Discover Magadan Oblast

The area around Lake Jack London has been part of Chersky National Park since December 2022. An official permit, issued by the director of the Magadansky State Nature Reserve, is required to visit the area. Check the current permit procedure before your trip.

The Kolyma Highway, officially R-504 Kolyma, connects Magadan Oblast with Yakutia and the rest of mainland Russia. It runs through the Susumansky, Yagodninsky, and Khasynsky districts. The route is a regional point of reference; it is best to plan specific trips around their individual destinations.

The protected-area cluster around Lake Jack London includes the Bolshoy Annagchag and Maly Annagchag mountain ranges, Lakes Elgenya and Lebedinoye, the Vosmiozyorny Stream, and the Elgenya River. So this landscape is defined not only by the lake itself, but also by mountains and other bodies of water.

The Elikchanskiye Lakes form a chain of several glacial-tectonic lakes on the main watershed of the Kolyma Highlands. During seasonal migrations, diving ducks and gulls use the lakes. Their location halfway along the shortest route between the Sea of Okhotsk coast and the Kolyma River basin adds to their geographical significance.

Zavyalov Island covers nearly 40,000 hectares of largely untouched forests, cliffs, and stony beaches. The man-made Kolyma Reservoir on the Kolyma offers a different landscape. It lies in the Yagodninsky and Tenkinsky districts, in the river's upper reaches between kilometers 1,894 and 2,042 from its mouth. It was created during construction of the Kolyma Hydroelectric Power Station, at the site of the settlement of Vetrenny, which was flooded in 1988.

When traveling through Magadan Oblast, it is worth deciding first which places or experiences you want to focus on. Magadan, a protected area, an island, or a lake can each serve as a different starting point for planning. Then look for hotels in relation to your specific destination and planned route, rather than treating the whole oblast as one uniform place to stay.

In March, the Dzyalbu festival is held every two years at the Dyukcha Ethnopark in Magadan. The Gold Festival takes place every year in July at Dyukcha Park. Both events are associated with Magadan, but they have different schedules and venues. Check the details of the relevant edition before your trip.

In June, the Even festival Khebdenék celebrates the start of the year according to the Even calendar. It takes place on the eve of the summer solstice in a ritual clearing by the Dyukcha River. Also in June, the Far Eastern water tourism competitions are held on the Dyukcha River. No annual schedule is specified for Khebdenék, so check the current public program.

The Klyovaya Kolyma summer festival is held every year on the Ola River near Nyuklya. The Kolyma Cuisine gastronomic festival is usually held in Magadan in July, where you can sample dishes prepared by Magadan chefs. For these seasonal events, it is advisable to check the current dates and program details.

The museum pavilion in Mayak Park in Magadan is open year-round. Its exhibitions cover the founding of Magadan, notable figures and events in Kolyma's history, commemorative days and festivals in the Russian folk calendar, and the region's natural environment. Its themes bring together regional history, culture, and landscape.

The Mask of Sorrow monument in Magadan commemorates the victims of political repression. It was unveiled on June 12, 1996, on Krutaya Hill. The Shirokinskiye Springs also have protected status: they were designated a geological natural monument in 1975, between the Shirokaya and Khiyendya rivers in the Severo-Evensky district. They are protected for their balneologically valuable thermal waters.

For further trip planning, you can also visit the destination pages for Yagodnoye, Yagodninsky District, Magadan City, and Magadan.

Discover more destinations: Tuva Republic, Kursk Oblast, Irkutsk Oblast, Novosibirsk Oblast.

What permit do you need to visit the area around Lake Jack London?

An official permit is required to visit. It is issued by the director of the Magadansky State Nature Reserve. Check the current procedure before your trip.

What events take place in June?

In June, Khebdenék takes place on the eve of the summer solstice in a ritual clearing by the Dyukcha River. The Far Eastern water tourism competitions are also held there in June. The Klyovaya Kolyma summer festival takes place every year on the Ola River near Nyuklya.

Which natural areas and landscapes are described in particular?

The landscapes described include the cluster around Lake Jack London, the Elikchanskiye Lakes, Zavyalov Island, and the Kolyma Reservoir. They differ in the features mentioned, ranging from mountains and lakes to forests, cliffs, and stony beaches.

What can you see in the museum pavilion in Mayak Park?

The exhibitions cover, among other things, the founding of Magadan, the history of Kolyma, commemorative days, festivals in the Russian folk calendar, and the natural environment of Magadan Oblast. The pavilion is open year-round.

For the broader travel overview: Russia.