RDN3. Skiing in Karelia

        Taste Russian winter in Karelia. Enjoy cross-country skiing along lakes and forests to an old Karelian village Rubchoila where local dwellers still keep traditional handicrafts. Visit the Kivach State Natural Reserve with the second biggest plain waterfall of Europe and the Uspensky (Assumption) church in Kondopoga, built in 1774,  - the top of Russian wooden hip architecture.

Type: Discovery
Tour duration: 3 days
Months of Operation: December - March
Recommended Group Size: 2-20 pax
Mode of Travel: car/minibus, cross-country skis

Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrival in Petrozavodsk by overnight train from St.Petersburg or Moscow. Transfer to a countryside hotel, located at the Syamozero lake 70 km from Petrozavodsk. Accommodation. Lunch. Selection of skiing equipment. Training in cross-country skiing. Dinner. Overnight in hotel. (LD)

Day 2.  Breakfast. Skiing (15 km) to the old Karelian village of Rubchoila with a lunch-picnic at an open fire en route. Examination of the village. Transfer back to hotel. Dinner. Overnight in hotel. (BLD)

Day 3. Breakfast. Check-out. Excursion to the Kivach waterfall in the Kivach national reserve and to the Uspenskaya church in Kondopoga. Transfer to Petrozavodsk. Free time. Departure from Petrozavodsk by overnight train. (BL)

Legend: B- breakfast, L- lunch, D- dinner

Recommended trains:

• Moscow - Petrozavodsk: train #018 dep. 18:25 (Leningradsky train station), arr. 08:50 (next day)
• Petrozavodsk - Moscow: train #017 dep. 19:00, arr. 08:57 (next day)
• St.Petersburg - Petrozavodsk: train #658 dep. 22:02 (Ladozhsky train station), arr. 06:50 (next day)
• Petrozavodsk - St.Petersburg: train #657 dep. 23:00, arr. 07:07 (next day)

Tour Highlights:

• Winter nature of Karelia
  
• Karelian village of Rubchoila -  traditional Karelian houses
  
• Kivach waterfall in the Kivach national reserve
  
• Uspenskaya (Assumption) church in Kondopoga - the top of Russian wooden hip architecture

Fixed departures - 2010:

15/01-17/01/2010
22/01-24/01/2010
29/01-31/01/2010
05/02-07/02/2010
12/02-14/02/2010
19/02-21/02/2010
26/02-28/02/2010
extra departures - to be advised later

Costs -  winter 2010:

for joining in a fixed departure

    
Included:

• TWN accommodation in hotel (en-suite WC/shower)
• meals as per itinerary;
• English-speaking guides
• rent skis ans ski boots
• excursions as per itinerary with entry fees

Not included:

• train tickets

Supplements:

• Train Moscow - Petrozavodsk - Moscow:
• 2nd class (QDR compartments)  +  118 EUR
• 1st class (TWN compartments)  +  219 EUR

*No special skills in cross-skiing are necessary

*Skis and ski boots are provided

All the costs are valid at the date of publication and are subject to reconfirmation at the time of booking