Tomskiy District: Observation Tower, Eco-Routes and Culture

The 35-metre-high «Everest» observation tower in the interfluve of the Tom and Ob rivers offers views of a wetland taiga landscape. It is a tourist attraction in Tomskiy District. Check the latest access conditions before visiting.

Nature Attractions and Rural Excursions

Destinations selected for tourist trips in Tomskiy District include the «Talovskie Chashi» and «Zvezdny Klyuch» eco-routes. The «Zemlyanichnaya Ferma» is a rural tourism destination. The Semiluzhensky Cossack Ostrog and the «Okolitsa» rural park are also tourist attractions in the district. For the eco-routes, it is advisable to check current trail conditions before setting out.

«Okolitsa» and the «Prazdnik Topora» Festival

The «Prazdnik Topora» festival takes place in «Okolitsa» Nature Park. The programme includes four competitions for artisans in different categories, a large applied arts fair and an extensive concert programme. The international folk arts and crafts festival has been held in Tomsk Oblast since 2008 and attracts hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators from across Russia and neighbouring countries. If you plan to attend the festival, check the dates for your trip.

More Cultural and Nature Attractions in Tomsk Oblast

Beyond Tomskiy District, Tomsk Oblast has other nature and cultural attractions. In Bakcharsky District, the 27-kilometre «Zov Bolotnoy Tishiny» route combines rides in an all-terrain swamp vehicle with walks and is intended for visitors aged 12 to 70. Excursions must be booked in advance and are accompanied by staff. Its length, the two modes of travel and the age requirement provide a clear framework for planning a trip; advance booking and accompaniment are also conditions of the tour.

At Lake Oskino in Parabelsky District, Tomsk Oblast, the «Chumel Chvech» Museum introduces visitors to the culture and daily life of the southern Selkup people who live in the district. Visits are by prior arrangement. The museum’s first buildings include a semi-dugout with a pyramidal roof that was used until the 17th century, the «chulmat» log house, a clay oven, raised granaries and a Russian log house with a vegetable garden. The museum grounds bring together different forms of housing and everyday life.

In the same museum, the «Tropa Okhotnika», opened in 2017, displays traditional traps for animals and birds: a sable trap, a bear trap, a snare for partridges and a trap for capercaillies. There is also a hunter’s shelter, a cone gatherer’s shelter and the temporary «karamo» semi-dugout. The displays link hunting techniques with other aspects of daily life.

In Podgornoye, Tomsk Oblast, the exhibition at the Kulai Culture Museum focuses on an ancient cultural and historical community. Artefacts from this community were first found near Mount Kulaika; it existed from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD. A guided tour of the permanent exhibition covers the archaeological Kulai culture and the world of the Kulai people, who lived in what is now Tomsk Oblast during that period. Tours for groups of two to 25 people can be booked during opening hours. Bronze casting characteristic of the Kulai culture includes openwork and solid moulds, as well as hollow moulds.

In the village of Krivosheino, «Bratina» Park invites visitors to learn about the distinct culture, customs and daily life of Siberian Cossacks. Together, Tomsk Oblast’s archaeological, ethnographic and craft themes complement one another, while Tomskiy District offers its own trip-planning highlights, including an observation tower, eco-routes and rural destinations.

Discover more destinations: Luchanovo, Zonalnaya Station, Tomsky District, Tomsk, Kargasoksky District, Alexandrovsky District, Asinovsky District.

Back to the main travel overview: Tomsk Oblast.