A trip to Karelia by car, route, prices and where to visit

How do you like such an option as a trip to Karelia by car with a tent for the weekend or longer? Consider the route from Moscow and St. Petersburg, gas prices, excursions, accommodation and other cost items. We will find out where to visit and where to go best.

How long does it take to get to Karelia from Moscow and St. Petersburg?

• The distance from Moscow to Karelia by car is 1027 - 1100 km depending on the chosen route. We take as the end point Petrozavodsk - the capital of Karelia. If you take 8 liters per 100 km, you will need 82 liters of gasoline and about 13 hours 30 minutes on the road. If you leave early in the morning, then you can really reduce this time by an hour and a half. We advise you to start at about 4 am.
• Distance from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk - 428 km... At 8 l / 100 km, 34 liters of gasoline are needed, respectively. Highway E105 through Lodeinoe Pole. Travel time is 4 - 5 hours.

To Karelia by car?

Gas prices, where is it better to refuel on the road?

• From Moscow. If we take the cost of gasoline 42 rubles / liter, then only 3444 rubles will be spent on gasoline.
• From Saint-Petersburg. At the same cost, you need 1428 rubles for 34 liters.

How much money should I take with me?

Traveling to Karelia by car independently from Moscow includes at least gasoline - 3444 rubles and payment for the M11 highway - 730 rubles, in total - 4174 rubles. Plus food, lodging, entrance fees and parking. In the summer you can rent a tent, a good rain cover, sleeping bags, padding and mosquito repellent. In this situation, the issue of accommodation will not bother and will reduce the cost of housing with parking. If you travel in a group, then the costs are significantly reduced.

Which road?

Traveling to Karelia by car from Moscow, St. Petersburg or another nearby city is quite comfortable. The trails are excellent all along, but there are not enough gas stations and roadside cafes, so we recommend stocking up on a 10 liter can of gasoline and taking ordinary sandwiches with you in your portable refrigerator.

Departure from Moscow in the direction of Tver to a new toll road M11... It is worth filling a full tank before leaving the highway, because there are not enough gas stations on this section, there are simply none. There are several Lukoil trailers selling a liter of gasoline for 48 rubles, and payment by card! There are no cafes on paid sites, but recreation areas with toilets are equipped. Considering that the highway is high-speed, more gasoline can be consumed. The fare can be reduced by using a transponder.

• The advantage of the track is the speed up to 130 km / h, safety, few cars in the morning.
• The downside is bad internet, and there are no signs of settlements.

There is also a free M10 highway, but it is more suitable for traveling short distances and is not safe. After Veliky Novgorod, the road towards Kushino, the M10 highway to Kirishi. Further, the regional highway P21 - "Kola". There are a sufficient number of gas stations, traffic police stations, cafes. There is asphalt and gas stations on the A121 Sortavala highway.

Where is the best place to eat?

You can eat and buy food in Tver (hypermarket “ribbon"), Solnechnogorsk and Klin. These cities have McDonald's and KFC... At the exit to Kirishi there is a round-the-clock Burger King... On the Kola highway near the village of Domozhirovo we recommend a restaurant at the farm. With a varied menu and reasonable prices.

Driving through interesting places in Karelia means getting to know the local and even Finnish menu. You can get acquainted with Karelo - Finnish cuisine in the restaurant of the country club "Lamberg»In Sortavala. There you can also stay at the hotel, order hunting, fishing and excursions. Scandinavian cuisine in Sartaval is also represented by a panoramic restaurant with a wood-burning fireplace on the shores of Lake Ladoga "Gustav Winter". In Petrozavodsk, Scandinavian cuisine is offered by the restaurant "Karelian chamber"And the restaurant"Reindeer moss". Gourmet lovers can try bear meat, elk meat, duck in cloudberry sauce and cloudberry tincture.

How to prepare the car and which rubber to choose?

In general, the roads to Petrozavodsk and Sortavala are good, difficulties may arise when entering rural roads, they, as a rule, do not have asphalt pavement. Choose dry weather for visiting such places. Of the things you may need - rubber boots, a raincoat and a light jacket. The weather in this part of Russia is unpredictable.

A trip to Karelia by car in winter (for the New Year), why not? Just change the car. It is worth installing studded tires so that the sections of roads not cleared of snow do not spoil your vacation.

• Important! When planning the route, keep in mind that there is no mobile communication in some regions of Karelia.

It is worth buying a cigarette lighter splitter in the car, grab a portable charger and a spare canister. Gasoline can be bought from local residents, but gas stations are not available everywhere.

What documents to take?

The set of documents for a trip to Karelia by car is standard: driving license, registration certificate and insurance, which can be issued online without leaving home.

• More places where you can go by car:

Where to visit in Karelia by car?

Distances in Karelia are large enough, the car will reduce the time for sightseeing and save in case of bad weather. Where to visit Karelia in summer on your own by car?

List of must-see places:

• Petrozavodsk. Embankment Lake Onega, sailing on a pleasure boat (for navigation, the cost is 500 rubles), Doll house, museums... It is better to visit the embankment in summer.
• Reserve "Kivach"... Visiting - all year round. The cost is 150 rubles, for children and students - free of charge. Waterfalls, an arboretum, a cafe with traditional Karelian cuisine are waiting for you.
• The marble canyon in Ruskeala and waterfalls Ahvenkoski... The ticket price is 300 rubles, for schoolchildren - 100, for preschoolers - free of charge. The quarry is open to the public all year round. A huge territory is equipped for tourists, excursions include underground lakes. The grottoes are especially beautiful in winter, when lighting is installed there. There are extreme activities, for example, scuba diving in the mines, zip - line over the lake and much more. They are paid additionally. Nearby there are cafes, shows are held in summer.
• Paleovolcano Girvas, a waterfall near the village of the same name and Poor - rapids. Especially beautiful during a spillway. There is a cafe. Parking - 100 rubles.
• Waterfall White bridges.
• Kumi waterfall near the village of Voynitsa. The largest in Karelia. Height 15 meters.
• Kizhi island... You can get from Petrozavodsk by "Meteor" to navigation, in winter by snowmobiles, khivus (hovercraft) or helicopter. Round-trip ticket on the Meteor - 2800 rubles for two adults.
• Sortavala town and Valaam island (summer).
• Petroglyphs at the cape Demons nose, Kurashevo. Visit from May to September. Bad road, but can be reached by water from Petrozavodsk. Petroglyphs can also be seen in the Petrozavodsk Regional Museum. Entrance to the museum - 150 rubles.
• Mystical mountain Vottovaara, White lake and seids near the village of Gimola. There is a camp site.
• Protossaam labyrinth in the village of Alho.
• Ski resort "Yargola".

What else to see in Karelia in winter by car. You can extend the route to the Finnish part of the republic or to Vyborg and Kronstadt. In summer, you can drive to the White Sea coast. In Zalavruga near Belomorsk see petroglyphs... From Kemi you can take an excursion to Solovetsky Islands... In Kemi there is a parking lot and a good hotel where you can stay for a couple of days. In summer, you can order from a travel company rafting or fishing. There are many berries and mushrooms in the forests of Karelia; for those who like to stay in tents, it will be a special entertainment. Popular in winter husky ride and snowmobiling, ice fishing.

Map of all attractions

Travel itinerary to popular destinations

Where to stay in Karelia for rest?

On the way to Petrozavodsk it is convenient to stay at the Aviator guest house in Kusino. Tourists are offered comfortable rooms with all amenities and a shared kitchen where you can cook something yourself. You can go to Karelia by car with a tent and stop at tourist centers, fishing bases, on the shores of lakes and in villages. The cost for accommodation at the bases is symbolic, from 500 rubles / day. But there is little information about them on the Internet. There are campsites in Petrozavodsk, Ruskeala, Solokha. The cost of living in hotels is quite high, and the conditions do not always correspond to the prices. Good reviews from the guest house in the village of Pryazha. For a family or a large company, it is more convenient to rent a house. Benefit from the price and quality of housing.