Various excursions and entertainment programs
General information: Kayur Travel LLC carries out different excursions in Magadan and its vicinities. The two-hour sightseeing Magadan tour with a visit to the monument “Mask of Sorrow” (author Ernst Unknown) gives an idea about the history of Gulag in the Soviet Union, the terrible system of the Kolyma camps, introduces the past and present of our city. The choice of a particular route and excursions subjects is determined by the age and wishes of tourists, weather conditions and place of the beginning and ending of the excursion. Guided walking excursions include some sights which are situated close to each other. Bus excursions involve transfers to several historical monuments and/ or lookouts Magadan. Depending on the climatic conditions you can listen to the guide in the bus or go sightseeing outside. It is also possible to go sightseeing by seaplane or helicopter Robinson. Magadan is a small town but we have a few museums that deserve your attention, i.e. Regional Museum with five showrooms devoted to Gulag, ethnography, nature, art and history of the city; Geological Museum with unique collection of gold nuggets (Gold Room); Mineralogical Museum, showing one of the best collections of meteorites in the world; Magadan vicinity excursion to Ola Settlement introduces the stages of the development of our region from the 17th century. The unique place with huge snowfields for extreme ski lovers can be an excellent background for a photo shooting.
City tour
For those who want to learn more about Magadan and get acquainted with its history, we offer a city tour. Traditionally it starts from a lookout in the Nagaev Bay where Magadan was started in 1930s. The ships came here and brought prisoners and civilians to build roads and cities and mine gold, silver and tin. The Kolyma highway, so-called "Road of bones", which was built by the prisoners begins from this point. During the excursion you will see the most significant and memorable places of our city, get acquainted with the city's cultural monuments and architecture and learn a lot of new and interesting information. During the city tour you will see the sculpture "Time" (Mammoth), a stele at the entrance to the city, the sculpture "Deer", a monument to "the explorers of Kolyma and Chukotka", a monument to the poet, singer and actor Vladimir Vysotsky, "I'll tell you about Magadan" memorial complex "assembly of Memory", the cathedral in honor of the Holy Trinity, memorial devoted to Eduard Berzin and many other interesting places in our city. The tour ends on the town hill called “Krutaya", where the 15-meter sculpture Mask of Sorrow was established in 1996. The monument dedicated to the victims of mass political repressions who were imprisoned in Kolyma. Here you can make beautiful panoramic pictures of the city. This place offers a great view of the Staritsky peninsula and two bays of the Sea of Okhotsk where Magadan is located. The choice of a particular route and excursions subjects depends on wishes of our guests, weather conditions, the start and the end points of the tour.
Visiting the Mask of Sorrow monument
If you are in Magadan - visit the Mask of Sorrow monument. Authors of the project are sculptor Ernst Neizvestny and Magadan architect Kamil Kasaev. The monument was opened on the 12th June, 1996. This is the first monument of the sculptor’s idea of "Triangle of suffering" in Vorkuta, Ekaterinburg and Magadan. The monument is situated at the altitude of 200 meters above the sea level on a steep hill. In Stalin's time it was a "transit point" for prisoners. From here they were sent to different Kolyma camps.
"Mask of Sorrow" stands on a 56 sq.m pedestal. It is built of solid concrete. The monument is 18.5 m high, 100 steps lead to it. There is concrete staircase with simple metal railings and lanterns behind a small arch. Rising 10 meters, you find yourself in a narrow area with views to the upper slope. On the stone boulders along the stairs leading to the second observation platform you can see carved symbols of all faiths and Soviet symbols - the cross, the Star of David, the crescent moon, the hammer and sickle.
On the place in front of the monument there are 11 concrete blocks with the names of the most terrible Kolyma Gulag camps: Maldyak, Butugychag, Henikandzha, Dzhelgala, Elgen, Dneprovskiy, Serpantinka, North, Maglag Canyon, Dagger. The central sculpture of the monument is a stylized human face, which left eye cries with the mask-shaped tears. The right eye is depicted in the shape of a window with bars. On the back side of the monument you can see a bronze sculpture of a weeping woman underneath a non-canonical crucifix. Inside the monument there is a copy of a typical jail. Magadan is a very windy town. The wind shakes a makeshift bell which dull sound reminds the camp regulations. You can see the whole city and the two bays - Gertner and Nagaev from a viewing platform near the monument.
A visit to Magadan Regional Museum
Magadan Regional Museum was founded on the 30th March, 1934 on the basis of the first collection of local history exhibition. Now Magadan Regional Museum is one of the largest scientific and educational institutions of the North-East. The museum contains unique materials on the history of Stalin repressions in the region. The exhibition "Kolyma-SevVostLag" became one of the first such exhibitions in Russia. Every year the scientific staff of the museum goes to the former camps for replenishment of fund materials and photo and video shooting. The art collection includes more than 5,000 paintings, drawings, sculptures, decorative and applied arts. A special place is occupied by masterpieces of Magadan authors, including the repressed artists. The natural-historical collection, formed from the first day, represents the diversity of animal and plant species from ancient times - from mammoths to the present day. Here you can also find samples of rocks and minerals from our mining sites.
Excursion to the Museum of Natural History
It has grown from a conventional geological and mineralogical museum due to unique findings in the North-East of Russia. Today in the museum there are three thematic expositions, such as minerals, paleontological - mineralogical and petrographic and a golden room. Museum’s area is 300 sq.m. In the exposition of minerals you can see metallic (gold, silver, tin, tungsten, copper, molybdenum, iron, mercury) and non-metallic (coal, building materials, semi-precious stones) minerals of Magadan region. You will also see the world's largest fulgurite named Kolymsky - the trace of a lightning strike to the ground. At the present time there is one of the largest and most interesting collections of meteorites in the world. Most of them were found in the northeastern region. Fifteen of the seventeen largest findings are exhibited in this museum. One of the most famous meteorites is called Omolon. It was found in the north-western territory in 1981. One of the highlights of the collection is meteorite Aliskerovo. It was found on the 10th of July, 1977 in the territory of Bilibino district of Chukotka about 4.5 kilometers away from the village Aliskerovo. Its weight is 58.4 kg. Paleontology - mineralogical room. The paleontological exposition includes a collection of fossils and fossil imprints of flora and fauna. In this part of the museum you can see the skull of a buffalo, rhino, mammoth tusks and mammoth Dima, found in 1977 in Susumansky district in overburden during mining of placer deposits. In the unique Golden room of the museum there is a collection of gold from alluvial deposits of the North-East, as well as samples of native gold and silver. Placer deposits are systematized according to gold-bearing clusters and zones of Kolyma and Chukotka regions. In this room you will appreciate the unique stone floor of 100 sq. m, covered with polished tiles of a seaside skarn. The petrographic exposition presents standard collections of Magadan region rocks.
Visiting the memorial museum-apartment of Vadim Kozin
The uniqueness of the museum is that it is the first and only museum in Russia, reviving the creativity of the singer in 1930-50's. Official opening of the musical salon took place on the 21st of March in 1993. At the present time this museum includes a memorial apartment where you can see the same interior as it was when the singer lived there for many years, and a music room, where in the last years of his life he welcomed the guests and gave family concerts. In the museum there are unique magnetic tapes with the singer's voice, his piano and a grand piano, sound recording equipment of 1950-60s, his correspondence and diaries, photographs, and works of art, records, books and sheet assembly, furniture and personal belongings. A monument of Vadim Kozin was erected on the 21st of March in 2013. It was devoted to his 110th anniversary of the birth. It is located in a park near the house where he lived. Author of this sculpture is Magadan artist Yuri Rudenko. He engraved the famous singer the way magadan people remember him - an old man with sharp features and a sharpened nose. Kozin is depicted sitting on a bench in his old coat and boots, with a cat in his arms, next to him there is a folder with poems."The singer and composer Vadim Kozin" is written on it.
Excursion to the Gertner Bay
Even if you do not know that Magadan lies between two bays on the Staritskogo Peninsula, it is not difficult to understand, because you will feel sea air. Do you know how people in Magadan understand that it is summer now? Summer begins with the first fog in May afternoon. It appears in Nagaev Bay and gradually covers the whole city with its white veil. Gertner Bay is about a 15-minute drive from the city center. Traditionally it is a favorite recreation place for locals. The Sea of Okhotsk is interesting for its tides. The sea in the Gertner Bay goes away for more than one kilometer. The bottom is overgrown with filamentous algae. There are lot of different types of shells there. You can see many seagulls on the stones. If you go further you can find spiral seashells, small shrimps, parts of crabs, jellyfish and starfish. There are a lot of barnacles and mussels on the rocks protruding from the water. You cannot help but walk away with a trophy sea - shells, starfish, stones .... Speaking about low and high tides we would like to mention that here, in the Sea of Okhotsk they are the biggest in the world. It is amazing to observe how the sea goes away for many hundreds of meters every six hours, and then it comes back. So if you undertake any coastal hiking you should know low/high tides schedule. In autumn and winter the Gertner Bay is as interesting as in summer. Land ice, deformed by waves, looks so as if the water was frozen in the twinkle of an eye and kept the shape of the waves.
Visiting Bone Carving Workshops
Masterpieces of Magadan bone carvers are one of the northern highlights. We invite you to visit the bone carving workshops where you will learn the process of creating miniature pieces made of bone. The bone is a wonderful material. The warm and soft, moody, sensitive bone allows you to do amazing things. You can even turn into the artist and create your own masterpiece! Although the school of Magadan bone carvers is still young, it is already known enough. Taking the best traditions of the Chukchi-Eskimo and European styles of carving, many carvers have already found their own style - bright enough - the language of artistic expression.
In the work of bone carving artists there are two main directions. One of them is a volume carving. Animal figures, detailed compositions, chess, key rings, local sculptures (pelikens) are made of walrus, mammoth and deer antlers. You will see here also female ornaments made of the bone, combined with suede, fur. The second one is flat color engraving on walrus tusks concerning the life of peoples of the North. Subject engraving is a traditional artistic direction in the art of northern indigenous people. It is similar to the colorfully illustrated stories. Volume carving and subject engraving are used seperately and in combination with each other.
Masterpieces of Magadan bone carvers are successfully exhibited at national and international exhibitions.
Helicopter or seaplane tour
This unusual and memorable tour is mostly connected with beautiful northern landscapes of our region. You will see the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, endless hills and rivers full of fish. The excursion starts at 13 km from Magadan in the former airport, where the helicopter company is located. The flight by helicopter MI-8, helicopter Robinson or seaplane is an unforgettable experience. Magadan is a coastal town and often (especially in summer) a dense fog comes out of the bay that prevents visibility. So this excursion is possible only in a cloudless day.
Talk about live of indigenous peoples of the North
Aboriginal people of Magadan region are Even, Koryak, Chukchi, and others. They are known for their amazing sacraments that previously were not officially announced. Local people had them only in the family circle. They have brought their centuries-old traditions to our times. For example, the Spirit of Fire feeding ritual, the Spirit of the Sea feeding ritual. The representative of the indigenous peoples of the North-East and the Arctic will tell you about all these mysteries. You will get acquainted with the authentic culture: festivals, myths and legends of the indigenous peoples of the North, their songs and dances, traditional musical instruments, get a master class playing the tambourine and harp, and even try yourself in the art of throat singing. You will be told about national craft items of northern people - their clothes, household items, souvenirs, toys and amulets. Based on the Even custom you will go through a ritual of purification. In addition to the lectures you will be treated to traditional food of Northern people who live near the Sea of Okhotsk and in Yakutia. Gastronomic wealth which makes our region famous is seafood, a variety of fish, crabs, salmon caviar, delicious tundra berries, fresh and mixed with sugar, fruit drinks, reindeer and moose meat.
Excursion to the stone-cutting workshop in Stekolny Settlement
The visit to the exhibition - workshop of the famous Magadan stone cutter Vladimir Gartvik is of great interest. There are more than thousand works made of the minerals in his collection. The exhibition includes masterpieces made in the different directions of stone working art. There are 9 showcases and 4 pedestals in the exhibition hall. Here you can see works made of agate, jasper, rock crystal and chalcedony. All exhibits are amazingly beautiful: flowers made of bright red, brown and dark green jasper bloom in the mosaic paintings. A pink salmon swims in the agate whirlpool, and elephants go to a watering place in the yellow chalcedony desert. The workshop is located in Stekolny Settlement, ~70 km. from Magadan.
Regional historical museum in Ust Omchug settlement
Tenkinsky area is situated in the south-western part of Magadan Region and covers a territory of ~36 thousand sq. km. In the museum you can find information about the history of this area, its first settlers, the glorious years of the construction of a major highway passing through the territory of Tenkinsky area, as well as the terrible years of Gulag. It is located in the area’s center - Ust-Omchug Settlement. The geologist I.V. Gribanova came to Kolyma in the late 1960s. She was deeply interest in the history of Gulag, so she came to the idea of creating this museum. There were three major camps with uranium mines in 1930-50s in Tenkinsky area. Butugychag camp called the "Valley of Death" is one of them. This museum was opened in 1996. Documents, photographs, newspaper stories, presented in the museum, tell about gold prospectors, mines and gold mines, construction of the Tenkin highway, as well as the camp prisoners. Among the exhibits there are unique camps’ maps, photographs, prisoners’ everyday objects and their correspondence.
Historical Museum is one of the cultural sightseeings of Magadan Region.
Regional Museum in Seimchan Settlement
Seimchan regional museum was opened on a voluntary basis on the 21th of April 1983. It was headed bya teacher of Srednekan area Pankraty Borisov. The main part of the exhibition is the articles on the history of geological development of the North-East. On the 15th of October 1983 it received the status of a state museum as a branch of the Magadan Regional Museum. Initially it was located in a small room of the regional House of Culture. The director of the museum and its only employee appealed to the workers of the enterprises and to the residents of the region to take an active part in the collection and production of exhibits for the museum through the newspaper "New Kolyma". In course of time the museum has been expanded and moved to a large new building of the former kindergarten. Now it holds 12 thousand exhibits, which are located in six exhibition halls. Employees of a museum acquaint visitors with the history of geological studies, with a period of Stalinist repressions, with plants and animals of Kolyma. Today the staff of the museum has four employees, who tell residents and visitors about the history of the area. They are also engaged in the scientific work. Annual museum expeditions allow accumulating enough photos and videos to create new exhibitions.
The room-museum of V. Shalamov in Debin Settlement
The central hospital of Gulag prisoners (Sevvostoklag) was open in 1940s in Debin Settlement. Last years of his imprisonment Varlam Shalamov worked in the hospital first as a gypsum technician, then as a senior paramedic of the surgical department. Since 1955 till the present time Magadan Regional tuberculosis dispensary № 2 is located in the former hospital. In November 2005 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the dispensary, the 60th anniversary of the Debin hospital for prisoners and on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the writer's birth a small room - museum of Varlam Shalamov was created there. The initiators of the memorial room were a chief physician George Goncharov and the staff of the tuberculosis dispensary. The exposition is displayed in the former back room of the catering place, where a living room of paramedic Shalamov was located. In 2013 a memorial plate appeared on the building where Varlam Shalamov worked for several years. The exhibition presents archival documents, household items of the prisoners during their stay in the Kolyma camps, medical instruments of central hospital staff which were used to treat prisoners.
A visit to the Museum devoted to the memory of victims of political repressions in Yagodnoe Settlement
"Memory of Kolyma" is a museum devoted to victims of political repressions in Yagodnoe Settlement (520 km away from Magadan). It was founded by a chairman of a historical - educational society "Search of illegally repressed" in Yagodnoe Settlement, a member of the Russian Union of Journalists Ivan Panikarov. At the present time museum's archive contains about four thousand photographs of former prisoners and Kolyma veterans, remains of camps and settlements on Kolyma highway, etc. There are about three hundred exhibits - tools and items of prisoners’ everyday life in the camp, their personal belongings, case originals, the camp newspapers, drawings and paintings of prisoners made in the camps, letters to relatives written from the captivity. There are dozens of old plates with the voices of Lenin, Stalin, Krupskaya, Kalinin, Lunacharsky and other politicians of previous years. The museum has a library, which collected about 500 books about repressions, war, the history of Magadan region and others. In spring 1998 the museum was included into the International Association "Open Museum".
Visiting Magadan State Music and Drama Theatre
Magadan State Music and Drama Theatre dates back to small, in fact the camp, theater group, organized in 1932 in the system of North Eastern labor camps. In the postwar period one of the most talented soviet singers Vadim Kozin and no less talented musician, leader of the world-famous jazz band Eddie Rosner worked in the theater. Magadan artists successfully tour in the cities of our country. At the initiative of Magadan Theatre the Festival "Light of the camp ramp" with the participation of the country's theaters took place here. In recent years Magadan theatre invites directors from other cities of Russia and even from abroad for staging performances. Every year the theater launches 6-8 Premiers and gives a hundred performances.
Magadan delicacies tasting program
This is the most "delicious" program from all what we offer! But this program requires special training. We advise you not to eat anything for at least eight hours before our dinner! We will offer you all the most delicious and exotic, what we have in Magadan Region! Previously everyone thought that the main wealth of the region is gold. Recently, however, it has become clear that the real gold in the region is fish and seafood. Wonderful ocean and river fish. Chum salmon, coho salmon, smelt, saffron cod, flounder, capelin, perch and many other species of fish and marine products. For example, a unique kind of clam trumpeter (gastropods) is caught in our area. It dwells only in temperate and cold ocean waters of the Northern Hemisphere. It is caught due to its high palatability muscular "foot" and beautiful shells. Clam trumpeter is considered to be an expensive delicacy! We are sure that the mere listing of what we offer to you will make you feel happy - red caviar, fresh crabs, wild reindeer and moose, delicious steak, squid, seaweed, and north wild berries! We can also invite a historian who will tell you about Magadan origin and its development. The dinner takes place in the Stalin-era building in the center of Magadan where you will admire the magnificent views of the Gertner Bay and the central park of Magadan.
Private performance of the national team of song and dance "Ener"
Every area is unique in its culture and traditions. The Ener team carefully preserves the culture of low-numbered peoples of the North and brings us their color, energy and unity with nature in their delightful performances. Over the years "Ener" is a jewel of all the festivals in the area. We can say that this is one of the highlights of Magadan. The program includes Koryak, Even and Chukchi ancient songs and dances based on folklore. For many years themes for performances were carefully collected by a team leader in the remote villages of Chukotka and Kolyma. Duration of the program is about an hour. The climax of the program can be a meeting with the shaman who will hold the rite of purification renewing your energy and protecting humans from evil spirits. You can also have a brilliant photo shooting in the national costumes together with Ener participants. It takes place in front of the national yaranga, with bear and wolf skins.
Auto tour to Ola and Nyuklya Settlements
Ola Settlement is one of the oldest settlements on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. It is located 35 km northeast of Magadan. There is a small regional museum there. It was opened in 1976 and is now located in the building of the House of Pioneers. There are items on the history, ethnography and archeology of the region, interesting documents and photo materials in its funds. The road to Ola is very beautiful. It has a beautiful view of the Sea of Okhotsk and viewing platforms near Cape Nyuklya. It will delight any visitor and inspire your hearts with enthusiasm. Another name for the Cape Nyuklya is a "Sleeping Dragon" and "Sleeping Beauty". A rock exposure, stretching far out to sea, really resembles a sleeping dragon from a distance. Almost the whole year blinding white snowfields lie among the black rocks of the Cape. In early summer, the slopes are covered with purple flowers. They are local snowdrops called "the wind flower" Panoramic Nyuklya lookout is considered to be one of the postcard views of Magadan Region. The most beautiful view opens from highlands on the eastern side of the cape. If you go down and walk along the cliffs at low tide you can see wonderful bird colonies and monolith rock exposures. A small chapel is located 4 km from Ola Settlement on the side of the Nyuklya river. Next to it on the day of the 50th anniversary of the landing of the First Kolyma geological expedition - July 4, 1978 - on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk, a memorial was opened near the former village Nyuklya. On the front side of the memorial there is a metal map of the North-East of the USSR with a geological emblem (a tent on the background of two crossed hammers) on it. The map also indicates Ola Settlement. The expedition landed not far from it. This coast is a popular place for fishermen of Magadan. Here is also a beach and a cliff which protects the fishermen from the wind. It is also a good start point for paragliders. In summer during the salmon fishing season there is licensed fishing area there. Traditional national holidays of indigenous peoples of the North also take place here annually. You can see a small hill with a perfectly flat top opposite the second lookout. It is interesting due to its unique monument of the earth's geological history. An orthodox cross is installed on the top of the hill. This place gives panoramic views of the whole coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. You can see Nyuklya sea cost, Gertner Bay, Zavyalov Island, Koni peninsula, as well as Ola Settlement, Tanon River, Ola River bridge, etc. A country road goes to this hill. It will take you about 15 minutes to climb it.
Auto tour to Tauisk Settlement
The road from Magadan to Talon goes west and connects Arman, Tauisk, Balagannoe and Talon Settlements with the regional center. Initially there was a plan to build the road from Magadan to Okhotsk, but then the road construction was stopped as economically unprofitable. The surrounding area is very picturesque on the way from Magadan to Talon Settlement (about 150 km). First the road crosses the high mountain range, and then goes along the sea shore. The first Arman pass is an amazing and very popular place. The height of the pass on the GPS is about 614 meters. Snow lies on steep slopes for a long time - until July. This is a unique place for extreme skiing lovers. Generally this place has a level of alpine ski resorts. Its impressive snowfields attract Magadan extremists – skiers and snowboarders. It will take you about an hour to go up the hill and then 3 km down the snowfield up to the road. You can take beautiful pictures here. Then the road goes through the Oksa River valley. Here archaeologists have found an ancient encampment which was here about 2,400 years ago and refers to Tokorevskoy archaeological culture. Do not forget to take a closer look around! If you are lucky you can find an ancient harpoon or another artifact! At the present time all the items which were found here are in the collections of the North-Eastern Complex Research Institute, where we are also ready to organize an excursion for you.
The second Arman pass offers spectacular views of the Sea of Okhotsk and the valley of the Arman River. Away from the road there is a mountain called Commandant. Its height is 935 m. There are high rocky slopes close to it. Near Arman Settlement there is a favorite recreation place for all Magadan citizens - Salt Lake (it is really salt). The natural basin is shallow that promotes rapid heating in a sunny day. To the right of it there is the Sea of Okhotsk, which is rich in various fish and crabs. An ideal place for recreation and fishing.
After Arman Settlement the road crosses a broad wooded valley of the Arman River. There are areas of the licensed fishing here. Less than a kilometer from the road there is Glikhoe Lake – a good place for Birdwatching. Then the road goes close to the coast. Over 20 kilometers along the coast there are a few small villages – Novostroika, Nizhnearmansk, Jansky. You can see the peaks of the Kamenny Ridge to the right of the road. It comes rather close to the sea with its spurs. The mouth of the Yana River forms a lagoon separated from the sea by sand and shingle spit. There is a lot of driftwood on the shore. There is also a licensed fishing site. On the Yana River a ferry operates on schedule which depends on the tides. Nearby there is Tauisk Settlement. It is one of the first villages on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. It was founded in 1653 by the Russian explorer Mikhail Stadukhin. Initially the Tauisk fort was built at the mouth of the Tauy River on its right side. Several families of the Cossacks were engaged in hunting, fishing and agriculture. Its location is very interesting - There is a sea on one side, the estuary on the other side other and a deep river on the third side. The main occupation of locals is fishing, hunting, farming. At the end of the XVII century the village was moved 40 km to the east, to its present location near the Yana River. In 1950s the remains of the fort were found by archaeologists. Now the fish processing enterprise and Yansky salmon hatchery are based here. Yana and Tauy Rivers are the largest sources of salmon. You will immediately notice that the climate and the nature here is slightly different from what you have seen closer to Magadan. The peculiar nature - climatic region Tauisk - Talon is renowned for its mild climate, different from the basic climate of Magadan region.
Visiting the Talaya spa resort
The Talaya resort is located in Magadan region, on the north-western slope of the Kolymsky ridge in the Kolyma River basin at an altitude of 720 meters above sea level. Climatic conditions of Talaya despite of their overall severity, differ from those in the surrounding areas of Magadan and are used for medicinal purposes. The beautiful surroundings of the resort, quiet, clean and clear air are beneficial to people. It has a sedative effect on the nervous system. History of the resort originates from an old legend of native people - Orochies or Evens. It says: once upon a time, maybe a hundred years ago, maybe, two hundred years ago reindeer herders roamed in the valley of the Talaya River. The hills and valleys, and bushes of the dwarf Siberian pine - everything was covered with snow. But there was a small part of earth without snow, and the fog always spread over it.The superstitious fear made people keep away from this place. But one day the old man was in the forest. He was sick and weak. He could no longer follow reindeer herders. The fear of death forced him to go to the forbidden place, and he saw a hot spring. The old man drank spring hot water and warmed himself by bathing in it. And when the tribesmen came back they found the old man completely healthy. Hot Springs of Talaya were also the reason for people to set up greenhouses on this place in order to bring Michurin experiments to life. In 1070s in Talaya greenhouses people grew watermelons, melons and even grapes.
Visiting the ghost town - Kadykchan
Kadykchan is a former urban settlement in Susuman district of Magadan Region. It is located in the Ayan-Yuryakh River basin (a tributary of the Kolyma River) 65 km north-west of Susuman city along the road Magadan - Ust-Nera. Kadykchan originated during World War II as a village where workers mined coal at Arkagalinskaya depposit. The mine and the village were built by the prisoners. The writer Varlam Shalamov was one of them. Coal was mined in the underground at depths up to 400 meters. Coal was mainly used for Arkagalinskaya hydropower station. The settlement arose gradually. So unofficially it is divided into 3 parts: the Old, New and Newest Kadykchan. In September 1996 there was an explosion at the mine. 6 people died. After the explosion the mine was closed. All people were evicted from the village by giving them 80 to 120 thousand rubles for resettlement, depending on employment years. Houses were mothballed by disconnecting them from the heat and electricity. Since the beginning of 2000 Kadykchan is an abandoned "ghost town."
A trip to the placer gold deposit mine
From June to October we also offer you to travel to the placer gold deposit mine and get acquainted with the mining process in the area of Susuman. While visiting the operating gold mining enterprises tourists could be taught to handle a wash tray, and to wash out the golden sand in the gold-bearing area of the river valley. You may even find a small nugget as a trophy.
City tour
For those who want to learn more about Magadan and get acquainted with its history, we offer a city tour. Traditionally it starts from a lookout in the Nagaev Bay where Magadan was started in 1930s. The ships came here and brought prisoners and civilians to build roads and cities and mine gold, silver and tin. The Kolyma highway, so-called "Road of bones", which was built by the prisoners begins from this point. During the excursion you will see the most significant and memorable places of our city, get acquainted with the city's cultural monuments and architecture and learn a lot of new and interesting information. During the city tour you will see the sculpture "Time" (Mammoth), a stele at the entrance to the city, the sculpture "Deer", a monument to "the explorers of Kolyma and Chukotka", a monument to the poet, singer and actor Vladimir Vysotsky, "I'll tell you about Magadan" memorial complex "assembly of Memory", the cathedral in honor of the Holy Trinity, memorial devoted to Eduard Berzin and many other interesting places in our city. The tour ends on the town hill called “Krutaya", where the 15-meter sculpture Mask of Sorrow was established in 1996. The monument dedicated to the victims of mass political repressions who were imprisoned in Kolyma. Here you can make beautiful panoramic pictures of the city. This place offers a great view of the Staritsky peninsula and two bays of the Sea of Okhotsk where Magadan is located. The choice of a particular route and excursions subjects depends on wishes of our guests, weather conditions, the start and the end points of the tour.
Visiting the Mask of Sorrow monument
If you are in Magadan - visit the Mask of Sorrow monument. Authors of the project are sculptor Ernst Neizvestny and Magadan architect Kamil Kasaev. The monument was opened on the 12th June, 1996. This is the first monument of the sculptor’s idea of "Triangle of suffering" in Vorkuta, Ekaterinburg and Magadan. The monument is situated at the altitude of 200 meters above the sea level on a steep hill. In Stalin's time it was a "transit point" for prisoners. From here they were sent to different Kolyma camps.
"Mask of Sorrow" stands on a 56 sq.m pedestal. It is built of solid concrete. The monument is 18.5 m high, 100 steps lead to it. There is concrete staircase with simple metal railings and lanterns behind a small arch. Rising 10 meters, you find yourself in a narrow area with views to the upper slope. On the stone boulders along the stairs leading to the second observation platform you can see carved symbols of all faiths and Soviet symbols - the cross, the Star of David, the crescent moon, the hammer and sickle.
On the place in front of the monument there are 11 concrete blocks with the names of the most terrible Kolyma Gulag camps: Maldyak, Butugychag, Henikandzha, Dzhelgala, Elgen, Dneprovskiy, Serpantinka, North, Maglag Canyon, Dagger. The central sculpture of the monument is a stylized human face, which left eye cries with the mask-shaped tears. The right eye is depicted in the shape of a window with bars. On the back side of the monument you can see a bronze sculpture of a weeping woman underneath a non-canonical crucifix. Inside the monument there is a copy of a typical jail. Magadan is a very windy town. The wind shakes a makeshift bell which dull sound reminds the camp regulations. You can see the whole city and the two bays - Gertner and Nagaev from a viewing platform near the monument.
A visit to Magadan Regional Museum
Magadan Regional Museum was founded on the 30th March, 1934 on the basis of the first collection of local history exhibition. Now Magadan Regional Museum is one of the largest scientific and educational institutions of the North-East. The museum contains unique materials on the history of Stalin repressions in the region. The exhibition "Kolyma-SevVostLag" became one of the first such exhibitions in Russia. Every year the scientific staff of the museum goes to the former camps for replenishment of fund materials and photo and video shooting. The art collection includes more than 5,000 paintings, drawings, sculptures, decorative and applied arts. A special place is occupied by masterpieces of Magadan authors, including the repressed artists. The natural-historical collection, formed from the first day, represents the diversity of animal and plant species from ancient times - from mammoths to the present day. Here you can also find samples of rocks and minerals from our mining sites.
Excursion to the Museum of Natural History
It has grown from a conventional geological and mineralogical museum due to unique findings in the North-East of Russia. Today in the museum there are three thematic expositions, such as minerals, paleontological - mineralogical and petrographic and a golden room. Museum’s area is 300 sq.m. In the exposition of minerals you can see metallic (gold, silver, tin, tungsten, copper, molybdenum, iron, mercury) and non-metallic (coal, building materials, semi-precious stones) minerals of Magadan region. You will also see the world's largest fulgurite named Kolymsky - the trace of a lightning strike to the ground. At the present time there is one of the largest and most interesting collections of meteorites in the world. Most of them were found in the northeastern region. Fifteen of the seventeen largest findings are exhibited in this museum. One of the most famous meteorites is called Omolon. It was found in the north-western territory in 1981. One of the highlights of the collection is meteorite Aliskerovo. It was found on the 10th of July, 1977 in the territory of Bilibino district of Chukotka about 4.5 kilometers away from the village Aliskerovo. Its weight is 58.4 kg. Paleontology - mineralogical room. The paleontological exposition includes a collection of fossils and fossil imprints of flora and fauna. In this part of the museum you can see the skull of a buffalo, rhino, mammoth tusks and mammoth Dima, found in 1977 in Susumansky district in overburden during mining of placer deposits. In the unique Golden room of the museum there is a collection of gold from alluvial deposits of the North-East, as well as samples of native gold and silver. Placer deposits are systematized according to gold-bearing clusters and zones of Kolyma and Chukotka regions. In this room you will appreciate the unique stone floor of 100 sq. m, covered with polished tiles of a seaside skarn. The petrographic exposition presents standard collections of Magadan region rocks.
Visiting the memorial museum-apartment of Vadim Kozin
The uniqueness of the museum is that it is the first and only museum in Russia, reviving the creativity of the singer in 1930-50's. Official opening of the musical salon took place on the 21st of March in 1993. At the present time this museum includes a memorial apartment where you can see the same interior as it was when the singer lived there for many years, and a music room, where in the last years of his life he welcomed the guests and gave family concerts. In the museum there are unique magnetic tapes with the singer's voice, his piano and a grand piano, sound recording equipment of 1950-60s, his correspondence and diaries, photographs, and works of art, records, books and sheet assembly, furniture and personal belongings. A monument of Vadim Kozin was erected on the 21st of March in 2013. It was devoted to his 110th anniversary of the birth. It is located in a park near the house where he lived. Author of this sculpture is Magadan artist Yuri Rudenko. He engraved the famous singer the way magadan people remember him - an old man with sharp features and a sharpened nose. Kozin is depicted sitting on a bench in his old coat and boots, with a cat in his arms, next to him there is a folder with poems."The singer and composer Vadim Kozin" is written on it.
Excursion to the Gertner Bay
Even if you do not know that Magadan lies between two bays on the Staritskogo Peninsula, it is not difficult to understand, because you will feel sea air. Do you know how people in Magadan understand that it is summer now? Summer begins with the first fog in May afternoon. It appears in Nagaev Bay and gradually covers the whole city with its white veil. Gertner Bay is about a 15-minute drive from the city center. Traditionally it is a favorite recreation place for locals. The Sea of Okhotsk is interesting for its tides. The sea in the Gertner Bay goes away for more than one kilometer. The bottom is overgrown with filamentous algae. There are lot of different types of shells there. You can see many seagulls on the stones. If you go further you can find spiral seashells, small shrimps, parts of crabs, jellyfish and starfish. There are a lot of barnacles and mussels on the rocks protruding from the water. You cannot help but walk away with a trophy sea - shells, starfish, stones .... Speaking about low and high tides we would like to mention that here, in the Sea of Okhotsk they are the biggest in the world. It is amazing to observe how the sea goes away for many hundreds of meters every six hours, and then it comes back. So if you undertake any coastal hiking you should know low/high tides schedule. In autumn and winter the Gertner Bay is as interesting as in summer. Land ice, deformed by waves, looks so as if the water was frozen in the twinkle of an eye and kept the shape of the waves.
Visiting Bone Carving Workshops
Masterpieces of Magadan bone carvers are one of the northern highlights. We invite you to visit the bone carving workshops where you will learn the process of creating miniature pieces made of bone. The bone is a wonderful material. The warm and soft, moody, sensitive bone allows you to do amazing things. You can even turn into the artist and create your own masterpiece! Although the school of Magadan bone carvers is still young, it is already known enough. Taking the best traditions of the Chukchi-Eskimo and European styles of carving, many carvers have already found their own style - bright enough - the language of artistic expression.
In the work of bone carving artists there are two main directions. One of them is a volume carving. Animal figures, detailed compositions, chess, key rings, local sculptures (pelikens) are made of walrus, mammoth and deer antlers. You will see here also female ornaments made of the bone, combined with suede, fur. The second one is flat color engraving on walrus tusks concerning the life of peoples of the North. Subject engraving is a traditional artistic direction in the art of northern indigenous people. It is similar to the colorfully illustrated stories. Volume carving and subject engraving are used seperately and in combination with each other.
Masterpieces of Magadan bone carvers are successfully exhibited at national and international exhibitions.
Helicopter or seaplane tour
This unusual and memorable tour is mostly connected with beautiful northern landscapes of our region. You will see the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, endless hills and rivers full of fish. The excursion starts at 13 km from Magadan in the former airport, where the helicopter company is located. The flight by helicopter MI-8, helicopter Robinson or seaplane is an unforgettable experience. Magadan is a coastal town and often (especially in summer) a dense fog comes out of the bay that prevents visibility. So this excursion is possible only in a cloudless day.
Talk about live of indigenous peoples of the North
Aboriginal people of Magadan region are Even, Koryak, Chukchi, and others. They are known for their amazing sacraments that previously were not officially announced. Local people had them only in the family circle. They have brought their centuries-old traditions to our times. For example, the Spirit of Fire feeding ritual, the Spirit of the Sea feeding ritual. The representative of the indigenous peoples of the North-East and the Arctic will tell you about all these mysteries. You will get acquainted with the authentic culture: festivals, myths and legends of the indigenous peoples of the North, their songs and dances, traditional musical instruments, get a master class playing the tambourine and harp, and even try yourself in the art of throat singing. You will be told about national craft items of northern people - their clothes, household items, souvenirs, toys and amulets. Based on the Even custom you will go through a ritual of purification. In addition to the lectures you will be treated to traditional food of Northern people who live near the Sea of Okhotsk and in Yakutia. Gastronomic wealth which makes our region famous is seafood, a variety of fish, crabs, salmon caviar, delicious tundra berries, fresh and mixed with sugar, fruit drinks, reindeer and moose meat.
Excursion to the stone-cutting workshop in Stekolny Settlement
The visit to the exhibition - workshop of the famous Magadan stone cutter Vladimir Gartvik is of great interest. There are more than thousand works made of the minerals in his collection. The exhibition includes masterpieces made in the different directions of stone working art. There are 9 showcases and 4 pedestals in the exhibition hall. Here you can see works made of agate, jasper, rock crystal and chalcedony. All exhibits are amazingly beautiful: flowers made of bright red, brown and dark green jasper bloom in the mosaic paintings. A pink salmon swims in the agate whirlpool, and elephants go to a watering place in the yellow chalcedony desert. The workshop is located in Stekolny Settlement, ~70 km. from Magadan.
Regional historical museum in Ust Omchug settlement
Tenkinsky area is situated in the south-western part of Magadan Region and covers a territory of ~36 thousand sq. km. In the museum you can find information about the history of this area, its first settlers, the glorious years of the construction of a major highway passing through the territory of Tenkinsky area, as well as the terrible years of Gulag. It is located in the area’s center - Ust-Omchug Settlement. The geologist I.V. Gribanova came to Kolyma in the late 1960s. She was deeply interest in the history of Gulag, so she came to the idea of creating this museum. There were three major camps with uranium mines in 1930-50s in Tenkinsky area. Butugychag camp called the "Valley of Death" is one of them. This museum was opened in 1996. Documents, photographs, newspaper stories, presented in the museum, tell about gold prospectors, mines and gold mines, construction of the Tenkin highway, as well as the camp prisoners. Among the exhibits there are unique camps’ maps, photographs, prisoners’ everyday objects and their correspondence.
Historical Museum is one of the cultural sightseeings of Magadan Region.
Regional Museum in Seimchan Settlement
Seimchan regional museum was opened on a voluntary basis on the 21th of April 1983. It was headed bya teacher of Srednekan area Pankraty Borisov. The main part of the exhibition is the articles on the history of geological development of the North-East. On the 15th of October 1983 it received the status of a state museum as a branch of the Magadan Regional Museum. Initially it was located in a small room of the regional House of Culture. The director of the museum and its only employee appealed to the workers of the enterprises and to the residents of the region to take an active part in the collection and production of exhibits for the museum through the newspaper "New Kolyma". In course of time the museum has been expanded and moved to a large new building of the former kindergarten. Now it holds 12 thousand exhibits, which are located in six exhibition halls. Employees of a museum acquaint visitors with the history of geological studies, with a period of Stalinist repressions, with plants and animals of Kolyma. Today the staff of the museum has four employees, who tell residents and visitors about the history of the area. They are also engaged in the scientific work. Annual museum expeditions allow accumulating enough photos and videos to create new exhibitions.
The room-museum of V. Shalamov in Debin Settlement
The central hospital of Gulag prisoners (Sevvostoklag) was open in 1940s in Debin Settlement. Last years of his imprisonment Varlam Shalamov worked in the hospital first as a gypsum technician, then as a senior paramedic of the surgical department. Since 1955 till the present time Magadan Regional tuberculosis dispensary № 2 is located in the former hospital. In November 2005 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the dispensary, the 60th anniversary of the Debin hospital for prisoners and on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the writer's birth a small room - museum of Varlam Shalamov was created there. The initiators of the memorial room were a chief physician George Goncharov and the staff of the tuberculosis dispensary. The exposition is displayed in the former back room of the catering place, where a living room of paramedic Shalamov was located. In 2013 a memorial plate appeared on the building where Varlam Shalamov worked for several years. The exhibition presents archival documents, household items of the prisoners during their stay in the Kolyma camps, medical instruments of central hospital staff which were used to treat prisoners.
A visit to the Museum devoted to the memory of victims of political repressions in Yagodnoe Settlement
"Memory of Kolyma" is a museum devoted to victims of political repressions in Yagodnoe Settlement (520 km away from Magadan). It was founded by a chairman of a historical - educational society "Search of illegally repressed" in Yagodnoe Settlement, a member of the Russian Union of Journalists Ivan Panikarov. At the present time museum's archive contains about four thousand photographs of former prisoners and Kolyma veterans, remains of camps and settlements on Kolyma highway, etc. There are about three hundred exhibits - tools and items of prisoners’ everyday life in the camp, their personal belongings, case originals, the camp newspapers, drawings and paintings of prisoners made in the camps, letters to relatives written from the captivity. There are dozens of old plates with the voices of Lenin, Stalin, Krupskaya, Kalinin, Lunacharsky and other politicians of previous years. The museum has a library, which collected about 500 books about repressions, war, the history of Magadan region and others. In spring 1998 the museum was included into the International Association "Open Museum".
Visiting Magadan State Music and Drama Theatre
Magadan State Music and Drama Theatre dates back to small, in fact the camp, theater group, organized in 1932 in the system of North Eastern labor camps. In the postwar period one of the most talented soviet singers Vadim Kozin and no less talented musician, leader of the world-famous jazz band Eddie Rosner worked in the theater. Magadan artists successfully tour in the cities of our country. At the initiative of Magadan Theatre the Festival "Light of the camp ramp" with the participation of the country's theaters took place here. In recent years Magadan theatre invites directors from other cities of Russia and even from abroad for staging performances. Every year the theater launches 6-8 Premiers and gives a hundred performances.
Magadan delicacies tasting program
This is the most "delicious" program from all what we offer! But this program requires special training. We advise you not to eat anything for at least eight hours before our dinner! We will offer you all the most delicious and exotic, what we have in Magadan Region! Previously everyone thought that the main wealth of the region is gold. Recently, however, it has become clear that the real gold in the region is fish and seafood. Wonderful ocean and river fish. Chum salmon, coho salmon, smelt, saffron cod, flounder, capelin, perch and many other species of fish and marine products. For example, a unique kind of clam trumpeter (gastropods) is caught in our area. It dwells only in temperate and cold ocean waters of the Northern Hemisphere. It is caught due to its high palatability muscular "foot" and beautiful shells. Clam trumpeter is considered to be an expensive delicacy! We are sure that the mere listing of what we offer to you will make you feel happy - red caviar, fresh crabs, wild reindeer and moose, delicious steak, squid, seaweed, and north wild berries! We can also invite a historian who will tell you about Magadan origin and its development. The dinner takes place in the Stalin-era building in the center of Magadan where you will admire the magnificent views of the Gertner Bay and the central park of Magadan.
Private performance of the national team of song and dance "Ener"
Every area is unique in its culture and traditions. The Ener team carefully preserves the culture of low-numbered peoples of the North and brings us their color, energy and unity with nature in their delightful performances. Over the years "Ener" is a jewel of all the festivals in the area. We can say that this is one of the highlights of Magadan. The program includes Koryak, Even and Chukchi ancient songs and dances based on folklore. For many years themes for performances were carefully collected by a team leader in the remote villages of Chukotka and Kolyma. Duration of the program is about an hour. The climax of the program can be a meeting with the shaman who will hold the rite of purification renewing your energy and protecting humans from evil spirits. You can also have a brilliant photo shooting in the national costumes together with Ener participants. It takes place in front of the national yaranga, with bear and wolf skins.
Auto tour to Ola and Nyuklya Settlements
Ola Settlement is one of the oldest settlements on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. It is located 35 km northeast of Magadan. There is a small regional museum there. It was opened in 1976 and is now located in the building of the House of Pioneers. There are items on the history, ethnography and archeology of the region, interesting documents and photo materials in its funds. The road to Ola is very beautiful. It has a beautiful view of the Sea of Okhotsk and viewing platforms near Cape Nyuklya. It will delight any visitor and inspire your hearts with enthusiasm. Another name for the Cape Nyuklya is a "Sleeping Dragon" and "Sleeping Beauty". A rock exposure, stretching far out to sea, really resembles a sleeping dragon from a distance. Almost the whole year blinding white snowfields lie among the black rocks of the Cape. In early summer, the slopes are covered with purple flowers. They are local snowdrops called "the wind flower" Panoramic Nyuklya lookout is considered to be one of the postcard views of Magadan Region. The most beautiful view opens from highlands on the eastern side of the cape. If you go down and walk along the cliffs at low tide you can see wonderful bird colonies and monolith rock exposures. A small chapel is located 4 km from Ola Settlement on the side of the Nyuklya river. Next to it on the day of the 50th anniversary of the landing of the First Kolyma geological expedition - July 4, 1978 - on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk, a memorial was opened near the former village Nyuklya. On the front side of the memorial there is a metal map of the North-East of the USSR with a geological emblem (a tent on the background of two crossed hammers) on it. The map also indicates Ola Settlement. The expedition landed not far from it. This coast is a popular place for fishermen of Magadan. Here is also a beach and a cliff which protects the fishermen from the wind. It is also a good start point for paragliders. In summer during the salmon fishing season there is licensed fishing area there. Traditional national holidays of indigenous peoples of the North also take place here annually. You can see a small hill with a perfectly flat top opposite the second lookout. It is interesting due to its unique monument of the earth's geological history. An orthodox cross is installed on the top of the hill. This place gives panoramic views of the whole coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. You can see Nyuklya sea cost, Gertner Bay, Zavyalov Island, Koni peninsula, as well as Ola Settlement, Tanon River, Ola River bridge, etc. A country road goes to this hill. It will take you about 15 minutes to climb it.
Auto tour to Tauisk Settlement
The road from Magadan to Talon goes west and connects Arman, Tauisk, Balagannoe and Talon Settlements with the regional center. Initially there was a plan to build the road from Magadan to Okhotsk, but then the road construction was stopped as economically unprofitable. The surrounding area is very picturesque on the way from Magadan to Talon Settlement (about 150 km). First the road crosses the high mountain range, and then goes along the sea shore. The first Arman pass is an amazing and very popular place. The height of the pass on the GPS is about 614 meters. Snow lies on steep slopes for a long time - until July. This is a unique place for extreme skiing lovers. Generally this place has a level of alpine ski resorts. Its impressive snowfields attract Magadan extremists – skiers and snowboarders. It will take you about an hour to go up the hill and then 3 km down the snowfield up to the road. You can take beautiful pictures here. Then the road goes through the Oksa River valley. Here archaeologists have found an ancient encampment which was here about 2,400 years ago and refers to Tokorevskoy archaeological culture. Do not forget to take a closer look around! If you are lucky you can find an ancient harpoon or another artifact! At the present time all the items which were found here are in the collections of the North-Eastern Complex Research Institute, where we are also ready to organize an excursion for you.
The second Arman pass offers spectacular views of the Sea of Okhotsk and the valley of the Arman River. Away from the road there is a mountain called Commandant. Its height is 935 m. There are high rocky slopes close to it. Near Arman Settlement there is a favorite recreation place for all Magadan citizens - Salt Lake (it is really salt). The natural basin is shallow that promotes rapid heating in a sunny day. To the right of it there is the Sea of Okhotsk, which is rich in various fish and crabs. An ideal place for recreation and fishing.
After Arman Settlement the road crosses a broad wooded valley of the Arman River. There are areas of the licensed fishing here. Less than a kilometer from the road there is Glikhoe Lake – a good place for Birdwatching. Then the road goes close to the coast. Over 20 kilometers along the coast there are a few small villages – Novostroika, Nizhnearmansk, Jansky. You can see the peaks of the Kamenny Ridge to the right of the road. It comes rather close to the sea with its spurs. The mouth of the Yana River forms a lagoon separated from the sea by sand and shingle spit. There is a lot of driftwood on the shore. There is also a licensed fishing site. On the Yana River a ferry operates on schedule which depends on the tides. Nearby there is Tauisk Settlement. It is one of the first villages on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. It was founded in 1653 by the Russian explorer Mikhail Stadukhin. Initially the Tauisk fort was built at the mouth of the Tauy River on its right side. Several families of the Cossacks were engaged in hunting, fishing and agriculture. Its location is very interesting - There is a sea on one side, the estuary on the other side other and a deep river on the third side. The main occupation of locals is fishing, hunting, farming. At the end of the XVII century the village was moved 40 km to the east, to its present location near the Yana River. In 1950s the remains of the fort were found by archaeologists. Now the fish processing enterprise and Yansky salmon hatchery are based here. Yana and Tauy Rivers are the largest sources of salmon. You will immediately notice that the climate and the nature here is slightly different from what you have seen closer to Magadan. The peculiar nature - climatic region Tauisk - Talon is renowned for its mild climate, different from the basic climate of Magadan region.
Visiting the Talaya spa resort
The Talaya resort is located in Magadan region, on the north-western slope of the Kolymsky ridge in the Kolyma River basin at an altitude of 720 meters above sea level. Climatic conditions of Talaya despite of their overall severity, differ from those in the surrounding areas of Magadan and are used for medicinal purposes. The beautiful surroundings of the resort, quiet, clean and clear air are beneficial to people. It has a sedative effect on the nervous system. History of the resort originates from an old legend of native people - Orochies or Evens. It says: once upon a time, maybe a hundred years ago, maybe, two hundred years ago reindeer herders roamed in the valley of the Talaya River. The hills and valleys, and bushes of the dwarf Siberian pine - everything was covered with snow. But there was a small part of earth without snow, and the fog always spread over it.The superstitious fear made people keep away from this place. But one day the old man was in the forest. He was sick and weak. He could no longer follow reindeer herders. The fear of death forced him to go to the forbidden place, and he saw a hot spring. The old man drank spring hot water and warmed himself by bathing in it. And when the tribesmen came back they found the old man completely healthy. Hot Springs of Talaya were also the reason for people to set up greenhouses on this place in order to bring Michurin experiments to life. In 1070s in Talaya greenhouses people grew watermelons, melons and even grapes.
Visiting the ghost town - Kadykchan
Kadykchan is a former urban settlement in Susuman district of Magadan Region. It is located in the Ayan-Yuryakh River basin (a tributary of the Kolyma River) 65 km north-west of Susuman city along the road Magadan - Ust-Nera. Kadykchan originated during World War II as a village where workers mined coal at Arkagalinskaya depposit. The mine and the village were built by the prisoners. The writer Varlam Shalamov was one of them. Coal was mined in the underground at depths up to 400 meters. Coal was mainly used for Arkagalinskaya hydropower station. The settlement arose gradually. So unofficially it is divided into 3 parts: the Old, New and Newest Kadykchan. In September 1996 there was an explosion at the mine. 6 people died. After the explosion the mine was closed. All people were evicted from the village by giving them 80 to 120 thousand rubles for resettlement, depending on employment years. Houses were mothballed by disconnecting them from the heat and electricity. Since the beginning of 2000 Kadykchan is an abandoned "ghost town."
A trip to the placer gold deposit mine
From June to October we also offer you to travel to the placer gold deposit mine and get acquainted with the mining process in the area of Susuman. While visiting the operating gold mining enterprises tourists could be taught to handle a wash tray, and to wash out the golden sand in the gold-bearing area of the river valley. You may even find a small nugget as a trophy.