Krasnoyarsk | Krasnoyarsk region

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One of the most important cities in Siberia. Scientific, cultural and industrial center of Eastern Siberia.

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Sights of Krasnoyarsk region

Preview | Transport | Hotels | Night life | Activities

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Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theater

Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre is the only musical theater behind the Urals that was opened over the last 30 years. It is located at Theater Square. The building itself was erected in 1966-1978. The Theater was officially opened in August ’78 which was time bound to the 350th anniversary of Krasnoyarsk. A special performance of the ‘Prince Igor’ opera by A. Borodin was presented to the construction workers. The first theater season for general public started in December ’78. Krasnoyarsk Theater staged over 80 marvelous opera and ballet performances, such as operas Woe from Wit (1985) and Hamlet (1993), ballets Odyssey (1983) and White Deer (1987), musical Under the First Star (2000). A. Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar rock-ballet (1989) was also presented here to the public. Since 1986, Theater is host to Slovtsov International Festival of Opera Art and the singers’ contest Young Voices. Besides that, the theater is among the founding members of the International Music Festival of the Asia-Pacific region.

The theater’s repertoire includes almost all the opera and ballet classics. Besides the time-proved performances, the theater’s main pride is the recent shows, such as operas Eugene Onegin, Madame Butterfly, Queen of Spades, ballets Infanta and Jester, Spartacus, the new version of the ballet The Nutcracker.

Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theater is considered one of the most favorite places to visit in Krasnoyarsk not only for locals but also for the visitors. It is also an established center for meet-the-artist events for the performers from other Russian cities as well as from the foreign countries. Currently, the theater repertoire consists of over 50 various performances.

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Krasnoyarsk museum center

Krasnoyarsk museum center is the largest Siberian venue for contemporary art from Russia and Europe, but it is also one of the most famous museums in Krasnoyarsk. The museum is located on the embankment of the Yenisei River, in one of the most unique and beautiful historical sites of Krasnoyarsk, where the Krasny Yar fortress was laid by Cossacks in 1628. Construction of the museum building in the historical part of the city has created a new urban ensemble. The museum building was designed under the direction of the honored Russian architect Demerhanov.

The history of the Krasnoyarsk Museum Center begins in April of 1987 when it became a Krasnoyarsk branch of the Central Lenin Museum. That was the 13th and actually the last museum of this kind in the USSR. In 1991, the museum has got a new name - Krasnoyarsk cultural and historical museum center. As for its activity profile, the Museum, contrary to the traditional museums, is focused not on revealing the past, but on presenting the future of the culture, as well as on visualizing the present. One of the major tasks of the Museum Center is to define the modern cultural values and the values of the developing society.

The total area of the exhibition space is 2500 sq. m., while the temporary exhibits account for appr. 1037 sq. m. The museum collections contain 15275 depository items, of which 14225 are the items of the main collection. Currently, the structure of the Krasnoyarsk Museum Center consists of a library, international cultural center, educational center, exhibition center, photo gallery, department of the modern arts and crafts, research department, collections department, networking department, resource center, information center and center for design and innovation. The Museum also has a conference hall with up-to-date equipment for up to 250 seats, a museum shop, and a cozy café.

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Revolution Square

Revolution Square is the main square in Krasnoyarsk. The original name was Novosobornaya, which was changed to the current one back in 1921. A monument to V. Lenin was erected by his 100th anniversary. During the revolution, the square was a place where the meetings were held, and in 1932, the first kolkhoz market (farmers’ market) was held here. That was a time when the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow and the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Krasnoyarsk were dynamited. In 1956 the main building of the square was constructed, The House of Soviets. Other buildings were erected along the perimeter of the square: Sovnarkhoz (council of the national economy), Railway Administration, Aeroflot, Center for Scientific and Technical Information, Regional Library. As a result, the architectural complex of the Revolution Square shaped the style of the Krasnoyarsk city center.

In the Revolution Square, you can see the unique clock tower. This is registered as a cultural heritage site and called ‘380 years of Krasnoyarsk city history’. The monument was unveiled in 1970 and was timed with V. Lenin’s hundredth birthday anniversary. It was designed by Veniamin Pinchuk (USSR People’s Artist) and produced together with Yuri Ishkhanov, a famous Krasnoyarsk sculptor. The clock itself is unique because one can see the pendulum mechanism through the transparent glass. The numbers on a dial are replaced with the historical dates, 12 major events from the city history. Every hour the announcer tells about one of these events which start from the year 1628 when the city was founded, and cover its entire history up to the present days. The clock tower is 5.2 meters high and weighs 1.2 ton. Its production was paid by the sponsors together with the general city public.

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The Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel

The Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel is the architectural and historical landmark and a symbol of Krasnoyarsk. The Chapel stands on the top of Karaulnaya Mount over the Kacha river. This used to be a location of the Tatar pagan temple, and later it hosted the first Russian building in Krasnoyarsk – a watchtower, where the Cossacks observed the surroundings looking out for the enemies. According to one of the versions, the first wooden chapel appeared here in 1805. It was built and decorated by the local merchant Novikov in commemoration of his rescue from the river rapids whirlpool. Another version says that the chapel was built by the people of Krasnoyarsk in honor of their ancestors’ deliverance from enemies. As time went by, the chapel naturally decayed. In July 1852, Krasnoyarsk City Council obtained a permit from Afanasiy, the Tomsk Bishop, to construct a new, stone chapel. It was built in 1852-1853 and the construction was funded by P. Kuznetsov , the prominent Krasnoyarsk gold mining entrepreneur and art patron.

The Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel is a small religious building with expressive large details in the Old Russian style. The building architecture was influenced by the Cathedral of the Nativity that was constructed by architect K. Ton in 1849-1861 and that was demolished in 1936. The octagonal brick building of the Chapel is a remarkable landmark that points out the best scenery spot in the city and an important part of its panorama.

In 1973-1975, a restoration project for the Chapel was developed and realized by the local architect A. Brusnyanin. In 1980, the Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel officially became a national architectural heritage asset. In 1996, the fresco paintings were done on the Chapel walls. Today, the Chapel is a favorite pilgrimage destination not only for the locals but also for the city visitors.

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"St. Nikolas" Steamboat Museum

"St. Nikolas" Steamboat Museum – is a unique Krasnoyarsk landmark. It is located in the city center, on the embankment of Yenisei. The Museum was founded in 1970, which was timed with V. Lenin’s hundredth birthday anniversary. As for the steamboat itself, it is over 100 years old by now and is a unique historical and technical monument. The steamboat was built in 1886, funded by the famous Siberian gold mining entrepreneur, Sibiryakov. It was laid down in Krasnoyarsk, whereas the chain winch and two steam engines were produced in Göteborg, Sweden. They were delivered by train from Sweden to Tomsk, and then by cart from Tomsk to Krasnoyarsk . The iron frame and four boilers for the steamboat were ordered in Tyumen. It was assembled and blessed in Krasnoyarsk and was named after Nicholas the Wonderworker, a patron of all seamen and travelers.

At the time, "St. Nicholas" was the most high-speed boat on the Yenisei. It shuttled between Krasnoyarsk, Yeniseisk, and Minusinsk. N. F. Sivkov was its captain since 1907 to 1927. The team consisted of 12 people. Crown Prince Nicholas traveled by the steamboat in June 1891 from Berezovka to Krasnoyarsk returning from one his journeys. And in 1897, the same steamboat was used to bring V. Lenin to Minusinsk. Today in its cabins you can see the wax figures of all historically important passengers of the steamboat. In 1927 the ship was decommissioned and converted into a shipping barge, followed by a conversion into the oil tank barge. In addition, the ship survived several name changes. And in 1960, the steamboat body was delivered to Podtesovo, the so-called steamship cemetery.

In 1968-1970, thanks to the support from the Yenisei Shipping Company veterans, the ship was restored at the shipyard in Krasnoyarsk. A collection was put inside, which was covering V. Lenin’s activities in exile and the time he spent on this steamboat. Nowadays, the area of the museum exposition occupies 300 sq. m.

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Vasily Surikov Estate Museum

Vasily Surikov Estate Museum is one of the major landmarks in Krasnoyarsk. The old-fashioned Siberian Cossack estate was built in XIX – early XX century and now stands in the very city center. It consists of the house, lodge, maintenance buildings and garden. The heart of the Estate Museum is the two-storey house of larch that was erected in the early 1830s and protected from the fire by so-called firewall – a wall of stone. The larch house has survived to this day in its original state. The famous Russian artist V. Surikov was born here in January 1848. At the age of 20, he went to St. Petersburg to study, to later become a famous Russian historical painter. His mother and brother were living in this house while Vasily was in Moscow and St. Petersburg. For many decades, the Konchalovsky family took care of the Surikov’s old home. In the 1930s, the artist’s daughters donated the house to the city.

The art museum on Lenina street was opened in 1948 in honor of the artist’s hundredth birthday anniversary. Surikov’s daughters were helping the museum personnel in its opening. Thanks to their efforts, the ground floor was totally restored to demonstrate the household furnishing of the time when the family lived there. A little later, some artworks of Surikov were also donated to the museum. By that moment, the artworks were kept in the family of the art patron P. Kuznetsov. He helped Surikov to go to St. Petersburg and paid for his study in the Imperial Academy of Arts. But the main source of new items were the Surikov’s descendants. This allowed the museum to obtain and store a significant collection of V. Surikov artworks – about 100 pieces. On the first floor, you can get acquainted with the art of the famous painter. The largest room on the first floor used to be the Surikov’s workshop. In addition, some personal belongings, letters, and photos of the artist are reposited in the museum.

The house received the status of Estate Museum in 1983. In 2003, a monument to V. Surikov was installed here. The Museum has a number of awards for its contribution to the cultural life of the city and the region and organizes various cultural projects.

Getting here

Address: 98 Lenin street, Krasnoyarsk
Phone: (391) 211-24-78

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Museum of Local Lore

Krasnoyarsk Museum of Local Lore is one of the oldest and largest museums in Siberia. The exhibition area amounts to 3.5 thousand sq.m. The Museum resides in a building, erected in 1914. The project’s author was L. A. Chernyshev, the famous Krasnoyarsk architect and artist. The building is constructed in the Modern style and decorated to look like an ancient Egyptian temple. The architect has offered this project as a gift to his hometown. Nowadays, the museum building is considered a regional architectural monument of the 1st half of the 20th century.

Krasnoyarsk Museum of Local Lore was founded in February 1889, on the initiative of the local community. In October 1903, it was reassigned to the Krasnoyarsk Subdivision of the East-Siberian Department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. Later, in 1920, it was transferred to the People’s Committee of Education. The name also changed, now it became the State Museum of the Yenisei Region. In 1935, the museum has got its current name - Krasnoyarsk Museum of Local Lore.

Today, the holdings of the museum account for over 470 thousand pieces, which let it become the largest museum collection beyond the Urals. The collection reflects the entire history of the region, from the ancient times up to the present days. Among the most valuable items are the archeological, ethnographic, paleontological collections as well as the natural science collection, which are of the global importance.

The structure of the Museum includes: "St. Nikolas" Steamboat Museum , Yudinskaya Library, P. Krasikov memorial house, V. Astafyev memorial complex in Ovsyanka village and the Literature Museum. Besides this, you can use the services of the conference room, museum shop, visit a café and a sitting area.

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The Intercession Cathedral

The Intercession Cathedral is one of the oldest stone buildings in Krasnoyarsk and one of its major iconic landmarks. The Cathedral is the architectural monument of the 18th century and is a product of Yenisey school of the Siberian baroque. The Intercession Cathedral is extensively decorated: outside are the paintings and inside are the magnificent images and patterns on the dome and walls.

According to the urban development plan, the Intercession Cathedral was to be built of stone. But at the parishioners’ request, a small wooden church was built first. In the middle of the 18th century, the wooden church burnt down, but it was soon restored because the Eniseysk artisans started to erect the stone building of the cathedral nearby. The Cathedral was built in 1785-1795 at the parishioners expense. First it was supposed to be called the Epiphany Cathedral, but the parishioners voted to name it the Intercession Cathedral. It was consecrated in 1975 and since then is considered fully functional.

A magnificent library was opened here that included over 800 magazines and books. In 1930, the Cathedral was closed, with the public worships restored after the WWII and lasted up to 1961. In 1977-78, the cathedral was renovated and an exhibition hall was added. In 1989, the public worship was restored in the cathedral once again and is still held.

Getting here

Address: 26 Surikova street, Krasnoyarsk
Phone: (391) 212-33-95

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The Roev stream Park of flora and fauna

The ‘Roev Stream' flora and fauna park is one of the largest zoos in Russia. It was founded in 2000. It is located on the banks of the Yenisei River, near the famous Krasnoyarsk Stolby Sanctuary. Before the zoo, the location was a home to a small club that took care of the animals suffered from poachers. The club existed through donations and volunteering of the citizens. This resulted in a decision to open the Krasnoyarsk Zoo. The name was chosen by the name of the creek flowing nearby (‘roev’ comes from the Russian word for ‘digging’ – in the XIX century people were digging and washing for gold in this creek). The animals and birds, rescued by the club, and delivered from other countries and cities became the basis of the collection. Currently, the park covers the area of 31 hectares and continues growing. Now it is a home to over 300 animal species, with 286 of them listed in the International Red Book. The park also has more than 460 varieties of plants. The collection grew this large thanks to the collaboration with other zoos, the citizens’ support and also due to the accidental finds of the wild animals.

With all that, Roev Stream constantly participates in international programs on saving the endangered animals. But its main goal is to collect all the Siberian animals at one place. What specifically boggles the imagination is the special residents of the zoo which live in an enclosure height of 11 meters high and an area of 1200 sq. m. – six giraffes born in the heat of South Africa. Thanks to them, Krasnoyarsk Zoo spurted forward and became the 2nd in Russia after the Moscow Zoo. Among other exotic inhabitants of the zoo can also be mentioned: a black panther, five young couples of pink flamingos (representatives of the largest birds of the family), zebras, wildebeest, oryx, kudu and many others. There’s also a purely Siberian everyone’s favorite – a polar bear called Sedov. Without even knowing it, the bear puts on a real show for the visitors. The zoo staff shows a responsible and loving approach to their work and try to create the most favorable conditions for all the zoo’s inhabitants and make it as close to the natural environment as possible.

In December 2007, there was a significant event for the zoo – the largest exotarium in Russia appeared here, with the area of 300 sq.m. and water area – 180 tons. It is a home to fish, reptiles and exotic corals. The major head-turner is the shark tank with a water area of 36 tons. Here you can see the sharks of almost 1.5 meters long! The composition of water for these beautiful and dangerous animals is made as similar to the real sea as possible.

The park is a perfect fit for families. It has many playgrounds for kids. The younger visitors also can personally meet some animals – in a small petting zoo. It is styled as a rustic farmstead. This is one of the most desirable places to visit by the kids. Roev Stream also offers the horse rides. Wherever a visitor may wish to stop or sit, he will always get a scenic view of the Yenisei and the mountains. In the zoo, you breathe so much not like in the city, as it is surrounded by a dense green forest.

Getting here

Public transport to the «Roev Rutchey (Stream)» station.

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Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric plant

Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric plant (HEP) – is the second hydroelectric plant in Russia in terms of capacity. It stands on Yenisei River, 40 kilometers from Krasnoyarsk, close to the city of Divnogorsk. Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric plant is part of the Yenisei HEP chain.

Construction of Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric plant started in 1956 and finished in 1972. The HEP complex includes the ship lift, the only in the country. It is located on the left bank of Yenisei. The vessels are transported by a self-propelling cabin. The average long-term output of the plant is 18.4 bln KWh, which, in average, satisfies half of the Krasnoyarsk Region power demand.

At the dam site, the river valley has the shape of a canyon with a width at the water edge up to 750 meters. The bed and the steep banks of the river are made of hard rock, which is a basis for the high dam. The dam is gravity-based. Its total length along the ridge is approximately 1072.5 meters. The maximum height of the over-water part is 128 meters. Total weight is 15 mln tons. In the station part of the dam, there are water conduits, the metal tubes with a diameter of 7.5 m. They supply the water to the turbine. The capacity of the turbine room is 12 hydroelectric generators. The mechanical energy of water is supplied to the generator from the turbine. Then the generator converts it into electricity. The machinery operation is constantly monitored by the central control unit – the ‘brain’ of the plant. The dam of the plant also forms the Krasnoyarsk Reservoir.

Krasnoyarsk HEP is the most visited site in Krasnoyarsk Region.

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Stolby Nature Sanctuary

Stolby Nature Sanctuary is amazing in its beauty and variety; it thrills with its vast and diverse landscapes and with its unique nature. For more than 90 years the park has been bringing joy to the people in Russia and from all over the world. Stolby is a renowned icon and brand of Krasnoyarsk city and region. This is the only sanctuary in Russia that was made at a public request, to protect the scenic area from barbaric logging and natural stone production. The name, Stolby (Pillars), was given to it for a reason. The major landmarks of the area are the rocks, which at the behest of nature were formed into enormous giants shaped as people, animals, and mythological creatures, with a unique system of paths and passages.

Touristic part of the reserve hosts the public sports events of various levels in mountaineering, rock climbing, caving, orienteering, mountain tourism.

Also in the tourist area, there are several walking routes that will lead you to the most interesting sites of the reserve. Each of them has its degree of difficulty and of visitors’ training. The most popular is the circle route that starts from Pervy Stolb (‘The First Pillar’) and passes through the rocks Vnuchka (‘Granddaughter’), Babka (‘Grandmother’), Ded (‘Grandfather’), Perya (‘Plumage’), Lviniye Vorota (‘Lions Gate’), Fourth, Third and Second Pillars and returning back to the First Pillar and Elephant.

Some independent researchers tend to believe that the famous rocks are not natural objects, but artificial ones, created by representatives of civilization that lived here in the distant past. They base their conclusions on studies of the material from which the pillars are made, as well as on the apparent similarity of their shapes with people and mythological creatures.

Getting here

Address: 26-a Karyernaya street, Krasnoyarsk
Phone: +7(391)261-17-10, +7(391)2-69-86-67
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Office hours: Monday to Thursday 08:30 till 17:30, Friday 08:30 till 16:30, Lunch break 12:00 till 12:50

More interesting facts from Hidden Siberia Journal ►►►

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The bridge to the Tatyshev Island

Krasnoyarsk, as many other Russian cities, was founded on the banks of a river. Therefore, the bridges became an integral part of the urban infrastructure. This is also true in the case of the cable-stayed bridge linking the Yenisey left bank with Tatyshev Island. Tatyshev Island is a wonderful green oasis, surrounded by the waters of Yenisei. Island today is a public brand, connecting Krasnoyarsk and its citizens with the ideas of a healthy lifestyle, active family holidays, care for the environment, and implementation of social initiatives and projects.

Only a couple decades ago Tatyshev Island was virtually uninhabited. And today this is one of the most popular places in Krasnoyarsk for various sports activities. The pedestrian bridge is the only way to get to the island. It was built in 1979-1985. Two-pier cable-stayed bridge looks light and elegant, and some may even think it’s unreliable. But in fact, design and construction of such bridges are extremely dependent on exact mathematical calculations that allow the external structures to look weightless and at the same time to be absolutely reliable in operation. The length of the bridge is 550 meters, width – 10 meters. Currently, it is called Vinogradovskiy, by the name of the civil engineer S. N. Vinogradov.

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The Yenisei River

The Yenisei River is one of the most interesting of the North; it runs along the meridian and actually divides Russia in half. It is located in Krasnoyarsk Region of Siberia. The Yenisei River is one of the largest and longest rivers in Russia and in the world. It is one of the most famous rivers of Russia, and it’s no wonder because the active development of the Russian North started from here. The river also carries an important industrial character for the country. First of all, Yenisei is an important shipping artery of the country, as ships are headed to the entire Krasnoyarsk region via its waters. The banks of the river host the major ports, such as Abakan, Krasnoyarsk, Strelka, and others. The river is also a way to deliver various natural resources to the central part of the country. In particular, the wood products are being delivered this way.

The river originates at the altitude of 3000 meters, at the confluence of two small rivers into one: these are the Small Yenisei and Large Yenisei rivers. The river runs along the entire Krasnoyarsk region, and then its large estuary empties into the Kara Sea. Thus, summing up all its tributaries, the Yenisei River is the longest river in Russia, with the length of 5539 km. The length without tributaries is 3487 kilometers. The river greatly varies in its characteristics. Only the width of the river bed can range from 500 meters at the source and up to 50 kilometers at the estuary. The Yenisei is also a conventional boundary between the Western and Eastern Siberia. The Yenisei runs through all climatic zones of Siberia and in many geographical areas. The river begins, for example, in dense taiga wilds, and continues through the soulless West-Siberian steppe plains. The depth of the river in some areas can reach 25 meters, and the average is 8-12 meters. The whole system of the river is quite extensive, with a river bed expanding every now and then, thus forming small creeks and backwaters. Along the entire length of the river, we also can see various islands, sometimes even sand dunes. The river is home to over 40 species of fish, and some of them are rare: sturgeon, white sturgeon (beluga), whitefish. Also, many birds have their staging areas on the Yenisei.

Several gigantic HPPs are built on the Yenisei: Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, Mainskaya HPP, Krasnoyarskaya HPP. The most famous and largest of them is the Sayano-Shushenskaya.

More interesting facts ►►►

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Anabar plateau

The history of Russian development of the Taimyr, the North Siberian Plain, and the Central Siberian Plateau areas began in the late first or the early second decade of the 17th century. By that time, the trade and industry people have explored the Yenisei quite well and founded several cities on this great river. From there, in search of new lands, the Russians moved to the East. In 1626, at the confluence of rivers Kotui and Heth, that is where the Khatanga River begins, the first Russian settlement was founded. Through the valley of Kotui, the Russian explorers went up to the Central Siberian Plateau, and in 1634, the pioneers explored a large right tributary of Kotui – the Kotuikan River and the Anabar plateau.

Anabar plateau is located in the north-eastern area of the Central Siberian Plateau and borders on one side on the Lena River, and on the other side – on the mountains of Putorana Plateau. Rare larch forests grow on the plateau, and the hills are covered with mountain tundra. Anabar plateau is one of the most remote and ecologically clean areas in Russia. It is an area, never touched by the human industrial activity. Hundreds of kilometers without settlements are the perfect spots for hunting and fishing. The Jogjo river, one of the largest tributaries of Kotuikan, forms without exaggeration the most amazing landscape – a scenic meander. For thousands of years, the river tries to break through the narrow rock bridge, not more than 50 meters wide, that separates it from Kotuikan. But then it abruptly turns by 180 degrees and only 2 kilometers further finally meets Kotuikan.

Kotui is one of the largest rivers in Evenkia. Here this river is not much wider than Kotuikan. It starts from the central part of Putorana Plateau and runs through the wildest territories of Evenki Highlands. On the opposite bank, there is a clearly seen gorge. If you walk along it for 4 hours, you will get to the abandoned mines of gemstones, the chrysolites.

Anabar plateau is geologically unique. Some of the geologically oldest rocks come to surface here. Among them are the rocks of 1.6-2 bln years old and 3-3.5 bln years old. History of the formation of these rocks is described by geologists as follows: for many millions of years, the Siberian platform was drifting from the southern hemisphere of Earth to its current position in the northern hemisphere. A warm ocean covered it for a long time, and it accumulated the marine sediments of different geological eras. As a result of the ocean floor uplift, the most ancient sediment rocks appeared on the surface in the vicinity of Anabar plateau. For millions of years, the Kotuikan River was cutting through the rocks and formed one of the most magnificent sceneries in the world. The river has exposed the geological layers, where you can read the history of Earth and, as if in a time machine, go billions of years back into the past. Water, wind, and the temperature differences have formed an amazing landscape here: many kilometers of rock slides stretch along the coast, with spear-sharp peaks rising into the air, resembling a medieval town with Gothic style buildings. It doesn’t require tons of imagination to populate the place with intelligent beings a la ‘Star Wars’ or ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Frost weathering destroys the large stromatolitic blocks into small pieces that are easy to exfoliate with a little effort. They crackle and break under your feet. It feels like you walk on the fragments of pottery in some abandoned and lost-in-time city. And perhaps these are the remains of the ancient cities?

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Ergaki

Ridge Ergaki is called Siberian Switzerland. This fabulous world of waterfalls, mountain lakes, flower seas, bizarre rocks, and other natural wonders.

One of the most striking sights of this region is the Artists’ Lake. The problem is that get to this miracle-lake is not so easy. The path runs through the mountain passes. No quad bike or a horse help you to get there - only by walk. You should be in physical good shape. The lake is named so not because of its incredible beauty. Just in the middle of the last century the lake was found by the Krasnoyarsk artists. It is in their honor the lake and pass are named. Seeing pictures of these artists, people found out about the fabulous place. However, artists aren’t missing now. Amazing nature inspires! The lake water is clean and very tasty. In summer, in the water you can see ice - ordinary miracle.

Another famous sight is close to the Artists’ Lake - the so-called Parabola. This strange rock in the form of the letter "U" has no analogues in the world.

From the Artists’ Lake it’s convenient to go to interesting tourist travels: to the lakes of the Valley of dreams, to Parabola, to Mountain Spirits Lake, to the Colored lakes, to Malachite bath, to Harmony and to passes.

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Transport

Preview | Sights | Hotels | Night life | Activities

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Yemelyanovo Airport

Krasnoyarsk airport is a modern complex, one of the largest airports in Siberia.

The airport hotel is located 300 meters from the third (arrival) terminal in a five-storey building. Sixty rooms of different quality and price are open to the customers. Visitors can order a full board in the local diner. For the visitors' convenience, the following is available 24 hours in the hotel: Wi-Fi, lobby TV, storage room near the reception, currency exchange, bar with a variety of liquors and drinks. VIP lounge 'Orange lounge' in Emelyanovo airport is in the international terminal. Its services include the transfer from the plane airstairs by a private car (if needed), negotiations room, recreation areas with TV and the Internet, departures board, and bar with tasty snacks and a selection of beverages. The lounge must be booked beforehand, and the maximum staying time is 6 hours. In Emelyanovo airport there are no problems with renting a car. The rent-a-car office is 100 meters away from the arrival terminal. To rent a car, you will need to show your passport, driver's license and pay the rent and deposit (10% of the car value).

Flight delays are very common for the Krasnoyarsk airport. If your flight is delayed, you can contact the airline representative in the airport. If the delay is longer than 2 hours, you will be provided with food and drinks, and in case of 8 hours delay you will also get a transfer to and from the hotel. Besides that, airlines have to compensate a part of a ticket price to passengers.

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Railways

Travelling by train, you can get to such cities as Krasnoyarsk, Abakan, Tomsk, Kemerovo, Omsk, Tobolsk, Tumen, Barnaul, Irkutsk, Chita, Ulan-Ude and other. The Siberian rail system is also a part of the Transsiberian Railway. Taking the Transsib is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Russia and Siberia. Imagine travelling for a week, still being in the same country and seeing it all from the window of your train (still, we recommend to make some stops and spend a couple of days in some major cities along the way or see the wonderful nature of Siberia in Altai mountains or at Baikal lake).

Trains in Russia are divided into 5 categories depending on their comfort and fares: (1) the cheapest and the least comfortable are the seating carriages (they are mostly used for the interregional connections); (2) economy class (‘platskart’)is the most wide-spread category (and the cheapest among sleeping car options), although not very comfortable, as each block consists of 6 berths; (3) compartment cars are very comfortable sleeping cars with 4 berths per closed block; (4) premium is a very comfortable type of car, equipped with working areas, showers, etc.; (5) first-class sleeping cars are the most comfortable and the most expensive category with maximum of 2 berths per compartment. In every car, there is a steward, who at any time of the day is ready to offer a hot tea or coffee, snacks, newspapers, and board games. These can be included in your ticket price, or the extra payment may be required. Each train has a restaurant car that works 24 hours a day. You can also buy some food and drinks in the station shops in the large cities.

Train tickets can be bought at any railway station. Tickets for most routes can also be bought electronically on the web-site. At the boarding, you will only need to show your passport to the steward.

It is good to remember that in Russia, a train ride is a good reason for a new acquaintance and an interesting conversation; you should also be ready to be treated to a meal by your companions.

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Local railways

The Local railways can take you to any place within Novosibirsk region and also to Barnaul, Tomsk and Kemerovo. For more information please check the map above or contact us.

Tickets for the local trains can be purchased at the special counters in the train station buildings. You will need to pay extra attention to check if the train actually stops at the desired destination point.

A regular ticket entitles you to travel on any local (electric) train current direction except the high-speed (express). To ride the express train, you will need to buy a special ticket.

The ticket shall be kept until the end of the journey. It can be checked by inspectors along the way, and you will also need it to exit the station at the destination point.

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River Port

The river systems have long served as important transport routes linking the localities within the Siberian region and connecting the South and North Siberia in general. The river fleet performs this function until today. Usually, an intraregional river transport trip is not very comfortable, as opposed to the long river journeys where you can select cabins of different categories of comfort.

On the other hand, this is the only way to move around Siberia while seeing the picturesque Siberian nature from this perspective, enjoy a clean air and a leisurely movement on the water.

Tickets for the river transport can be purchased at the box office in the river station building. The long-term, multi-day tours on the rivers can also be purchased at travel agencies that organize these trips. To purchase a long tour, you will need a passport.

In the river transport, it is generally forbidden to smoke and drink liquors. This rule does not apply to the boats for the multi-day trips, as there are special facilities on board.

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Central Bus Terminal

Buses in Siberia are a convenient way of transportation within the region or to the adjacent regions.

Bus tickets can be purchased at the bus station or in the special booking-offices. You can also buy an e-ticket on the website. To buy an intraregional ticket, there are no special requirements. If you buy a ticket to travel outside of the region, you will need to show your passport at the bus station counter; you may also be required to show it while boarding the bus.

While traveling in the winter, you will need to remember that due to the bad weather conditions the bus can be delayed or even canceled. Also, most buses don’t have a toilet, which also should be considered before going on a long journey, if you want it to be not painful but pleasant. Remember that the distances in Siberia are quite long.

There are also international routes from Krasnoyarsk to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

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City bus

Regular shuttle transportation.

Buses run along the special routes and are marked with corresponding numbers. But for the passengers’ convenience, on each bus, there's also a list of the key stops on the route, for an easier navigation.

The fare is paid directly in the bus to the conductor and only in cash.

In Russia, it is believed that if the sum of the first three digits of the ticket number is equal to the sum of the last three digits, then you need to chew and eat the ticket, which is supposed to bring luck to you. We can only recommend that before eating the lucky ticket, you make sure that your insurance covers the risks of such undertakings.:)

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Minibus (marshrutka)

Regular shuttle transportation. 

Minibusses run along the special routes and are marked with corresponding numbers. But for the passengers’ convenience, on each bus, there's also a list of the key stops on the route, for an easier navigation.

The fare is paid when entering the minibus, directly to the driver, and only in cash. The fare depends on the length of the journey; the details are always displayed in the cabin.

It is very common that the passenger closest to the driver is asked by the others to pass the money on to the driver. So, if you sit in that place, it would really help if you’re able to count quickly (and are quite familiar with the local money to pass the change back to everyone). Minibusses stop on demand, so in order not to pass your stop, you should exactly know its name and ask the driver to stop, loudly and in advance.

On the street, you can stop the minibus by raising a hand, just like a taxi, but only at the stopping sites.

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Trolleybus

Regular shuttle transportation. 

Trolleybuses run along the special routes and are marked with corresponding numbers. But for the passengers’ convenience, on each bus, there's also a list of the key stops on the route, for an easier navigation.

The fare is paid directly in the trolleybus to the conductor and only in cash.

In Russia, it is believed that if the sum of the first three digits of the ticket number is equal to the sum of the last three digits, then you need to chew and eat the ticket, which is supposed to bring luck to you. We can only recommend that before eating the lucky ticket, you make sure that your insurance covers the risks of such undertakings.:)

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Tram

Regular shuttle transportation. 

Trams run along the special routes and are marked with corresponding numbers. But for the passengers’ convenience, on each bus, there's also a list of the key stops on the route, for an easier navigation.

The fare is paid directly in the tram to the conductor and only in cash.

In Russia, it is believed that if the sum of the first three digits of the ticket number is equal to the sum of the last three digits, then you need to chew and eat the ticket, which is supposed to bring luck to you. We can only recommend that before eating the lucky ticket, you make sure that your insurance covers the risks of such undertakings.:)

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Taxi

You can use the taxi to move around the city or region. You can order a cab by calling a special service or you may just stick your hand out and stop the taxi when you see it. We don’t recommend using any kinds of an illegal taxi (a regular car with no signs of a taxi service on it).

Don’t be surprised if a car stops, that is not marked as a taxi – anyone can give you a ride. But it is important to agree on the cost of the trip before getting into the car. Sometimes you can even get it for free.

The cost of a trip from the airport to the city center or vice versa should not exceed 1000 rubles. It is paid mostly in cash (some taxi companies also accept major credit cards, but you better check it before the ride).

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Hotels

Preview | Sights | Transport | Night life | Activities

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Night life

Preview | Sights | Transport | Hotels | Activities

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Activities

Preview | Sights | Transport | Hotels | Night life

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Offroad car trips

Off-road trips are a kind of leisure activity and sports that involves crossing the off-road on a four wheel drive vehicle. The vehicle crew consists of at least two people: a pilot and a navigator. Navigator is in charge of the navigation; he determines the route and directs the actions of the pilot at the off-road route. The pilot is driving; he should have good skills of off-road and extreme driving. The off-road trips include off-road expeditions, raids, festivals, which often take place in remote Siberian taiga.

In Novosibirsk, there are two clubs which are the most actively engaged in off-road trips. They have the necessary vehicles, which are duly tuned and upgraded, and are professionally engaged in this activity.

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ATV tours

ATV is a unique vehicle, specially designed for the off-road driving. There is nothing more exciting than traveling with friends by ATV through the rugged areas of the wild, primitive Siberian nature.

Driving the ATV Riding ATV does not represent any special difficulty, even for a beginner. One or two hours spent behind its wheel are enough to feel confident. Bright emotions, thrill, and an indescribable excitement before the start of a trip are guaranteed!

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Snowmobile tours

A snowmobile is a driven vehicle designed to travel on snow. No matter what the Canadians say, but the first snowmobiles drove across the expanses of Russia, on the banks of the Neva River at the beginning of the last century. This fact is recorded in the documents as the tests of "Russo-Balt". Naturally, the first snowmobile developed a speed of only 40 kilometers per hour and it looked very much different as compared to the modern snowmobiles.

Snowmobiles have long been an integral part of winter recreation in Siberia, whether snow safaris, ice fishing, or just a ride between the mountain slopes. Snowmobiling gives a lot of impressions both to the seasoned drivers, and to those who is behind the wheel for the first time. Snowmobiling is a fun and a rush of adrenaline brought up by the speed, freedom of movement, the ability to see the pristine beauty of wild Siberian land, and to look into the hidden corners of the taiga.

Today, snowmobiling tours are among the most interesting components of active recreation in Siberia. Test the new machines, explore new routes, conquer new heights - savor the taste of freedom that’s brought to you by this winter miracle of technology!

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Ski trips

Participants of the ski trips and photographers that make amazing shots of winter scenery somewhere in the mountains or wild forests are not mythical characters, who love the crazy adventures. Everyone can see the beauty of winter nature and, moreover, there are special clubs for this, organizing these unforgettable tours. Winter trips are almost always about ski tourism, and you will not have to walk waist-deep in the snow and plow the snow drifts with your body. The only difficulty in the winter trip is the ability to ski. But at the same time, it does not require a lot of time to learn how to ski, a few hours or a total of one day will be enough, not only to learn how to slide but also not to fall when descending by the slope.

The landscapes, most fantastic in their beauty, when everything sparkles and shines, and the day is sunny and clear, usually happen at a temperature of -30 to -40 Celsius. But if you are dressed properly, the cold won’t scare you. And, considering the sunny weather, you can even forget about the cold at all.

However, you need to keep in mind that ski tourism is one of the most difficult sports. Low temperatures require you to make decisions quickly and accurately and to move actively along the route. Great attention is paid to the outfit: outer clothing, and especially ski because without it you will not be able to make a single step on a snow cover. But the most important thing is that ski trip is only possible if lead by a professional athlete; no other options, like instructor-guide, will be suitable here. Each route must be coordinated with EMERCOM at its start and finish, and all participants of the trip must be insured in case of emergencies.

Ski tourism is extremely good for your health. It is a true, pure and undiluted elixir of health. Active movements in winter conditions provide an excellent tonic effect because it activates the endocrine system and improves metabolic processes. In the cold, the defense mechanisms of the body start working, which increases immunity and resistance to colds and viruses. Furthermore, the cold air, as opposed to the hot one, is several times richer in negative ions, which are more biologically active. There are less dust and gas impurities - they are successfully absorbed by the snow. Add to this the healing phytoncides of conifers – and voila, your health cocktail is ready. Skiing provides an excellent exercise, develops flexibility and coordination. In just three hours of skiing, a person makes almost three thousand repetitions of abdominal exercises! Cardio develops endurance, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Your mind also unloads, exhausted by the everyday office life and multi-level tasks. You just go and admire the wonderful pictures of the sleeping winter nature. Eyes get free from the blur, and you start to notice the details - the traces of animals on the snow, the frost pattern on the branches. Depression, stress, melancholy, and a feeling of hopelessness all go away. You get a new taste for life!

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Bicycle tours

Biking can be divided into two categories: amateur rides and pro biking tours. While the amateur ride is simple to just arrange with your friends in search of adventure, the professional bike tour is a serious route under the guidance of experienced instructors. Biking tours are the paid trips, i.e. trips, where you can buy a ticket to join. The bike tour routes are repeatedly explored and inspected by the guides of travel agencies, hotels are booked, first aid kit contains the necessary medications, and all the necessary wrenches are in the repair kit. Often there is also a support vehicle. You will only need to spin the pedals, see the sights and socialize with new people. In a word – have fun.

The 2 or 3 days long trips often gather up to 30 people. If you join such bicycle trip, you will meet the people you will love to talk to and to plough the wild Siberian nature together.

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Skiing & snowboarding

Someone is waiting for a summer to go to the sea, someone would rather take a trip in the desert, but there are people who are looking forward to the winter, preferring to rest at ski resorts. For the true fans of this type of relax, for those who love snowboarding and skiing, Siberia is one solid skiing area where you can enjoy your ski or a snowboard almost anywhere. In Siberia, there are trails of various difficulty levels, surrounded by beautiful nature and unique landscapes. The infrastructure is presented with excellent ski bases and resorts, whose recreation conditions and level of service are not inferior to many well-known European resorts.

Beginners, professional skiers and snowboarders, heli-ski fans, freestylers, back country skiers, freeriders – everyone will find perfect facilities in Siberia. They meet the highest international standards not only for snowboard and ski, but also for half-pipe, big cross-country, cross-board, slalom, biathlon. Siberian nature is striking for its beauty, it helps forget about the stress and problems, feel a surge of strength and get loaded with life energy, which is carried in a real winter recreation.

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Hunting

Siberia has always been famous for its hunting and fishing. It has everything you may need – thick taiga with bears, wild boars, deers, fur-bearing animals, and various birds; rivers full of all kinds of fish. Hunting enthusiasts can experience all the excitement and bring out the best properties of a trapper when hunting wild boar or elk, when at any moment they can get one on one with the beast. By the way elk, one of the largest animals found in the hunting grounds in Siberia, has an average of about 250 kg, although there are considerably larger specimens. Wild boar’s body may have a length of 2 meters, the height at withers of 1.5 meters, and body weight of 270 kg. One of the most popular kinds of hunting is fowling – shooting duck, woodcock, goose, partridge and other birds.

There are various ways of hunting, but of course, every hunter has his own way that brings him more luck. You will have the opportunity to learn a lot about hunting in Siberia, as well as personally plunge into the primeval impassable Siberian taiga.

Cities of Siberia host many exhibitions, forums and other sites where hunting, fishing and sports tourism professionals can meet. These are: The International Tourism Fair "Yenisei", exhibition "World of Sports. Hunting. Fishing”, All-Russian Fair "National Hunting and Fishing", "Tourism. Sport. Recreation" and "Hunting. Fishing".

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Winter fishing

What can be peculiar about winter fishing in Siberia? You don’t have to be an expert to say – the climate, of course. Siberia is primarily associated with heavy frosts and huge snowdrifts. Depending on the region, the winter temperature in Siberia can drop below fifty degrees centigrade. But that is not a trouble for real fishermen because a huge variety of all kinds of fish are splashing in the lakes and rivers of Siberia. That is why neither frost nor serious distances nor the almost complete absence of roads in the forest are not hindrances for the avid fishing fan. Taiga hunting cabins, bass, pike, rudd, Siberian pelmeni – these are just some of the features of Siberian fishing, which attract anglers from all over the world.

The winter fishing has a lot of advantages as compared to the summer one. The first is a complete absence of mosquitoes and gnats. Because in summer it really hassles even the local fishermen, not to mention those who come from other places to go fishing in this wonderful region. The second advantage of the Siberian winter fishing is the accessibility of many spots because everything is frozen. So, the areas that in summer can only be reached by helicopter, in winter can be driven to by a snowmobile. And, which is equally important, you can drive almost straight forward. In winter, you will need much less gear (unlike the summer), which simplifies the transportation.

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Russian bath

The story of the bath is very interesting, because the tradition of bath sweating has ancient roots and is still popular. In Russia, bath has always been highly respected and esteemed. There’s an idea that the Russian bath is the most ancient one. References to it can be found in the works of Slavic oral lore, as they were pagans, and attached great importance to the forces of fire and water. Many peoples of Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region had their steam houses. In our days, for example, you can find hunters’ houses in the forests which are built according to the steam houses principle.

It is worth noting that the Russian baths have always impressed foreign visitors. They never could understand why someone would pour kvass or ice water on himself, why people would beat each other with brooms, why someone would sponge himself down with snow. The invitation to the bath sweating was always like a voluntary torture to all visitors. However, after going to the real Russian bathhouse the guests felt fine; and the impressions were so strong that the rumors about the miraculous effect of the procedure quickly spread throughout the world.

Today, everyone knows Russian baths. They are popular in our country and abroad. And their beneficial properties and health-improving effects are recognized by the whole world. In fact, many health-improving properties largely depend on the correct broom steaming, so stop hesitating – it is time to go straight to the bath. See you there :)

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