Puumala offers awesome nature experiences year-round

Nature holiday full of experiences

Take yourself out into the nature

We have prepared a programme of day trips for you to choose from:

  1. Get to know the surroundings: The tale and statues of Nestori and the ringed seal, themed trails along Nestorinranta, walking tours of the village of Lintusalo.
  2. A day out on Rokansaari island: Visit the beautiful sandy shores of Rokansaari, an island 3 km away, accessible by canoe, rowing boat, or motorboat. Visitors can hie to a sheltered barbecue spot at the northern tip of the island and see the trenches from World War I. Rent a boat or a canoe.
  3. Canoeing or kayaking through the labyrinthe lakes of Rokansaari. Rokansaari contains a maze of six small lakes that can be accessed by canoe along the channel at the southern tip of the island. Rent a canoe or kayak.
  4. A day on the Norppapolku (“ringed seal trail”) : a stunning 13 km nature trail along the rocky and sandy shores of Lake Saimaa.
  5. Canoeing and kayaking to the nearby ringed seal habitats (ringed seals can be spotted sunbathing on the rocks on the calm, sunny days of the late spring and early summer)
  6. Cycling tour with a traditional or an electric bike to Säkkimäki vantage point and lean-to  7 km away, for a 14 km round trip. Rent a bike.
  7. Cycle the 60 km Puumala archipelago route visitpuumala. Buy a ferry ticket at matkahuolto.fi or book a water taxi for the water crossing (linkki venetaksin tuotesivulle).
  8. Geocaching day. Search for the geocaches in this archipelago. There are lots of them.
  9. Fishing in the nearby waters. Lake Lietvesi has plenty of pike, perch and zander  (also known as pike-perch) Rent a boat and fishing gear (linkki vuokraamoon). You will need a state fishing licence if you want to go spin fishing.  Buy it here.
  10. A torchlight tour on the calm nearby waters in the dark evenings from August until the lake has frozen. Seeing the sleeping fish and crustaceans is an experience itself. Rent a boat and equipment.
  11. Trip to the Liehtalanniemi museum farmsted and nature trail  on Niinisaari. Nestorinranta provides a booklet about Jallu from Liehtala. Ask the staff for details.
  12. Car and hiking trip to the Saimaa Geopark to see  Kummakivi boulder, Sammalsilta nature trail and  Härkävuori peak
  13. Car and hiking trip to Tupavuori, Rakokivi ja Loketo cave.

Book accommodation on our accommodation page. Rent equipment on our rental shop page.

Nestorinranta nature tracks

In Nestorinranta area there are 4 different nature tracks, 1- 2,6 km in lenght, each of a different theme. Start to all tracks is near to the main building, where the field ends and the forest begins. To the “Wellness-track” you can also come from the ferry shore along the track. Sometimes there might be water on the tracks and the terrain is rugged in some places so you should have shoes that are suitable for walking in rugged terrain.

 

Metso wellness track

The Metso (“Wood grouse”) wellness track (2.6 km) was designed by Tapio Oy in 2016. There are task boards along the trail with tips on how the forest can help you relieve stress. You can get the most out of the forest’s well-being effects when you go around the path alone.
See more on e.g. Luke website.

Nature track for children

The children’s nature track (1 km) runs through the pinelands. Along the way there are colourful birdhouses with tasks. One of the tasks mentions a dog, which is included in a guided, paid excursion available in July.

Mythological track

The mythological track (1.5 km) starts from the hall of the barn cafe, runs through the forest and ends inside the Pancake bar. Along the way, there are boards that tell about old beliefs related to nature, such as what the hazel grouse has to do with the end of the world.

The mythological track has actually spread a bit in the Nestorinranta area, not just along the trail. For example, in the yard of the main building there are important trees and birds related to old beliefs. Explore and enjoy!

Jääkauden jäljillä

More than 11,000 years ago Finland was covered in ice. As the ice began to melt, it retreated to the northwest. The most ice was in the Gulf of Finland and the least on the edges, like here in Southeastern Finland. When the land was freed from the weight of the ice, it began to rise. The process was the fastest in Kvarken that used to carry the most ice weight.

It has had a huge impact on Saimaa and its predecessors. The story of Saimaa is told along this approximately 1.5 km long track. You will also learn to see the traces left by the Ice Age in nature.

Experience different seasons of Puumala

The ground is usually free of snow from the Mayday to the beginning of November.
The sunniest time is the end of June when the sun sets only for a few hours.
The hottest time is July. Then even the dog likes it better in a lake.
Best time for mushroom piking is in August-September.
The most beautiful autumn colours can be seen in early October.
The best time for salmon trolling is October-November, when water temperature is under 8°.
The darkest time of the year is November when there is no snow yet.
Snow lies usually from November-December to April.
The lake is usually covered with ice from Christmas to the beginning of April.
The toughest frosts are usually in January-February.
The best skiing weather is usually in February-March.
The ice usually melts in the end of April.
The best time to see a ringed seal: from the end of April to the beginning of June, when they moult on ice and rocks.
The pike spawn immediately after the ice leaves in May. You can catch a lot of pike during this season with a fish trap.