A reserve founded in 1930 with virgin forests up to ten thousand years old — a sanctuary of wild reindeer and a UNESCO biosphere reserve on Lake Chuno.
Lapland Nature Reserve
The Lapland State Nature Biosphere Reserve is one of the oldest in the Kola Peninsula, founded on 17 January 1930. It covers 278,435 hectares on the shore of Lake Imandra and in the Monchetundra and Chunatundra mountains, on the White Sea–Barents Sea watershed. Since 1985 it has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The chief treasure is its virgin old-growth forests, 3,000–10,000 years old, with individual trees 400–600 years of age; the reserve was created precisely to protect the wild reindeer. The Red Book of Russia lists here the golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, gyrfalcon, peregrine and osprey, and in the rivers live trout and the river pearl mussel. On Lake Chuno, Ded Moroz's tower house (the 'Fairytale Lapland' project) has operated since 1995 — a popular winter route. The nearest town is Monchegorsk; several excursion trails cross the reserve, coordination via laplandzap.ru.
How to get there
To Monchegorsk by train or car (the Murmansk highway), then by arrangement with the reserve administration to the eco-trails or Chuno Lake.
Best season
Year-round; December to March is especially magical (polar night + the tower house).
Travel tips & stories
This is a strict reserve: only on agreed routes.
Winter trips to the tower house must be booked early (limited space).
Fewer insects than in the taiga thanks to mountain wind — but bring repellent anyway.
To sync favorites and plans across devices,
Local guides
- TR
TrueRussia administrator
Added by administrator