Russian Far East Luxury Expedition

Spend time exploring this remote city with its interesting port, museum and cathedral, all overlooked by towering volcanoes

Northeast of Petropavlovsk, on the eastern side of the Kamchatka Peninsula, is the mighty Zhupanova River. Strewn with ever changing shallows and sand bars, the 160kmriver is used year-round by rainbow trout.  At the mouth of the river is a fish processing factory that is busy with local salmon during the summer season. Kamchatka brown bears also like salmon and there is a high chance of spotting a Steller’s Sea-Eagle fishing the river.

On the east side of Bering Island is Commander Bay and Vitus Bering’s final resting place on this windswept isolated island after his ship, the St Peter, was wrecked. Despite trying to survive on seaweed and the now-extinct Steller’s Sea Cow, Bering and several of his men perished here. These days Commander Island is protected as a Nature Reserve. A small monument accompanies the graves of Bering and the men who died there. Close to the graves is a creek that runs into Commander Bay and teems with salmon. The surrounding area is lush with diverse vegetation ranging from elegant grasses to plump crowberries.

Today we intend to visit a Steller sea lion rookery on the north side of Cape Severozapadniy.  Apart from the sea lions arctic foxes can often be seen  

Nikolskoye is a settlement of around 750 inhabitants established in 1826 by fur traders. This fishing village on Bering Island has colorful buildings and an Orthodox Church – one of Russia’s newest and one of the eastern-most. It has a small museum about the Aleut people and their culture, which also contains much information on Bering, as well as the bones of a Steller’s sea cow. .

Enjoy the onboard facilities

On the eastern side of stunning Govena Peninsula is Yuzhnaya Glubokaya Bay. The mountains around Yuzhnaya Glubokaya give some protection from the wind and the remains of a fishing village are at the western end of the bay.  Salmon often gather in the little river to swim upstream, and therefore sightings of Kamchatka brown bear from a viewpoint up on the hill behind the village are not unusual.  Depending on tidal conditions we will either do a Zodiac cruise in Lavrova Bay or at Tintikyn Lagoon.  The entrance to Tintikyn Lagoon is extremely tidal dependant, and we will only be able to enter at rising tide. The mountains surrounding the lagoon are well liked by brown bears and, if we do enter the lagoon, we should be able to spot them grazing on the slopes.

Peter Bay is a small inlet at the foot of the Koryak Mountain range well north of the Kamchatka Peninsula. At the entrance of the bay is a Largha seal haul-out site and a small hidden lagoon flanked by the ocean and the bay. The southern end of the bay has several small lakes that are dammed behind a moraine ridge; the remnant of an ancient glacier. The lakes feed a spectacular waterfall. The western and eastern sides of the bay have steep cliffs that seabirds favour for nesting sites.  

Six nautical miles south of the entrance to Natalii Bay are the spectacular sea cliffs of Bogoslaf Island, a perfect place to spot pigeon, Brünnich’s, and common guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, harlequin ducks, horned puffins, white wagtails, pelagic cormorants and slaty-backed gulls. Walrus can also be seen at a nearby haul-out.

A U-shaped bay beneath mountainous cliffs that make up the land that surrounds the tundra-like Koryak Mountains in Kamchatka Krai. Hope to see Pacific walruses and seals, slaty-backed gulls, pelagic cormorants, horned and tufted puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, white wagtails, white-fronted and bean Geese and Whooper Swans. A great area for walking. 

Watch for birds and marine animals from deck.

Yttygran offers a unique natural history experience on this voyage. An array of bowhead whale bones and rock arrangements is stunning – it is a place of great archaeological importance combined with natural beauty.  

At the Proliv Senyavina Hot Springs, we will go ashore by Zodiac, enter a small lagoon and walk across tundra and some rolling hills to reach a stream with some hot springs. You can choose to either enter a small pool prepared by the local fishermen, or to go into the stream.

Provideniya is a main port of entry to the Russian Far East and since the decline of the Soviet Union eco-tourism has boosted the local economy. The town has a Technical School and a fascinating museum with interesting and well-presented exhibits about the natural history and wildlife of the region. Additionally, displays highlight the housing styles and clothing of local Chukchi people from various villages in the area

Gain a day crossing the dateline

Arrive and disembark