Expeditions to the Kola Peninsula

Exactly a week has passed since we returned from our UNFORGETTABLE trip... and I still can't get over the Kola Peninsula! 

No wonder you fell in love with it and devoted so many years to this region. I must say that the north is the north, but the way you choose routes, how you plan each day, the evenings in the camp filled with information and atmosphere — it's a whole different art form! I give you a high five! I not only visited this polar land, but also got to know its history, as if I went on an excursion :)) 

Anyway, with you, even to the ends of the earth :) we just need to improve the gear ;) 

p.s. in March, reserve a spot for me in the ski trek

I've never liked writing reviews. It always seemed that it was necessary to find the right turns of speech so that everything sounded beautiful and visually pleasing to the eye.. but these people, with whom I shared a week of my life, will forever be fixed in my memory)

Once again, I am sincerely grateful to the universe for bringing me together with such bright, charismatic personalities)

Thank you, my dear little people, for being with me the whole trip.

Pasha, thank you very much to you and your assistants for your professionalism!

Excellent organization and quality: everything is thought out precisely, structurally, and systematized: logistics, route, schedule, food, safety, information support, additional program before and after the hike. I really appreciate the attention and care for each participant.

Thank you for openly sharing your expertise and experience, constantly looking for and implementing improvements. Perhaps the best organization you could find. Sincerely, we received a lot of enjoyment and pleasant impressions!

We are very glad to have met the nature of the North, we will definitely meet again!

Hiking with Pavel is something unimaginable!!!

For me, this was the first serious hike, and to say that everything went super great is simply not saying anything.

From the very beginning of communication, Pavel shows complete interest in your well-being. Enjoyment from the hike every minute. Calls, consultations, promo codes, it's great! Then everything happens as if by magic of a magic wand) Once, and you're already on a magical carpet of berries and moss!

You set up a tent and admire the sunset overlooking the river flowing into the ocean! The variety of beauty and views is overwhelming! I would like to note Anna, his wife, she created coziness and delight from dinner every evening.

The tundra is beautiful in its own way! It must be seen, it must be felt, you must be there! An excellent itinerary, interesting and informative stories, stunning views and a great mood - that's what accompanied me all the time on the hike. The reward is the northern lights and a great team, unforgettable experiences and complete delight.

Many thanks to a very interesting person who was able to organize such an event, thanks to Pavel!

Поход по Лапландии стал очень запоминающимся.

Это и завораживающие виды Белого моря, и заснежённые сопочки, и дремлющие северные леса. Идти в этот поход обязательно не только ради восхитительной природы, но и из-за "проповедника" Севера - Павла Руденко.

Паша самый увлечённый гид из тех, которых я встречала. Для меня это был первый длительный лыжный поход, Паша помог подобрать снаряжение и одежду, нашёл мне коврик, помог решить проблему с лыжами. В походах Паши подбираются невероятные люди, царит атмосфера поддержки, все участники готовы прийти на помощь.

В первый день похода я натерла обе ноги, ребята очень поддержали меня, я прошла весь поход благодаря Паше и нашей команде.

After yet another delight at what I saw, I found myself wondering: 'Yes, what else could there be?!! It seems like the maximum possible.' Feel as if you're in a lost world or a participant in a documentary about the formation of our planet, whichever you prefer! This is definitely something you need to experience and see with your own eyes!

You live in the city, a year passes and your brain becomes like Sméagol from The Lord of the Rings. The time comes to go on a long journey.

You step on the reindeer moss, sinking ground made of lichen, bog moss and crowberry. Under the weight of your backpack, your feet sink into the soft surface. Balancing like this every new day, you continue your journey, making your way through huge boulders covered with lichen. While the scorching sun exhausts your body, the mosquitoes arrange as many dances as possible, checking how much your nerves have been affected by the environment you chose in civilization.

The tundra is the perfect place to recover. In one day, you can experience all the weather conditions. So the sun suddenly gave way to rain and icy wind. No longer complaining about mosquitoes and midges, but you are already shaking from the cold. To cross the ford, you untie the laces of your boots, and your hands are shaking like after a withdrawal, and your teeth are chattering. Surprisingly, after the cold river, you cheer up and get warm from the excitement (I haven't overcome my fear of water yet).

Thirteen other 'hobbits', eager to reset, share this path with you. Here, you won't be able to put on a mask and pretend. Here, you are real, 'naked'. Here, everyone will see how much you are stuck in the city routine. But it is all these conditions, this entire environment that can shake you up. At the end of your journey, you begin to feel that the inner Sméagol has dissolved.

For the first time, it happened when I was a girl and I came to the sea with my first real salary.. it conquered me, and I thought, yeah, this is mine, so beautiful and warm! I said I would live by the sea! But.. Then I saw the mountains! And then I was conquered by the incredible force, height and power of these ancient giants! Of course, I screamed: I'm staying here! And now the North has happened... by chance, I ended up on the Kola Peninsula, and I think it accepted me, gave me the best warm days, the tundra embraced me with the sun, laid the softest reindeer moss, quenched my thirst with water and fed me with berries.. what else do you need? As for you.. hold the northern lights!

I couldn't imagine that everything would be so perfect! We stood at the edge of the world where there's nothing further.. the wind of the Arctic Ocean didn't wound with cold, it gave a pleasant coolness on a hot day... The most incredible feeling, of course, is that we were the only ones there.. it was as if we were the discoverers of these places!

And, of course, this wouldn't have happened without an incredible guide, the best in the North, Pavel Rudenko and Anna Migalina. With great love, they tell and show the North! They are truly awesome guides! Together with the tundra, they embraced us and gave us an unforgettable adventure!

The North is now in my heart, which means I will return.

Thank you and Anya for organizing this event) 

It's very cool that someone is now doing the 'everyone goes with their own' format. This makes both the price better and the group composition more experienced and interesting somehow) It's very cool that everything is up-to-date and modern, without sitting around with a guitar and drinks)))) 

Thank you for your love for your work and professionalism in it, that's worth a lot. And of course, for long conversations about gear))) 
And special thanks for the motivation with your example to go further, more, stronger) 

We will be waiting for more trips, especially winter ones. If you start leading them, I think it will be awesome, no one is doing this now)) 

We will definitely recommend you to friends who are interested in the North) 

There's nothing to write about the downsides. Well, maybe subjectively, the portions of food are too big)))))

The hike to Dalnie Zelentsy is already my third hike with Pasha Rudenko in the Kola. Each time I return and say that I went on another best hike of my life)

Organization. As someone who has been on many hikes and has different experiences, including negative ones, I can say that I like the organization.
Pasha understands camping gear and will advise you what to wear from socks to jacket so that you don't get wet, cold or suffer on the hike, will provide a good tent that can withstand strong wind, recommend a warm lightweight sleeping bag and how to lighten your backpack. 

The route is well explored and personally traveled several times, so we always have stops in the most beautiful places. 

There is a second guide, there is communication by radio, bear protection, so even if you fall behind, you always feel safe.
The guides cook the food themselves, everything is very tasty, especially my favorite lentil soup with ostrich meat.

I would also like to express special thanks for the group tent, which fits all the participants of the hike and in which you can eat and chat if it's cool or rainy outside, it adds a lot of comfort. 
Since the food and gear are optimally selected, the weight of the backpack is small and you can walk and enjoy the views, plus in the evening at the camp it's comfortable and you have the strength to sit and chat.

I also consider an important component of success the fact that Pasha loves the north, hikes and people, is always in a positive mood and has an amazing sense of humor, this atmosphere is passed on to the team, so much positivity and laughter, funny stories told during this week, I don't have enough for a whole year.

Some guys go hiking several times. So, by the third hike, I felt that I met a group of friends. 

Also, Pasha selects guides with love for people and their work, big thanks to the second guide Ilya for his help and positivity)
This time a very good company gathered, hugging everyone, hope to see you again)  

Nature. I've been to the Caucasus, Turkey, Montenegro and other places, but now I've felt that the northern nature resonates with me, I felt that this is mine, that I am always beautiful here, everything pleases the eye - and horizons with green mountains, sandstone, tundra, ocean and the microcosm in the form of moss. I realized this only after coming here.

So, to summarize, I can say that everything coincided here - both nature and people, this week I was absolutely and unconditionally happy)
Big thanks to Pasha and everyone else for this wonderful week in the Kola)