Arrive into Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, the capital and administrative center of the Kamchatka Region, and transfer to the port to board the Spirit of Enderby.

Spend the morning Zodiac cruising on the Zhupanova River. The main target here is the Steller’s sea eagle, and there are usually some occupied nests close to the river. Good numbers of largha seals are also often hauled out on sandbars in the river and you should see a good variety of waterfowl and waders. By late afternoon, the ship should be over deep water heading for the Commander Islands. New species to look for include Laysan albatross, mottled petrel, and the fork-tailed storm petrel. The Kamchatka Trench can also be excellent for cetaceans - previously blue whales have been seen on this crossing.

The wildlife-rich Commander Islands were first discovered by the Commander Vitus Bering when his ship was wrecked here in 1741. Explore the islands through a combination of landings and Zodiac cruises. The first stop is the village of Nikolskoye, where there is an interesting museum. Zodiac cruising is often spectacular - hope to encounter red-faced cormorant, red-legged kittiwake, pigeon guillemot, horned puffin, as well as parakeet, crested and whiskered auklets, and sea otters. Plans also include a ship cruise along the southern coast of Bering Island, as this area is excellent for cetaceans with humpback, sperm, northern minke, orcas and Baird’s beaked whales all regularly encountered.

The proposed landing site is a patchwork of boggy tundra, ponds, and shingle spits where an interesting range of waders can be found including Pacific golden plover, red-necked stint, and red-necked phalarope. Also hope to see bluethroat and Pallas’ reed bunting.

Verkhoturova Island has some huge seabird colonies, and by following a short trail to the cliff top you should be able to enjoy some fantastic views of tufted puffins, Brunnich’s guillemots, pelagic cormorants, and black-legged kittiwakes. Both Steller’s, eider, and harlequin duck occur here too, and you may also see some Steller sea lions, as they are often hauled out on some offshore rocks. Later in the day, there may be either a Zodiac cruise or landing on the Govena Peninsula. Good numbers of brown bears can often be found here.

During these days of the expedition travel along this largely unknown part of the coast. It comprises deep forested fjords where you should see brown bears, red fox, and with luck, mountain sheep and Kamchatka marmots. In the many lagoons and shallow bays there is a vast array of bird life including tundra bean goose, Steller’s eider, great knot, long tailed stint, gyrfalcon, Siberian accenter, and Asian rosy finch. This area is also a stronghold of the Kittlitz’s murrelet. Previous expeditions have explored much of this coastline, documenting the distribution and abundance of many species. In 2011 a previously unknown breeding population of spoon-billed sandpiper was recorded. Working alongside researchers from BirdLife International and Birds Russia, who travel with you, plan to revisit many of these areas to monitor changes and search for new breeding colonies. Enjoy unique opportunities for photography, for hiking, and for ‘birding’ in a species-rich country where literally only a few ‘westerners’ have ever been.

Meinypil’gyno, located on a 40 km long shingle spit, is the most important site in the world for breeding spoon-billed sandpiper. Here about ten pairs are monitored by members of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Recovery Taskforce. As guests of the Taskforce, if possible, you may be guided to one of their monitored nests. The area is extremely rich in other wildlife, so you may also find emperor goose, Pacific diver, white-billed diver, and sandhill crane. The lagoon entrance often has largha seal, gray and beluga whales, and a spectacular number of gulls.

This coastline is rich in marine mammals. One creature to look for in particular is the walrus, as there is a known haul out. The animals do regularly move between locations, so finding them is always very much a matter of luck, although success has been had here in the past. Good numbers of gray whales often congregate here too. To the north of Cape Navarin is Keyngypilgyn Lagoon. This is an excellent location for waterfowl and waders including emperor geese, greater white-fronted geese, brant geese, whooper swan, king eiders, red knots, and Aleutian tern.

As you cruise into Anadyr Bay, there is an excellent chance of seeing more beluga whales. After a final breakfast on board the Spirit of Enderby, it is time to disembark. Enjoy a complimentary transfer to a downtown hotel and the airport.