Ecotourism is responsible travel that promotes the conservation of nature and sustains the well-being of local people. Ecotourism is aimed at creating economic stimulus for environment preservation. The term "ecotourism" embraces a wide spectrum of tours - from short cognitive trips for students to regular tourist programmes in national parks and reserves. The profit from this kind of tourism might be partly forwarded to the environmental actions.
Ecotourism means vacation without distorting the balance of nature. Ecotourism means travelling across forests, rivers and lakes using different transport - from bikes and rafts to snowmobiles and motor vehicles. Ecotourism means fishing, mushroom and berry picking. Ecotourism means health, cheerful mood and bright impressions.
Nowadays there are 2 reserves, 3 national parks and 1 natural park in Karelia. These territories already realize various forms of ecological tourism.
Ecological tourism is developed in "Vodlozerskiy" national park. The forests of the park represent the largest in European massif of primeval taiga with numerous lakes and bogs. The park practices different forms of ecotourism: travelling down the river and lakes, foot and ski trips along the nature pathes, rafting down the rivers, snowmobile safaris. Various scientific and general ecological programs and projects are realized.
One more center of development of ecological tourism is "Paanajarvi" national park, located in a mountainous area in the northwest of Karelia. It is a picturesque, inviolate territory with numerous peaks, blue lakes, impetuous rivers with rapids and waterfalls. "Paanajarvi" national park has a common border with the Finnish national park "Oulanka" and maintains close contact with it. This helps to train the staff, to organize tourist reception, to make scientific researches.
If you are looking for comfortable rest in a 5 star hotel, then you've got the wrong address! But if you are not scared of temperate services and unexplored wilderness, then you are right.
After going through Karelian routes, you'll have to get accustomed to the city and its fuss again.
