Praise God, Yakutia Airlines launched the flight tickets online reservation service. Here is the link: http://ticketshop.yakutia.ru/en/ So, now any international traveller can arrange round trips to and within the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
The flight reservation website is standard and simple. It contains four departments, “Book a flight”, “Flight Schedule”, “Payment”, and “Contact”. Read more…
That’s the invitation offered in the following presentation video about the economy of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in English. Dubbing is not mine. Done by a local TV presenter with an obvious Russian accent :) Read more…
This question was asked by a Russian TV crew, that plans to make a journey across Yakutia in the midst of April. A TV producer is pretty much anxious and thinking over what type of transport to rent – a car or helicopter. Well, it’s about time. According to last Friday’s news, there is the ice roads close schedule approved by State Motor Vehicle Inspectorate and the Russian Emercom. Read more…
Actually, international visitors’ first question sounds in another ways. Like, ‘Do I need to get an entry permit for visiting Yakutia.‘ Answer, ‘No.‘ But an inviting organization or person needs to point in invitation applications which settlements within Russia including Yakutia international travellers intend to visit. That’s the ordinary procedure. So to visit Yakutia, foreign guests are required to have only valid Russian visas.
The next question I always hear is whether this or that region of Yakutia is open for foreigners. Read more…
Received a request from a traveller of Croatia: “I am interesting about the road condition in the winter. I mean main road from Yakutsk to Moscow and Vladivostok. Are there any traffic? How about supply, trucks…? Is it possible to go from Moscow to Yakutsk by regular car or 4×4?” Read more…
“I am planning on moving to Yakutsk and need information on housing, cost of living and the average yearly salary?” asked a foreigner. Read more…
It happened for the forth time. Since 2006 on the Day of Epiphany the Orthodox Church in cooperation with the Russian Emergency Service arranges the swimming in a ice-hole on the Lena River. This year was not exclusion and what is more this time it was the most ever visited event. People, who wished to clear from sins by dipping three times in blessed waters, should stand in long line. Outside temperature was -26C – 32C, but river water was warm, about +6C.
See the photographs taken at 9.00 pm on Jan. 19, 2009. Read more…
“Yakutsk, Cherrapunji, Hammerfest, La Paz… these are the cities that top the charts. They struggle doggedly against the toughest environmental conditions on our planet to provide their populations with an acceptable level of existence. These cities persist and continue flourishing in places where normally only traditional villages would be expected to survive…”
That’s how the description of France-based Zadig Production’s documentary film “Extreme Cities” starts. It was the ZP crew I did assist a little in terms of information and contacts prior to its visit in Yakutsk a year ago. In my turn, I am proud to share the promo video of “Extreme Cities: Episode One YAKUTSK” with a film’s annotation. Read more…
An interesting request arrived from Ulan Bator, Mongolia. A couple is planning to visit Yakutsk and asked me about available opportunities to meet local shamans in the city. That was an unexpected question. I don’t have friends among shamans to ask them about meetings. But, Praise God, my mom has a few contacts :) Read more…
Another portion of questions regarding Oymyakon, the Pole of Cold, I received from a Hungarian journalist, who was also wondering how people could live in such extreme weather conditions. Read more…