Yakutsk – ELANKA – Lena Pillars

Elanka is the village located on the Western bank of the Lena River. 155 km south off Yakutsk and 35 km to Lena Pillars Nature Park.

Two centuries ago, it was used as the postal base and served by a few families only. Currently, one family lives in there constantly. Lately, Yakutsk city residents built summer houses to spend holidays.

Dates:

• The private trip on any day upon request.

Travel via Elanka is good, if you wish to:

• experience overland and river journeys for 2 days;
• feel the off-road road on the 45-km part Bulgunnyakhtah – Elanka;
• enjoy the most pictures stretch on the waterway to Lena Pillars Nature Park; it takes 1-hr boating, if not make stops, but you will have stops to view caves and ancient rock paintings;
• spend the night in a new private wooden guest house for 4 people.

Route: Yakutsk – Bulgunnyakhtakh – Elanka – Lena Pillars on the Lena River – Elanka (overnight) – Bulgunnyakhtakh – Yakutsk.

Distances to travel:

• 155 km from Yakutsk to Elanka overland by vehicle;
• 40 km from Elanka to Lena Pillars Nature Park along the Lena River by a motorboat.

1-Day Trip via Elanka:

Itinerary:

09:00 – Pick up at the hotel in Yakutsk.
09:00 – 12:00 – Transfer to Elanka by vehicle. 155 km to drive.
12:00 – 18:00 – Journey on the Lena River from Elanka to Lena Pillars Nature Park.

River journey program:
– Boating along the stretch of the Stone Pillars after Elanka.
– Stops for viewing caves (grots) and ancient rock paintings.
– Arrival at Lena Pillars Nature Park.
– Free time in Lena Pillars Nature. 3 hours is pretty enough for ascending Lena Pillars, walking along the rocky bank and lunch.
– Transfer back to Elanka.

18:00 – 21:30 – Transfer back to Yakutsk.

Feel free to request the quote, if you wish to have the full package and the private trip arranged.

Cost includes:

– transfer by vehicle en route Yakutsk – Elanka – Yakutsk (we use Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Toyota Land Cruiser 105, off-road minivan Mitsubishi Delica);
– transfer by motorboat en route Elanka – Lena Pillars – Elanka;
– excursion program during the river journey;

Doesn’t include:

– Lena Pillars National Park’s entry ticket/s;
– English-, German-, French-, Spanish-, Chinese- or Japanese-speaking guide;
– meals and drinking water for a day;
– travel arrangement expenses & fee;
– VAT.

2-Days Trip via Elanka:

Two-day private trips are done on any available days upon request.

Itinerary

Day 1: Yakutsk – Tabaga Cape – Elanka

Pick up at the hotel at 09:00.

This day we do stops at:
– Tabaga Cape to overview the Lena River, 35 km south off Yakutsk;
– Place of the Sakha people’s “Ysyakh” national holiday celebration;
– Orto Doydu Zoo (with animals of Siberian wildlife);
– Lunch at roadside café in Pokrovsk town (not included; paid on spot);
– Bulgunnyakhtakh with 2-hr river journey to Tukulany (high sand dunes over the forest and the Lena River);
– Mouth of the Buotama River to check with wooden bison, if they are not hidden deep in the forest (animal show up is not guaranteed);

Arrival in Elanka in the evening.
Accommodation in a village wooden house.
Dinner (included; prepared by our guide).
Free time.

Day 2: Elanka – Lena Pillars Nature Park – Elanka – Yakutsk.

– Breakfast (included; prepared by a guide).

– Boat river journey from Elanka to Lena Pillars.
– Stops at Elanka Rocks to view ancient rock paintings and caves.
– Free time at Lena Pillars Nature Park including ascending to the viewpoint on the top (for fit people, 2-km trail).
– Lunch (snacks; included) on the territory of Lena Pillars Nature Park.
– Transfer back to Elanka by boat.
– Transfer back to Yakutsk by car.
– Arrival in Yakutsk approx. at 20:00.

Feel free to customize 2-day trip.

 

NOTES:

A guest house in Elanka is an ordinary village-type wooden house with 2 small twin bedrooms, a shared room with a kitchen and its all necessary accessories.

A motorboat is Volzhanka. It’s for 7 passengers + 1 driver, but we prefer to have 4-5 people on it for more space.

Vehicles we use are Toyota Land Cruiser 105, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, or off-road minivan Mitsubishi Delica.

Cost includes:

– English-, German-, French-, Spanish-, Chinese- or Japanese-speaking guide;
– transfer by vehicle en route Yakutsk – Elanka – Yakutsk, 2 days;
– a river journey Bulgunnyakhtakh – Tukulany Sand Dunes – Bulgunnyakhtakh, 2-3 hr;
– a river journey en route Elanka – Lena Pillars – Elanka with stops by a cave and rock paintings, 5-6 hr;
– Lena Pillars National Park’s entry ticket/s;
– overnight in a private wooden house in Elanka;
– meals & drinking water for 2 days.