Do you want to hear a whale breathing? Or to see how a huge sea giant passes in several meters from your SUP-board? Or to enjoy the silence and nature?
If this is on your bucket list, come with us to the Shantar Islands! Amazing land where nature is preserved in its primordial condition, where bowhead whales swim in a bay, without fear of people, and killer whales accompany a sea catamaran.
IN THE PROGRAM:
What are we going to do?
We will see representatives of the Sea of Okhotsk bowhead whales population. Under favorable conditions, you can swim with them on the SUP-board!
Whales
We will visit the Shantar Islands, a place which is visited by no more than 400 people per year. We'll see nests of huge eagles, jasper rocks, bits and pieces of abandoned whaling station.
Archipelago
A trip where you can fish in the cold sea, the purest river and the lake lost among the hills and catch different types of fish in each place!
Fishing trip
We are especially proud of the meals on the tour! You will be served by three different chiefs(each at his own station), who will make unforgettable meals out of fresh seafood!
Delicacies
Trip schedule
Day 1. Khabarovsk – the Sea of Okhotsk
We start our tour from Khabarovsk, where you have to get to on your own if you are not from here.
By air. At the stated time, the group meets at the Khabarovsk airport and takes an Aurora airline plane to Nikolaevsk-on-Amur. The flight time is 1 hour 35 minutes.
By land. The group then is taken to Cape Perovsky by motor vehicles (2-3 hours drive).
By sea. From Cape Perovsky we are picked up by a sea catamaran, which takes us to the stationon Wrangel Bay (4-6 hours, depending on the weather at sea).
By land. The group then is taken to Cape Perovsky by motor vehicles (2-3 hours drive).
By sea. From Cape Perovsky we are picked up by a sea catamaran, which takes us to the stationon Wrangel Bay (4-6 hours, depending on the weather at sea).
Days 2-4. Whale watching
We live in a camping site near Cape Wrangel. A large tavern-canteen "Kitoviy Us" (whalebone), a warm shower, a proper toilet, a Russian sauna and a campfire place are at your service. Participants live in tall two-room tents overlooking the bay.
We spend three days at Cape Wrangel, because whales come here! If the weather is good, you can go out on a SUP-board from morning till evening. SUP-boards and wetsuits are provided free of charge.
In addition to the SUPs you can go sea-fishing, go with a guide on an excursion to the observation deck and the grotto, and in the evening listen to interesting lectures by marine biologists, scientists who study local bowhead whales population here.
Whales are wild free animals, we cannot guarantee their presence, but we will do our best to show them to you!
In addition to the SUPs you can go sea-fishing, go with a guide on an excursion to the observation deck and the grotto, and in the evening listen to interesting lectures by marine biologists, scientists who study local bowhead whales population here.
Whales are wild free animals, we cannot guarantee their presence, but we will do our best to show them to you!
Day 5. Ongachan
Sea transportation to Ongachan Bay. We live in houses for 4 people each. A large common room, a warm shower, a proper toilet, a Russian sauna, an observation deck and a campfire place are at your service.
A sea catamaran takes us to the next station – Ongachan. We are transported along the open sea for about 2.5 hours, meeting many birds along the way – seagulls, puffins, ducks. There is a chance to meet both whales and killer whales along the way. Accommodation at Ongachan will allow us to make comfortable sea transportation to the Shantar Islands themselves.
Day 6. Boat excursion to the archipelago
We take a catamaran excursion to the islands of the Shantar archipelago. We come ashore at the island of Bolshoy (Rus. to "Big") Shantar in search of semi-precious jasper, see kekuras with eagle nests, visit a weather station, where only 4 people live year-round, and look at the bits and pieces of abandoned whaling station.
We make official passes to the national park for each participant of the trip.
We make official passes to the national park for each participant of the trip.
Day 7. Transfer to Nikolai Bay
We live in a camping site. A large common room, a warm shower, a proper toilet and a Russian sauna are at your service. Trip participants live in tall two-room tents overlooking the bay.
After breakfast we move to Nikolai Bay – a place where whales are found! There is every chance of seeing both whales and killer whales along the way.
Near the station there is a river of the same name, where you can watch salmon run.
Near the station there is a river of the same name, where you can watch salmon run.
Day 8.
We spend this day at the "Gorbusha" camping site. We make trips to places where whales are found and go fishing. There is a lot of plankton here, so this is one of the reasons why whales like to come here.
Day 9. Transfer to Nikolavsk-on-Amur
We make a sea crossing on a catamaran from "Gorbusha" camping site to Cape Perovsky. We go from Perovsky to Nikolaevsk-on-Amur by bus and comfortably accommodate in the only large hotel there (a level of comfort is satisfactory).
Day 10. Khabarovsk
This day our group has a return flight to Khabarovsk. Our buses will take the group from the hotel to the airport.
ACCOMMODATION CONDITIONS
Infrastructure
For your convenience all stations have:
- electricity with the ability to charge gadgets;
- spacious common rooms for communication and meals;
- a shower;
- proper toilets with central water supply;
- a Russian sauna;
- drying rooms for clothes and equipment;
- gazebos by the sea.
- electricity with the ability to charge gadgets;
- spacious common rooms for communication and meals;
- a shower;
- proper toilets with central water supply;
- a Russian sauna;
- drying rooms for clothes and equipment;
- gazebos by the sea.
Lectures by scientists
At the Wrangel station marine biologists give lectures about whales almost every evening. Scientists live at the station and study the representatives of the Sea of Okhotsk bowhead whalespopulation.
TOUR BOOKING
Tour duration
10 days
Group size
12 people
What is included in the cost of the tour:
− air tickets Khabarovsk-Nikolaevsk-on-Amur-Khabarovsk;
− accommodation in a hotel in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur;
− accommodation at Ongochan, Wrangel and Gorbusha stations;
− meals for the entire duration of the program;
− work of cooks, instructors, guides;
− pass to the Shantar Islands National Park;
− permission to travel on private roads and through high-security facilities;
− daily excursions;
− all group equipment and tour gear;
− motor vehicles and catamarans freight;
− a Russian sauna daily at all stations;
− fishing tackle;
− SUP-boards, wetsuits for swimming with whales.
− air tickets Khabarovsk-Nikolaevsk-on-Amur-Khabarovsk;
− accommodation in a hotel in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur;
− accommodation at Ongochan, Wrangel and Gorbusha stations;
− meals for the entire duration of the program;
− work of cooks, instructors, guides;
− pass to the Shantar Islands National Park;
− permission to travel on private roads and through high-security facilities;
− daily excursions;
− all group equipment and tour gear;
− motor vehicles and catamarans freight;
− a Russian sauna daily at all stations;
− fishing tackle;
− SUP-boards, wetsuits for swimming with whales.
Cost
2750 $/person
The program may be adjusted due to weather conditions, group safety, whale concentration at sightings and other objective circumstances.
Delayed return to Khabarovsk or early departure from the route are possible.
Delayed return to Khabarovsk or early departure from the route are possible.
What is NOT included in the cost of the tour:
− return air tickets to Khabarovsk from your place of residence;
− hotel accommodation in Khabarovsk;
− personal belongings, tackle and equipment;
− meals on the way from Khabarovsk and back in catering centers;
− insurance.
− return air tickets to Khabarovsk from your place of residence;
− hotel accommodation in Khabarovsk;
− personal belongings, tackle and equipment;
− meals on the way from Khabarovsk and back in catering centers;
− insurance.
WARNING!
Characteristic features of the trip: complete autonomy (no connection with the outside world), harsh and changeable weather conditions, remoteness from housing and medical centers, wild nature and associated risks.
Book a tour to the Shantar Islands
