Yakutsk
Overview
Yakutia (or the Republic of Sakha) is the largest administrative and territorial subdivision in the world, and occupies one-fifth of Russia’s territory. The Pole of Cold is situated in the Oimyakon region, with the lowest registered temperature of minus 71.2 °C. Summers in Yakutia are short, dry and relatively hot (up to plus 40 °C).
It is one of the wealthiest regions in the world in terms of natural resources, and it is sometimes called “the treasury of Russia”. The republic’s share in mineral resource potential of Russia accounts for 95% of diamonds, 15% of gold, 61% of uranium, 82% of antimony, 28% of tin, and 8% of mercury. Yakutia is a land of taiga wilderness and tundra, hundreds of thousands of rivers and lakes, harsh mountain ranges and ice arctic regions. Yakutia is located entirely in the permafrost zone, which keeps many mysteries, preserving ancient animal carcasses: mammoths,
woolly rhinoceros, cave lions etc. In Yakutsk, the capital of Yakutia, founded in 1632 by Cossacks, permafrost layer reaches 350 m in depth. The culture of Yakutia is formed by traditions and languages of the Sakha, Russian, and indigenous minorities of the North: Evens, Evenks, Chukchi and Yukaghir. It is Russia’s least populated region: less than one million of people live in the area of three million sq. kilometers.
Sights
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THE LENA PILLARS NATIONAL PARK
The Lena Pillars National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring majestic cliffs formed by erosion over 400,000 years ago. Located in the neighboring Khangalassky District,
the Lena Pillars are rather hard to reach though. In order to see the place in all its. To see them in all their winter glory, it is best to come at the end of February, when the frosts ease
up a bit, and the fog recedes. Officially, the tourist season for the Lena Pillars begins in early March and continues to mid-April. But in the winter it can be reached by car, first by traveling along the highway and then over a winter road on the frozen Lena River. The trip takes from four to five hours.
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GOLD AND DIAMONDS
You will see an immense man-made hole in the ground in Mirny, where diamonds were mined open cast until its closure. It is so vast (525 meters deep) that helicopters are
banned from flying over it for fear of being sucked in. The process of polishing diamonds can be seen up close. Visits to local gold mines are included, so you can imagine yourself a prospector, with an opportunity to take part in gold washing. You can visit the Treasury of the Republic of Sakha in Yakutsk, where glittering samples of diamonds, gold and
silver are on display, and visit numerous jewellery shops with far more attractive prices than what you will find back home. -
THE POLE OF COLD
The valley of Oymyakon in Yakutia is known as the Pole of Cold, and with average January temperatures reaching -50°C, the village is the coldest permanently inhabited settlement in the world. It is likely to take three days to reach the outpost of Oymyakon from Yakutsk, and on your way you will pass by the famous ‘Road of Bones’ and see the sacred mountains of Verkhoyansk. Once there, you can stay with a local family and visit the Pole of Cold, the weather station where the coldest-ever temperature was recorded. There they will give you a certificate to prove you have been here. You can fish through an ice hole on the frozen Indigirka River, and see how your catch is ready-frozen soon after throwing it on the ice. You will warm up again at a traditional hot steam bath session (Russian banya), feeling the pleasant and rejuvenating bites of birch twigs.
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BULUUS GLACIER
The Buluus Glacier is a great place to visit in the summer. It is considered a natural miracle because even during the hottest days it is covered by a mass of ice and snow. An enormous layer of ice forms during the winter from the ice-free underground sources of Lake Buluus. Over the summer, the glacier decreases slightly but it has not melted completely for many years. In the summer, when the ice starts to melt, ice caves and tunnels are formed inside, in which an adult can stand upright. Before you reach Buluus, there is another place popular with visitors in the summer – the Kyuryulyur Waterfalls. The name “waterfalls” is only an approximate description – in fact, it is a small forest river, the Menda, along the banks of which beautiful stone terraces have formed.
Hotels
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AZIMUT POLAR STAR HOTEL YAKUTSK
Number of rooms: 95
Distance to the city centre: 1 km
Distance to the airport: 7 km
Address: 24 Lenin avenue, Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia, 677000AZIMUT Polar Star Hotel is a comfortable business hotel, located 200 meters from the historic city, within a 20-minutes’ drive from the airport. Its Polar Star restaurant serves European, Russian and Yakut cuisine. In the evening, relax in the hotel’s Aperitif Bar or enjoy Italian cuisine at its Pizzeria. Other amenities include: a summer café, a lobby bar, a business centre and six conference halls, a wellness centre equipped with a Finnish sauna and a cedar cask, a pool, a gym, solarium, massage, luggage room, laundry and dry-cleaning services.
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TYGYN DARHAN HOTEL
Number of rooms: 74
Distance to the city centre: 1 km
Distance to the airport: 8 km
Address: 9 Ammosov street, Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia 677018TYGYN DARHAN Hotel is a modern hotel complex, located in the heart of Yakutsk. Here contemporary design, friendly staff and the aura of comfort create excellent conditions for business and leisure travellers. Rooms are equipped with a TV, a mini-bar, a hairdryer, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi. The hotel features a restaurant serving traditional Yakut, Russian and European cuisines, a wellness centre, a sauna, a large pool, a gym, billiards, a meeting room and a lecture hall with 50 seats.
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LE GRAND HOTEL YAKUTSK
Number of rooms: 12
Distance to the city centre: 1 km
Distance to the airport: 6 km
Address: 4 Lenin Avenue, Yakutsk, Sakha (Yakutiya) Republic, Russia 677000Le Grand is a four-star mini-hotel located in the centre of Yakutsk, within a few steps from the city’s highlights and the embankment of the River Lena. Mini-hotel “Le Grand” is located in the center of Yakutsk, a 10-minute walk from Lenin Square, 15 minutes from the airport. Nearby are: Main Post Office, shopping centers, shops, beauty salons, banks, a theater, the embankment of the Lena River. All rooms feature free Wi-Fi, a TV set, a minibar, and a private bathroom; suites and apartments are equipped with a kitchen. Most rooms are air-conditioned. The hotel’s amenities include a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and room service, private parking for extra charge.
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LENA HOTEL
Number of rooms: 90
Distance to the city centre: 1 km
Distance to the airport: 6 km
Address: 8 Lenin Avenue, Yakutsk City, Sakha Republic, 677000, RussiaLENA Hotel is located in the historical and business centre of Yakutsk city, its theatres, museums, shopping centers, and restaurantswit. The airport is within a 15 minutes’ drive from the hotel. Clean rooms, free Wi-Fi, a cozy restaurant serving European and Yakutian cuisine, a meeting room, a gym, laundry, friendly and courteous staff, – this hotel preserves its hospitality traditions since its foundation in 1932.
