Oulu Kayaking Routes

Kodanovisen melontareitti is a multi-day lake tour in the Kodanovinen island maze on Etelä-Konnevesi, starting and finishing at Hanhitaipaleen kalasatama in Rautalampi, North Savo. Metsähallitus lists the outing on Luontoon.fi as part of the Southern Konnevesi paddling network; Etelä-Konnevesi.fi describes it as about 19 km over three days and two nights, rated medium difficulty, for independent paddlers who can read a map and camp on their own(1)(2). The route is not marked on land—navigation is by map and chart(2). Officials note the line was adjusted to run along the west side of Kodanovinen(2). Equipment hire is available at the harbour put-in(2); Visit Rautalampi’s KalajaRetkeily page covers self-service canoe and kayak rental from Hanhitaipale and Törmälä, guided paddling and hiking, and boat transport to a launch you choose(4). Rest stops with lean-tos and firewood service include Kaituri and Enonranta retkisatamat, where tent camping is possible(2)(3). Highlights along the way include the Kodanovinen archipelago, Saukkosaari tafoni formations, the Käpynänukko rock face, Varpusenlinna islet, and the Ristikivi boulder with a painted cross in Aittosalmi—described in detail with map links on Retkipaikka(3). The same article notes the first section overlaps the shorter Käpynän kierros paddling circuit before branching at Käpynänniemi, and that an optional side trip to Kalajanjärvi (Iso-Kalaja) leaves the official line through a narrow strait(3). Land only at designated landing places to protect fragile shores; landing on Taavetinsaari is banned during bird nesting from 15 April to 31 July(3). Melontakeskus.fi summarises Etelä-Konnevesi as one of Central Finland’s clearest paddling environments, with large open-water sections where wind and waves can build quickly(6)—plan weather windows and seek shelter early. For printable regional water maps, the Municipality of Rautalampi publishes outdoor PDFs alongside other trail layers(5). If you fish with rod and line from the kayak, check whether the state kalastonhoitomaksu and any regional association rules apply; Eräluvat sells the state fee online(7).

Hietasaaren kierros is about 7 km as a paddling loop around Hietasaari and the Nallikari–Toppila shoreline, mixing the Oulu River estuary with open sea off Nallikari beach. For the official route text, landing points, and the downloadable paddling map (updated March 2024), use the City of Oulu’s paddling routes page(1). The city describes a counter-clockwise loop as the recommended direction: from Nallikari beach through the narrow Mustasalmi channel to Hartaanselkä, then along Toppilansalmi past Pitkänmöljä back toward Nallikari(1). In Mustasalmi the channel runs through a lush shoreline setting; from Hartaanselkä you can see the bridges of the Oulujoki, and Toppilansalmi passes the developing Meri-Toppila waterfront(1). Off Nallikari you paddle on open sea where swell can be strong. If conditions are rough, you can start the trip from the Mustasalmi mouth landing instead—still on the same network of official landing spots(1). In Toppilansalmi the route partly follows a boat channel, so paddlers must give way to motor traffic(1). Designated landing places along the route include Nallikari, the Mustasalmi mouth, and Vaakunakylä marina(1). Allow about two hours in a kayak or roughly five hours on a SUP at an easy pace, as the city’s route list suggests(1). Visit Oulu’s Hietasaari area page summarises the island’s land‑uplift coast, old villa gardens, and bird‑rich shore meadows—useful context if you combine paddling with time on land(2). Along the water’s edge near the start, the route passes services and facilities tied to Nallikari and Hietasaari: the beach and sports shore at Nallikari, Loistokari bird platform, a campfire spot on Hietasaari, and later the Tukkisaaret grill area and Meri‑Toppila parks as you move through the estuary—see our map for exact stops. Shorter paddles that share the same water include Keskusta–Nallikari‑melontareitti 4 km, Oulu and Suiston kierros 4 km, Oulu; Hietasaaren ulkoilureitit is the main walking network on the island if you want to stretch your legs ashore. Nallikari Safaris rents stable kayaks and canoes from Nallikarinranta 10 (Aalto building) with paddles, spray decks, and life jackets; summer 2026 opening hours and tiered pricing (for example 2 hours from €32) are published on their rental page, and they can hand over boats at a Mustasalmi container if wind at the beach is too strong(3). For a guided alternative, Oulu Delta Kayaking Safari runs from the Nallikari experience centre through Mustasalmi into the Oulu River delta with instruction and safety briefing—suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers alike(4).

Pikisaaren kierros is a short, easy loop in the Oulujoki estuary that circles Pikisaari — an island of wooden houses, studios, and shoreline paths just below Oulu city centre in North Ostrobothnia. On the map the line is about 2.4 km; the City of Oulu describes the paddling circuit as roughly 2.5 km(1). For current descriptions, landing places, and the downloadable estuary paddling map, start from the City of Oulu’s paddling routes page(1). The usual put-in is described as Pikisaari’s north shore beside the swimming beach: from there you paddle around the island in sheltered channels, with views of the protected wooden-building zone, delta bridges, and the city — market square, theatre, library, and the Raatti sports area — as well as the renewed Kuusisaari side(1). Pikisaari itself is half open shoreline nature and half culture: artists’ workshops and restaurants ashore, and a sandy beach at the island tip that invites a swim on warm days(2). Between Pikisaari and Kuusisaari you pass close to event venues; in festival season you may hear music from shore(3). Toward the northern channel, Tukkisaaret Grillauspaikka offers a campfire spot if you land briefly on shore. Skill-wise this is a relaxed urban estuary loop suited to beginners and families; allow about 40 minutes in a kayak or around an hour on a SUP(1). Longer outings in the same area can be chained with other marked city routes such as Keskusta-Nallikari-melontareitti 4 km, Oulu, Hollihaan kierros 2,5 km, Oulu, or Suiston kierros 4 km, Oulu — all documented on the same official paddling pages(1). Kayaks and SUP boards are available from operators such as Nallikari Safaris (Finnaction) at Nallikari, with seasonal opening hours and optional handover at a Mustasalmi container site when the beach is windy(4). Visit Oulu also lists a beginner “Melonta tutuksi” introduction session on the estuary with instruction and equipment provided by the organiser(5). Wear a life jacket, watch for shallow spots and other traffic, and follow the safety notes on the official paddling material — including staying clear of power-station hazard zones called out on the city map(1). We drew colour from Lappis.fi’s write-up of estuary paddling in Oulu for the on-water atmosphere around Pikisaari and Kuusisaari(3).

Hollihaan kierros is a short, easy loop in the Oulu river estuary in North Ostrobothnia: the mapped line on our page is about 2.3 km as one circuit, while the City of Oulu describes the same route at roughly 2.5 km on its kayaking routes page(1). For current safety wording, seasonal notes, and the downloadable estuary paddling map, start from the City of Oulu’s kayaking routes page and the updated PDF map(1)(2). You can begin from Kiikeli or Varsasaari and paddle among the small islands off Hollihaka with the market square waterfront in view; the leafy Sonnisaari island can be circled by boat, and the renewed Hollihaan park reads differently from the water than from land(1). Oulun matka’s paddling and SUP overview summarises the estuary network and points to the same official map for planning(3). Lappis.fi’s article on estuary paddling routes adds colour for visitors: it describes channels between the market and Kiikeli, a passage toward Hollihaka small-craft harbour, and a landing on Varsasaari intended for this kind of circuit, and notes that the route stays relatively sheltered on breezier days(4). Along the shore you pass a dense slice of city life: festival lawns and sports areas on Kuusisaari, the Raatti stadium shore, and—right next to Hollihaka—the Hollihaan outdoor cluster with skate park, parkour zone, and outdoor gym, all easy to spot from the water when you glide past. If you want a longer day on the water, the same neighbourhood connects naturally to other marked estuary circuits such as Pikisaaren kierros or the Keskusta–Nallikari route. Treat the estuary like shared traffic: off Kiikeli and Hollihaka the line runs partly along boat channels where paddlers must give way, and the city recommends a counterclockwise circuit so you can ride favourable current on sections that follow the main flow(1). Wear a buoyancy aid, watch shallows and rocks, carry a phone in a dry bag, and stay well away from the Merikoski power plant zone, which the city marks as extremely hazardous on its general paddling guidance(1)(3).

The City of Oulu publishes full route notes, safety reminders, and a downloadable paddling map PDF alongside its other Oulujoki estuary circuits(1). Visit Oulu highlights the same Keskusta–Nallikari line in its outdoor routes hub as a way to move from the city centre toward Nallikari’s sandy beach through green shoreline(2). Nallikari Lomakylä’s paddling pages point to that municipal map and describe kayak, canoe, and fishing kayak hire from Nallikari Safaris at the beach end of the line during the main summer season(3). As mapped, the route is about 4 km one way and is not a loop: it links the market area and Kiikeli with Nallikari along the southwestern side of Pikisaari, threads through the smaller islands of the estuary, passes the narrow Mustasalmi strait, and opens toward the sea at Nallikari. Along the way you pass the market front, Pikisaari’s protected wooden-house milieu, and the contrast between sheltered channels and more exposed water off the beach. About one kilometre along the line, Tukkisaaret Grillauspaikka offers a campfire spot on the wooded islands; farther on, Hietasaaren tulentekopaikka sits near the Hietasaari shore, and Loistokarin lintulava gives a quiet birdwatching stop before the beach hotels. Nallikarin uimaranta is the natural landing at the northern Riviera end, with spa and holiday-village services nearby including Oulun kylpylähotelli Eden. Nallikari Safaris runs guided estuary safaris that use Mustasalmi and the island maze toward the city-side waterfront, with briefings for beginners and alternative launch plans if wind picks up at the beach(4). The land alternative along the same shore is the Pyöräilyn pääreitti 12 Oulu–Nallikari cycling backbone, useful if part of your group stays ashore. Oulu lies on the Bothnian Bay coast in North Ostrobothnia; this line is one of the shortest ways to experience the delta by paddle without committing to a long coastal crossing.

The City of Oulu publishes the Suiston kierros circuit with timings, safety notes, and a downloadable paddling map PDF on its paddling routes hub, alongside the other Oulujoki estuary loops(1). Visit Oulu highlights the same route in its outdoor routes list as city channels, narrow passages, island sides, and passages under bridges(2). Lappis, which runs guided estuary safaris in the area, describes this loop as the one most often used on instructor-led trips and names extra shoreline stops and services in a longer route article worth scanning for trip ideas(3). As mapped, the circuit is about 4.5 km around the Oulujoki estuary. The municipal description treats it as a 4 km loop taking roughly an hour in a kayak or two hours on a SUP, starting from Kiikeli, Pikisaari, or Varsasaari(1). You pass the market front, paddle along the northeast side of Pikisaari toward Sorsasaari, where you can circle the island, then move between Hietasaari and the Kiramo and Tiirasaari islets toward the Hollihaa channels before threading back through small islands toward Kiikeli; you can also circle Sonnisaari(1). Along the city shore you pass Raatin stadion and the Raatti swimming hall frontage, then Kuusisaaren kuntoilupaikka and the wider Kuusisaari recreation shore where summer festival sound sometimes carries across the water(3). Around Korkeasaaren tenniskentät (8 kpl) and the Tukkisaaret Grillauspaikka cluster you are in the wooded island maze east of the centre; farther north the line reaches Hollihaan ulkokuntoilupaikka and the leafy Hollihaa park shore before closing the loop. Off Hollihaa the route partly follows a boat lane: you must give way to powered craft(1). The Pikisaaren kierros 2,5 km, Oulu and Keskusta-Nallikari-melontareitti 4 km, Oulu routes share many of the same channels for shorter outings, and the Pyöräilyn pääreitti 12 Oulu-Nallikari cycling spine follows the waterfront if part of your group stays on land. North Ostrobothnia meets the Bothnian Bay here; Oulu is the regional hub, and this loop is a compact way to read the suisto by paddle without a long open-sea crossing.