Chukotka - The Land Where Day Breaks
Known as “the Land of Two Oceans”, Chukotka is located on the very northeastern tip of Eurasia, between the Arctic and Pacific Oceans. The region covers a vast area of 737,700 sq km, a territory larger than France. This borderland lies along the line between the eastern and western hemispheres, and shares a maritime border with the United States (once upon a time, this northeastern extremity of Asia formed a single region with Alaska). About half of its area is within the Arctic Circle, where polar nights reign in winter and the Northern Lights brighten up the sky during the winter season, which lasts for 7-8 months.
The immense and sparsely populated land of Chukotka is made up of endless tundra, wild forests, cold seas, deep fjords and spectacular rocks. This region is one of the few places on earth that can still boast pristine spawning areas and 402 species of fish in the sourrounding sea waters. The tundra and taiga of Chukotka are home to reindeer, sable, snow rams, brown and polar bears, and many rare and endangered animal species. Numerous sea mammals such as seals, walruses, and whales inhabit its three seas, and 220 bird species dwell on its islands and in the lowlands. In summer, the tundra blossoms with a bright picturesque carpet of flowers, lichens, mushrooms, and berries, and the seemingly scarce and austere northern land reveals an amazing biodiversity. The Wrangel Island nature preserve, Beringia Nature & Ethnic park, 7 nature reserves and 26 protected areas were established to preserve this fragile environment. This astounding nature, together with true wilderness, makes Chukotka an outstanding nature and adventure destination.
Chukotka’s population is 50,500 people, and the region features a great diversity of cultures and ethnic traditions. Some 60 nationalities live in Chukotka including 16 indigenous peoples of the North such as the Chukchi, Eskimos, Chuvans, Evens, Koryaks, and Yukaghirs. The peoples of Chukotka maintain their traditional lifestyles: those living inland, in villages like Kanchalan, Khatyrka, and Amguema, practice reindeer breeding, while others settled in Vankarem and other coastal villages are involved in their traditional sea mammal hunting and fishing. Diverse ethnic events are frequent in Chukotka, and traditional dog sledding and reindeer races, local boat competitions, various rites and ethnic festivals provide many interesting opportunities for travellers (Beringia Days and the KorFest smelt fishing festival are most popular).
Chukotka is also remarkable as a region of Russia with an interesting and difficult history. A destination for many Russian, British, Norwegian and Dutch expeditions along the Northeast Passage, Chukotka became the easternmost outpost and base point for Arctic exploration and ventures to India and America. Originally inhabited by the peoples of the North, it went through a process of amalgamation of Russian culture and the exotic ethnic traditions of the indigenous population. In Stalin’s era, Chukotka gained an infamous reputation as a region for political exile, GULAGs, and forced labor for mining tin, tungsten, and gold. The Soviet period provided a push for the rapid economic growth of the region and construction of settlements, but the perestroika transitional period devastated the economy as industries closed down and over 50% of the population migrated to the European part of the country. The last 7 years, under the governorship of well-known businessman Roman Abramovich, have brought stability, growth and positive change to Chukotka.
Today, the capital of Chukotka is Anadyr, which accounts for about one-fifth of the region’s total population. The other largest settlements are Bilibino, Pevek, Provideniya, Egvekinot, Beringovsky, Lavrentiya, and Mys Schmidta (Cape Schmidt).
Northern Adventure Tours
Hunting and Fishing
Discover the generosity of Chukotka and experience superb trophy hunting and fishing! Chukotka is an excellent and undiscovered hunting destination. Among its most common animals are the impressive Kolyma elk with 2 meter-wide antlers, wild reindeer, huge polar wolves with long white fur, and dangerous brown bears. Thousands of sandpipers, ducks and geese will not leave bird hunters indifferent. Observing traditional walrus and whale hunting by indigenous people could become your unique experience.
True fishermen will find exciting angling for pike, loach, grayling, white and Siberian salmon, white fish and other species in the numerous pristine rivers and lakes of Chukotka.
Expeditions and Tailor-made Tours
Chukotka is a land of diversity, and it’s difficult to experience all of its diversity during a single tour. However, a tailor-made special interest tour or expedition makes this possible. Most importantly, you decide the Key Objectives of your trip.
In Chukotka, adventure expeditions, scientific trips (focussing on ornithology, geology, ecology, or ethnography), and expeditions for photographers and film-makers can be organized.
On our catalogue tours, we do our best to show many interesting places and attractions, but all the standard tours are held within areas with developed infrastructure. A tailor-made trip makes it possible to get to the most remote and pristine areas of Chukotka.
Would you choose to be a true wilderness explorer and a part of nature? Trekking is not the easiest way to travel. But the stunning landscapes of Chukotka, wonderful encounters with wildlife, challenges and incredible impressions will be the reward for any adventurer on the trail.
You will travel by plane or all-terrain vehicle to Egvekinot and start your trek in the tundra and in the valleys of grand mountains, past impressive waterfalls. Start off with the Explorer’s spirit – and on the way you will encounter outstanding geological outcroppings and traces of GULAG history, and find yourself at the junction of the Arctic Circle and the 180th meridian, where day breaks.
Typically, trekking in Chukotka is combined with kayaking, 4x4 rides and cultural activities. The best travel season is July-August.
Kayaking
In Chukotka, a land of crystal clear rivers, kayaking is the best way for travellers to see its nature.
You can kayak for many kilometers in the superb scenery of the mountains, the blossoming tundra and the azure sky, down the Amguema, Kylvygeyvaam, Khatyrka, Chantalveergyn, Pegtymel, Ekittyki or Anadyr rivers. Some of the itineraries will take you to petrogliphs, some to the shores of the Arctic Ocean and in others you will just enjoy the pristine nature. The travel season is short: July-August only.
Multi-adventure
Would you like to enjoy all of these experiences at once, try out every winter or summer activity possible and make most of Chukotka’s history and traditions? Then a multi-adventure tour is for you!
Combine trekking and kayaking to discover Chukotka’s nature or start off with a snowmobiling, dog- and reindeer-sledding trip! This is the best way to get to different places and learn Chukotka.
Snowmobiling
The endless whiteness of the tundra, majestic mountain scenery and vastness of ice-covered oceans… Imagine that you are flying on a powerful snowmobile along the snow, swishing through the frosty air and striking snow flakes at every turn, while discovering a spectacular northern land in its full magnificence and austere beauty.
By snowmobile, you will reach otherwise inaccessible and remote places in Chukotka. Experienced travelers will face challenges covering hundreds of kilometers along the shores of the Arctic ocean, snowmobiling in mountainous areas, or through snow storms. Beginner adventure-lovers will feel the excitement of a fast ride, learn to appreciate hot tea and cozy lodging, and thoroughly enjoy this unusual way to discover this land.
On a snowmobiling trip, you will visit the reindeer herding camps near Amguema, travel to Vankarem, a settlement of sea mammal hunters, or the Eskimo village Uelkal on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. You will have a chance to meet the local people, find out fascinating things about the history of this northeastern corner of Russia, and, last but not least, you might also encounter a polar bear.
The winter season in Chukotka lasts for an outstanding total of 7-8 months, but the best travel season for snowmobiling is March and April.
Dog Sledding
If you enjoy pristine wilderness as far as the eye can see, the thrill of the whitewashed scenery and very few people, but you feel that don’t want to rough it too much, then dog sledding is your type of travel.
Chukotka is one of the few places on earth where the very special art of dog-mushing is alive and well. Do you fancy having outstanding impressions on dog sleds while passing through magnificent northern landscapes and communicating with lovable furry dogs? In Chukotka, you will become an experienced musher.
Especially for those who would like to have fun and try this unusual type of travel, a one-day dog sledding introductory course is possible at a dog farm just outside the town of Anadyr.
For adventure-minded travelers who are ready to dedicate more time and energy, long itineraries from one settlement to another and dog sledding competitions are available. The best travel season for this is March-April. In the fist half of April, the locals in Chukotka hold their traditional dog sledding races.
Reindeer sledding
There are 3 times more reindeer in Chukotka than people. It is best to learn the art of reindeer mushing from Chukotka’s nomadic reindeer herders, for whom sledding with reindeer is a traditional form of transport.
Your adventure will start with a trip to a temporary Chukchi reindeer herding camp located in the midst of tundra near the villages of Amguema, Markovo or Kanchalan, meeting with the local team of reindeer herders. Observing them and learning from them, you will travel with reindeer and sled across the silent, frozen tundra, blazing a trail through the thick snow. Nights in a yaranga will only add to your impressions!
For those who would just like to get a taste of reindeer sledding, short rides are available in Kanchalan, only
Typically, reindeer sledding is an activity within a multi-adventure trip (snowmobiling, dog sledding) in Chukotka. The best travel season is March-April.
Ethnic Event Tours
Chukotkans know how to celebrate their holidays. The way of life in Chukotka covers great distances and involves long separations: settlements are far away from each other, reindeer herders spend a lot of time out in tundra, and sea hunters often venture out into the open sea. People cannot always stay with family or see friends from a neighboring village on regular basis. That’s why holiday celebrations provide a perfect opportunity to come together.
Many settlements in Chukotka hold their own local celebrations, such as the Day of the Young Reindeer and Day of the Whale at summer’s end, plus many more. There also larger-scale events bringing together people from different parts of Chukotka: Reindeer- and dog sledding races, the smelt fishing festival KorFest, and Beringia Days with traditional sports competitions. During each of these celebrations, you can appreciate the living traditions of the indigenous peoples of the North – dancing, singing, and national sports. And, most importantly, you can be not just a spectator but also an active participant in these events.
Culture and Nature Tours
Would you like to witness the indigenous culture and scenic nature of Chukotka without engaging in extreme sporting activities? Then you might be interested in visiting the national settlements of the Chukchi (Kanchalan, Amguema, Markovo) and Eskimos (Uelkal). Your road will take you through a green carpet of tundra framed with dramatic mountain ranges in the horizon.
A visit to a reindeer herders camp near Amguema could become the true jewel of your stay in Chukotka; you can try out local crafts - bone carving, leather tanning or embroidering - in a workshop, or be initiated into aboriginal culture through dance and song.
Chukotka’s past – with its expeditions and exploration history, geological prospecting, GULAG and prison labour, Soviet-era forced settlement, and important role in World War II – is well-remembered and carefully preserved for both locals and newcomers. The passionate museum personnel in Egvekinot and Anadyr will tell you all about the history, ethnography and people living in the northern land of Chukotka. You can also opt for encounters with the modern life of Chukotka’s population on the streets of Anadyr or in the regional college.
Boat trips in the vicinity of Anadyr, Egvekinot, Provideniya, Markovo, or Amguema will reveal the scenery of Chukotka’s bays, the generosity of its nature – a multitude of mushrooms and berries - and its abundant wildlife. Near the town of Anadyr, you can spot seals and white whales or visit Alyupka Island to see its remarkable bird colony. An intersting experience is fishing together with local fishermen.
Travel Advice:
Time:
Chukotka is located along the border between the eastern and western hemispheres. Chukotka’s time zone is GMT+12 (GMT +13 in summer), and time difference with Moscow is +9 hours.
Climate:
The climate of Chukotka is more severe than in neighbouring Alaska and varies significantly across the territory. Average July temperatures can range from +4C to +14C and January temperatures from -18C to -42C. The lowest temperatures are characteristic for the western part of the region while storms and winds are frequent on the eastern coast. The summer is short but warm.
As the average annual temperature in Chukotka is negative, a warm water- and windproof coat as well as a fleece jacket will prove useful any time of year. Winter requires special clothes, boots, gloves and headwear. Sunglasses both in summer and winter are highly recommended.
In the summer, the tundra and lowlands of Chukotka are home to mosquitoes and flies. On your trip, you will need a repellent spray or cream, proper clothes, a sleeping bag or tent with a special net, and possibly burning repellents.
Special permits:
As Chukotka is considered a border zone area (US border), in addition to a regular Russian Federation visa, a special permit is required to visit the region. The permit is issued by federal authorities up to 45 days after an application is filed. The application must be done via travel agencies.
How to get there:
You can get to Chukotka by regular flights from Moscow (Domodedovo Airport) to Anadyr (8-9 hrs flight time) operated by Transaero Airlines several times a week; by flights from Moscow (Vnukovo) to Pevek on Kavminvodyavia, or by infrequent flights to Anadyr from Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Magadan, and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. There are occasional overseas flights from Nome, Alaska, USA to Provideniya.
Transport within Chukotka:
Chukotka suffers from infrequent and expensive internal transportation. There are great distances, no railways and only a few roads suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles, which are not passable all year-round. Transportation among the region’s main towns takes place on occasional flights. Much of the region can be accessed by a fleet of MI-8 helicopters, but these flights are expensive and can often be delayed or cancelled due to bad weather. The most realistic option is a caterpillar all-terrain vehicle, slow, noisy, uncomfortable, but reliable. In limited cases only, a snowmobile can become a good alternative.
Accommodation in Chukotka:
A choice of 4 hotels is available in Anadyr: there is the business-class Hotel Chukotka, the tourist class Anadyr and Chukotka-2 hotels, and the Gostiny Dvor hostel. Hotel rates are generally expensive. Apartment rentals are also available in Anadyr. As the total accommodation capacity in the town is about 170 persons, all rooms are booked well in advance for festivals and large-scale conferences.
In a few settlements of Chukotka (e.g., Egvekinot, Kanchalan), there are comfortable modern cottages of the type typical to the world’s northern regions. The best option outside Anadyr is to stay with a host or to rent an apartment or cottage.
Water and food:
The local cuisine has several interesting dishes - reindeer meat, fish, diverse berries and mushrooms, and mantak (whale’s fat; common in sea mammal hunting settlements). The local cuisine is so specific that the travelers sometimes prefer meals made out of standard food products, which are offered on our tours to Chukotka.
The tap water in Chukotkan settlements is entirely drinkable; locals also drink water from the streams and rivulets.
Other important notes:
The climate in Chukotka is harsh compared to other northern regions of the world, and the weather is often unpredictable. Significant changes in the itineraries and programmes are possible.
Mobile communication in Chukotka is limited to the largest settlements. Only satellite communication is available in the tundra outside of major towns.
