Facing the Coldest City on Earth Head-On

Yakutsk, the administrative capital of the Sakha Republic in eastern Siberia, holds the title of the coldest city on Earth. I travelled there not for leisure but to face the climate, the culture, and the challenges that define life at temperatures so low that even your eyelashes can freeze mid-blink. With a biting wind that cuts through your soul and a sky that rarely shows mercy, this was not just a trip – it was a test of survival.

The Journey Into the Icebox of the World

Reaching Yakutsk was an odyssey in itself. Located nearly 450 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle, the city remains inaccessible by road for much of the year. The Lena River, which isolates the region, only permits vehicle crossings in winter when it’s frozen solid, or in summer by ferry. The in-between months are treacherous. Flights are the only reliable option — and even then, weather disruptions are frequent.

Landing in -50°C, the aircraft doors opened to a wall of ice that numbed the lungs with a single breath. It felt like walking straight into a freezer — except this freezer had houses, buses, shops, and an entire city within.

Adapting to Temperatures Below -60°C

Living in Yakutsk requires more than warm clothing — it demands a new way of thinking. Locals wear multiple layers of reindeer or fox fur, not fashionably but functionally. Vehicles are left running for hours, sometimes even overnight, just to keep the engine fluids from freezing. Batteries die in minutes. Smartphones shut off if exposed. Even blink rates slow down to prevent lashes from sticking together.

The architectural design here is just as fascinating. Buildings are built on stilts to avoid thawing the permafrost beneath, which would destabilise entire foundations. The engineering required to maintain infrastructure in such conditions is a feat of human ingenuity.

The Frozen Market: A Cultural and Culinary Glimpse

A walk through Yakutsk’s famous frozen market reveals a society that has turned nature’s hardship into daily routine. With no need for refrigeration, meat and fish are displayed openly, standing stiff and upright like icy relics. The locals consume horse meat, frozen liver, and raw fish, which surprisingly, are quite tasty once you get past the visual presentation.

Kuyuur, a delicacy of frozen raw fish slices dipped in mustard or soy sauce, became one of my go-to snacks. It’s not just survival here — it’s a celebration of adaptation.

Inside the Permafrost Kingdom Museum

To grasp the magnitude of nature’s icy grip, I visited the Permafrost Kingdom, a subterranean museum built into the permanently frozen earth. Beneath Yakutsk, this permafrost layer has preserved ancient flora and fauna, including the remains of mammoths, woolly rhinos, and extinct wolves.

The tunnels maintain a year-round temperature of -10°C, and I stood inches away from a 30,000-year-old baby mammoth, its features hauntingly intact. The museum is a chilling reminder of a world untouched by time, perfectly preserved by the frost.

Read more about permafrost science at the International Permafrost Association

Meeting Wale: A Nigerian Living in Siberia

In the remote village of Provosk, I met Wale Olatunde, a Nigerian native who traded the tropical heat of West Africa for the frozen silence of Yakutia. His story is not only rare — it’s inspirational.

Wale moved to Siberia after meeting Yakut students while studying in China. Now a respected teacher and community member, he’s married into the culture, started a family, and even infuses Nigerian spices into local Siberian stews. His ability to blend identities in one of the world’s most extreme climates is a striking lesson in courage, love, and human adaptability.

Why People Stay: The Diamond Economy of Yakutia

Many might wonder, why live here at all? The answer lies beneath the frost. Yakutia sits atop one of the richest diamond reserves in the world, contributing significantly to Russia’s mining industry. The ALROSA Group, headquartered here, is a major player in the global gem market.

The cold may be fierce, but it guards immense wealth. Jobs in mining, education, research, and engineering bring both locals and foreigners to endure the chill. Details on ALROSA operations here.

The Harsh Reality of Isolation

Living here also means enduring long winters with barely any sunlight. Depression is common. Internet can be unstable. Prices for goods are often higher due to logistical challenges. But the Yakuts remain proud, resilient, and connected through close-knit community ties, traditions, and deep respect for nature.

Despite all odds, they smile, sing, dance, and thrive.

Lessons I Brought Home from the Coldest Place on Earth

There’s a serenity that comes from facing nature at its most brutal. In Yakutia, there’s no room for vanity or convenience. Everything must be earned — warmth, food, safety, even friendship. But in those challenges, I found something deeply fulfilling.

I learnt that resilience isn’t born from ease, but from necessity. That even in -60°C, the human spirit can burn bright. And that, sometimes, the coldest places teach the warmest lessons.

Planning Your Own Trip to Yakutsk

For those daring enough to experience life in Earth’s freezer, a few tips:

• Travel in winter (December–February) for the full effect. Temperatures often stay below -40°C.
  
• Bring professional-grade thermal gear. Layering is key.
  
• Fly into Yakutsk Airport via Moscow or Novosibirsk. Ferries across the Lena operate only in warm months.
  
• Learn basic Russian phrases; English is rarely spoken outside city limits.
  
• Hire a local guide for deeper cultural insight and safe rural travel.
  

Yakutia is not a casual holiday — it’s an adventure of grit, grace, and growth.