In early May, reindeer herders of Yamal set off to the Kara Sea with their herds. The life cycle of tundra nomads involves seasonal migrations; in spring and summer, they move to increasingly higher latitudes where moss is plentiful and insects fewer, and in autumn, they travel south to escape the severe Arctic cold. Endless journeys define the existence and purpose of nomads, forming the rhythm of an entire people's life. Moreover, the spatial movement process itself is a vast, intricate and multi-faceted phenomenon filled with intriguing nuances.

Historically, in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Nenets distinguished 'summer' and 'winter' years, treating each season as a distinct, complete time period. During winter, nomads prefer to stay longer at their campsites, while in summer, they undertake lengthy marches. For instance, reindeer herders associated with the district centre of Yar-Sale choose to remain stationary for about a month during the cold season, but only 1–3 days in spring. Reindeer herders must traverse hundreds of kilometres swiftly to reach summer pastures in time. By late spring, deer start calving, significantly slowing down their movement. In late summer and autumn, nomads only stay at one location for 3–5 days, following their herd. Reindeer need to gain weight before winter, but staying too long in one place isn't possible as they would deplete all the food. 

Throughout the year, a reindeer herding brigade composed of several families may migrate between 80 and 120 times depending on their route.

Reindeer herders follow pre-established 'corridors' or nomadic paths within a 'micro-region' inhabited by groups of families connected by kinship and social ties. It's both a territorial and social construct identified by a self-name. For example, a micro-region known as Mordyakha can be mentioned. As of 2023 (from the article 'Dynamics of Nomadic Routes in Yamal' by A.I. Volkovitsky, A.I. Terekhina), it comprises 25 families, including two reindeer herding brigades with 10 families each and private households. 

The brigades graze between 2,000 and 4,000 reindeer, while individual families may own small herds ranging from 50 to 100 reindeer or large ones up to 2,500 heads.

A single family of 5–6 people with a herd of approximately 300–400 reindeer departs from their winter camp to the North in spring independently, then during the spring calving season, they join with two or three neighbouring families to form a camp. Later in the summer, several camps merge together until they pair off and head back south in autumn. Interestingly, when tired of their neighbours, a family may decide to break away and venture into 'free floating'—without establishing any dependencies or strict commitments. Unlike brigades, individual families manage to participate in seven to eight temporary cooperative associations throughout a calendar year.

In the Nenets' nomadic movements, there is no chaos; the approximate routes are known beforehand. Nenets make sure not to disturb neighbouring nomads with their presence, especially since it is seen as a rights violation. Nomadic boundaries represent an intricate blend of archaic and modern elements—as Alexander Volkovitsky and Alexandra Terekhina note, on a micro-scale, private reindeer herders adhere to administrative boundaries of tundra, while on a larger scale, they consider traditional law more heavily. Brigades considered heirs to collective farms have priority rights to collective pastures. 'Private' tundra plots belong not to individual families but to 'micro-regions,' whose members internally distribute locations among themselves. For reindeer herders, it's crucial not to mix their deer with others to prevent conflicts; thus, grazing is always coordinated among neighbours. It's important to note that pasture rights are more about usage than ownership. It's perfectly legal and appropriate to let your reindeer graze on an appealing hectare or two if no owner is nearby.

Scientists have observed that while summer migration corridors have remained relatively unchanged in recent years, winter camps frequently shift locations. Yet modern nuances also emerge—recently, participants of the Clean Arctic—Vostok 77 expedition discovered that many Nenets alter their routes to stay within cell service coverage and have Internet access. The necessity to complete virtual documents, connect children to remote education and access telemedicine services influences migration patterns as significantly as weather conditions or unharvested moss.

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