Cruises in Russia and Ukraine
Volga, Dnieper and more rivers

The Dnieper is the fourth longest river in Europe after the Volga, the Danube and the Ural. Its length is 2285 km, its basin area is 504 thousand square kilometres, and it has the longest channel within Ukraine. The Dnieper passes through 3 countries: Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The Dnieper comes from the Valdai Hills (at an altitude of 220 m), beyond Kherson the river divides into branches and forms a huge delta of 350 square meters, and carries its waters to the freshwater Dnieper-Bug estuary. Its depth is more than 12 meters. The Dnieper is divided into three parts: the upper Dnieper, from the source to Kiev, the middle Dnieper, from Kiev to Zaporozhye, and the lower Dnieper, from Zaporozhye to the river mouth. Enjoy the cruise “Ukrainian waterways” sailing through magical Slavic hinterlands and exploring the territory between Kiev and Odessa. The greatness of the water expanses of the Dnieper river makes an amazing and memorable impression.

Lake Ladoga is the largest in Europe. Its area is 18.4 thousand square kilometers. Its depth in the Northern part is from 70 to 200 m, and in the southern part is from 20 to 70 m. The largest length of the lake from North to South is 219 km, and the width is about 80 km.

Many rivers flow into the lake; the largest of them are the Svir, Olonka and Volkhov. Only the Neva flows out of the lake. The Ladoga has about 600 Islands, mostly in the Northern part; the Valaam archipelago is the most famous.

The southern shores of Lake Ladoga are low and boggy, while the northern shores are rocky and steep. Ladoga granite and other types of building stone, which was used in particular during the construction of St. Petersburg, are mined there.

The most intensive navigation is carried out on the southern part of the lake from the Neva River to the Svir River. The Novoladozhsky canal, which is 169 km long, runs along the southern shore of Lake Ladoga. The Channel is used for the passage of river vessels that are not adapted to lake conditions.

Lake Onega is the second largest in Europe after the Ladoga. Its length is 248 km, the width is 89 km, and the basin area is 9890 square kilometers. Its notable capes are New Nose, Demon Nose, Peter and Paul, Andom and Chapel.

Lake Onega is usually divided into northern and southern parts along the line of Petrozavodsk - the mouth of the Vodla River. In the southern part it consistently (from north to south) contains the Central, Southern and Svir Onego, from which the Svir River flows. In the northern part there are Big and Small Onego, Petrozavodsk Bays.

There are numerous islands between them. Bolshoi Klimetsky with an area of almost 150 square kilometers and Kizhi Island, which is the pearl of many Russian river cruises, are located there.

The shores of the lake are heavily indented by numerous bays and estuaries of small rivers. Since ancient times, these small rivers have been famous for their river pearls. About 40 rivers flow into Lake Onega, only the river Svir flows out.