Kiutaköngäs Circuit 45 km – Ruka-Kuusamo

On the Kiutaköngäs Circuit you will be on the edge of one of the most important national parks in the region: the Oulanka National Park. The park, which borders Russia, is known for its dense forests, rushing rivers and picturesque lakes. Even if you only pass through the national park on your tour, you will still be able to enjoy this wild, diverse landscape. And of course you can decide for yourself whether you want to add a hike in the national park to the tour. You will reach the national park's visitor center if you follow the signs to the north about halfway along the route. But let's start right at the front: The Kiutaköngäs Circuit starts at a parking lot just under 20 kilometers north of Ruka in the small village of Käylä, which is divided by the Kitkajoki River. The first three and a half kilometers take you east on asphalt before you turn into the forest. In addition to pine and birch trees, blueberry bushes line the side of the path. If you're lucky, you might even find cloudberries on the edge of the swamps in summer. The Kiutaköngäs Circuit then takes you deeper and deeper into the forest, sometimes on wide gravel paths, sometimes on small trails. You'll keep passing smaller lakes until you circle the larger Kallunkijärvi for the second half of the tour. From the gravel road, several narrow paths lead through the blueberry bushes to the shore. You'll always find nice places to take a break and even suitable places to swim here.