Norilsk — Decipher the Gulag's Final Secret
Uncover the hidden truth behind Norillag's most dangerous prisoners. Eight monuments hold the key to a conspiracy buried beneath Arctic ice for 70 years.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1956, as Stalin's grip loosened, Norillag—the Soviet Union's deadliest labor camp—was officially closed
Norilsk — Decipher the Gulag's Final Secret
You are Fiodor Nikitsine, a pioneering Norilsk geologist in 1935, tasked with mapping the mining riches of this isolated Russian region.
Your mission takes you to
Delve into the icy depths of Arctic Siberia and decipher the industrial and human secrets of Norilsk, a city forged by the Gulag.
The story that haunts this land
Your journey begins at the Museum of the History of the Norilsk Industrial Region, founded in 1979 to document Norilsk's industrial history. This museum is dedicated to mining and the forced labor camps that have marked Norilsk since the 1930s. Here, you discover artifacts from the Norillag prisons (1935-1956), a somber prelude to the estimated 16,806 prisoner deaths. It is here, in Norilsk's city center, that the first puzzles guide you into a complex past, blending industrial heroism and human tragedy at the heart of the Krasnoyarsk region.
Continue to Lenin Square (Площадь Ленина), Norilsk's central square, named in honor of Vladimir Lenin. Built in the 1950s in typical Soviet architecture, it is surrounded by administrative and residential buildings erected by Gulag prisoners. This square, a site for public gatherings in the isolated Arctic city, offers a perspective on the planned urbanism and forced labor that shaped Norilsk's landscape. Clues reveal the hidden symbols of this period, omnipresent in Norilsk's Gulag heritage.
The path then leads you to the Polar Drama Theater named after Vl. Mayakovsky (Заполярный театр драмы имени Вл. Маяковского), opened in 1964. This drama theater beyond the Arctic Circle, named after the Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, is a major cultural center in Norilsk with a capacity of approximately 800 seats. Its building, constructed in the 1960s, stands on the site of former labor camps. This contrast between art and past harsh realities illustrates the city's resilience and the layers of history that overlap, a crucial exploration for understanding the history of Norilsk.
Your exploration of Krasnoyarsk's heritage continues at the Norilskaya Golgofa Memorial (Мемориал «Норильская Голгофа»), inaugurated in 2000 on the site of a former Norillag prisoner cemetery. This memorial commemorates the victims of the labor camps from 1935 to 1956, with an estimated 16,806 deaths. The main cross, 25 meters high, is visible from the city center, a poignant reminder of the scale of the tragedy. Located immediately adjacent to the Museum of Industrial History, this site is a highlight of your Norilsk visit, rooted in the Norilskaya Golgofa 2000 Memorial.
Finally, your journey concludes on Lenin Prospekt (Ленинский проспект), Norilsk's main avenue, developed in the 1950s-1960s. Lined with brutalist residential blocks built by prisoners between 1935 and 1956, this approximately 2 km long avenue traverses the city's historic heart. It connects central squares and monuments, including the 'First Tent' Monument (Памятник «Первая палатка»), erected in the 1970s to mark Norilsk's founding in 1935 and representing the Norillag Gulag prisoners' base camp. This immersion will have helped you decipher the last secret of the Gulag and the complex legacy of this unique Arctic city in Russia.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Gulag Legacy
Explore the dark history and the city's construction by Norillag prisoners.
Industrial Power
Discover Norilsk's central role in the global nickel and palladium industry.
Arctic Challenge
Immerse yourself in the extreme Arctic Circle conditions that shaped this unique city.
Stones remember, even when men forget.
The permafrost holds the coldest secrets.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Delve into the icy depths of Arctic Siberia and decipher the industrial and human secrets of Norilsk, a city forged by the Gulag.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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