Travel deep into Siberia on a rail riding adventure
Siberia – the very word has become symbolic for all that is remote, rugged and mysterious. This 15-day Expedition is your chance to discover a region that is as enigmatic to outsiders as it is vast. Travel into Russia’s Far East on the historic Baikul-Amur Railway, then board the new Permafrost Railway to Yakutsk, a city built on frozen ground. Learn the secrets of life in the Sakha Republic and immerse yourself in the traditions of the Yakut people. Celebrate the beginning of summer in what is normally one of the coldest cities on earth, revelling in the sun and warmth with locals during the Ysyakh Festival. Admire the wild beauty of the landscapes and tenacity of the people who call rural Russia home.
Travel into stunning, sparsely-populated Far East Russian Siberia via two incredible feats of railway engineering – the Permafrost Express and the historic Baikal-Amur Railway – in the short window of summer.
Explore Yakutsk, the largest city built on continuous permafrost, and wonder at the unique architecture and cultural practises born of the harsh environment.
Celebrate the arrival of summer during the Ysyakh Festival, where the locals perform traditional Yakut sports, dance into the night and feast on local delicacies like roasted horse meat.
Stay overnight in Ust-Buotama National Park and visit a bison nursery, hike through evergreen forest and see the towering limestone rock pillars that line the Lena River.
Learn about various Yakut traditions on a visit to a horse farm, during lunch with a family in a small village and in tiny regional museums.
This trip is built around three journeys by train that are longer than 20 hours (with the longest being 38 hours). Please read the itinerary carefully for estimates and think carefully about your suitability for such travel.
While the crew will do their best to follow the itinerary, variations to train schedules may occur due to weather or under direction from local authorities. A sense of humour and flexibility will ensure you have a fascinating trip regardless and, if necessary, other travel arrangements will be made to reach the Ysyakh Festival.
Cities previously inaccessible by land, dense forest, tiny villages – this tour visits very remote locations. Please be prepared to forgo some modern conveniences in certain locations.
This Expedition involves learning about some confronting history, particularly in regard to gulags and forced labour under the Soviet Union.
This trip finishes in Yakutsk. You will need to book onward flights to Moscow, Vladivostok or St Petersburg at your own expense.
The Ysyakh Festival is on 27&28 Jun. So for those who book on WBSK200616, the order of destinations from Day 9 to Day 13 will be changed to as follow to match the date of the festival near Yakutsk: Day 9 -10 Ust-Buotama National Park; Day 11 - 13 Yakutsk & Ysyakh Festival. The order of activities will be switched accordingly but your experience in these destinations won't be affected.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Russia Expedition: Permafrost Railway & Ysyakh Festival trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
1. A Single Supplement is available on this trip, excluding overnight trains (Days 2-3, 5-6 & 8) and cabins (7 & 12-13) where accommodation will be multishare.
2. In order for our local operator to book train tickets in Russia, we require the following information at time of booking or no later than 31 days prior to departure.
• Passengers full name (First, Middle and Last)
• Full Passport Details (number, expiry, issued)
• DOB
• City of Birth
Please note that the above information needs to be the same as your travelling passport, any wrong information provided may result in extra personal expense to reissue train tickets, or missing out altogether.
3. A minimum of 4 travellers are required for departures of this trip to run.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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