travel news dartford crossing

• ALL MOTORWAYS
• Southampton
• West Midlands
• East Anglia
• Central Scotland
• ALL REGIONS

Traffic Dartford Crossing

•   Dartford Crossing
• Nearby: Dartford Belhus Woolwich Erith Grays Bexleyheath

Current traffic around Dartford Crossing

The following traffic incidents and congestion for Dartford Crossing have been reported by Highways England, Traffic Scotland, Traffic Wales or Transport for London (TfL) in the last two hours:

Traffic in Nearby Villages

• Greenhithe (1.15mi)
• West Thurrock (1.19mi)
• Purfleet (1.2mi)
• Temple Hill (1.47mi)
• Stone (1.53mi)
• South Stifford (1.63mi)
• Lakeside (1.73mi)
• Knockhall (2.02mi)
• Swanscombe (2.02mi)
• Chafford Hundred (2.06mi)
• Darent (2.15mi)
• Fleet Downs (2.21mi)
• Aveley (2.26mi)
• New Town (2.34mi)
• Grays (2.59mi)
• Wennington (2.83mi)
• Bean (2.86mi)
• South Ockendon (2.91mi)
• North Stifford (2.94mi)
• Slade Green (3.03mi)
• Stonewood (3.07mi)
• Barnes Cray (3.15mi)
• Coldharbour (3.16mi)
• Lane End (3.43mi)

Dartford Crossing

Let's get social.

Get in touch with us or stay up to date with our latest news and updates.

Live Email Traffic Alerts

Get live email alerts whenever there is a traffic incident or roadworks on the on the roads you travel that may cause congestion or jams.

LEGAL NOTICE

Please remember that it is against the law to use your mobile phone, tablet or any electronic device without a hands-free kit whilst driving. If you're caught by the police using any device that can send or receive data whilst driving or riding a motorcyle you'll get an automatic fixed penalty notice, 6 points on your licence and a fine of £200. A court could also disqualify you from driving.

Elsewhere on the web:

Official source of traffic updates.

Transport for London's (TfL) portal for transportation in London.

The Welsh government's traffic information service for Wales.

Live traffic conditions and news for Scotland's road network.

Advertise to millions of motorists, holidaymakers and commuters.

Except where otherwise noted, content and photographs on this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License . Owned, operated and copyright CliqTo Ltd 2024 and Chris Haycock . Registered company number 7575287.

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Dartford Crossing: Drivers stuck in three-hour queues after police incident

Southbound traffic is being diverted through the east-bore of the dartford tunnel, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts

Get simon calder’s travel email, thanks for signing up to the simon calder’s travel email.

Drivers are stuck in three-hour queues as the southbound section of the Dartford Crossing from Essex to Kent is closed due to a police incident.

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge has been shut since shortly after 6am, causing a severe traffic jam on the M25 , National Highways said.

Essex Police said in a statement: “We’re currently dealing with concerns for the welfare of a man on the Dartford River Crossing.

“The incident was reported to us shortly after 6am this morning.

“Traffic is being held on the crossing as we work to bring the situation to a safe conclusion.

“We understand this action will impact on people’s journeys and we will provide an update on the situation as soon as we practically can.”

Southbound traffic is being diverted through the east-bore of the Dartford Tunnel.

This has halved the capacity of the tunnel, which is normally exclusively used for northbound traffic.

National Highways said the incident is causing a three-hour delay for southbound vehicles approaching the crossing, and a 90-minute delay for northbound traffic.

At 10.20am Highway officials said they are now in the process of reopening the QEII Bridge at the Dartford Crossing.

“We are now in the process of re-opening the #A282 #QEIIBridge southbound at #DartfordCrossing,” said National Highways on social media.

“The contraflow in the eastbore tunnel has now been removed.

“We’ll have you moving again as soon as we can. Thanks for your patience this morning.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Want an ad-free experience?

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

Live Travel Updates, Congestion Reports

M25 Traffic Delays. Live Updates and Roadworks

Travel reports for the M25 motorway in Southern England. Latest live traffic news from official UK Traffic Delays open data sources.

QEII Bridge Dartford Crossing Traffic News

Live M25 Congestion and Delays

The M25 is one of the UK’s busiest and most congested roads, especially around the Dartford Crossing and the smart motorway sections.

M25 Accident and Incident Reports

Clockwise m25 roadworks delays, link road from m25 j16 clockwise to m40 j1a southbound | clockwise | road works | buckinghamshire, link road from m40 j1a southbound to m25 j16 clockwise | clockwise | road works | buckinghamshire, m25 clockwise between j3 and j4 | clockwise | road works | kent, m25 j3 clockwise exit | clockwise | road works | kent, m25 j3 clockwise access | clockwise | road works | kent, m25 j18 clockwise exit | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise between j12 and j13 | clockwise | road works | windsor and maidenhead, m25 clockwise between j21a and j22 | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise between j28 and j29 | clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 j28 clockwise access | clockwise | road works | greater london authority, a282 southbound access from a206 | clockwise | road works | kent, a282 southbound exit for a206 | clockwise | road works | kent, a282 southbound between a206 and a296/a225 | clockwise | road works | kent, link road from a404 westbound to m25 j18 clockwise | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise between j8 and j9 | clockwise | road works | surrey, link road from m3 j2 eastbound to m25 j12 clockwise | clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 j21a clockwise exit | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 j13 clockwise access | clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 clockwise between j18 and j19 | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise between j5 and j6 | clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 j23 clockwise access | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise within j23 | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise between j23 and j24 | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise between j24 and j25 | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise within j16 before m40 j1a southbound exit | clockwise | road works | buckinghamshire, link road from m4 j4b westbound to m25 j15 clockwise | clockwise | road works | slough, link road from m4 j4b to m25 j15 clockwise | clockwise | road works | buckinghamshire, m25 clockwise between j14 and j15 | clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 clockwise within j14 | clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 clockwise between j27 and j28 | clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 clockwise between j22 and j23 | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 clockwise between j25 and j26 | clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 j24 clockwise exit | clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, anti-clockwise m25 delays and roadworks, link road from m25 j27 anti-clockwise to m11 j6 | anti-clockwise | road works | essex, m25 anti-clockwise between j12 and j11 | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, link road from m40 j1a southbound to m25 j16 anti-clockwise | anti-clockwise | road works | buckinghamshire, a282 northbound within the a206 junction | anti-clockwise | road works | kent, m25 j9 anti-clockwise access | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 anti-clockwise within j9 | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 anti-clockwise within j8 | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 anti-clockwise between j17 and j16 | anti-clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 anti-clockwise within j16 before m40 j1a northbound exit | anti-clockwise | road works | buckinghamshire, m25 anti-clockwise within j23 | anti-clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 j23 anti-clockwise exit | anti-clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 anti-clockwise between j26 and j25 | anti-clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 anti-clockwise within j25 | anti-clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 j24 anti-clockwise exit | anti-clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 j25 anti-clockwise access | anti-clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 j24 anti-clockwise access | anti-clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, a282 northbound access from a206 | anti-clockwise | road works | kent, m25 anti-clockwise between j9 and j8 | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 anti-clockwise between j24 and j23 | anti-clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, m25 anti-clockwise between j3 and j2 | anti-clockwise | road works | kent, m25 anti-clockwise between j28 and j27 | anti-clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 anti-clockwise between j6 and j5 | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 anti-clockwise within j27 before m11 j6 southbound access | anti-clockwise | road works | essex, m25 anti-clockwise within j11 | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 j13 anti-clockwise access | anti-clockwise | road works | windsor and maidenhead, link road from m3 j2 eastbound to m25 j12 anti-clockwise | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 anti-clockwise between j8 and j7 | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, m25 j21a anti-clockwise exit | anti-clockwise | road works | hertfordshire, a282 northbound dartford crossing | anti-clockwise | road works | thurrock, link road from m3 j2 westbound to m25 j12 anti-clockwise | anti-clockwise | road works | surrey, link road from m25 j16 anti-clockwise to m40 j1a southbound | anti-clockwise | road works | buckinghamshire, m25 j28 anti-clockwise access | anti-clockwise | road works | greater london authority, m25 motorway map.

Our M25 motorway data is as up to date as possible but please do always check with local radio news sources and always allow plenty of time for your journey.

Live UK Motorway Reports

• M4 J11 westbound exit | Westbound | Congestion | Reading 24th April 2024
• M4 J18 westbound access | Westbound | Vehicle Fire | South Gloucestershire 24th April 2024
• M4 westbound between J18 and J19 | Westbound | Vehicle Fire | South Gloucestershire 24th April 2024
• link road from M40 J1A southbound to M25 J16 | Southbound | Road Works | Buckinghamshire 24th April 2024
• M1 southbound between J15 and J14 | Southbound | Road Works | Milton Keynes 24th April 2024
• M1 J1 northbound access | Northbound | Road Works | Greater London Authority 24th April 2024

M25 Junctions Map

UK Traffic Delays is a reliable source of updated UK travel information. National Highways data obtained under open licence. London travel information is used under license from TfL: Powered by TfL Open Data .

Our website contains public sector travel information licensed under the: Open Government Licence v3.0 .

Share Your Live Traffic Reports

The national radio traffic reports and Sat Nav updates are often delayed, so we’ve added the option to leave live comments on our primary pages. Share your travel updates with thousands of other road users on this page and help keep Britain moving.

To make it easy for everyone to understand where and what the delay is please format your comment like this example:

M25 Junction 17 Clockwise, severe delays still ongoing. Avoid this route if you can. Heavy rain causing flooding.

Please Leave a Comment

10 thoughts on “m25 traffic delays. live updates and roadworks”.

Why m25 was not clear from the snow last night, and why there were not enough plow trucks on the road to make it safe for drivers? Who is responsible for it? What are the excuses this year? Please do not blame the snow because we all knew it is coming.

Can you confirm a diversion for M25 on dates 7/10/2021 and 8/10/2021 we have been lead to beleive Fedex drivers had followed a diversion which took them through a redroutes zone. A12 Eastern Avenue & A406.

Traffic at a standstill few miles out of dart Ford tunnel heading north towards M11. Not good.

Again they have the audacity to charge me £2.50 for sitting in ever lengthening queues of traffic at the Dartford CrossingIt should be free if the company making a fortune out of drivers cannot keep the congestion down to a reasonable few minutes

Hi. Can you tell me please how I can find something about the traffic on M25 and M23 on the 28th June 2019? Thank you

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

M25 Dartford Crossing traffic updates as fire closes tunnel - live

Motorists were warned to expect delays and to allow additional time for travel

• Updated 20:23, 16 NOV 2023

A section of the M25 was closed due to a vehicle fire, resulting in tailbacks and delays for motorists. The northbound Dartford Crossing east tunnel was shut because of the blaze.

National Highways said the westbound tunnel was temporarily blocked. There were 90-minute delays for those approaching from M25 Junction 2.

At the time, traffic monitoring system Inrix stated: "All traffic being temporarily held and long delays due to car fire on M25 anticlockwise at J1a A206 (Dartford Tunnel). Congestion to J2 A2 Darenth Interchange."

Read more: Cyclist dies after being hit by Audi - appeal

Read more: Hundreds treated in Kent hospitals as terrifying dog attack figures on the rise

This is the second vehicle fire on the M25 today (November 16). Drivers are still experiencing delays near Sevenoaks after an earlier van fire .

Follow our live blog, below, for the latest Dartford Crossing travel updates as we have them.

Never get stuck in a jam again with our FREE traffic and travel email for KentLive readers. Find out more here.

• M25 is now clear 20:23

M25 is now clear

No major delays are now being reported on the M25 around the Dartford Crossing

Drivers warned of 90-minute 'severe residual delays'

UPDATE All lanes are now OPEN on the #A282 southbound between J1A #A206 & J1B #A296 following the earlier collision. Severe residual delays currently remain on approach from #M25 J29 and across the #QEIIBridge adding at least 90 minutes to journey times. #Dartford @DartCharge pic.twitter.com/BtyFq9K1Xx — National Highways: South-East (@HighwaysSEAST) November 16, 2023

Long delays continue on M25

Traffic information service Inrix says there are still long delays on the M25 as a result of the earlier fire:

Long delays due to earlier vehicle fire on M25 anticlockwise from J1A A206 (Dartford) to J31 A1306 (Lakeside / Purfleet). Congestion to J3 M20 (Swanley Interchange) with delays in both directions along the A2 on approach to J2. Dartford is also heavily congested. Travel time is 45 minutes.

Hour delays

Long delays continue to build on the approach from M25 J29 and across the QEII Bridge currently adding at least 60minutes to journey times.

Further travel woes for M25 users

INCIDENT Lanes 1 & 2 (of 4) are closed on the #A282 southbound between J1A #A206 & J1B #A296 due to a collision. Delays are building on approach from #M25 J31 and across the #QEIIBridge currently adding at least 30 minutes to journey times. #Dartford @Dartcharge pic.twitter.com/dlOeJHfQox — National Highways: South-East (@HighwaysSEAST) November 16, 2023

Kent Fire and Rescue statement

Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to reports of a vehicle alight in the east tunnel at the Dartford Crossing at 12.22pm. Three fire engines attended, as well as two from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, and crews extinguished the flames with hose reel jets at roughly 1.35pm.

No injuries were reported. Duty of care was left with the Highways Agency.

Tunnel reopens

The scene is now clear however there are residual delays of at least 90 minutes.

The A282 northbound #DartfordCrossing tunnels are now BOTH OPEN. The scene is now clear however there are residual delays of at least 90 minutes. pic.twitter.com/C8g4Eedvhd — National Highways: South-East (@HighwaysSEAST) November 16, 2023

Lane closures and tunnel reopening

There is queueing traffic and two lanes are closed due to the car fire on M25 anticlockwise from J1A A206 (Dartford) to J31 A1306 (Lakeside / Purfleet).

As a result, there is congestion to J3 M20 (Swanley Interchange). The tunnels were closed for around an hour at 12:30, cameras show the right-hand tunnel remains closed but the left tunnel re-opened at 13:30.

Fire service on site amid heavy delays

Due to a vehicle fire, the east bore tunnel is closed while Kent Fire and Rescue continue to work at the scene. There are heavy delays of at least 90 minutes from the M25 J3 (M20).

Delays of 45 minutes

National Highways says delays on the busy motorway have now hit 45 minutes following the tunnel closures. The closure first happened at 12.30pm today.

Congestion currently stretches past the A2 Darenth junction.

Photo shows long tailbacks

Expect delays

National Highways has shared the following on X, formerly known as Twitter:

The A282 northbound #DartfordCrossing EAST tunnel is now CLOSED due to a vehicle fire. The WESTBOUND tunnel is temporarily blocked while @kentfirerescue are en route. There are 30 minute delays approaching from #M25 J2 ( #A2 ) pic.twitter.com/9j80N22MIb — National Highways: South-East (@HighwaysSEAST) November 16, 2023

Diversion route

Road users are advised by National Highways to use the clockwise M25 due to the severe delays in the area.

Significant amount of smoke

Due to a vehicle fire in the east bore tunnel, both tunnels have now closed at Dartford due to a significant amount of smoke. Kent Fire and Rescue are en route to the scene.

Delays are approaching from the M25 J2 (A2) but is expected to increase while the fire is being extinguished.

• Dartford Crossing
• IYA Alert County
• Traffic & Travel
• Most Recent

Several possible answers. Please specify a location.

• - GB - Kent: Dartford Tunnel

Dartford Tunnel Traffic News

• Route from this place
• Directions to this place
• Route via this place
• Nearby hotels
• Nearby restaurants

Keep in contact

My michelin account.

Work in progress.

Dartford Crossing

The Dartford Crossing of the River Thames combines the Queen Elizabeth II bridge and two tunnels, connecting Dartford in Kent and Thurrock in Essex. With about 160,000 crossings a day, it is one of the busiest road routes in Britain and is considered a part of the M25 motorway route. Tolls apply on the crossing, paid by the Dart Charge system, although it is free between 10pm and 6am. The first tunnel opened in 1963, the second in 1980 and the QE2 Bridge in 1991.

Russian Far East: top 10 experiences

Aug 10, 2018 • 6 min read

The limestone Lena Pillars are a popular cruise trip from Yakutsk © Vicky Ivanova / Shutterstock

The Russian Far East has a mystique that’s been luring travellers for generations. With the volcanoes and geysers of Kamchatka, ancient stone pillars on the Lena River and some of the world’s coldest and remotest human settlements, as well as the cosmopolitan cities of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, the region has something for everyone. Russia’s poignant past is present here too, from the BAM (Baikal-Amur Mainline) railway to the infamous Kolyma Highway that runs to Magadan, the most notorious outpost of the Far Eastern Gulag system.

Vladivostok

The ‘Master of the East’, a hip, dynamic city with an impressive setting in the Golden Horn Bay, Vladivostok is the unofficial capital of the Russian Far East and a cultural heavyweight in its own right. St Petersburg’s renowned Mariinsky Theatre has inaugurated the Primorsky Stage in the city in recent years, joining the new Hermitage Vladivostok branch and the stellar Zarya Centre for Contemporary Art as the city’s premier cultural attractions. Meanwhile, the S-56 Submarine , Fort No 7 and the Vladivostok Fortress Museum pay homage to the city’s background as Russia’s most important eastern naval base. Vladivostok’s dining scene is second only to Moscow and St Petersburg, and numerous cocktail bars and pubs attract night owls. If the frenetic pace is a little overwhelming, you can always escape to the beaches on Russky Island and Popov Island .

Right in the heart of the legendary Kamchatka peninsula, the little town of Esso is the jumping-off spot for some terrific hiking, soaking in the istochniki (hot springs) and rafting on the nearby Bystraya River. Charming  izbas (wooden cottages) sit in a pine-scented valley, surrounded by forested mountains. A well-marked network of hiking trails threads its way through the surrounding Bystrinsky Nature Park, ranging in difficulty and in length – the shortest is 2km, the longest 42km.

Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka

Accessible only by a helicopter tour from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the smoking Dolina Geyzerov is the star attraction of  Kamchatka – the volcano- and geyser-studded peninsula that has the most dramatic, volatile topography in all of Russia. This 8km-long valley, bisected by the Geysernaya River, is dotted with several dozen geysers that sporadically blast steam, mud and water towards the sky. Some of the more colourful ones can be admired while strolling along a specially made boardwalk.

The remote capital of the Sakha Republic, Yakutsk is both the world’s coldest city and a marvel of Soviet engineering, built entirely on permafrost. Its tangle of overground pipes, carrying water and gas, is a peculiar sight, but Yakutsk is a surprisingly cosmopolitan place despite its isolation. A visit to the quirky  Permafrost Kingdom is particularly worthwhile, with its never-melting sculptures of pagan gods and mythological characters, while the National Art Museum introduces you to the mammoth tusk carvings and paintings by Sakha artists. The best places to try Sakha delicacies such as indigirka (raw, frozen fish), reindeer and zherebyatiny (colt fillet) are Chochur Muran and Makhtal restaurants.

Riding the BAM railway

Stretching for some 4324km from Severobaikalsk (on the northern shores of Lake Baikal) to the Sea of Okhotsk, the BAM (Baikal-Amur Mainline) is a triumph of railway engineering (and convict labour) and the less-taken alternative to the Trans-Siberian Railway. With its bridges spanning the mighty Lena and Amur rivers, its tunnels blasted through kilometres of sheer rock, and its tracks running through dense spruce forest and taiga, riding the BAM is a wonderful way to get to know ordinary Russians. You might find yourself sharing a beer or hot tea and heaped spoons of caviar with miners or lumberjacks, who’ll be intensely curious about you. It’s worth disembarking in Tynda, where travel writer Dervla Murphy got stuck while writing Through Siberia by Accident, to visit the BAM Museum, and in Komsomolsk-na-Amure, to check out the grand Soviet-era mosaics and the riverside beach.

Some 650km east of Yakutsk, the tiny reindeer and silver fox breeding station of Oymyakon (population around 500) is the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth, with temperatures in the nearby valleys dropping as low as -82°C. Various travel agencies in Yakutsk, including Visit Yakutia , organise week-long tours to Oymyakon to attend the annual Pole of Cold Festival in late March, featuring reindeer races, outdoor concerts and other festivities.

Whether you come here in winter for the ice sculptures, or in summer for the lively nightlife and the Amur River beach, Khabarovsk is a breath of fresh air, especially if you’ve spent days cooped up on the train before getting here. Its wide boulevards are lined with stately, tsarist-era buildings (spot the Far Eastern State Research Library and the Tsentralny Gastronom), and there are numerous green walkways for strolling around the city, including those on Amursky bul and Ussuriysky bul. The burgeoning dining scene’s highlights are Georgian cuisine at Satsivi  and fusion at Farsh ; some good bars are dotted around the city centre, including the hipster Brozbar , with a good range of craft beer.

Magadan and Kolyma Highway

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and hemmed in by the Sea of Okhotsk, Magadan is a surprisingly pleasant city, given its dark past. Described as the ‘pole of cold and cruelty’ in Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago, it was the most notorious of the Stalinist forced labour camps from the 1930s to mid-1950s. The harsh sub-Arctic climate and dreadful work conditions are believed to have killed over a million prisoners in the Kolyma region, commemorated by the giant Mask of Sorrow monument on a hillside above Magadan, as well as at the Magadan Regional Museum . You can get here by air, or via the Russian Far East’s most ambitious road trip – a three- or four-day journey from Yakutsk by 6WD vehicle or truck along the Kolyma Highway, aka the ‘road of bones’, built on the backs of countless Gulag labourers.

Lena Pillars

The Russian Far East’s most popular cruise is the two-day jaunt from Yakutsk to the Lenskie Stolby (Lena Pillars) along the mighty Lena River. Resembling a petrified forest, the 80km-long, 35-million-year-old limestone pillars reach for the sky along the riverbank – a startling sight after you’ve spent many hours floating through impenetrable spruce forest. Lena Tur Flot  runs 36- and 46-hour cruises here aboard its two comfy cruise ships; you’ll even get to see a shaman ceremony.

Blagoveshchensk

A remote Russian outpost since 1644, this frontier town faces its rather more modern Chinese neighbour, Heihe, across the Amur River. However, it’s worth making the detour 110km south of the main Trans-Siberian Railway line to Blagoveshchensk to check out the charming tsarist-era architecture that dots the town centre; another highlight is the extensive  Amur Regional Museum . Blagoveshchensk is also one of the easiest places in Russia from which to enter China (though you’ll need to organise your visa in advance).

https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/lonely-planets-best-in-travel-paperback-2019

Explore related stories

Aug 11, 2020 • 3 min read

World cup mountain biker Tobias Woggon went on an epic journey through northern Europe that combines food and cycling.

Apr 6, 2020 • 2 min read

Oct 8, 2018 • 1 min read

Jun 19, 2018 • 4 min read

Nov 1, 2016 • 2 min read

Oct 10, 2014 • 6 min read

Jan 27, 2014 • 5 min read

Oct 28, 2013 • 7 min read

Dec 1, 2010 • 3 min read

Feb 15, 2024 • 16 min read