Experiences you'll have
On this journey, you will discover a real treasure trove of the Arctic. You will see pristine ice and ancestral dens of polar bears, gray whales, wolverines and musk oxen, sheep foxes and arctic foxes. Professional guides will tell you about the history of the discovery of Wrangel Island, the members of the Karlyuk expeditions, the heroine of the island Ada Blackjack, the militarization and recognition of the island as a world-class nature reserve.
Highlights of the expedition:
The cost of the cruise depends on the category of the chosen cabin. See details in the Accommodation section.
First-hand experience: Yulia Grigorieva, the executive director of RussiaDiscovery, has recently participated in this expedition. Find out, what is waiting for you on the cruise to the very edge of Russia, in our blog →
Photos by Sergey Dolya.
Itinerary
The journey begins in Anadyr, where you should get to on your own. We are ready to help with the purchase of tickets, if necessary, leave a comment in the application.
Here is the general plan of the expedition, the route may vary depending on the weather and ice conditions.
Day 1 Embarkation in Anadyr, Chukotka
On this day you will board the ship in Anadyr. You will meet the crew and expedition staff, who will give you a tour of the ship, a safety briefing and show you the cabins. Your expedition will start this evening.
Day 2 Yttigran Island and Gilmimil Bay
On the island of Yttygran, you will walk along the Whale Alley – construction of two rows of huge bowhead whale bones embedded in the ground near the shore. It is a unique monument of ancient Eskimos culture and an object of international archaeological importance. The region is famous for gray whales, and after disembarking you will go in search of them in agile motorboats.
In the afternoon you will disembark at Gilmimil Bay. Here you will swim in the hot springs and take a walk along the coast, during which you can get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the tundra.
Day 3 Puutyn Bay and Dezhnev Cape
In the morning the ship will call at the picturesque Puutyn Bay. You will be taken on motorboats along the shoreline to get acquainted with the wildlife of this secluded place.
If the weather is good in the afternoon, you will reach Dezhnev Cape, the easternmost point of Russia and Eurasia. Sometimes, standing on an uninhabited and remote outpost, you can see the coast of Alaska from there.
Wandering through the stony beach, you will come to an abandoned border base and the monument to Semyon Dezhnev, the pioneer after whom the cape was named. You can also visit the abandoned Eskimos village Naukan, located in the southern part of the Cape.
Day 4 Kolyuchin Island
A long time ago there used to be a Russian meteorological station on this small island, but now only birds and walruses inhabit it. Not far from the abandoned buildings stands a rock, clad with birds. Here you will have the opportunity to observe puffins, guillemots and cormorants and take pictures of them at arm's length.
Days 5-10 Wrangel and Herald Islands
The Wrangel and Herald Islands are a national nature reserve of international importance. The goal of these days' expedition will be to make as many landings as possible to observe representatives of local fauna: polar bears, musk oxen, reindeer, and Arctic foxes.
Thousands of birds nest on the steep seashores of the islands: white geese, cormorants, black-legged kittiwake and guillemots. You can also see rare snowy owls. One day you will visit Dragi Harbor, where Captain Bartlett's expedition miraculously wintered after his ship Karluk was crushed by the ice.
Day 11 The coast of Northern Siberia
The Koluchin Gulf is so large that can be seen in satellite photos. Many waterfowl and migratory birds come here every year to nest. If you are lucky, you may see an emperor goose or sandpiper.
The North Siberian coast with its sandy ridges and picturesque lagoons makes it possible to have several landings and explore the coastline. Vankarem Cape is home to a large rookery of walruses, and gray whales can be seen in the coastal waters.
You will also visit Nutepelmen village, where Chukchi people live in a harsh climate, still hunt seals and whales, just like their ancestors.
Day 12 Nameless Bay and Lavrentia village
In the morning, the ship will come to a picturesque bay surrounded by cliffs. You will disembark and walk through the tundra and climb one of the surrounding peaks to capture a stunning panorama of the bay from the air.
Then you will head to Lavrentia Bay. On its southern shore, the Chukchi village of the same name is located. You will have a guided tour in the village, visit the local museum and communicate with the locals, whose traditional occupation is still reindeer herding and sea hunting.
Day 13 Penkegney Bay and Arakamchechen Island
On this day you will explore Penkegnei Bay, located on the western shore of the Senyavin Strait of the Bering Sea. The shores of the bay are surrounded by high and steep mountains. Gray whales often visit here.
In the afternoon, you will take a zodiac boat trip to Arakamchechen Island, located north of Chaplino Cape and separated from the mainland by Senyavin Strait. This island is known for a large rookery of walruses. In the evening there will be a farewell dinner on board, during which you will summarize the results of the expedition.
Day 14 Arrival at the port of Anadyr
On this day, you will say goodbye to the ship's crew and disembark. After that, you will take a transfer to the port of Anadyr, from where you will go home.
Accommodation during the trip
Your voyage will take place on the expedition ice-class vessel Professor Khromov. It is specially equipped to sail through the territories, where navigation of large liners is impossible.
The vessel has a restaurant, a bar, a sauna, a wardroom, a library with a large collection of thematic literature, a conference room and a lounge. The spacious captain's bridge is always open for passengers, offering stunning views of the ocean and coastal scenery. The ship has Zodiac inflatable rubber motorboats as well, which are used for expedition landings on islands and in bays. There is a satellite communication system onboard. All the ship's cabins have ocean views.
The cost per person, double accommodation:
The price is per person. The price in USD depends on the ruble exchange rate on the day of purchase.
Cabins Description:
Double cabin (12 sq.m.): two lower bunks, a sofa, a porthole, a desk, a closet, bedside tables, a washbasin. The toilet/shower is on the deck.
Superior cabin (12 sq.m.): two bunks – upper and lower, a sofa, a porthole, a desk, a closet, bedside tables. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, a toilet, a washbasin.
Superior Plus cabin (12 sq.m.): two lower bunks, a window, a desk, a closet, bedside tables. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, a toilet, a washbasin
Mini-lux сabin (18 sq.m.): a bedroom with a double bed, living room with a sofa, windows, TV, a desk, a closet, bedside tables. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, a toilet, a washbasin.
Owner's Suite сabin (27 sq.m.): a bedroom with a double bed, living room with a sofa, panoramic windows on both sides, a TV, a fridge, a desk, a closet, bedside tables. The bathroom is equipped with a shower, a toilet, a washbasin.
Common questions
The crew of the ship is Russian-speaking, there are both Russian and English speaking guides.
The cost of the tour includes a full board: breakfast – buffet, lunch – main course, salad and dessert, dinner – main course, vegetables and dessert. An alcoholic menu is available for lunch and dinner.
Cooks can prepare meals according to your diet if you inform them in advance.
When choosing clothes and shoes, consider the features of the cruise. The temperature on the Northern route points can drop to 0°C. Sometimes there are no disembarkations, and the boats go along the shore.
In order not to distract you from the harsh beauty of northern nature, remember that the coast can be very windy, which increases the temperature effect. On a boat in a small amount of swell, you can not avoid splashing, so your clothes should be waterproof and windproof. The main heat loss goes through the head, hands and feet – give them maximum attention. We recommend you take a camping seat with you. Do not forget about your technique equipment, too: you need a waterproof cover to take pictures in the rain and drizzle.
Clothing: warm pants, waterproof pants, thermal underwear, sweater, turtleneck, wool cap with ears covering, balaclava/scarf, warm socks, waterproof windproof jacket with hood. For the farewell evening, you can take dressy clothes (heels not advised).
Shoes: boots with a grooved sole will allow you to stand most steadily; rubber boots are necessary, but they can be given on the first day of the cruise for free. If you plan to take your own boots, they should be up to mid-calf or higher with a thick ribbed non-slip sole. In some landings will have to step into the water to a depth of 25 cm. Also, it can be quite slippery on the ice and on the shore. Make sure the boots sit comfortably on a woolen sock, it is important to bring warm insoles. In addition, you need sandals, sneakers, or any other comfortable shoes for the ship and slippers for the shower.
Other: a small backpack for drop-offs (preferably waterproof), warm and waterproof gloves, sunglasses, cream (in windy weather, preferably oily nourishing), lipstick, binoculars, earplugs, swimsuit (for bathing and optional swimming in the ocean).
You will have two towels (bath towel and hand towel), which are changed three times per cruise along with the linens. You can ask for an extra towel if needed. There is always soap and gel in the cabin and shower.
Documents: passport, boarding pass (issued or mailed in advance), plane ticket, copy of insurance.
To participate in the cruise, all passengers must present either a certificate of vaccination or a negative PCR test done no earlier than 72 hours before departure.
Also, to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, security measures have been strengthened on board the ship:
Booking
Accommodation during the trip
Languages
accommodation on the ship in a cabin of the chosen category
meals (full-board)
pre- and post-cruise transfers
all excursions and landings as per program
lectures, presentations and services of expedition leader and guides
information materials sent to the participants before start of the expedition
air tickets to Anadyr and back (starting at 510 USD for a round-trip)
mandatory health insurance with emergency evacuation coverage
ground service before and after the cruise (hotel, meals, additional excursions)
personal expenses, communication, laundry and bar services onboard
visa
tips (optionally)
accommodation on the ship in a cabin of the chosen category
meals (full-board)
pre- and post-cruise transfers
all excursions and landings as per program
lectures, presentations and services of expedition leader and guides
information materials sent to the participants before start of the expedition
air tickets to Anadyr and back (starting at 510 USD for a round-trip)
mandatory health insurance with emergency evacuation coverage
ground service before and after the cruise (hotel, meals, additional excursions)
personal expenses, communication, laundry and bar services onboard
visa
tips (optionally)
Expedition to Wrangel Island