Having recovered from our long travels, today we venture out into the villages and wilderness of Sakha Republic. We will travel by private vehicle over dirt roads alongside the Lena River, one of the largest rivers in the world, flowing south to north from the Baikal mountains to the Arctic Ocean. We will get a chance to witness village life in exceptionally beautiful surroundings. From the village of Tit-Ary we will continue by small motorboat to our final destination of Lena Pillars National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its striking beauty, ancient rock art, and wealth of Cambrian fossils.
This stretch of the river holds special significance as a site of spiritual power and healing. We will learn about the significance of this place in Sakha mythology and experience it for ourselves through guided hikes, meditation & ritual. A shaman or traditional healer will camp with us for this portion of our journey, sharing traditional knowledge and guiding us in spiritual practice. We will camp here for two nights, with ample time for swimming, exploration, & relaxation.
Accommodations: wild camping (no facilities)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner. A local cook will accompany our party.
Included Activities: guided hike, ritual.
Optional Activities: private sessions with the shaman may be available at an additional fee.
Special Information: Roads are very rough. Vehicle may not have seat belts or air conditioning. Travel on the river is cold & breezy. Temperatures can be hot, and mosquitoes & flies may abound. Pit toilet will be very rudimentary. Bring bug spray, a swimsuit, a sleeping bag, layers, and a positive attitude. To get the most out of this trip, we recommend that you let go of expectations and allow yourself to sink into the local pace of life, where time moves slowly, there’s nowhere to hurry, and the unexpected is expected. Travel in remote areas has its challenges and discomforts; we suggest you embrace these as part of the journey. Rocks live a long time, so they move and speak very slowly. If you slow down, it’ll be easier to talk to them.