The city of Magadan is located on a picturesque isthmus of Staritsky Peninsula, in the Far East of Russia. The location was chosen for a seaport because of the deep waters of Nagayev Bay and in 1929 the first houses appeared amidst the thick taiga forest. In 1939, having a population of 27,000 people, Magadan was officially given the status of city. In 1953 it became the capital of Magadan region as well as its cultural and economic center.

During Soviet regime, Magadan was known to every Russian as the capital of "Kolyma Land", a site of Stalin's gulags. Thousands of people were exiled to this region, many of them died here because of severe climate conditions and diseases. The city's streets and thousands kilometers of roads in Magadan region were built by gulag prisoners in the 1930-s. Today monuments are being created in memory of the victims of Stalin's purges.

Numerous rivers and lakes of Magadan Province are amazingly rich in fish: trout, chir, nelma, pike, perch and silver salmon. 3/4 of the region's territory is covered by tundra and permafrost. Among the wildlife the most common are brown bear, fox, glutton, reindeer and fur animals. Short summer season with temperatures of 26° C and long winter with temperatures dropping sometimes below 50° C make Magadan region one of the hardest places to live in, but at the same time it is the city's geographic location that gives it an opportunity to enjoy the white nights season.

With a population of 160,000 people, Magadan occupies a territory of 18,000 ha. It is a city of fishermen, sailors and pilots. Magadan's main attraction is the incredibly beautiful mountains that surround the city protecting it from winds.

RED STAR TRAVEL invites you to visit Magadan, capital of the cold Kolyma Land. Enjoy breathtaking mountain views, explore fascinating sceneries of the Great North, learn about the history of the region as the gulag land, or get away to one of the mountain rivers for a day of fishing and relaxation. Memories of the cold land and the warm hearts of its people will linger long after your return home.

VM - CENTRALNAYA HOTEL

Located downtown. Built in 1949. Renovated in 1996. 56 km to the airport. 5 floors. All floors accessible by elevator. 43 rooms: 25 singles, 13 twins, 3 main suites, 2 apartment suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, color TV, direct-dial international telephone, refrigerator. Room service. Restaurant for 40 seats. Bar for 20 seats. Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Conference room. Sauna. Hair salon. Safety deposit box. Souvenir kiosk. Billiards room. Laundry. Baggage storage. Towncar service. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $135.

BUSINESS CENTER HOTEL

Located on the outskirts of Magadan, in picturesque settings. Opened in 1974. 2 km to downtown and 58 km to the airport. 3 floors. 11 rooms: 4 singles, 5 twins, 2 suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, color TV, radio, direct-dial international telephone, refrigerator. Room service. Restaurant for 35 seats. Bar for 10 seats. Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Laundry. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $135.

Magadan Museums

The Museum of Local Lore. Operating hours: 10am - 5pm, closed on Monday and Tuesday. The best display of this museum is about the history and culture of native peoples - chukchi, evenk, eskimo; their customs, shaman rites, traditional lifestyles. You will also see an exhibition of applied art by local artists and craftsmen (check out articles of mammoth bone!).

The Geological Museum. Operating hours: 9am - 6pm, closed on Saturday and Sunday. The museum was founded in 1940 by the explorers of the Northeast. It features samples of all the natural resources that can be found in the region: gold, silver, coal, mercury and many others. In one of the rooms you will see the display on the 3,5 billion years of the region's history traced through the stones with plant and animal imprints. The museum's main attraction is the Golden Chamber - an amazing collection of unique crystals, gold and silver nuggets of rare shapes is displayed in this room.

The Museum of Minerals. Operating hours: 9am - 6pm, closed on Saturday and Sunday. The museum houses a wonderful collection of precious and semi-precious minerals and quite a number of unique meteorites found in the Far East of Russia. You will find out all the details of the sensational discovery that struck the world in 1977 - a baby mammoth was found in the Northeast of Russia. Today you can see a gypsum copy of this mammoth in Magadan Museum of Minerals as well as in museums of Moscow and Tokyo.

City tour by bus, 1.5 hours

On this tour you will experience the history and the present-day life of Magadan. Visit the fishing and commercial ports, a Russian Orthodox church and the Mask of Sorrow Memorial to the victims of Stalin's purges. This Memorial stands on top of a hill that offers fascinating views of the city and the two bays - Nagaev and Gertner. During summer you can also visit recreational areas - Magadan residents' favourite getaways. One of the most exciting experiences can be watching shoals of salmon during their migrations.

Boat tour of Nagaev Bay, 4 hours

Cutting 17 km into the land, the Nagaev Bay is well protected from storms by the mountainous peninsula. Primarily called by evenks Mivkan Bay, it was later renamed after prominent Russian scientist and explorer Admiral Nagaev. The Bay's mild climate and picturesque surroundings attract wildlife and ecological tourism enthusiasts from all over Russia and abroad. It is also the site of a large seaport where ships are anchored during severe ocean storms. During summer numerous fishing boats dot the surface of the bay. The coastline is smooth with steep cliffs and narrow tidal beaches. On this tour you will have an opportunity to enjoy fascinating views, fish from the boat and have your catch for lunch. This will be a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

Tour of Ola Village, 6 hours

You will travel across a breathtaking mountain pass to Ola Village (40 km from Magadan). The excursion will get you acquainted with the history of the region from the 17th century to present days. You will be enthralled by the spectacular views from the top of the mountain - Gertner Bay, the Ola River valley are great sceneries. Visit the Monument to the Discoverers of Gold in Kolyma. During summer you can watch from a bridge the shoals of salmon coming into the river. Enjoy a delicious dinner of fish soup, crab and seafood shashlik (barbecue) at the camp fire on Nuklinskaya Spit.

Tour of Karamken Village with a visit to a Gold Mining Plant, 6 hours

Karamken Village is located 80 km from Magadan. You will travel 1 hour along the notorious Kolyma Highway built by the prisoners of Stalin's gulags. The mountains with queer rocky structures sculptured by Nature provide a spectacular backdrop for the village. You will visit the closest to Magadan gold mining plant, watch the exciting process of gold production in its shops. Meet people working in this hard industry and try a gold miner's dinner in a local cafe.

Tour of Jack London Lake, 4 days

It takes 10 hours to get to this unique lake which lies 620 km from Magadan. You will feel as if you were taken back to prehistoric times when the planet's surface was covered with water, volcanoes and forests inhabited by mammoths and dinosaurs. There is a theory that 7,000 years ago an ancient Lake Civilization lived in this place. Archaeologists found evidence to prove it - stone implements made and used by our ancestors thousands of years ago. With its rugged shoreline, peaceful bays and picturesque points, Jack London Lake is a dream place for an artist and photographer. On this tour you will stay at a tourist camp: bungalows for 4-6 people, kitchen-cafe, billiards room, banya (Russian sauna), playground.