Camper and caravanning tours in Northwest Russia

Camper and caravanning tours in Northwest Russia itinerary:

Day 1: Finland to 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, Peterhof 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 Peterhof 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): Smolensk 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 Smolensk 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 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 Complex 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 (only for 4x4 campers) 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: Loukhi 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, an 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 to 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 (for groups only). 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 'Jolki-Palki' and park in a yard. Possibility to use kitchen, dry toilets, electricity and sauna. (Possibility to take fresh water).

Day 26: Kirovsk to 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 or husky farm. Optional: Excursion in the reindeer fold or hiking tour with huskies.

Day 27, 28: Reindeer fold to 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 to 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.

Camper and caravanning tours in Northwest Russia details

This Camper and caravanning tour can be extended with the following optionals:

• Saint Petersburg:
  • Folklore program in Nikolaevsky Palace "Feel yourself Russian" inclusive traditional Russian snacks.
  • Guided hiking excursions in St-Petersburg, 3 hourss.
  • Guided hiking and driving excursion in St-Petersburg, 3 hours.
  • 7 hour excursion to Tsarskoe Selo/Pushkin and Ekaterina Palace.
  • 7 hour excursion to Peterhof by hydrofoil “Meteor".
  • Entrance tickets for Hermitage: approx. EUR 18 per person.
  • Local guide-interpreter.
• Valaam Monastery:
  • Two-way boat tickets
  • English speaking guide on Valaam Island: Price per group EUR 21,--
  • Audio guide: EUR 4,-- per person
  • Lunch
  • For more information and possible excursions contact us.
• Visit Centre Olonets:
  • Rental Sauna.
  • Rental Kitchen.
• 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.
• Petrozavodsk:
  • Trip to Zoo Complex located 70 km far from Petrozavodsk.
  • Trip to Kinerma village with excursion and lunch located 100 km far from Petrozavodsk.
  • Combination of trips Zoo Complex and Kinerma Village in a round drive. A taxi picks you up from Petrozavodsk, waits at the places and brings you back to Petrozavodsk.
  • Local guide-interpreter.
  • Entrance fees to Museums in Petrozavodsk will be between 5 and 10 euros per person.
  • Boat excursion to Kizhi Open Air Museum.
• Kizhi Open Air Museum:
  • Two-way boat tickets in Kizhi Island.
  • English speaking guide in Kizhi Island.
  • Audio guide on Kizhi Island: EUR 4,-- per person
  • See link above for more info.
• Solovetsky islands:
  • Two-way boat tickets
  • Entrance tickets to expositions. Price to exhibitions approx. EUR 3 to 5 per person.
  • Guided excursions for groups from 10 persons: from EUR 8 to 18 per person
  • Extra overnights in hotel: approx. EUR 51 per person per night in twin room or approx. EUR 85 in single room
  • See link above for more info
• Specialized camping places close to Petrozavodsk and Belomor canal:
  • Picnic (snacks, grilled meat).
  • Hiking excursion to Petroglyphs (rock carving).
  • Taxi to Petrozavodsk.
• Beluga Creche:
  • White wale (beluga) Performance.
  • Swimming with beluga's.
  • Rental swimming suit's.
  • A guided hiking excursion to Panfilova Varaka hill, where pegmatites, quartz and mica used to be quarried. Viewing the canyon. At the top of the hill is a wooden triangulation pillar. You can see superb views from the hilltop. For groups of 6 or more people. 2-3 hours.
  • Transfers to/from creche.
• Kandalaksha:
  • Boat excursion to "Babylon Labyrinth", a stone structure of archaeological interest
  • Traditional shashlyk meal
• 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.
  • Permit for visiting Umba village.
  • A full day Atlantic salmon fishing at professional fishing camp: Umba Lodge. Includes guide service, lunch and dinner.
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• 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.
• 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
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  • Trip to Lovozero village; Capital of the Saami.
  • See link above for more info.