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Sea lions and birds
Sea lions and birds

Cruise in the Sea of Okhotsk

Sea lions and birds
Difficulty
Difficulty levels
Easy. Passive relaxation and sightseeing — cruises for example. No physical activities. Good for older people.
Normal. Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Advanced. Get ready for a challenge — long trekking with a heavy backpack on the shoulders, rafting along mountain rivers.
Hard. Professional training and perfect physical fitness are required. The level involves climbing to the tops of the mountains (above 3000 meters), freeriding and North Pole diving.
Group size
to 50 person
Duration
11 days

Accommodation during the trip

10 nights

Languages

EN
guide
We update the dates and tour price.
Leave your email and we’ll notify you when get this info.

For eight months of the year, the North-East coast of the Sea of Okhotsk is covered with ice. Surprisingly, despite this fact, it is home to the largest populations of marine animals and birds in the Far East. Discover these truly wild lands during a sea expedition starting from Magadan.

Sea lions and birds
Difficulty
Difficulty levels
Easy. Passive relaxation and sightseeing — cruises for example. No physical activities. Good for older people.
Normal. Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Advanced. Get ready for a challenge — long trekking with a heavy backpack on the shoulders, rafting along mountain rivers.
Hard. Professional training and perfect physical fitness are required. The level involves climbing to the tops of the mountains (above 3000 meters), freeriding and North Pole diving.
Group size
to 50 person
Duration
11 days

Accommodation during the trip

10 nights

Languages

EN
guide
We update the dates and tour price.
Leave your email and we’ll notify you when get this info.

Experiences you'll have

Expedition to the Russian Far East

On a comfortable ship, you will go on a sea cruise through the little-studied and almost uninhabited territories of the Russian Far East.

The cost depends on the type of cabin. Find out more in the "Accommodation" section

Highlights of the expedition:

  • visiting the hard-to-reach Shantar Islands, where several species of seals live at once, including the rare Ribbon seals
  • killer whales and gray whales watching, encounters with Kamchatka brown bears, snow sheep and Steller’s Sea Eagles during the sea boat trips 
  • landing at the Koni Peninsula — this part of the Magadan Nature Reserve has not yet been fully explored, so you can feel like real pioneers and contribute to the sientific research of these places
  • birdwatching at the Yamskiye Islands — it is the largest bird colony in the North Pacific, where about 7 million birds are nesting
  • meeting the residents of Okhotsk — the first town and one of the oldest Russian settlements in the Far East

Itinerary

The journey begins in Magadan, where you should get to on your own. We recommend that you arrive on the eve of the cruise start day to relax after your flight and prepare for your upcoming trip. We are ready to help with the purchase of air tickets, if necessary, leave a comment in the application.

 

Here is the general plan of the expedition, the route may change depending on the weather and ice conditions. Please note, that the cruise ends in Magadan on June 27, 2021 (on the 11th day of the trip), but if you wish, you can stay on board for another 2 days and go ashore in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on June 30, 2021 (these days there is no excursion program, you can relax, visit the library or the captain's bridge).

Day 1 Embarkation in Magadan

This morning you will have transfer to the port of Magadan where you will board the Akademik Shokalskiy. Once on board you will be shown to your cabins and there will be a chance to unpack and explore the vessel. There will be briefings and introductions to the ship, staff and crew after we sail towards the Sea of Okhotsk.

Day 2 At sea

As we sail southwest towards Iony Island, the day is filled with illustrated lectures and opportunities to spend time on the deck birdwatching and looking for marine mammals, relax in the bar and library, or join the captain in the bridge as you adjust to life at sea.

Day 3 Iony Island

Iony Island lies in the middle of the Sea of Okhotsk, it is really just a rock, but what it lacks in physical size it more than makes up for wildlife. Birds appear to take up all available space; there are guillemots, kittiwakes and various species of auklets, with Parakeet, Whiskered and Least being the most prominent. We will Zodiac cruise around the island as Steller Sea Lions occupy the few rocky beaches, making any landing impossible.

Days 4-5 Shantar Archipelago

Lying in the western sector of the Sea of Okhotsk close to the continent, the islands in this archipelago are amongst the last place in the Sea of Okhotsk to become ice-free each year. This late ice can sometimes restrict how far we can explore here; on the other hand, ice increases our chances of seeing some of the seals including Bearded, Ringed, Largha and Ribbon Seals that breed here. If we can land there will be birding, botany and photography excursions led by our team of on board naturalists.

Day 6 Malminskie Islands

Here there are birds everywhere, in the air, in the water and on the land. Numerous species breed here including large numbers of Spectacled Guillemots. Other species include Ancient Murrelet, Rhinoceros Auklet, Parakeet Auklet, Horned and Tufted Puffin, Crested Auklet and both Common and Brunnich’s Guillemot. There is also a good population of Steller’s Sea Eagles on the island and on the adjacent mainland. Landing on the island is restricted to a small gravel spit; however on the mainland we can stretch our legs and explore the taiga forest.

Day 7 Okhotsk Town

This town has featured in Russian Far East history since the earliest Cossack explorers came from the west. Vitus Bering travelled overland from St Petersburg to Okhotsk in 1725 and again 1733 and travelled to Kamchatka and beyond. Today Okhotsk is the centre of fishing in the region. The port exports significant quantities of salmon and other fish. We visit the town, landing by Zodiac up the river near the town centre. The local people are generous and welcoming and will provide entertainment in the town centre and a cultural display.

Day 8 Talan Island

An internationally known but very difficult bird island to get to, Talan is famous largely because of the hundreds of thousands of Crested Auklets that nest there. There are also an extraordinary number of Black-legged Kittiwakes nesting along the cliffs and not surprisingly a large population of Steller’s Sea Eagles. We plan to circumnavigate the island by Zodiac before landing and then return in the late evening to witness the huge flocks of Crested Auklets amassing at sea before coming ashore.

Day 9 Koni Peninsula

This is a mountainous region to the south-east of the town of Magadan, part of which is included in the Magadanskiy Zapovednik Reserve. This reserve protects, among other animals, brown bear and Snow Sheep. Many of our landings are expeditionary, in that although we have landed at a number of places along the coast, many will be new and unknown to us, so we are never quite sure what we will find. That is part of what makes this style of travel so interesting.

Day 10 Yamskiye Islands

These islands are claimed by some biologists to be the largest bird colony in the North Pacific. According to bird counts, there are an estimated 7 million birds nesting on Matykil Island, the largest in the group. Birds include Common and Brunnich’s Guillemot, Crested, Parakeet and Least Auklets, Tufted and Horned Puffins and Northern Fulmars. The most abundant of these is the Least Auklet. We Zodiac around the coast as no landings are permitted.

Day 11 Disembarkation in Magadan

The name Magadan is synonymous with Stalin’s oppressive Gulags or prisons but there is very little evidence now of this town’s tragic past. The local museum has an excellent display about the Gulags but the most poignant reminder is the ‘Mask of Sorrow’, a large monument on a hill overlooking the town.

 

Today Magadan is a town of about 100 000 people. Fishing is important and gold mining is experiencing a revival. The infamous Kolyma Highway or the ‘Road of Bones’ connects Magadan with Irkutsk and ultimately greater Russia. We plan to arrive here midday where our journey ends. You will be transferred to a central hotel or the airport.

 

Please note, that if you wish, you can stay on board for another 2 days and go ashore in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on June 30, 2021 (these days there is no excursion program, you can relax, visit the library or the captain's bridge).

Sea lions and birds
Difficulty
Difficulty levels
Easy. Passive relaxation and sightseeing — cruises for example. No physical activities. Good for older people.
Normal. Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Advanced. Get ready for a challenge — long trekking with a heavy backpack on the shoulders, rafting along mountain rivers.
Hard. Professional training and perfect physical fitness are required. The level involves climbing to the tops of the mountains (above 3000 meters), freeriding and North Pole diving.
Group size
to 50 person
Duration
11 days

Accommodation during the trip

10 nights

Languages

EN
guide
We update the dates and tour price.
Leave your email and we’ll notify you when get this info.

Accommodation during the trip

Your cruise will take place on the ice-class expedition ship "Academic Shokalskiy". It was specially equipped for navigation in areas where navigation of larger ships is impossible. Onboard there are a bar, a cosy lounge, a lecture hall and a library with a big collection of books. A spacious bridge is always open for passengers. You can also view sea animals from open decks.  

 

The cost of the cruise depends on the type of cabin: 

  • Triple cabin accommodation — 6000 USD per person
    There are two lower sleeping berths and one upper sleeping berth in the cabin. A desk, a wardrobe and a nightstand.  A wash-basin. The nearby showers and toilets are shared with other cabins. There is an illuminator in the cabin. 
  • Double cabin accommodation — 7100 USD per person
    There are two lower sleeping berths in the cabin. A desk, a wardrobe and a nightstand.  A wash-basin. The nearby showers and toilets are shared with other cabins. There is an illuminator in the cabin. 
  • Superior cabin accommodation — 7990 USD per person
    There are two sleeping berths — one lower and one upper one. A desk, a wardrobe and nightstands. A bathroom: shower, toilet, a wash-basin. There is a window in the cabin.
  • Superior Plus cabin accommodation — 8250 USD per person
    There are two lower sleeping berths in the cabin. A desk, a wardrobe and nightstands. A bathroom: shower, toilet, a wash-basin. There is a window in the cabin.
  • Mini Suite accommodation — 8600 USD per person
    There is a bedroom with a bouble bed and a living room with a single bed in the cabin. A bathroom: shower, toilet, a wash-basin. There is a window in the cabin.
  • Heritage Suite accommodation — 9500 USD per person
    There is a bedroom with a bouble bed and a living room with a single bed in the cabin. A bathroom: shower, toilet, a wash-basin. There are panorama windows in the cabin.
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Common questions

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Who will be my guide +

The crew of the ship is Russian-speaking, there are both Russian and English speaking guides. The lectures are presented in English.

Meals +

During expedition you will have 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 a menu according to your diet, if you inform in advance in writing.

Insurance +

Medical insurance is a mandatory condition for participation in the tour. Insurance is not included in the basic cost and is about $160.

 

If you regularly take any medications, please make sure that you have enough of them for the duration of the trip and before returning home.

 

Passengers with disabilities and those who require a special medical care must notify the cruise organizer in advance in writing form. Such passengers are better to travel with a companion who could carry out a proper care, because the crew team does not provide such services. If you have not notified about these conditions in advance, the organizer has the right to refuse to participate in the tour. 

What to bring with me +

Personal equipment required

When choosing clothes and shoes, consider the features of the cruise. The temperature on the Northern route points can drop to 0°C. 

 

Clothing: warm pants, waterproof pants, thermal underwear, sweater, turtleneck, wool cap, covering ears, balaclava/scarf, warm socks, waterproof windproof jacket with hood. At the last retirement party you can bring 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 on the ice and on the shore can be quite slippery. 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 landings (preferably waterproof), warm and waterproof gloves, sunglasses, cream, chapstick, binoculars, earplugs.

 

Documents: passport, boarding pass on board (issued or sent by mail Manager), plane ticket, copy of insurance.

Tick-borne encephalitis vaccination +

We highly recommend to get a tick-borne encephalitis vaccination, especially for May-June arrivals. In Russia vaccination is done in 2 parts. The first vaccine is made 45 days before arrival to Russia. The second vaccine — 7-14 days before arrival to the region.

 

The vaccination process might differ in your country. For details, please contact your doctor. If you are not willing to go through vaccination process, please, be assured that your medical insurance covers tick-borne encephalitists.

Booking

Sea lions and birds

Difficulty
Difficulty levels
Easy. Passive relaxation and sightseeing — cruises for example. No physical activities. Good for older people.
Normal. Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Advanced. Get ready for a challenge — long trekking with a heavy backpack on the shoulders, rafting along mountain rivers.
Hard. Professional training and perfect physical fitness are required. The level involves climbing to the tops of the mountains (above 3000 meters), freeriding and North Pole diving.
Group size
to 50 person
Duration
11 days

Accommodation during the trip

10 nights

Languages

EN
guide
5 552 EUR
What's included in the price:
  • all on board ship accommodation

  • three meals a day

  • pre/post cruise transfers 

  • all expedition shore excursions

  • expedition team services

Extra charge:
  • flights to Magadan

  • local payment (+500 USD pp)

  • personal expenses (laundry service, communications, on-board bar)

  • mandatory medical insurance with emergency evacuation coverage

  • visa

  • tips (optional)

In the price:
Included Extra charge
  • all on board ship accommodation

  • three meals a day

  • pre/post cruise transfers 

  • all expedition shore excursions

  • expedition team services

  • flights to Magadan

  • local payment (+500 USD pp)

  • personal expenses (laundry service, communications, on-board bar)

  • mandatory medical insurance with emergency evacuation coverage

  • visa

  • tips (optional)

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