Tour to Saraakallio cliff paintings (Laukaa)

With our expert guides you can admire the Stone-Age cliff paintings of Saraakallio from a canoe or SUP-board. In winter the site is accessible with snow shoes and cross-country skis.

The tour departs from Laukaa harbour, but we may pick up our guests from their hotel or cottage accommodations in Jyväskylä, or other neighbouring places. Before embarkation a short introduction to the paddling technique and safety on the water.  The paddling lasts about one hour ro reach the area, where we get together and check on the paintings. While also discussing local culture-history  refreshments are served. 

Duration of the tour is about 3 hours (+ transport, if aplicable).

Group size: 1-15 people

Suitable for: anybody with swimming abilities

Physical demand: easy, fair

Price includes: equipment, guidance, refreshments

Available: all year around, except weak ice season, with tailored timetable and advance reservation. 

Price:  75 euro / person, minimum charge 495 euro / group

Please contact us via e-mail to agree on the date and time of departure.

As an extended variant of this tour we can paddle up to Kirkkoniemi (+6 km) and visit the remains of the oldest church of inner Finland. In this tour we enjoy a warm meal, prepared on open fire, before the return trip to Laukaa. On this route we experience Tarvaalanvirta rapids both upstream and downstream an an exclusive opportulity for first touch on white water paddling. 

Duration of the tour about 8 hours, (+ transport if applicable)

Group size:: 5 - 15 people, larger groups negotiable

Suitable for: anybody with swimming abilities

Pyhsical demand: fair, demanding

Price includes equipment, guidance, warm lunch, prepared together and served at fireplace

Available: May - October, with tailored timetable and advance reservation. 

Prices from 110 euro / person, minimum charge 745 euro / group

Participants have to wear own personal outdoor clothing, according to the weather.

About Saraakallio

Wiht the end or the last ice age (about 10 000 years ago) the break of the Heinola Ridge formed an island that was 4.3 kilometers long and 300–1,800 meters wide. The about 700 meters long southern peninsula on this island was Saraakallio. As the land rose from the melted ice water, the island connected on its northern part to the mainland. The newly formed  cape dominates the landscape still today. The site is at the junction of the waterways of Viitasaari - Saarijärvi, Rautalampi and of Päijänne, through Leppäväsi, which made it an importanta place of trade and transport, thus making a preferable place for early humal settlement as well 

The Saraakallio rock paintings are located on the eastern shore of Saraavesi, opposite Laukaa village. The rock walls have the largest picture field of rock paintings in Fennoscandia. About 140 rock paintings or parts of them have been identified, though only 20 of the images are clearly visible. Motifs include deer, man, swastika, boat, horn-boat motif, snake, palm prints, double images, zigzag and geometric patterns. The images are usually small, 20–30 cm and rarely 50 cm. The uppermost painted moose animals on Saraakallio are 100 cm long. The paintings are located 5-18 meters abowe the present surface level of Saraavesi.

Saraakallio is considered an ancient sacred place and it is protected by law, as significant culture-historical site.