Paanajarvi: Russia’s Winter Wonderland

As I never tire of admiring winter landscapes, three days in Karelia was something of a dream for me! We spent three days there, riding snowmobiles through Paanajarvi National Park.

Picturesque Karelia view

Driving snowmobile

Forest view in Karelia

Amazing view aroun in Karelia

The first few minutes riding over the lake were quite scary but it didn’t take long for me to get an adrenalin buzz! Everything you see around you is stunning; endless expanses of pure, untouched nature.

White snow view

Karelia nature winter

Relaxing outside in winter

Snow view Karelia

A wild elk in Karelia

Paanajarvi is located in the north-west of the Republic of Karelia in Russia. The Park’s melodious name comes from the unique lake, Paanajarvi, the deepest of the smaller lakes of Fennoscandia, which was formed in the bedrock rift.

A breath-taking view of Karelia

Kivakovski waterfall

Enjoying the views of Karelia

The park itself is amazingly picturesque - mountain ridges split by deep gorges, numerous lakes and various mires, fast streams with frothing rapids and waterfalls break up the terrain.

Pine trees in Karelia

Selfie in Karelia

Night-time view of Karelia

The slopes of the hills and valleys are covered with pristine almost untouched forest, dominated by spruce trees. But, as a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ll let Paanajarvi speak for itself!

Like this post?

Chat with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or share it with your friends.

    You might also be interested in:

  • I remember feeling amazement when I first heard about the Burning Man festival. It was late 2008 when YouTube was only three years old, Instagram didn't even exist and Facebook was still catching up to Myspace.

  • Traveling is amazing until something goes wrong with the flights. Then it becomes a nightmare. But the good news is – you get compensation if your flight is delayed for more than three hours.  So we decided to share our experiences and give you a step-by-step guide on what to do in order to experience a smooth compensation process.

  • Immortalised in movies and books, these iconic cliffs are among the main landmarks of Great Britain. Perhaps one of the most popular attractions in the whole of England, the White Cliffs of Dover form part of England's coastline and are the closest part of the country to France. They reach up to 110m in height and the high amount of chalk in their composition gives them their stunning white appearance.

  • 37th Bristol International Balloon Festival, the largest of its kind in Europe attracted about half a million visitors to the gorgeous grounds of Bristol’s Ashton Court. I was lucky enough to not just admire the colourful hot-air balloons taking off, but to get closer to them, get a masterclass from the famous pilots and even to ride in a balloon.

  • How long have I had no REAL adventure! An overwhelming adventure with bubbling adrenaline and cheeks bursting from laughter.

  • One of the most romantic trips of my life was to the Alpine region in Austria, just an hour's drive from Salzburg. Not only I was lured by the rural beauty, silence, fresh air and breathtaking views; the countryside and its settings have been the backdrop for some world-famous movies. For example, it was featured in the well-known film, “The Sound of Music”.


Written by

There are two things in my life that I love the most – traveling and photography They go together perfectly. Traveling always inspires me to capture the best moments, to show my feelings and emotions through pictures. And it’s always exciting for me that my feelings and emotions are interesting for thousands of people, who read my blog on Live Journal.

Want to write for us?

We write about the most luxurious, unique, amazing travel experience. If you are really passionate about traveling and can provide good quality pictures, let's talk.