Kandalaksha is a port town on the Kola Peninsula, at the head of a deep bay of the White Sea above the Arctic Circle. It lies on the main road and rail line between St. Petersburg and Murmansk, in a landscape of granite hills, spruce and birch forest, and dark, cold water. The name comes from a Sami word, and the Sami, the indigenous reindeer herders of the north, have lived on this land for thousands of years. The town itself, built around an aluminum smelter and a harbor, is a plain industrial place, but its setting is wild.
The great draw of the area is the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve, one of the oldest in Russia, founded in 1932. It protects hundreds of islands in the bay, which are nesting grounds for eider ducks, gulls and other seabirds, and the cold, clear water is rich in marine life. The reserve is closed to casual visitors, but boat trips and guided tours can be arranged in season. Eider down, gathered from nests, was a valuable local product, and the old tradition of cooperation between humans and birds is part of local identity.
The seasons are extreme. In summer, the midnight sun keeps the sky bright for weeks, and the nights are short and pale. In winter, the sun barely rises, and long dark days are lit by snow and sometimes the northern lights. Temperatures can fall far below freezing, and snow covers the roads for months. The best time for riding is late June to early September, when the roads are clear and the days long, though the weather can still be cold and wet, and mosquitoes are thick in July.
For riders, the main highway, the Kola road, is a good surface, but traffic includes heavy trucks. The more interesting route turns off along the White Sea coast toward Umba, over smaller roads through forest, with views of the sea and glimpses of old fishing villages. Another route runs north toward Monchegorsk and the Arctic Circle, with long straight stretches and wide views of lakes.
Kandalaksha has fuel stations, supermarkets and small hotels, and it is a good place to stock up. Beyond the town, stations are further apart, so fill the tank and carry a spare.