TREKKING IN KARELIA NEAR THE WATERFALLS AND VOLCANOES

Top 3 Russian North Hiking Trails

Russian North attracts travelers not only from the very heart of Russia. Every year thousands of nomads seeking extreme experience and new emotions come to enjoy Karelian wild nature: touch the stones that are thousands years old, feel the energy of Russian forests, get inspired by the Northern lights, White nights… If you believe that to start speaking Russian you need only to bone up on the grammar you probably haven’t seen the way Enjoy Russian students live in Karelia. We travel all over the Russian North and practice Russian language with the locals! If you feel like making Russian learning special, take a look at the best hiking routes in Karelia and come!

Learn Russian and stop the time

When a bus takes you to the start of your route you really think that the time stops. No any irritating apps notifications, endless flow of tasks from your boss or thoughts about what to put into the kids lunch boxes. It’s only you and the Nature. Wild, Russian and Nordic. Depending on your vacation you may choose 3-4-day route or enjoy the real journey for 2 weeks. Professional local guides will show you the hidden places and teach how to get lost in the atmosphere (not physically but mentally).

Route 1. To the volcano

Karelia is a land of tranquility and piece. Never ever had anyone witnessed here earthquakes or storms. But ancient volcano Girvas that is 3 billion years old definitely deserves mentioning. This is the oldest sightseeing attraction in Karelia and a place of interest for many archeologists. Solidified lava, earth materials, multicolored stones will catch your attention from the very beginning. Even though the volcanic neck is hardly distinguishable you will feel the uniqueness of the place. When on a track your guide takes you to the highest viewpoints and shows steep cliffs and rocks.

Route 2. Red stones and waterfall in the National Park of Karelia

Trekking in Paanajarvi park is a great opportunity to follow the  traces of an earthquake that occurred here many years ago. Here between the rocks you may find the deepest lake in whole Scandinavia and Kola Peninsula. Get ready to the breathtaking views of deep canyons, fast rivers and singing waterfalls. Even locals will tell you that taking this route is a good way to get familiar with Karelian flora and fauna and to hear the call of the wild. Usually guides are happy to stop a group and take a break with Russian banya and traditional dinner and to share some stories about mysterious Karelian lands.

Route 3. The lake of mountain spirits

According to the Saami people legends, lake Seydozero has always been a sacred place where everyone could meet mountain spirits. That is the place where the oldest mankind civilization’s evidence was found – ancient fortifications, sanctuaries and astronomical objects. Nowadays the trekking path goes through the famous large meadow under which scientists and archeologist dedicatedly try to find the cave. Some say it was clearly seen on one picture taken in 1920-s. Since then no one actually knows if this fact is true. Come to Karelia and try to find out!

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Join Enjoy Russian school this summer and travel Russian North! Choose a course here

Special 2-week course for A1+/A2 level students! Mini-group option!

Study Russian in a group of 3-4 people and reach maximum results in 2 weeks! 
Welcome to EnjoyRussian School in Petrozavodsk in April!

Dates: April 9th-20th 
Course fee: 320 euro for 40 Russian lessons 
Accommodation fee: 150 euro for a 2-week Russian homestay 

Test your Russian online https://enjoyrussian.com/test/
Apply here: https://enjoyrussian.com/apply-standart/
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GREAT LENT BEGAN in russia! WHAT SHOULD WE EAT NOW?

The brightest, funniest and most entertaining of Russians holidays Maslenitsa has just finished. Yesterday a 49-day Great Lent began.

Great Lent, or the Great Fast in Russia

ВЕЛИКИЙ ПОСТ (Great Lent in Russian) is the most important fasting season in the church year in Russia, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, ПАСХА (Easter).

In many ways Great Lent is similar to Lent in Western Christianity. There are some differences in the timing of Lent (besides calculating the date of Easter) and how it is practiced, both liturgically in the public worship of the church and individually. Observance of Great Lent is characterized by fasting and abstinence from certain foods, intensified private and public prayer, self-examination, confession, personal improvement, etc. In this post we will tell you what Russians eat during the Great Fast.

During the lent only lenten fare is permitted by the Russian Orthodox Church. At this time old Russian proverb “ЩИ ДА КАША – ПИЩА НАША” (shchi da kasha – pischa nasha) (cabbage soup to porridge – that’s our food) makes much sense. Of course, not all Russian people fast – only deeply religious ones. But during the Great Fast many restaurants serve lenten food.

Among prohibited products there are meat, milk, eggs. Fish is allowed on special days. There are food calendars that inform about which food is allowed to eat on which day.

The most popular Russian lenten dishes

During the Great Fast people usually eat potatoes, noodles, bread, different porridges, fruits, and vegetables. There are some traditional Russian dishes that are very popular during the lent.

Vinegret

It’s a Russian traditional vegetarian salad, made of beets, potatoes, sauerkraut, peas, pickles… Ingredients might slightly vary per household and restaurant.

Vareniki

It’s Russian and Ukrainian classic pierogi, loaded with cheesy potatoes and an easy melt in your mouth homemade dough! There lots of types of vareniki: with potatoes, with potatoes and mushrooms, with cherry, with cabbage… If you make the dough without eggs, vareniki will be a perfect lenten dish!

Pickled vegetables

It’s not easy to find really good fresh vegetables in this time of the year in Russia, so pickled ones are the best substitution

Do you want to try traditional lenten food? Come to Petrozavodsk, experience Russian culture, and learn the language at our Russian courses. Enroll here

THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTH

Go berserk and enjoy ancient sagas at Medieval times International Festival in Karelia!

Telling the truth not every student who comes to learn Russian language in the North of Russia lives with the host families. Of course Russian homestay is the best option however sometimes the call of the wild breaks down the system of “everything is on the right track”. The historical Campus on the shore of Onego lake (the 2d biggest lake in Europe by the way) is going to be established in August 2018. For those who seek some unique places to visit in Russia and some authentic activities to try the “Legends of the North Festival” is the first must-see-item!

Learn how to set a fire both to your Russian trip and on the ground

We’d already written the post about Karelia and North-West of Russia as a place where many legends were born. Golden Mermaids, stones  “seidy” and Karelian Nessy, stories about brave men who conquered the death and forest creatures helping travelers to find a way.  They say Karelia is a land for spiritually strong Russian men. According to the legend Karelian people ancestors came from the North and to survive in these harsh weather conditions they should have been pure in heart and strong in spirit.

“Legends of the North” Festival proves all mentioned above and is slowly becoming the event people associate Karelia with. On 5th of  August citizens are invited to be fully immersed by the authentic Nordic atmosphere of 9-11 centuries, try on some elements of clothes, armor and weapons, get acquainted with historical handicrafts and take part in numerous unique workshops and talk sessions:

• Moulded ceramics workshop
• Scandinavian poetry of scalds
• Elementary leather goods. Types of hides and skins. Their destination. Where to search for materials.
• the Swedish overtone flute making class
• archery and throwing knives workshops

The best place in Russia for those who’re attracted by the North

Not only the sounds of folk bands performance might be heard here but also metallic clang from everywhere! So the bravest ones may take a sword and become the best in the battle.

“That was the greatest show! The level of organizing was really high, we could take pictures with the warriors, fight with swords, watch and photograph handicrafts and life, learn something new and communicate with people who can’t imagine their life without the Legends of the North!” (says one of the participants in 2017)

Don’t you think it’s your turn to try this? Choose a course and come to Karelia!

“Even in just 5 lessons I made good progress”

– that’s what our Skype student said this week. 👍

Achieve fast results in Russian sitting on your sofa 😄

All what you need is an internet connection and devise with microphone and camera.

Cost (the more you take, the more you save):

17 euro / 1 lesson if you take 1-9 lessons;

16 euro / 1 lesson if you take 10-14 lessons;

15 euro / 1 lesson if you take 15 lessons and more.

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