#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. Yakut travelers Alexey Zhiruhin and Alexander Elikov, on their way to cape Chelyuskin, became acquainted with Taimyr protected areas.
The extreme sports enthusiasts drove in two off-road vehicles to Mirny, then traveled along the winter road to Taimyr and, through virgin lands, reached cape Paksa, and through the Dolgan village of Syndassko they reached Hatanga. There, for several days, they prepared for a long journey to the northernmost point of mainland Eurasia, Asia and Russia, where civilization is completely absent.
“My main task is to show people that for new discoveries and experiences you don’t need a lot of resources, it’s enough to have suitable transport and a great desire to learn something new. I love the North very much, all its inhabitants are like from another planet, with their own unique culture and way of life. These are hospitable people who give maximum of their attention to tourists who visit them very seldom. We were greeted warmly, fed with northern delicacies, shown a concert and told about life in difficult weather conditions”, said Alexey.
Over the course of a week, along the Nizhnyaya Taimyra river and the Kara sea, extreme sports enthusiasts covered the distance to cape Chelyuskin.
“In Soviet times, a lot of geological exploration work was carried out in the north of Taimyr, and since then there have been many untouched places that travelers have developed for themselves. And when you visit such long-abandoned dwellings and follow in the footsteps of the discoverers, you feel that you are touching history”, noted the researcher.
The travelers also spoke about an encounter with a curious polar bear near Toll bay, where the extreme enthusiasts stopped to fix a breakdown.
“Clubfooted animals are timid: when we moved towards the bear, he quickly retreated from us”, Alexey shared his story.
Travelers appreciated the drivers’ skill in the Arctic, because here any emergency situation can cost lives.
“They operate vehicles in inhumane conditions, where bad weather can present a surprise at any moment, and this commands great respect. The north is harsh, but also attractive at the same time”, he emphasized.
Previously, we presented a digital platform for planning trips to Taimyr. Also, researcher from Zurich single-handedly conquered the peninsula, and first Russian tourists visited the unique route Hatanga – Severnaya Zemlya.
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Text: Polina Bardik and Angelika Stepanova, Photo: from the personal archive of expedition members
