See programms:   Kola Peninsula 9 days ski tour

The easiest way to get to the Khibiny Mountains from St Petersburg is to catch a murmansckiy train as far as Апатит and then take a bus to Kirovsk.  It is also possible to fly from St Petersburg, however, flights are rare.  The closest international airport is in Мurmansk, which is approximately 200km from Kirovsk.

The Khibiny Mountains are attractive to ski-tour lovers especially because of their variety of slopes, few fixed routes and snow conditions.  The close proximity of the sea provides steady snow cover and the low-altitudes of mountains preserves the falling snow from melting under the hot sun.  Owing to northern latitudes, the sun does not rise above the horizon which makes it always possible to find slopes untouched by the heat of the sun and which have well preserved powder.  Hence, even when the weather is steady and clear, it is possible to combine a sun-tan in the spring equinox and skiing on virgin-lands. 

The Khibiny Mountains present themselves as a ruined plateau with distinctive steep slopes.  There are even faces which have an alpine appeal.  Similar rock faces are cut-through by comparatively narrow lobbies, which only professional skiers and boardriders can access.  However, at the same time, there are lots of simpler slopes.

The low altitude of the mountains lets you do more than one slope in a day.  In fact, two or three slopes are more than possible for a prepared group.  We are based at the Kouelporr rescue in the Khibiny Mountains.  Our base has some residential wooden homes, a shop and two baths.  Living conditions are sufficiently comfortable for a mountain-shelter. Each home is divided into rooms with four to six beds in each room.  These homes are heated well and are warm and comfortable inside.

Fortnightly programmes include group ski-tours to different valleys with a night in a heated tent.  Similar programmes allow the group to visit the most remote corners of the Khibiny Mountains, and the nights spent in the tent add to the charm of the warm homes at the Kouelporr base – with a Russian “Banya” and beer after dinner or supper.

So as not to repeat the same journey, on the way back, we take the group by car as far as Murmansk and from there we fly back to Saint-Petersburg.  The flight takes only an hour – taking you from the snowy wintry Murmansk back to St Peterburg in springtime.  This city merits a separate visit and after a day or two, you’ll soon see that it’s well worth another visit.