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Saimaa Canal cycling route to Nuijamaa

—•Biking Trails

49.8 km

Route

Description

Visit Lappeenranta – Cycling in Lappeenranta+

Description

The Saimaa Canal cycling route to Nuijamaa is an about 49.8 km ride in South Karelia that follows the canal corridor from the Mälkiä lock area toward Nuijamaa and returns through open countryside, keeping you between the historic Old Saimaa Canal and the present deep-water canal. Visit Lappeenranta lists it among the city’s longer themed rides and points to maps and the wider regional cycling network. GoSaimaa describes the same idea in Finnish: riding the canal bank, watching ships in the locks, and using a self-service hand-winch cable ferry to cross the old canal near Nuijamaa church village—an unusual hands-on detail on an otherwise straightforward ride. Discover Saimaa’s write-up from a guided e-bike outing captures how dramatic the lock chambers feel when water levels change and how the museum garden and café zone invite a pause beside the stone structures. In Lappeenranta, the ride lines up with the city’s waterfront walking route Rantaraitti, Lappeenranta and the start of the long Lappeenranta–Imatra “cities on the border” cycling route—useful if you want to stitch day stages or combine harbour, fortress, and canal sightseeing. Paddlers often use the separate Hirvisaaren kierros kayaking loop on the same waterfront; it shares some shoreline character but follows water, not roads. Along the mapped bike route you pass local sports clusters and beaches that sit just off the main line: early on, Murheistenrannan uimapaikka offers a swim stop near Pontus, Himanmäki rises as a modest forested hill section, and toward Nuijamaa the line comes close to Konnunsuon nurmikenttä before reaching Räihän and Nuijamaan ulkokuntosali and Nuijamaan frisbeegolfrata—handy for a strength station or a quick disc round. Closer to town again near Mustola you ride past Mustolan luistelukenttä and Mustolan pallokenttä where winter ski trails such as Mustolan valaistu latu branch off for skiers—another activity layer if you return in snow. Surfaces are a Finnish “gravel tour” mix: paved canal-side sections and quieter asphalt links alternate with gravel and compacted rural roads; after rain, low spots can soften—tyres with some volume suit the whole day. The ride is moderate in effort rather than extreme: allow roughly half a day of pedalling plus lock watching and café time. Lighting is daylight for most riders; bring lamps if you might finish near dusk. For the latest on events, maps, and how the city presents cycling infrastructure, check the city’s cycling page again before you leave.

Length & route

About 49.8 km on one continuous line as recorded for this page; not a closed loop. The shape runs from the Mälkiä canal museum and lock neighbourhood toward Nuijamaa and returns via rural roads, keeping the old and new canal corridors in play for most of the day.

Getting there

Join the route beside the Saimaa Canal Museum and Mälkiä lock on Sulkuvartijankatu, the same sector where the shorter Saimaa Canal cultural foot trail begins on the bank between the Mälkiä and Mustola locks. City bike stations and charging points are distributed around the centre and harbour; unlock Donkey Republic bikes through the Kaakau scheme and pick a station that suits your approach. If you arrive by car, aim for public parking near the canal zone and ride the last kilometres on local streets to the museum forecourt.

Good to know

Ship passages and lock operations follow navigation schedules, not cyclists—pause on safe verges when vessels are moving. The hand-winch cable ferry over the old canal is a user-operated crossing; wait your turn, balance the boat gently, and follow any posted instructions. Respect private yards and working harbour areas along the canal bank.

Where to rent bikes

Donkey Republic city bikes are available across Lappeenranta through the Kaakau service: download the app, unlock a bike at a station such as Harbour Square or Market Square, and return it to any official drop-off. The Visit Lappeenranta city bike page explains pricing tiers and links to the live station map on Digitransit. For gravel or e-bike needs beyond city bikes, check specialist shops in the centre before a long canal day.

Managed by

Lappeenranta

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Most riders start from the Mälkiä museum side in Lappeenranta and follow the published GPX; either direction works if you mirror the stage.

Route direction

Open / Good Condition

Activities allowed

Bike

Activity

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

49.8 km

Distance

About 4–6 hours of riding at a touring pace, excluding long lock-watching or café stops; allow a full day if you photograph every ship transit.

Est. Time

Mixed asphalt on canal approaches and quieter roads, with gravel and compacted forest and farm lanes on connecting legs—ride tyres that handle both.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Wide Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Location

61.07510°N, 28.30537°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

South KareliaRegion

LappeenrantaCity

NuijamaaVillage

Biking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Murheistenrannan uimapaikka

351 m

Free

Ravattilan koulun pallokenttä

282 m

Free

Räihän tenniskentät

289 m

Räihän kaukalo

289 m

Free

Mustolan luistelukenttä

263 m

Free

Mälkiän pallokenttä

351 m

Partalan koulun kaukalo

305 m

Free

Ravattilan kaukalo

176 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Lappeenranta, 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.

Finland South Karelia Lappeenranta Biking TrailsSaimaa Canal cycling route to Nuijamaa