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The deerest weekend
An ethnic tour to the Nenets autonomous okrug
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Here, beyond the Arctic Circle, it is not an apartment in a high-rise, but a raw-hide tent. It is not a TV show, but the Northern Lights. And finally, it is not a domestic dog, but a playful reindeer for a pet. The locals celebrate the New Year when the Sun rises over the tundra for the first time after the polar night. And all of it is just two hours away from Moscow!

Experiences you'll have
New
Nenets Autonomous Area

The deerest weekend

Difficulty
Age
from 14 y.o.
Group size
from 4 to 8
Duration
4 days

Accomodation at the trip

2 nights
1 nights

Языки

guide
from 56 000 EUR

A weekend tour to Arctica

Raw-hide tents, reindeer herders, boundless tundra, old rituals…When you get in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, it seems like there are movie decorations around. But after a couple of days, it becomes obvious that it is a real life of the Far North. Join our trip — don’t miss a chance to see the identity, that this region has managed to preserve in our fast-changing world.

During this journey to Nenets Autonomous Okrug you will get completely new experience: you will have a trip through snowy tundra, stay at the rawhide tent with reindeer herders, get acquainted with their life and customs and taste traditional Northern specialities.

We accept bookings for groups of 6 or more

During 4 days you will:

  • ride snowmobiles across the boundless tundra and along the great northern Pechora River that still gives its water to many villagers for drinking
  • visit the traditional Nenets camp and learn more about the life of reindeer herders in tundra
  • spend a night in a chum — a traditional rawhide tent at the reindeer herders' camp
  • feed a reindeer and learn how to ride a reindeer team
  • taste the exotic Northern dishes
  • admire the Northern Lights (weather permitting)

In the whole world, there are no more than fifty thousand Nenets. About one in five of them live in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug

Note: for your group of two or more people, we can organize this program on any other date. Please, if necessary, leave a comment on the application.

 

Photo by Dmitriy Kupratsevich. See also photos of our tourist Mikhail Glick, who visited Nenets reindeer herders' camp in 2018.

Itinerary
Маршрут тура

The journey begins in Naryan-Mar, where you should travel to on your own. There are direct flights from Moscow, the road will take 2,5 hours. We recommend the flihgt UT333 of Utair, departing from Moscow at 9:20 am. To return back to Moscow you need a flight UT334 of Utair departing from Naryan-Mar at 12:50 pm. We are ready to help you with the purchase of tickets. If necessary, leave a comment on the application.

 

Note: this is an expedition program, so the itinerary may change depending on weather conditions and the peculiarities of life in the tundra. On the route, you can drive a snowmobile by yourself or be a passenger on a snowmobile or travel in a sleigh.

Day 1

You will be met at Naryan-Mar airport and taken to lunch at the Timan restaurant. This place is like a museum and is certainly going to impress you with this ethnic-themed interior design, local artists' paintings on the walls, real clothing and household items, books, and hides of deer, snow foxes, and foxes. One of its halls looks like a raw-hide tent with sleigh-like benches instead of chairs.


Then, you will have a combined car and walking tour, in which you will view the scenery of Naryan-Mar. Also, you will visit the Nenets Local Lore Museum. It has three themed displays: one of them is about the history of how man reclaimed and transformed these lands from the seventh century BC to the present day; the two others are about ethnography, i.e. nature and the culture and life of the Nenets.


In the evening, you will arrive to the hotel and be given gear necessary for the snowmobile tour.

Day 2

After briefing in the morning you will go to the national Nenets village of Nelmin-Nos (60 km). Most of the route goes along the northern Pechora River. You can drive a snowmobile by yourself, ride as a passenger on a snowmobile or travel in a passenger sleigh.

 

Upon your arrival in Nelmin-Nos, you will have a walking tour of the village, visit the museum and the Ethno-Cultural Center. You will learn how villages were founded in the Nenets tundra, how the Soviets forced the nomadic people to settle and what kind of problems it caused.


Then, you will ride a snowmobile to tundra (40-50 km). The route will pass through many rivers and hill slopes. Upon your arrival, you will stay in a raw-hide tent located in tundra near the traditional Nenets camp. It is situated between Lake Golodnaya Guba and Lake Kolokolkovaya Guba. The former is one of the largest lakes in the Nenets Okrug. It is not deep, but its area exceeds that of Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Vatican City combined.


In the evening you will learn more about life of the Nenets reindeer herders as well as taste the local cuisine. It is an excellent opportunity to try such exotic foods as stroganina (a fish/venison dish), reindeer blood pancakes, venison broth, and Northern berries. Then, you will watch the stars while listening to a local folk tale. Also, if the weather permits, you will admire the Northern lights. 

Day 3

Today you will admire the dawn in tundra, have breakfast, and then move to the traditional Nenets camp. Here you will get acquainted with the culture and way of life of nomadic reindeer herders. You will  visit a herd of reindeers, pet and feed them. Akso you will have a chance to ride the reindeer sleigh and take some pictures of yourself wearing a malitsa, a folk suit. 

 

For lunch you will return to the guest chum. In the afternoon, you will go back to Naryan-Mar. In the town, you will have free time for walks around and having dinner (extra charge). 

Day 4

In the morning you will visit the Ethno-Cultural Center and learn the Nenets’ customs in an interactive format. Then, you will visit the folk craft and souvenir shops and further will be taken to the airport. 

Accomodation at the trip

The first and third days of the tour you will spend in "Pustozersk" Hotel, located in the center of Naryan-Mar. You will stay in a standard twin room with a bathroom. In the room there are two single beds, a table, a wardrobe, nightstands, a TV, a fridge and a tea set. You can occupy the entire room alone for an additional fee. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, also there are a restaurant, a bar and a gift shop.

 

On the second day, you will spend the night in a guest chum (a rawhide tent), located in the tundra, near the traditional Nenets reindeer herders' camp. You will be provided with a sleeping bag. Inside the chum there is a washbasin, a camping toilet is located outside.

FAQ
Who will be my guide

An experienced guide will accompany you during this tour. The guide has a basic knowledge of the English language. For an additional fee you can book a service of a professional interpreter.

Meals

This tour is excellent opportunity to taste such exotic meals as stroganina, reindeer blood pancakes, venison broth, and Northern berries.

 

The tour price includes 3 breakfasts (except the day of arrival), 3 lunches (at the Timan restaurant in Naryan-Mar on the day of arrival, a picnic in the village of Nelmin-Nos on day 2 and lunch in the chum on day 3) as well as dinner in the chum on day 2. Additionally, you will need to pay for dinner in Naryan-Mar on the first and third days of the tour.

What will the weather be like

From December to March temperature varies from  0°С to -45°С. There can be snowfalls and blizzards. In December, it is a polar night in the region, and a light day is quite short — 2-3 hours. Starting from January the light day becomes longer. It is possible to see the Northern lights till the end of March (if the weather permits).

What to bring

Documents:

  • passport
  • insurance

 

Clothes and shoes for a snowmobile trip:

  • thermal underwear (trousers and a blouse)
  • warm jacket and warm pants  (the ones that can keep you warm in temperatures as low as -35°С)
  • 2 fleece sweaters 
  • socks (3-4 pairs, warm/woolen)
  • gloves (like for skiing)
  • scarf and hat (windproof)
  • self-heating insoles 
  • winter shoes for active rest (the ones that can keep you warm in temperatures as low as -35°С)

 

Clothes and shoes for rest:

  • thermal underwear
  • comfortable sport pants and blouse 
  • slippers

 

Clothes and shoes for going to sauna:

  • swimsuit/swimmers 
  • slippers/sport sandals
  • towel

 

Personal items:

  • personal hygiene supplies
  • towel
  • personal medicines
  • hairdryer (if needed)
  • contact lenses: if you wear glasses, it can be uncomfortable during the trip: under a helmet they will press your face and fog. If there is a chance, we recommend to use contact lenses on the route. 

 

Money:

  • we recommend having some cash with you — if you need some things while a snowmobile tour, you will be able to buy them during stops

 

Backpack,  suitcase or a traveling bag:

If you travel with a suitcase, please, take a soft traveling bag with you — you will use it on a snowmobile itinerary. You will put necessary things in it, and leave a suitcase in a hotel till the end of the journey. 

What transport is used on the route

To travel along the route, Yamaha snowmobiles with passenger sleigh are used (2 people on a snowmobile and 2 in a sleigh). Your personal belongings will be packed in a cargo sled.

 

Also you will be provided with the following equipment: 

  • warm windproof overalls  
  • balaclavas 
  • snowmobile shoes
  • hat
  • gloves 
Booking
Nenets Autonomous Area

The deerest weekend

New
Difficulty
Age
from 14 y.o.
Group size
from 4 to 8
Duration
4 days

Accomodation at the trip

2 nights
1 nights
from 56 000 EUR
What's included in the price:
  • —

    accommodation at a hotel in Naryan-Mar (2 nights) and in the common guest tent at the reindeer herder's camp (1 night)

  • —

    meals as per program 

  • —

    car and snowmobile trips provided by the program

  • —

    excursions as per program, entrance tickets to the Local Lore Museum, interactive master-class in the ethno-cultural center

  • —

    guide's services

  • —

    snowmobile gear rental (warm windproof overalls, a balaclava, a hat, glasses, gloves, and mittens)

  • —

    rental for a sleeping bag, a plaid, a sleeping pad, and camp cookware

  • —

    supplementary 1 000 000 RUB health insurance package

  • —

    getting a pass for you to enter the border area of the Russian Federation

Extra charge:
  • —

    airfare to Naryan-Mar (starting at 140 EURO for a round-trip ticket)

  • —

    single hotel accommodation (+1500 RUB per person), optionally

  • —

    dinners (day 1 and day 3)

  • —

    the service of a professional interpreter

Best price
guarantee
Personal
tours
Discounts for
regular clients
Gift
cards