The National Park "Paanajärvi" is located in the north-west of Karelia, in the Louhsky district. It got its name from a deep clean lake located in rocky faults.
This park is located in the mountainous part of Karelia, called Fennoscandia, near the Maanselka ridge. It is a protected natural area of national importance. And since the park is located near Finland itself, the border zone regime applies to it. Next to it is a similar nature protection zone of the neighboring country - "Oulanka".
Paanajärvi National Park: how to get there and when to go
Rail transport in these places goes only to Louhi station. Further to the park itself, only a rather broken dirt road was laid. You will have to travel by hitchhiking or by your own transport. But in the latter case, tourists are advised to go through Kalevala. The road there is inin better condition, and you will spend less time than from Louhi, since the road conditions there are such that you will not be able to move more than 40 kilometers per hour.
The distance between Kalevala and the nature protection zone is about 160 km. You can visit the park all year round. But the weather here is very changeable. In summer it often rains and there are a lot of mosquitoes, so you need to take into account these nuances.
History
Paanajärvi is a national park in Karelia, whose territory was inhabited seven thousand years ago. Here were discovered sites of ancient people from the Stone to the Iron Age, as well as their tools and pottery. In the Middle Ages, these lands belonged to Veliky Novgorod. After the capture of the latter by Ivan III, they retreated to Sweden.
In the eighteenth century, the Finns began to settle in this territory. But few people lived here. And since the 19th century, the lands around Lake Paanajärvi alternately passed either Russia or Finland. Since the 90s of the last century, industrial logging and timber rafting began to be practiced here, but then, nevertheless, the beauty of these places prompted the local government to open a tourist center.
After Finland gained independence, the territory first passed to it, and after the Second World War it returned to Russian borders (as part of the USSR). The national park was formed here in May 1992. Since then, it has been used not only for the protection of landscapes, flora and fauna, but also for tourism, recreational and educational purposes.
Description
The Paanajärvi National Park has an area of one hundred thousand hectares. There are no settlements on these lands. 20 thousand hectares have been allocated for the reserve, and 6 thousand hectares for tourism use.
The warmest time here is the month of July, when the average temperature rises to +15 degrees. And the coldest of all is in February, when it drops to -13°C. Snow, as a rule, falls here enough, often more than a meter in height. In addition, beautiful northern lights are observed here in winter, and in summer the sun does not shine for only two to three hours a day.
The park has an exceptionally picturesque landscape. It has everything - gorges, lakes, mountains, rivers and waterfalls. The forests are very dense and almost virgin. In total, there are about 120 lakes in the park. But not everywhere is open to tourists.
Attractions
The Paanajärvi National Park boasts the highest mountains in Karelia. These are Lunas, Kivakka, Mäntyutunturi and Nuorunen. They are about half a kilometer high. Their slopes are very steep, and there is such an interesting phenomenon as “hanging swamps” on them.
There are more than sixty natural monuments here, which are sights, including those of world importance. These are the Päinur mountains, the Ruskeakallio rock, the Olanga river basin and Lake Paanajärvi itself, along with the fault of the same name.
The depth of this reservoir is 128 meters. It is surrounded by mountains and therefore has a specific microclimate. The lake is one of the deepest reservoirs of its kind. It is also unique in its cleanliness. And hiswater is highly oxygenated. High waterfalls with numerous steps, bizarre red rocks, ancient Saami sanctuaries - all this can be seen by visitors to the park.
The sixty-meter Ruskeakallio rock, as well as the cascading Kivakkakoski waterfall, 12 meters high and 100 meters long, are especially beautiful. It remained unconquered by people - no one could make rafting or rafting on it. Tourists are also attracted by the sacred stones of the Sami - the so-called seids. The ancient peoples considered them "a place of power." According to them, spirits lived there, owners of lakes, rivers and mountains.
Tours
If you want to make a trip to the local sights, first register at the Paanajärvi Visitor Center. The national park is often crowded with travelers, so it's best to book in advance.
The visitor center is located in the neighboring village of Pyaozerskoye. It was built in 2002 at the expense of the European Union. This center is very beautiful, comfortable, expedient and functional. When he opened a good hotel with a sauna included in the accommodation. Passport is required to register and obtain a fishing license.
Excursions in the park are summer and winter. In the cold season, snowmobile tours are very popular. The park has specially designated roads for cars and equipped pedestrian trails with footbridges and railings in dangerous places. Tourists most often make forays along the Olanga River, to the waterfalls of Kivakkakoski and Myantyukoski, to the mountainsKivakkatunturi and Nuorunen.
From animals here you can meet moose, swans, squirrels and hares. By the way, there are specially equipped "nature trails" where there are information signs about the local flora and fauna.
Mount Kivakka is very popular with travelers because it is detached, which is not typical for Karelia, and it offers views of the entire park. For some tourists, it even evokes associations with Fujiyama. There was a temple on its top, but an Orthodox cross is now installed on top of it.
Entertainment
You can fish in the park, but not in all places, but only in designated areas of the Olanga River. The catch is usually good. There are sandy beaches on the shores of Lake Paanajärvi, where, thanks to the special microclimate, you can even swim in the second half of July. But if you want to come to the Paanajärvi National Park with a dog, then, unfortunately, you cannot do this. It is forbidden to bring domestic animals into this protected area, as this can be dangerous both for them and for wild inhabitants of the forests.
A pleasure boat "Onanga" goes around the lake, on which tourists ride. The park also often hosts various environmental festivals, cultural days of the Sami people, educational seminars.
Where to live
Paanajärvi National Park offers accommodation for tourists who want to spend a few days here. These are wooden houses and camping. The cost of housing depends onwhether you spend the night in a tent and pay only for a place or settle in a cottage. The houses "Float", "Paanajärvi" and "Skazka" are located near the lake itself. There are several more cottages near the Olanga River. Some of them are on the way to the lake. There are places for tents near the cottages.
Houses without amenities, they are just wooden cabins with bunks, mattresses, pillows and stoves. Clean linen is provided at the visitor center. Near the buildings there is a place for a fire, there is firewood for kindling, boilers, and some cottages even have a bathhouse. Campsites have toilets, water, wooden tables, trash cans.
Paanajärvi National Park reviews
Tourists describe trips to this protected area as fabulous. After all, nature here is unusual in its beauty even for Karelia. In addition, this is a great place to relax with both family and company.
As travelers note, campsites and cabins are very well maintained, albeit simple. There is no electricity, but you can rent a generator. The presence of a bathhouse is a great bonus during a hike. This is a great route for those who love nature and fishing.
And what opportunities for wonderful pictures the Paanajärvi National Park gives! You will keep photos of amazing rocks, waterfalls and beautiful views from the mountains for a long time. No wonder these places are called Karelian Switzerland. There are many tourists in the park not only from Russia, but also from European countries.
