To Karelia by car: planning a trip from A to Z

Experienced travelers assure that there is no better way to get acquainted with Karelia than a trip in your own car. To create a vivid impression of a unique region, a car is indispensable, since it is problematic to travel around the region by public transport. Autonomy allows you to plan the route the way you want, without being tied to excursions, not to mention the fact that the latter significantly hit the budget. Our tips will help you plan and organize a trip that will be imprinted in your memory with fond memories.

season selection

Karelia is notable for the fact that it is interesting to get acquainted with it throughout the year. Each season is beautiful in its own way, but the weather is very capricious - there are strong changes even within one day. Therefore, you do not have to rely on weather forecasts - it is better to leave fully armed, being ready for both cold weather and precipitation.



The peak of attendance in the region falls in the summer. This is due to the water accessibility of some attractions - the Solovetsky Islands, Valaam, Kizhi. Navigation is carried out from May to mid-September, so it is worth planning a visit to Karelia for this period if you want to visit the islands. However, for a complete acquaintance with the region, one trip is definitely not enough: you can get out in the winter to return here more than once.

Road to Karelia

The first pleasant surprise for the motorist is the good tracks that await throughout the trip. It is easier to plan a route, starting from two main starting points - the Russian capital and Northern Palmyra:

? From St. Petersburg they call in from the southeast of Lake Ladoga or through Sortavala. After the repair of the A-121 highway, the second route became even more attractive: in three hours you can drive to the Ladoga Skerries, where the first stop is often made
? From Moscow they go through Veliky Novgorod or in transit through Yaroslavl and Vologda. It is better to get out of Zlatoglavaya at night or early in the morning, so as not to be delayed due to traffic jams. The first route is more interesting, because along the way you can see Tver, Novgorod and Volokhov. However, then it is better to make an overnight stop in one of these cities, since a clear journey from Moscow takes 12-14 hours.

From St. Petersburg, you should not go to Petrozavodsk through Oshta, in the southwest of Lake Onega. There is a ferry crossing, and in general the condition of the roads is unsatisfactory.



If you want to see the wild lands of Karelia, you can go to the north of Lake Onega, visiting Pudozh and Medvezhyegorsk. The roads there are in good condition, but gas stations are rare on the way.

Directly in Karelia, the main routes are excellent - it is a pleasure to drive on high-quality asphalt, passing picturesque rocks and dense pine forests, admiring lakes and noisy rivers. Even in the high season, the roads are half empty, so you can drive without much stress.



The exception is places that are not promoted for tourists.



It will not be difficult to refuel in the area of ​​\u92b\uXNUMXbthe Kola highway. There is also a fairly developed infrastructure in Sortaval, Lahdenpoh and Pitkyaranta. In other regions, gas stations are concentrated mainly in regional centers, and fuel will not have to be sorted out - most likely, it will remain to be content with A-XNUMX fuel.

What to see

Guests from other regions of Karelia are amazed by the natural beauties. Therefore, a lot of impressions are guaranteed just on the way, as tourists are surrounded by magnificent landscapes. But, of course, it is worthwhile to outline the sights on the map in advance.

It is better to build a route based on which car you are going on a trip. On an off-road vehicle, it is really possible to travel around all corners of the region.



If you go to Petrozavodsk through Lodeynoye Pole, you can stay in this town. Here you should definitely see the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, located on the shores of Lake Roshchinsky.

After staying overnight in Lodeynoye Pole, you can leave early in the direction of Petrozavodsk to look at Kinerma along the way. This is a village that once belonged to Finland. She is over 500 years old! Since 2016, the settlement has the official status of one of the most beautiful villages in Russia.

17 houses have been preserved here, 10 of them are architectural monuments. The uniqueness of the village lies in the fact that the buildings are built in a circle.



Petrozavodsk has its own attractions:

✅ National Museum of the Republic of Karelia
✅ Onega embankment
✅ Historical building block

If a couple of days are allocated for the trip, you can limit yourself to the sights closest to Petrozavodsk, which will be the starting point. Moreover, in the city it is easiest to find inexpensive housing. There are several options for economy class, where a night costs 1000-2000 rubles:

? Hostel Sampo
? Brusnika Hostel
? 3-star Harland Hotel

Just 20 minutes from Petrozavodsk is Mount Sampo, which is also called magical. Its rocks are covered with centuries-old trees, moss and undersized vegetation. You can climb to the top along hiking trails with signs or wooden stairs with railings. From a height, views of Lake Konchezero with islands overgrown with forests open up.



About half an hour to go to the resort of Marcial Waters. It is interesting at least because it is the oldest in the country. Balneological and mud clinics were opened here for the first time in 1719. Today it is interesting to see the House-Museum of the resort, the Church of the Apostle Peter and, of course, to try the healing water - there are three healing springs on the territory.

About an hour drive from Petrozavodsk to the most beautiful waterfalls - Kivach and Girvas. The first one is especially noteworthy, which impresses with its scale. Here, a noisy wide stream falls from a height of 10.7 m. The Kivach waterfall is the second largest of the flat ones in Europe. It is slightly inferior to the Swiss, located on the Rhine.



If there are only a couple of days left for a trip around Karelia, then you can still see the Ruskeala mountain park and Mount Vottovaara. It takes about four hours to get there from Petrozavodsk.

In the mountain park "Ruskeala" the most picturesque place is the marble canyon. Sheer cliffs are reflected in the turquoise lake, which makes an indelible impression. But the most vivid emotions are brought by a boat trip through a series of bizarre grottoes, when huge underground halls open before the eyes of tourists.



One of the most curious and mysterious places in Karelia is Mount Vottovaara. There are many legends and rumors associated with it. Not only tourists come here, but also psychics, as the mountain is called a place of power.



In 1978, researcher Simonyan discovered strange structures on a hill. Since then, there has been a surge of interest in Vottovaara. As for the locals, they call this peak Death Mountain, believing that there is a passage to the other world. Looking at very specific landscapes, you involuntarily believe that there is a significant amount of truth in these words.

distant sights

If time and car allow, you can go deep into Karelia, which hides many amazing places. A 5-hour drive from Petrozavodsk is the Proto-Sami labyrinth - a spiral of stones, the purpose of which has not been revealed by scientists. Presumably, the ancestors used it for rituals.

Farther away is the Kumi waterfall. It is the largest in Karelia, if we consider the total height of the fall. It is also difficult to get here - if only by car with excellent cross-country ability. Plus, it is important to take into account the location in the immediate vicinity of the border with Finland - you should strictly adhere to the border regime.



If you want to see the legendary islands, you should definitely plan a long visit to Karelia. The ferry to Kizhi leaves from Petrozavodsk, to Valaam - from Sortavala, and to Solovki - from Belomorsk or Arkhangelsk. But each of them is better to devote a day, if not a couple.

Among the most interesting remote corners are the following:

✅ Cape Besov Nos with the legendary Onega petroglyphs - it’s basically difficult to get here by car, so it’s better to buy a sightseeing tour
✅ Paanajärvi National Park (located near the border with Finland)
✅ Waterfalls White Bridges - located in a remote corner, so they get to them on foot

As for the housing issue, when planning a long tour of Karelia, it is advisable to look at a recreation center or campsite. Thanks to this, you can completely immerse yourself in a quiet life in the bosom of nature. The rest of the savages will turn out to be wonderful: many visitors put up tents in picturesque corners. Thanks to the popularity of the region among tourists, the number of guest houses is growing, where it is cozy to stay in their own way. If you want to live in a hotel or hostel, it is important to book ahead of time - there are not so many offers as there are those who want to see this fantastic land.