People explore the ice. Bore it and sample.
Toyota had some problems with wheels. So it was decided to bring the car to the nearby village.
The rest of the crew continued moving.
Fallen behind the column geologists.
Beautiful landscapes.
Finally Khatanga, the capital of Taymyr. Its population is about 6.000 people. Multi-storey brick buildings, asphalt, lampposts, traffic signs. That’s civilization.
The main street.
Nearly a thousand of children study in several secondary schools, there are also music and sport schools in the town.
Sometime the country invested huge funds in the development of the Far North. This is Khatanga Commercial Sea Port, the famous Khatanga squadron.
Though the main airport building is nondescript, it’s the largest one in the Arctic and can receive such aircraft as the IL-76 and IL-86.
Delivering of goods is only possible either by the sea or by air cargo planes.
Local prices are quite impressive – a small bottle of water costs 150 rubles ($ 5), a liter of milk – 200 rubles ($ 6.6).
Machinery in the town is mainly represented by such vehicles.
Repairing the cars.
While some were busy with cars, others were wandering about the town. Some strange vehicles.
Some houses are abandoned.
But in general, there are very few empty buildings.
A village fund.
One of the two mammoth museums. It is located in the ice-house – a cave hollowed out in the permafrost. Even in summer the temperature is subzero here.
The museum was founded by Frenchman Bernard Byuig with the assistance of Khatanga’s administration. It contains many bones and tusks of mammoths which Taymyr is so rich in.
But the main exhibit is the completely preserved in a piece of permafrost mammoth, which was found in 1999.
The second museum is used for the purpose – venison and antlers are kept here.
Actually, with the collapse of the country, local people survive solely by fishing and deer hunting.
But life goes on, children study at schools and plan their life. In 1998, the district hospital was built here.
A unique construction is being built here – the ice dam.
The world’s northernmost Orthodox church.
Khatanga – Norilsk, the final stage. 800 km to go.
No winter road. The familiar virgin soil with the remains of some track.
Digging.
Winches, torn ropes…
It became warmer -6 º C. Geologists agreed to help the expedition.
They left a good track.
But it turned out to be very wide and high…
Brilliant!!
That was a fascinating adventure and a wonderfully refreshing post for such a hot sticky morning as it is here today. Thank You, I greatly appreciate it guys.
I would also like to say that at first when I saw there was 5 pages in this post, I was worried that it might be too much and become boring. But it’s well written so that I was looking forward to reading what was going on next and before I knew it the post had ended.
There are many beautiful photographs to be seen in this post too. Thanks again.
One word – AWESOME!
Wonderfull! I want to do the same thing going from Khantia-Mansia (where I live) to Chukotka! I’ll go through Krasnoyarsk Oblast, Sakha, and Magadan Oblast! And I’ll rally Anadyrsk (from Surgut) in less than 1 month!
I remain with no superlative… all was used by my ante-writters…
With this occasion I’ve bring up in my mind a fraze from my childhood. My father use to threat me “If you are bad, I will send you to Katanga”… I never know where it is till now.
Stunning pictures. Very well done! Thank you
Amazing! I would do anything to be able to do something like this
No words. You live MY dream.
i want bear grills to go there and try to bath in that river =)
Wow! From the looks of it… It’s quite an adventure… long drives, seeing new places.. gotta save up now to be enjoy these!
Totally Awesome Pics !!!!!
Would love to see more pics of the great north
Beautiful. Thanks.
TOTALLY AWESOME!! WONDERFUL PICS!
Amazing tundra photos. So vast and open. I wish I could have been there to experience the arctic air myself
Wicked pictures. For more tundra info checkout this page arctic tundra animals.
Wooow! Respect for this amazing trip and thank you for this great rar Pictures! Greetings from Germany!