Russian Far East - Luxury Extended Expedition

Once all guests have embarked, a mandatory safety drill will be conducted before Silver Explorer leaves Otaru. You will then be introduced to important members of the crew and your Expedition Team. Afterwards we have a sail away cocktail while we depart on our spectacular extended expedition.

Tonight we invite you to familiarise yourself with your new home away from home, meet some of your fellow travellers, and enjoy the first of many memorable meals in The Restaurant.

Korsakov is used as a technical stop for ships clearing in and out of Russia. In addition to being a port of call for these formalities, the city was once home to an Ainu fishing village frequented by regional traders and early Russian expeditions. History also suggests that there may have been a significant Japanese population here at one time with reports of a Japanese religious temple on record. .

Tyuleniy means “seal” in Russian and during the summer months, tens of thousands of seals and sea lions haul ashore here during the breeding season and many thousands of young black pups all jostle for space on the crowded beaches that flank the small rocky island. Alongside the marine mammals, black-legged kittiwakes, slaty-backed gulls, tufted puffins, common murres and pelagic cormorants summer on the busy shores in the thousands.

Our lecturers will take this day at sea to present lectures, seminars, and discussions about the Russian Far East and the impact human exploration has had in the different areas we have seen and intend to visit.

If you would like to relax, you can make use of the Spa, the Connoisseurs Corner, use the Fitness Centre or simply take in the fresh air on the Sun Deck as you try to spot the unique wildlife and birdlife that abounds in this remarkable region. Enjoy lunch al fresco and meet with new friends for a cocktail.

Yankicha is a fascinating place. It is actually a flooded volcanic caldera, accessible only by Zodiac and only during high tide. Once inside the magnificent lagoon, we can still see – in the fumarole fields and hot springs – traces of the tremendous forces that created the island long ago. The island is also home to thousands of Crested Auklets and we may catch a glimpse of an Arctic fox or even the rare and elusive Whiskered Auklets during our nature walks.

The Lovyshki Islands are comprised of clusters of rocks grouped together, making them a natural home to huge populations of sea mammals and birds such as northern fur seals and Steller sea lions,pigeon guillemots, smaller dark grey water birds with white wings and bright red feet, may also be spotted as they swim around the rocky outcrops of the islands.

Makanrushi is another uninhabited volcanic island. North of the Evreinov Strait, It is a roughly rectangular island with almost 50 sq. kilometres. As there are no sandy beaches, but mostly steep cliffs, we will intend a ship or Zodiac cruise along the shore and hope to have good views of the island’s highest peak.

The near-perfect cone of Alaid volcano dominates Atlasova Island with its 2000mpeak. It is the highest volcano in the Kuril Islands and over time generated the black lava beaches and the eroding Taketomi tufa limestone cone near the landing site. At one time a women’s prison, or gulag, was located on Atlasova. The women, many of them political prisoners during the Soviet rule, were sent here to raise foxes for fur. Peregrine falcons can sometimes be spotted flying above the beach, while buzzards, Eurasian wigeons, and tufted ducks have all been observed on the island.

Three small islands form Utashud and seem to be the remnants of a former volcano raising 80m out of Vestinik Bay. Utashud is one of the richest islands on the southeastern side of Kamchatka in terms of wildlife, notable for its population of sea otters Steller’s sea eagles, brown bears, harbour seals, spotted seals, grey whales and at least 10 species of seabirds.

South of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy is the 15km long Ruskaya Bay.  A river, used as a source of freshwater in former times, meanders through the valley and with our Zodiacs we will have to see how far we can explore, or if we hike to the small stands of trees found there.

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 160km long river 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 colourful 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. .

We will spend the last day aboard Silver Explorer, sailing for Petropavlovsk, the only major city on the peninsula and one of the oldest towns in the Russian Far East. It is also the scientific and cultural centre of the region, with a museum of ethnography and natural history, an art school, a gold-domed Orthodox cathedral.

We will arrive in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy in the late afternoon and spend the evening onboard.

Today we will be welcoming new guests to the Silver Explorer who will be joining us for the second part of our epic expedition.

On day 14 we will have an opportunity to explore Petropavlovsk. The town of Peter and Paul derives its name from the two sailing ships used by Vitus Bering when the great explorer reached Avacha Bay in 1740. It is the only major city on the peninsula and one of the oldest. Petropavlovsk is also the scientific and cultural centre of the region, and today local guides will take us on a comprehensive tour including the museum of ethnography and natural history, the art school, the gold-domed Russian Orthodox Cathedral and the marketplace.

In the evening we will depart for the second part of our journey.

By cruising the Zhupanova River with our highly manoeuvrable Zodiacs, we will have the ability to stop and go ashore wherever we expect to find the best birding and nature walks. Heading upstream, we are likely to spot up to 40 different bird species and may even see brown bears fishing for salmon in the river. Our main goal today is to spot Steller Sea Eagles. This majestic bird is known to frequent this area, and we hope to have good views of at least one of the eagles.

Another chance to explore the intriguing Commander Islands.

As our new guests on the expedition visit this remarkable area for the first time you have the opportunity to explore anything you missed on your first visit, or simply relax on board in your unique surroundings.

While Silver Explorer cruises the Bering Sea, help our birders looking for albatrosses or learn a few tips for better editing your photographs by our onboard Photographer. Attend a lecture by one of our specialists and test your knowledge at Team Trivia.

During the early morning we will arrive at Yuzhnaya Glubokaya, where we might do a short Zodiac cruise and we will visit an abandoned fishing village that today is covered in wildflowers. This is an area well-liked by brown bears and activities will much depend on their presence.

Depending on tidal conditions we will either do a Zodiac cruise in Lavrova Bay or at Tintikyn Lagoon. Lavrova Bay features a Russian shipwreck dating back to the 1970’s and another abandoned fish camp where we offer a Zodiac cruise and short nature walk. 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, in case we could enter the lagoon, we should be able to spot them grazing on the slopes.

During the morning Silver Explorer will still be at sea, giving our lecturers time for a talk or seminar. Shortly before noon we will arrive at our destination. Named after one of the ships used for the Bering expedition, Pyotr Bay is a sheltered bay and offers two hikes: one near the lighthouse close to the entrance of the bay with little climbing and only a short distance to cover; the other at the end of the bay, heading towards two lakes situated well above sealevel. While Largha seals can be expected at the first landing, the other promises a longer hike, spectacular landscape and more birding.

In the afternoon we plan to cruise and explore Bogoslav’s shore by Zodiac. Arches and caves will be found along the coast around most of the island and we hope to see a walrus haul-out and Slaty-backed Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Tufted Puffins, Horned Puffins, Common Guillemots, and Harlequin Ducks.

We plan to cruise and explore this region by Zodiac, hoping to see a walrus haul-out and seals. Birders will be on the lookout for Slaty-backed Gulls, Pelagic Cormorants, Horned Puffins, Tufted Puffins, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and White Wagtails, White-fronted Geese, Bean Geese and Whooper Swans. Depending on the conditions we might go ashore by Zodiac for nature walks amid a landscape surrounded by conical peaks and jagged cliffs, separated by valleys with lakes, waterfalls and tumbling streams and glimpses of arctic voles and ground squirrels.

While Silver Explorer heads north you have another opportunity to learn more about this remote part of the world, its nature and its inhabitants. Attend a lecture, partake in a seminar, or perhaps watch our chef prepare a delicacy before lunch. There are many ways to spend a relaxing day at sea.

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.

In Provideniya we will only stop for our outward clearance. While the Russian authorities make sure all formalities are completed, we will start our last day on board with final lectures, summing up our experiences during the last 23 days. Though today is technically considered Day 24 of our voyage, it is one very “short” day that includes approximately 19 hours of cruising the Bering Sea and crossing the International Date Line. We will actually arrive in Alaska before we left Provideniya –thanks to 24 hours gained crossing the International Dateline from west to east.

Arrive and disembark after breakfast.