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Kuril Islands:
Cruise the
Ring of Fire
(Sakhalin,
Kurils, Commanders & Kamchatka)
SEE
ALSO THE BIRDQUEST/OCEAN ADVENTURES GROUP TOUR
(Where you will also find a much more detailed account)
13 Day Itinerary
Ship: Spirit
of Enderby (Professor Khromov)
This breathtaking expedition offers
you the opportunity to explore one of the most geologically active
and biologically rich parts of the planet. The large number of live
volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands has earned
this region the reputation of the Pacific’s ‘Ring of
Fire’.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is a land of stunning bays and snow-capped
volcanoes whose alpine meadows and lowland forests support a great
diversity of wildlife. The Kuril Island chain is made up of 32 islands
that stretch between Russia and Japan across the Bering Sea. The
Kurils are all formed by volcanoes that rise from the sea floor.
The larger of the Kuril Islands are inhabited, and most people make
their living from the sea, as they have for generations.
The seas washing these isolated coasts are among the most productive
in the world. The area teems with birds and marine mammals. Huge
bird colonies dot the cliffs and large seal rookeries are scattered
along the coast.
The trip also takes in the Commander Islands. These remote islands
are also rich in bird and sea mammal life and they are the final
resting place of the famed Danish explorer Vitus Bering.
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| Map
courtesy of Heritage Expeditions
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| Itinerary |
| PLEASE
NOTE
Some
cruises operate in reverse order. All itineraries are for
guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local weather
conditions and in order to take advantage of opportunities
to see wildlife. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.
Day
1
Transfer from Hotel in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to board the Vessel
in Port of Korsakov. Depart for Kunashir Island
Day 2
Afternoon ashore in the Kurilsky Zapovednik (Reserve) on Kunashir
Island
Day 3
Day spent at Iturup Island. Morning zodiac landings with excursions
to forest areas. Afternoon travel by ‘bus’ to
Rubetskiy Volcano and an opportunity to visit a higher altitude
habitat
Day 4
Chiripoyovy Island(s) in the afternoon. Zodiac cruising and
landing
Day 5
Simishur Island. Zodiac cruise into the large caldera containing
the abandoned submarine base. Land and explore the area around
the base. Afternoon visit Yankicho Island – an ornithological
“wonderland”.
Day 6
Matua and Toporkovy Islands – abandoned military base
(airforce) on Matua Island and good numbers of birds on adjacent
Toporkovy Island.
Day 7
Landing this morning at Nemo Bay on the northern end of Onekotan
Island and an easy walk to Black Lake. This afternoon an expedition
landing on the southern tip of Paramushir Island in Vasilyeva
Bay.
Day 8
Zodiac cruise in the Utashud Islands in Vestnik Bay before
sailing north along the Kamchatka coast.
Day 9
Visit Zhupanovo River, take zodiacs up the river in search
of Steller Sea Eagles. This afternoon sail for the Commander
Islands.
Days 10/11
Spend these two days at the Commander Islands. Visit the village
of Nikoi ‘Skoye. Zodiac cruise Arij Karmen Island (landings
not permitted). Visit North West Cape Fur Seal colony and
explore the eastern bays of Bering Island for bird cliffs/colonies.
Day 12
At sea
Day 13
Arrival at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy and disembark. Transfer
to hotels and airport.
Landings at these islands are by permit as administered by
the relevant governments. Circumstances may be encountered
during our voyage which will make it necessary or desirable
to deviate from the proposed itinerary. These circumstances
include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned
excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed
during the voyage.
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