The Lena Pillars are an ancient chronicle of nature. Natural Park "Lena Pillars", Yakutia: description, tours and photos Where are the Lena Pillars

Tall rocks, an absolutely continuous wall stretching along the right bank of the Lena for four dozen kilometers. For some they resemble the walls of a huge medieval castle, for others they recall the fangs of a dragon, for others it seems that stone giants have frozen in front of them forever.

But for the Yakuts, these rocks are a monument to love, fidelity and courage, since the Lena Pillars are actually nothing more than a pair of lovers who were bewitched by a dragon: the young man in a mortal duel defeated an evil snake who wanted to marry his beloved, but managed to take revenge.

The Lena Pillars are located, and with it the national natural park of the same name, on the territory of Russia, in the Republic of Sakha, in the Khangalassky district (ulus) of Yakutia, on the right bank of the Lena (on geographical map the exact location of the world can be calculated using the following coordinates: 61° 7′ 45.48″N. latitude, 127° 31′ 4.8″ h. d.).

To get here from Moscow, you need to spend several days: the flight to Yakutsk alone will take about seven hours (to get to this city, you need to fly across all of Siberia). To get to the Lena Pillars from the capital of Yakutia, you can use a boat or a motor ship (on average, the journey will take about twelve hours). Local residents will tell you where to go next, give excursions and point out the most interesting places on the map.

Stone forest of the Lena River

Currently, this unique geological formation is included in the list of wonders of Russia and is natural monument of global significance. Several years ago, UNESCO took the territory where the Lena Pillars are located under its protection.

In reality, the Lena Pillars are sheer cliffs formed from limestone, which, under the influence of harsh climatic conditions Yakutia, having broken up into separate parts, formed vertically elongated rocks of bizarre shape from one hundred to two hundred meters high.

The stone forest stretches along the Lena for forty kilometers, while the rocks are quite close to each other, and are most densely located between the village of Petrovskoye and the river islands of Tit-Ary.

The mountains that formed the Lena Pillars began to form about 550 million years ago on the site of a once shallow sea splashing here, at the bottom of which limestone gradually accumulated. It disappeared after the Siberian Platform began to rise, forming rocky formations, faults and river valleys made of limestone, while the shape of the mountains was affected by erosion, in particular weathering.

This process lasted a long time, until 400 thousand years ago, a stone forest was formed, the bizarre forms of which have delighted and amazed the human imagination for many centuries.

Eyewitnesses say: the Lena Pillars look especially charming at dawn, when illuminated by rays rising sun red sandstone cliffs resemble medieval palace, and thanks to the river flowing at the foot of the river, it all looks several times larger and more majestic. But at sunset the appearance of the rocks is somewhat ominous and looks like the castle of an evil sorcerer.

It is interesting that on the slopes of the rocks of the Lena Pillars, many caves were discovered, on the walls of which drawings of ancient people who lived in this area were painted in yellow paint, and tools were also found.

On the territory national park The remains of mammoths, rhinoceroses, bison were discovered, and in the rock fragments - fossils of trilobites, an extinct class of marine arthropods that lived more than 200 million years ago.

Due to its unique natural attractions and unique finds found on the territory of the reserve, it is not surprising that UNESCO nevertheless decided to include national park“Lena Rocks” was added to the World Heritage List and took these lands under its protection.

National Reserve of Yakutia

Interestingly, the Lena Pillars natural park, where the stone forest is located, has a huge territory: the area of ​​the protected area is 81 thousand hectares, and the length along the Lena River is 220 km. On its territory, in addition to the Lena Pillars, there are three more natural sites protected by UNESCO:

• Buotama pillars - these rocky formations, located below the mouth of the Kharya-Yurekh Buotama River, consist mainly of marl, dolomite and limestone, which give the pillars a multi-colored texture;
• Sinsky pillars - despite the fact that these rocks are not as high as Lena (their height rarely exceeds 100 m), they also attract the attention of tourists.
• Tuculans are large sandy massifs, more typical of the desert. Their uniqueness is that they are not only located in the middle of the green taiga, but also occupy a considerable area, for example, the length of one of the dunes, Saamys Kumaga, is about 5 km, and the width is almost 900 m.

The Lena Pillars Nature Reserve is located entirely on undeveloped lands, and therefore any economic work is prohibited here. In addition, several waterways of the region flow through the park: the Lena, the second longest river in Russia, and its tributaries - Buotama (sites of primitive people were found along its banks) and Sinaya.

On the territory of the national park there are many lakes with a depth of two to three meters, formed both in natural depressions and on flat watersheds. These lakes are filled with water thanks to rainfall (and therefore during drought, large reservoirs become shallow and small ones dry up completely), their shores are flat and almost always swampy.

The diversity of the flora and fauna of the national park cannot but amaze: there are about 500 species of plants (about twenty of which are listed in the Red Book of Russia), 42 species of mammals, more than a hundred species of nesting birds, a huge number of fish and quite a few reptiles.

Climate

The climate in the Lena Pillars Park is sharply continental and very contrasting. If in winter the air temperature often drops below -36°C and lasts about six months, then in summer these indicators may well be either +20°C or +40°C.

We should not forget that for Yakutia and for natural park“Lena Pillars” is characterized by permafrost, as a result of which the soil freezes very deeply (from 100 to 700 meters). This situation arose due to the fact that the Atlantic Ocean is located far from this area, and high mountains Southern and Eastern Siberia are natural barriers to air masses coming from the Pacific and Indian Oceans, while air currents quickly reach here from the Arctic. Those wishing to come to this harsh region need to be prepared for extreme conditions.

Stone forest of Yakutia. South of Yakutsk there is an extended stone ridge called the Lena Pillars. It is located on the banks of the Lena River, from which it got its name. The length of the ridge is about 80 km, if you count the accumulations of the largest rocks. The highest of them rise 200 meters above the river bank. The massif is formed by ancient limestones and began to form more than half a billion years ago.

The Lena Pillars are the most famous landmark of Yakutia, which can be reached at any time of the year. Lena Pillars is a unique landscape complex located along the banks of the Lena River in Yakutia. Rock formations of elongated, unusual shape border the water artery for several kilometers. The natural attraction is divided by a natural barrier - a wide water artery. On the right bank there is the Stolby section, and on the left bank there is the Sinsky section. The area is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A national park has been created on its territory.

This place has long been sacred for the Yakuts and Evenks

In ancient times, this place was considered sacred. Mere mortals were not allowed to approach the Pillars, otherwise heavenly punishment could fall on them. Only elders and shamans had the right to visit the sacred place to talk with the spirits of the rocks. The reverence evoked in people by this place is explained by the visual feature of the rock formations - from a distance they resemble petrified people standing at full height. Many legends have been associated with this illusion.

Geologically, the rocks are an example of Early Paleozoic sedimentary formations. In ancient times, at the foot of their place there was a shallow, warm sea that washed the ancient Siberian continental area. It was its inhabitants who formed the rocks with the remains of their skeletons and shells. Afterwards, the sea dried up, and as a result of a tectonic fault, the Lena River valley crashed into the land. River activity, weathering and activation of karst processes led to the formation of these bizarre forms.

Lena Pillars - a true treasury for science

You can admire the Pillars from the river - this is a wall of slender, tall remains of a rare shape, they stretch out like something growing out of the ground. The view from above and the hiking route are also quite impressive. The closer you get to the Pillars, the more bizarre shapes they protrude from the total mass of the stone wall. Some formations look like ancient Gothic castles, others resemble tall medieval towers without windows, others - rows of stone trees or elongated faces of people. Silence, calmness and smooth water surface create a special mood. The name “temple of nature” is very suitable for this place. When the sun sets, the shadows lengthen and begin to move - this creates the illusion of mobility of the rock pillars - they sway and want to say something. Who knows, maybe they really have something to tell? There is no doubt about this - the ancient remains have witnessed several eras, climate and relief changes.

Lena Pillars - a monument to the history of the Earth

The Lena Pillars are interesting not only from a geological point of view - they unique monument archeology and history. The remains of animal organisms were ideally preserved in their deposits. The fauna here was extremely diverse: various representatives of groups with bone and mineral skeletons, buffalos, mammoths, rhinoceroses, horses. Some samples preserved soft tissue and even embryos. That is why the protected area has such high scientific value. Stone formations are not the only landscapes of the Lena Nature Reserve that evoke admiration. Tuculan sands are located in the same territory. This loose, migrating mass of light color develops across the territory, creating bizarre wavy dunes. Within the sands there are areas of the cold northern desert.

Lena Pillars began to be actively visited only at the beginning of the last century. Therefore, the anthropogenic factor did not have time to significantly influence the unique natural object. Local authorities carefully monitor the protection of the site, while simultaneously promoting the development of tourism. The ecosystem of the surrounding nature is unique and has not been changed by humans, which is another most valuable feature of this natural park. When you arrive here, try to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the surrounding natural idyll. This is a place of epics and legends, shamans and strange creatures. Among the local population there is a belief that a bigfoot walks in the mountains and along the banks of the river enormous growth. On his belt hangs a bag with a medicine made from animal hair and claws. He can attack strangers he doesn’t like, but he can also help those who are lost, or show the place where the treasure is hidden.

Journey to the Lena Pillars

Lena Pillars can be visited all year round. The Lena is frozen and you can use it to get to the place by snowmobile. In summer, travel by water transport of any kind is possible. The park's territory is divided into routes of varying difficulty and duration. Hiking trails well equipped with log steps, wooden railings, gazebos, benches and occult platforms - places of communication with the spirits of nature. The reserve is a favorite vacation spot for the local population and an interesting tourist attraction. You can arrange a boat excursion, river rafting or an extreme hike. The beauty of the banks of the Lena and the water surface itself is simply mesmerizing, and the presence of historical, natural and geological monuments makes the trip very educational.

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The trip to the park may take several days. Arriving at the territory of Stolby, you definitely need to climb to the top and forever remember the stunning landscape that will spread before your eyes. Here, at prepared sites, organized tourist groups entertain shamanic performances - ritual rituals. The caves located in the remains are very interesting. The most accessible and frequently visited Nozdrevataya Cave, it is formed by several halls. The length of the stone dungeon is 33 meters, the height is 8 meters. The most romantic trip can be called a river cruise, which starts in Yakutsk. The trip can be made from June to September. For those who love extreme sports, you can ride along the Yakut highways in an SUV to the village of Elanka, then by motor boat to the banks of the Lena Pillars.

Sandy arrays "Tukulan"

Translated from the Evenki language, tukulan means sands. The air temperature reaches up to +40 degrees C. Tukulan is located 8 km from the mouth of the Buotama River. Tukulan "Samys Kumaga" 40 km from the mouth of the Buotama River. Development expected extreme tourism in the summer Aeolian landforms devoid of vegetation: crescent-shaped, bracket-shaped, spear-shaped dunes, blowing basins, and only instead of tumbleweeds characteristic of Central Asian deserts - a rare endemic plant Scriabin's thin-legged plant. Just below this sandy phenomenon is the mouth of the Buotoma River - a wonderful bright valley, beloved by water tourists, although it is difficult to access in the upper reaches, from where it is convenient to start rafting along it.

Lena and Sinskie Pillars are steep, completely vertical cliffs composed of Cambrian limestones. Such limestones were first discovered and described in England, in the county of Wales (the ancient name was Cambrian). Subsequently, the land rose high above sea level, powerful faults in the earth's crust disrupted its surface. Time, precipitation, river water and wind have transformed the rocky surface of the Earth into the bizarre structures of the Lena Pillars. Their length along the bank of the Lena River, together with powerful stone rock outcrops, is about 80 km. In 1966, the first All-Union tourist route opened to the Lena Pillars - since that time, people have come from all over the country and from abroad to admire the miracle of nature.

On the rocks and in river valleys there are rock paintings - “pisanitsa”, ancient Turkic runic inscriptions. Bloody paintings on the rocks along the banks of the Lena River form a one-of-a-kind gallery of ancient fine art. The age of the drawings is about 5-8 thousand years. Only shamans were allowed to draw on stone. Most of the images contain mystical signs - shamanic drums, symbols of other worlds. Most of the writings were made in such a way that even now they can only be seen in certain lighting conditions at certain times of the day. Many of the drawings are hidden from prying eyes in stone niches and grottoes; under some there are altars. The semantics of the drawings is associated with the cult beliefs of the ancient inhabitants of Yakutia.

The ancient human site “Diring-Yuryakh”

Somewhat below the “pillars” is the mouth of the small stream Diring-Yuryakh, with traces of an archaeological camp that was once there. For many years they have been conducting excavations in this area and usually organize for tourists an interesting excursion into the distant past. Here, in the area of ​​Diring-Yuryakh, the oldest tools on earth were found - stone choppers. Similar, barely processed, stone tools made from flint boulders and pebbles had previously been found only in Africa, which is why this continent was considered the ancestral home of humanity. The version put forward by Yakut scientists was simple and logical: if the great glaciation started from here, then the first person should have arisen here to pick up a weapon in order to survive. And with the discovery of choppers, this version received some confirmation.

At the bottom of neat quarries, opened with powerful equipment, and then with spatulas and brushes, the most ancient “anvils”, riddled with numerous blows, have been preserved; right next to them lie failed products, rounded by time, but even after many thousands of years, coinciding in the place of the split. Unfortunately, there are no organic remains left, but what is there is impressive. It is possible that somewhere in the rock house of the Lena pillars there will be a dwelling of those people who came to Diring-Yuryakh to work in the primitive “workshop”. Near the excavation site, a cave was discovered that served as housing at a later time, during the Neolithic era.

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The results of these excavations are unique only archaeologically, but also geologically. Geological sections exposed by archaeologists' pits and ditches indicate complex variations in ancient climates and associated geological processes. But every understood line of this book of the nature and development of humanity gives rise to new doubts, questions and ideas. And there is no limit to the inquisitive thoughts of researchers of the prehistoric past of the ancient Lena land.
And on the high left bank of the Lena River is Elanka, founded in 1830 as a postal station. Not far from the village of Elanki and on Cape Toyon-Ary (near the village of the same name), rock creations of primitive artists discovered by academician A. Okladnikov have been preserved.
The main objective of the Lena Pillars Park is the development of ecological tourism. Ecotourism refers to interacting with living wildlife without causing damage.
Majestic rivers: Blue - with clear water, all surrounded by beautiful graceful rocks, Buotama - seething along mountain rifts and falls into the Lena and, of course, Lena - the blue meridian, which in our middle reaches simply amazes with its splendor and grandeur.

Come to the park and enjoy communion with nature.

Fascinating nature, historical monuments - all this will remain in your memory for the rest of your life after visiting this wonderful place in our country.

The reserve is located on the territory of the Khangalassky and Olekminsky districts (uluses) and consists of two isolated areas: the Stolby Site (located on the right bank of the Lena River and along the Buotama River basin) and the Sinsky Site (located on the left bank of the Lena River above the mouth Sinyaya River).

At all times, this natural formation aroused awe in people. This place has long been sacred for the Yakuts and Evenks. Ordinary people were not allowed to go there. They feared the wrath of the spirits of the rocks. Many believed that the pillars were frozen statues of people created by unknown otherworldly forces. Only a select few, elders or almighty shamans, dared to approach these mysterious rocks.

It has been established that these rocks are Early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, and the age of the limestones is at least 530-570 million years. Once upon a time there was a shallow, warm sea that washed the shores of the ancient Siberian continent. For millions of years, the dead remains of various small shell organisms settled at its bottom, forming multi-meter strata. Over time, the sea became dry land. Hundreds of millions of years passed, only in the Anthropocene period, under the influence of tectonic processes, the continental Siberian platform slowly rose by 200 m, which led to a deep incision of the Lena River valley. Faults and deep river valleys arose, karst processes intensified, which, along with ongoing erosive weathering, gave rise to such intricate and diverse forms of rocks composed of carbonate rocks. This is how a geological and landscape phenomenon called the Lena Pillars arose. It should be noted that, unlike the northwestern regions of Russia, here during the glaciation era there was a very dry climate, which prevented the formation of glaciers. Even when the temperature dropped as much as possible in the Northern Hemisphere, there was apparently no ice shell here - there are no traces of its influence on the local landscapes.

Russian paleontologists in local sedimentary deposits found 350 Early Cambrian genera of organisms out of 2000 now known to science. The overall diversity of creatures in this region was the highest for the Early Cambrian anywhere in the world. These genera include the first archaeocyaths (primitive sponges), radiocii, corallomorphs, brachiopods, and several other groups of fossil animals with mineral skeletons. In addition, extinct organisms have been found here in exceptionally complete preservation (such as mammoths, woolly rhinoceros, etc.). They form the fossil Sin ecosystem, which includes a number of unique specimens with preserved soft tissues and cells, and even their embryos. The rocks that make up the Lena Pillars are a true treasure trove for science.

In addition to stone pillars, in the park there are such remarkable objects as blowing sand-tukulans with separate areas of the cold northern sandy desert and the site of an ancient man at the mouth of the Diring-Yuryakh stream, during the excavations of which stone tools were found.

Tuculans:

Numerous petroglyphs were discovered on the rocks along the banks of the Lena and Sinaya rivers - rock paintings made with yellow mineral paint by the ancient inhabitants of these places. These are stylized images of animals preserved to varying degrees, fragments of inscriptions of ancient Turkic runic writing, rock compositions depicting a person.

The number of travelers visiting these places increased noticeably towards the end of the 19th century, but even in the dynamic 20th century, due to the remoteness and sparse population of these places, not many people visited here. In Yakutsk, they began to organize special tourist trips to the Lena Pillars by boat. By the end of the century, the leadership of the Republic of Sakha became concerned with the development international tourism in the region. To do this, it was necessary to preserve not only the stone forest itself in its pristine beauty, but also the surrounding areas. It is very important that local authorities did not wait for guidelines from the capital, but on their own initiative, with the support of the general public of Yakutia, in 1994 they decided to organize the Lena Pillars natural park.

National Park Office:

Since then, unique landscapes have become increasingly famous. Stolby today is a popular holiday destination for tourists and Yakut residents (from Yakutsk to Stolby is about 180 km). In summer, river workers organize boat excursions here. You can't do without a camera, video camera or binoculars here! If you sail upstream of the mighty Lena River, then in the southwest of Yakutia a grandiose panorama of bizarre rocky cliffs appears before the eyes of travelers. This is a unique natural formation in the form of a very extended series of outcrops, stretching in a continuous chain for tens of kilometers along the slopes of the right bank. In some places they look like a colossal, monolithic wall, which is occasionally interrupted by gorges of tributaries of the Lena. But as soon as you approach the pillars, the wall begins to divide into independent, dissimilar sculptures, reminiscent of those in fairy tales. medieval castles, then Gothic churches, then the bell towers of Orthodox churches. Among the cliffs you can see other creations of the sorceress nature: figures of unknown animals and fairy-tale characters. If you swim for a long time along a ridge of rocks, at times it seems that they come to life and are about to move. This visual effect is especially strong before sunset.

Lena Pillars were included in the list World Heritage UNESCO in 2006, as one of amazing places our planet with an ideal ecosystem untouched by humans.

Introducing a guest post Yuri Gelios. He lives in one of the most beautiful, in my opinion, corners of Russia - in Yakutia. There are many amazing creations of nature here. And today there will be a story about the Lena Pillars, which rise above the waters of the Lena River. Few can boast that they have seen them with their own eyes. So, get ready for an exciting journey!

is a unique natural reserve located in Yakutia on the river Lena. In the summer, local residents often go to the Lena Pillars on ships or boats (if they personally have one). You can go on this cruise only in the summer by water, but in winter this route is quite extreme, also along the river, but by car.

Sometimes the pillars are visited by foreign tourists - extreme sports enthusiasts who usually come to Yakutia to test themselves at the Pole of Cold - Oymyakon.

The Lena Pillars are the greatest miracle of nature; they are a kind of stone forest, almost the same as the Wulingyuan Pillars in China. These majestic rocks, whose height reaches 200-300 meters, stretch along the banks of the Lena River over a length of 80 km.

Nearby, some columns, rocks, pillars sometimes resemble some strange animal, sometimes a dragon, and some dreamers even see the ancient ruined walls of a castle.

On the rocks that rise along the river bank, you can find rock paintings made by ancient local residents with red and yellow paint. The images vary, but most are of animals, people and writing.

The history of the appearance of this Yakut miracle of nature has its roots deep in antiquity. Sometime in the Cambrian period (approximately 540 million years ago) above Oimuran Barrier Reef there was a not very deep warm sea and there, at the bottom of the sea, carbonate sediments formed. Over the past time, due to the movement of tectonic plates, this area has risen by 200 meters, and as a result of this, deep fault zones have appeared, and this was the beginning of the incision of rivers, and then the Lena River was formed with steep steep banks, which are called the Lena Pillars.

Excursion to the Lena Pillars

In general, for most locals, a cruise is not cheap, which is a little strange. You can say that whether you are English or Yakut, you will pay approximately the same amount for a trip to these majestic pillars. But you can have a great rest there. Usually a cruise lasts 3 days, so during this time you can swim, get drunk, catch fish, and just have a fun time with friends.

However, this is one of the best tourist routes, which is not a shame to show in front of foreign tourists. Of course, there is also a route to Oymyakon and Tiksi, but this is for natural extreme sports enthusiasts, usually among them Russian tourists not enough, the cost of tours is quite high, but we are often visited by Discovery and NatGEO TV channels. More about Oymyakon and others interesting places Yakutia, you can read it on my blog. For now, let's return to our pillars.

More often among those who want to spend cultural recreation in nature, the weekend route is in demand. Collection and departure begins on Friday evening at the river station. Already in the morning the ship arrives at the Lena Pillars. During Saturday, the ship stays offshore. All Saturday you do whatever your heart desires. And in the evening of the same day, boarding and departure takes place. On the way to Yakutsk there will be a short stop on Rassolod Island and then back to the river port of Yakutsk.

Cost of excursion to the Lena Pillars reserve

Cruises are carried out on two luxury ships: "Demyan Bedny" And "Mikhail Svetlov" , in appearance the ships are practically not much different from each other. Both ships were built in the 80s of the last century in Austria, but despite their considerable age, they look excellent. The decoration of the corridors and cabins is made of wood, gilding everywhere, glass, good furniture, carpets, in general, comfortable ships. The cost of one place in a 4-bed cabin will cost about 6,000 rubles. In a 2-bed room - 6600 rub. In 1 local - about 7000 rubles. If you want chic, then one place in a luxury cabin will cost you about 12,000 rubles. Well, if you want to rent the entire cabin, then the luxury option will cost 23,000 rubles. These are prices for weekend rates. There are also several types of cruises: 1-day, 2 nights and 1 day, 3 days and 2 nights, the more days, the more expensive. Cruise to weekdays It will cost a couple of thousand rubles less. Do you want detailed information or maybe you would like to come to Yakutia to take a cruise? Then it’s worth checking out the tour operator’s website - lenaturflot.ru.

What to do with yourself on the ship before arriving at your destination?

You can entertain yourself and relax not only on the river bank, but also on the ship itself. It has various board games, karaoke, even a library (why read if you're going to have fun?!), and, of course, a disco located on the upper deck. You can also spend time in the sauna and, if you don’t know how to have fun, then visit the cinema. Or you can play the balls in billiards, although perhaps this is only during the parking period, since when moving the balls themselves strive to get into the hole without your help :) There is a local toastmaster who entertains people with various games and competitions.

Tired of dancing and relaxing? Do you want to eat? There is a restaurant on the ship, although, of course, this is not “Tygyn-Dyrkhan”, but rather a dining room, which is why the food there is simple. Several types of hot dishes, several types of soups, a couple of salads, side dishes and drinks. Alcohol is also present, but it is quite expensive, as is usually the case in restaurants (some manage to bring alcohol on board). The food is not bad, they cook well. You can buy cards and eat with them, or purchase a full meal package for the duration of the cruise along with the voucher.

By the way, if you want to feel like the owner of a ship, you can rent a ship; 1 hour will cost you only 30 thousand rubles. It takes 5 hours to sail from Yakutsk to the Lena Pillars, the average cruise is 30 hours. But this is true, to stroke your vanity, this option is usually used by enterprises and organizations that organize corporate parties for their employees.

Going on such a cruise alone is a waste of money, unless you are the soul of any company. Usually they travel in small groups of 10-20 people (the ship can accommodate up to 200 people), organizations, some go with their family, and there are even “lovers” who usually sit in the cabins all the time so as not to suddenly get burned :)

Arrival at the stone forest of Yakutia

I described all this on the first day, or rather the period of time Friday evening and Saturday night. In the morning the ship moored to the shore, and you get out and see them... Lena pillars. Those who wish can undergo a shamanic rite of purification, and then hit the road to conquer the peaks of the rocks.

There are two ways to go up: long and calm and fast but dangerous. The long path takes 40-50 minutes, it goes around the rocks, there are wooden paths, stairs, and areas for gatherings. A short path for extreme people - 20 minutes and you are already at the top, but you will have to climb almost sheer rocks, but from these places you can see gorgeous view and the pictures turn out more impressive.

Having climbed to the top, you have a stunning view of the panorama of the beautiful Lena River and the vast taiga. The feeling is indescribable - you have to see it... After descending, you have the opportunity to relax on the shore, eat barbecue and just sit by the fire. It is better to take the grill and all the paraphernalia with you, since their supply on the ship is limited.

In the evening, the captain of the ship gathers all the tourists with long and drawn-out beeps, everyone comes on board and the ship sets off back. But that's not all. On the way home there is a stop at a pirate island called Rassolod Island. The parking lot takes about 6 hours, during which time you can take part in the search for pirate treasure, play active ball games, and just take a walk, filming beautiful nature. In summer in Yakutia the nights are light, at 12 at night it can be as light as at 8 in the evening, so the evenings are long here. After a late evening walk around the pirate island, the ship again calls everyone on board and sets off on its return journey.

In the evening, the ship already arrives at the river port of the city of Yakutsk and the people, cheerful, rested and relaxed, go home. And now, the journey can be considered over.

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There are four zones located on the territory of the Lena Pillars Natural Park. These are the Lena, Sinsk and Buotam pillars and tukulan sands. The park is located on the banks of the Lena, Sinaya and Buotama rivers and is popular among fans of eco-tourism.

History of Lena Pillars Park

Natural park“Lena Pillars” was created after presidential decree No. 837 dated August 16, 1994. This decree was supported by a decree of the Government of the Republic of Sakha in 1995 dated February 10. The direct management of the park is carried out by the Ministry of Nature Protection of Yakutia. The main activity of administrative education is the development of eco-tourism, which has recently become increasingly popular.

Lena Pillars is a miracle of nature and a natural park of the same name in Russia. The mountain system called the Lena Pillars stretches for tens of kilometers along the banks of the Lena River. The system consists of vertically elongated rocks in the territory of a protected reserve park. The reserve is located in the Khangalassky and Olekminsky regions of Yakutia, the city of Yakutsk. On the right bank of the Lena there is the Stolby site, and on the left bank the Sinsky site.

For local peoples, this place was sacred, causing reverent fear. Fearing the wrath of the spirits living in the rocks, ordinary people avoided visiting this area. Many believed that the rocks were people frozen forever, punished by supernatural forces. Only elders and shamans could get close to the mysterious pillars.

It has been established that in the past there was a shallow sea there. Over millions of years, the remains of all kinds of shell organisms accumulated at its bottom. Subsequently, the sea turned into dry land. As a result of tectonic processes that occurred during the anthropogenic period, the Siberian platform rose to a height of 200 meters. This led to the emergence of faults and karst processes, which ultimately formed rocks of unusual shapes. This is how the unique Lena Pillars were born.

Paleontologists have found 350 genera of Early Cambrian organisms, unique specimens of extinct animals, including the mammoth and woolly rhinoceros. Scientists claim that the rocks of the Lena Pillars are a real treasure for science.

Numerous rock paintings and petroglyphs have been found on the rocks along the Lena River. For drawings, ancient settlers used yellow mineral paint. Most often they depicted animals and people, ancient Turkic runic writing.

How to get to Lena Pillars Park

Lena pillars are located in Yakutia, in the Khangalassky ulus. To the nearest small town Pokrovsk 104 km. From the capital of the republic, the city of Yakutsk, it is about 150 km. Getting to the national park, unlike many other attractions of Sakha, is very simple. You can fly from Moscow to Yakutsk by plane, and then 5 hours by water on a comfortable boat.

It’s better to immediately buy a tour from one of the agencies - in this case, you can travel comfortably in a cabin for two or four people. But there is an opportunity to simply hire a private motor boat with a guide from Yakutsk or Pokrovsk. Of course, there will be much less comfort, but this water trip will cost less and will be very popular with supporters of an active way of spending time and lovers of Russian extreme sports.

World Heritage

The Lena Pillars are a unique natural formation, which is a large stone ridge on one bank of the river, extending further into the taiga. This massif, consisting of a chaotic pile of rocks, was formed five hundred million years before the present day from ancient limestone rocks. Hence the original shape of the pillars, which are a kind of “product of the activity” of wind and climatic erosion. The height of the most significant pillars is 200 meters or even more.

You can climb the rocks. For this purpose, two paths have been laid - a safer long one (will take at least half an hour), and a shorter one, designed for tourists who are physically prepared and who are fans of somewhat extreme recreation. The short route will take about 10 or 15 minutes. This “climbing” is quite difficult, but it is worth it - wonderful views open up from above.

Sinsky pillars and Buotamsky pillars

Sinsky Pillars is a kind of branch of the national park. This natural attraction is located 50 kilometers further than the Benskie tables from Yakutsk on the banks of the Lena and the Sinaya River. The ridge stretches for 80 kilometers along the coast. The shapes of the rocks that form it are incredibly bizarre. Here you can find man-made towers and spiers, some of them still have traces of ancient rock paintings. And, of course, formations in the form of pillars, similar to Lena ones, are found in abundance. The Sinsky pillars are not as widely known as the Lensky pillars, but they are not inferior in beauty to the latter, and even surpass them in some ways, reminiscent of a fairy-tale castle of northern mythological creatures.

Getting to this natural formation is much more difficult. You can get to the Sinaya River by car, but you also need to prepare for a trip on an all-terrain vehicle. Next - rafting on the river. It is possible to order a helicopter and inspect everything from above - that’s also an option. Another way, the most interesting, is rafting or kayaking from Yakutsk.

The Buotama River flows surrounded by picturesque cliffs called Buotama pillars. They are no less beautiful than the famous Lena and less famous Sinsk pillars. Tourists visit this area somewhat less frequently due to its remote location. The main method of transportation is rafting.

Tukulans Saamys Kumaga and Kysyl Elesin

Tuculans are large sand massifs. For Yakutia, this is truly exotic. Few people can imagine a piece of desert in the middle of the Siberian taiga.

Tukulan Kysyl Elesin is located 8 kilometers from the confluence of the Buotama and is a huge dune. Tukulan Saamys Kumaga stretches for five kilometers, and its width is less than a kilometer. It is an alternation of basins, shafts and ridges. Some of the basins are rich in vegetation.

Fantastic panoramic view

Photos of the park

Park today

At the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, not many people could visit this corner of nature. The reason was the remoteness of the places and the small number of local residents. To correct this injustice, boat trips for tourists were organized in the city of Yakutsk.

Local authorities in 1994 supported the formation of a reserve called Lena Pillars. This step was taken to preserve pristine nature and development of international tourism.

Since 2006, the Lena Pillars have been protected by UNESCO and are recognized as one of the most amazing places on the planet that has preserved an ecosystem untouched by man.