Russian Travel Guide

Siberian Deerskin Boots

The Siberian version of Russian valenki (felted wool boots), «pimy», came from the Nenets people and their «piyuny». That is what the Nenets, one of the peoples that have lived in Siberia for hundreds and hundreds of years, call reindeer skin boots. Russian immigrants borrowed the idea, developing their own boots from sheep’s wool. Long ago «pimokaty», craftsmen that specialise in making “pimy,” lived in every Siberian village. Nowadays there are very few such men. A pimokat’s job is not an easy one, but the woolen boots that they make keep them warm. In these parts people believe that there is no warmer shoe - a statement that should not be taken lightly considering the temperature here often falls below negative 40 degrees Celsius in the winter. For this reason valenki manufacturers in the Golyshmanovsky District of Tyumen Oblast have their work cut out for them even in the June heat a...

Journey to the Commander Islands

The waters of the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean wash along the protected lands of the Commander Islands on the furthest edge of Russia. The remote archipelago is located between Eurasia and America and is a place where animals from both of the great and dissimilar continents coexist. The area’s pebbly, stony sea beaches are neighboured by the Commander’s flat plain terraces while volcanic plateaus develop into low-lying capes, cutting deeply into the ocean surface. Picturesque bays bordered by overgrown banks lie between these contrasting landscapes. With such wild and unique beauty, it is really no surprise that travellers fall deeply in love with these parts, a feeling that stays with them for the rest of their lives. 

Санкт-Петербургский океанариум. Первый в России