.
Asphalt: 0 km, Gravel: 25 km, Off-road: 50 km (mostly sandy roads).

Day 5: Lodochny – Muna (170 km - 8h). Drive back to Umba via gravel and asphalted roads. Continue to drive northwards (off-road) in Kirovsk direction. We have to concur muddy, stony and sandy tracks and to cross several rivers. See wild nature, forests, crystal clear lakes, hills, swamps, sandy places. Wilderness overnight (no facilities). Gravel and asphalt: 130 km, off-road: 50 km.

Day 6: Muna – Inga (50 km – 6h). Continue to Kirovsk. The tracks are like day 17. Meet abended villages and a rich nature. Wilderness overnight in or beside Saami Sot house name “Vezha”. Possibility to sleep like the Saami; around the campfire.

Day 7: Inga – Oktyabrsky (50km – 6h). We continue the forest road further northwards and on the horizon we can see the Khibiny Mountains. The tracks are like day 17 and 18. At noon we expect to be in a remote village, named Oktyabrsky close to Khibiny Mountains. We can have sauna and overnight in or beside our lumberjack guesthouse "Yolki Palki".

Day 8: Day of rest. Checking vehicle and equipment. Or excursion to the rests of a Stalinist camp (Gulag). We drive a muddy road with a lot of water pools to the rests of a Stalinist labour camp (20km). Stay the night in or close to the guesthouse.

Day 9: Oktyabrsky – Khibiny Tundra (75 km – 8h). After breakfast we drive to Kirovsk city for shopping. We can have lunch in a café. Then we continue off-road to a valley in the centre of the Khibiny Mountains. Drive to a beautiful lake area. Stay the night in on the shore of the lake. Muddy forest roads and "lake-crossings".

Day 10: Khibiny lake area – Oktyabrsky (75 km – 8h). We drive off-road back to Kirovsk and onwards to Oktyabrsky. We can have sauna and overnight in or beside our lumberjack guesthouse "Yolki Palki".

Day 11: Oktyabrsky - Revda (100 km - 8h). We have two options depending on the water levels of lakes and rivers. When the water levels are low we will drive off-road along the foot of the Lovozero Tundra and have to cross many rivers; bridges are broken or not trustful. We come up close to the mining village Revda.
Asphalt: 0 km, Gravel: 0 km, Off-road: 100 km. OR Remark: When the levels are high than the risk is too high for our vehicles by water and we will drive on asphalt via Monchegorsk to Revda. Lunch in Monchegorsk.
Asphalt: 230 km, Gravel: 5 km. In both situations we stay the night on the shore of the big Umbozero lake.

Day 12: To the summit of Kola Peninsula (1106 m) - Murmansk (180 km - 3h) Drive to one of the mountain summits of Lovozero Mountains (1.106 m) with steep walls of 200 m and with beautiful view on the Kola Peninsula. Lunch, and drive to Worlds biggest city above the Arctic Circle Murmansk. Check-in at the hotel in the centre. Dinner on your own.
Asphalt: 160 km, Gravel: 0 km, Off-road: 20 km.

Day 13: Breakfast in hotel. Spend some time in the centre of Murmansk and/or departure Murmansk to continue your own route to Ivalo in Finland (asphalt: 200 km, Gravel: 100 km) or to Kirkenes in Norway (asphalt: 300 km). When you have more time visit some interesting museums like the Historical Museum and the Northern Fleet Museum or have an excursion tour (optional).

4x4 Arctic Off-road Adventure details

4x4 Arctic Off-road Adventure can be extended with the following optionals:

• Kandalaksha:
  • Boat excursion to "Babylon Labyrinth", a stone structure of archaeological interest
  • Traditional shashlyk meal
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• Varzuga village:
  • Hospitality in guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight.
  • Sauna for groups in guesthouse.
  • To visit the wooden Uspenkaya Church dated from 1674.
  • A hike to the Holy springs in the forest behind Varzuga village (4 km). A local guide to show way to the Springs.
  • Possibility to go salmon fishing in Varzuga river on your own. A ferryman can bring you to a good fishing spot.
  • Fishing license “Catch – Release”.
  • Rental fishing equipment.
  • Possibility to go professional salmon fishing at sport fishing camp: Sobachy Porog. A full day fishing with guide service incl. lunch and dinner.
• Monchegorsk:
  • Entrance tickets museums: approx. 50 roubles per person
  • 2 hour yacht excursion on the biggest lake of Kola peninsula named Imandra. Up to 8 persons.
  • One day hiking tour to the waterfall Devichyi Kosi (Girl's plaits) in Monche Tundra with campfire lunch.
  • One day bicycling tour in hilly area with campfire lunch.
  • Karting centre in Monchegorsk.
  • Cross-country skiing in Monchegorsk suburbs (winter).
  • Skating in Ice stadion in Monchegorsk (winter).
  • See link above for more info.
• Lovozero:
  • Visit a Saami settlement close to Lovozero village.
    Meet the Lovozero Saami in Russian Lapland. Learn about their culture and their traditions. Feed, hug and make selfies with the reindeers.  More information
  • Visit a Husky Farm close to Lovozero village.
    In the winter you can participate on sledging with huskies and reindeers. In the summer you can hike with huskies.  More information
• Murmansk:
  • Guided excursions in Murmansk.
  • Tickets for museums and museum excursions cost between RUB 25,-- and RUB 400,-- per person.
  • Entrance ticket to Atomic Icebreaker to join an excursion in Russian language: RUR 150 pp. Individual excursion to Atomic Icebreaker with a lecture in English language can be arranged.
  • Trip to Saami settlement.
  • Trip to the Barents sea shore.
  • Trip to Husky Farm.
  • Trip to Lovozero village: price depends on group size
  • Rent a car from Kola Travel and get the best rate, quality and service!
    Read more >> >> Rent-a-car
  • Trip to Lovozero village; Capital of the Saami.
  • See link above for more info.
• Pick-up service from the Finnish territory by Kola Travel guide.
• Third-party liability car insurance (property damage only) for driving on Russian territory.
• Tourist invitation for visa request: EUR 25,-- per person.