Sixty kilometres northeast of Lieksa, a long ribbon of forest along the Lieksanjoki river that drops through six big sets of rapids on its way to Lake Pielinen. The classic Karelian whitewater rafting trip: half a day on inflatable rafts through Class II rapids, with the river running clear and the spruce forest pressing in on either side.
The recreation area also has 30 kilometres of hiking trails, lean-to shelters, smoke saunas open to all hikers, and good fishing for grayling and salmon. Operators in Lieksa run rafting trips daily from May to September, including evening sauna-and-rafting combinations.