Day 1

COCHIN – MOSCOW

  • Benny’s Royal Tours proudly presents the Expedition to Oymyakon, beginning with participants joining the group from various airports across India. The group assembles at Cochin International Airport by 10:10 hrs, where our tour representatives assist travelers with check-in formalities, emigration, and customs procedures. In the early hours of the morning, the group boards the Emirates Airlines flight departing at 04:30 hrs for Dubai. Upon arrival in Dubai, travelers proceed seamlessly to connect with the onward Emirates Airlines flight to Moscow. The journey culminates with arrival at Domodedovo Mikhail Lomonosov Airport, Moscow at 13:55 hrs, marking the gateway to Russia and the beginning of the transcontinental Arctic adventure. Later connect Siberian Airline S7 to Yakutsk at 18.20 hrs.

Day 2

MOSCOW – YAKUTSK

  • Welcome to Yakutsk, the coldest city on earth
  • Arrives Mezhdunarodnyy Airport Yakutsk at 7.00 hrs. Welcome to Yakutsk, one of the coldest major cities on Earth. Yakutsk Airport serves as the main air gateway to this remote Arctic region and the rest of Russia. Despite the extreme climate, the airport operates year-round, showcasing remarkable engineering and resilience adapted to permafrost conditions and severe winter temperatures. Travelers are welcomed by a local representative of Benny’s Royal Tours at airport. The group is then transferred to the hotel, where travelers can rest, refresh, and acclimatize to the extreme cold conditions. The remainder of the day allows time to prepare mentally and physically for the demanding winter expedition that lies ahead. You will get free time for shopping to buy warm/ winter clothes best suitable for extreme weather.
  • Siberian Dog-sledding experience
  • After lunch you will be transferred to the city for a guided half-day Yakutsk city tour. The tour introduces you to the unique character of this permafrost-bound city, shaped by the extreme climate. You will pass key city landmarks, gain insight into Yakut culture and daily life in sub-zero conditions, and understand how the city thrives atop permanently frozen ground. Later you will proceed for an unforgettable dog-sledding experience, where you will ride through the snowy landscape accompanied by local mushers. This experience is complemented by a themed photo session dressed in traditional cold-weather garments made from wolf and reindeer skins, providing both warmth and a striking cultural visual memory of life in Siberia’s extreme cold.
  • The Kingdom of Permafrost, Ice Tunnel in Yakutsk
  • Next, visit the iconic Ice Tunnel Complex – “The Kingdom of Permafrost,” an underground attraction carved directly into the frozen earth. Inside, explore illuminated ice tunnels adorned with intricate ice sculptures, artistic installations, and frozen chambers that remain naturally preserved year-round. Enjoy light entertainment, including ice slides, and learn about the science of permafrost and its importance to Yakutia’s ecosystem and architecture.
  • Visit the Mammoth Museum, the world’s leading Ice Age research station
  • The cultural journey continues with a visit to the Mammoth Museum of the North-Eastern Federal University, one of the world’s leading centers for Ice Age research. The museum showcases remarkably preserved mammoth remains, ancient fauna, and scientific findings recovered from Siberian permafrost, offering deep insight into prehistoric life and ongoing paleontological discoveries in the region. In the evening, return to your hotel for rest and relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at Azimuth Hotel 4★ or similar in Yakutsk.

Day 3

YAKUTSK – KHANDYGA

  • Crossing the Frozen Lena Pillars and Frozen River
  • After breakfast and final equipment checks, the expedition officially begins with a full-day overland journey from Yakutsk to Khandyga, taking travelers deep into the remote interior of Yakutia. One of the most iconic highlights of the expedition is the crossing of the frozen Lena River, traveling from Yakutsk to Nizhni Bestyakh via a seasonal ice road. This remarkable winter highway serves as a vital transport route for the region and offers travelers the rare experience of driving across one of Siberia’s greatest rivers, completely transformed into a vast frozen expanse. In the UNESCO world heritage site, you will be able to see stunning rock formations along the Lena River. As the group departs Yakutsk, travelers are treated to spectacular views of the snow-covered Lena River and the city skyline. During periods of extreme cold, Yakutsk is often enveloped in ice fog, creating a surreal, otherworldly atmosphere and exceptional photographic opportunities.
  • Visit to Traditional Yakut Villages in Siberia
  • The route continues through several traditional Yakut villages, where travelers observe wooden houses built to withstand extreme temperatures, frozen landscapes stretching endlessly into the horizon, and glimpses of daily rural life. These stops provide valuable insight into how local communities adapt and thrive in one of the harshest climates on Earth. Planned photo stops at scenic viewpoints and notable landmarks allow travelers time to explore briefly, stretch their legs, and capture the unique beauty of Yakutia’s winter environment.
  • Crossing the Aldan River and winter ice bridge.
  • As evening approaches, the journey includes another unforgettable Arctic experience—the crossing of the frozen Aldan River via its winter ice bridge. This dramatic crossing marks the final stretch of the day’s drive and stands as a testament to the ingenuity and resilience required to navigate Siberia’s extreme terrain. Later the group arrives in Khandyga, where accommodation is arranged in shared apartment-style rooms, offering warmth and comfort after a long day on the road. The day concludes with a traditional dinner at a local café-restaurant, providing a relaxed atmosphere to unwind, share stories from the journey, and prepare for the next stage of the expedition into the coldest regions of the planet. Overnight stay at Khandyga.

Day 4

KHANDYGA – OYMYAKON

  • The Road of Bones, one of the most haunting highways in the world.
  • After the breakfast you will get a chance to see the Sunrise from the bank of the Aldan River. Later we enter to Kolyma Road or Road of Bones. The Kolyma Road, often called the Road of Bones, is one of the most haunting and historically significant highways in the world. Built during the Soviet Gulag era of the 1930s–1950s, it was constructed by forced labor prisoners who endured extreme cold, starvation, and brutal conditions, with countless lives lost along the way. Many victims were buried beneath the road itself, giving rise to its grim name.
  • Here we visit the Teplyj Klyuch – Gulag History Museum, one of the most significant historical stops on the Kolyma Road. Teplyj Klyuch was surrounded by forced-labor camps that housed political prisoners and convicts who built and maintained the highway under extreme conditions. The museum preserves personal stories, artifacts, and photographs, serving as a memorial to the thousands who suffered and died during Stalin’s repressions. Visiting it gives deep context to why the Kolyma Road is often called the “Road of Bones.”
  • We pass through Tomporuk Pass, a significant location, dedicated to the thousands of prisoners who died during the construction of the highway under Stalin’s rule. These memorials serve as a reminder of the brutal conditions and immense human toll of the road’s construction. The Kolyma Highway was built by prisoners of the Gulag system, with estimates suggesting between 50,000 to 1 million people died during its construction. The road is often treated as a memorial to those who lost their lives.
  • On the way you will get the photo stops at the Verkhoyansk Range, Zaytseva Petlya (Rabbit Loop) and Lastochkino Gnezdo (Swallow’s Nest). The Verkhoyansk Range is one of the coldest mountain systems on Earth which forms the natural boundary of the Oymyakon region. These photo stops mark a dramatic shift in landscape—from river valleys to harsh mountain terrain—illustrating why this region became synonymous with isolation, endurance, and climatic extremes. Zaytseva Petlya (Rabbit Loop) is one of the most iconic and photographed sections of the Kolyma Road. This dramatic series of tight, winding bends was engineered to overcome steep terrain and unstable permafrost in the Verkhoyansk Mountains. Beyond its visual appeal, the Rabbit Loop symbolizes the ingenuity and hardship involved in building the Road of Bones, where laborers carved a passage through unforgiving landscapes under extreme conditions. Today it standing as both a scenic highlight and a reminder of the immense human effort behind this remote Arctic highway. Lastochkino Gnezdo (Swallow’s Nest) is a striking viewpoint along the Kolyma Road, perched high above deep valleys and endless taiga. Named for its nest-like position on a rocky outcrop, it offers panoramic views that capture the vast isolation and raw beauty of northeastern Siberia. Today, Swallow’s Nest is both a scenic pause for travelers and a quiet place to reflect on the powerful contrast between the region’s breathtaking wilderness and its difficult human history. Lunch break on the way at Kuba Café in Kyubeme.
  • Finally, we will reach at the Coldest place on earth. Known as the “Pole of Cold,” Oymyakon holds the record for the lowest recorded temperatures in a permanently inhabited settlement. Reaching it is not just a geographical achievement but a symbolic journey into one of the most extreme human environments on the planet. Later we will transfer to Tomtor, Tomtor is one of the coldest permanently inhabited places on Earth and a cultural center for the region. In Oymyakon, accommodation will be in a guesthouse in Tomtor/Oymyakon, with 2–3 guests per room, a shared kitchen, and a shared indoor toilet.

Day 5

OYMYAKON COLD FESTIVALS

  • Oymyakon Cold Festival - where courage meets culture, and adventure becomes legacy.
  • This is not a Festival.
  • This is not a Tour.
  • This is a historic Arctic Expedition into the Coldest Frontier of Human Civilization.
  • After breakfast, we transfer to the heart of Oymyakon to witness the legendary Snow and Cold Festival, a signature winter celebration organized by the Sakha Republic tourism authorities. Set against the stark beauty of the world’s coldest inhabited region, the festival offers an unforgettable immersion into Arctic culture, mythology, and resilience. The major highlight is the grand appearance of the “Lord of the Cold” — Chyskhan, the mythical guardian of winter and an iconic symbol of Yakut folklore.
  • Certificate from the Lord of the Cold, commemorating your historic visit.
  • During the celebrations, we visit the Pole of Cold Stella, “Chyskhan – The Keeper of Cold,” where participants are ceremonially awarded official certificates confirming their visit to the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth — a rare and prestigious Arctic milestone. The festive grounds come alive with spectacular ice and snow sculpture exhibits, where skilled sculptors showcase intricate carvings inspired by extreme cold, nature, and polar legends. The experience is enriched by live traditional music and vibrant dance performances by even and Yakut cultural groups, offering an authentic window into the indigenous heritage, rituals, and identity of northeastern Siberia. These performances form the cultural soul of the festival, celebrating survival, community, and harmony with one of the planet’s harshest environments.
  • Visit the iconic Pole of Cold Monument in Oymyakon
  • Later, we proceed to the iconic Pole of Cold Monument in Oymyakon, commemorating the lowest recorded temperature in any permanently inhabited location on Earth — approximately –71.2°C. Standing at this historic marker is a powerful moment, capturing the essence of extreme exploration and the indomitable human spirit that thrives in the farthest reaches of the Arctic. In the evening, we will get a chance to visit the Indigirka River, a vital lifeline for the region. Depending on winter road conditions, the trip is made by vehicle or snowmobile. In winter, the frozen river becomes a natural highway, illustrating how rivers remain essential routes for transport, fishing, and survival in Arctic Yakutia. Free time allows for fun and memorable experiments unique to extreme cold conditions—freezing vodka within minutes, drying laundry outdoors, or throwing boiling water into the air to watch it instantly turn into ice crystals, Reindeer sled races, Ice Fishing, Snowmobiling, Igloo or snow shelter building demonstrations..etc. These activities vividly demonstrate the power of Oymyakon’s climate and often become travelers’ most unforgettable moments. ( All subject to the time and sometime optional ) Later transfer to guesthouse in Tomtor/Oymyakon. Dinner and overnight stay at Oymyakon/ Tomtor.

Day 6

OYMYAKON – KHANDYGA

  • The day begins with breakfast in a welcoming family home in Oymyakon, followed by a warm photo moment with the hospitable hostess before departure. En route, travelers visit a horse farm near Tomtor, where the hardy northern horse breed roams freely across the frozen landscape, its thick coat and remarkable endurance perfectly adapted to survive the region’s extreme cold—offering a vivid glimpse into how both animals and people have learned to live in harmony with the Arctic environment.
  • The journey continues with an immersive excursion to the Chyskhan Residence Cave, where visitors step into an otherworldly realm shaped by ice and legend. Inside the cavern, towering crystal formations shimmer in the cold light, while intricate ice sculptures—carefully installed since 2004—transform the space into a mythical, frozen sanctuary devoted to Chyskhan, the Yakut spirit of winter. The echoing chambers, glistening walls, and ethereal atmosphere evoke the raw power and mysticism of the Arctic, making the cave feel like a gateway into the soul of the northern cold.
  • Visit the Non-freezing Kuydusun River in Siberia, a natural wonder
  • Scenic stops along the route include the non-freezing Kuydusun River, a rare and mesmerizing natural phenomenon whose flowing waters contrast sharply with the surrounding frozen terrain. A visit to the local airport, closed for the winter, offers a revealing glimpse into the seasonal rhythms of Arctic life, where isolation and adaptability shape daily existence. As the journey passes through Kyubyume, guests are treated to expansive winter landscapes that were once concealed by darkness during earlier travel to Oymyakon—now revealed in full daylight, stretching endlessly beneath vast Arctic skies. If conditions allow, there is an optional visit to nomadic reindeer herder camps in the Yuchugei or Kyubyume regions, providing an intimate encounter with traditional northern lifestyles that have endured for centuries in harmony with this extreme environment. After lunch at Cuba Café in Kyubyume, the route leads through the dramatic Verkhoyansk Range, where sunset paints the mountains in soft Arctic hues. Additional photo stops capture the vast wilderness before dinner at Alaska Café in Teplyy Klyuch or similar. Arrival in Khandyga is late in the evening, followed by an overnight stay in a local apartment.

Day7

KHANDYGA – CHERKEKH - YAKUTSK

  • After breakfast, the journey continues with a scenic drive back toward Yakutsk, passing through vast taiga landscapes and frozen river valleys. Along the way, scheduled stops for an early lunch and an afternoon snack provide time to rest and enjoy the rhythm of the road. A highlight of the day is a visit to the open-air historical and architectural museum in Cherkekh village, where traditional wooden buildings, ancestral dwellings, and cultural exhibits offer a vivid insight into the history, craftsmanship, and spiritual heritage of the Sakha people. Additional photo and comfort stops are made en route, allowing travelers to capture the changing scenery as the wilderness gradually gives way to the outskirts of the capital. Upon arrival in Yakutsk you will transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at Azimuth Hotel 4 star or similar in Yakutsk.

Day 8

YAKUTSK - MOSCOW

  • After hot breakfast we will transfer to Mezhdunarodnyy Airport in Yakutsk to take flight to Moscow. Siberian Airline S7 depart to Moscow at 08.15 hrs and arrives Moscow Domodedovo Mikhail Lomonosov Airport at 9.30 hrs.

Day 9

MOSCOW – KOCHI

  • Arrive Cochin International Airport with sweet memories of Benny’s historical Oymyakon Expedition.