Luxury Yacht Charter Guide to the Urals
From the Arctic Ocean across to Kazakhstan, the Ural Mountains ripple like the backbone of Russia, stretching on for no less than 2.5 thousand kilometres. Mighty, untouched, and cleaving Europe and Asia in half, the Urals can be daunting to discover. But for those yacht charter guests intrepid enough to make the journey, you will be treated to a whirlwind of blue lakes, old Russian orthodox churches, holy mountains, not to mention rivers and ice caves that could put even the most vivid fantasy landscapes to shame.
Reasons to Charter a Yacht in the Urals
Ancient Civilizations
Despite the seemingly inhospitable winter landscapes of these stone mountains and untapped forests that flow forever, the Ural has a strong history when it comes to ancient civilizations. These mountains are home to many sites that are said to be even older than Troy and the Middle Kingdom of Egypt. There’s remnants of these ancient settlements on the Ural Steppes and old stone caves and menhirs on remote islands. For history lovers, Ural is awe inspiring.
Natural Splendour
A world of mountains, lakes, and forests with barely another soul in sight – the Urals are a quintessential back to nature experience that few have had the pleasure of soaking up. For those who desire to drink up cold and clear air, kayak around lost lakes, have the choice of a thousand mountain trails, and stumble through diamond bright subterranean ice caves, you will be spoilt for choice in the Urals.
Semiprecious Stones
Ural is an area rich in minerals and home to some of the rarest stones in the world. As one of the leading industries of the modern era, charter guests can head out on the semiprecious stones route to discover the sparkle that sits stashed away in the caves, mountains, and sediment rich riverbeds. This is the homeland of Russian Gold and the journey gifts you the chance to discover the storeys and processes behind the enigmatic stone collections.
Where to Visit in the Urals
Yekaterinburg
The unofficial capital of the Ural’s, Yekaterinburg is home to no less than 600 monuments capturing the culture and history of this rare region of the world. Homes carved from stone or wood date back to the 18th century and there’s a rich industrial heritage to explore. Yekaterinburg is the home of metal production used to whip up some of the world’s most famous landmarks including the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. Even beyond the architecture, this corner of Russia is fascinating thanks to its thriving arts and music scene, collection of museums, precious stone mining, and theatre centres.
Ilmensky Nature Reserve
Abundant in minerals, endless in scale, and home to The Small Mountain of Idols, the Ilmensky Nature Reserve is the epicentre of Ural’s nature boom. On this reserve where wide winding rivers cut through thousand colour forests, there has been the discovery of no less than 264 different kinds of gemstones, including the incredibly rare black star shaped Corundum. Those willing to take a helicopter ride into Manpupunyor Plato will find themselves privy to one of the seven wonders of Russia, the idol stones said to be giant men turned into rock by a local shaman.
Lake Turgoyak
One of the most precious expanses in the world, Lake Turgoyak is renowned for its sweet tasting water and its crystal-clear colouring. Beguiling in blue and flanked by low rise green forests, you could spend a lifetime sailing across the sacred still waters and lapping up natural serenity. On the enigmatic Isle of Vera you will also find ancient Neanderthal settlements dating back over a hundred thousand years, not to mention mystical stone circles similar to England’s Stonehenge.
When to Charter a Yacht in the Urals
The summer months are the best time to set sail to the shores and magical mountain corners of Ural. During this time, you can soak up softer temperatures and find easier access into the more remote interiors of the sprawling national parks.