Before we begin our journey, it is worth saying a few words about the Nizhnevartovsk region. After all, this is the largest district in the whole of Yugra with a population of about 36,000 people. More than two thousand of them are representatives of the indigenous population. 84 % from this number – Khanty. If you want to learn more about these people, feel free to go to Nizhnevartovsk district.
 

By the way, until 1962 it was called Laryaksky. This remote village has been a regional center and a significant retail outlet of regional importance for more than thirty years. Therefore, it is advisable to begin acquaintance with a modern municipality by studying its history. Let's go to the Stall.
 

The path from Nizhnevartovsk to the Stall is not a close one. The journey will take about 5-6 hours. In summer, you can get there by the river, and in the cold season–by the winter road. There is no direct road to the village, because it is located on an island surrounded by the Vakh River with numerous tributaries.
 

By the way, from the language of the Vakhovsky Khanty, one of the translation options for the name of the village sounds appropriate to the location – "the people from the flood meadows." Another option is "people in the swamp." "Lar" – water meadow, swamp. "Yakh" means "people, a people, an area inhabited by people and animals."
 

Are you ready to find out what interesting stories this area holds?

Museum-estate of merchant Kaidalov

Here you will learn about the history of the former district center and why it was called a significant shopping destination.
 

The wooden house is located on the high bank of the Vakh River. According to archival sources, the building originated in the second half of the 19th century and belonged to Prokhor Akimovich Kaidalov, a merchant of the second guild. This is one of the surviving houses in the village built in the last third of the XIX – early XX centuries.
 

Merchant Kaidalov was a native of Surgut Cossacks. He settled in the Stall in 1885. During his stay, he managed to establish trade with Surgut, Tobolsk, Tomsk, Narym, and even participated in the study of the Vakh River basin. In short, he actively developed the settlement.
 

His ancestral estate has a rich history. In 1898, the Finnish scientist Uno Tavi Sirelius lived in the Stall. He visited the Kaidalov house every day. In June 1899 and in the winter of 1900, the chief forester of the Tobolsk province, the famous researcher of the Tobolsk North, A. A. Dunin-Gorkavich, stayed and visited the house. As well as researcher G. M. Dmitriev-Sadovnikov, who later married Kaidalov's daughter, Anna.
 

After the merchant's death, different things happened to the house. During the revolution, the party district committee was located here, then the library. Then it was completely divided into small apartments.
 

In the following years, the house underwent more than one reconstruction: there was a pharmacy, a store, a boarding school and even a Red Cross society. Over time, the structure was destroyed, and as a result, only ruins remained of it. In 2012, the house was included in the unified register of historical and cultural monuments. In 2014, the reconstruction of the building began. On September 9, 2017, the museum was opened to the public.
 

In order to assign the estate the status of a historical monument, the builders had to try to preserve the original material – the original doorways and window frames, wooden carved elements. During the restoration, ancient technologies were used – the installation of a clay screed, the treatment of walls and ceilings with slaked lime.
 

Now it is a magnificent 6-room manor with courtyard buildings, characterizing the merchant life of the northern region. The first room was Ostyatskaya, where the merchant's main life took place, there was a shop with goods and settlements with hunters were made.
 

Next is the office of Prokhor Kaidalov himself, a women's room where the merchant's five daughters lived and worked. And a kitchen-dining room with a Russian oven.
 

Currently, the museum houses more than 500 exhibits. The basis consists of historical and household items: dishes, various newspapers, kitchen utensils, hunting equipment and other things of that time. Most of them were donated by the residents of the Stall. The museum's collection is connected with the almost three hundred-year history of the village and the Russian settlement of the Middle Ob region.
 

The next point of the route is the national village of Variogan. The journey from Nizhnevartovsk to it takes less – about two and a half hours on a modern highway. So the trip will be comfortable. The village is the heart of the preservation and revival of the traditional culture of the peoples who lived near the Agan River basin and its tributaries – from the first settlements to the present day.

And upon arrival, go straight to the ethnographic park and the house museum of Yu. Wells

This is the first museum in the Nizhnevartovsk district and one of the first national museums in the district. It was founded in 1987 by the famous Ugra writer and native of these places Yuri Vella.And the idea was suggested by an ethnographer from Novosibirsk, Izmail Gemuev.
 

The pride of the museum is the open area, which occupies about three hectares of land and has more than 20 residential and outbuildings: a warehouse of the Sardakov family, a building from the holy place of the guardian Goddess Yaguryakh, and a wooden log cabin for storing bear bones. As well as residential buildings: a winter moss house- semi-underground, a summer birch bark plague. This exhibition allows visitors to see in great detail the traditional way of life of the Agan Khanty and forest Nenets. In total, the museum's collections contain more than 1,500 exhibits, which are decorated in exhibitions about the history of the village, traditions of national rituals, men's and women's clothing, and utensils made of birch bark.
 

In 2016, the park territory was supplemented with the most valuable exhibit – the house museum of the founder of the cultural institution was opened to the public. It is dedicated to the life of Yuri Kylevich Ayvaseda (Vella), a poet and writer who created his works in Russian, Nenets, and Khanty languages.
 

The complex consists of outbuildings: a warehouse (grocery warehouse), a veranda in the form of a plague, a campfire site and the house itself. The house where the writer lived is quite small and consists of a small hallway, a kitchen, two rooms and, of course, a library.
 

Despite the fact that during his lifetime Yuri Vella glorified the district and his native village far beyond the borders of Russia, he called himself an ordinary reindeer herder and lived in a camp all his life, preserving the traditional way of life. And this house became his refuge when the writer left his ancestral lands.
 

One room in the museum house has been preserved in the same form as it was during the life of the owner. The second room is equipped with display cases with an exposition of household items and hunting – more than a hundred things in total, which were used by the national poet. The museum has a bust of the writer, his portraits, as well as archival documents and awards.
 

But the most valuable things are the manuscripts and drafts of the writer. In this way, you can not only imagine his lifestyle, but also touch his creativity.

Karamkinskoye camp

And finally, we suggest visiting the village of Agan. Or rather, the "Karamkin" camp, which is located not far from it. The journey from Nizhnevartovsk will also take a couple of hours in one direction.
 

You can get to the camp by private vehicle. However, it should be borne in mind that in winter you will need an off-road vehicle. In summer, a motorboat will be enough. The ethnic camp welcomes guests all year round.
 

In a small area on the riverbank there are wooden houses, a plague, a warehouse, a sauna, a gazebo, an off-season camp, a glacier, a deer pen and other outbuildings. In addition, fishing stops are installed and a boat dock is equipped. You can come here for one or several days.
 

Fishing, master classes in cutting and cooking fish, and master classes in traditional crafts are organized on the territory of the camp. Guests are treated to dishes of national cuisine, fragrant tea made from chaga and herbs, "padavukha" (fish cooked over a campfire), pike stroganina, berries, and sometimes guests are offered bear meat as an exotic dish.And all this outdoors, surrounded by magnificent northern nature.
 

Depending on the time of year, reindeer sledding, snowmobiling, quad biking, tubing, and riding are also offered here. You can pick mushrooms and berries around the base, so you won't have to return home empty-handed in the summer and autumn. And the most interesting thing is that at the camp you can feed the deer and take pictures with them in national costumes. Everything to make you have the best time possible.
 

Going on a trip to the villages of the Nizhnevartovsk region, you will definitely immerse yourself deeply into the life of indigenous peoples and fully explore the history of this corner of the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug.

Nizhnevartovsk is the second largest city in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. In terms of population, it is second only to Surgut. According to 2020 data, almost 280,000 people live in the settlement.
 

The uniqueness of this city lies in the fact that it is located in close proximity to the legendary Samotlorskoye field. It was opened in 1965, and since then Nizhnevartovsk has been actively developing. Today it is one of the major centers of the country's oil industry.
 

By the way, Nizhnevartovsk is also considered one of the safest cities in Russia. There are also many attractions and interesting places here. Therefore, upon arrival, be sure to set aside a few hours to study them. To save you time, we have prepared one of the route options in advance.

Ob River embankment

There is a lot to see on the Nizhnevartovsk embankment. The picturesque location does not leave anyone indifferent. However, apart from the inspiring expanse and the view of the river, it is not the sights that are worth paying attention to. There are several of them here.
 

The monument "Flag of the City" is a rather significant 48–meter structure for the townspeople, crowned with the flag of the city. Its blue color symbolizes the sky and water resources, white – snowy expanses, purity and peace, and gold – the riches of Samotlor. The latter include the oil fields, as well as the generous and open-minded residents of Nizhnevartovsk.
 

The composition "Lock". It is here that on the day of the wedding, the newlyweds hang small locks on a huge lock as a symbol of love, fidelity and family longevity. The sculptural composition is surrounded by 5 cast-iron trees. It appeared on the embankment in November 2010 as a gift to the city from a municipal enterprise.
 

Let's move on. More recently, the embankment has become a kind of art object. As part of the #Yarchegorod2020 project, 3 extraordinary spaces were created here: SmileZone – in the amphitheater area, KissZone – next to the lovers' castles and a wall of smiles – near the City Flag monument.

Monument "Good Angel of Peace"

We continue along the route and proceed to the monument "Good Angel of Peace". This is one of the most recognizable symbols of Nizhnevartovsk, which was opened on June 12, 2013. It is located near the embankment.
 

According to the creators, the good angel is designed to unite people who live according to the laws of goodness and mercy. And in order for him to truly protect the city from all adversity, the complex was consecrated by Bishop of Khanty-Mansiysk and Surgut, Vladyka Pavel.

"Monument to oil workers"

This is the next point on the route. The unusual monument became a gift to the young city for its 35th anniversary in 2001 and is located at the intersection of Khanty-Mansiysk and 60 let Oktyabrya streets.
 

The composition symbolizes a drilling rig, which is depicted as an inverted tetrahedral pyramid on four pillars. This place is especially atmospheric at night, when the monument is illuminated from all sides by floodlights. The monumental and decorative sign quickly gained popularity among residents and visitors of Nizhnevartovsk. It is popularly referred to as "Alien ship", "Cuttlefish", even "War of the Worlds".

Church of the Nativity

And now we are moving on to a landmark place for all Orthodox Christians – the Church of the Nativity of Christ. Daily services are held here, as well as an Orthodox secondary school, a Sunday school for children and adults. The right limit was consecrated in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Kaluga, the left – the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, the lower temple – the Cathedral of the Prophet John the Baptist. There is also a reliquary with fragments of the relics of the saints of God. The shrine is permanently located in the upper temple. Among other things, the place is really beautiful.

Monument "Stars of Nizhnevartovsk sport"

If you see a big golden ball ahead, know that there is a monument in front of you "The stars of Nizhnevartovsk sport". The names of Nizhnevartovsk natives who have become the pride of the great sports world – in the country and beyond - are immortalized here. The monument is installed at the entrance to the Central Stadium. Each name is marked on a separate asterisk, which are arranged in 3 rows. The opening took place on March 10, 2002, as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the city.

Neftyanikov Square

This is the main square of Nizhnevartovsk is a favorite vacation spot for the townspeople. All mass celebrations, concerts of local and touring musical groups are held on this square. In winter, they install the main Christmas tree and build ice slides for skiing. The square is located in the city center.
 

Its main decoration is the art object "Flower Tree". A little further away, you can find sculptures of a "Teenager on a skateboard" and a monument to a homeless mongrel, which locals nicknamed Bim. The townspeople throw coins into a nearby bowl. The money is used to buy food for stray animals.
 

Here, on the square, there is another city landmark – the Palace of Arts. It was previously known as the "House of Technology". And later, after the reconstruction in 1992, the name was changed. Today, 300 cultural and leisure events are held annually at the Palace of Arts, which are attended by more than 150,000 citizens and guests of Nizhnevartovsk.
 

And the square adjacent to the building with a light and music fountain is a popular place for meetings and photo shoots.
 

Our route is coming to an end in the central part of the city. Sightseeing of the presented attractions will take you from 1 to 3 hours. However, if you have time, we recommend visiting Komsomolskoye Lake, another iconic place in Nizhnevartovsk.
 

The lake is located within the city limits. Its width is almost 500 meters and its length is 1,050 meters. There is a beach, barbecue areas, a sports ground. The surrounding area is landscaped, so roller skates, bicycles and scooters are often used here in the summer. And they can walk at any time of the year. By the way, there is a special 2.2-kilometer health trail for this purpose. A beautiful and peaceful place where you will definitely have a good time and finish an exciting walk around the capital of Samotlor.

Nizhnevartovsk Museum of Local Lore

The exhibition halls of the Nizhnevartovsk Local History Museum feature thematic displays dedicated to the nature, history, and culture of the indigenous small-numbered peoples.
 

The museum’s natural science, paleontological, and geological collections are showcased here. Visitors will be particularly drawn to the remains of ancient animals—such as the mammoth, bison, and woolly rhinoceros—as well as fossils, including animal and plant specimens preserved in stone. A separate section of the exhibition is dedicated to the region's wildlife.