Big Country Travel: Trips to Russia, Adventure Tours & Vacation Packages

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We invite you to discover the Yamal Peninsula and experience its magic. This is a permafrost zone, a mysterious corner of the Russian Arctic, a nature reserve, a region with an original history. Here, the ancient traditions of the indigenous peoples of the North go side by side with modern technologies, and nature is in harmony with people.

Location

Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Salekhard

Sightseeing tours

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Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Jade Valley

Let's admire the Alpine landscape, the famous jade waterfall and the mountain with the intriguing name Dinosaur

Ancient inhabitants of the North

We will see the archaeological collection and the remains of the mammoth Lyuba

Flexible program

On a free day, we can just relax or choose an excursion to your taste, for example, go to the glacier of romantics

Itinerary

Day 1 - Salekhard
The order of days may change due to weather conditions. Important: the time difference from Moscow is +2 hours.
The transport part of the route is a minibus (about 10 km).
08:00 We will meet you at Salekhard Airport (recommended Yamal airport flight YC32, departure from Moscow (Domodedovo) at 03:15).
08:30 We leave for the hotel and check in.
We suggest you relax after a night flight or take a walk around the city on your own. We will definitely tell you where to take a walk and have a snack. On this day, we specially start the excursion program after lunch to make it convenient for you.
At 14:15 We go on a sightseeing tour of Salekhard by minibus.
What to watch:
"The Mammoth." Let's take a picture next to the charming symbol of Salekhard– Mitya the mammoth. This is a sculpture that the townspeople love very much and sometimes dress up in different costumes.
Obdorsky prison. We will take a walk through the architectural complex under the open sky, repeating the appearance of the ancient fortress. The complex is new, but built using traditional technology without a single nail. Obdorsky prison marked the beginning of modern Salekhard and at the time of its foundation in 1593 was the northernmost in Siberia. Let's look at the harsh life of the 16th century, climb to the observation deck, look at the watchtowers and look into the forge.
The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. We will visit the only functioning 19th century temple in the city and the district. This is the world's first stone Orthodox church, built on permafrost in 1894. It had a difficult fate, it was partially destroyed, but restored to its former glory in 1998.
The 66th Parallel stele, where we will hold a solemn ceremony of crossing the Arctic Circle with the presentation of personalized certificates and take unique photos.
The 66th Parallel stele is a geographical feature of the city, it is located just where the Arctic Circle passes. It was first installed in 1980 in a completely different part of the city, but in 2003 the error was sorted out. Employees of the geological and geodetic supervision of Salekhard were invited to determine the correct line of the Arctic circle. The monument was dismantled and installed near the Airport—Salekhard highway. Now everything is accurate!
16:15 We go to the I.S. Shemanovsky Museum and Exhibition Complex.
The first and largest museum in Yamal holds a unique exhibit - the remains of a baby mammoth Lyuba, found in 2007. The permafrost has completely preserved the skin, trunk, all other parts of the body, and even the contents of the mammalian stomach. The discovery became a sensation for the entire scientific world!
In addition, in the museum we will look at unique products made of clay, bone, metal, stone, organic materials (wood, birch bark, leather, etc.), illustrating the daily life of people in the North from the Mesolithic era (6th millennium BC) to Modern times (XVI–XIX centuries) and a large ethnographic collection..
And where else can you see an almost complete skeleton of a mammoth and a woolly rhinoceros?
All the guests of Yamal are happy to visit this museum, because it is completely different from the usual city museums. That is why we always include his visit in our programs.
18:00 Return to the hotel and free time to discuss impressions, relax and have a delicious dinner at one of the restaurants in the city.
We will definitely give you all the appearances and passwords to make the evening a success.

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Day 2 - Salekhard – Polar Urals – Valley of Jade
Today we will go to the Jade Valley, which got its name due to the green semi–precious stones - jade and jadeite. Jade Valley is located at the site of a fracture of the earth's crust and is considered a place of strength, where you can experience the primordial energies of nature and gain strength.
We will admire the picturesque landscape, comparable to the Alpine, the famous Jade Waterfall and the mountain with the intriguing name Dinosaur. Of course, we will look for the jades and try to distinguish them from the rest of the stones on the way (and this is not as easy as we would like). The walk is easy, the climb is small, the views are amazing.
The transport part of the route is 320 km (minibus, ferry, TRAM). The walking part of the route is 6 km.
07:00 We have breakfast at the hotel.
07:30 We meet with the group in the lobby of the hotel. We are getting acquainted with our guide. Here we get into the tracks and drive to the meeting place with the rest of the band.
08:00 We will meet with other participants of the tour at the square near the Mammoth, and leave for the ferry crossing.
08:30 Transfer by ferry to Labytnangi. There are no bridges that we are used to here. The Salekhard — Labytnangi ferry has been operating since time immemorial: the two opposite shores are connected by ferries in summer and by road, which is laid on ice in winter. During the off-season, passengers are transported by small hovercraft.
08:40 We will have a transfer from Labytnangi to the Jade Valley (about 60 km).
The way to the Jade Valley lies through the small village of Harp, where the visitor center of the Polar-Uralsky Nature Park is located. The name of the village translates from Nenets as "northern lights", and the settlement fully justifies it: from October to April, magical Aurora flashes illuminate the sky above the village almost every day.
It is only 30 km from Harp to the valley, but they pass through the beautiful valley of the Sob River and the Nyrdvomen Shor stream.
To make the trip comfortable, we ride on treks, the most environmentally friendly and passable transport in the Far North. Thanks to the ultra-low pressure tires, this all-terrain vehicle can move through the moss cover of the tundra without damaging it.
12:00 p.m. We start our walking route in the direction of the three-stage Jade Waterfall. We will see a unique northern nature: larch trees, willows and dwarf birches grow around, cloudberries and cranberries ripen. A tight stream of water falls from a narrow crevice at a height of about 30 m, flowing down the slopes in three steps. We walk, look, wonder and admire.
14:00 Near the waterfall we will arrange a photo shoot, have a snack and drink herbal tea, admiring the northern landscapes. And then we'll go on the way back.
16:00 Back to the track. A hot field lunch, prepared with love, awaits us here. Let's eat and get ready for the return trip to Salekhard again via the ferry crossing in the city of Labytnangi. This small town (25,000 people) has been known since the beginning of the 19th century. as a small village consisting of several houses. The name comes from the Khanty language and translates as "seven larches".
20:00 Transfer by ferry to Salekhard.
20:30 We return to the hotel.
21:00 is the time for dinner and discussion of all the discoveries of the day. We will definitely recommend the best places for you.

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Day 3 - Free day
08:00-10:00 Breakfast at the hotel.
Free time.
Excursions are available for an additional fee (see the Important to Know section).

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Day 4 - Salekhard
07:00 We have breakfast at the hotel.
07:30 Departure to Salekhard airport (recommended flight Yamal airport at 09:10, YC31, arrival in Moscow (Domodedovo) at 10:10).
* The timing of the 2nd day is approximate.
**Activities on Day 2 are subject to change due to weather conditions in order to ensure the safety of the group.
*** Trekking clothes and shoes, hard-soled sneakers, protection from mosquitoes, rain, sun and wind will be required for active days.

Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Accommodation

Hotel

3 nights

Comfort

Midscale

The tour includes hotel accommodation.

The cost of the tour for 1 person is 67,700 rubles.

Please specify the exact price and the number of people in the group for check-in when booking.

The surcharge for single occupancy is 4000 rubles/day.

Arktika Hotel is located in Salekhard, 1.7 km from Salekhard and 3.3 km from Monashkin Island. It offers a 24—hour front desk, a restaurant and free Wi-Fi throughout. Room service is available. Other facilities offered at the property include an ATM and luggage storage. Each room at the hotel has a desk, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom. Towels and bed linen are provided. A safety deposit box is provided in the rooms. Some rooms have a view of the river. There is also a wardrobe and a kettle.

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Tour conditions

Group

From 2 to 12 tourists

Minimum age

12 years old

Duration

4 days 3 nights

Group meets at

Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Salekhard

Included in price

transportation services (minibus, ferry crossing, military-technical transport);
airport — hotel — airport transfer (minibus);
hotel accommodation for 4 days/3 nights (twin, BB);
guided tours according to the program (except for additional optional excursions);
museum entrance tickets;
accompanying services;
services of a tour guide.

Paid extra

flight to Salekhard and back (the cost depends on the city of departure/arrival);
single occupancy 4000 rubles/day;
medical insurance;
dinner from 1300 rubles/person;
souvenirs;
taxi;
optional excursions;
translation services;
other personal expenses.

It's important to know

As a rule, it does not differ in any way from the urban style in other regions of the country: jeans, shorts, T-shirts, hoodies, socks, sneakers / boots, sandals, etc., i.e. here you can take with you what you feel comfortable walking in.

It is also necessary to take clothes for the house, underwear, slippers, flip-flops, a swimsuit / swimming trunks (if you want to swim in mountain lakes), a personal first-aid kit, hygiene products, sunscreen (required!), mosquito repellents.

For active days, trekking clothes and shoes, hard-soled sneakers, protection from mosquitoes, rain, sun and wind will be required.

1. Visit to the ethnic cemetery in the natural and ethnographic complex in the village of Gornoknyazevsk. Gornoknyazevsk is a small picturesque village located on the right bank of the deep-flowing Ob River, 15 kilometers from the capital of Yamal. This unique place, founded in the 17th century, has a rich history and is the hallmark of Yamal. We invite you to plunge into the atmosphere of national life, get acquainted with the traditional culture of the indigenous peoples of the North and live one day in the national camp. Feel like a part of the northern culture – come to the Natural and Ethnographic complex of the village of Gornoknyazevsk! Undoubtedly, everyone will discover something new and interesting here! In front of the gates of the ethnocomplex stands a wooden sculpture, suitable for a certain idol. This is a kind of monument to the most famous resident of Gornoknyazevsk, Prince Tayshin, who represented the tsarist government in Obdorsk.

In the program:

Meeting with a traditional treat — northern berries and stroganina. Master classes on cooking national cuisine. Lunch.
The ribbon-tying ceremony on the sacred tree
The rite of purification by smoke through fumigation
Getting to know the main warehouse buildings
Overview of different types of sleds, depending on their purpose
Fitting and photo in national clothes
A master class on installing a plague with your own hands. Getting to know the device and the internal
The decoration of the plague is the dwelling of reindeer herders
Souvenir making workshop. Visit to the souvenir shop
Competitions in national sports.

The cost for a group of 6 people is 8,700 rubles/person.

2. Transpolar highway – Excursion to the camp site, inspection of barracks – in the post-war period, prisoners lived and worked here on the construction of the railway. As you know, after Stalin's death, the construction site was mothballed and forgotten, only the railway bridges and barracks destroyed by time remind of the former scope of the 501st construction site. Lunch-snack (included).

The cost for a group of 4-6 people is 11,100 rubles/person.

3. The Romantics Glacier is an ancient glacier hidden from prying eyes among the slopes of the Polar Urals, which, alas, began to melt due to climatic changes, and still delights with its appearance. It's not that easy to get to it, but under experienced guidance, anyone can do it, an excellent option for a one-day hike with a friendly company. Daytime trekking to the most romantic place in the Polar Urals.

The cost for a group of 6 people is 5,200 rubles/person.

Dates and Prices

from
$835

20 – 23 Jun 4 days 3 nights

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$835

18 – 21 Jul 4 days 3 nights

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$835

22 – 25 Aug 4 days 3 nights

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$835

12 – 15 Sep 4 days 3 nights

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Discovering Yamal