Olyokma Nature Reserve, Protected area in Sakha, Russia

Olyokma Nature Reserve is a strict zapovednik in the Sakha Republic, Russia, on the right bank of the Olyokma River where the Aldan Highlands meet the Olyokma-Chara Plateau. Its 847,108 hectares are 88% forest, with Dahurian larch forming the canopy and larch-pine stands with alder and Dahurian rhododendron between 400 and 900 meters. Above 1,000 meters, tundra communities replace the trees.

Soviet authorities created the reserve in 1984 to protect East Siberian ecosystems from rising pressure caused by resource extraction and development. It became part of a national network of strictly protected areas known as zapovedniks, a system that dates back to the early 20th century.

The reserve holds archaeological monuments in the form of rock paintings. In March 2026, staff working with archaeologists from the Yakut Scientific Centre of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences found a previously unknown group of Neolithic petroglyphs in a hard-to-reach rock massif on the reserve's territory; the scientists began photogrammetry and building 3D models of the paintings.

Visiting requires a special permit, which can be arranged through the reserve's administration office in the nearby town of Olekminsk. Winters are extreme and summers short, so the timing of a visit matters greatly, and local guidance is strongly advised.

In March 2026, reserve staff and archaeologists from the Yakut Scientific Centre of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences found a previously unknown group of Neolithic petroglyphs in a hard-to-reach rock massif on the reserve's territory. They began photogrammetry and the creation of 3D models of the rock art.