Diamond touch of virgin nature

You work or plan to work with river cruises in Russia. Traditional routes are held on Volga, Ob`, Yenisei or Lena rivers. Which cruise to choose? Volga is the most known Russian river - and at the same time Volga flows in a region rich of cities, sluices, artificial seas and agricultural complexes. As for Ob` and Yenisei - there are thousands of miles among monotonous forests of West-Siberian plain. And only Lena River has a mighty water flows, virgin landscapes of various types. 
We live in a beautiful land of Yakutia and we are proud to invite you here. This program includes flights to the land you probably never heard about - and cruise on The Great Lena River - on our cruising vessel Mikhail Svetlov.
This is completely different type of leisure - visiting this wildest but hospitable land in a true Heart of Siberia.

DIAMOND TOUCH OF VIRGIN NATURE

9 day program
MOSCOW - YAKUTSK - POLAR CIRCLE - LENA PILLARS - YAKUTSK - MOSCOW
Two cruises in: June 14-22, July 15-23 

1st day. Our company executives meet you at Moscow airport. Departure from Moscow to Yakutsk (7 hours direct flight). Arrival to Yakutsk. Meeting, transfer to the river port. Accommodation in the motor ship. Captain's cocktail party: acquaintance with crew and cruise management, entertainment program. Guides and interpreters provided.
2nd day. Departure to the North. Stop in the Lyampiske River mouth: fishing, excursions, leisure. Crossing the Arctic Circle - in a midnight! Show program near Agraphena island that always frightened every sailor. Every one who has ever been passing the island gave it some gifts from the vessel in order not to tease the mysterious Russian princess who sent many diseases to the Yakut people. But in spite of numerous gifts Agraphena was likely to sink any boat drifting by her island. But the matter to celebrate is that the Island of Agraphena is a kind of the border of the Polar Circle.
4th day. Programs onboard: lectures, videos about Yakutia, folklore entertainment program.
5th day. Arrival to Sottintsy: visiting the history and architecture museum, participating in Northern folklore ceremonies, acquaintance with Yakutian people culture and life. 
6th day. Arrival to Yakutsk. Sightseeing excursion in the city, including unique Permafrost Research Institute.
7th day. Stop at Diring-Yuryakh - the place where probably the very first tools made by humans were found. Similar features of human activity used to be found only in Africa to consider this continent the birthplace of humanity. The idea of Yakutsk scientists is simple and clear - if the Great Icing Process was started from here, the local men were the first to take tools to survive. Discovering of choppers proved the version.
8th day. Stop at the Lena Pillars - extremely steep column-like rocks of Kimberly limestone. First similar limestones were found and described in Wales (previously named as Kimberly). At that period of time thick layers of this mineral condensed. Latter on the stone rocks have turned into amazing creatures that still look like towers, pillars, and columns with the height of over 150 m. The total length of the Lena Pillars is 80 kilometers approximately. A unique phenomenon of nature. Excursions to panoramic views and to taiga, fishing, picnic on the bank with Yakutian cuisine typical dishes.
Farewell party, fire on shore, departure back to Yakutsk.
9th day. Transfer to airport, flight to Moscow.

15 day program
MOSCOW - YAKUTSK - TIKSI - LENA PILLARS - YAKUTSK - TIKSI - MOSCOW
Only one cruise: August, 9 - 24

This is a longer program, to the Far North - to Tiksi, the gate to severe Arctic ocean.
Zhigansk is the first settlement beyond the Polar Circle. The Zhigansk's ostrog is the same age as the Yakutsk's one. The name of Zhigansk (Aedyigen) is translated from Evenk as "an inhabitant of the lower part of river". Over 400 kilometers the Lena river flows through the Zhigansk region among forests, numerous small and big lakes, fast brooks, streams. Kyusyur settlement was founded when Evenks and Yakuts were transferring from the nomad style of life to the settled one. Nowadays Kyusyur is a cultural center of the region - it has schools, libraries, shops, hospitals and kindergartens... Tiksi is a sea gate of our Republic, a huge transport point on the map. In the Yakut language it means "a moorage place". The settlement of Tiksi appeared on the map by the middle of 30s when soviet vessels began going by a regular schedule to the region. The navigation period is extremely short (2.5 months). First sunrays can be seen here on the 7th of February and on 19, February people can see all sun cycles. Sainoilovskiy is an island situated on the territory of the biggest in the Republic Nature Reserve - Ust-Lenskiy (Lena Delta). Siktyakh is the oldest settlement beyond the Polar Circle. Siktyakh means "a wet place". It is famous for the reason that people from the settlement has known how to melt metal first and then to shape it as long ago as over 3,000 years ago. Natara is a river on which in 1920 there was set up a small settlement of Tungus fishers. It used to have two urasas (native living places made of animal skins and leather) , a big kolyma (an urasa with turf) and 8-10 barns. One fisher's family still lives in the settlement and will be glad to host you.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS AND TOURS
Before and after cruising program you have a right to choose several additional options in Siberian or any other Russian regions:
- Mirny - diamond capital of Yakutia and Russia, open - cast diamond mine MIR, other diamond processing facilities,
- Ethnographic, scientific or adventure tours in Yakutia - Evenk nomads encampment excursion, hiking, birding or fishing in Yakutsk vicinity, boat adventures on small Northern rivers Buotama, Sinyaya or Amga,
- Lake Baikal - famous Russian lake - the biggest and clearest one in a world!
- Moscow and St Petersburg, including ALROSA` s Diamond House, Kremlin, Tretyakovskaya gallery, Bolshoy theatre, Hermitage, Petergoff.

Cruiseship

"Mikhail Svetlov" was built in 1986 at Austrian shipyard in Kornoiburg. The length of the ship is 90 m, a width 15 m, draft 1,6 m, and cruising speed is 21,5 kmph.

The boat is equipped with 22 four-bedded rooms, 41 double, 6 single and 2 suites (All rooms are with an air conditioner, shower, WC), restaurant, bar, cinema, library, sauna, hairdressers, medical station.

The ship "Mikhail Svetlov" was named in honor of talented Russian poet, legendary during his lifetime yet.

Godmother of this ship is Kristine Wranitsky, wife of the Chancellor of Austria.

Staff of "Mikhail Svetlov" restaurant is collective member of International Association of Restaurant and Hotel, American Association of Hotel and Motel, National Restaurant Association as well.

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