River Cruise on the Lena River in Yakutia

We will arrive at Kirensk – the oldest city in Irkutsk Oblast. We will walk over the city and river embankment, and visit a local history museum.

Kirensk was founded in 1630 by the Cossacks under Vasily Bugor as a winter settlement called Nikolsky pogost. Along with Ust-Kut, it was one of the two main portages between the Yenesey and Lena basins. 

We will stop in a picturesque place and walk. You will be able to go fishing and try local fish soup.

Lenskiye Shyoky is one of the most beautiful and famous places of the upper Lena River. It is situated 172 km up from the Vitim River Estuary. These three fancy pointy cliffs of 200 meters high are situated above the river and present a narrow canyon with sharp turnings. This is the narrowest place of the Lena, the span is less than 200 meters here.

We will enter the Vitim River (a right tributary of the Lena River). We will walk to a lyceum in Vitim settlement and visit the local history museum at the lyceum. After that we will return to the Lena River.

Vitim is an urban-type settlement in the Lenskiy Region. Veatim is situated on the Lena Rivers’ left bank against the Veatim River Estuary. Settlement was based in 1621. 

We will walk over the city of Lensk and visit a local history museum and a wooden St. Innokentiy orthodox church built in traditional Russian orthodox style.

Alternatively (for an extra fee), we can set out on a bus excursion to Mirny. We will depart early in the morning (breakfast will be provided in lunch boxes). We will walk over the city and visit a viewing point in “Mir” Quarry and a museum of kimberlites. We will visit a famous Kimberlite Pipe called Mir. Mirniy was called in honor of this pipe. Besides tourists will visit a  Kimberlite Museum and a Nature Park called the Diamonds of Yakutia.

After that we will have lunch and return to Lensk.

Green Stay. We will walk on the river bank and enjoy beautiful rocks. You will be able to go fishing (you may catch pikes, freshwater cods or pike-perches).

The cliffs called Bell and Stone are shown beyond Chapaevo village where the Ura River makes its way from the gorge to the Lena River. River transport workers gave the river such a name because of its uncontrollable rage. There is a beautiful waterfall ten kilometers far from this place. The waterfall’s height is 30 meters. The Ura River divides the Lena River into two equal parts from the headstream to the estuary. From the side of the ship you can see a picturesque panorama of the Lena and the Ura Rivers in the multicolor magnificence of Yakutian taiga.

We will have a bus excursion over the city founded by Cossacks – the church, the chapel and the eunuch house here are the stronghold of the most unfortunate religious sects in tsar Russia. We will visit a local history museum.

The distance from Yakutsk is 651 kilometers of a land way and 620 kilometers of the water way. Olyokminskiy Ostrog was based by the Yenisei Cossacks in 1635. 

We will visit Lena Pillars – a famous Russian national park listed as UNESCO World Heritage. We will participate in a national welcome ritual and climb to a viewing point listening to guide’s stories. We will take beautiful pictures and then rest at the river bank.    

Stay in the Lena Pillars National Park where one can see steep rocks, the unique natural phenomenon. The pillars have 200 meters height and are stretched for 80 km along the river. One can distinguish colonnades, arches and battlements in their shapes. You will enjoy a wonderful rest in this fairyland. After having a welcome ceremony with ritual dance and Purifying with Fire Ceremony you are guided to rock massif. 

We will visit “Druzhba” Historical and Architectural Open-Air Museum with an attending guide. After that you will have enough time rest at the seaside.

An excursion to Druzhba (Friendship) historic-architecture open-air museum located on the place of the primary foundation of the Lensk Stockaded Town founded by the Russian Cossacks, the future city of Yakutsk. The Museum presents samples of ancient wooden architecture in traditional Russian and Yakut styles. Expositions of wooden home utensils, national Yakut clothes and monuments of a Russian Orthodoxy are of great interest. Wonderful landscapes and interesting historical excursions make the museum visit both informative and pleasant.

We will arrive at 04:00 am. 

Breakfast. Luggage check.

Transfer to the airport. Departure from Yakutsk.