4x4 Camper Tour in Northwest Russia

4x4 Camper tour in NW-Russia itinerary

Day 1: Vartius border – Kostomuksha (30 km – 0,5h). Entering Russia via the Border Crossing point Vartius. Drive to Kostomuksha. Stay overnight in a green zone on the lake shore. Water and electricity supply available. Toilets are on the territory. No showers.

Day 2: Kostomuksha – Belomorsk (270 km – 6h). Drive through central Karelia to Belomorsk direction. Stay overnight close to a sluice of the Belomorsk canal: electricity and water supply, sewage system, toilets, showers, fire place with equipment to cook.

Day 3: Boat trip to Solovetsky Islands. Taxi transfer to the harbour of Belomorsk for boat excursion to the Solovetsky islands. Explore the Island on your own or take an optional excursion. During boat trips you have big chance to spot Beluga’s (white whales) in the White Sea and seals on the island beaches. Taxi transfer back to the camping. Optional: guided excursions:

• Excursion 'History of Solovetsky Archipelago' (3 hrs)
• Excursion 'Monasteries of Solovetsky Archipelago' (4 hrs)
• Boat excursion 'Beluga Cape of Solovetsky Archipelago' (3 hrs)
• Boat excursion 'Big Zayatsky Island' (3 hrs)
• Boat excursion 'Sea, seal and lighthouse' (3 hrs)

Day 4: Stay at the camping. Today you can have a rest on the camping or have a hike on your own to ancient Petroglyphs; rock carvings dated from 4000 year B.C. Our roadbook will show you the starting point of the hiking tour (4km). If you want, you can also participate on optional programs.

Day 5: Belomorsk – Kandalaksha (400 km – 6h). Drive to Kandalaksha city. On the way visit Kovda village and the famous Kovda wooden church. Stay for overnight at a hotel parking place (possibility for electricity and water supply, sewage system, toilets).

Day 6: Visit ancient stone labyrinth "Babylon". The car can stay on the parking and you can have a nice hike to the White Sea shore to visit an ancient stone labyrinth, named; "Babylon". It takes approx. 3 hours by foot. It is possible to watch seals and sometimes white whales (beluga's) in the sea. It is also possible to have a boat excursion to the stone labyrinth. Board the boat and sail to a beautiful small peninsula where you can find the Labyrinth.

Day 7: Kandalaksha – Lodochny Ruchey (230 km – 4h). On the way possibility to visit the historical museum and house of culture in Umba village, but Umba village is since 2007 restricted area and a permission of Federal Security Board is necessary. We can take care about that at least 50 days before the visit, but is not guaranteed that you get permission. 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 Ruchey on the White sea shore. Optionally we can add day(s) to this program if you like to go fishing for Atlantic salmon at a professional fishing camp Umba Lodge with guide service including lunch and dinner.

Day 8 - 13: Stay at Lodochny Ruchey. There is a lot to do on Lodochny Ruchey. It is in the middle of a unique beautiful area; name Tersky Coast. Look at the link for possible activities.

Day 14: Lodochny – Muna (170km - 8h). Drive back to Umba and meet a guide with an 4x4 drive car or truck. 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. Gravel and asphalt: 130 km, off-road: 50 km.

Day 15: Muna – Inga (50km – 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”.

Day 16: 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". Possibility for electricity and water supply.

Day 17: 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). 

Day 18: Oktyabrsky – Khibiny Tundra (60km – 6h). 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. Wilderness lunch during day. Stay the night close to a beautiful waterfall in wilderness.

Day 19: Stay in Khibiny Tundra. We leave our cars and go for a day hiking tour to the Risschor Valley. This valley is an old glacier. From here you have a beautiful view on Lovozero Tundra and Umbozero lake. In the valley posibillity to find minerals like Evdialite and Astrophilite. Overnight close to the waterfall.

Day 20: Khibiny – Khibiny lake area (15 km – 1h) Drive to a beautiful lake area. Stay the night in on the shore of the lake.

Day 21: Stay in Khibiny lake area. Explore the nature by foot, fishing in the river nearby, making campfires, boating (if you have), swimming…. Overnight on the shore of the lake.

Day 22: Khibiny lake area – Monchegorsk (140km – 4h). We go back to civilisation. First we drive back to Kirovsk and slowly onwards to Monchegorsk. Three blue lakes almost divide the city in islands. The biggest Cathedral of Murmansk region is one of major places of interest in Monchegorsk city. You can learn more about the history of Monchegorsk in the local Historical museum or to watch an outstanding collection of minerals in the Museum of Coloured Stones. Stay on the parking on the shore of Imandra Lake. Possibility for electricity, water and sewing system for draining toilets.

Day 23: Monchegorsk – Saami Settlement (80km – 2h). After breakfast 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 on the way. From Lovozero tundra we drive to a Saami Settlement where we stay the night. Possibility for sauna.

Day 24: Saami Settlement – Murmansk (160km – 3h). Excursion in the Saami Settlement. Continue to drive to Murmansk city. Stay beside Murmansk city on a top of hill at the parking of a hotel. The hotel has a swimming pool, delicious restaurant and a beautiful view on Murmansk city.

Day 25: Sightseeing Murmansk. You can explore the city on your own following the route maps and descriptions from us. Or you can take optional guided excursions.

Day 26: Murmansk – Teriberka (120km – 2h). After breakfast drive to Teriberka village and the Barents sea shore. We stay the night on the shore of a lake.

Day 27: Teriberka – Russ/Norw. Border (370km – 6h). Time to say farewell to Russia. From Teriberka village drive back to Murmansk and continue to Norway. Cross border at Borisoglebsky/Kirkenes.

4x4 Camper tour in NW-Russia details

This 4x4 Camper and caravanning tour can be extended with the following optionals:

• Belomorsk
  • Guided hiking tour to Petroglyphs (rock carvings)
  • Rental boats and rods
  • 6 hour Quad tour including Lunch
  • Using washing machine
• 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
• Excursion 'History of Solovetsky Archipelago' (3 hrs)
• Excursion 'Monasteries of Solovetsky Archipelago' (4 hrs)
• Boat excursion 'Beluga Cape of Solovetsky Archipelago' (3 hrs)
• Boat excursion 'Big Zayatsky Island' (3 hrs)
• Boat excursion 'Sea, seal and lighthouse' (3 hrs)
• 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.
• Lodochny Ruche on the White Sea shore:
  • Camping places.
  • 4-persons cottage
  • 6-persons cottage
  • See link above for more info
• 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.
• 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.