Kamchatka & The Kuril Islands Why Join This Cruise:- A rare, privileged opportunity to visit a remote and little known corner of the world, offering dramatic scenery and fabulous wildlife
- This 12 day expeditionary cruise offers something for everyone: Amazing birds, bears, cetaceans, botany and a rich history!
- A very good overview of Kamchatka, the northern Kuril and Commander Islands
- Excellent chance of sighting a number of different types of cetaceans, including orca, humpback, sperm, fin and grey, who come to these waters to breed
- Good chance of seeing brown bears, which are coming down to the river to fish for salmon coming upriver to spawn
- Unbelievable wild flowers
- Starts and finishes in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy which makes logistics easier, with your accommodation the night before embarkation included as part of this voyage
- Travel aboard a small (max. 48) ice-strengthened vessel, ensuring a very personalised expeditionary experience and ease of logistics on landings
Trip OverviewThis breathtaking expedition offers you the opportunity to explore one of the most geologically active and biologically rich parts of the planet. An area very few have visited and which was totally closed off during the communist era. The Kamchatka Peninsula is a land of stunning bays and snow-capped volcanoes, whose alpine meadows and lowland forests support a great diversity of flora and fauna.
The Kuril and Commander Islands chain are also rich in bird and sea mammal life.The seas washing these isolated coasts are among the most productive in the world with the whole area literally teeming with birds and marine mammals. Huge bird colonies dot the cliffs and large seal rookeries are scattered along the coast. Pods of orcas up to a hundred strong have been spotted, while millions of swarming auklets inside the caldera at Yankicho Island is phenomenal.
Day 1Fly to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and overnight at a centrally located hotel with time to explore. **If required we can book pre-cruise accommodation and excursions for you.
Day 2In the afternoon you will board the Spirit of Enderby, while it is moored in the one of the world's most beautiful natural harbours.
Day 3We cruise along the Kamchatka Peninsula to Vestnik Bay and Utashud Island. The island is small and steep but tufted puffins, horned puffins, pigeon and Brunnich's guillemots nest there. The surrounding scenery of snow covered volcanic peaks provides a wonderful backdrop for a zodiac cruise.
Day 4Today we land on the northern end of Onekotan Island, where we enjoy a walk to Black Lake. This lake lies in the in the lee of Volcano Nemo. Beautiful wildflowers carpet the meadows surrounding the lake. Among the birds here it is possible to see the red throated pipit, greenshank, buff bellied pipit and rough legged buzzard.
Day 5Further south lies Yankicho Island part the Ushishir group. They are the submerged remains of a large volcano, and they support birdlife that is nothing short of spectacular. A visitor has said "The sound is like a symphony, as if each bird contributes a different note - fulmar, puffin, auklet and murre." We will land here and enjoy this amazing island. There is a pleasant walk and hot pools to soak in when you have had enough of the wildlife.
At the northern end of Simushir Island there is a huge caldera which gives easy access to slopes
of Karlomyy Volcano. The abandoned submarine base here is a haunting reminder of the Cold War and how many people were involved. Nature is reclaiming this island with birches and numerous botanical treasures.
Day 6 Today we plan an expedition landing in Bukhta Krasheninnikova on Paramushir Island. This is large, mountainous volcanic island. Five of its 20 volcano's are active. The island is known to have a good population of brown bear.
Day 7Early morning we enter Russkaya Fiord a spectacular feature within Avachinsky Bay. From this fjord we should get great views of the volcano Mutnovskaya Sopka. (2,322 metres). There is also a superb chance to view wildlife.
Day 8 One of the oldest nature reserves in Russia, the Kronotsky reserve was established in 1882 as a preserve for hunting sable. Totalling over 1 million square hectares it plays an important part in the conservation of the Kamchatka Peninsula's diverse flora and fauna. There are over 763 vascular plant species, 232 bird species and 58 species of animals records. We hope to explore the area around the Chazma River on the northern end of the Reserve, and attempt to anchor in Kamenistaya Bay, a good area for Brown Bear.
Day 9 & 10The Commander Islands group is steeped in history and the only place where the extinct Steller's sea cow was ever recorded. These islands are named after legendary explorer Commander Vitus Bering, who first observed that Asia and the Americas are separate continents. A simple tombstone marks his grave on Bering Island. We will visit the small museum in the village of Nikolskoye, where we will be introduced to the culture of the local people.
The Commander Islands are home to a huge number of birds, including horned and tufted puffins, crested and parakeet auklets, thick billed murres, red-legged kittiwakes, and red-faced cormorants. We may also spot harbour seals, Steller's sea lions and northern fur seals.
Day 11 Our excursion today is in the Zhupanova River region on the Kamchatka Peninsula. We negotiate this shallow meandering river with our naiads (zodiacs). There are superb opportunities for birding and nature walks. We are likely to spot up to 40 species of birds, including such special Siberian species as the yellow billed loon, yellow-breasted bunting, greenshank, Far-Eastern curlew and common terns. In the mature birch forest along the river there is a good chance of spotting a Steller's sea eagle, hopefully the first of many we will see on this expedition.
Day 12This morning we disembark in Petropavlovsk Kamchatskiy where you will be transferred to your accommodation, transfers to the airport can be arranged.
This itinerary is an outline. Circumstances may be encountered during our voyage which will make it necessary or desirable to deviate from this itinerary. These circumstances include poor weather conditions and opportunities for making unplanned zodiac excursions. Your Expedition Leader will provide more information at the start of the voyage and keep you fully informed during the voyage./
The Boat
The following boat operates this particular cruise:
Spirit of Enderby
Expeditionary Dates for 2009
30th June - 11th July
10th - 21st July
Guide Price
(Prices based on 2/3 people sharing a cabin)
| Prices from: |
| Sharing Triple cabin with shared bathroom facilities | £3,040pp* |
Sharing Twin Main deck cabin with shared bathroom facilities
| £3,546pp* |
| Sharing Superior cabin with private bathroom and window (bunked beds) | £3,795pp* |
| Sharing Superior Plus cabin with private bathroom and window (2 lower beds) | £3,995pp* |
| Sharing Mini Suite | £4,380pp* |
| Sharing Heritage Suite | £4,830pp* |
*These prices are subject to exchange rate fluctuations.
What's included?
- 10 nights on board Spirit of Enderby
- 1 night's pre cruise accommodation in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
- Transfer on arrival to your hotel
- Full lecture programme onboard by your expeditionary staff
- All land and sea based excursions during the course of your cruise
- Port taxes
- Post-expedition log book
What's not included?
- All flights and travel arrangements getting to and from the points of embarkation/ disembarkation
- Gratuities
- Landing fees of $250
- Fuel surcharge, if levied
Pre/Post cruise extensions
To discuss this trip, for further details or to check boat availability, please either:
Call 01285 880981
Email voyages@steppestravel.co.uk
Steppes Travel cruise destinations include: Alaska, Amazon, Antarctica, Arctic, Baja Mexico, Galapagos, Papau New Guinea, Nile
