Oymyakon: All Facts and How to Visit

In this post, you will find all the important facts about Oymyakon in Yakutia and you will learn how to visit this unique and stunning place!

Facts about Oymyakon

The coldest in inhabited place on earth!

Yakutsk is an extreme place. But in fact, there is another constantly inhabited place that is even colder than Yakutsk: the village of Oymyakon (in other languages translated as Oimjakon), some 500 kilometers east of Yakutsk. And again, it’s all relative. Compared to Oymyakon, winter in Yakutsk appears to look warm and pleasant. How cold does it get in Oymyakon? Well, the record temperature dropped to minus 78 degrees in 1933. This is a world record for an inhabited place.

If you are looking for something unique and extreme, traveling Oymyakon in Yakutia in winter will be a moving experience for you. In Yakutia, you will find the coldest inhabited places on earth. Nevertheless, once arrived you will soon realize that the climate is just one of the remarkable things about this place. You will find out that the hospitality of the indigenous population forms a sharp contrast to the harsh climate conditions.

You will also find out that the silence and beauty of the endless taiga make Yakutia in winter not just only extreme but also a stunning place with its energy. If you are ready for a true once in a lifetime experience please leave us a message or comment. We are always looking for travel mates to join us!

What does Oymyakon mean?

Ironic enough, Oymyakon means in Evenki language something like ‘the unfrozen patch’ due to the hot springs close to Oymyakon. But why is Oymyakon that cold? Apart from its location in the far north, its attitude is almost 1,000 meters above sea level as well as its location in a basin making cold winds flowing into the village contribute to the extraordinary cold. The cold air flowing into the bottom of the basis and pushes the warmer air up out of the basin.

How is life in Oymyakon?

The roughly 500 inhabitants of Oymyakon have adapted to life in the extreme subarctic climate. This is also true for pupils, the local school only stops working at temperatures hitting the minus 55 degrees mark. But also else, the local population lives a quite normal life.

Want to learn more about the daily life in Oymyakon? Have a look at this awesome documentary:

Does Oymyakon have seasons? How warm does it get in Oymyakon?

Oymyakon does have seasons! While it is known for being the coldest inhabited place on earth, the summer is quite warm. If you are wondering how warm it does get in Oymyakon, you may be surprised that it can get very hot! During the summer months, in July and August, temperatures travel up to 20 to 30 degrees. Traveling Yakutia in these moths is an adventure on its own. One great idea is, for instance, kayaking the Lena and Sinaya rivers. Find more about that trip in our dedicated post.

How to visit Oymyakon

Road Trip through Yakutia’s Endless Taiga

Can you visit Oymyakon? Yes, you can! In this post, we will tell you how to visit Oymyakon. The trip to Oymyakon and back will take five days and traveling there will be an adventure itself. To get to Oymyakon we will cross frozen rivers, we will travel hundreds of kilometers through the endless taiga east of Yakutsk and we will cross the Verkhoyansk mountain range. Hence, we will follow the P-504 route, a 2,000 kilometers federal ‘highway’ connecting Yakutsk with Magadan at the sea of Okhotsk, which is locally just called the Kolyma Trassa as it is the only sealed road in the entire region.

The Road of Bones

The road is also known as the Road of Bones as it was built in the 1930ies by forced labor in the Stalin era as part of the Gulag system. The conditions in the Gulag camps were terrible, many thousands of the workers died from hunger, cold, and exhaustion. The route is a mass grave. Though most of the camps have been destroyed since then, the Gulags is present in some things you will see along the road: crosses to remember those who died, a handful of unofficial museums and memorials, and even some abandoned camps which are still there after all the decades since the Gulag system came to an end.

Is Oymykon safe?

The answer is that Oymyakon is a safe place with nice and kind people. However, that does not mean, it is not dangerous. Oymyakon is one of the most remote and extreme places in the world. In addition, you need to travel one of the most remote routes in the world to get there. The extreme weather conditions and the remoteness bear their risks you need to be aware of. That’s why you should never travel there alone but should work with a travel company or should work with a local guide.

Travel companies offering trips to Oymyakon include:

Accommodation and Hotel in Oymyakon and Yakutsk

Hotels in Yakutsk

During your stay in Yakutsk, if wished, you should organize a stay for you in the Tygyn Darkhan hotel which is located in the center of Yakutsk. Free wireless LAN and free access to the fitness center are available for every guest. You may also relax in the sauna and swimming pool. During the trip to Oymyakon, you will stay in smaller private hotels (one night way there and one night way back).

Are there any hotels in Oymyakon?

Despite that the village is increasingly visited by foreigners, there is no hotel in Oymyakon. Therefore, you will stay with locals in traditional housings. This will not only allow meeting locals but will also allow experiencing the traditions and lifestyle of Oymyakon’s people. I am sure, you will love it!

How to get there and when to travel

Given its remote location many are surprised that Yakutsk is not that difficult to reach. Yakutsk has a modern airport and is well connected for its size.

How to get to Yakutsk?

To get to Yakutsk you need usually to fly via Moscow. The flight from Moscow to Yakutsk takes around seven hours. Return tickets from the major European hubs with a stop in Moscow start from 700 euros but maybe also cheaper in some cases.

How to get to Oymyakon from Yakutsk?

In general, we are recommending staying for some days in Yakutsk to get to know this unique city. We are also recommending visiting the Lena and Sinaya pillars some 200 kilometers south of Yakutsk. During your stay in Yakutia, we would like to invite you to experience our indigenous culture, beliefs, and shamanism traditions.

Have you for instance ever eaten frozen fish? Well, we do that all the time. But no worry, there is a lot else to try. For experiencing the ‘true winter’ you should come to Yakutsk between November and February. As the trip to Oymyakon will take around five days you should plan to stay in Yakutsk for at least a week. You may also combine your trip with a stay in Moscow. We will assist you in getting an appropriate visa.

Oymyakon Documentary

For more on Oymyakon, have a look at this great tv show published by the TV show “60 Minutes”:

30 thoughts on “Oymyakon: All Facts and How to Visit”

  1. I am interested in a trip to Oymyakon in January 2019 ideally the first two weeks. Would you send me details of what your three tours are and dates. I would need to arrange flights from London to Yakutsk.Thanks.

    Reply
      • Hi Ahmad, Thanks for your comment!

        It pretty much depends on what you want to do beyond visiting Oymyakon. Yakutsk has a lot more to offer and I would recommend to book a bundle (see pricing table). The tour to Oymyakon is about 1000 euros. I wouldn’t recommend to travel to Oymyakon on your own, you will at least need a driver or guide. I hope this helps! 🙂 All the best, Lena

        Reply
  2. Hello I interest to make the trip Yakutsk Oymyakon Yakutsk starting December 26 or 27. 2 persons with driver. Is also possible make self driving there? And about the prices? Thanks

    Reply
  3. Hi Lena, is there any possibility of an Oymyakon trip in summer (july or august)?
    Thanks in advance for a reply, Marcel

    Reply
    • Dear Marcel,

      Traveling Oymyakon in summer is a moving experience as well. This summer however we are not doing any travel there. Sorry that I cannot give you another feedback now. We are intending to travel the “Road of Bones” next summer. Please let us know if you are still interested.

      Regards Lena

      Reply
  4. Hi, Lena. I’m really interested in this trip. I would like to know more about the pricing details. I just visited the hottest place in the world and now I’m eager to visit the coldest village. I travel solo, so is it possible for me to join a group for the trip to Oymyakon in January?

    Reply
  5. Greetings Lena,
    Please kindly let me know when in January 2020 you are planning the excursion.
    As a solo person can I join a group that’s travelling?
    Looking forward to hearing back about the itinerary as well as pricing schedule.
    Thank you kindly,
    Mia

    Reply
    • Hi Mia,

      thank you for your interest in joining us! Yes, you can join our traveling group, if the dates fit you 🙂 Are you flexible with the travel dates? When in January would you like to go there (at least give me some approximate dates – at the beginning of January, middle or in the end)? Let me know, if you are still interested!

      Best regards,
      Lena

      Reply
    • Dear Ngoc,
      We are soon publishing the details for Winter 2019/20 here! I will leave you a message as soon we are having published them!
      Regards Lena

      Reply
    • Hi Ngoc,

      thanks for your question! Аre you interested to join a group in winter 2020 or would prefer an individual trip? I am looking forward to hearing from you!

      Best regards,
      Lena

      Reply
  6. Hi Lena,
    This is Ming from Airborne Travels (IATA 20303953) in Malaysia. I have a small group of clients (around 6pax) interested in doing a 7-8days trip to Yakutsk and Oymyakon in late Feb / Early March 2020. Would you be able to arrange a trip for my clients? Pls do let me know what information you require from me to arrange this trip.

    Reply
    • Hi Ming,

      thank you for your interest. I`ll send you an e-mail with the details. Will be a pleasure to take care of your clients!

      Best regards, Lena

      Reply
    • Hi Marco, thanks for your interest! We also offer individual trips for one person, but the transportation costs will be pretty high in that case. How many do you concern? Best regards, Lena

      Reply
  7. I’m an individual traveler – interested in both Yakutsk and Oymyakon. I ‘d like to go mid-winter but I’m coming from Japan ( although I’m Canadian – English teacher). But how do I go from Japan? From Vladivostok?
    Also, how to get warm enough clothes? Rent there?
    Thanks,
    Peter

    Reply
    • Hi Peter,

      thank you for reaching us out! Wow, from Japan 🙂 Unfortunately, there is no non-stop flight from Japan. From Tokio, for instance, the flight will with one-stop in Vladivostok. But you can check out also flights through Khabarovsk or Korea (there is a non-stop flight from Seul to Jakutsk). Regarding winter clothes depends on what kind of trip you would like to have: if you will mostly drive by a car and stay in hotels/guest houses there is actually no need to have the warmest clothes on the Earth (even though its the coldest inhabited place on Earth :)). You will be surprised seeing some Jakutien walking in winter through the city center 🙂 But if you want to do a reindeer-sledding for hours there is a possibility to rent winter jackets and shoes, but need to check availability and sizes first. Let me know if you have further questions!

      Best regards,
      Lena

      Reply
  8. Hello,
    I am interested in traveling for Oymyakon, or artenatively Verkhoyansk, in the period from December 27th 2019 to January 6th 2020. I would like to know if you have availability for the dates indicated and what the price would be for two people. thank you
    Dario

    Reply
    • Hi Dario,

      thank you for your interest! We don´t have a group traveling to Oimiakon on these dates, so the price will be just for you two in that case. I´ll send you the details per e-mail. Best regards, Lena

      Reply
    • Hi Lorraine,

      thank you for getting in touch! Sure, I´ll send you the details per e-mail, but could you please tell which dates are you considering? Best regards, Lena

      Reply
  9. Hey Lena, I am interested the trip to Oymyakon at January , 2020. Can I get in to Oymyakon by only two persons, or we need combined into a big travel group. Could you send me more detail about it, for example schedule and the price of the whole trip. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi Andy, thanks for your message! Of course, you can do it with two persons, but it´s cheaper to join a group because of transportation costs. If it does not make a big difference for you, let me know, I can plan for you an individual trip 🙂 More details about a group trip I´ll send you via e-mail. Best regards, Lena

      Reply

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