Russia’s Most Remote Cities [Remote Cities Series]

Russia is home to many of the most remote and isolated cities in the world. There are many climates and landscapes. Russia offers something for everyone, from the cold arctic tundra of Siberia to subtropical forests of Asia. Russia’s most remote cities include Ust-Ilimsk and Yakutsk as well as Esso Village, Kamchatka and Ust Tsilma. These Russian settlements and towns offer some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere on Earth. It is beautiful, cold and bleak.

This blog post is about remote Russian cities. This blog post lists the most remote areas in Russia and details some of their stunning scenery.

Russia has so many landscapes and climates that it’s difficult to pick one. There are many places where electricity is not available and life is slow.

Ust-Ilimsk

Ust what? Ust-Ilimsk is one of Russia’s most remote cities. It is located in Siberia, in what many would call a Gulag area. This region was where many people lost their lives during the Soviet regime’s work camps. The city is situated on the Angara River, which flows into the mighty Yenisey. Though life originally centered around an old 17th century fortress, the town as we know it nowadays came about due to the building of the Ust-Ilimsk

Hydroelectric Power Station. It was founded in 1965 with work on the dam commencing in 1966 and granted town status in 1973. The dam was completed in 1980. The dam is a true monolith of communist-era engineering.

The population is substantial at around 81,000 people according to 2018 estimates but life in general is tough in this remote area of the Russia. This remote Russian town has extreme climate. The climate is warm and humid during the warmer months, with sub-arctic winter conditions. The normal winter temperatures average around -23.1 degC (-9.6 degF) with a record low of -53.1 degC (-65degF)

Ust-Ilimsk airport closed in 2001 due to bankruptcy but reopened in 2013.

Although it is easy to get to Ust-Ilimsk, it can be difficult to do so. It will take 3 days to drive from Moscow to Ust-Ilimsk.

Without a car, you can take train or bus to Ust-Ilimsk but it will take about 3.5 days.

Better pack some sandwiches and vodka to enjoy the journey!

Yakutsk, Russia

Yakutsk is the largest city and capital of Sakha Republic, Russia. It’s located in the Far East of Russia, about 450km from the Russian border with Mongolia. In fact it was a closed city until 1991 when Russia finally opened its borders to foreigners and tourists. It is the largest major city in the world that is considered the coldest. With historic low air temperature of -71 degC the city is truly inhospitable, yet it is home to over 300,000 people. Everyone chills out here and the fridge acts as a microwave. You can fly from Moscow or Vladivostok to Yakutsk. There is also a train line that connects the city to Neryungri in south Sakha, which takes about 40 hours.

Yakutsk is served by Russian airlines, including Sakhalin Airlines or Yakutia Airlines. It is connected to other Russian cities.

The city is most well-known as a center for diamond trading, but it also houses the Mammoth museum where fossilized woolly mammoth bones can be seen.

Esso Village, Kamchatka, Russia

The most remote city in Russia is Esso Village, Kamchatka. It is situated on a peninsula in northern Russia, just north of Japan. The Bering Sea lies to the north and Alaska is further north. Kamchatka is as remote as it gets.

The Kamchatka Peninsula lies in an area that was once home to an extinct volcano. Although the volcano is gone, the area is rich with geothermal activity. The warm geothermal waters provide a natural spa environment for tourists and locals. Esso residents have used the warm waters to heat their homes.

Esso was built in the 1930s and consists of about 1,800 people. It is home to Russia’s largest geyser valley, Geysir Kamchatka which shoots water up to 200 feet into the air with a rumbling roar.

There are no roads that lead to this special village but you can get there by getting a helicopter or boat but the easiest method of transportation is to catch flight with Aeroflot from Moscow directly to Kamchatka. There is a direct flight from Moscow Sheremetyevo airport into Petropavlovsk-Kamcahtsky airport which takes approximately 8 hours and 40 minutes.

Ust Tsilma Village

The village is considered the most remote settlement in Russia. You can fly with UTair Express or Komiaviatran to get there several times per week. It is possible to reach her by waterway hovercraft, which is the easiest way to get there. However, it is also one of the most remote places in the world, and not only Russia.

UstTsilma is accessible from Vilyuysk during certain seasons of the year via an ice road that has rickety bridges connecting both sides for a portion of its length. Ust-Tsilemsky district has been called “the place where civilization stops”. The inhabitants live without shops or supermarkets. They have no electricity, plumbing, and can survive without cars.

Ustilma is a section of Russia’s Far East Yakutia Region that highlights how remote some cities can be. Because of the preservation and continued growth of traditional Russian customs, lifestyles, and song traditions, the Ust-Tsilma area can legitimately be considered a living testament to ancient Russian culture.

Conclusion

Russia is a large country with many remote cities. These are just a few of the many options available to tourists who want to visit Russia’s most remote areas. We would love to hear about any other remote areas in Russia. This will allow us to continue providing useful information about how Russians live away from the big cities. We would love to hear from you about your adventures in some of the most remote areas of this beautiful country.