Very northern stuff: 5 reasons to go to Khibiny

“This is no ordinary tour, this is an expedition!” – With such an attitude, the editors of The Fashion Vibes went to the center of the Kola Peninsula with the Media Intelligence service of the Tutu.ru service.

Why do you go to the Far North in the summer, you ask? Are we going to wait for warm weather all year to get to the North Pole at this time? Let’s start with the fact that summer here is a polar day (which means that before sunset it will be possible to do anything, everything, anything and even more, which, in fact, will not happen). Don’t like the sweltering heat? Then the average temperature of 15-20 degrees in summer in the north is for you. Do you like trekking and extreme sports? Then you will definitely love hiking in the Lovozero tundra. But most importantly, this is a unique nature worth taking an expedition to. We give at least five reasons to visit Khibiny.

When?

You can come to Khibiny at any time of the year. Winter is for skiers (there is also a very long season ending in early June) and summer is for hiking and lake trips in the mountains. If you want to walk, the best time is July-August (mountain roads are dry, you can go to the most beautiful places).

How to get there?

You can fly to Murmansk (5,000 rubles round trip), but you still need to get to the center of the Kola Peninsula by car in about three to four hours (3,000 rubles for a taxi). And you can go directly to Apatity airport (15,000 rubles round trip).

Where do you live?

If you need maximum comfort after hours of hiking in the mountains and forests, choose the Severnaya Hotel in the center of Kirovsk (from 4500 rubles per night). Here, among other things, there is a spa complex and blackout curtains (absolutely indispensable in the polar day).

hiking in the mountains

The first thing to do in Khibiny in the summer is to go on a trekking trip. There are many route options for beginners, from the easiest 8km to a “full reset” at 35km. The climb here is small (the highest point is Mount Yudychvumchorr, at 1200 m), but to get to the beautiful landscapes you have to overcome crooked forests (the name completely reflects the essence), swampy places and sometimes rivers. Therefore, when choosing a route, it is important to evaluate who you are – a “successful with irrepressible energy” who is ready to walk eight hours through the forest for the most beautiful view of the highest mountain, or for meditation is also suitable for the nearest lake.

As a bonus, from the end of July, you can refresh yourself with blueberries, cranberries, cranberries and blueberries. There are still no ticks in the north (not at all), but there are mosquitoes, so bring repellents. Make sure you go hiking with a reliable guide and the appropriate equipment, as it’s easy to get lost and wet here. Our guide from the company Khibiny for You took with him many interesting stories, moral and physical support, as well as motivation – a husky named Boss.

Jeep tours to the Khibiny and Lovozero tundra

But no matter how much you love trekking, not all the beautiful places in Khibiny can be explored on foot. We recommend a jeep tour to tire a little less and get a little more impressions. There are many routes again, but we were most impressed with the trip along the mountain river. You don’t know if the car is still driving or already floating and all this amongst incredible mountain views!

Lovozero and Seydozero

The most mysterious of the more than 110,000 lakes on the Kola Peninsula is Seydozero. They say that the traces of the legendary Hyperborean civilization are found here, that the Semitic shamans performed particularly important and powerful rituals here and that it is a place of power and you can only come to Seydozero with good thoughts. However, if you think about it practically, this is a unique place of unimaginable beauty, which is definitely worth seeing with your own eyes. There are two ways to reach Seidozero. It goes through a difficult mountain pass and eight hours on foot, convenient – 45 minutes on a boat with a local guide who will tell all the myths and legends of this place along the way. You still have to walk across the tundra to the lake itself, but again, collecting crows among mountain landscapes and thinking only about the good. If you like local delicacies on the way back, you can stop by the Medvezhiy Ugol tourism center. Inside is a large Sami tent covered with reindeer skins, inside there is an open hearth, the most memorable of all the treats on offer are the cloudberry scones. If you’re very lucky, the plague owner will take you to a neighboring island with their deer on a free pasture. And if you didn’t have enough respect for the spirits of Seydozer, then you will only look at the skin of the bear he killed (for which they killed, because the bear killed several deer). These are wild northern things.

SUP in mountain lakes

SUP boarding is definitely the mainstream of recent years. And if you haven’t tried this sport yet, we highly recommend it. First, it’s easier than it looks, the main thing is to choose a larger board and keep your balance (it’s easiest to sit down, you don’t need to get up at all), and there are no waves in mountain lakes, so everything will be simple. Secondly, it is a meditative sport – minimum effort and maximum pleasure: Once you paddle and swim for five minutes, you think. Third, you will be able to see the most beautiful places not in the crowd (hello introverts) from unusual angles. Therefore, the opportunity to try the SUP in the mountains should not be missed.

Alpine panoramic restaurant “Plato”

A separate point of the trip to Khibiny is definitely worth visiting the new high-altitude restaurant “Plateau” in Kirovsk. Imagine a building at 820 meters above sea level with 360° views, panoramic windows and an open veranda. Every table in this restaurant guarantees the best view of the mountain scenery. We recommend trying venison in all possible versions, cloudberry mousse and caramelized reindeer moss cheesecake.

We thank the Tourism Committee of the Murmansk region and the regional tourism information center for organizing the trip. You can find more information about traveling to the Kola Peninsula on the tourism portal murmansk.travel.