Itinerary

Day 1   Morning flight from London bound for Moscow, arriving in the late afternoon. From here we catch an evening flight bound for Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Day 2   As we travel rapidly eastwards across northern Eurasia, passing from one time zone to another in no time, the dawn rushes to meet us across the almost empty land below us and as we gaze down on the seemingly endless forested plains, hills and mountains, punctuated only by lakes and rivers, we shall begin to appreciate the immensity of Siberia. This morning we will arrive at Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in southern Sakhalin, already half a world away from our starting point in Western Europe, and then transfer to the port of Korsakov and board the Professor Khromov (or ‘Spirit of Enderby') before sailing for the Kuril Islands.

Day 3   Our first day at sea will be a good introduction to pelagic seabirds. As we sail towards the southeast we should encounter Northern Fulmars, numerous Short-tailed Shearwaters and a few Sooty Shearwaters (both of which are up here escaping the rigours of the southern winter) and rather ghostly Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels, as well as small numbers of alcids. We should also come across a number of northbound Pomarine, Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas (or Pomarine, Parasitic and Long-tailed Jaegers), the latter looking extraordinarily graceful with its slim body and long, gently undulating tail streamers. We should see our first cetaceans today, most probably large Dall's (or Spray) Porpoises hurling themselves through the water and streamlined Pacific White-sided Dolphins. Even in June the water temperature in the southern Sea of Okhotsk is quite low, which explains why it is so rich in marine life, but when one gets cold and decides to call it a day one can retreat below to the warm interior of the ship and enjoy a hot meal or perhaps a glass of something equally ‘warming'.

Day 4   By this morning we will be anchored at Kunashir Island at the southern end of the Kurils chain. These wild, rarely-visited specks at the end of the world are dominated by a series of volcanoes linking Kamchatka and Japan and Kunashir is dominated by the 1822m peak of Tyatya. The Kurils were annexed from Russia after the Russo-Japanese war in the early years of the 20th century, but seized back by the then Soviet Union at the end of the Second World War. Japan still claims some of the southern islands, making for a long-term political dispute with Russia. Scenically spectacular, and still largely wilderness, the Kurils are a refreshing change compared with most of our overcrowded planet. Today we will explore Kunashir, which has the highest biodiversity in the Kurils chain, with many rare plants and a rich avifauna by local standards, and where over a third of the island is protected by nature reserves. As well as a chance to look for birds and many wildflowers ashore there will also be an interesting optional visits to the thermal pools on the island and to the main township of Yuzhno-Kuril'sk. More than 200 Brown Bears roam Kunashir, probably the highest density in all Russia, and we may see a few during our explorations, particularly along the island's rivers where they feast on the summer salmon run. Along the coastline with its black volcanic beaches we should encounter Temminck's Cormorant, Black-tailed, Black-headed and Slaty-backed Gulls, and groups of Rhinoceros Auklets and beautiful Tufted Puffins. We should also come across the handsome Spectacled Guillemot, a speciality of Northeast Asia, and the splendid Harlequin Duck. Once ashore we should be able to find White-tailed Eagle, Japanese Buzzard (split from Common), Fork-tailed (or Pacific) Swift, Black-backed Wagtail, Brown-headed Thrush, the skulking Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler, the lovely Narcissus Flycatcher and Grey-capped Greenfinch. A single pair of Red-crowned Cranes nests on the island, Mountain Hawk-Eagles frequent the interior and even Blakiston's Fish Owl nests here, but we are unlikely to see these species during a short visit.

Day 5   At Iturup Island we will land at the main settlement of Kuril'sk, nestled below the volcanic peaks of Teben'kova (1211m) and Baranskogo (1124m), which has a population of around 10,000. The friendly Russian folk who live there like to greet visitors with traditional Russian dancing, but after that we should have an opportunity to explore the island. As we depart and continue northeastwards towards the island of Urup we will keep a good lookout for cetaceans, for Minke and Humpback Whales are not uncommon in these waters and Sei Whale is also a possibility, while we also have a good chance of encountering the first of what should be many Orcas (or Killer Whales). Lingering Red-throated, Black-throated and Pacific Divers (or Red-throated, Arctic and Pacific Loons) should still be present and we should come across groups of Red-necked Phalaropes heading for their Arctic and sub-Arctic breeding grounds. Passerine migration will still be in full swing and so we could easily find some tiny waif coming on board our ship – perhaps a tired Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler, an Arctic Warbler or a Siberian Rubythroat.

Day 6   A zodiac cruise around Broutona island, a small volcanic island with a huge colony of Northern Fulmars and smaller numbers of Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common and Brünnich's Guillemots (or Common and Thick-billed Murres), and Pigeon Guillemots (here of the distinctive Kuril form snowi , which almost entirely lacks the white wing patch), is planned for early this morning. Over a million fulmars of the dark brownish North Pacific form nest on these slopes! As we sail towards nearby Chirpoy and Brat Chirpoyev we will be keeping a lookout for Orcas and especially for huge Sperm Whales, for this is an excellent area for both species. Alcids should be prominent and we are likely to encounter our first Crested Auklets and perhaps our first Whiskered Auklets here, as well species we have already become familiar with. Leach's Storm-Petrels are likely to be encountered alongside Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels and Short-tailed Shearwaters. A zodiac cruise at Chirpoy is likely to produce our first Steller's Sealions hauled out on the beach and we are also likely to see Pelagic Cormorant, Greater Scaup, more Harlequin Ducks, and Black and Stejneger's Scoters (split from Common and Velvet respectively). In the afternoon we will land at Nataliya bay on Urup where we could find such birds as Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Teal and Northern Pintail. If we are in luck we will come across a lingering Steller's Sea Eagle, as a few summer in the central Kurils. We should, in addition, find the first of many Sea Otters here and also Harbour (or Common) Seals of the Kurils form.

Day 7   This morning we will arrive at the northern end of Simushir Island in the central Kurils. The scenery is quite awesome, with huge, snow-covered volcanic peaks rising straight up out of the sea, as if they are all that is left of a drowned continent. The cold current that sweeps southwards along the Kurils creates an almost Arctic climate, so there are snow patches right down to sea-level in June and the tallest vegetation is usually limited to willow and birch scrub, or low mats of gnarled Siberian Stone Pine. At the northern end of Simushir there is a huge flooded caldera that gives easy access to the slopes of the Karlomyy volcano. If conditions permit we will go ashore here to enjoy the spectacular scenery. Later we will sail north to Ketoy. In summer numerous Laysan Albatrosses visit the area and, if we find a fishing fleet, we may well see hundreds of the latter mixed in with clouds and clouds of Northern Fulmars, perhaps tens of thousands in all. As we sail past the fishing boats hundreds of mostly dark morph fulmars and numbers of albatrosses will fly close to our ship, affording wonderful views. At Ketoy, providing conditions allow, we will make a landing to look for such birds as breeding Red-faced Cormorant, Rough-legged Buzzard (or Rough-legged Hawk), Peregrine, Winter Wren, the stunning Siberian Rubythroat, Eastern Crowned Warbler and, most unlikely of all in this bleak setting, Spotted Nutcracker.

Day 8   Almost unknown in the west, the huge seabird colonies of the central Kuril Islands are some of the most impressive in the entire North Pacific. Here literally millions of alcids nest along with millions of Northern Fulmars and hundreds of thousands of Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels and Black-legged Kittiwakes, and numerous Pelagic Cormorants, Red-faced Cormorants and Slaty-backed Gulls. Alcids reach their greatest diversity in the North Pacific region and the Kurils look set to become world famous for their sheer quantities of these dumpy but attractive birds. This morning we shall explore the remote Ushishir Islands and in particular Yankicha and Ryponkicha islands, part of the remains of a submerged volcano, where the grassy and rocky slopes provide nesting places for numerous bizarre Tufted Puffins and rather comical-looking Crested Auklets, together with much smaller numbers of Horned Puffins and Parakeet Auklets. The ledges of the steep cliffs are home to thousands of Common and Brünnich's Guillemots (or Common and Thick-billed Murres) and Black-legged Kittiwakes, whilst the rocky shore and adjacent boulder piles provide ideal habitat for smart Pigeon Guillemots. Best of all the exceedingly localized and much sought-after Whiskered Auklet nests here in large numbers and we shall see numerous feeding flocks (probably running into the thousands in total) in the tidal races offshore. Around the nesting colonies streams of birds fly low overhead, on their way out to sea, the heavy avian traffic creating a continuous chirruping, growling and gurgling (Crested Auklet flocks in particular sounding just like sandgrouse as they sweep overhead), whilst huge rafts of auks and kittiwakes rest on the waters below. Gyrfalcons nest on the islands and we could see one of these powerful falcons pursuing a hapless alcid (sometimes far out to sea), while Common Ravens also find a home in these inhospitable surroundings. Yankicha is still quite active and if we can get ashore we will be able to see the smoking sulphur vents and boiling mud pools close up. Later in the day we will land on Matua island where the Japanese and later the Russians had a military base, now abandoned. We may see our first Ancient Murrelets offshore and once ashore, en route to the old base with its abandoned military hardware ranging from vehicles to cartridge cases, we will keep a lookout for Buff-bellied (or American) and Olive-backed Pipits in particular, as well as other passerines mentioned for the islands further south. We may also come across migrant shorebirds, including Red-necked Stint, while Harlequin Ducks are common here. Later still we will visit the small island of Raykoke, either sailing around the island in the ship or taking to the zodiacs. Here is another vast Northern Fulmar colony and a colony of Steller's Sealions. In the evening we will sail for the northern Kurils. Anywhere along the northern part of this fantastic island chain we should encounter Killer Whales and we could well come across a concentration of dozens of these spectacular creatures. We should also encounter Minke Whales, Dall's and Pacific White-sided Dolphins, and perhaps Grey, Humpback, Fin or Sperm Whales.

Day 9   To the south of Onekotan island is a cluster of four smaller islands, Shiashkotan, Ekarma, Chirinkotan and Kharimkotan. We will go ashore this morning on some of them, conditions permitting. These islands hold good numbers of seabirds, including nesting Northern Fulmars, Red-faced and Pelagic Cormorants, Slaty-backed Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common and Brünnich's Guillemots (Common and Thick-billed Murres), Pigeon Guillemots, Crested Auklets and Tufted and Horned Puffins. Later we will explore the northern end of Onekotan, landing below the Nemo volcano and walking to Black Lake. Beautiful wildflowers carpet the meadows surrounding the lake and, if it is clear, the backdrop of the volcano is spectacular. Amongst the birds here are Rough-legged Buzzard (or Rough-legged Hawk), Long-toed Stint, Eurasian Skylark, Buff-bellied and Red-throated Pipits, Common Reed Bunting and, best of all, the uncommon and localized Grey Bunting.

Day 10   This morning we will reach the island of Paramushir, the largest of the northern Kurils. Here we will look amongst the quiet inshore waters for Ancient Murrelets and the uncommon Rhinoceros Auklet. We plan to go ashore at Bukhta Krasheninnikova, and if we find a pod of Killer Whales in the bay we will try to get close to them in the zodiacs, perhaps having the huge males with their tall dorsal fins surface very close indeed, exhaling loudly before they slip inexorably beneath the surface. Brown Bears are common on Paramushir, so we will be hoping to spot one or two. The waters around Paramushir are probably the Sea Otter capital of the North Pacific and today we should see hundreds of these endearing animals. Sea Otters are one of the few tool-using animals and we should see many lying on their backs in the water and hammering away with a small stone at clams positioned on their chests! At this season many of the females have cubs and as our ship approaches they will paddle away with the cub resting on their chest, or tow them away by hanging on to the scruffs of their tiny necks. We will also keep a lookout for Least Auklet from now onwards, as small numbers either oversummer or breed in this region (for example, the species has been found breeding in very small numbers in the northern Sea of Okhotsk). Those who are persistent have a good chance of seeing one or two. During the afternoon, depending on conditions, we will either land on or cruise around Atlasova island. The spectacular, snow-covered Alaid volcano on Atlasova rises to 2339m and is the highest peak in the Kurils, erupting as recently as 1971. Asian Rosy Finch can be found here and Steller's Sealions can often be seen along the western coastline. This evening we will reluctantly have to leave the magical Kurils behind and sail onwards towards the southern tip of Kamchatka.

Day 11   As we sail along the southeastern coast of Kamchatka today we will, provided it is clear, be treated to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. In good weather the combination   of blue sky, white, snow-covered cones, ash-grey lower slopes, green forests and deep blue water is something quite extraordinary. In the early morning we will visit Utashud island, which we plan to cruise around by zodiac. The islands is small and steep-sided, and holds a large colony of Slaty-backed Gulls, Tufted Puffins and other alcids, including Horned Puffins and ‘normal' Pigeon Guillemots with white wing patches. Later we will continue along the coast and may land at Bukhta Vestnik before heading north towards Russkaya bay, a fjord like opening in the coast to the south of Petropavlovsk from where we will, if it is clear, enjoy spectacular views of the Mutnovskaya Sopka volcano (2328m). Steller's Sea Eagles nest on the rocky islets along this coast and we should see some as we cruise within easy sight of the shore. We will also keep a lookout for our first Long-billed Murrelets and for Brown Bears, which are common in this region (and we may even see a mother with cubs).

Day 12   This morning we will explore the Zhupanovo River area. Zhupanovo is a small, largely deserted village at the southern edge of the huge Kronotskiy Reserve. Here the tall, snow-covered volcanic cone of Kronotskaya Sopka (3528m) looms over a remote, virtually uninhabited tract of land. The star attraction is the enormous Steller's Sea Eagle. This huge raptor, one of the heaviest of all flying birds (with a bill that looks as if it could make short work of one's hand and a wingspan of nearly three metres), nests in good numbers in the area, the breeding adults feeding their single eaglet on the copious supplies of salmon. To watch this wonderful bird soaring on a sunny morning, its white wing flashes catching the sunlight, is something truly unforgettable. Other birds we should find here include Red-necked Grebe, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Goosander (or Common Merganser), Red-breasted Merganser, Far Eastern Curlew, Common Greenshank, Grey-tailed Tattler, Common Tern, the smart little Long-billed Murrelet (a northeast Asian speciality, split from Marbled, which favours shallow, sandy bays, unlike most other alcids), Common Cuckoo, Horsfield's Cuckoo (split from Oriental), Sand Martin (or Bank Swallow), Alaska Wagtail, Rufous-tailed Robin (a skulker that is much easier to hear than see), Eyebrowed Thrush, Lanceolated, Arctic and Pallas's Leaf Warblers, Grey-streaked Flycatcher, Red-throated (or Taiga) Flycatcher (split from Red-breasted), Willow Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Oriental Crow, Brambling, Eurasian Siskin, Common Redpoll, Common Rosefinch, and Rustic and Yellow-breasted Buntings. There is also a good chance of finding some lingering Yellow-billed Divers (or Yellow-billed Loons) and Steller's Eiders. In the afternoon we will weigh anchor and sail for the Commanders. As long as the sea fog does not roll in, the views northwards towards Kronotskaya Sopka will be quite breathtaking as we head out to sea.

Day 13   The Commander Islands (or Komandorskiye Ostrova), named after Commander Vitus Bering, are two lonely slivers of land that mark the easternmost extension of the largely submarine mountain ridge that extends from Alaska to Kamchatka and which gives rise to the Aleutian Islands to the west. These savage but beautiful islands, right at the end of Asia, are about as far ‘off-the-beaten-track' as one can get. Here the St Peter, Bering's ship, was wrecked in November 1741 on its way back from Alaska and during the terrible winter that followed nearly half its crew, including Bering, died from scurvy and other diseases. Steller himself survived, through the care he had taken to collect anti-scorbutic plants whilst the ship slowly worked its way along the Aleutians before the shipwreck, and became the first and only naturalist to observe the large and almost flightless Spectacled Cormorant and the huge, docile Steller's Sea Cow, both of which were hunted to extinction in less than a century. Steller reported that the Arctic Foxes on the island were so fearless of man, and indeed so aggressive, that they would rip the meat from his fingers whilst he skinned animals or bite off the toes, fingers and noses of dead sailors before they could be buried. By the summer of 1742 the survivors had managed to rebuild the ship and in August they sailed it back to Kamchatka. This morning we will arrive at the small settlement of Nikolskoye near the northern end of Bering Island, the largest of the two Komandor Islands. The terrain here is rather low-lying, with extensive marshy areas, dry, hummocky tundra and low hills. In the marshy areas we will find the interesting Rock Sandpiper and also such species as Long-toed Stint, Dunlin, Common Snipe, the dainty Red-necked Phalarope, Pechora Pipit (with its dry, Corn Bunting-like rattling song), Red-throated Pipit and Arctic Redpoll. Smart male Lapland Longspurs seem to be displaying and song flighting everywhere. Around the settlement itself Snow Buntings nest and numerous Glaucous-winged Gulls throng the beaches, whilst on the drier areas of tundra we will find Mongolian Plovers in their breeding finery and perhaps the impressive Snowy Owl. A few migrant shorebirds, including Bar-tailed Godwit, may be present. In spring great numbers of Northern Fur Seals come ashore to breed, crowds of animals thronging the beaches at the northwestern end of the island. Amongst the main mass of seals the mature bulls lord it over their harems, whilst at the periphery the bachelor males are scattered about, grumpily baring their teeth when a rival comes to close or roaring aggressively if pressed too far. Offshore islands hold large seabird colonies. On one small islet there are thousands of breeding Tufted Puffins and Glaucous-winged Gulls, together with mixed colonies of Red-legged and Black-legged Kittiwakes, and Pelagic and Red-faced Cormorants. On another, much rockier, island are thousands of Common and Brünnich's Guillemots (or Common and Thick-billed Murres), many other seabirds and some spectacularly huge male Steller's Sealions surrounded by the much smaller females. The southern end of Bering Island is mountainous, with an Arctic feel due to the extensive snow cover that lasts well into summer. This evening we will set sail for Kamchatka.

Day 14   The crossing back to the mainland will give us another chance to find some rare seabird or cetacean. We pass over some very deep water today and this area, where we should see small numbers of Leach's Storm-Petrels amongst the much more numerous Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels, will provide our best chance of seeing Mottled Petrel, a Pterodroma which spends the southern winter in the North Pacific. Even better, with the steady increase in the population of the endangered Short-tailed Albatross, and a number of recent sightings in this area of the world, we can even hope for a sighting amongst the much more numerous Laysan Albatrosses!

Day 15   This morning we will sail into Avachinskaya bay and end our journey at the port of Petropavlovsk. This is one of the most scenic harbours in the world with a spectacular skyline of volcanic peaks including Avachinskaya Sopka (2741m) and the perfect white cone of Koryakskaya Sopka (3456m). In the afternoon, after saying farewell to the ship and crew we have grown to know so well over the past fortnight, we will board our flight to Moscow, arriving there (due to the time difference) at the same time of day as we left Petropavlovsk. The flight will give us a chance to admire the scenery of the Russian Arctic as the ‘Great Circle' route takes us right over the mountains of the Taymyr Peninsula, the mouths of the Yenisey and Ob, and the northernmost Urals. At Moscow we catch a connecting flight to London, arriving in the evening.

Sakhalin Pretour Extension Itinerary

Day 1   Morning flight from London bound for Moscow, arriving in the late afternoon. From here we catch an evening flight bound for Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Day 2   As we travel rapidly eastwards across northern Eurasia, passing from one time zone to another in no time, the dawn rushes to meet us across the almost empty land below us and as we gaze down on the seemingly endless forested plains, hills and mountains, punctuated only by lakes and rivers, we shall begin to appreciate the immensity of Siberia. This morning we will arrive at Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in southern Sakhalin, already half a world away from our starting point in Western Europe, and then drive the short distance to our hotel for a three nights stay. Later we will begin our exploration of the island.

Days 3-4   Sakhalin is a large, slender, fish-shaped island (almost 1000 kilometres from north to south) in the Sea of Okhotsk off the coast of eastern Siberia. As with almost all regions of Siberia, the island is very sparsely populated and its hills, valleys and plains are mostly covered in boreal forest and extensive marshes. The cold currents of the Sea of Okhotsk, which is completely ice-bound in winter, bring a sub-Arctic climate to coastal areas. Few western ornithologists have visited Sakhalin, which was closed to foreigners until 1989, and since then only a handful of pioneering groups have sampled its ornithological delights. Along the coast we should encounter Red-throated, Black-throated and Pacific Divers (or Red-throated, Arctic and Pacific Loons), Pelagic Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Wigeon, Greater Scaup, the splendid Harlequin Duck, Stejneger's Scoter (split from Velvet), Red-breasted Merganser, Common Greenshank, Grey-tailed Tattler, Black-headed, Black-tailed, Slaty-backed and Glaucous Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwake and the localized Aleutian Tern. We may come across a few wintering gulls that have lingered on, such as Kamchatka Gull (split from Common), Vega Gull and Glaucous-winged Gull. Other birds we can expect to see in the more open habitats include Black-eared Kite (split from Black), White-tailed Eagle, Little Ringed Plover, Latham's Snipe (which will be giving spectacular dive-bombing display flights over the meadows), Common Cuckoo, Fork-tailed (or Pacific) Swift, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin (or Bank Swallow), Barn Swallow, Olive-backed Pipit, Green-headed and Black-backed Wagtails, the superb Siberian Rubythroat, Siberian Stonechat, the skulking Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler (their presence amongst the grass and reeds betrayed by their characteristic song), Black-browed Reed Warbler, Oriental and Large-billed Crows, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Grey-capped Greenfinch, Long-tailed Rosefinch, Black-faced, Yellow-breasted and Common Reed Buntings and, if we are lucky, Russet Sparrow (which reaches the northern edge of its range here). In the marvellous mixed forests we will search for various Siberian species which are familiar as vagrants to the Western Palearctic, as well as Far Eastern specialities and some widespread Eurasian birds. Some of the species we will be looking for include Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Oriental Turtle Dove, Horsfield's Cuckoo (split from Oriental), Great Spotted and Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers, Winter Wren, Rufous-tailed Robin (whose descending whinny from the upper part of a tall conifer betrays the presence of this little skulker), the beautiful Siberian Blue Robin, Northern Red-flanked Bluetail, the handsome Siberian Thrush, Brown-headed Thrush, Japanese Bush Warbler (which has an explosive song), Lanceolated Warbler, the enormous and noisy but secretive Gray's Grasshopper Warbler, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler (split from Pale-legged Leaf), Pallas's Leaf and Radde's Warblers, Goldcrest, the superb Narcissus Flycatcher, Willow and Coal Tits, Eurasian Nuthatch, Spotted Nutcracker, Common Raven, Eurasian Siskin, Grey-bellied Bullfinch (split from Eurasian) and Grey Bunting. If we are very lucky we will come across the impressive Ural Owl or Japanese Robin. Mammals are not conspicuous but we should see Larga Seals along the coastline.

Day 5   After a final morning's birding on Sakhalin we will transfer to Korsakov and board the Professor Khromov (or ‘Spirit of Enderby') before sailing for the Kuril Islands. (Day 5 is the same as Day 2 of the main tour.)

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotel in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is of normal Birdquest standard. For details of the ship, see the introductory section. Road transport is by small coach and roads are variable in quality.

Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy, but there are a few optional harder walks.

Climate: Rather variable. Conditions will range from warm to distinctly cold and dry and sunny periods will be interspersed with overcast weather. Sea fog is quite usual at this season and there may be some rain.

Bird/Sea Mammal Photography: Opportunities are quite good overall.

Important: It is important to bear in mind that circumstances may be encountered during the voyage which will make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the planned itinerary. These circumstances include poor weather conditions and unexpected opportunities for making additional zodiac excursions. The expedition leader will provide more information at the start of the voyage and keep you fully informed throughout. While as many landings as possible will be made, few of these are crucial in terms of actually seeing the local wildlife, which can mostly be seen from the ship or during an inshore zodiac excursion.