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Snowmobile safari is the most popular kind of winter leisure in Republic of Karelia. It is amazing winter leisure in combination with visito Kalevala, where Karelo-Finnish epos originates and specific Russian exotic like wooden churches of Kizhi. There are also special Polar Night safari tours in Murmansk Region, also popular last time. It is ridiculous, but snowmobiling has recently become popular in Russia and now this branch of tour industry is developing rapidly, offering long and weekend tours corresponding international quality standards. Tour geography is also expanding. Usually, snowmobile safari tours take place from December till March and look like the following.
There are tours, beginning in Kalevala, center of active rest and ethnographic tourism. The tourists visit 18-meters waterfall Kumo-Porog, main Karelian monuments of nature. In Voinitsa, very original rune-singing village travelers are offered to try special Karelian sauna, distinguishing from the Russian one, local cuisine, based on natural products of forest and lakes. Newcomers will also get acquainted with military history of the region, experienced tourists will have a good choice for high-speed driving.
By the way, mature winter leisure fans are offered special tours, for example, those who is interested in high-speed forest slalom can try themselves in Hyperborea of Kalevala, 700 km expedition route of high complexity. It begins on the shore of picturesque Shueozero lake, goes through wild taiga, hunting areas and lonely villages on the Russian-Finnish border and finishes in Kalevala settlement, place of origin of the world famous Kalevala, Finnish and Karelian piece of epic poetry.
If you want some Russian exotic and have the only weekend, there are two-days weekend winter tours to Kizhi. By the way, this is the most popular winter safari tour service. Pleasure from driving along the snowfields combined with sightseeing in Kizhi (splendid wooden architecture in winter looks especially effective) make an optimal proportion for ideal weekend. Snowmobiles are easy in driving, so even the first-time newcomers can enjoy driving. Experienced instructor accompanying the group provides safety and helps to solve any problems if they appear. Accommodation in this tour corresponds with international quality standards, combining all modern conveniences with local exotics like hot sauna. It is so in most services, excluding expedition routes of high complexity.
The tour operators of Murmansk Region and their clients Polar Night can be beautiful! Breathtaking weekend snowmobile safari tour at the height of 2-months Polar Night, severe dark time, when the sun doesn't rise above the horizon at all. Day-time is as little as few hours and looks like twilight. After that the world sinks in darkness again. In Khibiny mountains this twilight has blue-rose color, when everything is painted in soft pastel shades. The Finns call this time "the blue hours". It sounds strange, but although it is Polar Night, no special light fixtures are required for the trip. Light from the Moon and stars, reflected by mountain slopes will support you all the time, and if the weather is fine, splashes of Polar lighting. This tour can be a very good addition for mountain skiing in Khibiny (e.g. in Kirovsk), but this topic is worth special consideration.
Variety of Russian winter tour services is rather big now and is still growing. These ones can be suitable for foreigners, because the regions mentioned here, are situated not far from the border, which makes flights cheaper, and level of service is high enough.
