Description
As well as Wrangel Island, additional stops on your journey will allow you to experience some truly wild corners of Russia’s Far East.Set sail to Wrangel Island in the Russian Arctic, a protected nature reserve known as the polar bear capital of the world.
Overview
Set sail to Wrangel Island in the Russian Arctic, a protected nature reserve known as the polar bear capital of the world. Over two weeks you’ll cross vast tundra and sail through icy inlets, always on the lookout for breaching whales, seabird colonies lining the cliffs and of course the King of the Arctic himself, the mighty polar bear.
Just 140km from the northern coast of Siberia lies Wrangel Island, a remote yet starkly beautiful landmass in the Arctic Ocean that is home to one of the highest concentrations of polar bears on the planet. On this journey to the top of the world you’ll marvel at the ice bears’ size and numbers, and watch enraptured as they hunt, eat and sleep here in their natural habitat. Due to the retreating pack ice at this time of year, you’ll be able to sail further north than most travellers ever reach, and learn from local rangers about the wildlife and history of the region.
Trips will be aboard the Spirit of Enderby or the Akademik Shokalskiy.
What makes this trip extraordinary
- Search for polar bears as they hunt on land and across the pack ice.
- Test your photography skills as seabirds swoop around your expedition ship which will be dwarfed by the magnificent cliffs rising from the sea.
- Look out for migratory whales as they breach and surface for air.
- Sail past rocky shorelines and ice floes where seals and walrus congregate.
- Spot Arctic foxes moving light-footed across the tundra.
- Visit a collection of remote Russian islands that very few people have ever set foot on.
This is a small group safari departing on three set dates in July and August 2021 & 2022.
Itinerary
Arrive Anadyr
All expedition members will arrive in Anadyr. Depending on your time of arrival you may have the opportunity to explore Anadyr, the easternmost town in all of Russia, before getting to know your fellow voyagers and expedition team on board the ship. We will depart when everybody is on board.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (D)
Anadyrskiy Bay
At sea today, there will be some briefings and lectures as well as a chance for some birding, cetacean spotting, and settling in to ship life. Late this afternoon we plan to take the zodiacs out to explore some spectacular bird cliffs in Preobrazheniya Bay.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
Yttygran, Nuneangan and Arakamchechen Islands
Turning north into the Bering Sea, your first port of call will be Yttygran Island, home to a monumental ancient aboriginal site called Whale Bone Alley. Here huge whalebones, planted in the frozen earth by the former inhabitants of Yttygran, stretch along the beach for nearly half a kilometre. The carefully arranged skulls, ribs and vertebrae – thought to have been erected over half a millennia ago – make for an incredible sight. It is still possible to see whales from the beach, so make sure to check the water’s surface. After departing Yttygran, you’ll then sail past Nuneangan and Arakamchechen Islands, where walrus and nesting seabirds are often found.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
Cape Dezhnev & Uelen Village
This morning you’ll land at Cape Dezhnev, the northeasternmost point on the Eurasian continent. The U.S. state of Alaska lies across the Bering Strait, just over 50 miles away. A few nautical miles to the west of Cape Dezhnev is the village of Uelen, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet some of the indigenous Chukchi people who make their home here. The population is predominantly Chukchi and the village is one of the largest centres for traditional Chukchi and Inuit art in the world. You'll also be able to visit the bone-carving workshop during your time here.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
Kolyuchin Island
This small island was once an important Russian Polar Research Station and one of a number dotted across the Arctic. Near the derelict buildings are some of the most spectacular bird cliffs in the Arctic, where gulls, puffins and guillemots can be observed and photographed up close.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
Wrangel and Herald Islands
Ice and weather conditions permitting, we will spend the next few days on Wrangel Island and we will also attempt to include a visit to nearby Herald Island. There are many landings that we can make to search for wildlife, wildflowers and Arctic landscapes. Polar bears will be high on our list of animals to see and with a little patience we should be rewarded with a number of encounters. Reindeer and muskoxen were introduced to the island in 1948 and 1975 respectively. We also have a chance to visit Dragi Harbour, where the survivors of the HMCS Karluk, which was crushed by ice in 1914, scrambled ashore and managed to survive until they were rescued. Wrangel Island is a Russian Federal Nature Reserve of international importance, particularly as it is a major polar bear denning area. In addition, thousands of birds migrate here to breed each summer, including snow geese, snowy owls, skuas, Arctic terns and ivory gulls.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
North Siberian Coast
Leaving Wrangel and Herald Islands behind and heading south towards mainland Russia, you’ll witness a land of narrow sand ridges with numerous lagoons and inlets, offering plenty of places to view the native wildlife. You’ll be on the lookout for whales, walrus and numerous seabirds, as you sail past Chukchi villages whose residents still maintain a very traditional way of life.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
Kolyuchin Inlet
So huge that it is visible from satellite photos, this inlet contains vast numbers of waterfowl and migratory waders. We concentrate our visit on the Belaka Spit near the mouth of the inlet. It is a wild, desolate landscape that is strangely beautiful. We search the dunes and tidal areas for birdlife including emperor geese and spoon-billed sandpipers. Gray whales frequent the area and are sometimes spotted feeding only metres offshore.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
Bering Strait & Chukotka Coast
If you’re awake early this morning, make sure to be on deck to watch your ship sail past the Diomede Islands in the middle of the Bering Strait. With the western island belonging to Russia and the eastern island to the United States, the Diomedes sit either side of the International Date Line, which lends them their nickname of Tomorrow Island and Yesterday Isle. At this location, Russia and the USA are separated by only 2.3 nautical miles of ocean. Once late afternoon arrives, you’ll be able to make a quick stop on the Chukotka coast, and enjoy a final chance to wander the Russian tundra.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
Sailing towards Anadyr
You’ll be glad of a day at sea today as you get the chance to pack your things and recharge after a two-week adventure. Enjoy a final night on board with your fellow guests as you sail across Anadyrskiy Bay, and toast to a fantastic journey.
Overnight: Spirit of Enderby (B, L, D)
Depart Anadyr
After breakfast, it’s time to say your farewells. There will be a complimentary transfer to the airport or to a central downtown hotel.
Accommodation
- Akademik Shokalskiy
- Spirit of Enderby
Cancellation Policy
Life is unpredictable and we understand that sometimes you have to cancel or change your trip dates and it is our endeavor to make it as easy as possible for you. However, please understand that we plan everything including guide fees, permits, accommodation, and ration in advance. Therefore, any cancellation means inconvenience and certain losses to the people involved in various stages of the program. Keeping that in mind, our cancellation charges are as below,
- Cancellations prior to 30 days from the start of the event: Full refund as cash.
- Cancellations between 30 days and 15 days to the start of the event: 50 % refund as cash.
- Cancellations less than 15 days to the start of the event: No refund.
- Cancellations will be accepted only by email.
Note: We reserve the right to cancel a program before departure in the event of logistical problems arising due to natural calamities, strikes, wars or any other circumstances that make the event inadvisable. In this case, we will refund 50% of the event fees.
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