THE DOLGANS
NOMADS OF THE HIGH ARCTIC
THE DOLGANS
NOMADS OF THE HIGH ARCTIC
December - April
DESCRIPTION:
This Arctic trip takes guests to the border area between Yakutia's Anabar District and the Taymyr Peninsula to visit the nomadic Dolgan reindeer herders. At 800 – 1000km north of the Arctic Circle, these are the northernmost reindeer herders in the world.
Anabar is the northernmost part of Yakutia, the coldest inhabited region in the world. The Dolgan nomads inhabit this frozen wasteland, completely devoid of sunlight for two whole months during the mind-bogglingly harsh winter.
This Arctic trip takes guests to the border area between Yakutia's Anabar District and the Taymyr Peninsula to visit the nomadic Dolgan reindeer herders. At 800 – 1000km north of the Arctic Circle, these are the northernmost reindeer herders in the world.
Anabar is the northernmost part of Yakutia, the coldest inhabited region in the world. The Dolgan nomads inhabit this frozen wasteland, completely devoid of sunlight for two whole months during the mind-bogglingly harsh winter.
Like the Nenets they sew their own clothing from reindeer furs. They build wooden cabins on sledge runners and insulate them with reindeer furs. During migrations (once every ten days in winter or every 2 – 3 days in summer) the reindeer pull the whole home 10km or so to a new location.
The Dolgans area is also home to the world's largest herd of wild reindeer (1 million head) so as well as herding their own animals they also hunt the wild ones when they have spare time.
Day 1
Arrive in Yakutsk in the morning. Fly 3.5 hours north to Saskylakh in Anabar District of Arctic Yakutia. Drive 100km along an ice road on the frozen surface of a river to Yuryung-Khaya, one of the most northern settlements in Russia. Overnight in a local wooden home.
Day 2
All-terrain vehicle or snowmobiles 50 – 100km to encampment of nomadic Dolgan reindeer herders.
Day 3 - 6
Live with the nomads, observing and partaking in their daily lives.
Day 7
Return to Yuryung-Khaya. Overnight in local home.
Day 8
Drive to Saskylakh and take evening flight back to Yakutsk. Overnight in hotel.
Day 9
Service ends here. We recommend leaving another two nights in Yakutsk after your trip, as flights from Saskylakh are often delayed by bad weather. Having full two spare days in Yakutsk at the end of your trip gives us time to manoeuvre. We can either await good weather in Saskylakh or drive 16 hours south on the ice road to the village of Olenyok, which also has an airport and usually has much better weather. The extra two days in Yakutsk give us a lot of options to solve problems solved by flight delays and minimise the risk of missing our flights back to Moscow.
During these extra days in Yakutsk, we can arrange trips to indigenous Yakut horse herders or to the Lena Pillars UNESCO site, a 40km section of river bank lined by rock pillars up to 220 metres tall. These extra trips will of course be charged separately.
During these extra days in Yakutsk, we can arrange trips to indigenous Yakut horse herders or to the Lena Pillars UNESCO site, a 40km section of river bank lined by rock pillars up to 220 metres tall. These extra trips will of course be charged separately.
Nomadic Dolgan reindeer herder, Anabar District, Arctic Yakutia
Nomadic Dolgan reindeer herders migrating near the border between Yakutia’s Anabar District and the Taymyr Peninsula
Travelling by sledge from an encampment of nomadic Dolgan reindeer herders to Yuryung-Khaya village, Anabar District, Arctic Yakutia
Nomadic Dolgan reindeer herder, Anabar District, Arctic Yakutia
Horse herder travelling by sledge in the forest near Sinsk, Yakutia
Reindeer of the Dolgan nomads, Anabar District, Arctic Yakutia
INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:
- Flights and all transport as indicated on the above itinerary
- Transfers in Yakutsk from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport
- Accommodation in Yakutsk in single ensuite rooms. Accommodation in family home in Yuryung-Khaya
- All meals while with the nomads, in Yuryung-Khaya and in Saskylakh. This will be mostly meat, fish, bread and jam, biscuits, some soup and rice and pasta
- All special access permits required for the regions
- English speaking guide
- Local guides, drivers and nomad hosts in Yakutia
- Letter of invitation for 30-day Russian tourist visa
- Satellite phone for emergency calls
- All food and expenses of guide
NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:
EXTENDING THE TRIP:
Extending your trip will cost 35,000 rubles per day for one person, 45,000 per day for two people, 55,000 per day for three people, etc.
- Flights Moscow - Yakutsk - Moscow
- Food in Moscow or Yakutsk
- Personal travel insurance or medical insurance
- International flights
- Personal expenses
- Clothing or equipment
- Any extra expenses caused by delayed flights, adverse weather conditions or other force majeure situations
EXTENDING THE TRIP:
Extending your trip will cost 35,000 rubles per day for one person, 45,000 per day for two people, 55,000 per day for three people, etc.
www.travelyakutia.com is a service of Argish LLC, a tour operator registered in the Russian Federation
© 2020 All rights reserved
© 2020 All rights reserved
Contact Us
Booking form
OOO Argish,
Ofis 4, Pom I,
29, Prospekt Vernadskogo,
Moskva 119331
RUSSIA
Telephone / WhatsApp: +79104255571
Email: info@travelyakutia.com
OOO Argish,
Ofis 4, Pom I,
29, Prospekt Vernadskogo,
Moskva 119331
RUSSIA
Telephone / WhatsApp: +79104255571
Email: info@travelyakutia.com
Information
