A Big Road Trip Across the Far East:
From Blagoveshchensk to Sakhalin by SUV

Vostochny Cosmodrome

We will have a unique excursion to the Vostochny Cosmodrome, during which we will see the assembly and testing section and the viewing balconies of the assembly and testing complex, the zero mark from which the rocket is launched, the mobile pre-launch servicing tower, the capsule of the descent vehicle on which the cosmonauts descended from the ISS, we will visit the cosmonautics museum in the closed administrative-territorial entity of Tsiolkovsky and have lunch in the canteen of the cosmodrome.

In the evening we return to Blagoveshchensk. Overnight at the hotel.

Blagoveshchensk - Lotus Lakes - Obluchye - Kuldur - Birobidzhan

We leave Blagoveshchensk early in the morning, today we have a long (more than 500 km) road ahead of us. Despite the length of the journey, the road will not be boring. We are going to the Far East at an extremely favorable time of year - the time of lotus blossoms. More than a dozen Amur reservoirs at this time are decorated with flowers of these endangered plants. We will visit several lakes and hope that we will be lucky enough to see unique plants in all their glory.

In the middle of the day we will leave the Amur Region and enter the Jewish Autonomous Region, which we will begin to get to know from the city of Obluchye - the second and last city in the region by population after Birobidzhan with 70 thousand people. The city lies in a valley between two hills, picturesquely meandering between them. Oblutchye owes its growth and development to its location on the Trans-Siberian Railway, most of the city's population is employed on the railway.

The next stop on our route will be the village of Kuldur, famous for its thermal spring. The Kuldur spring belongs to a group of highly thermal springs with a water temperature of 72° at the outlet of the ground. The healing water of Kuldur improves skin blood circulation, promotes rapid resorption of inflammatory processes, accelerates the restoration of damaged tissues, increases their elasticity, and cleanses the body of toxic substances. In terms of chemical composition, such resorts as Mont-Dore in France and Paratunka in Kamchatka are close to the Kuldur spring. The place is quite popular, people come to swim in the cascade bowls where the water of the spring flows. We will probably arrive at the spring in the evening, the more pleasant for those wishing to swim is the contrast between the warm water and the cool air.

Late in the evening we will arrive in the capital of the Jewish Autonomous Region - the city of Birbidzhan.

Birobidzhan - Volochaevka - Khabarovsk

We will dedicate the first half of the day to getting to know the sights of Birobidzhan. We will walk along the embankment of the Bira River, examine numerous monuments and city sculptures, among which the attention is drawn to the monument to the first settlers, a fountain with a menorah, a monument to the Jewish writer Sholem Aleichem, an elegant sculptural composition "Cranes" and many others. We will definitely visit the synagogue, where there is a sculpture "Jewish musician with a shafar" (shafar is a Jewish ritual wind musical instrument), we will go on an excursion to the regional museum of local history, where we will get to know the history of the city and the region better. Well, since we are in the Jewish Autonomous Region, it is worth having lunch in a Jewish restaurant, fortunately there is one in the city.

After a delicious lunch, we leave Birobidzhan and head towards Khabarovsk. On the way, we will visit Volochaevskaya Sopka - the site of one of the largest battles of the civil war in the Far East. On the hill is the memorial museum complex "Volochaevskoe Srazde" (Battle of Volochaev), which includes a chapel, a monument and a museum.

By evening we will arrive in Khabarovsk.

Khabarovsk - Sikachi-Alyan petroglyphs - Troitskoye

Let's start the day by getting to know Khabarovsk. Undoubtedly, the city located along the Amur River is worth seeing from the water. We will take a boat trip along the river, and also see the main city attractions during a walking tour of the central part of the city.

In the afternoon, we will go to the outskirts of the Nanai village of Sikachi-Alyan, where along the 6 km along the Amur River you can see rock paintings on the surface of basalt boulders. The Sikachi-Alyan petroglyphs are a unique ancient monument of rock art. Some of the writings on the banks of the Amur were applied to stone boulders back in the Neolithic era - in the 12th-9th millennia BC, some of the drawings are later, and they were carved out with iron tools around the 3rd millennium BC. There are about 200 drawings on basalt boulders available for inspection. They are located on a steep sandy beach. Most of the drawings are the so-called "masks" of shamans. They are made in a single style, usually in the form of abstract faces, more reminiscent of masks. The figures of animals are also unusual - their backs are arched, some have long fangs, and scientists believe that these are images of mammoths. After examining the petroglyphs, we continue our journey, we have about 150 km to go.

We will stop for the night at a hotel in the village of Troitskoye on the bank of the Amur River.

Troitskoye - Vanino

Today we will have about 350 km of picturesque road among hills, forests and rivers to the sea. This road is considered the most beautiful in the Khabarovsk Territory. It passes through the entire Sizote - Alinsky ridge, and we will arrive along it to the shores of the Tatar Strait in the village of Vanino, from where we will take a ferry to Sakhalin Island. Despite the fact that Vanino does not have the status of a city, the local port is larger than the port in Vladivostok. The seaport for Vanino is a city-forming enterprise. Among the main attractions of the village are two functioning lighthouses located right in the middle of the central street. Day and night, they show ships the way to the Vanino port. Also near Vanino ends the Baikal-Amur Mainline, one of the largest railway lines in the world.

Spare

Spare day in case of forced changes in the program or delays on the way. If it is not needed, we will take a trip to the neighboring city of Sovetskaya Gavan and explore the picturesque bays and capes adjacent to it.

Vanino - Kholmsk

We will cross over to Sakhalin Island by ferry. The crossing will take about 12 hours (a real sea voyage!), we will disembark in the city of Kholmsk. Kholmsk is not only an important transport hub for Sakhalin, there are many interesting things in this city. From 1905 to 1945, the south of Sakhalin was part of the Japanese Empire, so in Kholmsk you can see quite a lot of buildings from the Japanese period: these are the remains of religious buildings, lighthouses, railway infrastructure facilities and even a pulp and paper mill (unfortunately, now abandoned). We will see the main sights of the city and admire the views of the port and the Tatar Strait from numerous observation platforms. We will spend the night in the city of Kholmsk.

Kholmsk - Yablochnoye - Mys Slepikovsky - Taynoe Vodopad - Chertov Most - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

It was not for nothing that we made our way to the sea for so long, it is time to enjoy its beauty, and if the weather permits, to swim. We will go to one of the most favorite beaches of Sakhalin residents - the beach near the village of Yablochnoye. The water here is transparent, clean and the warmest on Sakhalin, and there is fine white sand on the shore. Having enjoyed the beauty of the beach, we go further along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, we will reach Mys Slepikovsky - this is the only sandy cape on Sakhalin Island. It is located on the southwestern coast of the island and borders the northern end of Nevelskoy Bay. Also, Mys Slepikovsky is known for its luxurious nature reserve and an old lighthouse built by the Japanese in 1937. The sea coast of Sakhalin is beautiful, but in addition to it, the island has many picturesque lakes, we will visit one of them - the man-made Tainoe Reservoir, famous for its rich emerald color of water and very beautiful coastal landscapes. The intriguing name "Tainoe" is a distortion of "Tyinoe" (from the name of the Tyi River, on which the reservoir is located). Not far from the reservoir are unique railway structures of Japanese construction: a tunnel and two bridges called the Witch's and Devil's Bridges. We will visit these sites and get acquainted with the features of their architecture, after which we will go to the capital of the region - the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The sights of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk are compactly located in the central part of the city, so we will get to know them during a short walk, and then go to taste the local cuisine in one of the restaurants.

Home or... continue your journey!

This journey is coming to an end, but you can continue your journey around Sakhalin with us (you can find the program of the tour around the island, which will start on the same day, here Road trip around Sakhalin from August 15 to 24, 2026) or on your own. Those who wish to finish their journey and fly home will be transferred to the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk airport.

Our journey will take place by car with overnight stays in fairly comfortable hotel conditions. The tour does not require any special skills or fitness from the participants and is suitable for anyone. However, it is very important to be prepared for early rises and long journeys by car, including on bad roads. Given the distance of the attractions from each other and the length of the route, sometimes the journeys will take up a significant part of the day. You need to be prepared for changes in the route and delays along the way due to transport breakdowns, road conditions, ferry delays due to weather conditions, changes in the work schedule of the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

We are going on a trip in August, when the Far East is usually quite warm and sunny, the temperature is about +20+23 °C, but cool and rainy days can also happen, so do not forget to take warm clothes and protection from rain. Warm clothes, waterproof shoes, a thick raincoat or membrane jacket are a must. Shoes should be comfortable so as not to cause you discomfort during walks and excursions. You may want to swim in the sea or hot springs, take bathing suits for this purpose.

The tour is quite active and eventful, therefore it requires discipline and personal involvement in the process from the participants.

During the trip by car, delays and unforeseen circumstances are possible - car breakdown, storms at sea and delays at the ferry crossing, flooding of rivers, repair of roads and bridges and, as a result, it is possible to adjust the route depending on the current situation. Changes are discussed with the participants, but the final decision is up to the tour organizers, since they are responsible for the program and the safety of the group.

Meals are provided by the participants at their own expense in cafes along the route and / or in stores where you can buy something for a snack, with the exception of cases.

Arrival in Blagoveshchensk / departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk home earlier or later than the dates specified in the program is paid by the participants themselves, including transfer to / from the airport, as well as accommodation in hotels / hostels on days outside the tour dates.

1. If you are interested in this tour, leave a request through the registration form on this page or write to us at WhatsApp, Telegram or by email, we will contact you and answer all your questions.
2. To reserve a place, you must make an advance payment of 30% of the tour cost. The advance payment is made through the website (section Payment) and is refundable 45 days or more before the start of the tour and non-refundable, unfortunately, less than 45 days before the start, if the refund is related to your refusal to participate (for any reason). If the tour does not take place due to our fault, due to the group not being formed, or due to force majeure, the advance payment will be guaranteed to be returned to you in any case.
3. The final payment is made on the first day of the tour. You can pay using the QR code that the tour organizer will provide you, in cash, or through the website.