Yakutia is primarily known as the birthplace of the mammoth, precious stones and, of course, as one of the coldest places on Earth. The Republic’s capital, Yakutsk, is possible not to consider the “traditional” parties — in winter and in summer. In summer the city is transformed: is 50 degrees cold and thick fog — sweltering asphalt, and around residential development — vast forests. Specially for readers of “Tape.ru” Yakut journalist Yevgeny onufriyev said, why climb a mountain Kiseljak where to taste traditional food, buy diamonds and see mammoth.
What to do
The journey can start with the so-called Old town, located in the heart of the old waterfront of Yakutsk. Tourists are surprised the wooden pavement, which is nice to step after concrete sidewalks, the buildings of the old model that literally takes you a few centuries ago, so everything breathes antiquity (the city was founded in 1632 — approx. “Of the tape.<url>”).
The promenade standing on Lena Yakutsk and beautiful views. It is interrupted, then a possession of untouched nature. In ancient years there was a market at the quay moored court, trade was conducted.
At the North end of waterfront Park is practically the only green place in the city centre. In addition to the amusement rides (Ferris wheel, roller coaster, etc.), there is also a mini-zoo.
However, it is better to go to a real big zoo. In Yakutia, one — ortho-Reach. The name translates as “Middle world”. According to the ancient Yakut legend, all that exists consists of three worlds: higher in which they live Aiyy (deity), the underworld inhabited by the abaasy (evil spirits), and the middle world, which is inhabited by people and animals.
Summer in the centre of Yakutsk are numerous fountains
Photo: Michael Nahodkin
The zoo has a surprising variety of species — from native to exotic. Orto-Doydu — the world’s only zoo, working in the far North. Here you can see the cages with dangerous predators such as Amur tiger, brown bear, wolves, Wildcats; the terrarium, where they live in the Cape lizard, crocodiles and turtles; rare birds — peacocks, cranes, eagles, owls and many others. Not so long ago the zoo was filled with new inhabitants — two white bears. Mammoths, contrary to popular belief, the zoo yet.
Square Ordzhonikidze — a favorite place of walks of townspeople
Photo: Michael Nahodkin
By the way, if you do not really believe that this animal is soon cloned, and the desire to see the mammoth is, you direct road to the mammoth Museum, North Eastern Federal University. The Museum is in the top ten landmarks of Russia under the version of British newspaper The Daily Telegraph. It contains one of the largest collections of skeletons of mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, bison, horses, and dogs of the ice age.
The Museum is engaged in research work, comply with international and Federal research projects on unique finds, organizes field work. The Museum staff over the past 20 years has studied almost all the major finds of mammoth fauna animals found on the territory of Yakutia: Makarovskogo and Yukagir mammoths, Oimyakon and Kromskogo of mammoths, Kolyma woolly rhinoceros and many others.
The mammoth Museum of the NEFU
Photo: Micheal Yakovlev
In Yakutsk several theatres: the State theatre of Opera and ballet, named after the great Yakut writer Suorun Omolloon State academic Russian drama theatre named after Pushkin and the Sakha academic theatre named after Oyunsky the founder of Yakut literature. The latter is considered the main national theater of the Republic, specializing in the production of dramatic performances.
Summer 2016 in Yakutsk, dedicated to the “Children of Asia”. You may have heard about these international sports games since 1996, they have been held in the capital of Yakutia. This is the only sporting event in Russia, in addition to the Olympic games in Moscow in 1980 and the Olympic games in Sochi in 2014, which is held under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. This year the games were visited by athletes from 38 countries and 7 regions and districts of Russia.
Without the sports complex “Triumph” not do any big sporting event
Photo: Micheal Yakovlev
Sport in Yakutia generally significant theme, therefore, in Yakutsk, many different sports facilities. The largest sports complexes “Triumph” and Dokhsun, the stadium “Youth” and “Tuymaada”, center of national sports “Modun. In General, fans running and / or patagate dumbbells is where to turn.
How about to go camping? Don’t just leave the city and sail down the river and look at what nature created thousands of years: the Lena pillars, also known under the name “the Stone forest”. Their astonishing forms of the cliffs are 200 kilometers from Yakutsk, in the Khangalassky district. If you climb one of the lookouts, you can see the Lena river from the height of bird flight. Here, by the way, was discovered objects of cultural heritage, rock carvings and ancient tools. The price for a journey to Lena pillars are different from the eight thousand rubles per person.
Lena pillars UNESCO world heritage site
Photo: Micheal Yakovlev
Fans of the mystical and sacred places must-visit in the mountains with the strange for the Russian ear the name of Keilah that in translation from the Yakut means “Stone people”. Your name for the summit was not without reason: from a distance, located here rocks really resemble a huge human figures that seem to be silently guarding nature in the cold region.
According to local legends, in this place live top of the deities Aiyy and the people who visited the mountains can cure different ailments. The cost of an eight-day tours for adult — 20 thousand roubles, to children till 16 years — 18 thousand to 12 — thousand 12.
What to see
Photo: Michael Nahodkin
If you plan to visit the Republic for the summer is to visit the main Yakut national celebration Ysyakh, which can be translated as “abundance”. It is held in the summer solstice, June 21. The holiday is associated with the deities Aiyy, the rebirth of nature, traditionally accompanied by ritual prayers, plentiful refreshments and kumysopitiya, dances, folk games, horse races, competitions strong and agile.
Be sure to arranged a round dance Osuokhay, symbolizing the unity of people and the circle of life. Dancing, moving at a leisurely pace in the direction of movement of the sun, cycles in time and space and give tribute to the sun for heat and light, donated by people. According to legend, anyone who enters the circle is charged with energy for a year, and the ritual symbolizes the birth of the Universe and man.
By the way, thanks to the summer festival Yakutia two stints on the pages of the Guinness Book of records. The first record was set in 2011: the mass simultaneous performance of music on the harp — 1344 party, the largest ensemble of komuzistov in the world (khomus is a Yakut Jew’s harp kind). And in 2012, was recorded “The largest Osuokhay in the world” — in the dance was attended by 15 293 people.
How to get
Photo: Vadim Skryabin
To get from the Central regions of Russia in Yakutsk is best by air. Alternatives can say no. Except that a week-long trip on the railroad plus a five-hour drive by car. The plane flies faster: from Moscow six and a half hours.
Travelers arrive at the airport a truly international scale. It is located in the city, from the city center seven kilometers.
Coming out of the plane, surprised, “What kind of a building here is low!” All because of permafrost (although, as scientists like to point out, nothing lasts forever), a Kingdom which is Yakutia. Here is almost not to build buildings higher than nine floors, and they all stand on stilts. Thanks to heat homes does not affect permafrost and the likelihood that the ice will melt and the house will float away, minimum. The city has preserved buildings constructed without piles in the 50-ies of XX century: they are gradually destroyed due to thawing of the upper layer of permafrost.
From the airport is best reached by taxi — in contrast to the cities of Vladivostok, the prices are not too “snappy,” and the distance is small. For 300 rubles will get you to the centre, 500 — anywhere in the city. If things are not too much, and the phone has an app with the online guide, you can sit on a regular “Lasik”, the ticket cost 20 rubles.
Where to stay
In the city centre there are good hotels
Photo: Svetlana Pavlova
Hotels in Yakutsk are many, but the most popular are hotels “polar star”, “Tygyn Darkhan” and “Lena”. They are all in the center. Do not be afraid of huge hairy beasts that will greet you in almost any building. Stuffed prehistoric and wild animals adorn many public places of Yakutsk, working with foreigners. The largest specimen of the mammoth is in the “North star”. Maybe someday we will see them in good health — now on the cloning of animal cells employs the Yakut scientists together with colleagues from Korea and Japan. The cost of living in the “Lena” — from five thousand roubles a day, in the North star apartments will cost 27 thousand rubles.
Budget travelers should look to the hostels and mini-hotels: prices start from 1,5 thousand rubles per night.
Where to eat
Traditional Yakut table
Photo: Micheal Yakovlev
Food service establishments in Yakutsk abound, but the place where you can appreciate exotic Yakut food, and the fingers. One of them is the restaurant “Chochur Myraan, located outside the city. No traffic jams, no long roads. The restaurant is in good standing with the local elite, and it turns out that all foreign and VIP guests visit this place.
“Chochur Myraan” is an ethnographic complex. In addition to the meal, visitors can enjoy a tour in the “Kingdom of permafrost” — in an abandoned mine that go into the mountains. It is believed that they live in the Yakut Santa Claus — Chyskhaan. By the way, recently in the Republic of Sakha there was a tradition: December 1 to meet the winter here, and the traditional festival “Winter begins with Yakutia” starts in this “Kingdom.” And yet it is the “Chochur myraan” tops the rating of restaurants of Yakutsk on TripAdvisor.
Options to eat and not go bankrupt, of course, also available. The only international franchise operating in Yakutsk, — Subway. Space fills local chain Burger-Hit”, sprawling around the city. Estimates vary, but if you want to know the real taste of import substitution — welcome.
Popular center “Moos, Khaya — “Ice mountain”. Despite the “cold” name, I accept it’s rather warm. National dishes served with a modern twist. The kitchen meets a young chef Nikolay Gabyshev.
“Matale” (“thank you” in Yakut), you can enjoy traditional Yakut drink Mare’s milk.
What to buy from a souvenir shop
Lovers of jewelry, do not limit themselves in Finance; they may spend money on expensive gifts. Prices on diamonds are the property of the Republic from a few thousand to millions roubles. It all depends on how many carats and what cut to choose. Also of interest are the figures the same Mamontov, the famous Yakut knives sharp and national jewelry — you can buy them in numerous souvenir shops.
