Join Geoffrey Kent on a celebratory voyage through the Northeast Passage alongside our award-winning Expedition Team, which includes a National Geographic photographer and a Russian Far East expert. Navigate from Tromso, Norway, to Nome, Alaska, visiting remote, legendary settlements strewn across the Russian High Arctic, seldom-seen Siberian islands, isolated wildlife habitats and Arctic nature reserves along the way.
Highlights
Admire a diverse array of breathtaking, unforgettable landscapes
Explore the Russian, World War II and Cold War history
Enjoy unique wildlife including walrus, polar bears, Arctic fox and whales
Visit fascinating peoples such as the Yupik, the Chukotka, the Russian Military and Polar Explorers
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in Oslo, Norway’s capital city and your gateway to the Russian Arctic. On arrival, you are met and escorted to your hotel. This evening, meet fellow guests for a welcome reception and dinner in anticipation of the adventure to come.
This morning, board your charter flight to Tromso, a colorful cultural hub above the Arctic Circle. Prepare for the journey ahead with a visit to the Polar Museum that highlights the heroics of great explorers Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen. Enjoy a visit to the striking Arctic Cathedral. Time permitting, you may also have the opportunity to visit playful seals Bella and Mai San at Polaria, the northernmost aquarium in the world. After lunch, board your all-balcony expedition cruiser.
This morning, board your charter flight to Tromso, a colorful cultural hub above the Arctic Circle. Prepare for the journey ahead with a visit to the Polar Museum that highlights the heroics of great explorers Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen. Enjoy a visit to the striking Arctic Cathedral. Time permitting, you may also have the opportunity to visit playful seals Bella and Mai San at Polaria, the northernmost aquarium in the world. After lunch, board your all-balcony expedition cruiser.
Towering icebreakers and cargo ships line the docks of Murmansk, the world’s biggest city north of the Arctic Circle. Warm Gulf Stream waters keep this famous port ice-free. The home of Russia’s first navy, Murmansk is rich in World War II and Cold War history, so you may choose to visit the Museum of the Northern Fleet or opt to see the world’s first nuclear-powered icebreaker, ‘Lenin,’ decommissioned in 1989 and open to visitors. Learn about the raw power of an icebreaker and soak up maritime lore as you begin your own adventure into the vast, raw landscapes of the Russian Arctic.
The Barents Sea, relatively undisturbed by human activities, contains one of Europe’s largest, cleanest and most reasonably undisturbed ecosystems. Home to polar cod, capelin from the smelt family, and seabirds are known as little auk, the nutrient-rich waters continue to support abundant wildlife. Join your naturalists on deck as you keep an eye out for white dolphins, beluga whales, orcas and the fabled narwhal, among other species
This archipelago consists of 192 islands, many of which offer arresting landscapes. You may take a Zodiac cruise past Hooker Island’s Rubini Rock, home to thousands of nesting seabirds like kittiwakes, glaucous gulls and Brünnich’s guillemots. You might set foot on eerie Champ Island, where striking stone spheres ranging from several inches to several yards in circumference are strewn across the terrain. You may reach Hall Island, where Pacific walruses lounge by the sea, resting from their long migrations, or you may explore Cape Tegetthoff, with its breathtaking scenery and remains of a small camp built by Austro-Hungarian explorers in 1898 hoping to reach the North Pole.
Among the first Europeans to visit this region, Dutch explorer Willem Barents overwintered on the icy northeastern coast of Novaya Zemlya in 1596. The Russians knew of this remote archipelago as early as the 11th century, when hunters from Novograd visited the area. With its majestic glaciers and mountainous terrain, Novaya Zemlya served as a dramatic backdrop for World War II convoy ships escaping capture and clandestine Cold War activities. You might make a landing on Severny Island, site of Europe’s largest glacier as measured by area and volume.
One of the largest wildernesses on earth, the Great Arctic Reserve covers nearly 16,000 square miles. Polar bears, Arctic foxes, reindeer, snowy owls and beluga whales are among the many species carefully protected within Russia’s greatest zapovednik, or conservation area. Some of the landing sites in this area might include: Uyedineniya Island: Compared to other Arctic islands, Uyedineniya is flat and low-lying. In summer, you might see evidence of Arctic vegetation, even wetlands and small lakes. Isachenko Island: One of the Kirov Islands, Isachenko is home to the research station Polyarnaya Stantsiya. Komsomolets Island: Nearly covered by the Academy of Sciences Glacier, Komsomolets is a vast expanse of white tundra desert scattered with lichens and mosses. Akhmatov Fjord: In the southernmost island of Severnaya Zemlya, Akhmatov Fjord features smooth mountains on both sides, mirror-like waters and breathtaking, multi-hued blue ice.
The remote archipelago known as the New Siberian Islands was first located by Cossacks as recently as the early 18th century. For nearly 100 years, the region seemed mythic until a cartographic expedition led by Yakov Sannikov and Matvei Gedenschtrom arrived in 1809. The islands are composed of alternating permafrost and soil, and the rising temperatures of the last few decades have led to the melting of ice and contraction of firm ground, resulting in dramatic landscapes. You might also visit Ayon Island, home to the Chukchi people, who use the tundra as pasture for their reindeer herds.
Join your expedition staff on deck and in Zodiacs as you cruise the wildlife-rich waters and coastal areas surrounding this biodiverse region. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wrangel Island is home to the world’s largest population of Pacific walruses, the highest density of ancestral polar bear dens and the nesting grounds of over 100 species of migratory birds, to name a few of its superlatives. Over 400 species of plants have been identified here, double that of any other Arctic tundra region.
Explore the vast coastal wildernesses of Eastern Siberia with your seasoned Expedition Team as they introduce you to the human and animal populations of this singularly remote place. Brown bears, Russian foxes and over 200 bird species, including the endangered spoon-billed sandpiper, are among the animals you may encounter as you hike the rocky terrain along Kolyuchin Bay. Russia’s most sparsely populated region, Chukotka, is home to tiny villages like Uelen and Larino, where you may be offered a skin boat and dogsled demonstration or be invited to sample caribou meat, local roots or seaweed dishes. At the Captain’s Farewell Dinner, bid farewell to your new friends, to your inspiring expedition team and to the unforgettable vastness of this region.
Ease your way back into civilization with a visit to Provideniya the administrative center of Chukotka with a population of just under 2,500. A former Soviet military port, Provideniya suffered from the sudden departure of the military from the area. Local tourism has boosted the economy, and you are welcomed warmly with a ceremony and a village concert. A significant portion of the population is Yupik, indigenous to both Siberia and southwestern and central Alaska.
Day 26: Nome, Alaska | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Disembark in Nome, Alaska, among the wildest reaches of mainland America and the final destination for the Iditarod dogsled competition. Gold can still be mined here, and you may try gold panning firsthand. You may also experience a dogsled demonstration or a stop in to the Bering Sea Land Bridge National Preserve visitor’s center. After lunch at Old St. Joe’s Hall, enjoy time at leisure in downtown Nome. Transfer to the airport for your chartered internal flight to Anchorage, and then either continue home
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Classic Balcony Stateroom- Cat 1
243 Total Square feet, outside stateroom with private facilities and balcony. Double bed or two single beds, mini bar, safe, wi-fi, flat screen TV, telephone.
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Deluxe Balcony Stateroom- Cat 2
243 Total Square feet, outside stateroom with private facilities and balcony. Double bed or two single beds, mini bar, safe, wi-fi, flat screen TV, telephone.
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Premier Balcony Stateroom- Cat 3
243 Total Square feet, outside stateroom with private facilities and balcony. Double bed or two single beds, mini bar, safe, wi-fi, flat screen TV, telephone.
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Superior Balcony Stateroom- Cat 4
243 Total Square feet, outside stateroom with private facilities and balcony. Double bed or two single beds, mini bar, safe, wi-fi, flat screen TV, telephone.
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Premier Two Room Suite- Cat 5
354 Total Square feet, outside suite with private facilities and balcony. Double bed or two single beds, mini bar, safe, wi-fi, flat screen TV, telephone.
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Prestige Balcony Suite- Cat 6
486 Total Square feet, outside two room suite with private facilities and balcony. Private sleeping quarters with double bed or two single beds, mini bar, safe, wi-fi, flat screen TV, telephone.
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Prestige Two-Room Balcony Suite- Cat 7
486 Total Square feet, outside two room suite with private facilities and balcony. Private sleeping quarters with double bed or two single beds, mini bar, safe, wi-fi, flat screen TV, telephone.
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Owners Balcony Suite- Cat 8
Outside suite with private facilities and balcony. Private sleeping quarters with double bed or two single beds, mini bar, safe, wi-fi, flat screen TV, telephone.
Notes
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double occupancy.
- Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.5 times the double occupancy rate. The supplement for a suite is 2 times the shared rate.
Everything was amazing! The planning with Adventure Life went smoothly. The actual trip was fantastic! One of the best trips I have experienced. The cruise staff members were knowledgeable and attentive. I will be writing more about this on the blog!
Justin Chappelle
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
1 day ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
3 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
4 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
