POLE OF COLD Extreme Overland Expedition on the Road of Bones Wander Beyond Boundaries Yakutsk to Magadan 9th Sept - 22nd Sept 2020 Introduction to EXTreME OVerLANDING xtreme Overland drives are self-drive expeditions that head out to World over, these drives / journeys / expeditions distinguish themselves remote lands. Inherently expeditionary in nature it needs attributes from mere road trips or overland drives (mostly major highways and a few Esuch as self-reliance, adaptability, resilience, resolve etc. pot holed roads etc), by the sheer fact that they are rooted through the unknown, they aspire for what may seem outlandish and unachievable and Historically this domain has evolved from the few forgotten wanderers who most definitely involve terrain that is remote, extreme bereft of creature risked it all to travel the globe on terrain they did not know of and mingling comforts, luxury and the likes. Given the sheer nature of such journeys, they with cultures they had no idea about while taking uncertainty and ambiguity are premised on the fact that vulnerability, and being out of comfort seeds in their stride. the beginnings of self-growth wherein learning, unlearning and relearning are part of a never-ending loop. Over time, the tribe of such over landers has sharply risen, now making the domain a discipline in itself. The greatest value becomes the expedition within an individual who undertakes such drives. Who are we? BB are pioneers in seeding extreme overlanding into the Indian Founded by Nidhi Salgame Tiwari (the 1st woman to drive a trans- context. We showcase that journeys are not just Physical (terrain, continental distance from Delhi to London and the 1st Indian to drive Wdifficulty, driving, culture, food etc.) but requires an individual to to the Pole of Cold in North-Eastern Siberia) and Col. S Malik, SM, undertake an equally intense journey within. Retd. (an ex. Army man having served for 24 years with many years of operational experience in extreme terrain driving in Kashmir, Sikkim, Our stripes: Congo and beyond) Pioneers in extreme overlanding, delivering never before experiences via self-drive expeditions. Driven over 340,000kms on extreme terrain Knowledge of preventive maintenance and vehicle management – tracks, trails and roads in 30+ countries across the world undertaken several single car expeditions without back up Expeditionary, rigorous, challenging and uphold the supremacy of the Understanding of road rules and regulations in most parts of the world human spirit Local liaison in remote corners of the world Our core strengths are extreme terrain 4wd based driving, unknown or lesser known routes exploration, extreme overland (XOL) skills training, Equipped for medical emergencies – Wilderness Emergency Medical conceptualising and leading 4WD based extreme terrain self-drive Technician(WEMT) on board journeys Planning, Managing and Leading an overland expedition Vast exposure and skill for variety of terrain – snow, ice, mud, slush, rock & shrub and sand OL, 2017 WBB - Isuzu Spiti X WBB - Porsche Himalayan XOL, 2016 WBB Expedition PORTFOLIO rans-Continental Expedition T ondon, 2015 First All Women by Road from Delhi to L Himalayan Extreme Overland Skills Training, 2016 WBB - Mahindra Adventure ‘Mustang India’s First Overland Soloorth-Eastern to the Pole Siberia, of Cold 2016 and Overland’ - First crew of women drivers to on the Road of Bones, N reach Lo Manthang, Upper Mustang, 2018 Mahindra Adventure Sikkim XOL, 2018 Pole of Cold, Sept 2019 WBB Expedition PORTFOLIO Muddy Tracks, Nagaland, May 2019 Kashmir Revealed - D rive along the L OC, Dec 2018 Authentic Mustang, Nov 2019 Siberia Overland, A ug 2019 Sometimes it takes traveling outside our comfort zone to realise the abilities we never knew we had“ “ Kurt Hahn QUICK INFO Dates 9th Sept - 22nd Sept 2020 Total no of days: 14 Vehicle type: 4x4 expedition ready Toyota Landcruiser Prado or similar Convoy size: 3 vehicles Max team size: 12 Total distance: 2500 kms Average driving time per day: 10 hours Difficulty level: Level 3, challenging Drive tone and tenor: Expeditionary and self-reliant Start point: Yakutsk End point: Magadan Highlights Pole of Cold - Oymyakon: coldest inhabited place on earth in north eastern Siberia Driving on the Road of Bones - from Yakutsk to Magadan; built on permafrost, considered ‘the most dangerous road in the world’ Insight into life, culture and regional history of Sakha Republic The Woolly Mammoth, Permafrost and Regional History museum in Yakutsk Gulag and Regional History museum in Magadan Kolyma highway, the most notorious outpost of the far eastern Gulag system Possible dip in the freezing Indigirka river Magadan regional museum and monument of sorrow Plain remote expanse of the Siberian wilderness - gorgeous uninhabited landscapes strewn with reindeers; population density of 1 person per sq km Largest surviving cold storage of the world - permafrost; remnants of the ice age including permafrost mummies and cave lion mummies Brief DescripTION f road trips, driving, wilderness and remote corners of the world have featured in your bucket list, then this expedition is as far as you can take it. Headed to one of the most remote corners of the world, braving the most challenging road, weather that is anything but hospitable, steeped in fascinating cultural Iand regional history, inhabited by friendly Yakutia people, this expedition reaches out to every driving enthusiast who has dreamt of driving on the toughest and remotest parts of the earth. This route crosses the Siberian region from the west to east, transcends three time zones and reaches Russia’s far east (also referred to as the edge of the world). It provides for a unique opportunity to explore the backcountry, absorb Yakutia culture, marvel at the natural wonders (remnants of the ice age), and visit Oymyakon - called the Pole of Cold, the coldest inhabited place on planet earth where temperatures drop to -71.6 degrees in peak winter. It also exudes the purity of the expeditionary travel - exposing you to the vagaries of a self-reliant expedition which is unique and highly enriching in itself. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the ardent driving, outdoors and adventure enthusiast. It is not only pushing boundaries on the outside but is deeply enhancing and rich experience within too. By sheer nature of experience, demands of the road and weather, it pushes you to understand the threshold of your inner potential. If you are game and ready to embark on the mother of all possible extreme overland expeditions of the world, join us as we drive out to Russia’s Far East. ...And we mean it! Satty I haven’t seen anything as vast as this. For hundreds of kilometers, when you“ don’t see a single human being, house or village, it is just the wilderness and “you. Feels very remote, no doubt. But also feels so reassuring that there are still such sections on earth - so pristine, untouched and supremely beautiful. Nidhi This part of the earth showcases the tenacity of the human spirit like none“ other. There is so much history, the land feels ancient. What strikes “me the most is the resilience of the people who live in these areas. Just puts life in perspective. The experience is very humbling. SCHEDULE Tentative ScheDULE 13th Sept 2020 This is one of the longest driving days. Here we begin our drive officially on ‘Road of Bones’ or Kolyma Highway. Destination of the day is Tomtor, nearly 550kms away. Enroute a few mountain passes greet us. The Siberian wilderness in all its glory, the scenery enroute is pretty and just stark. Oymyakon, is just 40 kms away from Tomtor. 9th Sept 2020 Arrive in Yakutsk. Short orientation on expedition, team roles, route, emergency response and preparedness. 10th & 11th Sept 2020 Spend the days sightseeing - visit the Permafrost and regional history museum. Also stop by at the meat market that is unique to Yakutsk. You may choose to visit other tourist sites in the city if you wish. 12th Sept 2020 Drive out early towards Khandyga - the destination for the day. Once out of 14th Sept 2020 Yakutsk city, cross the river Lena by ferry and continue the drive. The initial Post a leisurely breakfast, visit the Gulag museum at Tomtor and further 100 kms is on a black top road, and further the permafrost mud track. Short proceed to drive to the coldest inhabited place on earth – Oymyakon! We of Khandya, cross the river Aldan and reach the town by 6-7 pm latest. should reach Oymyakon by lunch time. 15th & 16th Sept 2020 of Yakutia eat a lot of horse meat. The thickness of active permafrost at We spend both these days in Oymyakon which is located beside the Oymyakon (which freezes and refreezes seasonally) is just about 18inches. Indigirka river. The fish from this river is famous all over Siberia. One can Below that is passive permafrost or commonly called permanently frozen get adventurous and take a dip in the freezing river. Once done with the earth. Life here is anything but easy. The intent of staying two days is to be photo-op around the Pole of Cold monument, around Oymyakon is also able to explore Oymyakon on foot, meet people and get an insight into what located a reindeer and horse breeding farm which is worth a visit. The people it takes to live in the coldest inhabited place on earth. 17th Sept 2020 After some rest and recoup at Oymyakon, drive out early towards Ust Nera, an industrial town located further north towards the Arctic. Primarily a mining town (many gold mines in the area), during the Soviet era this was the hub of forced labour or Russia’s version of concentration camps called the Gulags. Many gulag memorials punctuate the area.