Welcome to Yakutia,
the largest region of the Russian Federation

Welcome to Yakutia, the coldest inhabited part of the world. With a land area similar to India but a population of only a million, Yakutia has vast tracts of true wilderness. This is a land of extremes: in summer, temperatures can hit +40°C, whereas in winter, temperatures in the -70s have been officially registered, and unofficially in the -80s.

Travellers in this vast and stunningly beautiful land can visit nomadic indigenous reindeer herders and horse herders who travel on sledges drawn by their respective animals. You can go trekking in some of the world's most spectacular mountain scenery. Guests can spot polar bears and and make genuine scientific discoveries at mammoth graveyards isolated deep in the tundra. You will enjoy the hospitality of indigenous Yakut, Evenki and Dolgan people, who live in isolated settlements or nomad camps thousands of kilometres from the rearest road or railway. They will happily introduce you to their traditional culture and way of life.

Although there are almost no permanent roads, in winter a network of "zimniki" (temporary winter tracks on frozen river surfaces) opens up otherwise inaccessible parts of the republic. This provides adventurous tourists with the opportunity for epic overland trips to the Arctic, including from Yakutia to Chukotka, the remotest and most exotic part of Siberia.

In the top menu are links to pages of different types of Yakutian trips or areas of interest. On the menu to the right you can browse several of our pre-made itineraries, each of which contains several of the elements from the top menu.

Do browse the site. Hopefully you'll be joining us on one of our trips, for a travel experience that almost nobody else has ever had!

Our tours

We will help you to choose your perfect tour.
We are open to any discussions

Arctic Yakutian Highlights

This trip includes visits to indigenous horse herders, woolly mammoth graveyards with guaranteed finds of mammoth remains, trekking to the sacred kisilyakh rock pillars, visiting one of Arctic Siberia's largest sinkholes, an extremely well preserved gulag concentration camp and more

The Dolgans – Nomads of the High Arctic

A trip hundreds of kilometres beyond the Arctic Circle to the northernmost part of Yakutia. Guests will live with a family of nomadic Dolgan reindeer herders at their encampment in the tundra

Polar bears, walrus, muskox, 1 million reindeers, 1 million birds

This expedition takes us to the Taymyr Peninsula, the northernmost part of mainland Eurasia, and Anabar District, the northernmost part of Arctic Yakutia

Horse and reindeer herders

This trip takes travellers to two different ethnic groups – indigenous yakut horse herders in Khangalasskiy district of Yakutia and indigenous evenki reindeer herders in Aldanskiy district. The horse herders live in log cabins in the forest and travel around on wooden sledges pulled by their animals. The reindeer herders live in a mixture of log cabins and tents, and travel on sledges pulled by reindeer.

Dog sledding on the Lena river

Dog sledding down Russia's largest river, with visits to indigenous horse herders, the spectacular Lena Pillars UNESCO site, quaint log-cabin villages, ancient rock paintings, sacred shamanic sites and more

Mammoth tusk hunters

Cross 60km of open sea on snowmobiles with mammoth tusk hunters from Yakutia's Arctic coast to reach the rich mammoth graveyards of the New Siberian Islands

The road of bones

2200km overland trip from Yakutsk to Magadan on a dirt track built by gulag prisoners. Visits to well preserved gulag concentration camps, nomadic reindeer herders, horse herders, treks to sacred kisilyakh standing stones, abandoned towns, good chance of spotting bears and more

Overland from Yakutia to Chukotka

Epic overland journey in a Russian vakhtovka truck, following a 2000km ice road through some of Siberia's remotest territory

OVERLAND TO THE EXTREME NORTH

This extreme overland expedition takes participants through the vast Siberian wilderness along ice roads and up into Anabar, the most northern district on mainland Yakutia. You will have the chance to meet indigenous Yakut horse herders, Evenki or Dolgan reindeer herders and visit places that have been seen by very few foreigners

Photo reports

People who have traveled with us share their impressions

Dolgans by Jimmy Nelson

Jimmy Nelson is one of the world's best known photographers of indigenous people. In February 2018, he visited the nomadic Dolgan reindeer herders in Arctic Yakutia with us and took some spectacular photos. You can see some of Jimmy's images from this trip here here

Wendy and Alan Morrison, Dolgan nomads and Road of Bones

Wendy and Alan did an overland trip from Yakutsk to Yurung-Khaya (Anabar District) and from Yakutsk to Oymyakon on the Road of Bones. You can read about it here

Our travelers share their impressions.
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In 2013 I was looking to organise a trip to Yakutia to help complete a photographic project based along the Arctic circle. In most places the logistics are pretty simple and can mostly be done online but in more rural areas of Russia this just isn't possible. Aside from the logistics, it was also important for me to work with someone who understood what I was trying to achieve and help me liaises with local people once on the ground. This is where Travel Yakutia were absolutely perfect. They have experience of working with media clients so are well versed in accommodating specific projects but are also highly knowledgeable about Yakutia. My trip was based in a small town where very few outsiders visit and Travel Yakutia were able to take care of all travel and accommodation requirements in advance. I knew I would be in good hands and my trip to Yakutia was not only successful in terms of my project but also one I will never forget for being such an amazing experience.

Cristian Barnett

This is the second time I have been to remote regions of Russia with
This company. The first was a number of years ago to Yamal to visit the Nenets on the Tundra, this was a tough journey for me but well worth it. My guide Ed looked after me very well and had a real connection with the Nenets that he cares deeply about, especially their culture and traditions. I enjoyed my visit so much that I went back out to Russia to Yakutia and stayed with Reindeer Herders in wooden cabins whilst they tended their reindeer herds. Also we stayed with a Yakutian horse herder who was both very knowledgeable and quirky! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Yakutia.
The thing with remote Russia is its vastness and wildness, you're kind of addicted too… and you get a yearning to go back there. And there is no other guide better than Ed Vallance who you want by your side in these adventures! Cool headed, and very knowledgeable.
I am an award winning travel travel photographer and have placed both in the 'Sony' and 'Travel Photographer of the year competition' international awards.

Simon Morris

Winter travel in Yakutia is not for the faint hearted, but having previously been with this company in Yamal we knew we were in safe hands. Organisation and logistics were excellent and and any unforeseen obstacles overcome with efficiency and professionalism. Our trip to stay with the Evenki reindeer herders and Yakut horse herders was adventurous, exciting, varied and scenically stunning - well worth the privations of the expected basic food and accommodation whilst in the wilderness. There are few places left in the world where a traveller can truly say they have been off the beaten track. This is one of them!

Steve and Isabella Knight

A 4 days stage sledding tour on the river Lena, in the middle of Siberia?! Yes! It can be done, it's a fantastic experience, and it can be arranged by Travel Yakutia. We did the first stage sledding trip ever on the Lena and it was awesome. The warm hospitality and friendliness of the local people is very special. And so it went on for 4 days: sledging, landscapes changing from almost flat to enormous Lena pillars (which we climbed) and spending the nights with wonderful, friendly local people. It really was a unique experience. Thanks a lot for organising this fantastic trip!

Hans-Jurgen Mager

It's a long, sometimes uncomfortable trip to the Dolgans in the remote area of northern Anabar, Siberia, but it's an amazing adventure! And if anyone can arrange that trip, it's. Travel Yakutia, not only because they have Dolgan friends, but also because they know enough people to improvise, which is absolutely necessary, if you travel up to the high north of Siberia. Watching the Dolgans catching their reindeer with lassos and watching the migration, is like walking around in the middle of a documentary of National Geographic - absolutely amazing. Thanks to Travel Yakutia, for this fantastic, wonderful experience!! Without you, we would never have reached the Dolgan people.

Hans-Jurgen Mager

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Email: info@travelyakutia.com

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Welcome to Yakutia, the largest region of the Russian Federation

Welcome to Yakutia,
the largest region of the Russian Federation