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The Pole of Cold. Winter expedition to Yakutia

  • 23 more photos

Travel to the World’s Coldest Inhabited Place located in the Eastern part of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). Standard tour for Russian holidays in Siberia! Experience Russian holidays in soft adventure tour through the cold Siberian weather. The coldest period is the midst and end of December, January, and the first half of February.

from €1 913
What’s included in the price? Submit request
Duration
8 Days
7 Nights
Dates
  • Any dates on individual request
  • group dates
    • 1 Jan – 8 Jan
    • 4 Jan – 11 Jan
    • 22 Jan – 29 Jan
    • 19 Feb – 26 Feb
    • 4 Mar – 11 Mar
    • 18 Mar – 25 Mar
Complexity
The load for beginners
Accommodation
    Comfort
    Basic+
    Group
    Up to 12 people
    Group meet at
    Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk
    The most profitable tickets to Russia

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    Main impressions

    Lena Pillars Nature Park

    View the most notable pillar landscape of their kind known

    Oymyakon

    Visit the world’s coldest inhabited place located in Russia

    Reindeer

    Visit to reindeer herders winter camp with reindeer sleigh ride

    Route

    • Day 1 — Arrival in Yakutsk. City Tour

      Arrival in Yakutsk in the morning. 

      Transfer to hotel.

      Free time.

      5-hr city sightseeing & extra warm clothes shopping. W/ a guide and on transport/s. W/ entry tickets to the Atlasovs’ complex and the “Kingdom of Permafrost” ice tunnel (also known as Permafrost Museum).

      Time for dinner at the restaurant of the “Chochur Muran” ethnographic complex (meals not included, to be paid on spot).

      Transfer to hotel/s.

      Free time in the evening.

    • Day 2 — Day Trip to Lena Pillars Nature Park

      We start our one-day winter journey at 08:00 and end at ±21:00.

      Drive the road Yakutsk.

      Batamai village for 3.5-4 hrs one way. The road goes along the Lena River south off Yakutsk. We pass Pokrovsk town, settlements of Bulgunnyakhtah, Elanka, and Tumul.

      We’ll have stops at the Stone Pillars of Elanka, where we will have the exclusive excursion to ancient caves and rock paintings. From Batamai, we cross the Lena River toward Lena Pillars by walk or a snowmobile with a passenger sledge.

      We stay at Lena Pillars for 2 hours. Temperature might be as low as minus -30C and -45C.

      Though wind factor should be considered.

      • 3 more photos
    • Day 3 — Driving from Yakutsk to Khandyga

      Drive distance: 432 km (according to our GPS track), 10 hours w/ meal & photo stops. Overnight in a private apartment-based hotel in Khandyga.

      We start our journey from hotel at 09:00 am. This day’s activity:

      Crossing the Lena River on the ice road. Stop for the group photo.

      Stop on the opposite bank of the Lena River to overlook the river landscape with Yakutsk in background.

      See many traditional Sakha villages. Stops for photo shoots.

      Stop on the bank of the Aldan River.

      Crossing the Aldan River.

      Two stops at roadside cafes (meals are not included).

      • 3 more photos
    • Day 4 — Driving Khandyga – Kyubyume – Oymyakon

      Distance ~514 km (according to our GPS track), ~10 hours w/ meal stops and photo shoots. Accommodation and dinner at family’s in Oymyakon. We start journey at 08:00 am and arrive to Oymyakon late night. We’ll do the following stops.

      Time for breakfast at a café in Khandyga (not included).

      Before approaching Verkhoyansk Mountains for photo shoot and a visit to GULAG history museum (if opened).

      At the memorial with the big Cross on the rock, dedicated to the victims of the Gulag system.

      Chernyj Prizhim (literally it means the Black Narrow Pass with the highest bridge on the ridge).

      Kyubyume Fuel Station with the “Cuba” road cafe and the tube where all adventurers attach their own expedition sticks.

      Tomtor village for re-fuel at a gas station.

      Two stops at roadside cafes (meals are not included). Actually, we can do many stops. Dinner (included) and overnight at family’s in Oymyakon.

    • Day 5 — Day in Oymyakon

      Accommodation at family’s in Oymyakon. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner at family’s. Activities:

      Breakfast at family’s (included).

      Experiments with the cold in the family’s backyard (freeze your T-shirt, towel, etc; you might also bring fruits and vegetable to freeze and photo).

      Visit to the “The Pole of Cold” Stella with meeting Chyskhaan, Keeper of the Cold, and receiving the Pole of Cold Certificate from his hands.

      Walking around the village.

      Swimming in the Indigirka River.

      Lunch at family’s (included) – Ice fishing on the Indigirka River. You’ll see the traditional net fishing method.

      Dinner at family’s (included).

      Sakha Culture Evening in the House of Archy.

      Late evening tea at family’s (included).

      • 3 more photos
    • Day 6 — Driving from Oymyakon to Khandyga with a stop in Tomtor

      Drive distance: ~514 km (according to our GPS track). Overnight in a private apartment-based hotel in Khandyga.

      On the way to Tomtor, we’ll do stop by to visit the farm of Yakutian horses, original Siberian breed (small and steady, and accustomed to live outdoor in the extremely cold conditions).

      In Tomtor, we’ll go inside the ice tunnel (former food storage) with giant ice crystals on walls and ceiling and walk up on top of the hill to see the whole Oymyakon valley from above.

      If we would be lucky, we visit reindeer herders’ winter camp and ride reindeer sleighs.

      Visit to reindeer herders is possible if they would be based close to the Tomtor road.

      When heading to Khandyga, we’ll see all the beauty of the nature landscape we missed when drove in darkness on the way to Oymyakon the other day.

      Two stops at roadside cafes en route (meals not included). Arrival in Khandyga in the late evening.

      • 3 more photos
    • Day 7 — Driving from Khandyga to Yakutsk

      This is driving day. We leave the hotel in Khandyga at 08:00 am.

      Do stops at roadside cafes in the villages of Uolba and Churapcha/Tyungyulyu (meals not included).

      We might have time to visit History & Architecture Outdoor Museum in the village of Cherkekh (entry tickets are not included).

      We arrive back to Yakutsk by the evening. Free time in the evening.

    • Day 8 — Departure Day

      Transfer to Yakutsk Airport. Flight from Yakutsk.

    Accommodation

    Comfort
    Basic+

    Group Size Cost Per Person 4 - 12 travelers 1995 EUR

    The Pole of Cold. Winter expedition to Yakutia

    Duration
    8 Days
    7 Nights
    Group
    Up to people
    Complexity
    The load for beginners
    Group meet at
    Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk

    Included in price

    • Visa invitation (if requested).
    • Transfer from airport to hotel on Arrival Day and transfer from hotel to airport on Departure Day.
    • 1 guide (tour leader) for all tour days.
    • Transport for 5 hours for city sightseeing on Day 1.
    • Entry tickets to 2 (two) venues during city tour on Day 1.
    • Day trip to Lena Pillars (transports w/ driver, entry tickets to Lena Pillars Nature Park, a warm house, packed meals).
    • Transports w/ driver for 5-day Oymyakon trip, including expenses on fuel, night parking in heated garages en route.
    • Accommodation in Khandyga (no breakfast; apartment w/ twin-triple rooms, shared kitchen, shared indoor WC & shower).
    • Accommodation at family’s in Oymyakon (w/ 2 breakfast, 1 lunch, 2 dinner; twin-triple rooms, shared kitchen, outdoor toilet, indoor sink). Alternative is a guest house in Tomtor w/ the same accommodation conditions, but with warm indoor WC/toilet.
    • The Oymyakon – Pole of Cold Certificate.
    • Ice-fishing (traditional) on the Indigirka River.
    • Sakha Culture Evening in Oymyakon.
    • Visit to Yakutian horse breeding farm in Oymyakon.
    • Visit to Ice Tunnel Complex in Tomtor.
    • Visit to reindeer herders’ winter camp with reindeer sleigh ride (if lucky and nomadic herders will be close to the Tomtor road).

    Paid extra

    • Air fares to/from Yakutsk.
    • Accommodation and meals in Yakutsk.
    • Meals at roadside cafes or other places during drives en route Yakutsk – Khandyga – Oymyakon and Oymyakon – Tomtor – Khandyga – Yakutsk (reserve ±1500 RUB/person per day).
    • Other activities in Oymyakon such as snowmobile rides, visit to Yakutian cows farm, etc .Rental of warm clothes, i.e., jacket (parka), Russian valenki (felt boots), upper winter pants, hats, gloves. Please, note that we can provide a parka and valenki for free if they would be available.
    • Entry tickets to public venues and museums in Yakutsk before the start of the tour.
    • Non-listed entertainment activities in Yakutsk such as dog sledding safari, snowmobile ride, etc.
    • Personal insurance policy.
    • Personal clothes & stuff.
    • Beverages.
    • Tips and gratitude.
    from €1 913
    What’s included in the price? Submit request
    Duration
    8 Days
    7 Nights
    Dates
    • Any dates on individual request
    • group dates
      • 1 Jan – 8 Jan
      • 4 Jan – 11 Jan
      • 22 Jan – 29 Jan
      • 19 Feb – 26 Feb
      • 4 Mar – 11 Mar
      • 18 Mar – 25 Mar
    Complexity
    The load for beginners
    Accommodation
      Comfort
      Basic+
      Group
      Up to 12 people
      Group meet at
      Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk
      The most profitable tickets to Russia

      Search for tickets of all airlines on Big Country Travel together with Aviasales!

      Search Airplane
      Together with Aviasales
      Aviasales logo
      from €1 913
      What’s included in the price? Submit request
      Duration
      8 Days
      7 Nights
      Dates
      • Any dates on individual request
      • group dates
        • 1 Jan – 8 Jan
        • 4 Jan – 11 Jan
        • 22 Jan – 29 Jan
        • 19 Feb – 26 Feb
        • 4 Mar – 11 Mar
        • 18 Mar – 25 Mar

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