TAYMYR

Dates of trip: April 9 – 16, 2024

Duration: 8 days / 7 nights

Number of participants: 4 – 10

Сost per person:

• 199,000 rubles for 9–10 participants,
• 219,000 rubles for 6–8 participants,
• 239,000 rubles for 4–5 participants

Early booking discount - 10% (until December 9, 2023).

Everything is included, except for:

• flight to Hatanga (Krasnoyarsk Krai) and back,
• medical insurance,
• russian visas (if required),
• lunches and dinners in Hatanga.

Estimated cost of round-trip airfare Moscow – Hatanga – Moscow (via Krasnoyarsk): 60,000 – 75,000 rubles (Tickets for Moscow – Krasnoyarsk – Moscow flights are usually purchased independently. Tickets for KrasAvia flights Krasnoyarsk – Hatanga – Krasnoyarsk can be obtained through our representative).

Single accommodation supplement: 18,000 rubles (single accommodation is only available in Hatanga).


TRAVEL PROGRAM: TOUR TO TAYMYR


Day 0. April 8, 2024. Monday. Departure to Krasnoyarsk.

Evening departure from Moscow (or another city) to Krasnoyarsk. Meals: Not included Accommodation: Not provided

Recommended flight from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk:

• Either by Aeroflot at 20:25, arriving in Krasnoyarsk at 05:05 on April 9,
• Or by S7 at 20:45, arriving in Krasnoyarsk at 05:20 on April 9.
• Or by any other flight from any city arriving in Krasnoyarsk no later than 5:30 am on April 9.

Day 1. April 9, 2024. Tuesday. Arrival in Hatanga, on the Taymyr Peninsula.

In the early morning (no later than 5:30 am), arrival in Krasnoyarsk. At 8:00 am, a flight with KrasAvia to Hatanga on the Taymyr Peninsula (3 hours in the air). Departure times may vary.
Around noon, arrival on the Taymyr Peninsula in Hatanga, a settlement located in the Far North, in the Krasnoyarsk Krai, 600 km northeast of Norilsk. Hatanga is one of the northernmost settlements in Russia.
After lunch, we will visit the village of Novaya (1 hour drive), where the main population consists of Nganasans.
Nganasans, according to some sources, are the oldest of the northern peoples, and certainly the northernmost. Once, Nganasans inhabited the northern part of the Taymyr Peninsula, hunting wild reindeer. They were among the last to engage in reindeer herding.
Perhaps their limited experience did not allow them to survive difficult times, and in the 1990s, having lost their reindeer, they were forced to move to modern villages, such as Novaya. Today, there are fewer than 800 of them, and those who remember the language and traditions are no more than two hundred.
We will visit Nganasan families. Despite living in modern houses, Nganasans have a unique way of life. For example, they have remained true to their pagan beliefs and have not adopted Christianity. Other Taymyr peoples previously did not consider Nganasans as potential marriage partners because they believed they had "sewn faces" – Nganasans used to have facial tattoos. Their traditional clothing is also interesting. Unlike other northern peoples, Nganasans sew garments in which only three contrasting colors are present: white, black, and red. It is believed that this resembles their totem animal, the mammoth, the most revered among all others. Nganasans also say that red symbolizes the sun, white represents our world, and black represents the afterlife. Nganasan footwear is unique – unlike any other people, they make shoes without a toe, resembling a mammoth's foot! This further hints at the age of this people.

In the evening, return to Hatanga. Accommodation at the Mammoth Hotel 4*. Dinner and night in apartments in Hatanga.

Meals: Not included
Accommodation: Mammoth Hotel 4* or similar


Day 2. April 10, 2024. Wednesday. Transfer to the Dolgan Encampment.

Early departure on TRECOL off-road vehicles to the northeast, along the Hatanga River, and further along the Popigay River towards the settlement of Popigay (about 300 km, travel time can reach up to 18 hours, depending on weather conditions). Evening arrival in the Popigay settlement. Meeting with the guide and further transfer to the Dolgan encampment in the tundra near the Popigay settlement (30 – 50 km, depending on the camping location).
Popigay is located on the 72nd parallel, over 600 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle.
The Dolgans are a Turkic people who mainly inhabit the Taymyr Peninsula in the Far North of Russia. The Dolgans are the youngest ethnic group officially recognized in Russia, acknowledged only in the late 1950s.
The Tungus (Evenki), who once inhabited the southern part of Taymyr and engaged in reindeer herding, underwent the influence of Yakut culture and language in the 18th century. On the other hand, from the west, the now extinct Samoyedic people, the Enets, introduced their characteristics into the culture of the Tungus belonging to the "Dolgan" tribe.
Thus, in the mid-19th to early 20th century, the cultural identity of the Dolgans began to take shape until the 1950s, when they referred to themselves as "Sakha."
Today, it is widely accepted that the Dolgans are essentially "Tungus people under Yakut influence."
Originally, the Dolgans were nomadic hunters and reindeer herders, but during Soviet times, everything changed significantly. Dolgans are known for their balkas – square dwellings covered with reindeer hides. Unlike other indigenous peoples of the Russian Far North, such as the Nenets, Khanty, or Chukchi, who need to dismantle and rebuild their dwellings (chums, yarangas) every time they move or migrate through the tundra, the Dolgans do not need to spend time on this, as their homes are built directly on sledges! In the first half of the 20th century, Dolgan reindeer herders invented the balok, replacing the chum with a balok for the winter season. This innovation, now a tradition, helps the Dolgans migrate in the extremely low temperatures of the Far North, where winter temperatures often drop below minus 60 degrees Celsius.
Late dinner (local food) and overnight stay in balkas.

Meals: Breakfast (packed lunch), lunch (packed lunch), and dinner included
Accommodation: Balkas (traditional Dolgan dwellings)


Days 3–4. April 11–12, 2024. Thursday–Friday. Dolgan Reindeer Herder Camp.

We spend two full days in the Dolgan reindeer herder camp, participating in the life of the nomads. This includes a trip to the herd, deer herding activities, a masterclass in throwing a mauta (lasso), and the possibility of participating in a ritual reindeer slaughter. There will be a masterclass on traditional preparation of reindeer meat and straganina. We will also get acquainted with northern cuisine.
Engage in conversations with the reindeer herders around the campfire, listen to stories about the tundra, culture, and religion. Most Dolgans practice ancient shamanistic beliefs, although some of them follow Orthodox Christianity.
Lunch and dinner will feature traditional nomadic food (raw meat straganina, various types of whitefish, shurpa, etc.).
If, during our stay, the Dolgans decide to move their camp ("argishit," as the Dolgans say), we will participate in the migration, moving the entire camp along with the reindeer and belongings to a new location in the tundra.
Join the Dolgans on snowmobiles for a seasonal hunt in the tundra (ptarmigan, hare). If fishing nets are still in place in April, traditional ice fishing with the Dolgans may also be possible.
In the evenings, we will hunt for the Northern Lights.
Nights in balkas.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Accommodation: Balkas (traditional Dolgan dwellings)


Day 5. April 13, 2024. Saturday. Reindeer Herder's Day in Popigay.

Early in the morning, departure on TRECOL off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, or reindeer-drawn sledges (depending on the distance) to the settlement of Popigay to participate in the Reindeer Herder's Day festival, if the festival is scheduled for this date.

If the Dolgans are celebrating Reindeer Herder's Day during our stay, we will witness the preparation of the entire herd and their migration to Popigay for the festival.

Throughout the day: photographing Dolgans participating in the festival, competitions in national sports, with reindeer sled racing being the central event.

Night in Popigay in a local house or the Cultural House, sleeping in sleeping bags, or a return to the Dolgan encampment and a night in balkas.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. Accommodation: Local house, Cultural House, or balkas (traditional Dolgan dwellings).

*Reindeer Herder's Day in Popigay is usually held annually in April on these dates. The exact dates of the festival are determined by the local administration (usually in January-March) and may be subject to change in practice.
In the event that Reindeer Herder's Day in Popigay is not scheduled for this date, we may participate in the celebration of Reindeer Herder's Day in Novorybnoy or extend our stay in the Dolgan encampment for an additional day.


Day 6. April 14, 2024. Sunday. Transfer to Hatanga.

After breakfast, on TRECOL off-road vehicles, we return through the tundra to Hatanga (about 300 km). The journey will take the entire day, with lunch in Novorybnoy.
Late arrival in Hatanga. Rest after the long journey.
Dinner and overnight stay at the Mammoth Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch (packed lunch) included.
Accommodation: Mammoth Hotel 4* or similar.


Day 7. April 15, 2024. Monday. Excursions in Hatanga.

After breakfast, visit the northernmost Orthodox church in Russia – the Epiphany Church, the Local Lore Museum of Hatanga (Taimyr Reserves Museum), and, if accessible, the Mammoth Museum. The Mammoth Museum is constructed in an old abandoned glacier near the river port, where thousands of mammoth tusks and bones, along with those of other animals that once inhabited the area, can be found. The permafrost continually pushes the mammoth skeletons and tusks to the surface. Local adventurers regularly embark on expeditions in search of mammoth tusks. There is even a common phrase here, "go to the tundra for tusks."

Dinner at the Hatanga restaurant, where you might have the chance to taste wild goose or reindeer steak with cranberry jam.

*This day can serve as a backup in case of inclement weather.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mammoth Hotel 4* or similar.


Day 8. April 16, 2024. Tuesday. Return Flight.

Late breakfast and transfer to the airport. At 1:00 PM (schedule subject to change), departure to Krasnoyarsk with KRASAVIA airline. Arrival in Krasnoyarsk around 5:00 PM.

Evening flight to Moscow or an overnight stay in Krasnoyarsk and a direct morning flight to Moscow.

*Recommended flight from Krasnoyarsk to Moscow (or another city):
- anytime not earlier than 9:00 PM on April 16
- alternatively, you can take a direct flight from Krasnoyarsk to Moscow (or another city) in the morning on April 17 (the hotel in Krasnoyarsk is paid separately in this case).

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Not included

*The organizer reserves the right to change the order of the program while ensuring the completion of all activities. The program may also be modified depending on actual weather/road conditions.
** It should be noted that flights from Hatanga to Krasnoyarsk may be delayed or canceled due to weather conditions. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase a returnable fare for the Krasnoyarsk – Moscow flight. Keep in mind that flights to/from Hatanga are not daily, which may affect the duration of your stay in Hatanga.
*** Tickets for KRASAVIA airline flights from Krasnoyarsk to Hatanga and

Cost includes:

- Transfers to and from the airport, and to the village of Novaya according to the program (minibuses or off-road vehicles).
- Transportation services according to the program in the tundra, including the use of the tracked vehicle "Trecol" and snowmobiles.
- Accommodation in a 4-star hotel in the village of Hatanga (double occupancy).
- Accommodation in a camp with traditional structures for all participants.
- Three meals a day and drinking water in the camp with traditional Dukha cuisine.
- Meals during the journey in the tundra in the form of packed lunches.
- Breakfasts in Hatanga.
- Participation in activities and immersion in the life of the Dukha people in the camp.
- Visits to museums in Hatanga.
- Experienced Russian-speaking driver-guides in the tundra.
- Processing of permits for entry into the border zone, if necessary.
- Satellite communication for safety.
- Services of a Russian-speaking local guide in Hatanga.
- Services of a Russian- and English-speaking team leader throughout the entire route.



Cost excludes (to be additionally paid):
- Flight to Hatanga (Krasnoyarsk Krai) and back
- Medical insurance
- Russian visa (if required)
- Lunches and dinners in Hatanga (not specified in the program)
- Ritual slaughter of a reindeer.


To take with:

- Warm, windproof down jacket.
- Warm, windproof hat (2 pieces), trousers, gloves with windstopper (2 pairs required).
- Warm boots, warm waterproof boots (2 pairs of warm footwear required).
- Sets of clothing suitable for weather conditions (wool socks, cotton socks, wool sweater).
- Thermal underwear.
- Sleeping bag with a comfort temperature of minus 5 degrees (mornings in the dwelling may be around zero, but usually warmer).
- Self-inflating sleeping pad.
- Sunglasses (mandatory).
- Ski goggles (preferable).
- Balaclava or buff.
- Thermos.
- Headlamp.
- Personal hygiene items (including wet wipes, towel, soap).
- Minimal supply of favorite food and drinks (there will be nowhere to buy).
- Personal medications.
- Sun and wind protection.
- Photo and video equipment, spare batteries, tripod.