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Valdai Hills

Mountain

The Valdai Hills in Tver Oblast form a watershed where rivers including the Volga begin; visitors hike forested slopes, sail lakes and visit monasteries in the region.

Valdai Hills MoscowSaint PetersburgKazanSochiNizhny NovgorodValdai Hills
In this guide

Valdai Hills essentials

Address: Valdai Hills (Valdai Hills National Park area), Tver Oblast / Novgorod Oblast, Russia
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About Valdai Hills

The Valdai Hills are an upland region in northwestern Russia characterised by rolling hills, lakes and mixed forest. The plateau-like hills form the headwaters for several major rivers, including the Volga.

The landscape is shaped by glacial and post-glacial processes and contains numerous lakes and wetlands; it has long been used for forestry, agriculture and seasonal settlement. The area is noted for its natural scenery rather than high mountain peaks.

The Valdai Hills lie roughly midway between Moscow and Saint Petersburg and extend across parts of the Tver and Novgorod regions and neighbouring areas in northwestern Russia.

  • Watershed: Several major Russian rivers, including the Volga, originate in the uplands of the Valdai Hills, making the area an important watershed.
When to Go

Best Time to Visit Valdai Hills

Valdai Hills are best visited in summer for boating and hiking and in autumn for foliage and quieter trails.

Summer
June-August · 15°C-25°C
Warmest season for hiking and boating on lakes.
Autumn
September-October · 5°C-12°C
Crisp air and autumn colors; fewer tourists and good mushroom foraging time.

Weather & Climate near Valdai Hills

Climate

Valdai Hills's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -11°C to 22°C. Moderate rainfall (675 mm/year).

Air Quality: AQI 31 Good
Best Time to Visit
JulyMayJune
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
37°
Warmest Month
-41°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January Poor -11° - -5° -13° 42 mm overcast 99% 2.9 m/s 0.0 low 7.4h
February Poor -11° - -4° -13° 31 mm overcast 99% 3.0 m/s 0.1 low 9.3h
March Poor -6° - 2° -6° 34 mm overcast 97% 2.7 m/s 0.3 low 11.7h
April Good 0° - 9° 3° 34 mm partly cloudy 85% 2.7 m/s 0.6 moderate 14.0h
May Good 6° - 17° 11° 57 mm partly cloudy 81% 2.7 m/s 1.0 high 16.2h
June Good 10° - 21° 15° 79 mm partly cloudy 82% 2.4 m/s 1.3 high 17.3h
July Very Good 12° - 22° 17° 90 mm partly cloudy 83% 2.2 m/s 1.3 high 16.8h
August Good 11° - 20° 15° 81 mm partly cloudy 84% 2.3 m/s 0.9 moderate 14.9h
September Acceptable 6° - 14° 9° 66 mm overcast 87% 2.5 m/s 0.5 low 12.6h
October Poor 1° - 8° 2° 62 mm overcast 92% 3.0 m/s 0.2 low 10.2h
November Poor -4° - 0° -6° 51 mm overcast 96% 2.9 m/s 0.0 low 8.0h
December Poor -8° - -4° -11° 48 mm overcast 98% 3.0 m/s 0.0 low 6.7h
Getting There & Around

How to Get to Valdai Hills

By road the Valdai Hills are reachable from Moscow via the M10 highway (roughly 300-400 km depending on destination). Trains and buses serve regional towns such as Valday and Veliky Novgorod; local roads lead to lakeside settlements and park entrances.

Tips for Visiting Valdai Hills

  • Base in towns like Valday for hikes and to visit the Iversky Monastery nearby.
  • Roads in the Valdai region can be slow in winter; plan extra travel time if driving from Moscow on the M10.
  • Bring binoculars for birdwatching on the lake shores - the area is migratory habitat for many species.