Paddler's paradise, where rocky cliffs rise over the narrow lake channels that form part of the vast labyrinthine Saimaa Lake System
Kolovesi is a part of greater Saimaa lake complex, which forms the largest lake in Finland. Kolovesi National Park was established to protect the natural features of Lake Saimaa archipelago in their natural state, the habitat of the Saimaa Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida saimensis), and the forest ecosystems characteristic to Southern Finland. The wilderness-like National Park offers an attractive setting for canoeing or row boating in midst of the peaceful landscape. In the quiet atmosphere you can only hear the natural sounds.
In Kolovesi, the scenery is dominated by cliffs rising vertically from the lake, at some places up to 40 metres above the water level. This wild scenery was formed by the last Ice Age. In the eastern part of the park, rugged Ukonvuori Hill is a beautiful sight, containing formations of quartz crystals, which before now were extracted for decorations. The ancient people used to fish and hunt in the area, and they have left behind rock paintings displaying human figures.
A unique and important glacial relict is the most endangered seal in the world, the Saimaa Ringed Seal. Its ancestors got cut off in the lake when Saimaa became detached from the Baltic Sea at the end of last Ice Age. Kolovesi is one of the last strongholds of this original inhabitant.
