Vaikkojoki


Vaikkojoki River is a long river, which is in provinces of Northern Karelia and Northern Savonia.
The waters of Vaikkojoki River flows from Lake Vaikkojärvi to Lake Kaavinjärvi, from the municipality of Juuka to municipality of Kaavi. The elevation difference of the river is more than. There are 27 rapids in Vaikkojoki River. The total length of the rapids is approximately.
Lake Kärenjärvi, Lake Vihtajärvi, Lake Saarijärvi and Lake Retunen are the largest lakes in the area of Vaikkojoki River.
The total length of Vaikkojoki Canoeing Route is about.

Tourism

Vaikkojoki River is a versatile recreational and leisure area offering outdoor activities round the year. Most of the tourism enterprises of the area are located in Kaavi, Northern Savonia.
The tourism enterprises of Vaikkojoki area offer accommodation services which include holiday villages, cottages and camping sites. The transportation services and hiring services are also available.
The program services include many kinds of activities: archery, biking, boating, canoeing, cross-country skiing, fishing, winter fishing, hiking, horse riding, berry picking, mushroom picking, sauna, shooting the rapids and walking with snowshoes. The local tourism enterprises sell the fishing permissions too.

Shooting the rapids

In Kaavi it is possible to shoot the rapids on Vaikkojoki River in the spring and early summer. The expeditions, covering, are done in a purpose-made boat steered by a professional helmsman.

Canoeing Route

The total length of the Canoeing Route of Vaikkojoki River is circa.
There are landing sites near Lake Lietukka, Makkarasärkkä, Kusiaiskoski Rapid, Rakkinekoski Rapid and Multivääränkoski Rapid. Some of the campfire sites are covered.

Fishing

Species

The natural catch species of the rapids of Vaikkojoki River are the brown trout, the grayling and the ide. Stocked catch species are the rainbow trout and the grayling. The northern pike is also a catch species.

Fishing permits

A fishing permit for Vaikkojoki River can be obtained e.g. from the local tourist enterprises. A fisherman 18 to 64 years old has to purchase also personal National fishing management fee. The child under the age of 12 is allowed to fish with the same fishing permit of an accompanied adult. The special fishing permits for school groups are available.
The fisherman may purchase a fishing permit for a day, week or for the whole season. One of the fishing permits covers the whole area from Lake Vaikkojärvi, Juuka of Northern Karelia down to Sivinvirta Rapid, Kaavi of Northern Savonia. Usually the permit covers also the lakes of the area. Some fishing permits cover only certain part of the river.
Allowed fishing methods in the rapids are spin fishing and fly fishing. The amount of catch is limited. Fishing is not permitted in Kajoonkoski Rapid.

Protection status

Vaikkojoki River has been designated the status of a protected area enlisted in the Natura 2000 ecological network of the E.U..

Habitat types

Vaikkojoki River is situated in Boreal Biogeographic Region. Protected area covers 258 hectares. The most typical habitat types are coniferous woodland, Western taïga, Fennoscandian natural rivers and bog woodland.
The other habitats of Vaikkojoki Natura 2000 Site are natural dystrophic lakes and ponds, active raised bogs, transition mires and quaking bogs.
The minimum elevation of Vaikkojoki Natura 2000 Site is. The maximum is, and the mean is.

Bird species

, common crane and western capercaillie are the biggest birds in the area of Vaikkojoki.
The green sandpiper and the common gull are typical freshwater birds in the river habitat. Other bird species include the common chaffinch, the willow warbler, the tree pipit, the common redpoll, the great tit, the spotted flycatcher, the red crossbill, the Eurasian treecreeper, the wood warbler, the greenish warbler and the goldcrest.