An Expedition to the Land of Polar Bears

Day 1 Embarkation in Anadyr, Chukotka

Today you will arrive in Anadyr, the administrative center of Chukotka, located on the shores of Anadyr Bay. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the port for embarkation.

After settling into your cabin, you will enjoy a welcome cocktail and meet the expedition team.

From the open decks, you may even spot belugas — white Arctic whales that often swim right up to the ship.

Day 2 Providence Bay

On this day, you can take full advantage of your ship’s comforts: dine in the panoramic restaurant, relax in the sauna with ocean views, or enjoy a drink at the outdoor grill bar.

The ship will enter Providence Bay — one of the most beautiful and atmospheric places on the Chukotka coast. You will be able to watch the scenery from specially designed viewing decks at the bow and stern, complete with cozy chairs, blankets, and hot drinks.

The view is striking: narrow inlets framed by dark ridges up to 800 meters high. Even in summer, snow lingers on the slopes. The bay stretches for 34 kilometers, its winding coastline often covered in mist, giving the northern landscape a mysterious and captivating look.

Day 3 Yttygran Island. Whale Bone Alley

This morning you will go ashore on Yttygran Island to see Whale Bone Alley, a unique site of ancient Eskimo culture. Massive bowhead whale bones, set deep into the ground, form a ceremonial complex that dates back to before the 16th century.

You will walk through the blooming tundra of Gilmimyl Bay and unwind in natural hot springs. Next, Zodiac rides at Penkigney Bay will bring you close to gray and bowhead whales feeding in the coastal waters.

Later in the day, you will reach the village of Yanrakynnot, perched on the hills above the Semyonovsky Strait. Nearby, you will find the “Whale Cemetery,” where giant bones still stand as reminders of the ancient Chukchi hunting traditions.

Day 4 Cape Dezhnev and Uelen village

Today you will stand at the very edge of Russia — the easternmost point of Eurasia.

You will walk up to the lighthouse-monument dedicated to the explorer Semyon Dezhnev. In clear weather, you can see the coast of Alaska from here — just 86 kilometers away.

Your next stop is Uelen, the easternmost settlement in Eurasia and one of Chukotka’s main centers of bone carving art. You will visit the region’s oldest workshop, meet local artists, and sample northern delicacies such as caviar, fish, walrus, and whale meat.

Day 5 Kolyuchin Island

You will land on the tiny Kolyuchin Island, which covers just 8 km². Its name comes from the Eskimo language and translates as “large ice floe” or “circle” — the island’s rounded shape really does resemble a giant piece of drifting ice.

Until 1992, a weather station operated here, and today only its abandoned buildings remain.

Kolyuchin is home to one of the Arctic’s most spectacular bird cliffs: guillemots, puffins, and gulls nest in the coastal rocks. Along the shore, you may also spot polar bears.

Days 6-8 Wrangel and Herald Islands

For the next days, you will explore Wrangel Island, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Russia’s most remarkable nature reserves.

If weather permits, the ship will circumnavigate the island, with several landings in different locations. You will see polar bears, walruses, musk oxen, and rare Arctic birds. In the surrounding waters, you may encounter belugas, gray whales, and even bowhead whales.

The tundra here is strikingly colorful: more than 400 plant species grow on Wrangel Island. Around 40 species of animals, birds, and insects are found nowhere else in the world.

You will also approach remote Herald Island, located 40 kilometers from Wrangel. Its rocky shores make landing impossible, so you will explore by Zodiac. You will cruise past dramatic bird cliffs and, with some luck, take unforgettable photos of polar bears.

Day 9 Kolyuchin Bay. Walruses haul-out

Today you will head for the coast of the Chukchi Sea and take a Zodiac cruise along the rugged cliffs of Kolyuchin Bay. Here you may spot whales, walruses at their haul-outs, and countless Arctic birds nesting on the rocks.

Day 10 Bering Strait and Tomorrow Island

You will visit Big Diomede (Ratmanov Island), the easternmost point of Russia, located directly across from the American island of Little Diomede (Kruzenstern). 

Between the two rocky islands runs the International Date Line, creating a time difference of almost 21 hours. This is why one is known as the “Tomorrow Island,” and the other as the “Yesterday Island.”

Day 11 Lorino village. Chukchi folklore

Your ship will anchor off the coast of Lorino, a village known as one of Chukotka’s traditional whaling centers. Here, whaling is permitted only to the indigenous peoples of the North.

You will have the chance to bathe in Lorino’s hot springs, located not far from the village, and enjoy sweeping views of Chukotka’s dramatic landscapes.

Day 12 Fishing on Achchyon Lake

Today you will relax on the shores of Lake Achchyon, separated from Anadyr Bay by a narrow sandy spit. Enjoy leisurely fishing, followed by a lunch of freshly cooked fish soup prepared over the fire, and time to unwind by the campfire.

In the evening, the ship will set course for Anadyr. You will join your fellow travelers for a farewell cocktail and a film showcasing the highlights of your expedition.

Day 13 Returning to Anadyr

Early in the morning your ship will return to the port of Anadyr. After saying farewell to the crew, you will disembark, where a transfer will be waiting to take you either to your hotel or to the airport, depending on your flight schedule.

Back home, a special surprise will be waiting for you — a film with highlights and memories of your journey along Chukotka’s wild and remote shores.