Accommodation during the trip
Languages
Accommodation during the trip
Languages
Experiences you'll have
You will take part in the festival "The Pole of Cold — Oymyakon", which has been held annually since 2001 in one of the most severe places of our planet, representing the uniqueness of the Yakut and Evenk cultures. To reach Oymyakon is not so easy, you have to overcome about 1000 km along the famous Kolyma tract in the middle of the endless tundra and permafrost.
At the festival you will see the performances of ethnic groups of Yakutia, meet with the Lord of the Cold Chyskhaan, watch the traditional competitions between the reindeer breeders and racing on reindeer sledges, as well as will taste the national Evenk cuisine
This tour has a very rich excursion program:
Note: for group of up to 2-3 people, the cost will be 3290 EURO per person.
Itinerary
The journey begins in Yakutsk, where you should travel to on your own. Please, pay attention, that the time difference with Moscow is +6 hours, so you should fly to Yakutsk from Moscow on the eve of the first day of the program.
We recommend the flights by Yakutia Airlines with the departure from Moscow (Vnukovo airport) at 6 pm and by Aeroflot Airlines with departure from Moscow (Sheremetyevo airport) at 6:50 pm. We are ready to help with the purchase of tickets, if necessary, leave a comment in the application.
Day 1 Excursions in Yakutsk
You will arrive to Yakutsk early in the morning. You will be met at the airport and taken to the hotel. Here you will check in and have some rest.
In the afternoon the excursion program will start. At first you will visit the ethnographic complex "Chochur-Muran". Here you will meet with the Yakutian Laika and have a dog sledding tour on the lake Ytyk Kuel. Lunch will be served in a restaurant in "Chochur-Muran" complex.
Next you will move to the ethnographic complex "Us Kut", where you will take part in the pagan purification rite called Algys. It includes a pray to the Supreme deities, as well as mystical rituals of lighting and feeding the fire.
Further a visit to the underground ice gallery "Kingdom of Permafrost" is waiting for you. It is a museum complex set inside the mountain where the throne-room of Chyskhaan — the Yakut Lord of Cold is located. The museum presentsa unique collection of ice sculptures called "Planet Yakutia".
In the evening you will come back to the hotel, have dinner and rest.
Day 2 A route to Khandyga village
After breakfast you will move to the village of Khandyga (430 km, about 8-10 hours). On the way you will have lunch in a cafe.
Having arrived to the village, you will stay overnight in a private guest house. Here you will have dinner and rest.
Day 3 Arrival to Oymyakon
After breakfast you will continue travelling to Oimyakon (530 km, 12-14 hours). The route lies through the Verkhoyansk mountain ranges, along the Kolyma Tract. It was called "Road on bones" because it was built by Gulag prisoners during Stalin's repressions.
You will stop for lunch at a cafe en route, and arrive to Oymyakon late at night. Here you will have dinner and accommodate in a private hotel.
Day 4 "Oymyakon — the Pole of Cold" festival opening
In the morning after breakfast you will have a tour of the Oimyakon with a visit to Stella "Pole of Cold". The extreme negative temperature -71,2 °C (−96.16 °F) was registered here.
Then you will go to Tomtor village where the festival "Oymyakon — the Pole of Cold" will take place. A diverse cultural program is waiting for you here. You will visit the ice residence of Yakut Lord of the Cold Chyskhaan created inside the mountain, deep in the permafrost. Here you will see a gallery of ice sculptures, the Chyskhaan's throne room as well as will taste some special cold dishes. You will also visit the local lore museum in Tomtor, where you will learn about Russian writers who became prisoners of the GULAG.
Next you will watch the performance "Oymyakon – the residence of Lord of the Cold" and will participate in the ceremony of the solemn storing the symbol of Cold to the Chyskhaan's ice residence. The festival program of this day will also include the Miss Pole of the Cold competition, as well as a photo exhibition. In the evening you will return to the guest house in Oymyakon, have dinner and rest.
Day 5 The Reindeer Herders's Day in Tomtor
The second day of the festival will be dedicated to the holiday of reindeer herders. The Reindeer Herder's Day will show you the traditions and culture of the Evenks. Performances of dance ethnogroups, racing on reindeer sledges, traditional northern competitions between reindeer breeders and exhibition of folk crafts are in the program of this day.
Also you can taste the national cuisine of Evenks , as well as try on the national costumes and take pictures with the deer in a specially decorated sleds. In the evening you will return to Oymyakon, have dinner and rest in the guest house.
Day 6 Transfer to Khandyga village
Today you will return to Khandyga village. En route you will stop for lunch in a cafe. In the evening you will arrive to the village, stay in a private guest house, have dinner and rest.
Day 7 Returning to Yakutsk
After breakfast you will move to Yakutsk. Having arrived to the city, you will be taken to the hotel. Than you will have spare time for a walk, souvenir and jewelry shopping.
Day 8 Departure
After breakfast, you will be taken to the airport, from where you will have a flight back home.
Accommodation during the trip
Languages
Accommodation during the trip
In Yakutsk you will stay at "Lena" hotel 3*, in standard twin rooms with a cable TV, a wardrobe, a work area with free Wi-Fi, a refrigerator and a bathroom with toiletries. There are also a restaurant of European and Yakut cuisine, a gym and a laundry at the hotel.
In Khandyga and Oymyakon you wilk live in the private guest houses (accommodation up to 2-3 persons in the room).
Common questions
English-speaking guide will accompany you during the whole journey.
The cost of the tour includes three meals per day, except for lunches and dinners in Yakutsk restaurants (guests order from the menu and pay for themselves). There are also light snacks during long journeys (lunch boxes, hot tea and coffee).
The cost include a health insurance, which will also cover the costs of emergency evacuation to a medical facility and payment for treatment. Medical expenses are compensated within the insurance coverage of 3 000 USD, accident and evacuation – within 5 000 USD.
Booking
Accommodation during the trip
Languages
double accommodation in «Lena» hotel 3* in Yakutsk
accommodation in private apartments in Oymyakon, Khandyga villages
meals as per program
meeting and greeting at the Yakutsk airport
transfers as per program
English-speaking guide's service
insurance
excursions according to the program
satellite mobile phone per group
meals in Yakutsk
single accommodation in hotel "Lena" 3* (+45 EURO per person), optionally
double accommodation in «Lena» hotel 3* in Yakutsk
accommodation in private apartments in Oymyakon, Khandyga villages
meals as per program
meeting and greeting at the Yakutsk airport
transfers as per program
English-speaking guide's service
insurance
excursions according to the program
satellite mobile phone per group
meals in Yakutsk
single accommodation in hotel "Lena" 3* (+45 EURO per person), optionally
Testimonials
The Pole of Cold Festival
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We have to accept to spend 2 days to get Oimyakon by a car, but it is still a long way to go. However, we really appreciated the local people welcoming us well and we were in hornor of joining their annual festival – it was an amazing and pecious experience ever!
The local guide also took care of us well during the trip and it was very interesting to know about the people, history and culture of the republic of Sakha.