Russia – Karelia

In 2015 we should drive north to Harstad, north in Norway, and chose the somewhat unusual, but absolutely adventure-rich route through Russian Karelia. The route was: Stockholm Ferry to Helsinki – St. Petersburg – Petrozavodsk via smaller roads – Kem – Rovanemi – Kiruna – Harstad – Oslo. In total, less than 500 miles. This was not an off-road trip, and can be done with a regular car.

Karelia is an fantastic for those who are interested in old wooden houses. We took a number of detours and visited small villages that were almost vacated. Only a few elderly where left, but the churches were well maintained.

Visa

To get a visa, you need an invitation. This can be arranged by booking accommodation at hotels, and then the hotel will send you an invitation. Or you can, as we did, get a visa company to fix it for you. These can be found on Internet. You send them the passport and they arrange everything, including the invitation.

Car Insurance

Check with the insurance company if the insurance applies in Russia. If not, this can be arranged just before the border, for example at a petrol station. The best part is to fix it in advance.

Border Crossing

Bringing a car into Russia causes some bureaucracy. We spent 4 hours at the queuing on E-18 Finland-Russia, but most were the queue  was to get to the border. The passage itself was done in half an hour. The biggest job is to fill in a temporary vehicle import permit. These were only available in Russian at the border crossing, and you can not expect anyone to speak English. Although I had an English translation, and although Elin speaks Russian and we got help, we had to fill it out 3 times before it became correct. You get a stamped copy of this paper and you need to take care of it. If you do not have it when you go out again, chances are you will not get the car with you. The same applies if one of the cars registration plates should be lost.

It is advisable to download the import permit in advance and fill it out. For some reason, the document is hard to find on the internet, but a link is found below. Whether they accept the English version I do not know, but it’s good to have the translation.

We were not quite sure where we were leaving Russia again, but according to the map there are many possibilities. Please note, however, that you can not use all the border crossings. On our map some are marked with red men, and some with black. The Russian text describes the black as multilateral and the red as bilateral. It was a bit of a hassle to find out, but bilateral means that only citizens in the two countries can pass. Thus only Fins and Russians in this case.

Road quality and driving habits

The main roads in Karelia were very good, the smaller roads can be ranged between good and very bad. The E-105 / A-121 which goes north to Murmansk is very good and with little traffic.

The driving style on the E-18 towards St. Petersburg was (self) murderous. In fact, the worst thing I have experienced. Much worse than, for example, North Africa or the Caucasus. Overtaking in turns, on the right side of the car, in the gravel and we experienced being overtaken while driving by another car. So 3 cars simultaneously side by side in a two-way road. I had to be extremely aware and it was quite tiring. So I can assure the madman driving you can find from various dash cameras on Youtube is quite common.

Luckily it calmed down after St. Petersburg.

The Trip

From the border we drove straight to Vyborg and stayed at a relatively expensive hotel, 100 USD for a double room. We planned to camp along the way, but the hotels were so reasonable, typically 30 USD, so we chose hotels instead. Vyborg is an ancient Finnish city lying in the part of Karelia annexed by the Soviet after the war. Today a nice little town, perfect for a beer down the harbor where you can sit to study the people. Summer months are usually hot and dry in this part of the country. Mosquitoes are to be assumed.

The next day we drove to St. Petersburg. We took the circle road west of the city center and drove further north, along the big lake Ladoga. At Lodejnoje Pole we took off the E-105 and headed straight east towards the lake Onega. We had been advised that along this road there were many old villages that were worth a visit. These villages are nearly empty today. The younger ones have gone to the cities to get and most houses are empty.

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Rodionovo

We stopped in Rodionovo to find a place to stay overnight. Worth to see is the Wooden Church of St. George, one of the three oldest (1493) wooden churches in Russia. Most churches of this type are closed and one must ask the neighbors for a key. Even though they speak nothing but Russian, people are very hospitable and helpful. We asked around for accommodation and were invited to a small holiday colony with children from St. Petersburg. They were very excited about practicing English and we were invited to attend church service in the church of St. George later in the evening. It turned out that there were cabins for rent in Rodionovo and someone from the holiday colony sat in the car and directed us there. The landlord was waiting later in the evening, but we were invited to a Russian family in one of the other cabins and were served food.

The worship service later was very atmospheric, as they are usually in orthodox countries, with the choir of the children.

The following day we continued along Onega to Petrosavodsk. Along the way we stopped to see more wooden churches. There are many here.

About Wooden Churches

Petrosavodsk and Kizhi

Petrozavodsk is a relatively small town that serves as a starting point for trips to Kizhi Island, located just over an hour’s boat ride out on Lake Onega. The town was a study in dilapidated Soviet architecture, with worn, gray concrete blocks surrounded by equally worn garages and overgrown weeds. Towns out in the provinces aren’t exactly a priority.

For log-housing enthusiasts, Kizhi is an absolute must-see. It’s an open-air museum featuring a number of old churches and other buildings. The trip out to the island is an experience in itself. The boats are old hydrofoils, not unlike those used on the Oslo Fjord in the 1960s and 70s. Lake Onega is Europe’s second-largest lake and dotted with islands.

As you approach Kizhi, the first thing you’ll spot is the tower and the 22 domes of the Transfiguration Church. Built in 1714, it stands 37 meters tall and was constructed entirely of log without a single nail. It is considered one of the world’s most complex and impressive wooden structures. In addition to the church, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, there are many smaller churches and old farmhouses. In total, there are 80 buildings, all log-built. Inside the houses, guides dressed in traditional folk costumes demonstrate old craft traditions such as weaving, lace-making, woodcarving, and singing.

Solovki Islands

We then drove to Kem in one stretch. The road is straight and nice—and endlessly boring. Forest, trees, and more forest. Next town, Kem was also a very run-down town and the starting point for another boat trip. This time to the Solovki Islands in the White Sea, a large bay of the Barents Sea. The trip out takes 2 hours. We drove to the harbor and bought tickets for the boat, a guide, and lodging, since it’s such a long boat ride out there. Parking was included.

Solovki is known for two things: the monastery and the Gulag camps. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn called Solovki the “mother of the Gulag.” It was here that the first Gulag camps were built in 1923, and according to our guide, a German delegation traveled here in the 1930s to seek inspiration. I highly recommend hiring a guide here. Our guide spoke excellent English, and we received a thorough introduction to Russian patriotism. This was right after the annexation of Crimea, which he recommended we visit.

After a hearty Russian breakfast, we were given a tour of the monastery and the remains of the camp. Many buildings are still standing and are partially in use—fortunately, for other purposes. The guide did not try to sugarcoat what took place here but was able to provide detailed descriptions of the “methods” that were used.

Solzhenitsyn wrote the classic book about the islands, The Gulag Archipelago, while Zakhar Prilepin later (2017) contributed The Monastery, which has received rave reviews.

After Solovki we headed for Finland on a really bad road. No four-wheel drive required, but good ground clearance made it easier. The exit through customs was hassle free.

Read about our epic journey to Moscow by car in 1987: Road trip to Moscow 1987

Some useful links: Custom Declaration Border Crossings Car In Russia