Vodlozersky National Park is situated on the territory of the Republic of Karelia and Arkhangelsk Region. The National Park was established in 1991 in order to preserve natural, historical and cultural heritage of this area. The Park is a federal natural reserve as well as a scientific and ecological establishment. The administrative center of the park is located in the city of Petrozavodsk. Currently, the total area of the Park is 468,340 ha. This is one of the biggest national parks in Europe. The Park is divided into three forest districts: Vodlozerskoye, Ilekskoye and Pudozhskoye

About 10 per cent of the Park area is occupied by lakes and rivers. The main lake of the Park is Lake Vodlozero with the total area of 358 square kilometers and with the total length of the coastline of 438 kilometers. The Ileksa river is the main water artery of the Park which flows into Lake Vodlozero. There are a lot of hills in the northern part of the Park. The highest peaks come to 300 meters. The central part is mostly plain.

In 2001 according to the decree of UNESCO the park received the status of a biospheric reserve, the first one in the chain of National parks in Russia.Today the Park is considered to be one of the ancient cultural districts in Russia, where old traditions of local people and interesting monuments of wooden architecture can be observed.

Flora and fauna

Taiga plant species prevail in the Park such as Siberian larch, Tatarian dogwood, Scotch pine, Norway spruce, White birch, Aspen, Juniper, Mountain Ash, Goat willow. The shrub and grass vegetation is represented by blueberry, red bilberry, heather, two-leaved bead-ruby, starflower, shamrock.
Among the mammals the most notable carnivores are Bears, Foxes, Lynxes, Martens. The Park contains one of the biggest deer populations. One can observe rare bird species which are included into the Red Data Book, such as White-tailed Eagle, Fish-hawk, Erne. In the Park there are also populations of Whooper Swan, Windhover, Gray Crane, Black Kite, Thrush Nightingale. The Park forests are rich in Capercaillie, Black Grouse and Snow Grouse.

Accommodation

Accommodation in the Park is simple. There is a guest house in the village of Kuganavolok. It has electricity, a fridge, a microwave oven, a washing machine in the house. Toilet is outside.

There is a wooden two-storeyed guest house for ten people in the village of Novguda on the bank of the Ileksa river (toilet is outside). There is a sauna near the house.

There are several guest houses in the village of Varishpelda on the shores of Lake Vodlozero. Two of them were built in 2000 and 2002 and they are exact copies of old Russian traditional houses.

Transport

By hydrofoil/bus:
By train to petrozavodsk. Then by hydrofoil to the village of Shala and then by car to the Park.
By car/bus:
From Petrozavodsk through the town of Medvezhegorsk (Karelia) to the Park. From the town of Kargopol (Arkhangelsk region) through Pudozh (Karelia) to the Park.
By air:
Helicopter from Petrozavodsk.