The bikepacking routes of Northern Saimaa are a paradise for adventurous pleasure-seekers. Five routes showcase the best sections of the gravel route network, highlighting the region’s sights, nature and services. The Northern Saimaa Loop is the main route of the area, circling the entire northern lake region with Savonlinna as its southernmost point and Joensuu as its northernmost point. The Heinävesi Loop visits Kolovesi National Park, Lintula and Valamo monasteries, and the harbour of Savonranta. The Pyhäselkä Loop works well as an overnight trip or a longer day ride, while the Central Karelia Loop offers a beautiful circular route in the heart of Central Karelia. The Tohmajärvi Loop can be ridden either as an overnight trip or as a longer day ride, depending on conditions and fitness.
In a nutshell:
- Over 1,300 km of cycling routes
- 5 bikepacking routes
- Routes range from 80 to 700 km
- The routes can be combined with an inland water cruise across Pyhäselkä (M/S Suvi-Tuuli) or from Savonlinna to Heinävesi (S/S Heinävesi)
- Two connecting routes provide route variations and/or shorten the longer routes
- Different sections of the routes are easily accessible by rail, making it easy to ride the routes in stages
Saimaa by Cycle Bikepacking Routes
The routes are suitable for any bike that can fit tyres at least 40 mm wide. However, high-volume tyres add comfort on the rougher sections. When riding with touring gear, wider tyres are especially useful.
For bikepacking trips, your gear does not necessarily need to be ultralight, and you will also manage with racks and panniers.
That said, the routes include enough climbing that a lighter bikepacking setup will help with progress and overall riding comfort. Even more important, however, are sufficiently low gears and the already mentioned high-volume tyres.
The gravel cycling season in the Northern Saimaa region usually begins around mid-May, once the gravel roads have hardened and dried after the spring thaw period. The cycling season usually ends in late September, when autumn rains begin and temperatures drop.
Temperatures in the route area now vary from around +2–6°C in the early and late season to intense summer heatwaves.
The route network is very easy to reach by train, as there are a total of 10 railway stations along the routes. Arriving from Southern Finland, the first stations on the routes are Punkaharju, Savonlinna, Kesälahti and Kitee, roughly one hour before Joensuu. From Joensuu, you can continue by railbus to Viinijärvi and Heinävesi. Please note, however, that bike spaces are limited on some train services, so reserve your bike space well in advance, or allow some flexibility in your travel schedule for both the outbound and return journey.
Some of the Saimaa bikepacking routes are also suitable for family touring — at least if accommodation is booked in advance and the trip can be planned from one overnight service to the next. The routes avoid larger and busier roads, which makes them well suited for cycling with a family. Some routes have services at regular intervals, while others are quite remote — especially near the eastern border — and distances between rest stops can be fairly long. See the route-specific pages for more detailed information.
Some of the bikepacking routes are suitable for riding with an e-bike, provided that you know your bike’s battery range and plan the trip carefully in advance. On some routes, it is also possible to charge an e-bike battery during a lunch break, for example — at least if you bring your own charger.
The final product development and publication of the Saimaa by Cycle route network, published in 2026, was carried out through the Keski-Karjalan pyörämatkailureittien tuotteistus -project, administered by the Municipality of Tohmajärvi. The total project costs are €148,356.50, of which €118,685.20 has been granted as funding. The project is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development 2023–2027, with the funding granted by Keski-Karjalan Jetina ry.
However, the development of the route network began in two earlier projects in 2024–2025: Pohjoisen Saimaan matkailun kehittäminen osana Lakelandia project (European Regional Development Fund, 2023–2025) and the Keski-Karjalan pyöräreittisuunnitelma project (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, 2024–2025).
