Biking tour from Guesthouse to Guesthouse and village to village, across Karelian pasty country
Biking from the charming village of Salmenkylä to the village of Bomba, with stunning views of Pielinen. Immerse yourself in the serene atmosphere of traditional guesthouses surrounded by the beautiful North Karelian countryside and fascinating local attractions. The bike tour is also a charming sauna tour, as each destination offers a different traditional sauna atmosphere.
Choose your preferred route, with distances ranging from 100-200 km, including flexible day trip options. Along the way, you can sample the authentic flavors of Karelian cuisine, and each guesthouse offers its own unique take on local dishes. All meals feature fresh, locally sourced ingredients, with a strong focus on organic products.
Once your luggage has been taken care of, you can enjoy the tour at your own pace without any worries. Whether you are an experienced cyclist or just looking for a relaxing outdoor experience, this tour offers the perfect blend of adventure and comfort.
Welcome to experience the charm of North Karelia!
Distance from accommodation to accommodation:
Guesthouse Pihlajapuu > Laitalan Lomat 25 km
Guesthouse Laitalan Lomat > Guesthouse Puukarin Pysäkki 19 km
Guesthouse Puukarin Pysäkki > Guesthouse Pihlajapuu 38 km
+ your own road choices.
Self-guided tour
Valid 2027: 1.6.-15.10.2027
DepartureS 5.-12.6. | 12.-19.6. | 26.6.-3.7. | 3.-10.7. | 14.-21.8.
Group Size: min 2
PROGRAM:
Day 1 - Guesthouse Pihlajapuu
Arrival at Guesthouse Pihlajapuu. Tour info and excursion route choices. Check the equipment and bike ready for the tour.
- Dinner, sauna and accommodation at Guesthouse Pihlajapuu
Day 2 - Guesthouse Pihlajapuu
Breakfast. Feel free to take a picnic lunch from the breakfast table. Go for a bike ride.
Route tips: Cycling on the Nälkömäki bike ride. On the tour, you cycle to admire the stunning scenery from Nälkömäki to facing Pielinen. You can continue the journey from Nälkömäki via the Koivikkola hut, where you can make a campfire and barbecue sausages. From the hut you cycle around Lake Viemenjärvi back to Pihlajapuu.
The cycling distance is about 18 km altogether.
- Dinner, sauna and accommodation at Guesthouse Pihlajapuu.
Day 3 - Guesthouse Laitalan Lomat
Breakfast. Feel free to take a picnic lunch from the breakfast table.
Go for a bike ride to Valtimo.
Cycling from Guesthouse Pihlajapuu to Laitalan Lomat.
The route runs passes along through the village roads of Kuokkastenkoski, Vastimo village and Karhunpää. In Kuokkastenkoski, you can depart to look at the rapids dam area.
The waters coming from Valtimo fall through Kuokkastenkoski to Kuokkastenjärvi and then to Pielinen. The drop is 11 metres, and the rapids are nearly one kilometre long. A rationing dam and then a hydroelectric power plant serving local needs have been built in the rapids. A campfire and a swimming place has been restored downstream of the rapids. The biking distance is 25 km.
- Dinner, sauna and accommodation at Guesthouse Laitalan Lomat
Day 4 - Guesthouse Laitalan Lomat
After breakfast go for a bike ride to city of Numes and Bomba Karelian village.
Cycling distance: approximately 19 km
Route:Laitala-Porokylä-Old Nurmes-Bomba Karelian village-Laitalan Lomat
- Dinner, sauna and accommodation at Guesthouse Laitalan Lomat
Day 5 - Guesthouse Puukarin Pysäkki
After breakfast go for a bike to Guesthouse Puukarin Pysäkki.
Cycling distance: approximately 18 km
Route: Laitalan Lomat – Karhunpää – Valtimo village – Guesthouse Puukarin Pysäkki
From Laitalan Lomat and cycle along peaceful country roads through Karhunpää towards Valtimo village. The relaxed route takes you through a traditional North Karelian rural landscape of forests, fields and small villages.
In Valtimo village, you can take a break and explore the surroundings. During the summer season, the village’s interesting local heritage museums and the café in the old school building are worth visiting. Please check the opening hours in advance.
Before continuing to Puukarin Pysäkki, stop at the beautiful Lokkiharju swimming spot by the village lake. It is a lovely place for a refreshing swim, a picnic or simply a quiet moment by the water.
- Dinner, sauna and accommodation at Guesthouse Puukarin Pysäkki
Day 6 - Guesthouse Puukarin Pysäkki
After breakfast, head out for another cycling adventure along the charming village roads surrounding Valtimo village.
The guesthouse hosts will recommend a suitable route according to your wishes, the weather and your preferred cycling distance. Along the way, you can discover quiet rural landscapes, small village sights and the peaceful atmosphere of the North Karelian countryside.
- Dinner, sauna and accommodation at Guesthouse Puukarin Pysäkki
Day 7 - Guesthouse Pihlajapuu
A relaxing day or biking tour to Raesärkät Nature reserve area. The biking distance is 19 km/one direction.
- Dinner and accommodation at Guesthouse Pihlajapuu.
Day 8
Breakfast. Time to say Hei hei!
Package price per person: 1500/person/7 nights, 8 days.
Single supplement: 1780€/person
The price includes: Accommodation in double rooms in guesthouses with shared facilities, full board at guesthouses (breakfast, picnic lunch from breakfast table, dinner), sauna every evening at guesthouses, city bicycles and helmet, luggage transport to guesthouse to guesthouse. Transfer from/to Nurmes Train Station.
By order and for an additional fee:
- Ebike+helmet 370€/week
- An extra day 80€/person. Including accommodation and breakfast.
- Transfer from/to Kuopio Airport or stationThe price is €50 per person per direction/group transfer.
Arrival by Plane: Arrival: Please let us know if you are able to join our scheduled Saturday group transfer on your arrival day from Kuopio Airport (recommended arrival around 17:00) or from Siilinjärvi railway station (arrival around 16:00).
On the final day, enjoy a comfortable group transfer back to Kuopio Airport (flights around 14:00, train 13:00)
Departure from the guesthouse is at 11:00 AM.
Additional private transfers to/from Kuopio Airport or Siilinjärvi railway station are available at €400 per taxi.
Arrival by Train: We offer pick-up from Nurmes railway station at 14:00 or 20:00.
On departure day, trains from Nurmes leave at 6:35 (morning) and 15:40 (afternoon).
Notice:
· Please note that the starting guesthouse for the tour may vary depending on availability at the time of booking.
· The bikes are Finnish Helkama Hybrid bikes with 24 gears, hand brakes and a little bit wider tyres than the normal city bikes.
Helmets are available in Medium and Large sizes
· Handlebar phone holders are not included as standard equipment on the bicycles.
· Kindly also note that we do not provide a dedicated route navigation app; instead, we use Google Maps for route guidance.
· We reserve all the rights to change the order of the activities if necessary due to weather or other conditions.
· Package price does not include personal travel insurance.
