Lena Pillars: Rock and Earth History
On the banks of the Lena River, in the central part of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), the rock columns of Lena Pillars Nature Park rise to a height of about 100 metres. Along the river, the columns form rock bastions, separated by deep, steep ravines. These ravines were formed by frost wedging along fissures.
The nature park contains significant evidence of events associated with the Cambrian Explosion—a turning point in the development of life on Earth. The 115-kilometre-long Great Cambrian Route also offers a regional perspective on Earth’s history. It runs along the left bank of the Lena and provides geological information about the development of the Earth’s crust from the Lower Cambrian onwards.
Archaeology and Museums in Yakutsk
Another discovery in Lena Pillars National Park is the archaeological site of Diring-Yuryakh. It was discovered in 1984 by Yuri Mochanov, an academician and archaeologist with the Prilensk Archaeological Expedition, and Svetlana Fedoseyeva. Access to the site is limited to summer.
The northernmost museum of the Bank of Russia is located in the republic’s capital, Yakutsk. It displays unusual forms of money and money substitutes that circulated in Yakutia from 1921 to 2003. Visitors can work with computing equipment and learn how the authenticity of banknotes is determined. Museum visits must be booked in advance.
The Mammoth Museum in Yakutsk also offers a unique perspective on the region’s natural history. Its osteological collection comprises 1,450 items, including bone remains of representatives of the mammoth fauna of northeastern Siberia and unique mammal fossils with soft tissue. Contact the museum directly to ask about its current exhibits.
Varied Landscapes and Nature Parks
Momsky Nature Park is a centre for ecotourism and scientific research. Its landmarks include the Great Momskoye Ice Field of Ulakhan Taryn, Mount Pobeda, and the Balagan-Taas volcanic dome. Their names alone represent different landscape features: a large ice field, a mountain, and a volcanic dome.
Buluus is a landscape and hydrological nature reserve of republican significance. In some places, its ice field reaches a thickness of three metres. In summer, the glacier partially thaws, forming cavities that resemble caves and crevices.
Kolyma Nature Park is located in Srednekolymsky Ulus. The “Rafting on the Siver River” tour is also located in this ulus and includes a trip in inflatable rafts. Ask about seasonal arrangements in advance.
Rivers, Trails, and Seasonal Experiences
Rafting trips take place on the Buotama in summer. The area at the river’s mouth is also home to a forest bison breeding station of the same name. Check with the park about current arrangements for visiting the station. This allows you to consider the river trip and a possible visit to the breeding station as separate experiences, without placing them in the same location.
In the Labydya recreational zone, a two-kilometre ecological trail leads to a viewing platform; the park lists winter to summer as its operating period. Visitors can also take part in the Algys blessing ritual in the tourism zone. Arrange participation with the park in advance.
The Lena Pillars can be reached from Yakutsk by water transport on the Lena, including cruises and private operators. As transport is seasonal, check current availability before your trip. To travel to Labydya in winter, follow the R-004 “Umnas” republican highway to Batamay, then continue along an additional five-kilometre winter road. Check current conditions and seasonal operations in advance.
Discover more destinations: Aldan, Yakutsk, Yakutsk, Neryungri, Vitim, Khatassy, Mirny, Yefremovo, Lensk, Belaya Gora, Ust-Maysky District, Verkhnevilyuysky District, Mirninsky Ulus.
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