Stage 2 of the Kainuu Tar Route is the middle leg of the provincial paddling chain from Kuhmo town waters to Sotkamo, continuing the story that begins on Kainuun tervareitti / Etappi 1: Änätti - Kuhmon keskusta. On our map the line is about 74.4 km as one continuous watercourse; Visit Kuhmo and Arctic Lakeland round th...
Visit Kuhmo – Kainuu Tar Route stage 2 (Kuhmo–Sotkamo)+
Description
Stage 2 of the Kainuu Tar Route is the middle leg of the provincial paddling chain from Kuhmo town waters to Sotkamo, continuing the story that begins on Kainuun tervareitti / Etappi 1: Änätti - Kuhmon keskusta. On our map the line is about 74.4 km as one continuous watercourse; Visit Kuhmo and Arctic Lakeland round the stage to roughly 75 km in their route copy. The stage is described as demanding: you paddle easy rapids on the free-flowing Pajakkajoki, cross the broad basins of Ontojärvi and Kiimasjärvi, portage two hydropower plants on marked carry tracks, thread narrower lake chains toward Sotkamo, and finish at the town marina area—so solid open-water skills and loaded-boat handling matter when wind builds swell on the big lakes.
Official landing clusters line up with the narrative: after the river section, Ärjän saari offers a sandy-shore kota and fire ring for a first main camp night; farther along, Lehtosaaren laavu Kiimasjärvi marks a second overnight-style stop on Kiimasjärvi’s west end; Ontojoen Kurikkalahden Laavu and dry-toilet points support a rest day around the Ontojoki narrows; Kaitainsalmen veneenlaskupaikka bridges the strait that was once famous for salmon angling; and Eskonsaaren esteetön laavu ja taukopaikka plus the accessible paddling dock pair give a last services cluster before Sotkamo Marina and Sotkamon venesatama. Maakunnanranta Kuhmo, Pajakkasuvannon melontalaituri, and Ruukinrannan parkkipaikka bracket the city start beside libraries and winter-war museum shore access, while Hirvenniemen tankkauslaituri and Sotkamo Marina close the line at the Sotkamo end.
For planning depth and difficulty labels, lean on Visit Kuhmo’s stage page and Arctic Lakeland’s Kainuu overview—the same VEKE-era promotion that produced new canoe docks and printable brochures across the region. Kalevala Camping lists hourly and daily kayak, canoe, and SUP hire from the town-side camping beach if you need a hull in Kuhmo before you launch. EräPiira publishes canoe and kayak rental terms through Wild Taiga and runs guided paddling programmes on regional lake and river routes—worth comparing if you want outfitter support rather than a bare boat.
Length & route
End-to-end distance on our mapped line is about 74.4 km from the Kuhmo shore network to Sotkamo Marina and the adjacent guest harbour parking. Promotional pages usually quote 75 km for the same stage, which matches within normal rounding for shoreline routing. Visit Kuhmo also lists an indicative moving time near 14 hours 40 minutes for the full stage in calm conditions—most touring groups still spread the distance across about three paddling days with shelter stops, though strong crews sometimes compress to two days when weather allows. The chain mixes river current on Pajakkajoki, wide-lake crossings on Ontojärvi and Kiimasjärvi, portages beside Katerman and Kallioinen power stations, and shorter connectors before Sotkamo—plan reserve time for carries and wind delays on open water.
Getting there
Start in central Kuhmo: Maakunnanranta Kuhmo, Maakunnanranta Kuhmo parkkipaikka, Ruukinrannan parkkipaikka, and Pajakkasuvannon melontalaituri give practical road access beside the town beach and library quarter, with additional street parking around Kuhmo talo and Juminkeko when you stage gear. Akonkoski parkkipaikka supports an alternative put-in after the first few kilometres if you prefer to skip town harbours. Paloniemen parkkipaikka reaches Ontojärven Paloniemen veneranta for mid-lake access, while Katerman parkkipaikka and Kallioisen parkkipaikka sit at the hydropower portages. Ontojoen Kurikkalahden parkkipaikka serves the laavu cluster, Kaitainsalmen parkkiapaikka the strait crossing, and Salmelan parkkipaikka the late-stage shore. In Sotkamo use Sotkamon venesatama parkkipaikka, Huovisen Konstan parkkipaikka, or street access near Sotkamon tori for shuttles.
Good to know
Carry spare drinking water and a repair kit: official shelters are spaced for a three-day plan but summer heat and headwinds can slow progress on Ontojärvi and Kiimasjärvi. Respect hydropower safety zones and only use marked portage tracks when you pass Katerman and Kallioinen. For lure fishing with more than one rod or some gear combinations on state waters around Kuhmo, buy the correct Metsähallitus permit package in addition to the national fishing management fee where applicable—check Eräluvat area 4510 for Kuhmo state waters. During forest-fire warnings open fires may be banned even at maintained fireplaces; verify warnings before lighting a campfire at Ärjä or Kurikkalahden landings.
Sotkamo Marina and Hiukan uimaranta sit beside the route end if you need a swim after unloading; follow local harbour rules for mixed motor and paddle traffic.
History
Kainuun tervareitti follows tar-transport waterways that 19th- and early-20th-century producers used to float barrelled tar toward Oulu. Regional marketing still frames the modern paddling network as a revival of those freight corridors, now maintained for recreation.
Itinerary
Example pacing using on-route shelters (adjust to wind and fitness):
Day 1 – About 20–24 km from Maakunnanranta and Pajakkasuvanto through Pajakkajoki and Ontojärvi toward Ärjä: overnight at Ärjä kota and Ärjä tulentekopaikka with dry toilet nearby.
Day 2 – Cross Ontojärvi toward Katerman veneranta, carry Katerman Suituan melontalähtö and Kallioisen veneluiskat, rest at Ontojoen Kurikkalahden Laavu and grillipaikka (roughly km 30–42): push on to Lehtosaaren laavu Kiimasjärvi if weather allows.
Day 3 – Paddle Kiimasjärvi, cross Kaitainsalmen veneenlaskupaikka, use Eskonsaaren esteetön laavu ja taukopaikka, then finish at Sotkamo Marina and Sotkamon venesatama (about km 73–74).
Visit Kuhmo frames the same stage as a three-day trip with two-day options for fit groups.
Where to rent kayaks
Kalevala Camping (Kalevalan juhlatakomo) publishes hourly, three-hour, and daily rates for solo kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes, and SUP boards from Väinämöinen 13 in Kuhmo, with advance booking recommended during the summer season. EräPiira lists canoe and kayak rental packages on Wild Taiga and also offers guided paddling trips on regional lake and river routes—contact them if you want shuttle support or instruction rather than a bare rental.
Guided tours & Experiences
EräPiira advertises guided canoe trips on wilderness lake and river routes plus speciality experiences such as winter rapid floating on Pajakkakoski; see their programme pages on Wild Taiga for current offerings.
The stage is paddled downstream and generally westward from central Kuhmo toward Sotkamo; shuttle plans sometimes stage vehicles at Sotkamon venesatama parkkipaikka and Huovisen Konstan parkkipaikka while launching from Kuhmo town harbours.
Route direction
Recreation Area
Recreation Area
Island
Island
Lake
Lake
River
River
Open / Good Condition
Open / Good Condition
Visit Kuhmo – Kainuu Tar Route stage 2 (Kuhmo–Sotkamo)
Activities allowed
Kayak / Canoe
Activity
Terrain & conditions
74.4 km
Distance
Visit Kuhmo lists an indicative moving time near 14 hours 40 minutes for the full stage and describes the trip as commonly three paddling days, with a two-day finish possible for strong crews. Arctic Lakeland uses the same three-day framing in its regional overview.
Est. Time
Point-to-Point
Route Type
Has Portages
Portage
Class I (Easy)
Rapids class
Lake Paddling
Water type
River Paddling
Water type
Visit Kuhmo – Kainuu Tar Route stage 2 (Kuhmo–Sotkamo)+
Be the first to write a review for "Kainuu Tar Route – Stage 2: Kuhmo to Sotkamo"
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Answers to your questions
CC BY-NDFadecreative, Pasi Korhonen, Outdoors Kainuu
Our data was researched from Sotkamo, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.
Stage 2 of the Kainuu Tar Route is the middle leg of the provincial paddling chain from Kuhmo town waters to Sotkamo, continuing the story that begins on Kainuun tervareitti / Etappi 1: Änätti - Kuhmon keskusta. On our map the line is about 74.4 km as one continuous watercourse; Visit Kuhmo and Arctic Lakeland round th...
Visit Kuhmo – Kainuu Tar Route stage 2 (Kuhmo–Sotkamo)+
Description
Stage 2 of the Kainuu Tar Route is the middle leg of the provincial paddling chain from Kuhmo town waters to Sotkamo, continuing the story that begins on Kainuun tervareitti / Etappi 1: Änätti - Kuhmon keskusta. On our map the line is about 74.4 km as one continuous watercourse; Visit Kuhmo and Arctic Lakeland round the stage to roughly 75 km in their route copy. The stage is described as demanding: you paddle easy rapids on the free-flowing Pajakkajoki, cross the broad basins of Ontojärvi and Kiimasjärvi, portage two hydropower plants on marked carry tracks, thread narrower lake chains toward Sotkamo, and finish at the town marina area—so solid open-water skills and loaded-boat handling matter when wind builds swell on the big lakes.
Official landing clusters line up with the narrative: after the river section, Ärjän saari offers a sandy-shore kota and fire ring for a first main camp night; farther along, Lehtosaaren laavu Kiimasjärvi marks a second overnight-style stop on Kiimasjärvi’s west end; Ontojoen Kurikkalahden Laavu and dry-toilet points support a rest day around the Ontojoki narrows; Kaitainsalmen veneenlaskupaikka bridges the strait that was once famous for salmon angling; and Eskonsaaren esteetön laavu ja taukopaikka plus the accessible paddling dock pair give a last services cluster before Sotkamo Marina and Sotkamon venesatama. Maakunnanranta Kuhmo, Pajakkasuvannon melontalaituri, and Ruukinrannan parkkipaikka bracket the city start beside libraries and winter-war museum shore access, while Hirvenniemen tankkauslaituri and Sotkamo Marina close the line at the Sotkamo end.
For planning depth and difficulty labels, lean on Visit Kuhmo’s stage page and Arctic Lakeland’s Kainuu overview—the same VEKE-era promotion that produced new canoe docks and printable brochures across the region. Kalevala Camping lists hourly and daily kayak, canoe, and SUP hire from the town-side camping beach if you need a hull in Kuhmo before you launch. EräPiira publishes canoe and kayak rental terms through Wild Taiga and runs guided paddling programmes on regional lake and river routes—worth comparing if you want outfitter support rather than a bare boat.
Length & route
End-to-end distance on our mapped line is about 74.4 km from the Kuhmo shore network to Sotkamo Marina and the adjacent guest harbour parking. Promotional pages usually quote 75 km for the same stage, which matches within normal rounding for shoreline routing. Visit Kuhmo also lists an indicative moving time near 14 hours 40 minutes for the full stage in calm conditions—most touring groups still spread the distance across about three paddling days with shelter stops, though strong crews sometimes compress to two days when weather allows. The chain mixes river current on Pajakkajoki, wide-lake crossings on Ontojärvi and Kiimasjärvi, portages beside Katerman and Kallioinen power stations, and shorter connectors before Sotkamo—plan reserve time for carries and wind delays on open water.
Getting there
Start in central Kuhmo: Maakunnanranta Kuhmo, Maakunnanranta Kuhmo parkkipaikka, Ruukinrannan parkkipaikka, and Pajakkasuvannon melontalaituri give practical road access beside the town beach and library quarter, with additional street parking around Kuhmo talo and Juminkeko when you stage gear. Akonkoski parkkipaikka supports an alternative put-in after the first few kilometres if you prefer to skip town harbours. Paloniemen parkkipaikka reaches Ontojärven Paloniemen veneranta for mid-lake access, while Katerman parkkipaikka and Kallioisen parkkipaikka sit at the hydropower portages. Ontojoen Kurikkalahden parkkipaikka serves the laavu cluster, Kaitainsalmen parkkiapaikka the strait crossing, and Salmelan parkkipaikka the late-stage shore. In Sotkamo use Sotkamon venesatama parkkipaikka, Huovisen Konstan parkkipaikka, or street access near Sotkamon tori for shuttles.
Good to know
Carry spare drinking water and a repair kit: official shelters are spaced for a three-day plan but summer heat and headwinds can slow progress on Ontojärvi and Kiimasjärvi. Respect hydropower safety zones and only use marked portage tracks when you pass Katerman and Kallioinen. For lure fishing with more than one rod or some gear combinations on state waters around Kuhmo, buy the correct Metsähallitus permit package in addition to the national fishing management fee where applicable—check Eräluvat area 4510 for Kuhmo state waters. During forest-fire warnings open fires may be banned even at maintained fireplaces; verify warnings before lighting a campfire at Ärjä or Kurikkalahden landings.
Sotkamo Marina and Hiukan uimaranta sit beside the route end if you need a swim after unloading; follow local harbour rules for mixed motor and paddle traffic.
History
Kainuun tervareitti follows tar-transport waterways that 19th- and early-20th-century producers used to float barrelled tar toward Oulu. Regional marketing still frames the modern paddling network as a revival of those freight corridors, now maintained for recreation.
Itinerary
Example pacing using on-route shelters (adjust to wind and fitness):
Day 1 – About 20–24 km from Maakunnanranta and Pajakkasuvanto through Pajakkajoki and Ontojärvi toward Ärjä: overnight at Ärjä kota and Ärjä tulentekopaikka with dry toilet nearby.
Day 2 – Cross Ontojärvi toward Katerman veneranta, carry Katerman Suituan melontalähtö and Kallioisen veneluiskat, rest at Ontojoen Kurikkalahden Laavu and grillipaikka (roughly km 30–42): push on to Lehtosaaren laavu Kiimasjärvi if weather allows.
Day 3 – Paddle Kiimasjärvi, cross Kaitainsalmen veneenlaskupaikka, use Eskonsaaren esteetön laavu ja taukopaikka, then finish at Sotkamo Marina and Sotkamon venesatama (about km 73–74).
Visit Kuhmo frames the same stage as a three-day trip with two-day options for fit groups.
Where to rent kayaks
Kalevala Camping (Kalevalan juhlatakomo) publishes hourly, three-hour, and daily rates for solo kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes, and SUP boards from Väinämöinen 13 in Kuhmo, with advance booking recommended during the summer season. EräPiira lists canoe and kayak rental packages on Wild Taiga and also offers guided paddling trips on regional lake and river routes—contact them if you want shuttle support or instruction rather than a bare rental.
Guided tours & Experiences
EräPiira advertises guided canoe trips on wilderness lake and river routes plus speciality experiences such as winter rapid floating on Pajakkakoski; see their programme pages on Wild Taiga for current offerings.
The stage is paddled downstream and generally westward from central Kuhmo toward Sotkamo; shuttle plans sometimes stage vehicles at Sotkamon venesatama parkkipaikka and Huovisen Konstan parkkipaikka while launching from Kuhmo town harbours.
Route direction
Recreation Area
Recreation Area
Island
Island
Lake
Lake
River
River
Open / Good Condition
Open / Good Condition
Visit Kuhmo – Kainuu Tar Route stage 2 (Kuhmo–Sotkamo)
Visit Kuhmo lists an indicative moving time near 14 hours 40 minutes for the full stage and describes the trip as commonly three paddling days, with a two-day finish possible for strong crews. Arctic Lakeland uses the same three-day framing in its regional overview.
Est. Time
Point-to-Point
Route Type
Has Portages
Portage
Class I (Easy)
Rapids class
Lake Paddling
Water type
River Paddling
Water type
Visit Kuhmo – Kainuu Tar Route stage 2 (Kuhmo–Sotkamo)+
Be the first to write a review for "Kainuu Tar Route – Stage 2: Kuhmo to Sotkamo"
Share a photo from a recent trip
Answers to your questions
CC BY-NDFadecreative, Pasi Korhonen, Outdoors Kainuu
Our data was researched from Sotkamo, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.
