The Khibiny mountain range is the largest on the Kola Peninsula. The highest point of the massif is Mount Yudychvumchorr, 1200 meters high. In the center of the formation there are two plateaus Chasnachorr and Kukisvumchorr.

Tourists from all over Russia fell in love with this pearl of the Kola North. The peaks of the Khibiny are located almost in the center of the peninsula and offer very beautiful views. Local ski resorts are visited throughout the year, and recently the popularity of this place has only been growing. A variety of trails have already been built here, suitable for any level of skiers and snowboarders.

The shape of this mountain range resembles two horseshoes, which are located one inside the other. The local valleys here are rich in lakes, and they have become a favorite place for picnics. Several dozen tourist routes have been developed for lovers of hiking and active recreation. The beauty of Khibiny attracts travelers throughout the year and the flow of vacationers here is stable. Every year tourism in the Khibiny Mountains is developing more and more, and we advise everyone to visit these amazing places.

Weather

Winter in the Khibiny region is relatively warm, with an average temperature of about -11 °C. But in the mountains themselves, and especially on the peaks, it can be 10-15 degrees colder. Frosts below -35 °C are rare.

In summer, the area is not particularly hot, with an average temperature of about +12 °C. On the shores of the White and Barents Seas it is several degrees cooler. There are thunderstorms and heat here, when the thermometer can exceed +30-35 °C.

How to get to Khibiny

It is always more convenient to get to the Kola Peninsula by train, along the Oktyabrskaya Railway. By train you will get to Apatit or Khibiny station. During the trip you will already be able to enjoy the beauty of Karelia and its diversity. It should be noted that the northern and southern nature of the region is quite different.

For those who like to travel by car, you can get to Khibiny quite quickly on modern roads. Do not forget that this is a northern region, so you need to be prepared for any vagaries of weather, not only in winter, but also in summer. In winter, you should put your car in studded tires, because ice is a common occurrence here. There are severe frosts at night, so it is not recommended to travel by car at this time of day. In summer the climate can also be very changeable. A warm summer day can quickly turn into a cold late autumn day. Don't forget to bring warm clothes with you even in summer.

Traveling through the Khibiny Mountains is an exciting adventure for all wildlife lovers and a new experience for those who rarely leave their apartments and offices.

Kola Peninsula. Photo: Victor Borisov

First mentions of Kola Peninsula appeared in written sources of Western Europe back in the 9th century. They belonged to the Anglo-Saxon king Alfred, who described the inhabitants of the peninsula - the Terfinns - as skilled fishermen and hunters, and called the reserved region itself a place of terrible mysteries and the domain of terrible pagan gods.

Among the indigenous population of the Kola Peninsula - the Sami (or Lapps, Lopni) - for many centuries Christian beliefs and pagan rituals of worship of the ancient gods, the once powerful rulers of their land, happily coexist.

A number of legends are associated with ancient beliefs that still exist today. So, the legend about the terrible giant seems very interesting Kuiva, in time immemorial, attacked the inhabitants of the peninsula. The Sami, desperate to defeat the enemy on their own, turned to the gods for help, who, throwing a sheaf of lightning at Kuiva, incinerated the giant.

From Kuyva on Angvundaschorr - the highest peak of the Lovozero tundra - only an imprint remained, which, despite weathering and shedding of rock, has been preserved in excellent condition to this day.

According to local residents, the spirit of a formidable giant sometimes descends into the valley and then Kuyva’s imprint begins to glow ominously. For this reason, the valley near the peak of Angvundaschorr is considered a bad place among the Sami: hunters do not wander here and animals do not roam here.

Mysterious encounters and unexplained deaths

Another unusual legend is associated with the underground inhabitants of this region, whom the Sami call saivok. This mysterious people once lived on the surface of the earth, but after a strong natural disaster, the memories of which were preserved in Lapland legends, they went into underground caves, leaving behind granite megalithic structures in the north of the peninsula.

The folk epic describes the saivok as small creatures living deep underground. They understand human language, and their witchcraft has terrible power, capable of stopping the sun and moon, as well as killing a person who has always been afraid of meeting them.

However, even today, information appears from time to time about encounters between local residents, scientists and travelers with mysterious saivok.

In 1996, a certain Egor Andreev had a chance to visit the Kola Peninsula, who, as part of a group of “black meteorites” in the Khibiny Valley, was illegally searching for fragments of a meteorite that fell in those parts during the Ice Age.

According to Yegor’s recollections, on one summer night he heard strange sounds near the tent, similar to the chirping of a magpie. Andreev looked out of the tent and suddenly saw three furry creatures that resembled beavers.

And after a moment, Yegor was seized with horror: the creatures he took for animals had human faces with pointed noses, small lipless mouths, from which two long fangs protruded, and eyes that glowed in the darkness with a greenish light. Andreev took a step towards them and suddenly realized that he could not move.

Only in the evening of the next day did comrades discover Yegor lying unconscious three kilometers from the parking lot. The young man could not explain what happened to Andreev after he left the tent.

And in 1999, a real tragedy occurred on the Kola Peninsula. Then, on one of the passes near Seydozero, four tourists died. No signs of violent death were found on their bodies, but horror was etched on the faces of the unfortunate people.

Near the bodies, local residents noticed strange footprints that vaguely resembled human ones, but were very large in size.

Immediately after this tragedy, they remembered a similar incident that happened in the summer of 1965, when three geologists who mysteriously disappeared from the camp died in the Lovozero tundra. Their fox-gnawed bodies were found two months later. Then the official version was put forward, according to which the geologists were poisoned by poisonous mushrooms.

Kola superdeep

The drilling of an ultra-deep well, which began in the seventies of the last century on the Kola Peninsula, caused strong discontent among the local population. The elders of the Lapps feared the wrath of the disturbed underground inhabitants, rumors of whose existence constantly reached the drillers who arrived from the mainland.

However, the first kilometers were surprisingly easy for the miners. It was only when the depth of the well reached ten kilometers that serious problems began.

Accidents at the rig followed one after another. The cable broke several times, as if some evil force was pulling it down, dragging it into the seething and unknown depths. Twice a particularly strong drill was pulled to the surface, melted, and was able to withstand temperatures comparable to the temperature on the surface of the Sun.

Sometimes the sounds escaping from the mouth of the well sounded like the groans and howls of thousands of people, causing the drillers, accustomed to everything, to experience an almost mystical fear.

And soon misfortunes began to occur at the rig. In 1982, one of the workers was crushed by a falling metal structure. In 1984, the head of a drilling shift was torn off by a broken mechanism.

Three years later, a team of ten people was sent by helicopter to Murmansk with symptoms of a mysterious disease: the workers' bodies suddenly became swollen and blood began to ooze from their pores. But as soon as the drillers were in the hospital, without any treatment, the strange disease disappeared without a trace.

When one of the workers, who was a local resident, found out about what had happened, he immediately stated that it was the saivok’s way of punishing people who had invaded their property, after which he wrote a letter of resignation...

Nowadays, every year dozens of people eager for sensations come to the Kola Peninsula: some for fragments of the famous meteorite, some in search of the bones of fossil animals, and some with the aim of getting to know the mystical mysteries that abound in this ancient region.

The Khibiny Mountains are a mountain range in the central part of the Kola Peninsula, which is predominantly a plateau with sloping steep slopes. In some places on the slopes of the mountain range there are so-called snowfields - accumulations of snow, protected from direct sunlight and winds. From the west and east, large lakes Imandra and Umbozero approach the mountains; in addition to these reservoirs, the area is rich in smaller lakes and small rivers.
The formation of the modern appearance of the Khibiny, composed mainly of alkaline rocks and granitoids of Precambrian age, one of the oldest in Russia - about 2 billion years old, occurred mainly in the very recent past under the influence of glaciers. During the Ice Age, the entire surrounding area was covered with an ice shell, and in some places rocks towered above it. As the glacier advanced, leaving grooves in the rock, and melted, carrying away debris, and then returned again, a unique glacial landscape was formed, which is characteristic of the entire Kola Peninsula. The glaciers on the Khibiny reached their maximum size approximately 20 thousand years ago.
The rise of the mountain range began after the end of glaciation: the ice began to finally disappear here about 10 thousand years ago, freeing the surface from a colossal burden. The Khibiny mountains continue to grow, and since the disappearance of the bulk of the glaciers, their height has increased by about 20 m. In general, the process of formation of the ridge is characterized by unevenness, which affects the structure of the mountains: their structure is concentric, this is manifested in the arc-shaped arrangement of various rock layers. In addition, there is a decrease in the age of the rocks from the edges to the center. The layering is due to the fact that magma entered the crevices.
One of the pioneers of the Khibiny was the Russian and Finnish geologist Wilhelm Ramsay, who studied both this mountain range and the entire Kola Peninsula as a whole.
The result of the scientist’s painstaking work, in particular, was the Khibiny map.
The first Soviet expedition to the Khibiny Mountains started on August 25, 1920. It included mineralogist Alexander Fersman, President of the Academy of Sciences Alexander Karpinsky and geologist of the Geological Committee Alexander Gerasimov. The main task facing the specialists was the search for apatites, which are also used in ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. This expedition marked the beginning of the study of the Khibiny for industrial needs.
In 1929, the Apatit mining and processing plant was opened in Khibiny. During the Great Patriotic War, mines, grenades and other types of explosives were produced there, but already in 1944 the enterprise returned to normal operation.
By 1960, the mining of apatite and nepheline ore was put on stream in the Khibiny region, as a result, new cities began to appear for workers to live. Back in 1931, the city of Kirovsk was rebuilt here, and in 1966, the New City grew next to it, which was later renamed Apatity. Subsequently, other villages also appeared nearby, which were named in honor of the countless values ​​of the Khibiny, including Titan and Nepheline Sands.

Ski resort among minerals

Khibiny is located in the central part of the Kola Peninsula. These are mainly plateaus, separated by gorges, with numerous passes and cliffs. The central region of the ridge is occupied by the Kukisvumchorr and Chasnachorr plateaus. At the foot of the Khibiny are the cities of Apatity and Kirovsk.
Currently, many deposits are being developed in the Khibiny Mountains, and about five hundred minerals have been explored here.
The Khibiny Mountains to this day retain enormous potential for the development of the mining industry. There are many not only underground, but also open deposits. In particular, in the Khibiny region, deposits of vermiculite and phlogopite mica have been explored, deposits of precious stones (including blue sapphire) and ceramic pegmatites are being developed. In total, about 500 different minerals were identified in the Khibiny Mountains, 110 of which are found nowhere else.
In addition to minerals, the Khibiny Mountains also store invaluable underground reserves of water, and thermal springs were also discovered at a depth of more than 1.5 km.
The large scale of mining in the Khibiny region inevitably affects the environment. The problems are associated with the large volume of associated rock extracted from the ground, and with the need to cut down forests to start work on new deposits. This is why environmentalists are currently advocating the idea of ​​creating a national park in the Khibiny Mountains region.
Work on studying and preserving local nature began in the first half of the 20th century. In particular, the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden was created on Mount Vudyavrchorr. It gradually presents vegetation characteristic of the local tundra, spruce-birch and alpine tundras, as well as the Arctic desert. In general, more than 400 species of plants grow on the territory of the botanical garden.
The fauna of the Khibiny Mountains is represented mainly by birds; there are less than 30 species of mammals. However, a small number of species of the latter are characteristic of the entire Kola Peninsula.
After the end of the Ice Age, the ice did not retreat from the Khibiny Mountains for a long time. However, now there are practically no traces left of the glacial formations, except for the characteristic relief. At the moment, there are only four glaciers on the Khibiny, which occupy an area of ​​​​about 0.1 km 2.
Seismic activity continues in the Khibiny region. The first recorded earthquake occurred back in 1758, and the last was recorded in 1988, with the epicenter near the city of Kirovsk.
Approximately a quarter of the territory of this ridge is at risk of avalanches. In addition, the Khibiny region experiences very difficult weather conditions: sharp changes in atmospheric pressure and strong winds are typical. In particular, at the peaks the wind speed can reach 50 m/s. In addition, the angle of climb gradually increases, and the path is blocked by numerous boulders. The situation is also complicated by the extremely changeable weather: conditions can change several times during the day.
However, the Khibiny Mountains invariably remain popular among climbers. Over the years of exploration of this mountain range, well-trodden routes have appeared, including options not only for experienced athletes, but also for beginners. In addition, there are ski slopes here, which are concentrated mainly in the Kirovsk area.

general information

Location: Kola Peninsula.
Administrative affiliation: .
Largest cities: Apatity - 57,398 people. (2015), Kirovsk - 27,250 people. (2015).
Nearest airport: Apatity airport.

Numbers

Area: 1300 km2.
Highest point: Mount Yudychvumchorr (1200.6 m).
Main peaks: Chasnachorr (1188 m), Putelichorr (1111 m).

Climate and weather

Characterized by long and snowy winters and cold and short summers.
However, the proximity of the Gulf Stream causes a warmer climate compared to other polar regions of Russia.
The polar night lasts 42 days.
Average January temperature: -5°C.
Average temperature in July: +14°C.
Average annual precipitation: from 600-700 mm in valleys to 1600 mm on mountain plateaus.

Economy

Industry: mining (apatite, nepheline, sphene, aegirine, feldspar, titanomagnetite).
Scientific research.
Service sector: tourism.

Attractions

■ Natural: Lyavinskaya and Poutelle hills, Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute.
■ Kirovsk: museum and exhibition center of JSC "Apatit", local history museum, V. Erofeev Literary Museum.
■ Apatity: museum-archive of the history of the study and development of the European North of Russia, museum of geology and mineralogy of the Geological Institute of the KSC RAS, open-air geological park, museum-apartment of academician A.V. Sidorenko.

Curious facts

■ The Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden is the northernmost botanical garden in Russia and one of three botanical gardens in the world located beyond the Arctic Circle.
■ The Khibiny tundra was often called the “Skull of the Earth” in the past. Thus, scientists have noted areas where ancient rocks come to the surface, the formation of which is associated with geological processes multibillion years ago. These formations are part of the Baltic crystalline shield.
■ The writer Mikhail Prishvin, during his long journey through the European and Russian North, visited the Khibiny Mountains in 1907. One of the stories, “The Khibiny Mountains,” is dedicated to them.
■ Most of the Khibiny peaks have Sami names. There are few speakers of the Sami language - the Sami, or Lapps - left; they live mainly in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula and on the Kola Peninsula.

In the Murmansk region. It is washed by the Barents and White Seas. Almost the entire territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle.

The Kola Peninsula occupies just under 70% of the area of ​​the Murmansk region.

The Sami are the indigenous inhabitants of the Kola Peninsula

The indigenous people who have lived on the Kola Peninsula for a long time are the Sami. The Scandinavians called this small Finno-Ugric people lappar or lapper, the Russians - “Lapps”, “Loplyans” or “Lop”, from this name comes the name Lapland (Lapponia, Lapponica), that is, “land of the Lapps”.

Lapland has never been a single state entity. Currently it is divided between four countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia (Kola Peninsula).

The total number of Sami is from 60 to 80 thousand; only two thousand people live in Russia (mainly in the Murmansk region), and the number of Sami in Russia has remained almost unchanged over the past hundred years.

The status of the Sami as an indigenous people is enshrined in the Charter of the Murmansk Region; in the village of Lovozero (the center of the cultural life of the Russian Sami), the Sami National Cultural Center operates, various Sami holidays and festivals are held, the Kola Sami Radio broadcasts, and the Museum of the History, Culture and Life of the Kola Sami operates.

In the north of the Kola Peninsula there is tundra vegetation, to the south there is forest-tundra and taiga. In the western part there are the Khibiny mountain ranges (height up to 1200 m) and the Lovozero tundra (height up to 1120 m).

The Khibiny Mountains are the largest mountain range on the Kola Peninsula. The slopes are steep with isolated snowfields, the peaks are plateau-shaped. There are 4 small glaciers with a total area of ​​0.1 km². Geological age is about 390 million years. In the center are the Kukisvumchorr and Chasnachorr plateaus. The highest point is Mount Yudychvumchorr (1200.6 m above sea level).

The Khibiny mountains were a mysterious region where no human had ever set foot. The only inhabitants of the mountains, animals, roamed freely along the wild slopes and dense forests. And only in the twentieth century did the development of this deserted region begin.

In 1916, a railway was built connecting the Khibiny region with St. Petersburg

In 1920, members of the USSR Academy of Sciences discovered hitherto unknown mineral substances in the foothills of the Khibiny Mountains. The discovery was accidental and in 1921 active development of apatite ore began. A year later, the so-called “Apatite Arc” was discovered, running through the Apatite Circus and the Kukisvumchorr, Rasvumchorr and Poachvumchorr mountains. At first, apatite deposits were not given due importance, but in 1923, geologists seriously thought about the benefits of mining the mineral. In 1929, the Apatite trust was created to mine apatite in the Khibiny Mountains.

Despite its modest size, the Khibiny Mountains are the highest mountains in the Russian Arctic. At the foot are the cities of Apatity and Kirovsk. At the foot of Mount Vudyavrchorr is the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute.

Khibiny is also a ski resort, which is now experiencing rapid development.

Lovozero tundra

Lovozero tundra (Lovozero mountain range, Lovozerye) is a mountain range on the Kola Peninsula, located between Lovozero and Umbozero, east of the Khibiny. The area of ​​Lovozerye is almost a thousand square kilometers. The peaks are flat, rocky, up to 1120 meters high on Mount Angwundaschorr. Strictly speaking, these are not mountains, but a high plateau, raised above the ground to a height of about 1 thousand meters, in the shape of a huge horseshoe, the ends of which face Lovozero, and the slopes of the western back side break off towards Umbozero.

These mountains have an average height of eight hundred and fifty meters. Composed of nepheline syenites. Their characteristic feature is the absence of clearly defined peaks. The mountains have rather flat tops, but the slopes are steep, steep, covered in the lower part with coniferous forests. There is no forest vegetation on the peaks.

The ridge reaches its greatest height in the west. The peak of Angvundaschorrd is located there. The eastern part of the massif is occupied by low hills up to four hundred meters high.

In the center of the Lovozero tundra lies the mystical Seydozero. Towards this lake, the mountain slopes drop off with sheer walls. And in the north-west, Seydozero is bordered by a steep cliff, on which the silhouette of Kuyva is “depicted” - according to Sami legends, this is the leader of the invaders, who was nailed to the rock by the chief shaman of the Sami, and his spirit infused into the stone. The Sami avoid this place, and tourists are not advised to take photographs here. caution against taking photographs here. Seydozero, together with the adjacent slopes and gorges of the mountains, is part of the Seydyavr reserve.

On the territory of the reserve there are the Raslaka cirques - two geological formations that are round bowls of glacial origin with a diameter of several kilometers with walls up to 250 meters high.

In the area of ​​the mountain range there is the Lovozero deposit of rare earth metals, which has large reserves of niobium, cesium, tantalum, cerium and other metals, as well as zirconium raw materials (eudialyte). Numerous deposits of rare, sometimes unique, collectible minerals have been discovered within the massif.

The Sami, who have lived here for a long time, call the Lovozero tundra briefly: Luyavrurt. The name is formed from the Sami words “lu” - “yavr” - “urt”, which mean: “stormy” - “lake” - “mountain”, and is translated as “mountain by a stormy lake”. The massif received the name “tundra” because the rocky hills that rose above the forest were called tundra by the Sami who inhabited these places.

Since ancient times, the Sami considered the mountain range a “place of power”, i.e. a place where there are energy fields that are significant for people, and shamans believed that here was a transition to other worlds.

Raslak's circuses, due to their unusual appearance, have also been the subject of Sami tales and legends since ancient times, among them the legend that these are the remains of temples built many centuries ago by giants.

The Lovozero tundra massif is known for various anomalous phenomena, so various expeditions have been sent here many times.

In 1917-1918, Nicholas Roerich visited Luyavrurt, as evidenced by his diaries, which are kept in the library of the University of Lapland. In his diaries, Roerich talks about finding a walled-up entrance with a lock in the shape of a lotus flower.

In 1922, the special encryption department of the Cheka sent a unique expedition to the Luyavrurt area under the leadership of Alexander Vasilevich Barchenko. The official topic of the expedition was an environmental survey of the area adjacent to the Lovozero churchyard. However, the real purpose of the expedition was to search for traces of ancient civilizations.

The expedition found the entrance to some cave, which was photographed. Perhaps after this the entrance was either covered up or disguised - subsequent expeditions have not yet been able to find it. All members of the expedition were destroyed, and the materials were classified, and continue to remain so. Although some information did leak out from the surviving relatives of the expedition members, and this information is one of the reasons for the growing interest in Luyavrurt.

A new phase of legends began in the second half of the 20th century, when, in the wake of the fascination with ufology, the opinion arose that the circuses of Raslak could be landing pads for alien spaceships.

In the 20th century, geologists, biologists and geophysicists came to the conclusion that Luyavrurt is a hyobiogenic zone, i.e. such an area where various forms of life can arise.

Northern Fleet Headquarters

The Russian Northern Fleet bases Severomorsk and Gremikha are located on the Kola Peninsula. Severomorsk is the headquarters of the Northern Fleet.

Photos of the Kola Peninsula

Lavozero tundra photo

The Kola Peninsula is considered a separate kingdom, which is located in the magnificent and harsh Russian north. Not everyone will even think of considering it as a vacation spot, but it is definitely worth doing, especially if you love active recreation and protected nature. In winter, skiers flock here, so the Khibiny Mountains provide conditions for tourists all year round. In the summer, hikers, lovers of river rafting, hunters and fishermen, as well as connoisseurs of outlandish places, of which there are many, gather on the peninsula. Maybe this is why even travel companies began to consider this area as an exotic holiday option in 2019?

Brief historical background

The Kola Peninsula was inhabited by the most ancient ancestors of modern people back in the 8th millennium BC. Can you imagine grasping such ancient times with your mind? Meanwhile, archaeologists have already proven that during the Arctic Paleolithic period people lived in this area. These were tribes engaged in hunting; they moved here from Scandinavia. Later they were joined by people from the Volga and Oka. Through the mixing of Caucasian and Mongoloid people, the Sami appeared, who live in large numbers on the peninsula.

In the Middle Ages, major boyars of Rus' sent expeditions to the peninsula to get fish, furs and other northern valuables. The local population was oppressed and tribute was introduced. In the 15th century, this area became part of the Moscow Principality. And in the 17th century came the period of Christian missionaries who actively baptized the Sami, built temples, and settled on the peninsula.

In the 18th century, crafts and trade on the peninsula somewhat declined, but mining began. The Russians actively colonized these northern lands.

In the 20th century, everything changed radically: infrastructure began to develop - railways and port cities were built. The most important port city was Romanov-on-Murman, present-day Murmansk, now playing a huge role as a port city in the northern part of Russia. The wars of the 20th century brought destruction to the area, and later the Soviet government continued to develop the region.

During perestroika, the crisis also affected the north of the country. There was an outflow of population because people could not find work. This is happening now.

As for tourism, people interested in the peninsula appeared in the last century - after all, in Soviet times, tourism developed throughout the country, the image of a sporty, active and patriotic person was cultivated, ready to endure physical hardships in order to conquer new personal heights and overcome internal obstacles. And currently, a new wave of tourists is reaching the Kola Peninsula - the so-called adherents of ecological tourism. These are, as a rule, those people who are interested in the pristine nature preserved in many parts of the region, its exoticism, as well as lovers of active recreation.

Brief geographical information and climatic conditions of the Kola Peninsula

The Kola Peninsula is one of the places that has preserved the pristine purity of nature; it is part of the Northwestern region of the Russian Federation. It is washed by the White and Barents Seas. A third of the minerals mined in Russia are located on this peninsula.

The Kola Peninsula is the site of the collision and subsequent divergence of tectonic plates, resulting in striking relief. Mountains, plains, ice bowls and many waterways. The smallest bodies of water can be home to hundreds of species of fish. The famous Khibiny Mountains are located in the west of the peninsula.

Natural areas are almost entirely located beyond the Arctic Circle; the relief and vegetation are mountains, tundra, taiga, and coniferous forests. There are many northern rivers and lakes and swamps in the region.

As for the climate, due to the vast territory it is quite diverse. Frequent weather changes are proof of this. In summer you can often feel morning frosts on your skin, while in winter the peninsula is attacked by long-lasting snowstorms. True, in the north-west of the peninsula there is a subarctic maritime climate, it is milder. Thanks to this, the average January temperature there is considered to be 8 degrees below zero, but in other regions it is noticeably colder - around 15 degrees below zero, which allows skiers to train almost until the end of May. In July, temperatures are the opposite: from 8 to 15 degrees Celsius.

The main beautiful feature is the presence of the northern lights and unusual polar nights and days. The sun will not set below the horizon in July and June, and complete darkness occurs in December and January.

Kola Peninsula on the map

How to get to the Kola Peninsula?

This type of holiday should be chosen in 2019 by people who are delighted with the harsh and at the same time incredibly beautiful nature, which has been practically untouched by man.

Tourists from large cities, such as, and even more so residents of remote southern regions, are recommended to use one of several airlines that fly daily to Murmansk. The approximate flight time is about two and a half hours, and the cost starts from 4,000 rubles for a full one-way ticket. In winter, you can travel on completely direct flights that arrive directly at the mountain slopes.

All lovers of beautiful landscapes should pay special attention to the possibility of traveling by train. But not everyone can afford such a journey, because the duration of such a trip from the capital will last at least thirty hours, and the ticket price will be more than 3,500 rubles.

Those who find it convenient to travel by car should stick to the M18 federal highway. By the way, not far from the beauties described in the article there are also Norway and Finland, so you can pass through three international checkpoints for cars. If you have a valid Schengen visa, time and money, you can combine a holiday on the Kola Peninsula with a visit to neighboring northern countries.

Hotel infrastructure

The largest port is located in Murmansk, and the gate to the port is in Kirovsk. These cities have the most developed hotel infrastructure. By booking hotels in advance, you can find a sufficient number of varied offers in major cities of the peninsula.

For example, in Murmansk a four-star hotel can cost around 4,000 rubles per day. A three-star, quite comfortable, will cost half as much. Accommodation in a hostel will cost fifty rubles per day per person.

Kirovsk hotels on average have fewer stars or no stars at all. But it’s also cheaper here: for example, a hostel will generally cost 350 rubles per tourist per night; apartments will cost around 2000 rubles; Well, a luxury hotel - 4,000 rubles per day of stay.

You can also find offers from private owners to rent an apartment or house, if we are talking about a secluded area. Since there will be no language problem on the peninsula, an agreement can always be reached, and an experienced tourist can plan a completely budget trip. As for hikers, it’s most convenient for them: they always have their home with them, on their back.

Main interesting places of the Kola Peninsula

The main feature of the Kola Peninsula is its truly beautiful nature, practically untouched by the harsh hand of the modern world. That’s why romantics, eco-tourists, and outdoor enthusiasts come here.

Khibiny and Kirovsk

The undoubted primacy in the list of places visited by tourists is assigned to the Khibiny Mountains. In winter, the slopes are popular with skiers. Mostly athletes settle around Kirovsk. There are several ski resorts and complexes located in the city's microdistricts. They are suitable for both beginners and winter sports professionals. There are both steep and gentle slopes near Kirovsk; in general, they are well lit and equipped with the necessary infrastructure. Also in winter you can, for example, go on a snowmobile tour and get acquainted with real tribes of reindeer herders or go fishing under the ice.

In summer, the Khibiny Mountains are very popular among hikers and those who dream of conquering one of the many mountain river beds. Around the mountains there are tourist centers near beautiful, clean lakes. You can ride around the peninsula in off-road vehicles, visiting the surrounding villages.

It is worth paying attention to the numerous excursions to mining enterprises. Also in Kirovsk there is the Apatite Museum, where you can view the collection of rare minerals of the peninsula and learn about the history of the mining industry in the region. The museum is located in a nice building and is quite interactive inside.

The Khibiny Mountains are beautiful in themselves, but they are also home to the northernmost botanical garden in the world. This is the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute. It is unique in that you can see plants from several natural zones at once: tundra valleys, taiga, birch forests, Arctic deserts. More than 400 species of plants await visitors to this place.

There is an interesting entertainment place in Kirovsk that is made entirely of ice and snow: Snow Village. The rooms themselves, furniture, household items - everything is created from cold natural materials.

Murmansk

Murmansk is definitely worth visiting, and better in winter. In December - January, you can observe a unique natural phenomenon here: the polar night. Also, sometimes in the sky of Murmansk, due to the refraction of light in ice crystals, you can see... several suns. But the most brilliant, mesmerizing and amazing spectacle that you can’t help but like is the northern lights. It is capricious: sometimes it is worth waiting for weeks to catch this amazing phenomenon in all its glory. But whoever sees it will be rewarded: your breath will stop when you see the stunningly bright flashes in the sky.

While a tourist is waiting for the northern lights, he can visit the sights of Murmansk. The city is rich in monuments to soldiers and sailors. The Cathedral of Murmansk is interesting. Museum fans can visit the Museum of Local Lore, which has been operating for almost a hundred years, as well as the Murmansk Regional Art Museum to see paintings by local painters.

If you find yourself in the city in March, you can get to the Polar Olympics. This event is a competition in exotic sports: reindeer racing, winter swimming, skiing with reindeer, and so on.

Other protected areas of the Kola Peninsula

A place that has no analogues on the globe is the village of Kuzomen. The fact is that in the village there is a real sandy desert. Why did it appear in such an atypical climate zone? It's all about the influence of humanity. People cut down forests, herds of cattle breeders ate the grass. Thus, this incredible landscape of Kuzomeni arose. Not everyone dares to come here: wild animals sometimes roam the sands, including harmless horses or hares, and dangerous wolves and bears.

It is interesting to go to the Tersky coast. It is located in the southeast of the peninsula. The coast is beautiful and with its landscapes, as well as real treasures regularly wash up on its territory, including fragments of amethysts.

The small village of Varzuga will appeal to those who are interested in the traditional culture of the Pomeranian peoples. In general, this is the oldest Russian settlement on the peninsula. The city has preserved ancient temples built of wood. The Assumption Church was built in the 17th century. It contains a beautiful carved iconostasis and a painted vault. There are also Nikolskaya and Afanasyevskaya churches in the village. The locals are friendly people who carefully preserve their traditions. So, in Varzuga you can buy a “roe” - a figurine made of dough, which is made in honor of a holiday, and then passed on to subsequent generations, driving away evil spirits from the family.

Pay attention to the nature reserves, which contain relict forests with trees whose age is hundreds of years. Wolves, bears, moose and reindeer also live there. The largest and most famous are the Lapland Nature Reserve and the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve. In summer it is worth visiting the unique lakes of the peninsula: Imandra, Lovozero, Umbozero.

Culinary traditions of the Kola Peninsula and a list of must-have souvenirs

Traditional Pomeranian and Sami cuisine are very specific. Thus, the local population loves a similar salad made from fish and cloudberries. Despite the fact that nowadays the usual livestock meat is available in the region, on the peninsula you can taste venison in a variety of forms. But still, the basis of the diet of local residents for centuries has been seafood: boiled fish, fried fish, salted and dried fish... in general, any fish. However, if a tourist prefers to eat something familiar, in large cities and at tourist centers he can eat dishes of ordinary Russian cuisine.

What can you bring from the Kola Peninsula, besides impressions? Here's a short list of nice things:

• minerals;
• stone and wood products;
• northern berries or jam;
• products made from elk or deer antler;
• mittens with a traditional pattern;
• fish delicacies.

The Kola Peninsula is a very exotic place to relax. But vacation is not only about the beach or a museum. Rest is, first of all, when the soul rests. And enjoying the nature of the Kola Peninsula will undoubtedly give your soul rest, so overcome stereotypes and go to this wonderful place in 2019.

A little more about the Kola Peninsula - in the video: