Magadan Soviet Gulag Tour

DESCRIPTION

Join Young Pioneer Tours for the next part of the Summer Soviet Adventure, when we embark on a trip to one of the most remote regions on earth, and a place embedded in Soviet folklore: Magadan!

Your Soviet Adventure begins in Moscow where we board the night flight to Magadan. There we are taken to the city via the legendary ‘Road of Bones’, and its various monuments. You then tour the city learning about the Soviet Gulag history in its detailed museums before we step it up a notch and head down to the Dniprovsky Mine and Gulag for two days of exploration, with us even camping there.

Your last few days are spent exploring this unique region and all the beauty that it has, all the while keeping with the YPT theme of a bit of partying and mixing it up with the locals.

We have been working on getting the itinerary and most importantly price for this tour perfect for a long time, and we expect the limited places to be filled very quickly!

This trip links directly after our South Ossetia Tour and as part of our Summer Soviet adventure, it can be combined as always for super discounts. Book your Soviet adventure with us now!

ITINERARY

Monday 24th August – Moscow

Group meets at 17.30 at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport before boarding the 19:55 flight SU6289 to Magadan (TBC). The flight takes 8 hours and arrives at 12:45pm the following day.

Tuesday 25th August – Magadan

We are met at the airport by our local guides and driver for the 50km trip into Magadan, the trip should take about an hour and takes us through the ‘Road of Bones’ which was built by forced labour. We stop at various places on the way.
On arrival, we check into the 3 star VM-Central Hotel, this is a masterpiece of a hotel and a must for Soviet watchers.
Following lunch, we take a city tour of Magadan with the main site being the visit to the ‘Mask of Sorrow’ – a monument to the memory of victims of political repression.
Overnight at VM-Central Hotel.

Wednesday 26th August – Magadan

We start the day nice and early with a trip to the Regional History Museum and its 5 halls of the Gulag and Chief Directorate of Camps.
Visit to the Geological Museum which documents the gold discovered in the region (a principal reason for the forced labour).
Memorial museum of Vadim Kozin – In 1944, shortly before the birthday of Comrade Stalin the KGB chief Beria called him up and asked why his songs didn’t involve Stalin. Kozin famously replied that songs about Stalin were not suited for tenor voices. In late 1944, Kozin was sentenced to five years in jail as part of the repression campaign against prominent Soviet performers and was sent to the Magadan Gulag.
It’s not a Soviet trip unless you see a big statue of Lenin, so we head for sunset selfies with the original Bolshevik.
Dinner and drinks in Magadan.
Overnight at VM-Central Hotel.

Thursday 27th August – Magadan Gulag

The big reason for coming here! We get up early for the long drive to Dniprovsky Mine – the Soviet Prison camp operated between 1941 and 1954. Much of the infrastructure used when it was a gulag including the watchtowers, huts and barbed wire fences are still intact.
We spend most of the day here exploring.
Depending on the situation we will visit a number of ghost villages either before, or after our trip to the mine.
At night, we camp out in the countryside near the mine including a BBQ and obligatory vodka.

Friday 28th August – Magadan

After putting our tents away, we head for another day of exploring this massive mine complex ably led by our expert local guides.
Lunch in the countryside.
We take the leisurely drive back to Magadan stopping on the way for various picture opportunities and rest stops.
On arrival back in Magadan, we check back into VM-Central Hotel.
Overnight in Magadan.

Saturday 29st August – Magadan

We get up and nice and early for the drive to the sea of Okhotsk on the east coast of the Russian Federation. This is an extremely scenic drive with us taking the opportunities to stop for pictures where possible.
Legal fishing here starts on June 20th, so we will take the opportunity for a day of sea fishing (trying to catch Salmon and Sockeye), should we fail to catch anything our local professionals will pick up the slack.
BBQ lunch by the sea cooked on a bonfire.
We take the slow drive back to Magadan.
Overnight in VM-Central Hotel.

Sunday 30st August – Magadan

Up early for a tour to the Ollu Village site.
Tour Nyukli and surrounding area, which is one of the must-see places in Magadan with views of the bay, and the monument to the Cazegradsky-Biblin expedition.
We return to Magadan for lunch.
After lunch, we head to the Azman hills with rare natural phenomena. Until July there is even still snow here.
At night, we head out for our last group dinner (their may be Borsch involved).
Although Magadan might not be renowned for its thriving nightlife, we still make the most of our last night by heading to the Okean Bar for a YPT style last night party (where vodka is most probably involved).
Overnight in VM-Central Hotel.

Monday 31st August – Magadan

Free morning for last minute shopping, walking or relaxation.
We transfer to the airport for the 14.30 flight SU6290 back to Moscow arriving back at 14.10 due to the time difference (TBC).
End of tour.

GALLERY