The Putorana plateau

Putorana Nature Reserve (Putoranskiy zapovednik, Путоранский заповедник) is in Taymyria, Russia. The reserve is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2010.

Understand

The reserve is located 100 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, on the northwestern edge of the Central Siberian Plateau. There is almost no human civilization in the territory; Putorana, located in the Arctic region, is listed as a world cultural heritage due to the rich diversity of the ecosystem.

The name translates from Evenks as "a lake with steep banks".

Landscape

Putorana is a basalt mountain plateau. It's a collection of coniferous forests, tundra and arctic desert in a typical northern landscape.

There are more than 25000 lakes (the second largest supply of fresh water in Russia after Lake Baikal), deep valleys/canyons, cold rivers with distinct mountainous character, and thousands of waterfalls and natural fjord landscapes.

The exotic fjord-like lakes are up to 150km long and 400 metres deep. The waterfalls include the 108 m high waterfall in Kanda river gorge, considered to be Russia's highest.

Flora and fauna

This nature reserve is also one of the only remaining reindeer migration routes in the world, as well as the Putorana Bighorn Snow Sheep, a subspecies of alpine sheep that likes to live alone. You can observe the rare phenomenon of animal migration in nature.

Get in

This is probably one of the hardest world heritage sites to reach. It's in northern Siberia, about 200 km east of 1 Norilsk.

Possible entry point is up the river via 2 Svetlogorsk and further via the Kureika river.

Fees and permits

The nature reserve is governed by Norilsk, a closed industrial city 200 kilometers west of the plateau. Although it is very complicated to go through the formalities, it is the best way to get there.

Both the pass and the tour guide are indispensable.

Get around

There's no real human settlement in the area and no infrastructure to speak of. Unless one owns a private helicopter, traveling through the area means a constant struggle of crossing rivers and/or walking up/down the hills.

See

Kureika river waterfalls

You can see snow topped mountains and amazing animals

• 1 Talnikovy Waterfall (Not far from the Lake Dyupkun.). An approximately 482 m high seasonal waterfall. Part of a cascade of approx. 600-700m, which belongs to the highest on Earth.  
• 2 Great Kureika Waterfall (It is 7 km before the confluence of the Kureika and Jaktali and about 16 km below the confluence of the Kureika and Njadikan.). The waterfall is the most water-rich waterfall in Russia with height between 13-17m and water flow of 300 to 1000 m³ / s, depending on the season. Its winding basalt steps were created by an ancient lava flow. (updated Aug 2021)
• 3 Area between Lama, Glubokoye and Sobach'ye lakes. A "spot" relatively near Norilsk with various landscapes from lakes to plateaus, waterfalls etc. - mostly without forests. Good spot for hiking (probably a group-organized one). (updated Aug 2021)

Stay safe

Siberian mosquitoes are typical for the area, so bringing a mosquito net is probably a good idea.