Oulanka National Park

Impressive landscapes, rocky gorges and waterfalls, winding forest trails, bubbling rapids, all this beauty can be found in the National Park - Oulanka Reserve, in the northern part of Finland, the provinces of Lapland and Ostrobotnia. The park occupies an area of 270 km2, created in 1956, is located on the border with the Russian park Paanajärvi. Oulanka Park is one of the best nature reserves in Finland.

Oulanka National Park has an unusual mix of northern, eastern and southern nature. Here, you can see many pine forests, huge swamps in the north, river valleys with sandy rapids and shores, conquer with their exquisite beauty. The park has a rich flora and fauna, many of which are endangered. Among the large mammals there are wolverines, lynx, brown bears, reindeer. Birds such as deaf and cuckoo. On rivers and meadows live rare species of butterflies, different species of birds. Some of the meadows are used for reindeer herding. In total, the park has more than 120 species of birds, 30 species of mammals, 7000 species of insects.

On the Oulankayoki River you can find a sandman and a mountain wagtail, they live near the river, feathered inhabitants of the forest, namely eagles, mountaintails, finches. In the forest in the swamps, there are unique plants of the Orchid family - calypso and Venus shoes. In autumn there is an opportunity to pick mushrooms, lingonberries.

The attraction of the park is the pedestrian route Karhunkierros (bear trail) - a long 80 km. Starting from the information center Hautayarvi to the ski resort of Ruka, the tour takes about 6 days. Routes on the territory of the reserve pass through gorges, suspension bridges, rocky hills and stormy river rapids and forests. On some trails there are places for halts, with huts where you can spend the night for free.

The park conquers the beauty of its landscape, and is considered unique among the parks of Northern Finland.