Paanajärvi National Park

Six hundred lakes teeming with fish. Red rugged cliffs towering in the sky and virgin Taiga forest as far as the eye can see.  Paanajärvi National Park is Karelia’s last frontier: uninhabited, untouched and wild. The reindeer here are not domesticated and the lakes still have crayfish from pre-glacial times, when all of Karelia was covered by the White Sea.  

Paanajärvi is ancient Saami land. Old pottery, drums and silver treasures were found in the park. Stunning hiking trails lead up to the “Seids” (Saami ritual sites). The mystic stone formations are located on the top of Paanajärvi’s highest mountains and offer breathtaking vistas as far as Finland.

Take a swim in Paanajärvi Lake

Hike up to the ancient Saami ritual sites

See brown bears, capercaillie and wild reindeer