I saw many interesting places when I was in Southern Siberia in Russia this summer, and one of…
Times visited: 2
Cities visited: Moscow, Chelyabinsk and Plast
Towns and villages visited: Stepnoye, Chernorech’ye and Sanarka
UNESCO sites visited: 3/32
Russia had always been high on my travel wishlist, and in early 2018, I finally saw an opportunity to go. While booking a trip to Azerbaijan, I came across a flight option with a 21-hour stopover in Moscow. It wasn’t nearly enough time to truly explore a city as grand as Moscow, but I couldn’t pass up the chance – despite the pricey transit visa. I spent the entire day soaking in the atmosphere of the city centre and even managed to take the metro out to visit three stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I completely fell for Moscow’s energy, architecture, and history. It only made me more eager to return and experience more of the vast country.
That chance came just a year later in the summer of 2019, when I was invited to join a five-week archaeological excavation on the Eurasian forest steppe. It was a dream come true – working alongside Russian, American, and Danish archaeologists, unearthing traces of the Bronze Age in a part of Russia few outsiders ever get to see.
The excavation site was located on the eastern foothills of the Ural Mountains, along the peaceful banks of the Uy River. We stayed in the small village of Stepnoye, where life moved at a slow pace and nature surrounded us. In our free time, I hiked the nearby hills, cooled off in the river, and watched countless breathtaking sunsets.
Those five weeks turned out to be one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I formed deep friendships, learned so much about archaeology and Russian culture, and even had the thrill of discovering a horse skull and a bone arrowhead – two finds I’ll never forget.