Paanayärvi National Park

Paanayärvi National Park

Duration: 4 days

For individual tourists and groups of up to 15 persons;

Stunning nature, crisp silence and pure air near the lake comparable, perhaps, with Lake Baikal only. The center of power. Seidas. Waterfalls.

The program features:

Route: Kivakkakoski Waterfall (walking tour)

• Route length: 4.5km;
• Estimated time: 2 hrs;
• Walking tour;

Kivakkakoski is the most powerful natural rapid of Karelia. It is 12m high. This landmark is magnificent at any time of the year! In early 20th century, when logs were transported down the rapid, a stone dam was built. It exists until now.

The trail to Kivakkakoski rapid starts from the former village of Vartiolampi, the borderline before the WWII. There are only cellar pits from ex-houses overgrown with raspberry bushes left here. An old Karelian house has been restored in the middle of the natural boundary. It displays Karelian living of the early 20th century.

The route passes along the banks of the River Olanga, with a jaw-dropping view of Ivanov rapid in the middle. Here you can see two huge millstones.

 Paanayärvi Lake (walking & water tour)

• Route length: 18km;
• Estimated time: 3 hrs;
• Walking & water tour;

The route runs along Paanayärvi Lake , one of the deepest lakes of Fennoscandia.

The shores of Lake Paanayärvi are hugged by Mutkatunturi (438 m) and Tirovaara (357 m) mountains.

At the beginning of the route, the lake offers a view of the old Russian-Finnish border — this is a wide, clearly visible swathe. Further, on the right bank, on a sandy beach by the River Mutka, which flows into Lake Paanajärvi, you can see a tourist camp. It is the start of the coastal trail leading to the old Finnish farm Arola, with restored houses and information boards with the history of settlements on the shores of the lake and the way of living in the village in the 1930s.

Glades are visible along the entire lake on the shores — these are ex-Finnish settlements. Some of them have house remains and antique stoves.

One of the most peculiar landmarks of this route is 60m high sheer rock Ruskeakallio (Brown Rocks). There is a short stop here without going ashore.

From the rock, the route runs further in the west, and at the 18th kilometer ends with a pier near the mouth of the River Mäntyjoki. Here, we come ashore. Organized parking with a fireplace, firewood, a gazebo and a WC to unwind on the shore of the lake.

The picturesque trail is upstream of the river to Mäntykoski Waterfall. This is a beautiful 9m high five-cascade waterfall. The force of the dropping water was once used by locals: there was a water mill here. The waterfall has always lured artists and photographers. Even up until now.

Route: Kivakka Mountain 
(walking tour)

• Route length: 5 km;
• Estimated time: 2 hrs;

Kivakka has the largest number of sanctuaries (clusters of seidas). Seidas were places of worship for the first inhabitants of these places — the Saami. Not far from the top of the mountain there is a huge seida that resembles the old woman's head. Probably, this is the reason why the name stems from this word: “kivakka” translated from Saami means “stone guardian”. The top of the mountain offers a magnificent view of  Lake Pääjärvi, Kivakkakoski rapid, the peak of the highest mountain in Karelia – Nuorunen (576.7m), and in clear weather Finland's mountain peaks are perfectly visible.

Day 1:

06:00 am Departure from Petrozavodsk Bus trip to Pyaozersky village (645km)

Upon arrival in the village, accommodation in a hotel (rooms with amenities), visitor center of the Park, bathhouse, dinner in a cafe, leisure.

Day 2:

08:00 am Breakfast in the hotel, departure to the Park

Upon arrival, a walking tour around Kivakkakoski Waterfall + visiting the old Karelian house.

Upon return, accommodation in Muraveynik (lodge for 12 persons), lunch cooked on our own. The house is fully equipped for cooking and having meals.

03:00 pm walking & water tour along Lake Paanayärvi

Return for the night, dinner (cooked on our own), bathhouse.

Day 3:

Breakfast (on our own), checkout, 10:00 am departure for Kivakka Mountain hiking trail.

Upon return, a small launch/tea by the fire, departure by bus to the village. Pyaozersky village.

Supper or dinner in the cafe in Pyaozersky village, accommodation in the hotel, leisure.

Day 4:

Breakfast in the hotel cafe, departure to Petrozavodsk or to the railway station of Loukhi.

Transport:

bus from Petrozavodsk with a group along the entire route;

Accommodation:

1 night in Solo hotel in Pyaozersky village with dinner, breakfast and a bathhouse, rooms with amenities.

1 night in Muraveynik lodge in the Park: wooden structure made of logs, built in 2015 for 12 guests | 36 sq.m. Stove heating, washbasin inside the lodge, outside WC. A large table and benches on the veranda. In the enclosed areas: ax – in a woodshed, rakes –in a woodshed, a washbasin, a set of fire extinguishers. In the hut: 2 pots, 2 teapots, a frying pan, 2 buckets, a mug, a basin, a broom, a scoop, 12 bedding sets : 1 mattress, 1 blanket, 1 pillow. Clean bed linen is provided at the visitor center upon check-in or by the duty inspector. The bathhouse is next to the lodge.

Meals: Day 1: dinner in a cafe, Day 2: breakfast in a cafe, Day 3 Lunch in the cafe, Pyaozersky village Self-catering in the Park consists of an individual set of food for 2 days of stay for each tourist. Heating of food is on your own. All houses have a kitchen and dining zones.

Price per group (10-12 persons): $490

Extra charge for single accommodation: $40