Paanajärvi National Park

Paanajärvi is a national park located on the very extreme part of the north of Karelia, near the Arctic Circle. It was founded in 1992 in order to preserve the unique natural complexes of Paanajärvi lakes, as well as the river basin called Olangi, their use for recreational, environmental, scientific and educational purposes. From the side of the Finnish border, another national park « Oulanka », which was formed in 1956 in Finland, adjoins this park. The area of this park is approximately 1,045 km.².

Paanajärvi Park is located in the most elevated area of Karelia, in the center of the Manselkya ridge. The relief of the territory is quite different and is a alternation of elevations broken with cracks, a bed with individual isolated arrays and a plateau. Here is one of the highest points of Karelia – a mountain called Nuorunen – at an altitude of about 576 meters. The pearl of the – park is Lake Paanajärvi, which stretches from west to east with a blue ribbon, framing the peaks of various mountains, then approaching the water like a steep rock, then located at a small distance from it. This lake is considered the deepest lake in the whole world, its depth is approximately 130 m.

The total number of lakes in this park is 120. A huge number of rivers, as well as rivers, flow through the park. The largest river that flows through this park is the Olanga River. There is also a huge number of picturesque waterfalls, including the famous Kivakka waterfall, which is the main attraction of this park. There are many wetlands in the park, among them « hanging » swamps, which are located on rather steep slopes.

Most visitors to Paanajärvi Park called him a botanical Mecca. The local flora is characterized by a abundant diversity, which is associated with the position of this park on the border of the middle and northern taiga, which intersects with the line of the division of the Atlantic and Arctic communities of the plant worlds. Today, approximately 570 types of vascular plants were found in the park, of which 12 are listed in the Red Book of Russia. Forest complexes such as spruce trees and pine trees predominate on its territory.

Among the mammals of this park you can find the following: bear, moose, wolverine, lysitsa, wolf, marten, squirrel, hare, ermine, mink, small rodents and affection. One of the unique mammals in this park is the northern forest deer. The following types of birds predominate in ornithofown: goose-gumen, swan-clikun, crumbs, black-assed eels, gray cranes and capercaillie. Of the birds of prey, bercut, scapula and white-tailed eagle are present here.

Paanajärvi Nature Reserve – is a picturesque landscape of the park, the amazing Lake Paanajärvi. For those tourists who are lovers of active water tourism, there are special routes for mountain waterfalls. During excursions, travelers are given the opportunity to visit the ancient Sami settlements, which are the original peoples in these parts. A valuable and at the same time rather interesting find – is a huge Sami sanctuary, which is located on a mountain called Kivakka, consisting of a large number of stone clusters – of Seids. Seids are found on top of Mount Nuorunen.