The Nizhniy Novgorod region

The river Vetluga is ideal for kayak trips. You can take the whole family with you. If you behave carefully on the water your trip will be safe. For those who prefer more extreme experiences, the river’s upper reaches are to be recommended. The Vetluga becomes stronger when the river Matyug flows into it. Near the village of Kruglizhi (Svehcinsky district of the Kirov region) you can launch your kayaks.

We can recommend the most popular rautes:

Shariya – railway station “Vetluzhskaya" you can get to Shariya by train or by bus. From Shariya you have to go to the village of Vetluzhsky. It’s not far away. Here you can start your journey. This route is a convenient one, for you don’t need to take a lot of food with you. You’ll pass by a lot of villages where you can buy everything necessary for the trip.

Every tourist has his own aim while traveling. Some travelers simply enjoy the nature, do fishing, bathe and lie in the sun. The others try their best to know the history of the region. We recommend to bye special ethnological literature in Shariya, which is helpful and educative.

The main enemy of travelers is mosquitoes. We advice you to spend the night close to the water on the sandy bank or on the opened banks. The wind will help to fight them. If it rains, don’t get upset. You’ll always find dry tree branches for your campfire. Vetluga is 95 km away. You are strongly advised to stay here for a while. You should wander about the town, which keeps the image of the district town of the last century. We advise you to visit the local museum and get acquainted with everything you’d like to know. There are a lot of unique exhibits collected by the local ethnologists. Proceeding your way you should be very attentive. The river starts dodging. That’s why keep to the axis of the river-bed. You shouldn’t fear speedy ships which recently ran on the Vetluga. In summer the river has become unnavigable

The next point of your traveling is Varnavino
You’ve passed most part of your way, so you can stay here for a day. The name of the settlement is connected with saint Varnava of Vetluga highly honoured in Russia. Some time ago a new wooden chapel was built in his honour. You’ll hear the history of his ascetic life at the regional museum of ethnology. As a matter of fact, your whole way to Varnavino is the way of saint Varnava of Vetluga, which he performed 500 years ago. From Varnavino to Vetluzhskaya station it will take you 2 days. Then you can get to Nizhny Novgorod by electric train or go as Kirov, Perm and Moscow.

Vetluzhskaya railway station - Voskresenskoye

The length of the route is 70km. kayaking lasts 6-8 days.

Out of Voskresensk the river starts dodging. The Republic of Mariy-El is 122km away. One more warning: if you’ve got exact and detailed maps you shouldn’t feel very happy. The Vetluga now is unpredictable. Its bed has changed beyond recognition, and all the maps have become helplessly old. If you are not sure of smith, you’d better make reconnaissance.

When you arrive in the Republic of Mariy-El, be very careful. The Vetluga is navigable here, which means that the fairway isn’t yours anymore. Keep to the right bank and make a food supply for two or three days. If you are not pressed for time, you can go to the forest to pick up mushrooms and berries. All of them are yours because it’s a difficult way to get there by road.

Approaching your destination you’ll see the Vetluga turning into the real boundless sea. You ought to be very attentive here. There won’t be any possibility to keep to a bank or even to have dinner. We advise you to devote the whole day to your final trip.

In Yurino you are strongly advised to visit Count Sheremetiev’s Palace.

We visit you happy trips on the Vetluga!