The “Rakovye Lakes” water route gives a stay in Vyborgsky District a clear focus on nature: it starts at a pier on Lake Okhotnichye, follows the right-hand tributary of the Dolgunets Stream and leads to Lake Bolshoye Rakovoye. It ends at a pier near the environmental education centre. This makes it possible to follow the route as a sequence from the starting body of water, along the stream tributary, to the end of the lake.
Rakovye Lakes: Water Route and Season
The water route operates from 16 July until the lakes freeze over. From 1 April through 15 July, visits to the Rakovye Lakes Nature Reserve are restricted. These dates are important when choosing when to visit: plan your route within its stated operating period and check the nature reserve’s current rules before travelling. If you are considering a visit between April and mid-July, take the restriction on the area into account.
Birdlife and Landscape
After the Rakovye Lakes became shallower and overgrown, they developed into habitats and resting places for waterfowl and other water-dependent birds on migration. At the beginning of the 20th century, they were considered Finland’s most famous bird lakes. The lakes are home to 228 bird species, and the area is an important bird area in Russia. Their role as a habitat, their importance for migratory birds and their historical renown give the lakes different ornithological and historical associations.
Buchta Zhyoltaya: Dunes, Bogs and Cultural Heritage
The Buchta Zhyoltaya natural monument offers a different landscape focus. It includes ancient and modern dunes, various types of bog, and waterlogged hollows between the dune ridges. It also includes historic landscapes considered cultural heritage. By contrast, the Rakovye Lakes focus on the body of water and its importance to birds; Buchta Zhyoltaya combines dune and bog formations with historic landscapes. These two natural attractions therefore offer different points of focus when choosing where to stay.
If you are looking for a holiday apartment for a stay in Vyborgsky District, consider whether the water route and birdlife or the dune and bog landscape are more important to your travel plans. For Rakovye Lakes, you should also take into account both the route’s operating period and the restriction on visiting the nature reserve. Checking the current rules will help you align your seasonal plans with the stated conditions.
Regional Context: Leningrad Oblast
The Vepsian Forest Nature Park lies in the far east of Leningrad Oblast, the wider travel destination. It includes seven nature reserves with particularly strict protection rules and numerous lakes. The largest is Lake Lerinskoye, in the reserve of the same name. Among the nature park’s special features are the preserved old spruce and pine forests in the “Vepsskiy Les” and “Ashchozyorskiy” reserves. They are important for numerous organisms that can survive only in forests undisturbed by commercial activity.
The Veps, a small people of Russia with their own culture and traditions, have traditionally lived in the nature park. Brown bears are found there in larger numbers; the wolverine, extremely rare in the region, has also been recorded. An encounter with these wild animals is not guaranteed. These natural and cultural themes are part of the wider travel destination of Leningrad Oblast.
Another regional cultural attraction is Koporye Fortress in Leningrad Oblast. It is a museum and a monument of ancient Russian stone architecture. It has been preserved in its present form since the 16th century, while parts of the masonry date from the 13th century. The fortress can be visited without a guide using the “Koporskaya krepost 2.0” multimedia guide; confirm its availability when planning your visit. Because the fortress is in an emergency condition, climbing the walls and towers is prohibited.
Discover more destinations: Pribylovo, Vsevolozhskiy rayon, Gatchina District, Korsakovskiy rayon, Tikhvinskiy rayon, Gatchinskiy rayon, Priozerskiy rayon, Volosovskiy rayon.
For the broader travel overview: Leningrad Oblast.
