Sea journey to the Russian Far East

Day 1 Arrival to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

Upon arrival to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky you will move to the port and will board the expeditionary boat. You will be accommodated in cabins and will get acquainted with the crew. After a safety briefing your journey to the Commander islands will start.

At 12 pm the ship will leave the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the open sea. You will have a boat trip to Cape Shipunsky. Here you can see sea lions and spotted seals, also known as the largha seals. Picturesque rocks stretch along the coastline far out to the sea. Also you can see the old buildings preserved here from the time, when the military unit and the lighthouse were located at the cape.

After the excursion to the cape by motor boats you will return to the ship and continue the sea voyage to the Kronotsky Peninsula.

Day 2 The Kronotsky Peninsula

In the morning the ship will arrive to Kozlov's Cape on the Kronotsky Peninsula. The territory of the Peninsula and the adjacent ocean water area are a part of the famous Kronotsky Reserve.  

During the excursion on the motor boats around Kozlov's Cape you will see the sea lions rookery, which is considered to be one of the largest rookeries of the eastern coast of the Kamchatka peninsula. Also guillemots and gulls are usually observed here. At the end of the walk you will return to the ship and will move to the Commander islands.

You will get more information from the experienced tour guides during the voyage. Interesting lectures are going to take place every day in the saloon. Also you will watch the documentary from which you will learn interesting facts about the area where the tour takes place.

Day 3 Cape Manati and the Preobrazhenskaya Bay

At 6 am the ship will get to the south-eastern tip of the Bering island – Cape Manati. This part of the island is strictly protected, and landings are prohibited. You will take a walk along the picturesque coast by Zodiac boats, watching the sea lions and sea otters and admiring the waterfalls.

Then you will move to the uninhabited Medny Island, which is considered to be the most beautiful one in the northern part of the Pacific ocean because of its magnificent rocks, waterfalls, bays, inlets and rivers. On zodiac boats you will go along the Bering sea coast of the island past the Beaver Stones to the Rock of Matvey and then to the Preobrazhenskaya Bay.

Until 1970 the village of Preobrazhenskoye was located in this bay, further until 2001 there was a frontier post. This bay is very cozy, and the rocks bordering it are stunning. You will visit the old Aleutian settlement and cemetery located on the southern slope.

Here you will meet the main inhabitants of the Commander islands – arctic foxes. The most daring and curious animals will approach you for a couple of meters. After exploring the Preobrazhenskaya bay you will move to the Southeast Cape of the Medny Island where the biggest seal rookery is situated.

Until the end of the day you will take boat trips on Zodiacs watching the seals and sea lions.

Day 4 The Medny island

Today you will continue exploring The Medny island and the Southeast Cape. You will go ashore and climb the upper terrace by a long wooden staircase (320 steps). In good weather it offers a wonderful view of the whole coastline. In the summer there is a scientific station for observing the sea lions, seals and whales.

Then the ship will pass to the Glupyshiny pillars. These rocks are home to thousands of bird colonies. Here you can see the red-legged kittiwake and different kind of cormorants.

Next you will take a boat to the Gladkovskaya Bay, where you will will go ashore and hike to the picturesque waterfall and lake Gladkovsky.

In the evening you will come back to the ship and depart for the Bering island.

Day 5 Exploring the Bering island

Early in the morning you will go ashore in the Commander Bay. Here you will visit the Second Kamchatka Expedition’s necropolis. The expedition was under the command of Vitus Bering who was the most famous Kamchatka explorer. It is the place where the crew had to stay in the winter 1741-1742. Half of the “Saint Peter” packet-boat crew starved to death.

Then you will return to the ship and move to the northernmost tip of the Bering island – to Cape Yushin. It is famous for its large fur seal rookery. Further you will visit the Ariy Kamen island, which is a real kingdom of birds. Unfortunately it is impossible to go ashore because of the reefs surrounding the rocks. But even from the boat you can watch the great bazaars of seabirds (guillemots, cormorants, puffins, gulls).

Then you will arrive to Nikolskoye village – the only settlement on the entire Commander archipelago. Here you will visit the Aleutian local lore museum, go for a walk to get acquainted with the settlement and meet with the locals. In the evening you will return to the ship and continue the sea passage to the Kamchatka peninsula.

Day 6 The Olga bay

A boat trip to Cape Kamenistiy is waiting for you in the morning. The coastal rocks here have bizarre shapes. You will take the Zodiacs boats and go along the coastline to the southern tip of the cape, where you can admire the picturesque waterfall. There is a big chance to meet bears fishing in the rivers which flowing down from the nearby mountains. 

The next point of your voyage will be the picturesque Olga Bay located in the area of the Kronotsky Reserve. During the boar trip you can watch the seabirds and admire the picturesque coastal views. Also gray whales have been regularly observed here in recent years. Migrating from Mexico to Japanese coast, they stop in the bay to subsist. It is also the habitat of the sea otters. 

Day 7 Return to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

In the morning you will cross the Northern part of the Avacha Bay to the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Along the way can watch the sea lions on the rocks of  the Zheleznaya (Iron) Bay as well as see orcas and humpbacks in the ocean.

Upon arrival to the port at 12 pm you will farewell to the crew and move to the airport for departing home. Or you can stay at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky for some more days and take some additional excursions.