Northern Russia & Gulags 6 Day Tour

Northern Russia & Gulags 6 Day Tour

Day 1: St. Petersburg

We'll pick you up upon arrival at the St. Petersburg airport and take you to the train station. From here we'll take the night train to Petrozavodsk, arriving the next morning.

Day 2: Petrozavodsk - Kizhi

We'll start the day with a guided tour of Petrozavodsk, a city founded by Peter the Great in 1703 in a strategic location for his war against the Swedes. Fun fact: it's also known as the 'Green City' because of its numerous parks. On a visit to the National Museum of the Republic of Karelia, we'll learn about the regional natural history & culture of the north of Russia.

After the visit to the museum, we'll travel on a hydrofoil to the island of Kizhi. Located in Lake Onega, this islet is home to World Heritage Sites like the Kizhi Pogost. In this open-air museum complex, we'll admire a collection of 80 wooden constructions, such as the Church of the Transfiguration with its impressive 22 domes and the 14th-century Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus.

After exploring the island, we'll return to Petrozavodsk and hit the road to the picturesque rural village of Kinerma. Here we'll learn how to make kalitki, a traditional Karelian pastry usually served with tea. We'll spend the night in a traditional wooden home.

Day 3: Kinerma

After breakfast, we'll explore the village of Kinerma, an open-air museum where we'll admire its complex of 17 wooden buildings, including an 18th-century chapel. Then, after lunch, we'll return to Petrozavodsk to take a train to the town of Kem, where we'll arrive at midnight.

We'll rest at a guesthouse in the harbor.

Day 4: Solovetsky Islands

Waking up with renewed energy, we'll take a ferry from the port to the Solovetsky Islands, about four hours away. This archipelago is known for its beautiful natural and cultural heritage and abundant marine life. We'll visit the Orthodox Solovetsky Monastery, which dates back to the 15th century and has become a place of pilgrimage and spiritual retreat.

The next part of the day will be dedicated to the Gulags. The Soviets turned the Solovetsky Islands into a forced labor camp for political prisoners against the regime in the 1920s. We'll learn about the sad history of these places promoted by Stalin by visiting the interior of the Kremlin of Solovetsky.

We'll spend the night in a local guesthouse. 

Day 5: Bolshoy Zayatsky- Kem

The next day in the Solovetsky archipelago will be spent visiting Bolshoy Zayatsky, a quiet island that can be reached by boat from the monastery. Here we'll find sacred places, burial mounds, medieval churches and more. But what really catches visitors' attention is undoubtedly its enigmatic stone labyrinths. These are formations covered with vegetation that are more than 3,000 years old and whose purpose still remains a mystery. It's said that they represent the border between this world and the afterlife... Could it be true?

In the afternoon, we'll take the ferry back to Kem, where we'll take the overnight train to St. Petersburg.

Day 6: St. Petersburg

Arriving in St. Petersburg at noon, we'll pick you up at the train station and take you to the airport or to the hotel you have booked.

Accommodation

This tour includes 3 nights accommodation in local guesthouses and night train tickets in second class in a shared compartment (up to 4 people). 

If you do not wish to share the train compartment with other people, you can pay a supplement. Please indicate this in the comments at the time of booking and we'll send you a request to pay the supplement.