Tailor-made Arctic adventure tour: Explore the tundra wilderness

Summary

The 4x4 Arctic Exploration and Adventure starts in March 2018. This is the best time to visit Russian North because of long days, good state of winter roads and better weather than in the middle of the winter. We will drive two jeeps which are fully equipped to survive in tundra wilderness. One of our jeeps, "CrazyBuuu" van is an authentic Russian military UAZ-452 van (year of issue 2010) designed in the 1950s as a support car for military forces. Now it‘s still being produced as it was sixty years ago… And, surprisingly, it looks almost like in 1965! Our second jeep is UAZ Patriot, modern Russian jeep. Years from now, it will become a legend, too. In the first days, we will drive North-East from Moscow and visit such wonderful Golden Ring towns as Yaroslavl and Kostroma. They are amazing for architecture and history lovers because of their 12th. Then, for the second to third day, we will spend our time in and around Syktyvkar town. If you have limited time, it's better to fly here from Moscow. You can also arrive by train - another adventure travel in Russia. By the third day, you will see how dramatically nature changes... a lot of evergreen forests, open spaces of snow and only rare settlements. We will still drive normal roads. From the third to fourth day we will spend some time in Ukhta town, the last bastion of civilization in front of tundra wilderness. Ukhta is the middle of nowhere even for our Russian countryside. Our next plans will mainly depend on the road conditions. Ukhta is the last town with normal roads, after which we will drive on winter roads of local oil companies. There will be rescue teams with emergency vehicles as well as a lot of tractors, bulldozers, rovers and just trucks. A lot of people live and work there, usually for gas and oil companies. If the weather is OK (not a snowstorm), we will drive about 100 km of winter road for about one or two days. If all goes well, we'll reach Vorkuta town by the sixth day to enjoy its main attractions – interesting town with five-storey block of flats and everything about the coal industry, including its monument, coal companies, coal miners and their abandoned settlements :) If you want to see how post-apocalypses look in the Arctic, you will be in the right place! We also visit GULAG memory sites and learn more about Arctic regional developments during the Soviet times. Then we will spend two days near Vorkuta traveling through Ural mountains by an old train and then by snowmobiles to see reindeer breeders of aborigines ethnic origin. We will have a Banya (Russian sauna), play with reindeers, talk to reindeer breeders, have a lunch in their tent, and maybe do some trekking to the mountains. Finally, depending on the weather, our wishes and time limits, we will slowly drive back to Moscow.

Tour info

Duration
2 weeks
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Commentary
Meeting Point
Dropoff location

Why take this tour?

This March we will travel across Russia driving two rugged and fully equipped 4x4 jeeps to explore the Russian Northland and Arctic. We will be on and off-road tripping in the middle of nowhere during for two cold weeks. Be ready to have a true adventure! Starting from Moscow, we will move into a different Russia that many will never know. It’s a vast countryside, sparsely populated and underdeveloped. Passing several Golden Ring towns, we will gaze at the rare features of a culture still living in the past. Moving towards the great Northland will bring us back in time... and back to nature! By the third day, we will arrive at the beginning of ‘Nowhere’. Then only deep tracks of winter roads will be our travel mates. Be ready to find what 4x4 is for! We will spend 3 days in Vorkuta town to see the Motherland of Coal, wander around abandoned settlements and GULAG sites, do some exotic trekking to the Ural Mountain and drive snowmobiles to visit reindeer herds.

What’s included?

  • Accommodation as per itinerary

  • Food tasting

  • Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)

  • All activities

  • Local guide

  • Professional guide

  • Hotel drop-off

  • Hotel pickup

  • Private tour

  • Transport by private vehicle

  • Breakfast

  • Lunch

  • Dinner

  • Snacks

  • Bottled water

  • Coffee and/or Tea

  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

Things to know

Before you book

  • Duration: 14 days

  • Mobile tickets accepted

  • Instant confirmation

Cancellation Policy

    If you cancel at least 7 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.

Operated by:

Travel Real Russia

About operator:

Maybe you know, but there is a great difference between Moscow and other Russia. It is not easy to understand life here when you stuck in the traffic jam on your way to Kremlin... Our idea is to show you real Russia, not just a beautiful picture for your Instagram! Visiting countryside is a best opportunity to explore it. What else is special in our tours? • We are a small family business! We do tours with a personal touch for the most affordable price • Our guides are knowledgeable and friendly locals never boring you with dates and names only • We have adventure tours: with us you may explore Russian arctic, amazing ice caves and tundra wilderness • You can choose authentic UAZ military van looking like it is still 1965 for each tour • Our goal is to show you real Russia, not just a beautiful picture for your Instagram Experience what others only dream about! Make your vacation to Russia unforgettable and... Travel real Russia!

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