Arctic Explorer MP Suggests Unconventional Russian Holidays for January Break

State Duma deputy and seasoned Arctic and Far East explorer Bogdan Bulychev has offered his compatriots some unusual ideas for spending the January holidays in Russia, sharing the tips in an interview with Life.ru.

Among his recommendations is a trip to the Far East. In winter, he says, Sakhalin is especially appealing for ski holidays, while the Kuril Islands amount to a genuine expedition-style journey. Kamchatka, meanwhile, offers the chance to bathe in hot thermal springs against a backdrop of active volcanoes, take in the Pacific Ocean, black volcanic beaches and mountains of extraordinary beauty.

Bulychev singled out the Magadan region and the Kolyma highway, which he says reveals a completely different kind of beauty in winter: endless taiga, mountain passes, snow-covered hills, rivers and genuine northern frosts. The route also leads to Oymyakon in Yakutia, one of the coldest permanently inhabited places on Earth, where winter temperatures drop below minus 50 degrees.

He also advised visiting the hot springs near the village of Lorino in Chukotka and the polar station at Cape Chelyuskin. Such extreme routes, however, demand proper preparation, reliable equipment and experienced guides - more a full-fledged expedition than an ordinary holiday, the traveler warned.

Separately, reports said tourists have begun booking hotels en masse in Vologda, billed as Russia's New Year capital for 2027, with the average nightly rate there currently standing at 5,100 rubles.