Valaam tour

Day 1. Lodeinoe Pole

Departure for the town of Lodeinoe Pole from Moscow (18:25) or St. Petersburg (00:00).

Day 2. Lodeinoe Pole - Valaam 

Arrival in Lodeinoe Pole (~04:08 - train #012 from St. Petersburg, ~06:05 - train #018 from Moscow). Meet the guide. Transfer by bus to the town of Olonets (~1 hour ride). Breakfast. Transfer to the town of Sortavala (188 km). City tour. Lunch. 13:00 - Departure for Valaam by boat. Accommodation at the hotel very close to the Cathedral of the Transfiguration. Excursion to the Cathedral and Hegumens' cemetery. Dinner. Walking excurison to the "All Saints'" Hermitage (6 km).

Day 3. The Nikolski Island

Breakfast. Walking excursion to the Nikolski Island and Nikolski Hermitage. Transfer by boat to the Nikonovskaya Bay. Walking excursion "New Jerusalem": Hermitage of the Resurrection, Gefsimanski Hermitage, Eleon Mountain. Lunch at the refectory. Monks' chorus concert. Return to the hotel by the main Monastery Road (6 km). Dinner.

Day 4. Cruise time

Breakfast. Cruise around Valaam (duration about 10 hours). Visit to the Saint Island and the Hermitage of Alexandr Svirsky. Visit to the Lembas Island and Iliinsky Hermitage. In July and early August, we may spot Ladoga Ringed Seal inhabiting the Island. Lunch (lunch box or picnic). Visit to the Oboronniy (Defence) Island and the fortified structures made by Finnish army during the WW2. Return to the hotel, dinner.

Day 5. Petrozavodsk

Breakfast. Free time. Departure for Sortavala by boat. Lunch. Transfer to Petrozavodsk by bus (250 km), with photo stops en-route. Accommodation at the coutryside hotel "Urozero" (19-20.07 - another hotel). Dinner.

Day 6. Petrozavodsk

Breakfast. Petrozavodsk city tour. Tour to Kizhi Museum by hydrofoil. Lunch (lunch boxes). Transfer to the train station to the train for Moscow, departure at 19:00. Departure for St. Petersburg - at 23:00.