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Sea Otters play in the water

Sea of Okhotsk

Example 12 Day Cruise aboard Akademik Shokalskiy
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The upper regions of the Sea of Okhotsk remain frozen for much of the year and winter storms make it an inhospitable place. Despite frequent fishing, whaling, and oil drilling - wildlife thrives in this region, including the beautifully-marked ribbon seal. Seabird numbers in the Sea of Okhotsk can only be described as spectacular. Join this 12-day one-of-a-kind journey to discover a little-known and seldom-visited region rich with history and wildlife.
A sunset over SiberiaThe Kamchatka Brown Bear is a unique subspecies found only in the Russia Far EastZodiac cruises are surrounded by a flock of AukletsVisitors are welcomed to Magadan, a coastal Russian citySea Otters play in the water
Highlights
  • Zodiac to shallow waters in search of gray whales
  • Explore Okhotsk Town and interact with the friendly locals
  • Visit Tyulenly Island, with one of the largest northern fur seal colonies
  • View abundant birdlife, including the majestic Steller’s sea eagles
  • Learn about the Gulags of the Kolyma Goldfields - a legacy of sorrow
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 Sakhalin Island, Port of Korsakov

This morning transfer by coach to the Port of Korsakov some 40 minutes south of the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, where you embark the Spirit of Enderby. Once on board you are shown to your cabin and you have a chance to unpack and explore the vessel. Briefings and introductions to the ship, crew, and staff take place today after the ship sails towards the Sea of Okhotsk.

Day 2: Tyuleniy Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Visit little-known Tyuleniy Island off the south east coast of Sakhalin Island. This small island is a stronghold for northern fur seals and Steller sea lions. Fur seal numbers have increased since a 1911 International Convention banned seal hunting here. In the 1990s Steller sea lions started breeding on the island and their colony now numbers about 2,500 animals. Sea conditions permitting, plan a landing here for an opportunity to photograph the seals and sea lions.

Day 3: Piltun Bay, Sakhalin Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
It was the discovery of oil and gas in this region which put Sakhalin Island on many people’s maps. Piltun Bay is an important habitat for the small population of western gray whales. Researchers monitor the population during the summer months. Traveling by Zodiac, go to the shallower waters in search of the gray whales that feed here.

Day 4: Iony Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Iony Island lies in the middle of the Sea of Okhotsk. It is really just a rock, but what it lacks in physical size it more than makes up for in wildlife. Birds appear to take up all available space; there are guillemots, kittiwakes and various species of auklets, with parakeet, whiskered, and least being the most prominent. Take a Zodiac cruise around the island as Steller sea lions occupy the few rocky beaches, making any landing impossible.

Day 5-6: Shantar Archipelago

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Lying in the western sector of the Sea of Okhotsk close to the continent, the islands in this archipelago are amongst the last place in the Sea of Okhotsk to become free of ice each year. This late ice can sometimes restrict exploration here; on the other hand, ice increases the chances of seeing seals including bearded, ringed, largha and ribbon seals that breed here. If landing is possible, birding, botany and photography excursions led by a team of on board naturalists are on the docket.

Day 7: Mal'minskie Islands

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Here birds are everywhere: in the air, in the water, and on the land. Numerous species breed here including large numbers of spectacled guillemot. Other species include ancient murrelet, rhinoceros auklet, parakeet auklet, horned and tufted puffin, crested auklet, and both common and Brunnich's guillemot. There is also a large population of Steller’s sea eagles on the island and on the adjacent mainland. Landing on the island is restricted to a small gravel spit, however on the mainland you can stretch your legs and explore the taiga forest.

Day 8: Okhotsk Town

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
This town has featured prominently in Russian Far East history since the earliest Cossack explorers came from the west. Vitus Bering traveled overland from St. Petersburg to Okhotsk in 1725 and again in 1733 and traveled to Kamchtka and beyond. Today Okhotsk is the center of fishing in the region. The port exports significant quantities of salmon and other fish. Visit the town, landing by Zodiac up the river near the town center. The local people are generous and welcoming and often provide entertainment in the town center, as well as a cultural display.

Day 9: Talan Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
An internationally-known, but very difficult bird island to get to, Talan is famous for the hundreds of thousands of crested auklets that nest there. An extraordinary number of kittiwakes can also be found nesting along the cliffs, joined by a large population of Steller’s sea eagles. The crew plans to circumnavigate the island by Zodiac before landing and then return in the late evening to witness the huge flocks of crested auklets amassing at sea before coming ashore.

Day 10: Koni Peninsula

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
This is a mountainous region to the south-east of the town of Magadan, part of which is included in the Magadanskiy Zapovednik. This reserve protects brown bear and snow sheep, among other animals. Many of the landings here are expeditionary, meaning that many of these locations may be new and unknown, so you are never quite sure what you might find. That is part of what makes this style of travel so interesting!

Day 11: Yamskiye Islands

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
These islands are claimed by some biologists to be the largest bird colony in the North Pacific. According to bird counts there are an estimated 7 million birds nesting on Matykil Island, the largest in the archipelago. Birds include common and Brunnich's guillemot, crested, parakeet, and least auklets, tufted and horned puffins, and northern fulmars. The most abundant of these is the least auklet. Zodiac around the coast as no landings are permitted.

Day 12: Disembark in Magadan

  • 1 Breakfast
The name Magadan is synonymous with Stalin’s oppressive Gulags or prisons but there is very little evidence now of this town’s tragic past. The local museum has an excellent display about the Gulags but the most poignant reminder is the ‘Mask of Sorrow’ a large monument on a hill overlooking the town. Today Magadan is a town of about 100,000 people. Fishing is important and gold mining is experiencing a revival. The infamous Kolyma Highway or the ‘Road of Bones’ connects Magadan with Irkutsk and ultimately greater Russia. Plan to arrive here midday where your journey ends. You will be transferred to a central hotel or the airport.

Ship/Hotel

Akademik Shokalskiy

Lecture hall of the Akademik Shokalskiy

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$7,750
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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
  • 9 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches, 9 Dinners
  • 11 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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Kate was great to work with in the planning stage. She was prompt, helpful, and efficient. Our tour guide, Edwin, was knowledgeable and passionate. We were very happy to have traveled with Adventure Life, it made the trip easy and a true pleasure. We could concentrate on enjoying the experience rather than the details of travel.
Lisa Bridge
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