Express to Russia » Russia River Cruises » River Cruise to Kizhi and Karelia - The Russian North (6 Days and 5 Nights)
River Cruise to Kizhi and Karelia - The Russian North (6 Days and 5 Nights)
This tour is a great opportunity to get to know the Russian North with its severe and beautiful nature, rivers and lakes. The tour will start from St. Petersburg and continue on to Valaam Island which has been home to an orthodox monastery for more than 600 years. The tiny island of Kizhi will impress you with its open-air Museum of Architecture which includes over 80 monuments of wooden architecture from various areas of the country and restored to form a glimpse of the past. While on Kizhi you will also visit the architectural marvel of the Church of the Transfiguration or Preobrazhenskaya which features five tiers of 22 domes, built in 1714 without the use of any metal nails, only an axe and pine trees. The tour continues on to Petrozavodsk (Peter´s Factory) the capital of the Russian North and of Karelia. Here, you will learn about the Karelian people and the history of the region.
Day 1
Board the vessel at 21:00.
Relax on board the boat as we set sail. Enjoy the delightful restaurant on board, along with numerous bars and comfort areas, including your bedroom, which will feature comfortable furnishings and a private bathroom. You will be cruising along the Neva River and Lake Ladoga in the twilight of the breathtaking White Nights. This is truly a treat: to experience the city during this special time, when it never really gets completely dark. You will be able to see the beautiful landscape throughout the entire night! This provides for a very magical and romantic atmosphere indeed.
St. Petersburg: Created by Peter the Great in the early 1700s, its 101 islands, 66 canals, and hundreds of bridges have secured its reputation as the most beautiful city in the country. Nevsky Prospect (the city´s largest and most centrally located street) offers unique and trendy shops, cafes and theaters. Also, the impressive St. Isaac´s Cathedral is the city´s largest cathedral and now a museum of elaborate icons and artwork, sure to impress and inform tourists interested in Russian culture and history.
Neva River: At 46 mi (74 km) long, this river is located in the northwestern part of European Russia, connecting Lake Ladoga with the Gulf of Finland, an inlet of the Baltic Sea. St. Petersburg is situated in its delta. The Neva is connected by canal systems with the Volga River and with the White Sea.
Lake Ladoga: The largest lake in Europe, it is c.130 mi (210 km) long and c.80 mi (130 km) wide and has a maximum depth of 738 ft (225 m). Located on the heavily glaciated Baltic Shield, the lake has shores that are low and marshy in the south, rocky and indented in the north. The fortress at Petrokrepost commands the Neva´s exit from the lake. Until the Finnish-Russian War of 1939-40, the northern part of the lake belonged to Finland; cession of the Finnish shore to the USSR was confirmed by the peace treaty of 1947. During the defense of St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) against the Germans in World War II, the frozen Lake Ladoga was the lifeline by which Leningrad was supplied food and water in the winters from 1941 to 1943.
Relax on board the boat as we set sail. Enjoy the delightful restaurant on board, along with numerous bars and comfort areas, including your bedroom, which will feature comfortable furnishings and a private bathroom. You will be cruising along the Neva River and Lake Ladoga in the twilight of the breathtaking White Nights. This is truly a treat: to experience the city during this special time, when it never really gets completely dark. You will be able to see the beautiful landscape throughout the entire night! This provides for a very magical and romantic atmosphere indeed.
St. Petersburg: Created by Peter the Great in the early 1700s, its 101 islands, 66 canals, and hundreds of bridges have secured its reputation as the most beautiful city in the country. Nevsky Prospect (the city´s largest and most centrally located street) offers unique and trendy shops, cafes and theaters. Also, the impressive St. Isaac´s Cathedral is the city´s largest cathedral and now a museum of elaborate icons and artwork, sure to impress and inform tourists interested in Russian culture and history.
Neva River: At 46 mi (74 km) long, this river is located in the northwestern part of European Russia, connecting Lake Ladoga with the Gulf of Finland, an inlet of the Baltic Sea. St. Petersburg is situated in its delta. The Neva is connected by canal systems with the Volga River and with the White Sea.
Lake Ladoga: The largest lake in Europe, it is c.130 mi (210 km) long and c.80 mi (130 km) wide and has a maximum depth of 738 ft (225 m). Located on the heavily glaciated Baltic Shield, the lake has shores that are low and marshy in the south, rocky and indented in the north. The fortress at Petrokrepost commands the Neva´s exit from the lake. Until the Finnish-Russian War of 1939-40, the northern part of the lake belonged to Finland; cession of the Finnish shore to the USSR was confirmed by the peace treaty of 1947. During the defense of St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) against the Germans in World War II, the frozen Lake Ladoga was the lifeline by which Leningrad was supplied food and water in the winters from 1941 to 1943.
Day 2
Enjoy breakfast on board before arriving at the village of Svirstroi, where you will take pleasure in a boat tour of the city and a bus transfer to the Sacred Trinity Monastery of Alexander Svirsky. The Trinity compound consists of the Trinity Cathedral, the belfry and the table chamber with the Church Pokrovskaya. Also, you can see the relics of the venerable Alexander Svirsky.
Return to the ship at 17:00 for dinner and to set sail.
Svirstroi: This is an authentic Russian village, situated on the river Svir, connecting the largest European lakes (Ladoga and Onega). The Sacred Trinity Monastery of Alexander Svirsky holds a fascinating history, which you will be able to learn about on the excursion. Born in 1448, Svirsky became a monk at age 26 and later built this Monastery. After his death and burial at the Monastery in 1533, he was made into a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church. Later in the 1600s, lighting struck his burial spot three times and his body was again found, miraculously still completely preserved. The cathedrals and ancient buildings of the monastery are a wonder, and what´s more is that Svirsky´s body has been preserved to this day and tourists are able to see it through a glass coffin - just like Snow White!
Return to the ship at 17:00 for dinner and to set sail.
Svirstroi: This is an authentic Russian village, situated on the river Svir, connecting the largest European lakes (Ladoga and Onega). The Sacred Trinity Monastery of Alexander Svirsky holds a fascinating history, which you will be able to learn about on the excursion. Born in 1448, Svirsky became a monk at age 26 and later built this Monastery. After his death and burial at the Monastery in 1533, he was made into a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church. Later in the 1600s, lighting struck his burial spot three times and his body was again found, miraculously still completely preserved. The cathedrals and ancient buildings of the monastery are a wonder, and what´s more is that Svirsky´s body has been preserved to this day and tourists are able to see it through a glass coffin - just like Snow White!
Day 3
Enjoy breakfast on board before arriving on the island of Kizhi at 8:00, where you will be able to experience the city through a bout tour and an optional walking excursion that will last about 2 hours. You will visit the great 22-headed Preobrazhenskaya Church, the 10 headed Pokrovskaya Church, and several living and utility constructions as well. Moreover, the island includes several peasant homesteads, a mill and a chapel.
Kizhi Island: Via the Volga/Baltic Canal, our cruise takes us to the tiny island of Kizhi, located at the northern end of Lake Onega. The island is renowned for its open-air Museum of Architecture, which was assembled from over 80 monuments of wooden architecture from various areas of the country and restored to form a glimpse of the past. Moreover, the Church of the Transfiguration or Preobrazhenskaya (the twenty-two headed church) is a masterpiece of architecture, featuring five tiers of 22 domes, which wonderfully change colors during the day. The church was built in 1714 without the use of any metal nails, only an axe and pine trees.
At 12:00 return to the ship for a much needed lunch break, while the river vessel sails onwards. At 16:00 you will arrive in Petrozavodsk (the capital of Karelia). Here you will have the opportunity to participate in a walking excursion of the town that will last about 1.5 to 2 hours, which will take you from the embankment to the central old part of the city. On the embankment you can see modern original sculptures, the Museum of Local Lore and the Museum of Graphic Art. There are also optional bus excursions offered (to the first Russian mineral water resort and the waterfall "Kivach.")
Petrozavodsk: In 1703, it was in this city that Peter the Great ordered to build an iron foundry and cannon factory on the shores of the Onega Lake. For the first time in Europe thin-walled cast-iron cannons and wedge gates, balls and shells, anchors, steam engines and all kinds of machines were produced in the 18th century. At present, Petrozavodsk (Peter?s Factory) is the capital of Karelia and the industrial, cultural and scientific center of the northwestern region.
You must return to the boat by 20:30 for dinner and to set sail.
Kizhi Island: Via the Volga/Baltic Canal, our cruise takes us to the tiny island of Kizhi, located at the northern end of Lake Onega. The island is renowned for its open-air Museum of Architecture, which was assembled from over 80 monuments of wooden architecture from various areas of the country and restored to form a glimpse of the past. Moreover, the Church of the Transfiguration or Preobrazhenskaya (the twenty-two headed church) is a masterpiece of architecture, featuring five tiers of 22 domes, which wonderfully change colors during the day. The church was built in 1714 without the use of any metal nails, only an axe and pine trees.
At 12:00 return to the ship for a much needed lunch break, while the river vessel sails onwards. At 16:00 you will arrive in Petrozavodsk (the capital of Karelia). Here you will have the opportunity to participate in a walking excursion of the town that will last about 1.5 to 2 hours, which will take you from the embankment to the central old part of the city. On the embankment you can see modern original sculptures, the Museum of Local Lore and the Museum of Graphic Art. There are also optional bus excursions offered (to the first Russian mineral water resort and the waterfall "Kivach.")
Petrozavodsk: In 1703, it was in this city that Peter the Great ordered to build an iron foundry and cannon factory on the shores of the Onega Lake. For the first time in Europe thin-walled cast-iron cannons and wedge gates, balls and shells, anchors, steam engines and all kinds of machines were produced in the 18th century. At present, Petrozavodsk (Peter?s Factory) is the capital of Karelia and the industrial, cultural and scientific center of the northwestern region.
You must return to the boat by 20:30 for dinner and to set sail.
Day 4
As usual, breakfast on board before arriving in the village of Mandroga at 10:30. Enjoy an outdoor picnic of the village, while listening to a folklore ensemble. Afterwards, you can choose from a variety of museums and sites on the island, all dedicated to Russian life and culture (a craft sloboda, where you can take classes and make traditional Russian crafts yourself; the Russian Vodka Museum; a wind mill built in a traditional manner; a mini-zoo with bears, geese and pheasants; an elk nursery; or take a ride on a horse or a horse and carriage).
Mandroga: Located in the middle of the final locks leading to St. Petersburg, the village is really more of living museum than a live-in village. It features a collection of old wooden houses but almost everything on the island is directed towards visitors in order for them to get an idea of what a traditional Russian village resembled. One of the features here is the Vodka Museum, which contains thousands of different brands and types of Russia´s favorite pastime.
Return to the ship by 17:30 for dinner.
Mandroga: Located in the middle of the final locks leading to St. Petersburg, the village is really more of living museum than a live-in village. It features a collection of old wooden houses but almost everything on the island is directed towards visitors in order for them to get an idea of what a traditional Russian village resembled. One of the features here is the Vodka Museum, which contains thousands of different brands and types of Russia´s favorite pastime.
Return to the ship by 17:30 for dinner.
Day 5
At 8:00 have a tasty and filling breakfast onboard the ship, while enjoying the scenery. Arrive at the monastery island of Valaam and a walking tour will immediately follow including a walking excursion to the Valaam Monastery. Wear comfortable shoes because the tour is about 5-6 km and over 3 hours long, but well worth the workout. You will begin by visiting the nearest monk households and then arriving at the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery and Cathedral, better known as the Valaam Monastery.
Valaam: For more than 600 years, the island belonged to the Russian orthodox monastery. The Valaam Monastery, however, has existed for more than a thousand years, making it the oldest monastery in Russia. By touring the monastery, you will gain valuable information about religion in Russia. Besides its spiritual history and significance, the island is breathtaking in its natural beauty with its mighty coniferous forests, rocky shore, numerous picturesque bays, and monuments of church architecture. Valaam is sure to make an unforgettable impression.
Dinner onboard at 21:00 and prepare for your last night on the ship before arriving back in St. Petersburg the next morning.
Valaam: For more than 600 years, the island belonged to the Russian orthodox monastery. The Valaam Monastery, however, has existed for more than a thousand years, making it the oldest monastery in Russia. By touring the monastery, you will gain valuable information about religion in Russia. Besides its spiritual history and significance, the island is breathtaking in its natural beauty with its mighty coniferous forests, rocky shore, numerous picturesque bays, and monuments of church architecture. Valaam is sure to make an unforgettable impression.
Dinner onboard at 21:00 and prepare for your last night on the ship before arriving back in St. Petersburg the next morning.
Day 6
8:00 arrival in St. Petersburg
Explore the city´s museums, sites, cafes and architecture if you have the time!
Explore the city´s museums, sites, cafes and architecture if you have the time!
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Prices, per person
Your currency: USD | EUR
Our prices are fixed in EUR as well as your order total price and payment balance. Any amounts in other currencies used for payments and informational purposes are calculated based on the current exchange rate.
What´s included:
- Accommodations in all cabins, each with a private bathroom, individual temperature controls, and windows
- Three meals daily
- Full sightseeing tours according to program. Most of the tourists on the board are Russian speaking; however, tours at the ports are offered in English/German/French
- Nightly entertainment and dancing
- Souvenir shop on board
- Medical center on board
- Discos and bars on board
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What´s not included:
- Forwarding of baggage/souvenirs
- Accident, baggage and trip cancellation insurance (we recommend you purchase insurance).
- Visas (for an additional cost we can help obtain one, see Full Visa Service).
- Gratuities for the cruise director, ship´s crew members, guides and drivers are not included and are at the passenger´s discretion.
- Private transfers if arriving or departing on other than embarkation/disembarkation days. Passengers must also pay for their own transportation to and from the pier (we can provide these transfers at an additional cost).
- Items of a personal nature (laundry services, bar charges, beauty salon services, telephone and cable charges and medical services).
- Room service offered at an additional price.
Conditions of payment
The trip must be prepaid 100% within 30 days of departure. If ordered 31 days or more before departure, a 10% deposit is required to reserve.
Cancellation terms for river cruises: 90 days or more before departure the TOUR PARTICIPANT will be charged a cancellation fee equal to 10% of the entire package, 89 – 60 days before departure – a 25% fee, 59 – 30 days before departure – a 50% fee, 29 – 2 days before departure – a 75% fee and 1 day before departure or no show – a fee equal to 100% of the package.