Travel to Oymyakon

Travel to Oymyakon
  • Duration: 7 days
  • Tour date: November - April

Description

YAKUTSK – OYMYAKON. 

Travel to the World’s Coldest Inhabited Place.

Standard tour for Russian holidays in Siberia!

Route program

 

Oymyakon is the world’s coldest inhabited place located in the Eastern part of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). Experience Russian holidays in a soft adventure tour through the cold Siberian weather. Travel with us!

Adventure tours to Oymyakon, Russia’s Siberia, will be done from the end of November till early April. The coldest period in the midst and end of December, January, and the first half of February.

 

Round travel distance: ~2000 km with all short rides within settlements.


Tour type: soft adventure, road trip.


The tour starts and ends in Yakutsk, the capital of the Republic of Sakha-Yakutia.

 

Group Trips for Winter 2020-2021:

  • 25 – 29 November 2020 – 5-Day Oymyakon Standard Trip. Available for a private or group trip.
  • 03 – 07 December 2020 – 5-Day Oymyakon Standard Trip. Available for a private or group trip.
  • 23 – 27 December 2020 – 5-Day Oymyakon Standard Trip. For a group of 4-10 people.
  • 04 – 08 January 2021 – 5-Day Oymyakon Standard Trip. For a group of 4-10 people.
  • 21 – 27 January 2021 – Yakutsk – Lena Pillars – Oymyakon Trip. For a group of 4-10 people. Request the quote.
  • 08 – 14 February 2021 – Yakutsk – Lena Pillars – Oymyakon Trip. For a group of 4-10 people.
  • 17 – 26 February 2021 – Yakutsk – GULAGs – Oymyakon – Magadan Trip. For a group of 4-10 people.
  • 22 – 28 February 2021 – Yakutsk – Lena Pillars – Oymyakon Trip. For a group of 4-10 people.
  • 06 – 10 March 2021 – 5-Day Oymyakon Standard Trip.
  • 23 – 29 March 2021 – Yakutsk – Lena Pillars – Oymyakon (The Pole of Cold Festival) Trip. For a group of 4-10 people.
  • 25 – 29 March 2021 – 5-Day Oymyakon (The Pole of Cold Festival) Trip.

 

OYMYAKON PRIVATE TOURS ON DEMAND:

  • 5-Day Oymyakon trip. 
  • Yakutsk City Tour + Day Trip to Lena Pillars Nature Park + 5-Day Oymyakon trip. 
  • Yakutsk City Tour + 6-Day GULAG – Oymyakon trip. Description upon request.

 

6-DAY SELF-DRIVE TO OYMYAKON ON DEMAND:

  • Training Day in Yakutsk + 5-Day Self-Driving from Yakutsk to Oymyakon, the world’s coldest inhabited place, on Toyota Land Cruiser. With transfers from/to airport. Quote upon request. Please, note that we design an itinerary and calculate the budget. Total cost is usually much higher than standards trips’.
  • Any dates self-drive from Yakutsk to Magadan via Oymyakon on Toyota Land Cruiser. Test your driving skills all the way on the toughest Kolyma road in winter conditions. Quote upon request. Please, note that we design an itinerary and calculate the budget. Total cost is usually much higher than standards trips’.

 

Please, note that:

  • entertainment activities are not included in the self-drive tour cost;
  • self-driving means that a vehicle comes with a driving instructor together;
  • the cost of a self-driving tour is much higher than a standard private road trip (see the above-listed tour descriptions.)

 

7-DAY YAKUTSK – OYMYAKON PRIVATE TOUR ON DEMAND

 

Season: November 25th, 2020 till April 5th, 2021.


Route: Yakutsk (City Tour) – Khandyga – Oymyakon – Khandyga – Yakutsk.


Duration: 7 days / 6 nights.


Dates: any dates upon request.

 

Day 1 – Arrival in Yakutsk. City Tour.

– Arrival at Yakutsk Airport in the early morning. All arrival flights take place in the morning.
– Rendezvous at the airport. A guide meets with clients’ name sign.
– Transfer to the hotel.
– Early check-in at Tygyn Darkhan Hotel (4*, single accommodation).
– Free time.

11:30/12:00 – A short walk excursion across the Old Town. A visit to Yakutsk Fortress Gate Tower and lecture on the history of Yakutsk and the biggest Siberian region called Republic Sakha-Yakutia.
13:00 – Lunch at the “Makhtal” restaurant with a chance to taste delicious national cuisine.
14:00 – City sightseeing. With visits to Mammoth Museum, Farmers’ Market with frozen fish, the Atlasovs’ ethnographic complex, and the “Kingdom of Permafrost” ice tunnel complex.
19:00 – Dinner at the “Chochur Muran” complex.
20:30 – Transfer to the hotel.

 

Day 2 – Driving from Yakutsk to Khandyga

Drive distance: 432 km (according to our GPS track), 8-10 hours w/ stops en route.
Overnight in the private apartment-based hotel in Khandyga (twin-triple rooms, shared kitchen, shared WC/shower).

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

– Crossing the Lena River on the ice road, 15 km one way. Stop for a group photo.
– Stop on the opposite bank of the Lena River to overlook the river landscape with Yakutsk in the background.
– Passing by many traditional Sakha villages. A few stops for photoshoots.
– Stop for lunch at a roadside cafe (not included, paid on spot).
– Crossing the Aldan River on the ice road, 10 km one way.
– Time for dinner at a cafe in Khandyga (not included, paid on spot).

 

Day 3 – Driving Khandyga to Oymyakon.

Distance ~514 km (according to our GPS track), ~11 hours w/ stops en route.
Accommodation at the family’s in Oymyakon in a regular village-type wooden house (twin-triple rooms, shared kitchen, indoor sink, outdoor toilet, no shower).

We start the journey at 08:00 am and arrive to Oymyakon late at night.

We’ll do stops:
– Breakfast at a cafe in Khandyga (not included, paid on spot).
– Visiting History of GULAG Museum in Teply Klyuch.
– Before approaching Verkhoyansk Mountains for photo shooting.
– At the memorial on the rock with the Cross dedicated to the victims of the Gulag system.
– Zheltyj Prizhim (Yellow Narrow Pass) with the view on a picturesque mountain view.
– Cherny Prizhim (Black Narrow Pass) with the highest bridge on the ridge.
– After Zajachja Petlya (steep mountain road).
– Refuel at Kyubyume Fuel Station with the remarkable fuel tube where all adventurers attach expedition sticks.
– Lunch at the “Cuba” road cafe (meals not included, paid on spot).
– Tomtor village for re-fuel at a gas station.
Actually, we do many stops.

Arrival to Oymyakon in the evening.
Late dinner at family’s (included).

 

Day 4 – Day in Oymyakon

Accommodation at the family’s in Oymyakon in a regular village-type wooden house (twin-triple rooms, shared kitchen, indoor sink, outdoor toilet, no shower). Sauna is possible but should be ordered at extra cost in advance.

Activities:
– Breakfast (included).
– Experiments with the cold in the family’s backyard.
– Visit the “The Pole of Cold” Stella with meeting Chyskhaan, Keeper of the Cold, and receiving the Pole of Cold Certificate from his hands.
– Strolling across the village.
– Lunch (included).
– Ice fishing on the Indigirka River. You’ll see the traditional net fishing method.
– Dinner (included).
– Sakha Culture Evening in the House of Archy.
– Late tea/snacks (included).

 

Day 5 – Driving Oymyakon to Khandyga with stops in Tomtor and reindeer herders’ place.

Drive distance: ~514 km (according to our GPS track). Overnight in the private apartment-based hotel in Khandyga (twin-triple rooms, shared kitchen, shared WC/shower).

After the sufficient breakfast (included), we leave Oymyakon family in the very early morning, at 07:00 am.

On the way to Tomtor, we’ll do stop by to visit a Yakutian horse breeding farm, original Siberian breed (small and steady, and accustomed to living outdoors 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. When heading to Khandyga, we’ll see all the beauty of the natural landscape we missed when we drove in darkness.

If we’re lucky, we visit Even reindeer herders’ winter camp for reindeer sleigh rides and traditional snacks/tea.

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

 

Day 6 – Driving back to Yakutsk.

This is a 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). Visit the History & Architecture Outdoor Museum in the village of Cherkekh. We arrive back to Yakutsk in the evening.

Check-in at Tygyn Darkhan Hotel.
Free time in the evening.

 

Day 7 – Departure from Yakutsk.

Transfer hotel to the airport.
A guide helps at the airport with flight check-in and security passing.

 

Notes:
– Early birds deserve discounts.
– The discount size depends on the method and time of tour booking and payment.
– Oymyakon Private Tour is done on request on any dates and might be customized. If the itinerary is altered, the final cost always relies on the list of ordered services.
– For group trips to join in, please, check the above-listed options on the approved dates.

 

Package Includes:

– Visa support (Letter of Invitation, if required).
– Transfers with a guide from airport to the hotel and from hotel to airport in Yakutsk. – Accommodation at Tygyn Darkhan Hotel (4*), Single Standard, w/ breakfast, for 2 nights + one early check-in.
– Lunch and dinner in Yakutsk on Day 1.
– City tour with entry tickets on Day 1 (as per itinerary).
– 1 guide (tour leader) for all tour days (as per itinerary).
– Winter-prepared off-road transport w/ a driver for 5-day Oymyakon trip, including fuel, night parking in the heated garages.
– Accommodation in Khandyga (no breakfast; apartment-based hotel 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).
– Pole of Cold Certificate/s.
– Ice-fishing on the Indigirka River.
– Sakha Culture Evening in Oymyakon.
– Visit the Yakutian horse breeding farm.
– Visit Tomtor Ice Tunnel.
– Visit Reindeer Herders’ Winter Camp (if lucky).

 

Does NOT include:

– Airfares to/from Yakutsk.
– Meals at roadside cafes during drives en route Yakutsk – Khandyga – Oymyakon and Oymyakon – Tomtor – Khandyga – Yakutsk. Recommend to reserve ±30 EUR/day per person in cash for meals at cafes.
– Other activities in Oymyakon not mentioned in the itinerary.
– Extra warm cloth rental (possible at an additional cost).
– Personal insurance.
– Personal items.
– Beverages and snacks.
– Tips and gratitude.

 

Booking and payment conditions:

– Tour is booked, when the deposit amounting to 17% of the tour cost is pre-paid.
– Balance payment is due no later than 31 days before the start of the tour if no other date is negotiated.
– Payment might be done in RUB/USD/EUR/GBP/CNY by bank transfer, Visa/Mastercard, or via PayPal.
– The Payer covers fees for the cross-border transactions and its country’s currency conversion additionally if required. Approx. 15 USD, if by bank transfer. Up to 3.5%, if online by Visa/MasterCard. PayPal’s fee depends on the country of the Payer and might be 5.4% + 10 RUB.
– If the tour is booked less than 45 days before the start of the tour, full pre-payment is required.

 

Request the other options if:

- a group is bigger;

- you need to customize a tour itinerary according to your dream plan;

- you wish to order transport, accommodation and guide service only;

- you wish to customize entertainment activities;

- you wish to self-drive vehicles with our instructors.

Let us know your wishes. We’re very flexible and can create any itinerary possible for you. Please, note that we design the customized itinerary from scratch and it might take time.

 

Recommendations:

- Take along warm Arctic-type outfits from brands such as The North Face, Canada Goose and similar. While in Yakutsk, travelers will have time to do shopping, i.e. buying warm boots (valenki or fur boots), gloves/mitten, hats. Parkas and warm pants from the mentioned brands are very expensive in Yakutsk. For warm underwear, consider Termo (Sweden).

- Bring your own travel and medical insurance from the company that has the Russian partner.

 

Oymyakon trip is also booked with:

- Yakutsk City Tour (5 hours)

- Lena Pillars Nature Park winter tour (1 day)

- Dog Sledding (1/2/7 days)

- Ice Fishing on the Lena River (half day)