Aldan (river)

The Aldan is a big river in eastern Siberia, flowing through the Sakha Republic. It is the second-longest right tributary of the Lena River and stretches for about 2,273 kilometers, or 1,412 miles. About 1,600 kilometers of the Aldan is navigable, meaning boats can travel along much of its length.

Long ago, the Aldan was part of an important River Route that led to Okhotsk. In 1639, a person named Ivan Moskvitin traveled up the Aldan and another river called the Maya. He then crossed to the Ulya and reached the Sea of Okhotsk.

The area around the Aldan is rich in gold and also has many interesting Cambrian fossils. These fossils give us clues about life from a very long time ago.

Etymology

People have different ideas about where the name "Aldan" comes from. One old idea connects it to a word meaning "gold." Another idea suggests it might come from a word for "fish." Yet another idea says it could refer to a special kind of spring ice on the coast.

Course

The Aldan River begins in the Stanovoy Mountains near Neryungri. It flows northeast past several towns such as Tommot, Ust-Maya, and Eldikan before joining the Lena River close to Batamay.

Tributaries

The Aldan River has many smaller rivers that flow into it. Some of the larger ones that join from the right side include Timpton, Uchur, and Allakh-Yun. Others join from the left side, such as Amedichi and Amga.