Discover the world’s highest concentration of polar bear dens (home to both parents and cubs), the largest population of Pacific walrus, nesting grounds for 100 migratory bird species including snowy owls, snow geese and long-tailed skuas; and reindeer, musk oxen and arctic fox. Become one of the few people to visit Russia's remote Wrangel Island Nature Reserve on this 16-day Alaska roundtrip expedition aboard the Sylvia Earle. Having escaped glaciation during the last Ice Age, Wrangel Island is a bonsai garden of some 400 plant species and boasts a human history as sparse and dramatic as the land. Explore the Chukotka coast, where beluga, gray and humpback whales feed, and experience traditional Chukchi life before returning to Nome.
Highlights
Observe majestic polar bears at Wrangel Island Reserve
Experience the traditional life of the Yupik and Chukchi people
Amaze with iconic wildlife such as Pacific walrus, polar bears, puffins and more
Spot a host of migrating birds such as emperor geese & spoon-billed sandpipers
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 Anchorage and transfer to your group hotel. Upon check-in, the reception staff provides you with cabin tags. Please fill out the luggage tags clearly, showing your name and cabin number to allow them to deliver your luggage to your cabin. Enjoy a welcome drink and meet fellow expeditioners at our voyage briefing this evening.
Transfer to Anchorage airport, board your charter flight to Nome and embark the Sylvia Earle. After boarding, there’s time to settle into your cabin before the important safety briefings. This evening meet your expedition team and crew at the Captain’s Welcome Dinner. In the evening, meet the expedition team and crew at the Captain’s Welcome Dinner.
Informative briefings prepare you for upcoming landings, and sightings of beluga and grey whales enchant as you cross Bering Strait to Chukotka. In Provideniya, the administrative center, be cleared into Russia and if time allows, visit the museum of history and culture, and perhaps take in a traditional Yupik dance performance.
Chukchi villagers warmly welcome you into Lorino with traditional dance, samples of local delicacies and the chance to observe life in this outpost of reindeer herders and marine mammal hunters. Weather and sea permitting, you land at Cape Dezhnev, Eurasia’s easternmost point, to explore the ancient Inuit settlement of Naukan, and the remains of a Soviet-era research center (both now abandoned). Note the massive whale bones, somehow brought up the cliffs for building material.
Enjoy informative talks from our team of experts as your Captain navigates an approach to Wrangel Island. Although pack ice can block the way, it varies from year to year. Even if the way is clear, it’s likely you’ll delight in sea ice in the upcoming days.
Your exploration of Wrangel and Herald Islands depends on ice and weather conditions. Whether searching pack ice for polar bears, ringed seals and walrus, or Zodiac cruising beneath slopes dotted with polar bears (adults and cubs) and walrus haulouts, be joined by local rangers keen to share their knowledge and love of this special place. Follow them across a vast landscape in search of reindeer, musk oxen and arctic fox. Search for fossilized remains of the woolly mammoth, a kaleidoscope of wildflowers and listen to tales of Inuit and Chukchi hunters, the first European explorers and the survivors of the Karluk disaster.
As you sail south, reflect on the wonders you’ve seen as you edit photos, enjoy entertaining talks or treat yourself to a gym workout and massage in the wellness centre.
Weather permitting and with a wary eye for polar bears, you land on Kolyuchin Island, with its abandoned meteorological station and some of the Arctic’s most spectacular bird cliffs, where nesting puffins, guillemots and gulls are easily photographed. The tidal estuary of Kolyuchin Inlet offers wildflowers and a host of birds from yellow-billed loons to endemic emperor geese, as well as remains of dwelling mounds and graves of past inhabitants.
Day 12: At sea | Arakamchechen Islands | Penkigngey Bay
In the late afternoon, arrive at Arakamchechen archipelago, where humpback, grey and bowhead whales are known to feed in the waters. Time permitting this afternoon or tomorrow morning, you may have the chance to quietly approach a walrus haulout, discover sea cliffs on nearby Nuneangan Island - home to guillemots, tufted puffins and crested auklets, or Penkigngey Bay, a long fjord, offers tundra wildflower walks and a scenic dip in hot springs.
On Ytytygran Island, visit Whale Bone Alley, where bones are thickly strewn for half a kilometer along the beach, and ‘meat pits’ attest to a busy Chukchi whaling camp. Still standing, immense bowhead whale jawbones and ribs form a monumental, ceremonial archway, while just offshore grey whales are frequently seen feeding. In Provideniya, bid a fond farewell to Russia and begin the return voyage across the Bering Sea.
As we pass through Bering Strait, separating Russia and North America by only 100 kilometers / 60 miles, we hope to see beluga and grey whales. Conditions permitting, land at King Island and explore the eerie, ancient village Ukivok, now abandoned after a tragic run of events. Murres and kittiwakes frequent the surrounding sea cliffs. As you depart, celebrate the voyage end with a farewell dinner.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
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Aurora Stateroom Triple
22.67m2 (244ft2) - There are two Aurora Stateroom Triple cabins featuring portholes, all with private en-suites. Located on Deck 3, they're close to the mudroom and loading platforms.
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Aurora Stateroom Superior
19.9m2 - 20.8m2(214.2ft2 - 223.9ft2) - Located on Deck 7, the Staterooms feature french balconies, floor to ceiling windows, en-suite bathrooms and a comfortable desk area. Perfect for polar adventurers who travel with plenty of gear.
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Balcony Stateroom C
19.5m2 - 28.7m2 (209.9ft² - 308.9ft2) - 11 Balcony Stateroom C cabins - most economical, fitted with all the necessities and comfortable for up to 2 people. These cabins are scattered throughout Deck 6.
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Balcony Stateroom B
19.5m2 - 28.7m2 (209.9ft² - 308.9ft2) - 17 Balcony Stateroom B Cabins - standard cabin, many fitted with interconnecting features making them great for families or groups. These cabins are located at the fore and aft of Deck 4 and 6.
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Balcony Stateroom A
19.5m² - 28.7m² (209.9ft² - 308.9ft²)- 23 Balcony Stateroom A cabins - premium cabin, and the most abundant on board. These cabins are located in preferred positions on Deck 4 and 6 which provides easy access between Decks via the internal stairs or elevator.
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Balcony Stateroom Superior
29.2m2 - 35.2m2 (314.3ft2 - 378.9ft2) - Located on Deck 4 and 6, the Staterooms feature floor to ceiling windows, en-suite bathrooms and a comfortable desk area. Some of these rooms are equipped with wheelchair accessible bathrooms.
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Junior Suite
Up to 41.6m2 (447.8ft2)- 4 Junior Suites take in some impressive scenery from their vantage points on Deck 7. When you aren't enjoying a landing, you can relax in the suites' separate lounge area, or just watch the world float by from the private balcony.
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Captain’s Suite
43.8m2 (471.5 ft2) - Captain's Suite - the largest of all our rooms, will take you to the polar regions in ultimate style and comfort. Complete with large lounge area, balcony, walk-in wardrobe and en-suite, you'll need to get in early to secure this suite.
Initial deposit is $2,500 plus $250 USD deposit for any activities at the time of booking, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 Days prior to departure by Only Visa and Mastercard credit cards are accepted
For full cancellation policy details, please contact us for a quote.
Included
15 Breakfasts, 12 Lunches, 13 Dinners
15 Nights Accommodations
Accommodations as listed
Ground transportation as listed
Activities as listed
Meals as listed
Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
Comprehensive pre-departure information
Beer, House Wine, and Soft Drinks with Dinner
Educational Lectures and Guiding Services from Expedition Team
Complimentary access to onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial consult)
Port Surcharges, Permits, and Landing Fees
Captain's Welcome and Farewell drinks including four-course dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages.
A 3-in-1 waterproof polar expedition jacket
Complimentary use of Muck boots during the voyage
All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises
All airport transfers mentioned in the itinerary.
On-board accommodation during voyage including daily cabin service
Excluded
Gratuities
Travel Insurance
Personal Expenses
Flight costs (please request a quote)
Additional excursions during free time
Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
Passport and Applicable Visa Expenses
Airport Departure Tax - Airport arrival or departure taxes
Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry services, personal clothing, medical expenses, Wi-Fi, email or phone charges
Hotels and meals not included in itinerary
Optional activity surcharges
Reciprocity and Vaccination Charges
Passengers traveling with Aurora Expeditions are required to be covered by a reputable travel insurance policy that includes baggage loss, cancellation & curtailment of the holiday, medical, accident, and repatriation/emergency evacuation coverage worth at least $250,000 USD.
The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
8 hours 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
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.