Arctic Cruise : Kuril Islands & Kamchatka: The Ring of Fire, 14 days / 13 nights
Named for one of Russia’s most famous 20th century poets, Marina Svetaeva was built in 1989 in Poland’s famous Gdynia shipyards. Originally an ice strengthened passenger vessel, she spent many years plying the frozen waters of the Arctic and northern Pacific Oceans. She was refurbished in early 2005 to provide comfortable but not luxurious accommodations for 100 passengers and 41 Russian crew. A helideck was added so that 2 helicopters could provide the magical key to unlock the secrets of the more remote corners of the globe. Impressively stable at sea, Svetaeva is a robust vessel yet still small enough to explore places beyond the reach of bigger ships. The spacious bridge is always open to us and the decks are ideal for viewing. A large lecture room allows Aurora’s team of experienced naturalists, historians and special guest lecturers to share their knowledge with passengers. The chefs are European, and the dining room is attended by Russian stewardesses. A fleet of inflatable Zodiacs with outboard motors enable us to travel from ship to shore.
Triple
Two lower and one upper berth, a desk, wardrobes and washbasin. Showers and toilets are located just outside the cabin, and are shared with other cabins
Triple Occupancy
$6390.00
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Like giant volcanic stepping-stones, the remote and mysterious Kuril Islands stretch north from Japan to the Kamchatka Peninsula. Access to this magnificent island chain is virtually impossibly by any means other than by ship. Only a privileged few have had the chance to explore the dramatic volcanic scenery and wild landscapes of the Kuril's. Island hopping with a flexible itinerary allows us time to discover the hidden gems and wide variety of wildlife of this pristine wilderness area.
Day 1 : Sakhalin Island, Russia
Our voyage departs from the port town of Korsakov, located at the southern tip of Sakhalin. In the late afternoon, our fine Russian officers and crew welcome us onboard Marina Svetaeva as we set sail into the Pacific Ocean.
Days 2 & 3 : Kunashir Island
We make our way to Kunashir, southernmost of the Kuril Islands and still claimed by Japan. We aim to visit the hot springs at Cape Stolbchaty, a geological wonder of striated rock intrusions and an example of the constant volcanic forces that have shaped these islands. The northern reaches of the island are part of the Kurilsky Nature Reserve. Located at the base of Tyatya, a spectacular active volcano with a picture-perfect cone, this reserve is home to a rich diversity of wildlife, including the majority of Kunashir’s brown bear population. Cruising along the coast, we explore the numerous bays that offer superb hiking opportunities. Here we find Kuril bamboo growing amidst stone birch trees, tundra slopes covered with colorful splashes of wildflowers backed by smoking volcanoes.
Day 4 : Iturup Island
The largest island of the Kuril chain, we hope to make some landings along the little-visited shores of Iturup today. Weather permitting, we plan to visit the spectacular caldera of Lion’s Mouth Bay. The vast bay is almost completely encircled by the rim of a now extinct volcano, in some places rising 500 meters straight out of the water. The nutrient-rich waters surrounding Iturup Island are home to over 20 species of marine mammals, with Dall’s porpoises and the Pacific white-sided dolphin commonly seen here.
Days 5-9 : Central Kuril Islands
Our itinerary is now completely in the hands of the weather gods. There is a wealth of possible landings and we will choose those that best suit the prevailing conditions. We plan to make many shore excursions and these may include: Brat Chirpoi with its beautiful cliffs of nesting seabirds and large sea otter colonies; the spectacular volcanic island of Ketoi; the dramatic cliff line of Broutona, home to thousands of guillemots, kittiwakes, tufted puffins and auklets; the magnificent emerald green caldera of Yankicha; Skaly Lovushky and its boisterous Steller’s sea lion colony; or beachcombing along the black sand beaches of Onekotan.
Day 10 : Paramushir & Atlasova Islands
Today we hope to indulge in a cliff-top hike on Paramushir Island. Five of Paramushir’s twenty volcanoes are still active and we aim to walk among spongy tundra and wildflowers for better views of this picturesque island. A birdwatchers paradise, during our walks we may see among others Siberian rubythroat, rough legged buzzard, snow bunting and the exquisite harlequin duck. This afternoon we hope to land at the majestic island of Atlasova. Made up of a single active volcano rising dramatically over 2,300 metres straight out of the water, this is one of the most beautiful of the Kuril Islands. If conditions allow, we may have the chance to explore the small specks of rock known as the Ptichy (Bird) Islands. Home to prolific number of birds including pigeon guillemots, tufted puffins, common murres and black-legged kittiwakes, the islands also support healthy numbers of sea otters and harbour seals.
Day 11 : West Kamchatka Coast
Today we aim to explore the south-west coast of the Kamchatka peninsula. We may take a Zodiac cruise around the cliffs at Cape Kambalny and walk through the colourful birch forests and tall grasslands that characterise this region. This will be our first chance to view the famous volcanoes of Kamchatka. One of the most geologically active areas on the planet, Kamchatka features over 300 volcanoes, 29 of which are still active.
Days 12 & 13 : East Kamchatka Coast
We cruise north along the impressive mountain range of the east Kamchatka coast to Vestnik Bay. Both ashore and from the ship we’ll see snow-capped volcanoes, waterfalls and plenty of marine life. We hope to visit Utashud Island, where we can observe delightful, entertaining sea otters as they go about their business and numerous seabirds such as horned puffins nesting among the sea stacks. This little-visited coastline is a favorite haunt of the rare Steller’s Sea Eagle and to large brown bears, the undisputed master of the region.
Day 14 : Petropavlovsk
This morning we dock early at Petropavlovsk, situated on the shores of Avacha Bay below a backdrop of snowy volcanic peaks. This is a fantastic base for exploring the wilds of the Kamchatka Peninsula.
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