+44(0)844 875 4026
Birdwatching in the Russian Far East Adventure Tour (BR13)
14 days 13 nights
The Kurils, Commander Islands and Kamchatka
FULL BOARD DISCOVERY & ADVENTURE TOUR
Cruise Adventure Tour departs on 26 May 2012
from £4,800
Birdwatching in the Russian Far East Adventure Tour
Formed by the collision of the Pacific and Eurasian plates and stretching northward for over 700 miles (from Japan to Southern Kamchatka), the Kuril Islands create a chain of over 30 volcanic islands plus an oceanic trench reaching depths of over 8,000m.
The mixture of deep water upwelling and the combination of the chilly waters from the Sea of Okhotsk with the much warmer Pacific Ocean forms model conditions for seabirds and the region is one of the richest in the globe, both in terms of the number of wildlife that can be seen in their sheer abundance. For many bird watchers, the unbeatable highlight are the Auks and this journey brings you the possibility to see as many as 14 species of these fine birds including Tufted and Horned Puffins, Parakeet, Whiskered and Rhinoceros Auklets, as well as Spectacled and Pigeon Guillemots.
There is the strong possibility of encountering seabirds including Laysan Albatross, Mottled Petrel, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Red-faced Cormorant, Red-legged Kittiwake and Aleutian Tern, making this a “must do” trip for enthusiastic sea birders.
As well as a variety of fine birds previous expeditions witnessed some of the finest animals on earth including Blue, Fin, Sperm, Humpback and Grey Whales as well as Orca (Killer Whale), Baird’s Beaked-Whale and Dall’s Porpoise.
As you begin to head north up the Kuril Islands and then discover Kamchatka and the Commander Islands, the landscape and plant life change noticeably, giving us the chance to look for a thrilling variety of land birds. For numerous explorers, the most exciting land bird is the striking Steller’s Sea-Eagle which breeds at many of locations we plan to visit, although there are plenty of other extraordinary species including Rock Sandpiper, Mongolian Plover, Pechora Pipit, Japanese Robin, Siberian Rubythroat, Red-flanked Bluetail, Long-tailed Rosefinch and Black-faced Bunting.
The birds, cetaceans, wild flowers and spectacular landscape make this region truly exceptional and in joining this voyage you have the chance to visit an area few have had the opportunity to experience.
CRUISE ADVENTURE TOUR INCLUDES:
- Hotel accommodation in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (1 night, twin-share)
- Transfers as outlined in the itinerary
- All shore excursions as outlined in itinerary
- All accommodation and meals while onboard ship
- Services of Heritage Expeditions leaders
- Post-expedition Trip Log
CRUISE ADVENTURE TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Visas
- Local payment ($500)
- Regional flight connections
Contact us for excellent rates and service on the above additions to your cruise adventure tour to Russian Far East!
Images courtesy of Heritage Expeditions