Russia: Tips, Tricks, and Travel

Discover the untamed beauty of Magadan with me! This remote corner of Russia, nearly 2,000 kilometers from the nearest city, Yakutsk, is unlike anywhere else. In Magadan, you truly sense the vastness and isolation. No trains connect it, but that doesn't mean it lacks adventure. Magadan locals are adventurers, embracing hardcore sports and tourism. From conquering mountains to exploring seas, uninhabited islands, and enjoying breathtaking views, this region offers a genuine taste of freedom. Magadan Region may lack typical tourist facilities, but that's what makes it extraordinary. Join me on this journey through fog-shrouded rocky shores, and I won't be surprised if you feel inspired to step out of your comfort zone and experience the magic of Magadan yourself!

The Chara Sands are a bizarre giant rectangle of pure sand in the middle of Russia. When it isn't covered in snow guides can give you the desert adventure vacation of your life. We've gathered to film this unique holiday location and hopefully will not have to deal with any bears! Would you go on vacation to the northernmost desert in the world? Well if you want, the road to it takes a 36 hour train ride from Krasnoyarsk! Which when filled with quarry workers was an adventure in and of itself! This desert is full of mystery and it is an experience like no other!!

Our adventures around Russia continue in Chechnya, a land of mystery with a recent past that most want to leave well in the past. To be honest I really didn’t know what to expect from Chechnya but that is where the fun comes from – not knowing what awaits you. So we went all over this very religious and very mysterious region of the biggest nation on Earth to see what things are really like on ground level and most importantly for yours truly – find out what Chechens actually eat! This region doesn’t see a ton of foreign travelers meaning there are no tourist traps only the honest reality of how people live. Enjoy the video!

Today we are in the North Caucasus region of Russia, and we are in for plenty of adventure in and around some rockin’ mountains! In this episode we are featuring two very contrasting regions of Russia - Ingushetia and North Ossetia. Ingushetia is the smallest region of Russia occupying just 0.02% of the nation’s landmass. The region is very monoethnic with almost everyone being an Ingushetian. This region has the lowest percentage of Russian population anywhere in the country. It is also the most Islamic region of the nation with 99% of respondents saying they are believers. If Ingushetia is passionately Islamic, then North Ossetia is equally passionate in terms of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, probably because this land was Christened even before Kievan Rus! These two regions create quite a contrast and that is exactly the reason to come here, you can see two completely different realities united by amazing landscapes, good food and plenty of history.

The ancient Russian regions of Khakassia and Tyva have unique cuisines completely different from Moscow's. But what could one possibly eat on the barren open steppes? In this video we reveal the answer as we take you on a culinary journey. As you might expect, with giant open fields come plenty of sheep - hence the mutton, as well as plenty of other calorie-dense options to keep you strong and ready for a day of fighting, riding or working. Now when it comes to vegetarian options in the cold and barren South Siberia, you'll just have to watch the video and find out!

Tyva is definitely more than the birthplace of a particular military leader! I have to say when you mix together the huge open vistas around the region, and the nomadic lifestyle experiences that you can have, the insanely heavy food and the psychotherapy magic of the shamans… this place is kind of magical. Seriously, the local government should call it "Tyva, the land of magic" or something like that because it really is. This place will pleasantly surprise you. Just telling your friends that you went to the most Buddhist region of Russia should perk a few ears at a dinner party for sure. South Siberia should be your next holiday/vacation spot!

Outside the capital city of Abakan, the Russian region of Khakassia opens up to big skies and brilliant shining steppe surrounding the mighty rumbling Yenisey river. Prehistory is very much alive in this part of the world. There are many ancient burial sites surrounded by imposing monoliths. The area is also home to one of the most impressive national parks in the world and a feat of engineering - its titanic hydroelectric power plant that supplies South Siberia with power. So let’s take a look at this mysterious realm under giant blue heavens that they call Khakassia.

Friends, it’s “Mega Crab vs Giant Octopus” today, as we are going to be eating big in Vladivostok all the way in the very Far East of Russia. Since we are right by China, Korea and the Pacific Ocean, you can probably imagine that the food will be different from what you get in Moscow. We are going to gorge on seafood and have all sorts of crab, octopus, scallops, shrimp, fish and more! But don’t worry, the city is still part of a huge land empire, meaning there are plenty of heavier, less healthy treats available at every turn. So for those of you who are curious about “Russia’s San Francisco” and its tasty treats, give this video a watch - it could make you change your vacation plans!

Now friends, in our previous video we showed you Vladivostok itself, the weird Russian version of San Francisco, but what lies beyond its borders? That is the topic of our holiday video today. The “Marine Nature Reserve” is a stunning park with 900 hectares of land (and even more sea) for visitors to explore. There are even friendly deer that will walk right up next to you. For those of you that like things a bit mystical, the Brynner Family Mausoleum is quite an unusual piece of architecture surrounded by dachas and quaint country homes. Since this region has the word “sea” in its name, not surprisingly there is plenty to do on the water including kayaking, but be forewarned, it is not easy as our audio-wizard Albert found out the hard way. “Safari Park” was the least “zoolike” of any zoo that I have been to and it was great to see the local tigers in a comfortable natural environment. Very neat. All in all the part of Russia next to China is beautiful, different and full of surprises for your travel vacation.

Justus Walker spent time in Russia as a child and it changed his life forever. Now he is homesteading on his own land in the Siberian region of Altai. He has A crew of local workers and an American wife and children all working together. Justus believes that food is the future of Russia which by his estimation can feed the whole world. He wants to change the perception of farming in Russia from grunt labor to big business. Did Justus make the right call, would you do the same thing? Let us know in the comments.

Stas Gorshenin’d had been enjoying regular city life as a Muscovite for a long time. He had concentrated on developing a 3D designer career, but somehow, he just wasn’t happy. But that all changed when Stas accidentally found himself on a trip to Altai, a Russian republic in southern Siberia. The young man immediately fell in love with the place and so began the path to his alternative lifestyle. He bought a homestead, built a small house and started a family. But simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy. Off-grid living is pretty tough. Stas had to work hard for a simple, sustainable life. But in the end, one can say he has won, as his depression has since abated and his health has improved. Moreover, he’s managed to improve his vehicle concept designer career while in the wilderness, becoming more successful than he could have ever imagined!

Friends travel to Russia should be an adventure! In Russia drinking colorful drinks near the beach in swim trunks is often not an option. Now hiking up snow covered mountains in Murmansk is always a plan! Outdoor fun awaits but there are many neat things to see inside the city itself like the Lenin Icebreaker. Standing above it is the second largest statue in Russia - “Alyosha” who guards the city of Murmansk from bad guys. Just a bit down the road is the tiny yet infamous fishing village of Teriberka which is truly a symbol of the north. It has a great abandoned school to explore and amazing waterfalls right outside the town. The ship graveyard is also pretty sweet. We stopped at a geodesic dome hotel to hunt for the Northern Lights in style and comfort but it didn’t exactly work out. What did go well was playing with Huskies at the Saami Ethnic Village. Great fun in the fresh air, that is the spirit of Murmansk and its surrounding region. Enjoy the video!

Dear friends, it's time for a medieval feast for kings... or tsars because in this video we are eating big around Russia's Golden Ring of ancient cities! The quality of eats around the country keeps going up and up but are there any great restaurants worth visiting in the very oldest parts of the country? Gastro tourism is one heck of a reason to visit Russia for sure! So while you're eating dinner, enjoy watching Tim eat the most Russian food possible. It'll be like a mukbang, but Slavic!

Let my Dagestani adventure begin! In this video travel guide, I will show you all the places to visit in Dagestan that you must see. In Russia, this Republic is famous for its mountain views, diverse inhabitants and massive portion sizes. I started by Dagestan travel in the capital city of Makhachkala from whence I drove to the unique and mysterious Sarykum Dune. After climbing all the way to the top and catching my breath I made my way over very bumpy roads to the Sulaksky Canyon which they say reaches a greater depth than the Grand Canyon! After that “deeply” cool destination, I checked out the Khunzakhsky Waterfalls that drain out from under a very old village by their 19th-century Russian fort. Speaking of heavily defended locals, I went deep down into “The Great Stone Bowl” for an otherworldly experience. So far we have been looking at amazing views and landscapes but we can’t forget about the diverse Dagestani people. In the city of Kubachi metalworking masters have been creating wonders for centuries. I stopped by Alibeg’s home/workshop in Kubachi to try my hand at it. If you want to order one of Alibeg’s creations check out his Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kubachi_serebro_kurta/. I sadly said good-bye to Kubachi, but getting up to Beacon Mountain was one heck of a pai in the butt… literally! But once you get there you realize that the next big Lord of the Rings movie needs to be filmed in Dagestan, the vistas are unbelievable! From there I dropped down to the abandoned village of Gamsutl’ to see if there was any life there. And from a vacant city, I went to a very active town called Derbent and naturally took some time to see the famous Derbent Fortress! Dagestan offers unusual travel experiences (in a good way) and is a very unique vacation for anyone who is curious about Russia.

The Altai mountains are beyond ancient and many different cultures have come through these valleys creating some delicious and not so delicious cuisine. In this video, Tim continues his food travel around the Altai Mountains but this time they are of the culinary variety. Every region on Earth has some great food to offer but will it work for an American stomach? Well, you are going to have to watch and see. Food tourism is by far the best kind so we hope you enjoy learning some local traditions that you may want to repeat at home in your own kitchen. Get ready for this taste test!