In the magical Koli National Park, amongst shamans and views across the border

It’s another two-and-a-half-hour drive from Savonlinna to Koli, but the effort of the journey is more than worth it. In this small town, you can stay in a hotel (the Break Sokos Koli Kylä is one such option) or in one of the cottages nestled in the woods (those at Kolin Mattila, for example), and then set out to explore the national park of the same name – a marvel of forests, footpaths, rocky ravines and unforgettable panoramic views, which attracts around 250,000 visitors a year. The most fascinating experience is climbing up to the Koli viewpoint, some 350 metres above sea level, from where, on clear days, you can see Russia in the distance, whilst in the foreground you can admire the characteristically elongated islands of Lake Pielinen. The sensation offered by this natural balcony is truly unique, with a 360-degree view stretching in every direction without a single human settlement in sight. Equally intense is the sensation of breathing in deeply the crystal-clear air produced by the dense forest below, criss-crossed by the Peaks Trail (Huippujen Kierros), which forms a loop connecting the park’s three most picturesque and highest points: Ukko (god of thunder), Akka (goddess of fertility, the earth and feminine strength – an equally mystical and panoramic spot where weddings are celebrated and open-air concerts are held) and Paha Koli. At the Koli Nature Centre Ukko, the terminus of a small cable car that departs from the car park, you can book guided excursions throughout the park, where camping is permitted in specially equipped areas, and arrange a meeting with Helena Karhu, a shaman who guides visitors through the mystical history of Koli and to the sites where ancestral rites were once practised, retracing the legends and rituals concerning the animals of this region (the bear in particular) and the natural elements that represent them.

https://www.koli.fi/en/

https://www.karhuntalo.com/

https://www.kolinmattila.com/home-1