This cycling tour is for the adventurous cyclists who want to enjoy the northern nature and culture. The cycling tour follows the old road from village Umba along several fishing villages to the pearl fisher"s village called Varzuga, situated on the river Varzuga, 140 km from Umba. This is also the length of the tour.
You will get acquainted with the life of the Pomeranians; the fishing Saami with their own fishing culture of southern Lapland. You can try the famous White Sea herring, specially cooked the traditional way in a pan in its own juice. During cycling tour you will visit the historical museum in Umba, outdoor museum of fishermen Saami, the chapel of the unknown monk and beautiful Uspenskaya stave church in Varzuga. Accommodation is in tents along the White Sea Coast, cottages and guest houses in villages Umba and Varzuga. The luggage is transported by car and you will be accompanied by a guide on a bike. During the cycling tour all meals are included.
We can meet you at any airport or railway station in Russia as well as in Finland or Norway. By your request we help you to choose the best and suitable way to come to us.
Accommodation:
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Level: The participant must have experience in long distances cycling in hilly and sandy areas and must have a good condition. Knowledge about repairing bicycle on the route is preferable. |
Group size: 2-11 persons (international participation possible) |
Duration: 6 days |
Dates: Any dates between beginning of June and end of September (dates in other period are on request). |
Price: Prices are depending on group size and rouble exchange rate. Please contact us for an up-to-date proposal. |
Price includes:
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Documents: Passport must be valid at least 6 months after date of return. A Russian visa is required for tourists from most countries. See your country’s Russian consulate or embassy for details. We handle the tourist invitation. |
Insurance: The participant must possess medical insurance that at very least covers the European part of the Russian Federation. |
Day 1. Meeting the guide at the railway station in Kandalaksha; most south city behind the Polar Circle. Briefing. Transfer by an off-road vehicle to the remote village named Umba on the White Sea shore. Free time to adjust bicycle or look arround or fish in Umba river. In the evening sauna, dinner and overnight in a country wooden house.
Day 2. After breakfast we start cycling via asfalt road in direction of Varzuga. After 10 km on a forest road along the coast of the White Sea to an Pomor open air museum. Lunch on the way. After we continue cycling via plentiful nature of the White sea. In the evening we have a campfire dinner and overnight in tents close to the mouth of Olenitsa Spring on the sea shore. Cycling distance: 10 km asphalt, 60 km of forest road.
Day 3. After breakfast we cycle to Kashkarantsy - an old Pomor village with a lighthouse. We follow the old track to Varzuga along the sea shore which is amazing beautiful. On the shore we pass the Chapel of the "Unknown Monk" with the legend from the XIII century. Lunch on the sea shore. Later we reach a left Amethyst mine on the "Cape Ship"; a long cape coming deeply to the sea. It consists of Amethyst rock and we can easily find there, as they say, Amethyst brushes; crystals of Amethyst growing on the rock. For overnight we stay in wooden houses of "Lodochny Ruchey". Sauna. Campfire dinner. Cycling distance: 60 km of forest road.
Day 4. After breakfast we continue our trip and cycle during ebb-tide over the beach to mouth of the Varzuga river. We continue along the Varzuga river to village Kuzomen. Passing by Europe's northernmost desert; named Arctic desert and the amazing beautiful sandy dunes with and ancient pine trees. Wilderness lunch in the dunes area. After lunch we bike on a forest road leading to a gravel road which ends in Varzuga village. Varzuga village is the earliest settlement on the Tersky Coast of the White Sea with a famous functioning Orthodox church, build in 1674 without any single iron nail. Sauna, dinner. Overnight in a country wooden house. Cycling distance: about 35 km.
Day 5. After breakfast we will visit the oldest wooden church (1674) of the Kola Peninsula. Then we take a hike to watch the village walking among old wooden houses. We will be brought by boat to another side of Varzuga River and walking on wooden pavements between small cosy houses. We will make a hike to a very special place - Magic Springs in a dense forest. After lunch in the country house we follow the main red gravel road cycling to the wooden houses of "Lodochny Ruchey" on the sea shore. Sauna and campfire dinner. Overnight in the houses. Cycling distance: about 20 km.
Day 6. Breakfast. Transfer by off-road vehicle to the railway station in Kandalaksha. From Kandalaksha you can go to Murmansk by bus, taxi or train, to Saint-Petersburg or Moscow by train, or to Finland by bus or using our transport services.
Total length: | 155 km | Largest daily cycling distance: | 60 km |
Asphalt roads: | 10 km | Average daily cycling distance: | 52 km |
Unpaved roads: | 145 km | Lowest point of the route: | 0 meter |
Smallest daily cycling distance: | 35 km | Highest point of the route: | 150 meter |
Amount of active cycling days: | 3 days |
This cycling tour along the White Sea Coast can be extended with the following optionals::
Guided cycling tour from the centre of Kola Peninsula (Kirovsk) through wilderness to the White Sea. 6 days tour with luggage transport.
Guided cycling tour from Kandalaksha city to Varzuga village along the White Sea. The south part of Kola Peninsula. 6 days tour with luggage transport.
Individual cycling tour from St-Petersburg to Murmansk according our roadbook and with background support. 13+ days tour. No luggage transport.