Koli National Park. Ski center Koli. Bars and restaurants
Just an hour's drive from the city of Joensuu, in the province of North Karelia, is one of the national parks of Finland - Koli. The peak of Ukko-Koli is the highest mountain in this region, the national pride of Finland. The panorama of Lake Pielinen, opening from a height of 253 meters, is impressive and cannot leave even the most inveterate cynic indifferent.
Ski resort Ukko-Koli. Photo: koli.fi
Ukko-Koli/Loma-Koli
The protected areas of Kolya attract lovers of outdoor recreation from all over the world and inspire many generations of artists to create paintings. Climbing Ukko-Koli is a tribute to tradition for the inhabitants of Finland. Perhaps that is why two ski resorts were built on the slopes of the national park: Ukko-Koli and Loma-Koli.
Ukko-Koli and Loma-Koli are a world of fabulous nature, offering a wide range of tourist services all year round. In summer, tourists walk along the route, in winter they storm the mountain slopes, and local lakes rich in fish provide the opportunity to fish in winter and summer. Despite the fact that permission was recently received to build cottage villages in the immediate vicinity of the national park, they are being built in such a way as to allow tourists to spend their holidays in solitude, among a centuries-old forest, on the shores of a delightful lake.
Alpine skiing competitions of local and international scale are regularly held on the slopes of Ukko-Koli and Loma-Koli. And this is no wonder, since the resorts have trails of varying levels of difficulty. There are 12 tracks in total, the length of the descents is up to 1500 meters. Elevation differences – 230 meters. On the slope for beginners there is a special towing lift, equipped in accordance with the latest safety requirements. The ski season at the resorts begins in November and lasts until April. The resorts operate a single ticket system and a magnetic card access system. The activated card can simply be placed in your pocket - when entering the lift, the reader will automatically receive the information. For seasonal use, purchase a KeyCard.
Schedule
Standard operating hours for the slopes are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Christmas Day, December 24, the slopes are only open until three in the afternoon.
Prices
Lift pass prices for both resorts vary depending on the number of hours and days spent on the slopes. A single ticket for an adult costs 5 euros, for a child over 7 years old - 3 euros. Children under 7 years old wearing a helmet and accompanied by their parents can ride for free.
You can buy a one-time ticket, or for 1-3 hours, or a subscription for 1-10 days: the longer the stay at the resort, the cheaper the cost of one climb. Holidays on the slopes are made even cheaper by discount cards of different types - S-Etukortti 81, S-Etukortti 53, S-Etukortti 102, S-Etukortti 70, S-Etukortti 123, S-Etukortti 86. For 110 euros you can buy a family ticket for 1 day – 1-2 adults + 1-3 children (from 4 to 12 years).
Detailed pricing information can be found.
For quick access to the slopes, it is worth purchasing a contactless KeyCard for 6 euros. They are sold at the box office. You can load a different number of tickets onto a KeyCard card, from a single ticket to a season ticket, and you can also load information from 4 different ski resorts onto one card.
Ski resorts offer equipment rentals. The cost of rental depends again on the number of days of rental. So, you can rent equipment for 1 hour for 20 euros, for 5 days - for 113 euros. Detailed information about equipment rental.
Helmet for children under 12 years old is free. Helmet rental for adults costs 5 euros.
The ski resorts of Ukko-Koli and Loma-Koli also offer services for those who still feel unsure about skiing. At the ski school you can study individually with a coach or in a group. The cost of a 50-minute lesson is 46 euros per person, if there is a group of 2-3 people - 40 euros per person. Information on prices for training at a ski school can be viewed.
Accommodation
Since the resort is an hour's drive from the city of Joensuu, of course, you can consider accommodation options there. We have already selected for you the best hotels where the price corresponds to the quality. Your task is simply to choose from them.
Sokos Hotel Koli is located on the territory of the Koli National Park. The hotel offers comfortable accommodation away from the city, surrounded by picturesque and breathtaking scenery, all just a stone's throw from the slopes. Also, in Koli there are cottages and guest houses.
Entertainment – from reindeer sleigh rides to a water park
In addition to alpine and cross-country skiing, the resorts offer all types of fishing, snowshoeing and motor sleigh rides, horse riding, hiking and reindeer and dog sledding in winter. In the summer this could be cycling or kayaking.
The proximity to other settlements provides additional opportunities for a varied and exciting recreation program. The town of Vuonislahti invites you to get acquainted with the life of rural residents of the coastal areas of Lake Pielinen. In Nurmes, you can visit the water park and pamper yourself with wellness treatments at the Bomba water and health resort. The village of Juuka will show you a magical stone world. There is a biathlon center in Kontiolahti, and the Ruunaa recreational area attracts fishermen with an abundance of fish in the local waters. Joensuu offers shopping and cultural opportunities.
If you stay at a Sokos hotel, don't forget to relax in the soapstone sauna. You simply cannot leave the hotel without visiting the new Koli Relax Spa with views of nature. Also try out the center's different pools or choose the most suitable one from five ready-made spa programs.
Koli also invites you to visit the peat sauna. This is an unforgettable experience and a unique adventure. Wellness treatments are carried out in the saunas of Safari House Alamaja, in Koli Harbour. Duration is about one hour; during a twenty-minute stay in the sauna, it is recommended to drink a lot of clean water.
After the sauna, the peat is washed off, but not washed, in order to preserve the positive effect of peat on the skin. The cost of the procedure is 40 € per person.
Bars and restaurants
The fact that you don’t have to trample your feet in search of a place where you can pleasantly relax and refresh yourself is obvious. At the lower station of the Ukko-Koli ski center there is a restaurant called Rinnetupa, which operates on the same schedule as the ski center itself. In addition to the restaurant hall, there is a terrace, a place for making a fire, and a recreation room where you can eat food you brought with you. A nice bonus is free wireless Internet access. You can also buy alcohol at Rinnetupa.
You can also have a snack at the Break Sokos Koli restaurants. At the restaurant Grill it! Cafe-pizzeria Kahpitsa serves good steaks, pizza and small snacks.
At the foot of the Loma Coli slopes, during the opening hours of the ski center, a cafe is open with 65 seats in the hall and 40 on the outdoor terrace. In the cafe you can order stone-baked pizza, inexpensive lunch (soup), fresh pastries, hot cocoa, and alcoholic drinks.
How to get there
Distance to St. Petersburg – 541 km. The trip by car from St. Petersburg or Helsinki will take 6 hours.
St. Petersburg – Vyborg – Brusnichnoe or Torfyanovka – to Lappeenranta on route No. 13. Lappeenranta – Joensuu – Kolinportti – on route No. 6. After the Neste gas station, after the Koli sign, turn right onto road No. 504. The village center will be at a distance of 9 km from the sign, you need to drive another 8 km to the Loma Koli resort.
The resorts can also be reached by train or plane:
Airplane Helsinki – Kuopio or Helsinki – Joensuu (about 50 minutes)
Transfer Kuopio – Koli or Joensuu – Koli (about an hour)
Train Helsinki – Joensuu (about 5.5 hours)
Transfer Joensuu – Koli (about an hour)
We recently went to Finland by car. What else to go on if you want to see the most interesting places? Not by bus... This time the purpose of the trip was not discussed. We were going to discover new national parks. The choice fell on Koli National Park, one of the most popular in Finland. And in this article you will find a report about the trip and coordinates of interesting places in Koli Park.
Koli Park is located in Eastern Finland, not far from Joensuu (a very nice town). The routes in the park are very diverse - hiking, water, and skiing. The entire walking route along Koli is about 60 kilometers, but it is also divided into “sub-routes”. They present no difficulties in passing, but there is nothing to do here with a stroller or a bicycle. A lot of rocks, pine trees and water. Koli National Park is home to the highest mountain in Eastern Finland, Ukko-Koli (347 m). And we climbed to this highest point with the whole family, so you can see with your own eyes that the routes here are quite accessible to small children:
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and tell you about our trip to Finland in a Renault Duster car in order.
We crossed the Finnish border with Russia in Värtsilä and they passed it quickly and without problems, although on the forums they scare with total searches due to the border guards having a lot of free time. There was one exception - the Russian border guards, in addition to Tanya’s foreign passport, also asked for her birth certificate. The border was crossed in the evening, and we didn’t get to Kolya Park that day (and the weather left much to be desired). Therefore, having bought sanctioned cheese and other delicacies, we stopped at (in the Joensuu area the most comfortable laavu for overnight stay are covered houses with a fireplace and wide benches):
In the morning, having acquired a plan of the park (purchased in the information center in the town of the same name), We arrived at the “main” entrance to Koli Park, left the car in the parking lot and went to explore a new interesting place in Finland. Parking coordinates: N 63 5.690 E 29 48.200. From here you can take the free elevator or steps. True, not high (Kolya is no different in height). We chose the elevator:
We got off at the spa hotel Break Sokos Hotel Koli(for those who need round-the-clock beauty or plan a few days of hiking or skiing along Kolya, this hotel is perfect) and right there ended up on one of the observation platforms:
After taking photos, we went on a “hiking in the mountains,” as our Tanya put it. Somewhere there are steps, somewhere there are stones, somewhere there are wooden walkways, somewhere there are tree roots...
And somewhere there are puddles. Stopped at the peaks Ukko-Koli, Akka-Koli, Pakha-Koli.
We had a snack on a smooth rock and sunbathed a little under the mild August sun:
We chose a short route, only 3 km. Because in this part of the park we managed to see all the “viewing” places, we were too lazy to go through the usual, albeit Finnish forest, but we also wanted to see other sights.
And off we went to the Räsävaara observation tower. You can leave your car in the parking lot at the coordinates N63 07.545 E 29 43.470 (there is a meager laavu here, good for lunch and inconvenient for spending the night) and walk up the mountain. Walk about 800 meters. But if you have an SUV, then you can get to the tower itself (N63 7.720 E 29 43.640). From the parking lot at the top of the Koli National Park, drive 15 kilometers. The tower is 18 meters high. And it also has views that are called “super-duper”. And forward and down.
Next stop is at Devil's Caves(The Finns call it the Church of the Devil). But in fact, this is an ordinary crevice among the stones, not too deep and not requiring special dexterity when climbing into it. You can skip this point of the Koli National Park if you are short on time. If you want to stop by, the coordinates of the entrance to the cave are: N 63 02.648 E 29.55.125. Walk about 200 meters from the parking lot.
The day began to fade into evening, and we went to look for a laava for the night. We found one similar to the one in which we spent the night the night before and staged a global drying of mushrooms:
The next day we had planned “attractions” that can be seen in the Koli National Park - a self-driving ferry and a river ford.
The ferry is located at Kiviniemi(coordinates N 63 59.447 E 29.55.700). “Pull and pull”... And a minute later the other shore! There is also a hiking route here, but it is not particularly beautiful - just go through the forest. There are no heights, no special views. So we limited ourselves to the ferry, walked 500 meters through the forest to a convenient parking lot with a fire pit, a toilet and a woodshed, and turned back to the car. 200 meters from the parking lot there is a laavu equipped for lunch/overnight. But it is located next to the farm. If this doesn’t bother you, you can safely plan a “long” stop. From the parking lot to the ferry the walk is about 400 meters.
We are going to the ford across the Herajoki river to show the child the courage and bravery of the parents. We walk back and forth several times, holding on to the safety ropes. There is a current, but not strong, and wading does not pose any danger. Coordinates of the ford in Koli National Park: N 63 0.297 E 29.58.782
But there is no car access to the beach (in Finland they strictly monitor peace and order and often deprive the car of the opportunity to park next to the owners). We are too lazy to carry things for 300 meters, so we go looking for laava again. To dry the mushrooms again on the fireplace.
We spend the night in the greatest possible comfort and drive... towards Russia. But before that we stop in Joensuu at the pillbox museum. The museum is free and interestingly decorated. Trenches, two bunkers, a lot of exhibits from a telephone to a mannequin sleeping on a bunk, photographs. The bunkers even have periscopes and other devices for observing the enemy and you can aim a gun or machine gun. The museum's exposition in bunkers, like most of its kind in Finland, is only available in the summer. This fact is not clear to us. But, since we came here in the summer, we enjoyed wandering around and looking around. By the way, you can walk around the territory at any time of the year.
Well, if for some reason you cannot get to Finland by car, you can see how much air travel costs:
This is how we ended up with a Finnish trip with three overnight stays. I really liked Koli National Park. Maybe even more than studied. And we will definitely return here again, since we travel to Finland by car regularly, although not as often as we would like.
Those who want to see one of the picturesque places in Scandinavia can freely go to Koli National Park. It is located almost 500 km from the Finnish capital. The local mountain Ukko Koli offers the most stunning views of Lake Pielinen.
The advantage of a holiday in the Koli National Park is that both lovers of a calm, peaceful holiday and an extreme one can get pleasant memories and pleasure from the time spent.
What to do in the national park?
In addition to the main activities, you can visit the visitor center, pick berries and mushrooms, watch bird life (there are also rare species), explore local natural attractions, canoe and rowing, sailing and boat rides, cycling and swimming in the lake in summer.
What to see
To see and explore all the local attractions, it is better to set aside several days.
The most interesting and frequently visited places include:
- The most beautiful landscapes, which are best admired from the mountain peaks, especially in winter.
- Meadows that turn into carpets of flowers in summer. Some of the flora representatives have not yet been fully studied.
- Farms with animals: Matilla and Ollila. Animals here include Finnish Landrace (a breed of sheep) and various local breeds of chickens. Grazing allows you to regulate environmental management and keep landscapes open.
- Old groves and forests. On the elephants of Mount Ipati you can see hundred-year-old trees that amaze with their size. They have long become a haven for mosses, insects, and tinder fungi. Nutritious soil and a moist atmosphere allow ferns, orchids and mosses to reach enormous sizes. Those who want to see such natural wonders simply must walk along the Shepherd's Path.
- Tarapuro Falls complements the lush forest vegetation of the park.
- The mountain gorges, quartz rocks, and caves are also worth visiting.
- A 33-meter cave with mystical stories associated with it, which is why it was called the “church of the devil.” It can be reached along a path of stone steps. This wonderful attraction was created by nature itself.
- The Harbor Trail is the oldest trail in the national park.
Who is it intended for?
Visiting natural attractions will be interesting for both adults and children of any age. The same applies to most activities and entertainment in the park. It is better that minors be accompanied by their parents when visiting the park.
Address and location on the map
Koli Park is located on the territory of the municipalities: Kontiolahti, Lieksa, Joensuu. Nearby is highway No. 6 and Lake Pielinen.
- Kontiolahti, Lieksa, Joensuu
How to get there
You can get to the park by the following means of transport:
- Own or rented car. Travel time will depend on the point from which transport will depart to Koli. From Kuopio you will need to drive about 2.5 hours, from Joensuu - about 47 minutes. On the way to the village there are signs on the roads that will help you get to the national park without any problems. Finding beautiful park places is not so difficult, since the road near the lake takes about 20 km. To enter the park, it will be enough to turn off the road from Lieks (from highway No. 515) to the right. From the same Lieks, in the summer, the park can be easily reached by car ferry.
- Public transport. A bus stop from Joensuu stops 9 km from the park. The average fare on public transport is 5 euros.
- Taxi. It can be booked in advance. You can order a separate car for 1 tourist or his family, company, or use minibuses that collect several tourists from the place they indicate and deliver them back to the same place. Departure and arrival times are agreed upon in advance. Detailed information about booking features can be found on the official website of the park. On average, the cost of such a taxi per passenger is 40 euros (provided that the trip is from Joensuu). The price per trip can be significantly reduced depending on the number of passengers.
- Those who will go to the park from the capital can get to Joensuu by train(about 4 hours on the road), then transfer to a pre-booked taxi. Reservations are made in English or Finnish.
- Water transport in summer time. The first and most frequently used method is by car ferry on Lake Pielinen. There is a restaurant on it. Maximum capacity of passengers – 150 people, buses – 4 pcs., cars – 22 pcs. Hydrofoils can be a good alternative to water transport. Such water transport runs twice a day between the coastal part of the settlements: Vuonislahti, Koli, Lieksa. The average duration of such a trip is 45 minutes. You can either purchase a ticket for the scheduled departure time or book a personal cruise. This can be done by phone: +358 451 387 429.
- Airplane. The method used to get to Koli Park is not very common. Planes from Helsinki land daily at the airports of Kuopio and Joensuu. It is better to get from the airport to the park or booked hotel by taxi or public transport.
Operating mode
The peak period of the national park is April-August. Opening hours are from 10 am to 5 pm. Except for work in July - from 10 am to 6 pm. Saturday and Sunday are days off.
There may be exceptions to the operating hours of Koli Park.
Ticket prices
There is no charge for walking on your own in the park. The cost of guides and instructors depends on the route and the number of travelers.
Basically, when visiting the park they require a ski pass. You can register it at the park ticket office for 6 euros and load payment onto it, both for one visit and for several. It will come in handy when using the most visited “attraction” - the ski lift. Adults over 70 and children under 7 can use it for free (provided they have helmets).
You can often hear that Koli National Park is one of the most picturesque places in Finland. It is located in the eastern part of the country, in North Karelia, 70 km north of Joensuu, 490 km from Helsinki and 514 km from St. Petersburg. The park was founded in 1991. Its area is 45 km², and its maximum height (Mount Ukko-Koli) is 347 meters. This is the highest point in Southern Finland, and it is from here that the breathtaking view of Lake Pielinen opens, for which tourists come here (about 100 thousand people visit the park every year).
Koli National Park
They say that Jean Sibelius was so inspired by the beauty of the local landscapes that he ordered his piano to be raised to the top of the mountain, and played there for his own pleasure. According to legend, this is how his famous fourth symphony was born.
Reserve
On the territory of Kolya, two types of activities are successfully combined - security and tourism. Both the natural resources of the region and the cultural heritage of Karelia are protected here - for example, ancient customs of caring for forests and vegetation. In summer, cows and goats are regularly sent to graze to naturally regulate the grass cover. In addition, slash-and-burn farming is still practiced here. Once a year, anyone can take part in this traditional event.
The park has an interesting natural attraction - the Pirunkirkko Gorge (“Church of the Devil”). This is the longest natural cave in Finland. Legends connect her with the shamans and sorcerers of Kolya. However, inside the crevice you can come across not traces of ancient cults, but a poem by the famous Finnish artist Eero Järnefelt, which he left on the wall. He, like Sibelius, was delighted with the beauty of this region.
There is also a legend associated with the gorge.
A long time ago, there lived a girl at the foot of the mountain. Her beloved, leaving for war, put a ring on her finger with the words: “If the ring is on your finger when I return, then I will marry you.” A girl, once walking along the gorge, dropped a ring. She decided that since Kolya’s perfume had taken the gift, she needed to order another, thinking that her betrothed would not notice the substitution. But when he returned, the groom found out about everything and left his native land: he was angry that his bride was wearing a ring from someone else. Then the girl, mad with grief, went to the gorge every day and threw everything she had there. Local residents found her dead on the edge of the gorge, exhausted, but the same ring shone on her finger: the spirits took pity on her and returned it.
In this regard, there is a belief that when you find yourself in Koli, you need to throw something into the gorge so as not to anger the local spirits, and they will fulfill your wish.
Sights of the reserve and surrounding area
Uhrihalkeama
At this point in the rock there is a crack filled with coins that have been thrown there over the past century. Uhrihalkeama is related to the story of a girl named Annikki, who donated her wealth to the spirit who cracked the Earth in order to get her luck back. You can also see cave paintings from a hundred years ago on the rock.
Nature trail Sataman shelf
This trail is the oldest hiking nature trail in Finland. In the port of Koli there is an erratic boulder with an inscription carved on it. This boulder functioned as the first marker for the path leading to Mount Ukko-Koli.
Mount Rylajus
The viewpoint on Mount Ryläjus (located on the Herajärven Kierros trail) offers beautiful views of the mountains of the national park and Lake Pielinen. A short walk south of the viewpoint you can see a beautiful scree that looks like a rock stream on the side of a mountain. Also, not far from the observation point there is a Sami tent and a place for a fire. It is about 2.4 km from the nearest parking lot in Jero to Mount Rylajus.
Räsävaara observation tower
The observation tower is only 18 meters high, but its location on the top of the mountain raises the observation point to more than 300 meters above sea level. If you look south from the tower, you can mainly see the mountains of the Koli National Park and Lake Herayarvi. The opposite shore of Lake Pielinen, as well as the islands of Kelvänsaari and Hattusaari, are clearly visible to the east. Looking north you will see Paalasmaa, the largest island in Lake Pielinen. To the west you can see a forested landscape. From the Kolintie road there are signs to Mount Räsävaara. Parking spaces for cars, as well as shelters, are located 3 km away from the Kolintie road. Walk along the path from the parking lot to the foot of the observation tower for several hundred meters.
On a note
Be sure to also visit the village of Koli and the ice road to Lake Pielinen.
Holidays for every taste
On the territory of Kolya you can relax all year round and at the same time spend time with health benefits.
In the summer, as throughout Finland, fishing is very popular, since Lake Pielinen is one of the largest in the country. Of course, hiking along the slopes of Ukko-Koli or Loma-Koli remains a favorite. However, you can successfully walk and fish even in winter. Among other traditional winter activities, the park offers dog sledding on the ice of the lake, including a program for children. Horseback riding on charming Icelandic horses is also suitable for a family holiday.
For lovers of skiing or snowboarding, there is a popular ski resort in the park. Another interesting item on the program is snowshoeing. This is probably one of the most convenient ways to move along the snowy slopes of Koli. To master snowshoes, you can use special service packages, or rent them yourself and go along one of the many hiking trails.
Temporary exhibitions and various events are also often held here. There is also an information desk, a library, an Internet center and a Vakka nature gift shop. You can climb the mountain on foot or by cable car.
For those who want to relax and forget about all the problems, there is a water and health resort Koli Relax Spa within the park. There are saunas, swimming pools, various treatments, outdoor plunge pools and a relaxation room. The panoramic terrace will allow you to enjoy the amazing landscapes of the park with a cup of tea. Also recently opened was the Koli Spa Lotus, which is located in Purnuniemi, three km from the village of Koli. There are swimming pools, saunas, jacuzzi, water massage. Special attention was paid to the saunas: traditional saunas, Turkish sauna, salt sauna, aroma sauna and even a sun room.
How to get there?
You can get to Koli by car. Another option is to get to Joensuu from Helsinki by train or plane, and then about an hour by taxi or local bus. The bus stop is located in Ahmovaara, in Kolinportti (9 km from the village of Koli).
Material on the topic
