The Lena River Cruise

Arrival in Yakutsk. Transfer to the River port. Accommodation in cabins. Currency exchange. Lunch. City tour. Visit to the Museum of Local Lore, souvenir and jewelry shops. Yakutsk is a capital of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) with population of almost 300 thousand people which composes 28 % of the total population of the Republic. It was established in 1632 by Petr Beketov, the Enisey Cossack. Yakutsk is situated on the left bank of the Lena River on Tuymaada valley. It is the biggest city located in permafrost zone. Its territory is 122 square km. Yakutsk is an administrative and cultural center of the region.
In the evening at ~19:00 we start our Lena River cruise and depart from Yakutsk.

We make a stop at the Lena Pillars national park where one can see steep rocks, the unique natural phenomenon. 200 meters high pillars are stretched for 40 km along the river. One can distinguish colonnades, arches, battlements in their shapes. After having a welcome ceremony with ritual dance and “Purifying with fire” ceremony you are guided to rock massif (a trip for strong ones!). From the top of one of the “towers” you will get a grandiose view of the great river, endless taiga zone, rocks and the sky of different color shades.

In this area the Lena River enters Central-Yakut lowland. Its valley enlarges up to 20-40 km, a plain breadth is 7-15 km. There are many lakes and marshes in the river plain. A river bed is branchy, a navigable channel is quite changeable. Its depth can reach 16-20 meters. On the route of the boat trip there is an outflow of the Aldan river, one of the largest tributaries of the Lena River. During the river cruise one can see beautiful sights of the Verkhoyansk Mountains. The Lena banks keep disappearing, a vast area of the river valley is occupied by isles and creeks. Deserted unsettled banks pass by for many hundred kilometers in the boundless river environment.

The Viluy River is the largest left tributary of the Lena River. Its length is 2650 km., the basin area is 454 square km. In the up-river of the Viluy there has been constructed a dam: rocks of the Ulakhan Khan rift serve as its foundations. The dammed waters of the reservoir stretch up along the river valley for 400 km. There Chernyshevsk village was established for builders and workers at the Viluy hydro-electric station.140 km. lower from it on the Achygyi Khan rift there has been constructed new Svetlinsky hydro-electric power station. The river Viluy is navigable at its 1170 km from the estuary up to Chernyshevsk village. The main quays of the Viluy river are: Vilusk, Nyurba, Chernyshevsk. The river and lakes of the Viluy river basin are rich in fish (sturgeon, taimen, goldilocks, Siberian white salmon, nerfling). Deposits of diamond, coal, natural gas, and halite were prospected in the basin of the river.

Zhigansk is the first settlement beyond the Polar circle along our Lena River cruise. Zhigansk fortress was established in 1632, same year as Yakutsk. The name of “Zhigansk” comes from the Tungus language and means “an inhabitant of lower lands”. The main occupation of population is hunting, fishing and cattle-breeding. Zhigansk is an administrative district center with population of over 3 thousand people. Our ship will anchor on the river due to insufficient water depth, and you will reach the bank on a small ferry. You will be impressed by performance of local actors who will present music of blowing snow and wind whistle, whisper of leaves and grass, water hush, rush of flying bird wings through improvised epic songs and charming accords of ritual dancing.

We will have a stop in Kusur, a small settlement in the North of the Arctic Circle. Men are engaged in reindeer husbandry and hunting, women make beautiful national clothes decorated with fur and beads. Kusur will impress you by simplicity of the village life typical for the Extreme North areas, warm and sincere attitude of local people. The look of the rural settlement will strongly impress you as severe climate and strong winds influence houses and streets. Local places here are known for their tragic history connected with hard life of emigres from the Baltic states and Central Yakutia.

We arrive to the northmost point of this Lena Rvier cruise.
You will be offered an excursion to Tiksi settlement - the sea gates of Yakutia (weather dependant). The name of Tiksi is translated from the Yakut language as a “place of meeting, mooring place”. Tiksi appeared on the map in the middle of 1930's. Navigable period here is extremely short - 2,5 months. During 9-10 months the Laptev sea is glaciated; the ice thickness is up to 1,5-2 meters or more. In winter there are polar nights: the sun seems to forget about this area. Darkness arrives for several months. Sometimes one can observe Aurora Borealis in the dark sky of the night. In summer there is a period of white nights. The midnight Yakut sun gives its smile almost 24 hours a day.

The Lena River is one of the greatest rivers of Siberia belonging to the biggest water arteries of the world. There is hardly a river in the Arctic Eurasia that forms such a big estuary with the area of over 32 000 sq. km. The Lena River delta is a net consisting of big and small streams, canals and lakes with more than 1 500 isles of different areas. Here the Lena River ends its run to the Arctic ocean. Today we will spend our time on board. You will see the so-called Lensk “pipe”. Steep rocky 400 meters high isles in some places hang above the leady water. The watercourse breadth becomes narrower up to 2 km or less and this stresses mighty and greatness of the bank rocks.

We make a stop in the Natara river estuary where a settlement of Tungus fishermen is located. It was founded in 1920. You will see no telephones and hear no car noise. Time seems to stop here. Only two deserted houses and an old cemetery have remained here from the former settlement. Today just one family lives in Natara. The family members are engaged in fishing and hunting. You will feel here a breath of ancientry. Natara is a beautiful blessed place in the Lena river area. Here a man can feel himself a part of northern nature.

The Polar circle is an imaginary line on the Earth and a parallel in the northern hemisphere with the latitude of 66’33’38’’. During the winter solstice (December 21-22) northward of the Polar circle the sun does not rise at all and during the summer solstice (June 21-22) period the sun does not set. The Polar circle is constantly moving, its geographic location is not stable. In fact, it moves approximately for 2 meters during a day and almost for 100 meters during one year. A polar circle position can be easily determined any time with the help of modern technologies. During the trip our ship will cross the Polar circle in the area of Zhigansk district. On the initiative of Zhigansk citizens on the left bank of the river Lena there has been established a symbolic sign titled “The Polar circle”.

Leaving the endless water environment beyond the Northern Polar Circle we pass the estuaries of the rivers Viluy and Aldan. Water breadth here is unbelievable. Between Zhigansk district and the Viluy river estuary there is a natural boundary called “40 isles”. In fact, the number of isles is bigger and you will be really impressed with those isles fairy show.

It is one of the most beautiful virgin places where you will enjoy the beauty of the picturesque green staging post. You can have a walk on this wild bank, see bounty of nature and enjoy a beautiful sunset. In the evening in honor of the cruise completion there will be a symbolic Fire of friendship; songs in different languages will be performed.

An excursion to the open-air museum of historical architecture “Druzhba” (“Friendship”) located on the place of the primary foundation of the “Lensk stockaded town” founded by Russian cossacks, the future city of Yakutsk. The Museum presents samples of ancient wooden architecture in traditional Russian and Yakut styles. Expositions of wooden home utensils, national Yakut clothes and monuments of Russian Orthodoxy are of great interest. Wonderful landscapes and interesting historical excursions make the museum visit informative and pleasant.

Our Lena River cruise is finished. After breakfast we leave to the airport for the flight from Yakutsk.

- The Lena River cruise from Yakutsk to Tiksi and back as described in the itinerary;
- All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage;
- Program of lectures and informal talks by experienced Expedition Team and guest lecturers;
- Meals on board;
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program;
- Letter of invitation. This document should be presented to the Russian Consulate in your area in order to obtain a Russian Visa. Do not hesitate to contact us if any questions appear.

Сruise liner “Mikhail Svetlov” was built at Austrian shipyard in Korneuburg. The liner took its name after talented Rusian poet Mikhail Svetlov. The ship was put into operation in April 1986.
There are 22 four berth cabins, 33 standard two berth cabins, 8 first class two berth cabins, 6 one berth cabins and 2 cabins Deluxe. All cabins equipped with comfortable furniture, air-conditioner, shower-box, lavatory. Entertaining programs and disco take place at the Concert hall on the Boat Deck. There is a panoramic salon where you can enjoy reading, admire picturesque surroundings of Lena River banks. There is a cinema theatre on the Sun Deck.

The program is subject to changes due to weather and other objective reasons.