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Peregrine Travel Centre

Hokkaido to Hokkaido: Russian Far East Expedition Cruise

Hokkaido to Hokkaido: Russian Far East Expedition Cruise

From USD $23,800

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Description

Join us on a cruise around the Sea of Okhotsk, one of the least visited areas in the rarely visited Russian Far East. This voyage will offer dramatic scenery and marvellous opportunities for wildlife observation. With Okhotsk we visit a small town linked to Vitus Bering, with Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy we visit the cultural and political centre of Kamchatka, before heading south through the Kuril Islands, a geothermal wonderland of volcanoes and hot springs. During our voyage we will look out for whales, seals and huge populations of migratory seabirds. You can also learn about the history, geology, wildlife and botany of this spectacular area from lecture presentations offered by the knowledgeable onboard Expedition Team.

Trip Name
Hokkaido to Hokkaido: Russian Far East Expedition Cruise
Days
19
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition Length: 108 metres Passenger Capacity: 144 Built / refurbished: 1989 / 2008 / 2018 Silversea’s purpose-built luxury Silver Explorer expedition cruise ship has been designed specifically for navigating waters in some of the world’s most remote destinations, including both of earth’s polar regions. A strengthened hull with a Lloyd’s Register ice-class notation (1A) for passenger vessels enables the Silver Explorer Expedition Cruise Ship to safely push through ice floes with ease. A fleet of 12 Zodiac boats allows Silversea Expedition guests to visit even the most off-the-beaten path locations and an expert Expedition Team provides insight and understanding to each unforgettable Silver Explorer luxury cruise adventure.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 HOKKAIDO (OTARU)
Otaru is a small harbor city west of Sapporo. Famous for its many hills and a nearby ski resort, the town has been an important trade and herring fishing center. A wide canal that led from the port to the old town’s warehouses has been maintained for touristic purposes and the old stone or brick-built warehouses have been beautifully converted to restaurants and boutiques.
Day 2 - Day 2 KORSAKOV
Korsakov is used as a technical stop for ships clearing in and out of Russia. In addition to being a port of call for these formalities, the city was once home to an Ainu fishing village frequented by regional traders and early Russian expeditions. History also suggests that there may have been a significant Japanese population here at one time with reports of a Japanese religious temple on record.
Day 3 - Day 3 DAY AT SEA
Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is whale watching from the Observatory Lounge, writing home to your loved ones or simply topping up your tan by the pool, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.
Day 4 - Day 4 PILTUN LAGOON
Piltun Lagoon is tucked into the remote northeastern shores of the immense Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk. The shallow waters at the mouth of Piltun Lagoon are known to harbor a rare gray whale population. It is believed that the relatively warm waters are favored calving grounds for the whales. In the distance, across the slate-colored lagoon sits a tall lighthouse that acts as an excellent landmark on explorations ashore to find Steller Sea Eagles, Aleutian Terns, Pine Grosbeaks, Siberian Rubythroats and Dusky Warblers.
Day 5 - Day 5 IONA ISLAND
Iony (or Jonas) Island is a small and isolated point of land in the expansive Sea of Okhotsk. It is home to a Steller sea lion colony, but great numbers of Northern Fulmars and Brünnich’s Guillemots will be the first sign that the island is close at hand. On closer inspection it becomes obvious that the sea lions take up almost every available spot for resting close to the water. Overhead, guillemots and kittiwakes circle the cliffs by the thousands. Whiskered, Least and Parakeet Auklets fill the air and float in communal rafts on the water.
Day 6 - Day 6 OKHOTSK
The city of Okhotsk is located on the banks of the Okhota River that gives its name to both the town and the surrounding sea. For many years Okhotsk was the most important port in the Russian Far East. It was from here that Vitus Bering left for his two expeditions in the early 18th century, but the town had lost its importance in the 19th century and today counts only about 4,000 inhabitants. The puddled, unpaved streets give visitors the feeling of having stepped back in time.
Day 7 - Day 7 YEGRINEYSKAYA BAY & USHKI BAY
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Day 8 - Day 8 TALAN ISLAND & ZAVYALOV ISLAND & KONY PENINSULA
Researchers occasionally visit Talan to monitor the seabirds here including Steller’s Sea Eagles, Parakeet Auklets, Ancient Murrelets and Spectacled Guillemots. The breeding seabirds on the island have been counted for nearly 30 consecutive years. The counts have revealed that the number of Tufted Puffins has increased. At last tally 120,000 were breeding on Talan. In addition, Horned Puffin populations are stable at 80,000 individuals. However, the results are not always encouraging. Originally 1.5 million Crested Auklets were found breeding on Talan, and lately that number has been halved.
Day 9 - Day 9 KONY PENINSULA
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Day 10 - Day 10 DAY AT SEA
Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is whale watching from the Observatory Lounge, writing home to your loved ones or simply topping up your tan by the pool, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.
Day 11 - Day 11 UTASHUD ISLAND
Three small islands form Utashud and seem to be the remnants of a former volcano raising 80 meters (262 feet) out of Vestinik Bay. Although the island is deprived of forest, fragments of giant petrified trees have been found on its shores. Utashud is one of the richest islands on the southeastern side of Kamchatka in terms of wildlife. The island is notable for its population of sea otters (up to 300 individuals). In fact, native people from Kamchatka used to visit this island to hunt for sea otters, valuing the thick fur of their pelts.
Day 12 - Day 12 KEKURNYY POINT
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Day 13 - Day 13 PETROPAVLOVSK KAMCHATSKY
The Kamchatka Peninsula is part of the Eastern frontier of Russia. Due to its close proximity to the United States, the region has played a strategic role in the defense of Russian territory throughout modern history. As a result, the territory was closed for many years to foreigners and Russians alike. Fortunately, the region's isolated position played a significant role in preserving and protecting its unique wilderness and rich biodiversity. With few roads, most regional transportation is by plane, boat, or helicopter.
Day 14 - Day 14 ATLASOVA ISLAND
The near-perfect cone of Alaid volcano dominates Atlasova Island with its 2000-meter (6,500-foot) peak. It is the highest volcano in the Kuril Islands and over time generated the black lava beaches and the eroding Taketomi tufa limestone cone near the landing site. At one time a women’s prison, or gulag, was located on Atlasova. The women, many of them political prisoners during the Soviet rule, were sent here to raise foxes for fur. Peregrine Falcons can sometimes be spotted flying above the beach, while buzzards, Eurasian Wigeons, and Tufted Ducks have all been observed on the island.
Day 15 - Day 15 YANKICHA ISLAND
Any articles published about the Kuril Islands are likely to linger over the impressive Yankicha Island. It is the southernmost of two islets forming Ushishir Island. Yankicha is distinct in having at its center a caldera that is accessible by small boat only during high tide. Inside this extraordinary lagoon are fumaroles and hot springs, both traces of the tremendous forces that created the island long ago. Fortunate visitors may encounter an Arctic fox or the rare Whiskered Auklet. Ashore it is also possible to see Arctic Warblers and Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warblers.
Day 16 - Day 16 CHIRPOY ISLAND
The oftentimes fog-shrouded coasts of Chirpoy Island teem with a profusion of wildlife including Steller sea lions, Northern Fulmars, kittiwakes, puffins and auklets. Whales, and specifically orcas, have also been seen around Chirpoy. The dramatic volcanic nature of the island is apparent in the subtly shaded layers of sediment flanking the sides of the active Snou volcano.
Day 17 - Day 17 TYULENIY ISLAND
Thousands of Northern fur seals and Steller sea lions call Tyuleniy Island their home. The island is appropriately named, as the word tyuleniy means “seal” in Russian. During the summer months, tens of thousands of seals and sea lions haul ashore here during the breeding season. The cacophony of their barks, belches, grunts and groans is difficult to imagine. Bulls, their harems, and many thousands of young black pups all jostle for space on the crowded beaches that flank the small rocky island.
Day 18 - Day 18 DAY AT SEA
Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is whale watching from the Observatory Lounge, writing home to your loved ones or simply topping up your tan by the pool, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.
Day 19 - Day 19 HOKKAIDO (OTARU)
Otaru is a small harbor city west of Sapporo. Famous for its many hills and a nearby ski resort, the town has been an important trade and herring fishing center. A wide canal that led from the port to the old town’s warehouses has been maintained for touristic purposes and the old stone or brick-built warehouses have been beautifully converted to restaurants and boutiques.
Day 20 - Please Note:
Expedition highlights and itinerary listed here are possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed. Your Expedition Leader and Captain will work together to ensure opportunities for adventure and exploration are the best possible, taking into account the prevailing weather and wildlife activity. Expedition Team members scheduled for this voyage are subject to change or cancellation.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $23,800Adventurer Suite. From
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $24,400Explorer Suite. From
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $25,800View Suite. From
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $27,100Vista Suite. From
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $37,700Veranda Suite. From
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $44,800Medallion Suite. From
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $48,000Silver Suite. From
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $55,700Grand Suite. From
18-06-202006-07-2020USD $61,400Owner's Suite. From

Inclusions

    • Discover Piltun Lagoon, Iony Island, Shantar Islands, Okhotsk, Utkholok Peninsula and Kvachina River, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Yankicha Island, Tyuleniy Island
    • Visit sites important to Vitus Bering’s exploration of the Russian Far East
    • Wildlife Watch List: Bearded, ringed, Largha and ribbon seals, Steller sea lions and sea otters Grey whales, blue whales, humpback whales, orcas, Birds of note: Horned and Tufted Puffins; Ancient Murrelets; Rhinoceros Auklet, Parakeet Auklets, and Crested Auklets; Common, Brünnich’s and Spectacled Guillemots; Northern Fulmars; Steller’s Sea Eagles; Aleutian Terns, Pine Grosbeak, Siberian Rubythroat and Dusky Warblers

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