Sulkava – Discover rowing, Lake Saimaa and nature

Sulkava combines the waterscapes of Lake Saimaa with a strong rowing culture, historic sites and trails through forests and lakes. The annual rowing regatta, a long wilderness hiking trail and nature trails offer a range of ways to plan your stay. Culture enthusiasts will also find specific places to visit, from the village bell tower to the historic sites of Lohikoski. The experiences you want to focus on can therefore play a role from the very start of planning your stay.

Sulkava at a glance

• Sulkava is in South Savo and is surrounded by the waters of Lake Saimaa.
• The Sulkavan Suursoudut rowing regatta is held every year in July and has been running since 1968.
• At the regatta, wooden church boats compete over 60 kilometres on Lake Saimaa.
• The Lohilahden Eräreitistö is a 35-kilometre hiking trail through the Lohikoski wilderness.
• Vilkaharju is a roughly four-kilometre-long esker with two marked nature trail sections.

Rowing and cycling around Sulkava

The Sulkavan Suursoudut brings together the traditional boatbuilding heritage of Savo and the sport of rowing. In July, hundreds of wooden church boats travel 60 kilometres across Lake Saimaa. Participants compete in teams, in pairs or individually. Both the boats and the different ways of rowing are part of the regatta’s character. If you want to plan your trip around this event, held every July, it offers a clear seasonal focus.

Cycling is another consideration when planning a trip, even outside regatta time. The Suur-Saimaa cycling route passes through Sulkava’s church village and continues via Partalansaari to Puumala. Sulkava can be a starting point for the route.

The Uitonrinne area, between the shore of Lake Saimaa and Mikkolantie, is home to the rowing stadium, the Kulkemus boat centre and the harbour. These three places provide a specific focal point for water sports and rowing in Sulkava. For another perspective on the waterscape, the nearby Oravareitti route passes through a variety of lakes, rivers and rapids. From a canoe, you can see 21 information boards along the route. Water conditions are at their best in May and June—useful seasonal information when planning a canoe trip.

Nature trails and landscapes

Vilkaharju offers a different kind of landscape: this roughly four-kilometre-long esker provides opportunities to explore and hike through a gravel-ridge landscape. There are two marked nature trail sections, about 3.1 and 3.6 kilometres long. When visiting a protected natural area, be sure to observe the restrictions in force there: Vilkaharju is a nature reserve, where lighting fires, camping and other forms of camping are prohibited.

A longer hiking option is the 35-kilometre Lohilahden Eräreitistö trail through the Lohikoski wilderness. The route passes through old forest conservation areas and by lakes. This gives you a choice between two shorter nature trail sections in Vilkaharju and a considerably longer hiking trail in Lohikoski, depending on how much time you have.

The Iitlahti wetland on Lake Saimaa is also close to Sulkava. It covers more than 20 hectares and includes deep and shallow waters, open and sheltered areas, and small islands. A road leads to the Iitlahti birdwatching platform; follow the signs from Sulkavantie 435. The wetland and platform offer two specific ways to include waterscapes and nature watching in your travel plans.

Cultural heritage and historic sites

Among the notable historic sites near the destination is the Pisamalahti hillfort. It is one of Finland’s most valuable prehistoric hillforts, and the remains of a 12th-century defensive rampart have been preserved at the summit. The hill rises about 55 metres above the water level of Enonvesi. It can be reached by land or by water; from the car park, a roughly 500-metre footpath leads to the steps up to the summit.

Sulkava also has a visible craft heritage. A mill and water-powered sawmill operated in Lohikoski from 1814 to 1911. Together with other buildings and structures, the old mill building forms a well-preserved, nationally protected cultural heritage site. Visitors can see the grain-milling equipment and learn about its history at Lohikoski Mill by prior arrangement. Visits must therefore be agreed in advance.

In the village, Sulkava’s bell tower is considered the oldest surviving building in the town; it is said to have been built around 1770. The Rauhaniemi Museum, nearby, adds another historic attraction. It is less than ten kilometres from the centre of Sulkava and consists of an open-air museum and a lumberjack museum. Another distinctive feature of the region’s cultural heritage is the Telataipale Canal in Sulkava, the northernmost of the four Suvorov canals.

Getting there and planning your stay

Sulkava can be reached by car, bus or boat via the Lake Saimaa waterways.

If you would like to discover more destinations as you plan your trip to Finland, you can also add Enonkoski, Putikko, Oravi, Savonranta, Hiukkajoki, Lötjölä, Ihamaniemi and Punkaharju to your selection.

Frequently asked questions about Sulkava

When does the Sulkavan Suursoudut take place?

The rowing regatta takes place in Sulkava every July and has been running since 1968. Wooden church boats compete over 60 kilometres on Lake Saimaa, in teams, in pairs and individually.

What hiking trails are nearby?

Vilkaharju has two marked nature trail sections, about 3.1 and 3.6 kilometres long. At 35 kilometres, the Lohilahden Eräreitistö is considerably longer and passes through the Lohikoski wilderness, old forest conservation areas and lakeside landscapes.

Can you camp or light fires in Vilkaharju?

No. Vilkaharju is a nature reserve, where lighting fires, camping and other forms of camping are prohibited.

What does the Rauhaniemi Museum offer?

The museum is less than ten kilometres from the centre of Sulkava and consists of an open-air museum and a lumberjack museum.

How can you get to Sulkava?

You can travel to Sulkava by car, bus or boat via the Lake Saimaa waterways.

For the broader travel overview: Savonlinna.