EAE2. At the Edge of the World

                This survey trip grants an opportunity to see all main features of Chukotka in one respectively short trip. You will see majestic tundra landscapes of plains and mountains. You will cruise along sea coasts and observe sea birds and mammals. You will visit native settlements and field stands of aborigines: the Chukchi and the Eskimo (the Siberian Yupik) and get to know their real traditional lifestyles.

              The sea part of the trip is spent at the Senyavin Strait and its islands, exclusively rich with sea mammals and birds. You will see feeding grey whales, seals and walruses as well as multiple colonies of sea birds. If you are lucky, you will see hundreds or even thousands of walruses lying at a rookery. There are good chances to watch traditional walrus hunting by local Eskimo hunters. You will visit the world famous Whale Bone Alley – an ancient memorial of Eskimo culture. Walks in mountain tundra will acquaint you with specific local flora and fauna. Bathing in hot springs close to our field camp will charge you with additional energy for each next day. Local landscapes with water and isles surrounded with mountains are truly great at this most remote edge of the Eurasian landmass.

            A caterpillar off-road vehicle will transfer you for several days into the heart of tundra to localities where Chukchi reindeer herders roam with their herds like centuries ago. You will see a herd with several hundred of reindeers and deep into different sides of true herders' lifestyle: from a modern stationary settlement Yanrakynnot to a nomadic stand with traditional yarangas and to a real roaming herd.

Type: Adventure
Tour duration: 19 days
Months of Operation: 15^th of July - August
Recommended Group Size: 4 - 12 PAX
Mode of Travel: airplane, minibus, ATM bus, motor boat, caterpillar off-road vehicle, on foot

Itinerary:

Day 1. (FRI). Arrival in Anadyr. Transfer to the city by minibus and motor boat. Accommodation in hotel.

Day 2. City tour of Anadyr. Visiting Chukotka Heritage Museum Center and Art Gallery. Free time. Overnight. (B)

Day 3. Free time in Anadyr. Optional fishing (payable on spot). Overnight. (B)

Day 4. (MON). Transfer to airport by minibus and motor boat. Flight to Provideniya (AD-13, 10:15 – 11:40).  Transfer to the settlement. Accommodation in apartments. Walking tour of the settlement. Visit to Museum of Local Lore and History. (B)

Day 5. Ride (25 km) by ATM bus from Provideniya to the Yupik native settlement Novoe Chaplino. Acquaintance with the settlement. Visit to a local house and lunch with aborigines.  Further ride (20 km) to Yupik sea hunters' base Inakhpack. Passage  (30 km) by motor boat to Gylmimyl Lagoon. Good chances to observe grey whales (Eschrichtius robustus), walruses (Odobenus rosmarus), ringed and spotted seals (Pusa hispida) and sea birds as pelagic cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus), horned puffin ( Fratercula corniculata),  pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba), tufted puffin (Lunda cirrhata) and others. Setting a base camp. Overnight in a hunting hut or in tents. (BLD)

Day 6. Sea round trip (70 km) by boat: Gylmimyl - Yttygran Island – Nunengan Island - Gylmimyl. Visiting the ancient memorial of Yupik culture "Whale Bone Alley". Lunch - picnic. Boat based observation of the huge seashore colony of sea birds as guillemot, seagull, pelagic cormorant. Return to the base camp. Hiking. Bathing in hot springs. Possible fishing. Dinner with tasting of dishes cooked with salmon and/or sea mammals’ meat, salmon soft caviar, tundra’s berries, mushrooms etc. Overnight in base camp. (BLD)

Day 7. Sea passage (40 km) by boat to Kygynyn Cape at Arakamchechen Island. En route, good chances to observe feeding grey whales, walruses and fur-seals (nerpas). Small distance walking to a big rookery of walruses (usually 500-3000 animals). Photo and video shooting.  Lunch - picnic. Passage back to the base camp with a drop to Glazenap Bay to visit a memorial place from time of exploring of Chukotka. Overnight in base camp. (BLD)

Day 8. Sea passage (15 km) along Senyavinsky Strait to Merkinkan Island. Observation of the largest Chukotka birds’ rookery of horned puffins, pigeon guillemot and others. Continue of sea trip (12 km) to the national Chukchi settlement Yanrakynnot. Short time tour of the settlement. Dinner with tasting of local cuisine. Overnight in a local house. (BLD)

Day 9. Ride across tundra (around 50 km) by special off-road caterpillar vehicle to a field base of Chukchi reindeer herders. Examination of a traditional Chukchi dwelling – yaranga. Meeting with herders and exploring of local life style and  traditions. Tasting traditional local dishes. Overnight in tents or yaranga. (BLD)

Day 10. Ride by caterpillar (around 10 km) to a reindeer herd. Explore of herders’ lifestyle. Photo and video shoot. Ride to Getlyanin hot springs. Rest and bathing. Possible fishing (fly and bait fishing) of salmon trout, chun salmon, eelpout and grayling. Dinner with fish soup. Overnight in tents or hut.  (BLD)

Day 11. Leisure at hot springs. Fishing and explore outskirts.  Overnight in tents or hut.  (BLD)

Day 12. Ride back to Yanrakynnot village (around 60 km). Accommodation in private house. Free time. Russian bath (banya). (BLD)

Day 13. Sea boat trip along Senyavinsky Strait (about 80km) to the base camp at Senyavinsky hot springs with stopovers en route in Penkigney Bay and Pestsovaya River estuary to explore endemic tundra plants and to visit an old deserted field stand of reindeer herders. Overnight in a hunting hut or in tents. (BLD)

Day 14. Boat passage to Aboleshev Bay (25km). Visit of rookery of fur-seals (nerpas). Photo and video shoot. Back to the base camp. Overnight in a hunting hut or in tents. (BLD)

Day 15. Reserve day for cases of worse weather. Overnight in a hunting hut or in tents. (BLD)

Day 16. Set-off the camp. Boat passage to Rumylet Bay (16km). Drive by ATM bus to Providenya settlement (27km). Accommodation in apartments. Free time. Souvenirs.  Optional Russian bath ‘banya’.  (BLD)

Day 17. Excursion (20 km) by ATM bus to ancient Eskimo colony Avan. Examination of remains of unique ancient Eskimo semiunderground dwellings and meat bunkers made of whale bones in 16-19th centuries. Visiting ancient Eskimo cemetery. Observation of sea birds and mammals. Farewell dinner. Overnight in apartments. (BLD)

Day 18. (MON). Transfer to the airport. Flight Providenya – Anadyr (AD-14, 12:20 – 13:50).  Transfer to hotel. Accommodation. (B)

Day 19. (TUE). Transfer to airport. Departure from Anadyr. 

 Legend: B – breakfast, L – lunch, D – dinner
The itinerary may be tuned to weather conditions

Recommended flights:

• Moscow – Anadyr UN-111 (dep. 19:05 THU; arr. 12:25 FRI )
• Anadyr – Moscow UN-112 (dep. 15:25 TUE; arr. 14:50 TUE )

All the times are local

 Highlights:

• Whale Bone Alley – an ancient memorial of the Yupik culture, a sacral place for locals
• Landscapes, flora and fauna of tundra and sea coast
• Rookery of walruses
• Rookery of ringed and spotted seals (nerpas)
• Colonies of sea birds  
• Nomadic stand of herders
• Roaming with reindeer herd
• Anadyr – the renovated capital of Chukotka
• Novoe Chaplino – the native settlement of the Eskimo (Siberian Yupik) sea hunters with  around 420 inhabitants
• Yanrakynnot – the native settlement of Chukchi reindeer herders and sea hunters with around 360 inhabitants

Fixed departures – 2010 (from Anadyr to Anadyr):

23/07-10/08/2010 – English speaking guides
06/08-24/08/2010 – English speaking guides

IMPORTANT:  Bookings should be made not later than 75 days before the departure to get permissions and to book local flights.

Costs for individual tourists – 2010:

2822 EUR per person for joining in a fixed group 4-12 PAX

Included:

• TWN accommodation in hotels, apartments and tents (QDR is possible in Yanrakynnot)
• meals as per itinerary
• excursions per program with entrance fees
• all transfers including arrival/departure
• on-land transportation according to the program
• air flight Anadyr – Provideniya - Anadyr
• local English speaking guides and interpreters
• all necessary permits
• camp and safety equipment
• subsidiary crew when needed

Not included:

• air tickets Moscow – Anadyr – Moscow
• insurance
• visa

Supplements:

• SGL accommodation in Anadyr and Providenia + 361 EUR per person

All the costs are valid at the date of publication and are subject to reconfirmation at the time of booking

The itinerary and the costs are subject to revision in the beginning of 2010 after fixing new flight timetables and cross-rates RUR/EUR