Nine time zones away from Moscow lies the unexplored Chukotka. Instead of the familiar comforts of civilization, you will be met with the landscapes of pristine islands and the summer tundra. You will see flocks of birds and large congregations of marine mammals in their natural habitat. Visit remote settlements in the easternmost part of Russia and find yourself at the extreme point of Eurasia — Cape Dezhnev.
This is our longest and most comprehensive tour of Chukotka. In a single two-week trip, you will visit several unique locations along the eastern edge of the continent and spend part of your journey in Beringia National Park — Russia's easternmost specially protected natural area.
This is an expedition-style tour, but it is designed with maximum possible comfort. In the tundra, you will spend nights in a comfortable lodge, and the itinerary does not include long trekking routes.
You will reach the easternmost point of Eurasia, following in the footsteps of the pioneer Semyon Dezhnev
You will explore the protected islands of Arakamchechen, Merkinkán, Nuneangan, as well as Rumilet and Abolesheva Bays
You will observe seals and humpback whales during sea crossings
You will visit Itygran Island and walk along the Whale Bone Alley, a sacred monument of Eskimo culture
Traveling on TREKOL all-terrain vehicles, you will traverse the tundra and coastline, visiting remote Chukchi settlements
You will see Chukotka's largest colonies of horned puffins and tufted puffins
The tour program may be altered due to weather conditions. The decision to sail is made by the boat captain.
After meeting at the airport, you will be taken to a hotel in Anadyr. The road passes through the Anadyr Estuary of the Bering Sea.
At the hotel, you will rest a bit after the flight, have lunch at a cafe, and then go for a walk around the city. Despite having a population of only 14,000, Anadyr is the largest settlement in Chukotka and also the easternmost city in Russia.
During the tour, you will visit the "Heritage of Chukotka" museum center. In the evening, you will have dinner at a cafe (at an additional cost) and rest.
After breakfast, you will set off to explore Gudym — a military town and missile base from the Cold War era.
The Gudym military base (Anadyr-1) was a complex of autonomous underground structures stretching 996 meters, with numerous blind branches that had no other exits. Cargo was transported within the base on electric carts via a narrow-gauge underground railway. In 2002, the military finally abandoned the base. A guided tour will be arranged for you, covering the history of this place. Lunch will be in the form of a picnic during the route.
In the evening, you will return to the hotel, have dinner, and rest.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will depart for the scenic Cape Dionisiya. Here, you can spot spotted and ringed seals and see a small, beautiful waterfall. The nature here is quite contrasting. The flat Anadyr tundra suddenly gives way to a steep sea coast, 15-20 meters high.
In the evening, you will return to the hotel for dinner (payable separately).
After breakfast, you will return to Anadyr Airport for a local flight to the village of Lavrentiya.
Upon arrival, you will have lunch at a canteen, followed by a transfer to the village of Lorino — the largest indigenous settlement in Chukotka. Over 90% of the population here are Chukchi.
Arriving in Lorino, you will check into private apartments, take a guided walk around the village and along the Pacific Ocean shore, and then have dinner.
After breakfast, you will embark on a sea crossing to Cape Dezhnev — the easternmost point of Eurasia. The journey takes 4 hours, and the departure time will be determined by your guide based on the weather. The crossing will be made in open motorboats used by local sea hunters, which accommodate 4–5 people.
During the trip, you will disembark near the ancient Eskimo settlement of Naukan to see the remains of dwellings and an old cemetery. You will also see the monument to Semyon Dezhnev and enjoy a panoramic view of Ratmanov and Krusenstern Islands. The border between Russia and the USA runs between these islands.
Cape Dezhnev and the actual tip of Eurasia are located 12 km from the disembarkation point and the monument. In good weather, you will pass by the true geographical end of the continent in your boats. Like the pioneer Dezhnev, you will not disembark there (a sheer cliff is located at that point).
You will have a picnic on the shore, and if the weather is good, you will travel through the Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean to reach the settlement of Uelen — the easternmost inhabited place in Russia (1-hour journey). Upon landing in the settlement, you will visit a bone-carving workshop and a chapel.
Afterwards, you will return to Lorino (4-hour journey) for dinner and rest.
Today, you will take an excursion to Lorino, the largest Chukchi village. Currently, the largest number of gray whales in Russia is legally harvested in Lorino. The whale meat is used for food by the local population, while whale baleen and some bones are used for crafts. Numerous reports and films have been made about the life of modern whalers. One of the best is The Book of the Sea. By visiting Lorino, you will be able to meet some of its heroes in person, as the film's actors were the village residents themselves.
During the excursion, you will visit a yaranga — the traditional dwelling of the Chukchi people. Walrus skins and bones of marine mammals are used in its construction. A local resident will talk about life in the yaranga, the purpose of various household items, and Chukchi traditions.
After the excursion, you will bathe in the Lorino hot springs.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on this day will be held in Lorino. You will sample dishes prepared by local residents, including potatoes with whale meat.
After breakfast, you will take a boat trip across Mechigmen Bay. You will observe seabirds and seals and will disembark at one of the scenic localities — Masik or Cape Khyalustkina.
You will proceed to the Gatlyangen Lagoon, where you are highly likely to see seals and whales, and then head to Yanrakynnot. This village, located on the shore of the Senyavin Strait, is home to representatives of two cultures — reindeer and coastal Chukchi.
Upon arrival in Yanrakynnot, you will take a short tour of the village and see a monument to the polar explorer, Vice Admiral Makarov. You will also have the opportunity to sample traditional dishes offered by the villagers: reindeer, walrus, and whale meat, mushrooms, and berries.
After dinner in the canteen, you will stay overnight in a cottage or the local school.
You will have breakfast at the school, take a walk around the village, and then set off on a boat crossing to the base of Beringia National Park. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to sail around the islands of Merkinkán and Achinkinkán to observe colonies of tufted puffins, horned puffins, guillemots, cormorants, and kittiwakes.
Upon arrival, you will settle in at the base and take a walk to the Senyavin Hot Springs for a swim. In the evening, you will have dinner and rest.
Today, you will embark on a boat excursion to Itygran Island. Your guide will lead you along the Whale Bone Alley, a mysterious monument of Eskimo culture. After exploring this unique site, you will return to the base for lunch.
Afterwards, those interested can take a walk to the monument dedicated to the whaling flotilla "Aleut" and the mouth of the Klyuchevaya River. You will have the opportunity to observe the wildlife of the tundra. Ptarmigans, sandhill cranes, various sandpipers, and small passerine bird's nest here, while Beringian ground squirrels build extensive underground burrow systems. Wolverines and brown bears sometimes come here in search of food. You can also take another swim in the Senyavin Hot Springs.
In the evening, you will return to the base for dinner and a discussion of the next day's itinerary.
On this day, you will continue exploring Beringia National Park.
After breakfast, you will take a boat trip to Merkinkán and Achinkinkán Islands, located in Penkigney Bay. Here, you will see large colonies of horned puffins and tufted puffins. Humpback whales are also frequently sighted in these waters.
You will have a snack on Merkinkán Island before continuing by boat across Penkigney Bay and disembarking at the mouth of the Pestsovaya River. Here, you will hike to an old abandoned reindeer herders' camp, then return to the base for a late lunch.
After lunch, you will have free time. You can visit the hot springs and take a walk through the tundra. In the evening, you will have dinner at the base and rest.
After breakfast, you, your guide, and a national park ranger will set out by boat into the Senyavin Strait. If the ranger spots whales, they will indicate a safe distance from which you can observe them.
Next, you will travel by boat to Nuneangan Island, where you will have the opportunity to see a massive bird rookery and a sea lion haul-out site.
Then, you will make a sea crossing to Glazenapa Bay on the southwestern tip of Arakamchechen Island in the Senyavin Strait. Here, you will visit the grave of sailor Yegor Purin from the clipper Gaydamak, who was buried in 1875. A tundra-style lunch awaits you on the island before you return to the base.
In the evening, you will have dinner at the base and can take a swim in the hot springs.
On this day, you will take a boat trip to Abolesheva Bay, where you can observe ringed seals (akiba) and spotted seals (larga), as well as humpback and gray whales.
Returning to camp, you will have lunch, after which you can take a walk and bathe in the hot springs. In the evening, dinner and rest await you.
You will have breakfast at the base, pack your belongings, and travel by boat to Rumilet Bay. Here, you will transfer to a TREKOL all-terrain vehicle and head to the Provideniya settlement. If time permits, on the way from Rumilet Bay, you will stop by the Eskimo village of Novoye Chaplino.
In Provideniya, you will check into a technical college dormitory and have lunch at a cafe. Afterwards, you will have a guided tour of the Bering Heritage Museum, a walk around the settlement, and a visit to the monument dedicated to Vitus Bering's First Kamchatka Expedition.
In the evening, over dinner, you can share your travel impressions with the group.
Early in the morning, you will have breakfast and then be transferred to Provideniya Bay Airport. If the flight is not delayed due to weather, you will depart for Anadyr at 12:05. Upon arrival, you will check into a hotel and can explore the city independently or rest. In the evening, a farewell dinner awaits you at the hotel restaurant.
If you have to leave the tundra earlier due to bad weather or if your flight from Provideniya to Anadyr is delayed, you will spend this day whale watching and visiting Awaan — an ancient Eskimo settlement located near a picturesque spit that separates Lake Istikhed from the Bering Sea.
After breakfast, you will pack your belongings and check out of the hotel. You will have time for a walk around the city and souvenir shopping before your transfer to the airport for a daytime flight.
The listed accommodations may be replaced with equivalent alternatives of the same category.
Accommodation in twin rooms at the "Anadyr" Hotel with single beds and private bathrooms. Wi-Fi is available at the hotel.
Accommodation in a guesthouse, in rooms for 4 people. Private bathroom in the house. Electricity is available. There is no shower, but a public bathhouse (banya) can be used.
You will be accommodated overnight in a cottage. Washing water and a toilet will be available, and you will be able to charge electronic devices.
Overnight stays in a guest house with a stove in Gylmymyl Bay, accommodating 6–8 people. The Senyavin Hot Springs are within walking distance and can be visited every evening.
You will be accommodated in 2- and 4-bed rooms in a technical college dormitory. Shared showers are available on the floor.
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.
The average summer temperature is +10 to +15 °C. A significant part of the trip takes place at sea, where the perceived temperature will be around +5 °C.
Documents:
Clothing and footwear:
Personal items and equipment:
Domestic flights between settlements in Chukotka are highly dependent on weather conditions. Delays of internal flights can range from several hours to several days.
If a flight is postponed to the following day, you will be offered accommodation in a private apartment in the settlement of Ugolnye Kopi, near the airport. The costs for accommodation and meals during delay days are paid by the tourists on-site.
Throughout the tour, you will be accompanied by an experienced guide. In Beringia National Park, you will be guided by a naturalist. During sea crossings, the boats will be operated by captains who are indigenous residents of Chukotka.
The tour price includes three meals a day in the tundra and in Lorino village. Meals in Anadyr must be paid for separately.
You will also have the opportunity to sample local cuisine and seafood. Breakfast and dinner will be provided at your accommodations, while most lunches will be in the form of light meals during daytime activities.
Sample menu:
Sea excursions will be conducted using motorboats. Transfers from Lavrentiya to Lorino, as well as the trip to the Lorino hot springs, will be made in UAZ vehicles. You will travel across the tundra in TREKOL all-terrain vehicles.
Mobile network coverage is available in all settlements. In Lorino, Lavrentiya, Anadyr, and Provideniya, Megafon and MTS networks operate reliably, while in the village of Yanrakynnot, only Beeline is available. There is no phone coverage in natural areas. Internet access is possible in Provideniya, Lavrentiya, and Anadyr, but the connection will be slow.
All islands of Chukotka are located within the border zone. Tourists must obtain a border zone permit. The document preparation takes at least 30 days.
For foreign citizens entering the Chukotka region, an additional set of documents is required. The processing usually takes about two months.
On this tour, you will be a guest in the habitat of wild animals. It is important to behave cautiously to avoid disturbing the local inhabitants.
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The Great Chukotka Expedition 15 days
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