Lakes of Karelia

Day 1. Saint Petersburg – Sortavala (300 km)

Group meet-up on the Moika River embankment by the Kempinski hotel. Our vehicles will be waiting in the parking area. After a short briefing and introductions, we hit the road. Leaving the city, we head toward Karelia and our first stop, Sortavala—the scenery and winding road set the tone for the journey ahead.

First, we’ll admire Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe. Turning off the highway, we’ll descend to the shore and stop at one of the most picturesque spots for a walk and wide-open views. By lunchtime we arrive in Priozersk (founded by the Swedes in the 13th century, once known as Kexholm), where we’ll see the Korela Fortress, the town’s main landmark. After lunch we continue to the Ruskeala Mountain Park area for our overnight—either in cozy mini-hotels or in a pre-setup camp (tents and dinner ready on arrival).

Day 2. Sortavala – Ruskeala or Karelia Park – Syamozero (350 km)

Ruskeala Mountain Park may be man-made, yet it blends perfectly into the landscape. It’s hard to believe that just decades ago this was a marble quarry. Since the 17th century, marble from here was used to adorn St. Petersburg’s palaces and later some metro stations; the quarry closed due to collapse risk. Since 2005, the park has been run by a tourism company. You can walk around the flooded quarry, see remnants of grand industrial structures, pass through tunnels to an underground lake, row a boat, or zip-line across the water; there’s even a “crafts town” for hands-on workshops.

Alternatively, we can arrange a visit to Karelia Park (husky kennel) with optional activities (extra cost):

Overnight in tents at Lake Syamozero.

Day 3. Kizhi Museum-Reserve or Syamozero Program

In the morning we drive to Petrozavodsk and take a boat to Kizhi, arguably Karelia’s most beautiful island. Enjoy a private tour of the open-air Museum of Traditional Peasant Culture of the Russian North—one of Russia’s largest and most famous museum-reserves—with masterpieces of wooden architecture, icon painting, and everyday artifacts created over centuries by Karelian, Vepsian, and Russian craftsmen.

According to legend, the 1714 Transfiguration Church was built by the carpenter Nestor using only a single axe, which he later threw into the lake so no one could replicate the structure. In reality there are nails—but only in the domes, and they are wooden. We’ll climb the bell tower for sweeping views of the island and surrounding waters.

Return to Petrozavodsk for an overnight at a hotel.

Day 4. Petrozavodsk – Medvezhyegorsk (210 km)

In the morning we head to the northernmost point of our route—Medvezhyegorsk. Our path winds among countless lakes along the western shore of Lake Onega; part of the day includes off-road driving. We make frequent stops—resisting these landscapes is impossible. We visit Girvas village, known for its ancient volcano (crater age approx. 3 billion BCE). Though worn down by time, petrified lava flows are clearly visible in the drained bed of the Suna River. We also stop at the Kivach Waterfall (“powerful, impetuous” in Finnish), 10.7 m high—the second-largest plain waterfall in Europe.

Evening check-in at a comfortable tourist base.

Day 5. Medvezhyegorsk – Pudozh (230 km)

We continue around Lake Onega. These lands carry memories of major wars, including WWII. We’ll visit the catacombs and the museum dedicated to the construction of the White Sea–Baltic Canal.

A highlight today is the petroglyphs at Cape Besov Nos—rock carvings from the 3rd–2nd millennia BCE. Alongside animals, battle scenes, ritual processions, and solar signs, some of the most striking depictions are—very likely—people on skis.

Overnight in a prepared tented camp, with dinner ready on arrival.

Day 6. Pudozh – Upper Mandrogi – Lake Ladoga Shore (350 km)

We arrive at one of the most fairy-tale stops on the route—Upper Mandrogi. We’ll stay in a carved wooden terem, stroll the area, and (time permitting) take part in craft workshops—from painting matryoshkas to blacksmithing. You’ll hear about the village’s tragic WWII history and its postwar restoration.

Time seems to have paused here: hand-forged metal souvenirs, felt dolls, hand-painted wooden toys—treasures that feel truly out of time. After an active program and a hearty lunch in Upper Mandrogi, we continue to our next camp on the Ladoga shoreline.

Day 7. Lake Ladoga Shore – Saint Petersburg (240 km)

From here we return to Saint Petersburg, where our journey comes to a natural close. But first—stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) on Ladoga!

Over several hours you’ll learn the basics and enjoy a leisurely glide across calm water, taking in the scenery between paddle strokes—an active, refreshing finale to the trip.

After lunch, we drive back to Saint Petersburg.

See you on the next adventure!