Resorts can go hand in hand with wildlife and even be beneficial, experts say

Today, Russia’s protected areas and conservation areas make up as much as 13 percent of the country’s vast territory. Ecotourism is rapidly growing, contributing in turn to the growth of Russia’s green economy as one of the country’s latest trends. Meanwhile, eco activists what we say throw sand in the wheels of the national tourism on occasions, putting obstacles for the resort areas as they grow in natural territories. Experts strongly believe, however, that such “environmental protection” is untrue at times, and resorts can coexist happily with wildlife without any harm to it and even doing some good for it.

The green economy and eco-tourism growth are trending, so what are the odds?

Green economy is turning into a trend these days. Some reports suggest that Q3 2020 saw an all-time high in green bonds (debt securities that are issued to attract investment in projects aimed at green improvements) issued for around US$65 billion. Moody’s estimates that the total of green, social and sustainable bonds issued could reach US$400 billion in 2020.

Environmental protection has been a trend as of late. This accounts for the fact that businesses are taking steps to get their projects into the “green” category.  The Government of the Russian Federation has issued Order No. 3024-r to promote green finance measures; this topic has been put into paragraph 5 of the National Economic Recovery Plan for Russia.

Photo by Artur Demchenko (“Recreation in Russia”)

Ecologically active people also take advantage of the situation, trying to fit any environmentalist struggle they might pursue into the mainstream. This struggle turns occasionally into a real way of putting pressure on the decisions the Russian authorities or business make, even in the way of upgrading local territories, national parks, and fostering tourism. Indeed, even the country’s President Vladimir Putin, losing his temper, spoke out on this point at the end of 2020: “I, for example, am constantly challenged by various sides of this process while at the table. Some say that we should enlarge the number of these territories, and that we should not change or disturb anything there. The others overseas say: “They can do anything they like for the sake of economic activity. Nothing is allowed for us. They also push this idea here saying that we are not allowed to do anything like create new ski resorts or bring lands into economic turnover. Even if we ensure that additional territories adjacent to specially protected areas are restored, even if, let’s say, we do plant some trees which we later take down when laying certain routes, highways, or linear objects or infrastructures: “We are not allowed anything, this is done so as to keep our development out of the way.”

Greenpeace, for example, has been high-temperature attacking Russia’s bill to amend the Federal Law on Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNA) for all of the past year. However, it was vital for the country in terms of making economic and social advances in SPNAs: after all, there are settlements whose inhabitants could not make full use of their territory, and various domestic tourism facilities.

Just before the new year 2021, the head of state signed this bill into law; eco-activists have failed to thwart the situation. For the Russian economy, and for nature as well, this is clearly a big plus: our natural areas must, on the one hand, still pursue the valuable mission of protecting ecology, flora and greenery, and, on the other hand, they must see greater development towards educational targets, protecting public health, and boosting the tourism dimension across Russia.

“It is increasingly imperative and timely for us to follow the green agenda,” says Arkady Amelin, Vice President of Investment Russia, member of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Council on Financial, Industrial and Investment Policy and head of the Investment, PPP and Infrastructure Committee of the Eurasian Assembly of Nations. – Let’s get to the bottom of the meanings behind this requirement, however. For one thing, any person of healthy views would agree with the self-evident paradigm that nature must be protected. All of us want to breathe crystal-clear air, eat healthy natural foods, enjoy relaxing and living in harmony in undisturbed natural areas. Passing on our environment as pristine and unspoilt as possible to future generations is something we would like to do. On the other hand, the environmentalists are over-zealous on occasions when it comes to their environmental fighting mission. We are all aware that, sadly, the rapid industrial advances in the recent history of mankind driven by technological innovation have been accompanied by, at times, some out-of-control pollution of nature. Mankind has now seen the mistakes it has made, and is seeking to rectify the state of affairs. For example, Russia is implementing the Ecology national project, whereby 4 trillion rubles have been allocated to finance priority ‘green’ activities until 2024, with 80% of this amount to be raised from non-budgetary sources,” said the expert.

“The issue is not the toilets, it’s the heads”  

Russian journalist Vasily Peskov once said that any trip to see nature, and especially to meet a wild animal “is an unforgettable experience and sometimes the most memorable one”, stressing the importance of ecotourism and the development of tourism in the national parks and giving reasons for the need to develop infrastructure: ”It’s really good to compare protected areas with open-air museums. In each case there are specialists of fundamentally similar professions; in museums these are technical staff, security guards, curators, guides, art historians, restorers. They both have similar rules for visitors. The issue is not the toilets, it’s the heads!”

Overseas public authorities, for instance, strongly support the development of national parks as destinations for tourists and the development of ecotourism, among other things. Furthermore, national parks in the USA, for example, contribute significantly to the country’s budget. Facilitating the eco-tourism growth there is seen as an important duty to be taken on by the regional authorities. In Russia, on the other hand, it has so far been thought that wilderness needs to be hidden and closed off from any visit; this idea has been echoed and promoted so enthusiastically by the “greenies”, including Greenpeace. As a result, Russia’s vast national park areas do not generate income but they rather require large investments, such as for environmental protection measures.  Ecotourism and the development of eco-friendly resorts in such areas can, indeed, also lead to the income generated, and the money raised can be invested in environmental protection as well.

Photo by Artur Demchenko (“Recreation in Russia”)

By the way, according to the same World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), in Canada, for example, direct tax deductions from ecotourism activities are five times higher than all the country’s environmental protection expenditures. What’s more, ecotourism in our domestic protected areas is over 1000 (!) times less than the annual income from American protected areas. Or even hundreds of times less than the income of protected areas in lots of developing countries.

At the same time, Russian citizens do not even have a place to admire wildlife. Such places have only begun to gradually develop in recent years, overcoming the relentless “raids” by the Greenpeace environmentalists.

Alexander Zakodyrin, the leader of the Green Alliance, believes that environmental conflicts do not arise out of nothing. There are reasons for them, among them the pseudo-ecologists spreading fake news and the pressure of external economic and political forces who are interested in limiting Russia’s economic development by putting green issues on the agenda.

Andrei Nagibin, the author of the term “environmental extremism” and head of Green Patrol, noted long ago that this phenomenon had arrived in politics and economics of the countries for a long time, as it was based on “public opinion that various crooks do not hesitate to manipulate”. Environmental protests are a weapon in competitors’ wars and, under plausible pretexts for protecting nature, various ‘green’ organizations, it has to be admitted, often act to order.

Caring for tourists and preserving nature are the main goals of today’s resorts  

The authorities, the public and the business community have all come to realize that specially protected natural areas must be made part of the tourist context. Likewise, the management of nature reserves and national parks must have the rights and opportunities to develop tourism in their territories. This should make the development of domestic tourism in such areas civilized and cautious, paying attention to both nature conservation and care for tourists.

Russia does have such places that these essential goals have been remarkably well aligned. Again, their creators have had to fight off claims by Greenpeace and other eco-activists who interfered with the projects being set up or fought “against the harm caused to nature” in whatever way they could, up to and including rallies and demonstrations.

Photo by Artur Demchenko (“Recreation in Russia”)

An example of successful development of domestic tourism in the Volga region is the popular Khvalynsky ski resort. The project was created on the territory almost adjacent to the vast Khvalynsky national park. What difficulties the investors from a small town had to fight for the project, prove its viability and the need to use recreational opportunities of the local area not to the harm to the nature, but rather for its benefit is already forgotten. The active recreation among the Hvalynsky chalk mountains covered with relict pine trees is now loved not just by Volga residents, but also by guests from Penza, Moscow and Kazakhstan.  The ski park, the hotel complex, thermae and the baths have been designed with the environment in mind. The owners of the facility are proud of “not a single animal or tree suffered” (a phrase much favored in the cinematograph) as the infrastructure facilities were built.

Notably, the Khvalynsky ski resort created in early noughties gave a huge impetus towards development of the National Park and the region as a whole, and inspired creation of jobs. New modern eco-trails, museums and excursion routes appeared. An inflow of tourists brought about an upswing in prices for land and real estate.

“A green tourist cluster is now being actively formed in Khvalynsk, on the banks of the Volga River,” says Arkady Amelin. “Why go far? Everyone has heard of the Rosasa Khutor resort, a large-scale project that has acted so well in recent years to boost the development of local areas.

Photo by Artur Demchenko (“Recreation in Russia”)

The founders of Rosa Khutor once claimed that the resort would attract 50% of tourists as a ski or mountain resort and 50% more as a launching point for eco-tourists. Rosa Khutor’s director of Sustainability and Environmental Protection, Dmitry Kolosov, said the resort’s sustainable development program, which includes a wide range of environmental initiatives, had been unveiled here in 2018.

“The priority is to create the conditions for nature tourism at the resort and expand opportunities for safe and comfortable access to the alluring but challenging world of the mountains,” explains Dmitry Kolosov.  

A network of eco-trails is being developed here by joint efforts with the directorate of the Sochi National Park. Incidentally, one of these trails served as the basis for the trail race under the Rosa Run competition.

The resort aims to restore the lost heritage of Soviet times, in which active tourism was a truly massive phenomenon, and to do this side by side with the Sochi National Park and the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve. They also put a lot of emphasis on raising awareness for tourists of all ages. The resort takes care of the populations and habitats of rare plants and animals, and even relocates rare plants from work sites.

“We know the places where bears live nearby, where the trail that wild boars follow is, where roe deer, chamois, deer, foxes and martens can be found; we develop a network of photo traps around the resorts, we collect data on animal migration routes,” Dmitry Kolosov gives examples.  

Notably, the resorts do not fail to comply with environmental laws, which the Greens have tried to reproach such projects for. Just one example. A tree once fell at the Rosa Khutor resort, damaging a ropeway. This was precisely because of the strict adherence to the law: no trees in the ski resort are allowed to be cut down. 

Rosa Khutor was built with the utmost respect for the environment at all times. 25,800 young chestnut trees were planted here in 2012, for example, to replace those cut down on the 50-hectare site. Plants listed in the Red Book of Russia were replanted from the construction site, while rare species of toads and lizards were relocated. Specifically, about 800 plants of three rare species were relocated while preparing for the construction work; but first the permission of the Federal Service for the Supervision of Natural Resources was secured.

Photo by Artur Demchenko (“Recreation in Russia”)

Arkady Amelin underlines that the environmental agenda is beginning to play a significant role in the future of domestic tourism. The results of the autumn 2020 competition for grants from the federal budget to support public and entrepreneurial incentives aimed at developing domestic and inbound tourism also attest to this.

“I had to sit on the competition committee,” said the expert. “The competition was held by the Federal Tourism Agency (Rosturizm). More than 4,000 applications from all over the country were reviewed and 474 winners were decided. Most of all applications were aimed at creating comfortable and safe conditions for outdoor recreation. In my line of work, I often have to go on business trips and have seen with my own eyes the level of responsibility that many project initiators feel, the care they take for nature when developing business initiatives for various tourism events.”  

What is more, says Arkady Amelin, it is not uncommon to witness situations where entrepreneurs do literally save nature on their own initiative and at their own expense.  There are plenty of examples of this. One of them is Chelsea Group, the Bureau of Good Deeds Foundation; they have been making efforts to improve the natural areas of Votkinsk in Udmurtia for a few years now. The embankment is being renovated, the bank is being reinforced, wastewater is being filtered, ponds are being deepened and cleaned, the forest is being cleared of rubbish and weeds, ski trails, “health trails” are being lit, bicycle paths and walking areas are being put in place. In part, this was done using funds from private investors. Noteworthy, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment consulted entrepreneurs. A consensus with public environmentalists meant that all the work could be done quickly, rather than stretching it out for decades to come.

“The country needs an environmental information law,” the expert concludes.” “The first problem the ‘eco-terrorists’ avail themselves of is the lack of it.”

A similar idea is expressed by Nikolay Nikolaev, chairman of the Duma’s Committee on Natural Resources and Land Relations: “The public is not told what is really happening to the environment and whether or not it is happening when a facility is built,” he says. “Nor should we forget that, for the most part, the organizations behind many eco-protests are foreign-funded ones. Their task is not to solve issues in a meaningful way, but to keep the solutions at bay. This is why we must actively develop our public environmental organizations. Support them and raise their profile,” the parliamentarian summarized.  

Karen AGABABYAN

The post Promoting Natural Areas and Ecotourism Works as a Help to Nature, Not a Harm first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

AN ENDLESS OCEAN, full of killer whales, dolphins, and two species of sea lion. Hot springs, mud volcanoes, and unparalleled skyscapes. Aniva Lighthouse and bridges built back in the time of
Imperial Japan. Sakhalin is sure to impress you to the core with these sights and more.

TEXT: ANGELINA NADEZHDINA

The post 5 Reasons to Visit Sakhalin first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

On Sochi’s Latitude

Vladivostok, the capital of Primorye, almost shares the same latitude as Sochi. Although you won’t find palm trees here, the summers are hotter than those of the Caucasus’s Black Sea coast. Still, the weather is quite capricious. In June, Vladivostok can be shrouded in a fog which brings a certain mysticism and charm to the city. Local photographers often hunt for beautiful shots in the pre-dawn hours. In July, Vladivostok is sunny and hot, and the city is almost dead on weekends when everyone rushes to the sea. In August, typhoons pay a visit, bringing the long-awaited freshness and coolness of their rains to Primorye.

The best season, however, comes in September. They also call it “the fourth month of summer”. It’s sunny every day, but without the stifling heat. The water temperature in the Sea of Japan stays at around 20 degrees until October. In general, the mellow autumn season is the best time to visit Vladivostok. Also, September is the high season of various cultural events of every size in Vladivostok. One such event is the Pacific Meridian Film Festival, which gathers Russia’s most prominent film stars for the entire city to come and see on the red carpet.

During the festival, famous guests visit faraway provinces to hold creative meetings, where they are greeted with true far-eastern hospitality.

Of course, the guests also enjoy the nearby islands, swimming in the wonderfully clean sea, scuba diving, and tasting local seafood delicacies like mussels, sea cucumber, and scallop. Some of the film stars are so engrossed by the seaside beauty that they come here several times a year.

A European City in Asia

The phrase “Vladivostok may be far, but it’s still our city” belongs to the leader of the world proletariat, Vladimir Lenin, and everyone coming to Vladivostok by train sees it engraved on the wall of the train station. On the platform itself there is a sign, “9288 kilometres” — the distance between Primorye and Moscow. Vladivostok is the last station of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

The city is often compared to San Francisco. The first one to make that comparison was Nikita Khrushchev, and it has become a popular one. Nevertheless, Vladivostok has its own unique image. This is a city surrounded by the sea on three sides, a port city with all the elements of port life. It is surrounded by volcanic hills which offer breath-taking views while narrow streets in the city centre are filled with Japanese cars buzzing around.

Two things strike a visitor to Vladivostok: the complete absence of domestically-produced automobiles and an abundance of beautiful women. The nature of Primorye is truly very generous in producing beauties.

Foreigners often call Vladivostok “a European city in Asia”, and that is one of the reasons they are drawn here. Of course, proximity to Asia has left its mark on the city: you’ll see that in the old city quarters which were built by the Japanese and Chinese, of whom many lived in Vladivostok at the beginning of the 20th century. When visiting the Primorye capital, be sure to take a tour around the Asian landmarks of the city, which are very interesting and colourful!

During the Russo-Japanese war, Vladivostok was turned into a fortress. One of the landmarks of the city is the Vladivostok Fortress, a museum of fortification architecture. The numerous forts have many secrets to tell. It is said that underground tunnels were dug under the entire city (one of them even leading to the Russky Island). Local diggers are glad to show tourists the dungeons and catacombs, sharing all sorts of horror stories.

It is believed that anyone visiting Vladivostok should achieve three things: take a ride on the funicular, take a photo with the Golden Bridge in the background, and visit the extreme point of the mainland at the Tokarevsky lighthouse. The rest is optional, but the city has enough to offer: museums, theatres, art galleries, restaurants and nightclubs. And, of course, the sea…

Southernmost Russia

The name Primorye (“the land near the sea”) speaks for itself. The coastline of the region exceeds 900 kilometres, plus about a hundred large and small islands. The Russky, Popov, Reineke islands, the Peschany peninsula — there are plenty of destinations to chose from. The lucky owners of yachts, cruisers and motor boats (of which the number is growing every year) who prefer more secluded locations have plenty of uninhabited islands to choose from.

Interestingly, the southernmost islands of Russia are located in Primorye – the Furugelm Islands. Go any further south and your next stop will be Korea. However, getting to those islands is not easy for a mere mortal. The islands belong to the only Marine Reserve in Russia. President Vladimir Putin was once so enchanted by this place he spent a whole week here, also enjoying the fresh seafood delicacies. Soon after his visit, the idea of building an oceanarium where guests of Primorye could gaze at the sea and ocean creatures from around the world was envisioned. Primorsky Aquarium is now the largest in Russia and one of the most large-scale scientific and educational complexes in the world.

Two things strike a visitor to Vladivostok:
the complete absence of domestically-produced
automobiles and an abundance of beautiful women.

Primorye’s underwater world is abundant and varied, a true El Dorado for divers. Local dive centres will fully equip you for diving at any spot in Peter the Great Bay, including the area of the Marine Reserve.

Pearls of the Coast

The most well-known of Primorye’s beaches outside the region is Shamora. The famous Russian rock bands, Mumiy Troll and Alisa have both glorified Shamora in their songs. Officially it’s called the Lazurnaya Bay (“Bay d’Azur”), and a mere twenty years ago the bay was as attractive to tourists as the famous Cote d’Azur. A common scene from the old days: thousands of colourful tents occupying every tiny spot of coastline, almost falling into the sea. People from all over the Far East would come here for holidays by the sea. Today Shamora’s main visitors are Vladivostokians — on weekends and days off the beach is absolutely packed. Once quite wild, Shamora is now “refined” by guest houses, summer cafés and barbecues, with no tourist tents in sight…

Another famous city beach is Steklyashka (“small piece of glass”). It got its name due to an unusual phenomenon: the entire coast is covered in small rounded colourful pieces of glass. Steklyashka is one of the only two “glassy” beaches on the planet, the other one is in California.

Every year, when the summer comes, hordes of beach lovers rush to the Primorsky Territory. The entire coast of Primorsky Territory is covered with cars from Khabarovsk, Amur region, Magadan and all across the Far East. The south-west of Primorye, the Khasan region, remains the all-time Mecca of independent wildlife tourism. It’s no coincidence that this place is called the “pearl of the Primorye coast”. Until very recently, economic activity here was strictly limited as 37% of the Khasan is a protected nature area, making the region ecologically pristine.

Khasan has a welcoming, mild, almost subtropical climate. It’s known and loved for its cosy coves and magical beaches, turquoise sea and rich underwater scenery, as well as its fretwork of rocks overgrown with Japanese red pines. The beauty of Khasan is an endless source of inspiration for artists and photographers.

Into the Fog for the Taiga Spirit

Primorye is much more than seas and beaches. After all, the symbol of Primorye is a tiger, the lord of the Ussuri taiga — an audience with whom is not as difficult to get as it may seem. Located within an hour’s drive from Vladivostok is a safari park, where about 70 species of the Primorsky region fauna live in close to wild conditions. Those species include two very rare big cats: the Amur tiger and the Far Eastern leopard.

Primorye has always been considered a promising region for developing ecological tourism. Its mountains, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, ancient extinct volcanoes, and caves are equally unique from the scientific, educational and aesthetic perspectives.

One can chose to be a true pioneer and head to the very north, the most road-free part of the region. These lands offer an unforgettable change to people bored with Thailand and the Maldives (or reluctant to ever go there): life in tents, days filled with fishing for trout and red fish in the refreshing mountain rivers, and rafting.

Not many chose this style of vacation now, but it will undoubtedly catch on. Each of the six reserves and four national parks in the Primorsky Territory are devoted to developing ecotourism. For instance, the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, has developed several routes for exploring deep into the taiga and along the coast.

The array of places and types of recreation in Primorye is wide and diverse: from chilling on a pristine beach to studying the geography and biology of Primorye in the wild or going on gastronomic adventures in the local restaurants. Vladivostok and Primorye can fulfil your every wish.TLR

The post COLOURFUL PRIMORYE first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

THE TYUMEN REGION, LOCATED WITHIN A TWO-AND-A-HALF-HOUR FLIGHT FROM MOSCOW, MAY WELL BE ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL DESTINATIONS FOR A LONG WEEKEND. READ ON ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT, AND WHY A TRIP HERE IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST. REVIEW BY IVAN NIKOLAEV.

Your amazing journey in West Siberia will start with your arrival at its regional centre, the city of Tyumen. The first city to be built in Siberia, Russia’s oil and gas capital holds vast promise in its development.

A City of Happy People

Its residents have dubbed it “the best city on Earth”. Studies and surveys held over recent years have shown Tyumen as ranking the highest in terms of standard of living and “happiness index” in all of Russia. To begin to understand why Tyumen’s people are so in love with their city, a visitor needs to simply take a tour of its most popular sites and attractions, like the four-level embankment of the Tura River, the merchant-quarter full of beautiful mansions adorned with hallmark Siberian carvings, its theatres, museums and, of course, atmospheric cafés. Stroll around the inviting Gilevskaya grove, Zatyumensky Ecopark or some of the city’s other green nooks — and find your own happiness index escalating, too.

Siberian Cuisine

Many of the city’s restaurants and cafés offer traditional Siberian menus. The locals are unanimous in mentioning the restaurant Chum (a chum is a traditional Siberian tent) among the city’s most interesting gourmet spots. It offers both a tasty meal along with authentic impressions of the region’s history. You will be surprised to find its waiters to be knowledgeable tour guides as they tell you fascinating stories about the geologists who came to conquer the taiga near Tyumen in the 1960s. The most popular dishes offered in Chum are muksun stroganina (a delicacy made of thinly sliced frozen fish) and venison salad. By the way, this restaurant-museum was consecrated by a real Siberian shaman, and it is believed that if you make a wish while there, it will definitely come true.

Some of Tyumen’s restaurants cook using recipes dating back to the 1700s, like vinaigrette with milk mushrooms or the ‘Olivier’ salad with crayfish tails. Visitors fond of experimental cuisine are in for exclusive treats — fusion dishes based on high merchant style cookery and culinary hits of the USSR, to name but a few.

A visitor simply needs to take a tour of Tumen’s
most popular sites, like the embankment of the
Tura River, the merchant-quarter, its theatres,
museums and, of course, atmospheric cafés.

Hot Springs

Tyumen’s calling card is its natural hot springs — the area around the region’s capital boasts over twenty of them. The temperature of the mineral water gushing from the bowels of the Earth ranges from +36 to + 45⁰С. Bathing in these springs is not merely pleasant and relaxing — the procedure triggers healing processes in the body and tones the skin.

Joining the Gas and Oil Community

In the early days of oil and gas development in Western Siberia, enthusiasts and romantics from all over the USSR gathered here. Presently, 60% of Russia’s national raw material resources are concentrated in the Tyumen region. In the course of the captivating
“Siberia’s Black Gold” tour you’ll learn about the history of Siberia’s development, witness the oil-extracting process, eat black fish ukha (fish soup) and even go through the oilmen initiation rite.

Rasputin’s Domain

On the way from Tyumen to Tobolsk be sure to stop at the village of Pokrovskoe. It’s home to Siberia’s first privately owned museum, the house of Grigory Rasputin, one of the most controversial and debated figures in Russian history. The exhibition is based on items owned by the Rasputin family, including original photographs of himself and his relations with personal signatures and notes. Make sure you take a moment to sit on Rasputin’s famous Viennese chair: it brings good luck and professional success. TLR

The post The Black Gold Capital first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

тext: ANNA IVANOVA

Winter is the best time to truly understand and enjoy the beauty of yakutia. truly exciting adventures aWait travellers: ice fishing, hunting, dog and reindeer sledding, extreme sports, and natural Wonders.

Regardless of where you choose to stay — in the capital of the republic, in its coldest place (the Pole of Cold), or in the wild engaging in extreme and relaxing activities — the experiences will be unforgettable.

The Kingdom of Snow and Ice

Oymyakon is the coldest inhabited settlement on Earth and a must-see for anyone who is exploring wintertime-Yakutia. The unofficial temperature record in the settlement was recorded in 1938: – 77.8 °C.

In the Yakut language, “oymyakon” means “non-freezing water”. It’s nothing less than a miracle that there are ice-free rivers, streams, and lakes at the world’s coldest point, right on the edge of the permafrost. The brave souls who dare to swim in those streams in winter talk about it with deserved pride.

OYMYAKON IS THE COLDEST SETTLEMENT IN
THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, AND A MUST-SEE
FOR THOSE WISHING TO DISCOVER THE TRUE
WINTERTIME-YAKUTIA.

Oymyakon is about a thousand kilometres away from Yakutsk. From the airport, tourists are taken by off-road vehicles along the Kolyma road either to Oymyakon itself, or to Tomtor, a village in the very centre of the Oymyakon Plateau, one of the harshest places on Earth. One can also get from Yakutsk to Tomtor by plane by taking the Yakutsk — Ust-Nera flight and onwards by car.

A view of the majestic mountain glaciers and the legendary ice-free Labynkyr Lake will open up before your eyes. The lake has long been subject to searches for a mysterious underwater creature called the Labynkyr Devil — known as “Nessie’s Yakut cousin” and a character in the “Russian Fishing 2” computer game.

Chyskhaan, the Guardian of the Cold

For twenty years now, Oymyakon has hosted the international Pole of Cold festival: a folk event where authentic Yakut and Evenk cultures intertwine.

The festival can teach you a lot about the everyday life, history and culture of local residents: their national costumes, traditions, sports, cuisine, music, dances, and legends. Another must visit attraction is the ice residence of Chyskhaan, legendary “Guardian of the Cold”. The palace was created inside the sacred Ebe Haya mountain, where an underground ice gallery and luxurious corridors lead you to the throne hall of the Lord of the North.

During the festival there’s traditionally a fair when one can purchase pieces of local folk crafts. But the most anticipated event of the program is the rally to the Pole of Cold — an extreme rally along the Yakutsk — Tomtor route, passing stunning views of the mountains and northern nature. Also popular with the audience is the “Miss Pole of Cold” contest which attracts the most beautiful Yakutian girls. In the meantime, the strongest and most dexterous of men compete for the top spot in the “Chyskhaan Games” sporting event.

And in addition to all that, here you can also enjoy reindeer sleigh rides, national cuisine tasting master classes (“Taste of the North”) and quiet nights in an authentic Evenk chum (raw-hide tent). Extreme sports fans can enjoy ski tours and climbing the Muus-Khaya (2,959 m), Aphrodite (2,054 m) and Yurbe (2,111 m) mountains of the Pole of Cold.

Winter Adventures Capital

If you’re limited in time, Yakutsk alone can make for a wonderful trip — there are lots of interesting places to visit and things to do here. The Permafrost Museum is definitely in the top ten. It was established in the underground geocryological laboratory of the Permafrost Institute (also the museum’s main exhibit). The Daily Telegraph included the laboratory in its list of Russia’s 20 most interesting attractions.

Another of Yakutsk’s gems is the Mammoth Museum. It exhibits several animal mummies found in Yakutia, some of which are over 12 thousand years old. You can also get a souvenir made from animal bones or tusks at a kiosk anywhere in the city.

Another must-visit is the famous Krestyansky (“peasant”) fish market (in Yakutia they freeze only freshly caught fish). Those market people selling fish “bouquets” on foggy, frosty days are quite colourful characters. Restaurants too will offer you frozen fish, including the delicious stroganina (sliced fish), along with other culinary delights from local chefs: salamat (custard made of flour and butter), foal meat, and venison (much loved by the locals and guests alike), northern fish dishes, khaan blood sausage, and a fantastically delicious kerchekh dessert (whipped cream with berries).

Traditional Yakut cuisine even has its own festival, “Taste of Yakutia”, held in the capital annually in early December. It coincides with another festival (with a very telling name), “Winter begins in Yakutia”. Indeed, where else can the coldest season of the year begin? Every year during the festival, Father Frost (who visits from his hometown, Veliky Ustyug) and Chyskhaan, Lord of the Cold, meet in Yakutsk and light the country’s first New Year tree.

YAKUTIA HAS PLENTY OF TOURIST CENTRES WHERE GUESTS CAN ENJOY SKIING, SNOWBOARDING AND TUBING, DOG SLEDDING, AND FISHING   EVERY TYPE OF WINTER ENTERTAINMENT.

One of Yakutia’s most important tourist attractions and a true natural wonder, the Lena Pillars are located not far from Yakutsk. These majestic cliffs, stretching for miles along the banks of the Lena River, are over 400,000 years old. The sight is wonderful regardless of the season, but only in winter can you get to the pillars by ice, driving a car or snowmobile along one of the world’s most powerful rivers.

Hunting, Fishing, and a Snow Selfie

Yakutia has plenty of tourist centres where guests can enjoy skiing, snowboarding and tubing, dog sledding and fishing — every type of winter entertainment imaginable. The sledge dogs used here are the famous Yakut huskies. Since ancient times, this local breed has helped people to transport goods and has been used for hunting. Many believe they even drive evil spirits away from homes. Brown- or blue-eyed, with a luxurious fur coat, these dogs are very friendly and not at all aggressive.

Always remember that everything in Yakutia has its ritual, and both hunting and fishing are sacred acts wrapped in tradition. Fishing and hunting tours are one of the most popular pastimes in the republic — in winter that means ice fishing for muncha or kuyuur, and hunting for what’s considered the best trophies: wild reindeer, wolf, fox, Arctic fox, wolverine, lynx, and sable.

No one coming to Yakutia in winter ever leaves without taking the famous snow selfie with “winter fireworks”, the ones you make by throwing hot water up into the freezing air. Water instantly freezes in the extreme cold, creating a cloud of icy fireworks. And remember, photos are best taken at sunset. Also, don’t forget to try “snow make-up”. To get those thick snowy eyelashes, cover your mouth with your hand or scarf and breathe fast — after only a couple of minutes you won’t recognize yourself.

Enjoy and explore wintertime-Yakutia, embrace its fresh and vivid flavours and colours! TLR

PHOTO: DRIVE2.RU / NLO-MIR.RU / INYAKUTIA.RU /

SHTISH.LIVEJOURNAL.COM / TRIPPLANET.RU / AYAR VARLAMOV

The post In Search of the Cold first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

Here you will find over two thousand birds, animals, reptiles, and fish from all over the world. Apart from that, you can take a ride in a carriage, have a picture taken of yourself with a bird of prey, visit an ostrich farm, and admire tropical plants in bloom.

Arriving at the Tropics

This summer, my dream of seeing the famous bird park with my own eyes finally came true. After a few days at Etnomir (Ethnic world), my family and I headed to the Sparrows as it’s located nearby.

The entire area of the parking lot and all the curbs along the fenced-in bird park were occupied. Finally, we managed to find a place on the lawn by the entrance. It would be advisable for the local authorities to consider building a larger parking lot for visitors to this popular tourist attraction and educational facility.

The second difficulty awaited at the entrance, where a queue of about 50 people was slowly moving towards the ticket counter. As we discovered a few minutes later, the cashier’s order for everyone to put on face-masks, and refusal to sell the tickets otherwise, was to account for the slowness of movement. To avoid having to queue, we crossed the road and headed to the second part of the park where the queue for tickets was much shorter.

This part of the park is smaller than the main one, but it turned out to be very interesting. As soon as we entered, we found ourselves inside the “Tropical World” pavilion. The moist air, palm and banana trees, various exotic plants and animals made us feel as if we had suddenly been brought closer to the equator. In the next pavilion we saw various types of fish in aquariums while just outside stood cages with songbirds from all over the world. Large, open-air enclosures housed long-legged ostriches that walked along the fences in a relaxed manner.

Another open-air collection features stones brought from different territories all over Russia, beginning with the Urals and going all the way to the Caucasus. There we saw Karelian granite and white marble, laughing children climbing all over large boulders, and adults getting photographed next to them.

Hundreds of exotic birds

The second, main, part of the park, made an incredible impression on us. Neither ourselves, nor the other guests had expected anything so grand, judging by their feedback. Hundreds of bird cages and animal enclosures, the sounds they emitted making our heads spin – and we couldn’t take our eyes off of the sight.

The park’s collection includes about 300 species of birds: peacocks, parrots, hornbills, pelicans, storks, cranes, pheasants, and different birds of prey. Domestic birds are featured as well, represented by pigeons, chickens, geese, ducks, and turkeys. Now that’s a fine place to study zoology and ornithology!

Besides the birds, exotic animals also live in the park, such as lemurs, gibbons, small monkeys (tamarins, marmosets and saimiris), sloths, kangaroos, alpacas, llamas, fallow deer, caracals, servals, capybaras, coati, porcupines. Trying to see them all will easily take up your entire day at the park!

The park’s popularity has its downside as well. For example, in August, the sacred myna (an Indian starling), a big favourite with the guests, disappeared from its cage at the park’s café.

Besides the café, a barbecue area is open to guests in a picturesque spot overlooking the river. At the time of our visit, all of its tables and gazebos were occupied.

The entry fee is relatively cheap — 400 roubles (about $5) on weekends and 300 roubles (about $4) on weekdays for adults, and 100 roubles ($1.3) — for concession tickets. The latter category is available for schoolchildren, students, seniors, and people with disabilities. The entry fee to the Park of Stones located on the second territory of the bird park is paid separately, with the adult ticket costing 100 roubles less.

It is possible to stay overnight on the park territory at the “Ivolga” hotel consisting of 10 wooden cottages, each one containing two rooms with two separate entrances and a veranda. In summer, the booking must be made well in advance if one is to secure accommodation.TLR

The post VISITING THE SPARROWS first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

LISTING ALL OF THE PLANTS IN THE SOCHI ARBORETUM’S COLLECTION IS NO EASY MATTER. THEY ARE AS WONDERFUL AS THE HISTORY OF THE CREATION OF ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S MOST RENOWNED BOTANICAL GARDENS ITSELF.

TEXT AND PHOTOS: MARINA KRUGLYAKOVA

Hundreds of years ago, this area was a dense forest full of wild animals. The tiny stream flowing through it exuded an eerie stench for miles around that rightfully earned it the name Gnilushka, which literally translates as “rot”. The year of 1889, when the coastal plot of land was purchased by Sergei Nikolaevich Khudekov, marks the naissance of the Sochi arboretum. Assisted by the German gardener Karl Lemgau, the land’s new owner turned the dense forest slopes into a beautiful piece of landscape art.

The Gardener-Publisher

Sergei Nikolaevich Khudekov was an extraordinary person. Saying that he was a playwright, a ballet historian, the editor and publisher of the “Petersburg Newspaper”, and a horse breeder, would still not make up a complete list of the activities he engaged in.

Born in Moscow in 1837 into a gentry family, he was the fourth of twelve children.

Sergei Nikolaevich became a student of law at the Moscow University, abandoning his studies when the Crimean War broke out to join the military. He retired from the army five years later as a major, and joined literary society in Saint Petersburg. His works, which he signed with his pen-names “the Sting” and “George”, were published in various periodical editions.

Khudekov abducted his cousin, who he was madly in love with, directly from a ball, and married her against her father’s wishes. The young couple didn’t have an easy start to their married life, and they had nothing to live on. Sergei Nikolaevich’s father had long been out of money, having lost everything to his destructive passion of card-playing.

Financial desperation somehow led Sergei Nikolaevich to first rent, and later purchase, the “Petersburg Newspaper.” The story has it that when the publishing house ran out of paper, and lacked the funds to buy any more, his wife pawned… their pillows.

At that point, fate suddenly smiled on Khudekov. He started with four issues a week, gradually bringing his paper to five, and then, six, weekly issues. It was there that the first works of the then unknown writer Anton Chekhov were published.

In his estate in the village of Erlino in the Ryazan region, Khudekov engaged in gardening and breeding livestock, poultry and horses. The area of the estate covered 92 hectares, and a third of its territory was occupied by the park, or, more precisely, the arboretum. Khudekov later modelled his famous Sochi arboretum on the park in Erlino.

THE GREEN LAWN NEXT TO THE MAURITANIAN
PAVILION SERVED AS THE SHOOTING LOCATION FOR
SOME OF THE SCENES FROM THE SOVIET MOTION
PICTURE “THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE FLORIZEL”

Aphrodite and Eros

The central alley of the arboretum leads from the entrance to a Moorish gazebo adorned with columns. It was dubbed “Moorish” during the Soviet era. The reason for this is unknown as the gazebo has nothing to do with Mauritania. A sculpture of Aphrodite emerging from the sea foam adorns the gazebo, and is the symbol of the park’s beauty. Her son Eros is sitting on the back of a dolphin just below. The lions symbolise nobility: in Khudekov’s time there was one sleeping lion which symbolised the family’s noble lineage; the second lion was added after the revolution.

Sergei Nikolaevich held soirees with his friends there. They admired the beautiful view of the Oryol (Eagle) pavilion, decorated with two eagles which looked particularly impressive in the rays of the setting sun. At that time, the Oryol pavilion was entwined with climbing roses, and had a small pond nearby. In Soviet times, the eagles, as a symbol of the tsarist empire, were thrown down and smashed to pieces; only the pedestals were left in place.

Now a pueraria — a rather interesting plant — is weaving around the gazebo. It is native to China and Japan, and blooms in July with large and beautiful purple flowers. Within a year, such a vine may grow up to thirty meters in length. Its roots are used for producing starch, the leaves for feeding cattle, and its bark fibres for making thin but durable fabrics.

The green lawn between the Mauritanian and Oryol pavilions served as the shooting location for some of the scenes from the Soviet motion picture “The Adventures of Prince Florizel” with Oleg Dal in the title role. An elegant table and a cage with a parrot in it stood on the lawn in the film.

In Khudekov’s day, every path in the park was covered in a layer of crushed marble. They quickly became overgrown and had to be weeded endlessly, but it was fashionable back then — it was believed that the soil could breathe freely under such a cover.

The Nadezhda Villa

A snow-white marble staircase led to the master’s mansion. In Soviet times, it was significantly expanded, the marble was removed and basalt slabs were installed instead.

Fountains, sculptures, and vases that adorned the central part of the estate were made in St. Petersburg at the famous iron casting company that belonged to Franz San Galli. The sculptures were transported by steamboat from Kronstadt. Having travelled through the Mediterranean Sea, the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, they arrived at the Novorossiysk port in huge wooden boxes covered with talcum powder, wood shavings, and sawdust. But as a severe storm broke out, the ship could not approach the coast and headed to Sukhum. From there, the statues had to be transported on long araba carts, which extended their journey by four weeks.

Sergei Nikolaevich named the park and the villa “Nadezhda” in honour of his wife, Nadezhda Alekseevna. The ground floor housed a dining parlour — a small room with six windows. The kitchen was located in the house’s wooden annex. As Nadezhda Alekseevna could not stand the smell of cookery, all of the kitchen activities had to be conducted in a separate area, with dishes for the owners of the estate served through a special window.

The Khudekovs often had guests. With the Novorossiysk-Sukhum highway having yet to be built, they had to get there by boat. The used to climb up to the lower part of the park, crossed the “rotten” stream on a wooden bridge and got into the carriages that took them directly to the house: not to the main entrance, however, but to the back door. This was done intentionally: when the guests woke in the morning and went out onto the balcony, the majestic sight of the park and of the sea unfolded before their eyes. Then, the amazed ladies and gentlemen went down the front stairs to the park to admire the extraordinary tropical plants.

The oil lanterns and the ancient cypress growing near the villa are witnesses of those remote times which survive to this day. This giant tree preserved by some lucky chance is one of the world’s oldest remaining cypresses — it is about 140 years old. There are two rare Kashmir cypresses growing in the park as well, the crowns of which have an unusual “weeping” shape. In Northern India, this sacred tree is planted near temples in snowy mountainous areas. Not too many trees can withstand the weight of the snow, but Kashmir cypresses do not have problems in this regard! In fact, the snow doesn’t even have a chance to begin piling on top of the cypresses: it slips and falls down through the cypress’s openwork branches almost instantly.

The “Fairy Tale” FounTain is The only
whiTe sTone casTing in russia. The sculpTor Vladimir BogaTyreV recreaTed
scenes From alexander pushkin’s “The
Tale oF Tsar salTan”.

The Road to a Fairy Tale

The upper part of the park features a collection of plants from all over the world. Its arrangement is geographical. If you go to the right, you will find yourself in Italy, with its oaks, palm-trees and cypresses. On the left, you have South-East Asia: China, Taiwan and Japan.

Naturally, there you will see bamboo, ivy, and boxwood. The agave flowerbed is lovely at any time of the year; it is always in bloom. Make sure not to miss the Italian laurel and the North African chamaerops, the lapari date palm, and the cypress from the Island of Cyprus. The Italian laurel arrow-wood has inedible blue fruit, unlike our red arrow-wood with its tasty red fruit. You certainly won’t fail to notice the pitch pine with its 55 cm-long needles. There’s a single cedar of Lebanon growing in the Park. It is still very small but, believe me, it’s so interesting that it’s worth coming to the arboretum just to see it.

The staircase ends at the “Fairy Tale” fountain. It is the only work of white stone casting in all of Russia. The material of the sculptural composition works perfectly for the local climate, unaffected by either heat or moisture. The sculptor Vladimir Bogatyrev recreated scenes from Alexander Pushkin’s “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”. The composition is crowned by a four-meter tall figure of the Swan Princess. The story’s other characters are also represented here – Prince Gvidon, the ship flying across the ocean under full sail, the squirrel gnawing on the golden nuts, and uncle Chernomor with his brave knights, the bogatyrs.

The Civil War caused serious damage to the Park. The White Army chose it for housing their cavalry. Horses grazed on the flowerbeds and ate fresh leaves from the trees while the soldiers chopped down rare trees for firewood. The restoration of the arboretum started in 1924, and it was then also that its collection was replenished with new plants. In 1944, the Sochi Scientific Research Experimental Forest Station was created on the territory on the basis of the Khudekov estate.

Some or other of the plants in the arboretum are in bloom all year round. Even in winter, the air is filled with the scent of the acacia flowers, sweetshrub, and magnolia. The yellow mahonia flowers also come forth, smelling like lily of the valley. Cold and frost may reign elsewhere, but in Sochi the Indian canna blooms. TLR

The post ROAD TO THE GARDEN first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

As a result of significant investments in recent years, modern residential blocks, mosques, shopping centres, museums, and sports facilities have emerged in Grozny. Many of them purport to hold European and Russian records in terms of their size. A growing number of tourists are coming to the republic: the annual increase in tourist flow is 40-45%. Foreign tourists are also beginning to visit Chechnya more often, and in 2018 it welcomed visitors from 78 countries.

Record-Breaking Mosques

The Heart of Chechnya mosque is the #1 attraction in the area that tourists come to see. It is one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in Europe and the world. Dazzlingly white marble, quarried on Marmara Island in Turkey, was used in its construction. The height of its minarets is also remarkable — each of them reaches 63 meters.

Another mosque which impresses visitors with its size and beauty is the Prophet Muhammad Mosque in Shali City. It is twice as big as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and is often compared to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi. The building is made of snow-white marble and the main hall has a lotus-shaped chandelier weighing about three tonnes. A huge park with two thousand trees and 48 varieties of roses surrounds the Mosque.

Beyond the Capital

You can admire centuries-old towers or walk along the edge of waterfalls — Chechnya has plenty of places to go outside the capital.

Lake Kezenoy-Am is located at an altitude of 1870m above sea level. The lake is captivating thanks to its unusual colour: the turquoise water changes its hue depending on the weather conditions.

The water temperature does not rise above 18 degrees Celsius. You can take a catamaran cruise or a go on a zipline ride (a high-speed cable car) right above the lake. An international sailing regatta, the Kezenoy-Am Cup, takes place every year here.

Another picturesque spot is the Argun Gorge, which stretches about 120km from Khevsuretia towards the Black Mountains. Along it can be found more than 600 historical, cultural, archaeological, and architectural sites, as well as outstanding sites of natural beauty. On the bank of the Chanti-Argun river, there are twin guard towers built into the rock of Ushkaloy. Historians estimate that they were built in the 11th-12th centuries.

The next stop in the Argun Gorge is the village of Nihaloy, where travellers can see a cascade of 12 waterfalls, the highest of which reaches 25 meters. This place is a real paradise for extreme sports fans. Fantastical cliffs, breath-taking canyons, and huge stone boulders create a sense of mystery and the primeval. To appreciate the beauty of this place it is unlikely that one day is enough, and for that reason many people stay at a nearby camp site with cottages and gazebos.

Chechen Style Resort

Do you like skiing and snowboarding? Well, these sports are possible all year round in Veduchi, thanks to a special surfacing. The artificial snow trail is well suited for beginners and experienced skiers alike.

The resort has an aerial cable car line over 800 meters long and a 1km ski run for beginners. By 2025, it is planned to build seven more cable cars and more than 16.5km of ski runs.

The resort operates as an all-season tourist cluster: in spring, summer and winter, guests can go hiking, take horse ride treks, or bike rides along the picturesque mountain slopes, or go on tours to one of the historical, cultural or wildlife attractions thanks to which the Chechen Republic enjoys growing popularity. TLR

PHOTO: ABDULLAH BERSAEV

The post THE IMPRESSIVE CHECHEN REPUBLIC first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

1 Day in Vologda

Almost all guides start their city tours from Kremlin Square. Here, on the banks of the Vologda River, stands the monumental St. Sophia Cathedral. A beautiful view of the city opens from its 78-meter high bell tower.

Remember to get your pictures taken with the monument to the letter “O”, sitting on the bench with a sign that says, “Let’s sit and say our o’s” (a reference to the Vologda accent!), or next to the art object called “The door to…” All these attractions are located in the park on Cathedral Hill. A visit to Russia’s one-of-a-kind lace museum will undoubtedly be the culmination of your programme. Don’t forget to undertake the quest, either — it leads to the carved palisade mentioned in a famous song about Vologda.

The afternoon is best spent at the Semyonkovo Open Air Museum. There you’ll learn about peasant traditions in the Russian North and will be able to try making the famous Vologda butter according to the original recipe.

 

2 Day in Totma

Stay the night in Vologda, and in the morning, get up early and travel to Totma, a town of sailors and explorers located 210km from the region’s capital.

The city’s signature architectural style is the Totma Baroque. The facades of the churches are adorned by exquisite ornaments called “cartouches”.

The Church of the Entry into Jerusalem, a ship-temple, is home to the Mariners’ Museum. On the excursion there you will learn about the history of the Russian navy, the discovery of Russian America, and the geography of the voyages across the Pacific Ocean made by merchants from Totma. Besides all that, you can also participate in a real “sea battle”.

The history of Totma is first and foremost the history of the salt industry. Today, fragments of brine pipes can be seen in the Totma Ethnographic Museum and in the village of Varinitsa on the outskirts of the city.

3 Day in Veliky Ustug

After a day of visiting the cultural attractions in Totma you’ll take a 4-hour trip to Veliky Ustyug where you can spend the night in one of the city’s hotels. In the morning, refreshed and well-rested, why not head out to see some of the local attractions?

Ustyug is famous for its 300-year tradition of producing art of the northern niello style. You can see the process of niello works’ creation at the Severnaya Chern factory and buy something at the factory souvenir shop.

Veliky Ustyug is Father Frost’s (Ded Moroz in Russian) hometown. That is why the Residence of Father Frost, a special gift shop, the Ded Moroz Fashion House, and his post office can all be found in the city.

Father Frost’s Residence is located in a picturesque pine forest not far from Veliky Ustyug. From the main gate of the Residence stretches the Path of Fairy Tales. On it, apart from inhabitants of the magic forest, you will see the house of the little forester, the Magic Well, the enchanted bridge, and have a chance to witness valiant contests. The Residence features a hotel, several comfortable guest houses, cafés, and shops.

At Father Frost’s home, his assistants will show you all the rooms of the fairytale house: the magic laboratory, observatory, library, study, and the wardrobe that contains his famous outfits. At the end of the excursion, the master of the house himself will meet his guests in the throne hall.

The Zoological Garden located near the Residence is affiliated with the Moscow Zoo. Over 400 animals and birds live there.

You can visit Father Frost at any time of the year. You can get there by car, or by plane or train via the city of Kotlas. From there it’s only a 70km car or bus ride to Veliky Ustyug. TLR

The post TREASURES OF THE NORTH first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.

IN TVER REGION, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS, A REAL, OLD-FASHIONED STEAM LOCOMOTIVE SET OFF ON A REGULAR ROUTE. IT’S COMPLETELY NATURAL THAT TOURISTS ARE THRILLED TO RIDE IT.

TEXT: PAVEL CHUKAEV

The whistle of a steam engine cuts through the silence at Kuzhenkino station on Saturdays. For a few minutes the sky disappears in puffs of steam, then passengers leaving the two green wagons fill up the wooden platform. The train, which runs from Bologoe to Ostashkov in Tver region, makes a half-hour stop at this station to refill the steam locomotive’s water tanks and to allow passengers to visit the old-fashioned station, now restored and really turned into a kind of museum. Passengers receive a free tour. Tour guides dress in the railway uniform of the 1960s, just like the train conductors. If it wasn’t for the chain supermarket at the station, nothing would impinge on the retro atmosphere that dominates at the station.

Actually, in Russia you can ride on a steam locomotive in other places as well — you don’t have to penetrate deep into the forest wilderness near Lake Seliger to do so. For example, tourist rides on steam locomotives are organized on the picturesque Circum-Baikal Railway around the famous Lake Baikal, departing from Irkutsk. But Bologoe — Ostashkov is the first line since 1976 where steam locomotives are once more used for regular trips — even if only once a week: on the other days of the week a diesel locomotive hauls the train. Tourists ride side-by-side with locals, people visiting their dachas (country homes), and mushroom foragers, while a ride costs the same as a normal suburban fare — only 295 rubles (around $4) for a one-way ticket.

In Bologoe, seeing a steam locomotive doesn’t surprise anyone. The station has two memorial steam locomotives: one greets travellers at the station platform, the other awaits them at the square near the station. But the Seliger retro-train, launched in September 2018, is still a special case. The Bologoe — Polotskaya line on which Seliger runs has long been known to transportation lovers as a true sanctuary of railway history. The line was built in the beginning of the 20th century, primarily for military purposes, and modernization bypassed it altogether — there are still manual switches and cosy wooden stations along the line. Over the last year, a steady stream of tourists has been drawn to this line, also attracted by the local beauty. The majority of the retro-train’s route runs through deep forests with picturesque streams, swamps, and rare trees, and ends
at the banks of Lake Seliger.

Tour guides are dressed in uniforms from the ‘60s, just
like the conductors. But for the chain supermarket at
the station, the retro atmosphere would be complete.

The Seliger steam locomotive experiment was acknowledged to be a success by its railway company. In the summer of 2019, the company launched another retro-train on a regular route —
the Ruskeala Express, delivering passengers from the city of Sortavala to the marble quarries of Ruskeala. This is a daily train (sometimes running twice a day during the summer), and in its first two and a half months of operation it transported twice as many passengers as the Seliger transports in a year.

A different period was chosen for the design of this retro-train: the pre-revolutionary era. Old-fashioned interiors (with the addition of modern sockets with USB connectors) have been recreated in the restaurant car and two compartment cars. The demand for steam locomotive trips in Karelia turned out to be so high that they doubled the number of wagons on the train by the end of the summer.

The price for this ride is somewhat higher than in Tver region — from 455 rubles ($6) for a ticket. The ride lasts for one hour. Before the launch of this train, it was practically impossible to get from Sortavala to Ruskeala by public transportation, and a ride by taxi cost a pretty penny. For the moment, a temporary platform has been erected in Ruskeala, where there are plans to open a marble train station soon. And that’s not the only perspective for the future development of the Ruskeala Express project: there are discussions about the possibility of a steam locomotive ride across the border — to the Finnish city of Joensuu. TLR

Before the retro-train was launched, it was almost impossible to
reach Ruskeala by public transportation. Soon, a marble station
will be opened in Ruskeala, and in the long run, an express
train will run to the Finnish city of Joensuu.

PHOTO: AGTF.RU / API.TOP.ST / CAN STOCK PHOTO / MORSPB.RU / YABLOR.RU / ZEN.YANDEX.RU / FIR-NOTES.RF / GRIGORY EGOROV / ALEXANDER POPOV / PAVEL CHUKAEV

The post STEAM POWERED first appeared on Tourism & Leisure in Russia.