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Hike along the coastal Russian mountains

Northeast Passage: The Northern Sea Route

Example 28 Day Cruise aboard Akademik Shokalskiy
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Embark on a 28-day history-making expedition through the Northern Sea Route/Northeast Passage from Anadyr to Svalbard. Aboard the Akademik Shokalskiy, learn about the development of the commercial shipping route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. First transited in 1878-1880 by Swedish explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiold, this seaway became an important route for carrying supplies to Eastern Russian until the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, when the number of vessels using this route dwindled. Recent changes in sea ice conditions have made this fascinating seaway accessible and spurred renewed commercial interest from shipping companies. The Russian Far East is an amazing place, a wilderness where you must travel on nature's terms- join this voyage across one of the greatest seaways in the world!
Spirit of Enderby, Russian Far EastDancers practice before a performanceA Stellar's Sea Eagle takes flightStellar's Sea Lions visit travelers in the Sea of OkhotskHike along the coastal Russian mountains
Highlights
  • Be part of a history-making expedition through the Northern Sea Route
  • Cruise between the Pacific & Arctic Oceans
  • Encounter pelagic birds, marine mammals & Arctic wildlife
  • View intriguing archaeological sites & cultural performances
  • Journey to and among remote, uninhabited islands
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Embark in Anadyr

Arrive in Anadyr and join the Akademik Shokalskiy for a 28-day cruise. This evening there are excellent chances to spot Beluga Whales as you sail out of the Anadyr Estuary.​ 

Please note: For those departing from Nome, Alaska, your adventure begins with a flight across the Bering Sea and International Date Line, to the remote port of Anadyr.

Day 2: Preobrazhnaya Bay

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Enjoy wildlife watching as you cross the Gulf of Anadyr. This afternoon, explore the magnificent coastal cliffs of Preobrazhnaya Bay by Zodiac, home to an abundance of seabirds including Brunnich’s Guillemot, Crested and Parakeet Auklets plus Tufted and Horned Puffins.

Day 3: Whale Bone Alley | Gil’mimyl Hot Springs

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Whale Bone Alley on Yttygran Island is one of the most significant and intriguing archaeological sites in the Arctic. The waters nearby remain rich feeding grounds for whales, weather permitting we will look to take the Zodiacs in search of Gray Whales and walrus. This afternoon, visit the Gil’mimyl Hot Springs, Sandhill Cranes usually breed in the area.

Day 4: Cape Dezhnev | Uelen Village

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Arrive at Cape Deshnev this morning. Enjoy wildlife viewing for flocks of King, Common and Spectacled Eiders passing south. This afternoon, enjoy the hospitality of the local people in the village of Uelen who are predominantly Chukchi. The visit will include a cultural performance and visit to the famous bone-carving studio and museum.

Day 5: Kolyuchin Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today, land on Kolyuchin Island, although you will be visiting after the peak of the breeding season, there should still be large numbers of Tufted and Horned Puffins, Brunnich’s and Common Guillemots and Black-legged Kittiwakes. There may also be an opportunity to Zodiac cruise around the base of the cliffs where there are excellent photographic opportunities. Humpback and Bowhead Whales have been seen in this area previously.

Day 6-8: Wrangel Island

  • Ship
  • 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
Wrangel Island is a Federal Nature Reserve and World Heritage Site of international significance. It is a major Polar Bear denning area and one of the few areas of the Arctic to not be glaciated during recent glacial episodes. It is sometimes referred to as a Polar Bear maternity ward on account of the large numbers of cubs born here. There are numerous other Arctic species which we will be looking for including Musk Ox, Arctic Fox, Snow Geese and the Snowy Owls which breed here annually. The diversity of tundra flora is exceptional and during walks ashore we should see the last flowers of summer.

Day 9: East Siberian Sea

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
This sea is defined by the Novosibirskie Islands in the west and Wrangel Island to the east, along its southern shores are three of Siberia’s major rivers, the Indigirka, Alazaya and the Kolyma. Lookout for walrus and Bowhead Whales.

Day 10: Ayon Island and Village

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The Chukchi people that call this island home are reindeer herders and hunters. Enjoy the warm hospitality of the local people as you learn about life on this remote island.

Day 11: Medvezhyi Islands

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today, you will explore the little known and seldom visited Medvezhyi Islands, an archipelago of five granitic islands. The islands have a sizeable population of Polar Bears which den on these shores over winter. A landing on the island of Chetyrekhstolbovoy offers the opportunity to hike to the unusual rock ‘pillows’ which the island is named after. On Pushkareva Island investigate the old lighthouse or enjoy the Arctic flowers that cover the expansive tundra during the brief summer.

Day 12: East Siberian Sea

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
It was in this sea that the Jeanette, captained by George Washington De Long, became stuck fast and was crushed by ice in 1879. Wreckage from the Jeanette found in Greenland in 1884 gave Nansen the idea for the now famous 1893-96 Fram Expedition drifting across the Arctic Ocean.

Day 13-15: Novaya Sibirskiye (New Siberian Islands)

  • Ship
  • 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
These islands, which consist of three major groups – Southern, Central (Anzhu) and Northern (De Long), mark the border between the Laptev and East Siberian Seas. Spend three days for exploring this remarkable yet seldom visited archipelago, conditions permitting we hope to have the opportunity to visit all three island groups, each with their own unique geology and landscapes.

Day 16-17: Crossing the Laptev Sea

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
This sea is bounded by the Taymyr Peninsula, the Severnaya Islands in the west and the Novosibirskie Islands in the east. Explore the Taymyr Peninsula, Laptev Sea Walrus are only found in this area and be on the lookout for haulouts to photograph this unique and quite isolated population of walrus. There is Musk Ox resident in this area and we may spot the poorly known Taymyr form of Herring Gull.

Day 18-20: Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago

  • Ship
  • 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
The Severnaya Zemlya Islands are on the border of the Kara and Laptev Seas and are an extension of the Taymyr Peninsula. These islands were not discovered until 1914-15 when Russian explorer Vilkitski charted them. The three largest islands are heavily glaciated with deep fiords and majestic tidewater glaciers that are regularly calving icebergs. Look for an opportunity to visit a colony of Ivory Gulls.

Day 21-22: Kara Sea

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Lying between Novaya Zemlaya, Franz Josef Land and the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago the Kara Sea is generally considered to be the coldest sea in Russia. Ostrov Vize is along our route to Franz Josef Land, you will look to make a landing on the island, conditions permitting.

Day 23-25: Franz Josef Land

  • Ship
  • 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
This huge archipelago of 192 islands located only 10 degrees from the North Pole offers numerous locations for us to explore. Its position close to the permanent ice of the Arctic Ocean yet accessible to the rich waters of the Atlantic gifts these waters an unusual diversity and abundance of marine life. The islands have a fascinating and rich record of exploration, scientific research, and habitation. Landings planned including Cape Triest on Alger Island where the famous ‘Devil’s Marbles’ (spherical geodes) dot the landscape, Cape Flora on Northbrook Island where the remains of three historic expeditions are found in close proximity and Tikhaya Bay on Hooker Island where the numbers of guillemots and kittiwakes on the remarkable columnar cliffs of Rubini Rock are unforgettable. We also plan to include a visit to Cape Tegetthoff. There is a very healthy population of Polar Bears living amongst the archipelago and we will be keeping a close lookout for them. There are good chances to spot Beluga and Bowhead Whales and if we are fortunate we may find Narwhal.

Day 26-27: Barents Sea

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
The Barents Sea was named in honor of Dutch seafarer and navigator, Willem Barents, who explored this region on expeditions in 1594 and 1596. As you move southwards opportunities for spotting Humpback Whales and Harp Seals that feed in these waters increase.

Day 28: Disembark in Murmansk

  • 1 Breakfast
Murmansk is home to Russia’s icebreaker fleet and featured as a strategically important port throughout the history of Russia. Disembark the ship in Murmansk, transfers to the airport or central hotels are provided.

Ship/Hotel

Akademik Shokalskiy

Lecture hall of the Akademik Shokalskiy

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$21,900
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Main Deck
Two lower berths, writing desk, wardrobe and drawers. Private washbasin. Nearby shower and toilet facilities are shared with other Main Deck cabins. These cabins have a porthole.
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Superior
One bunk (one upper and one lower berth), writing desk, wardrobe and drawers. Private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. These cabins have windows.
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Superior Plus
Two lower berths, writing desk, wardrobe and drawers. Private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. These cabins have windows.
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Mini Suite
Separate bedroom with a double bed and a sofa in the lounge, writing desk, wardrobe and drawers. Private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. Mini Suites have windows.
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Heritage Suite
Large lounge area, separate bedroom with double bed and a sofa in the lounge, writing desk, wardrobe and drawers. Private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. Large forward and side facing windows allow great views.
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Main Deck Triple
One bunk (one upper abd ibe lower berth) and one additional lower berth, writing desk, wardrobe and drawers. Private washbasin. Nearby shower and toilet facilities are shared with other Main Deck cabins. These cabins have a porthole.

Notes

- Single clients are matched with a sharer of the same sex in a twin-share cabin. Payment of a single supplement guarantees a single cabin. The single supplement is 1.8 times the price of the voyage with the exception of the suites which are double the single rate.
-Emergency medical evacuation coverage for a minimum of US$100,000 per person required. Contact us for details on arranging travel insurance.
Included
  • 27 Breakfasts, 26 Lunches, 27 Dinners
  • 27 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Pre- & Post- Cruise Transfers
  • Complimentary boot rental is available. However, due to the limited supply of boots available aboard the ship, it is recommended that you bring your own rubber boots for best fit and availability. Youth size boots are not available.
  • House beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
  • One night hotel accommodation in a twin share room (incl. dinner/breakfast)
  • All expedition shore excursions
  • Programme of lectures by noted naturalists
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Required Visas if applicable
  • Laundry 
  • Mandatory medical evacuation insurance

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Beyond expectations! Then again we weren't sure what to expect. Lovely stay at the lodge, met other like-minded travelers (many had their trips planned by Adventure Life) and the owner was a gracious hostess. It felt like you were one happy family, visiting with a favorite aunt.
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