The Sea of Okhotsk and the Shantar Islands. Sea cruise

A tiny island only about 600 meters long off the coast of Sakhalin, which has become a haven for thousands of northern fur seals and sea lions.

The island is also home to some seabirds that live on the cliffs along the coast.

It is a wild nature reserve and an important place for scientific research.

The northeastern part of Sakhalin Island, and especially Piltun Bay, is a regular feeding ground for western gray whales.

The largest number of whales gather here during the summer months – they swim here to feed in these waters full of fish.

A small island in the vast Sea of Okhotsk, located more than 200 kilometers from the mainland.

It is completely uninhabited with a single meteorological station and a small hut of unknown origin.

In addition to mammals, the island is also a haven for huge colonies of seabirds: puffins, puffins, guillemots and gulls build nests on hundreds of thousands of rocks.

The sky turns dark here as birds hover over the sea in search of food.

This huge archipelago consists of 15 islands, including 4 large ones surrounded by several less massive ones.

The islands are dotted with deciduous and pine forests, which provides a wonderful habitat for about 200 species of birds.

The most exciting, without a doubt, is the white–shouldered eagle, the true king of the Far East.

These incredible animals live on the Shantar Islands, and we will be looking for them while cruising on zodiac boats.

Moving forward, we will be able to meet brown bears, the largest land animals.

Whales and seals are also attracted to this area.

These small islands are part of the Dzhugdzhursky Nature Reserve, one of the wildest and least explored nature reserves in Russia.

The reserve has a harsh Siberian climate and spectacular landscapes.

Some seabirds live on the Malmin Islands.

The largest colony of spectacled warblers, as well as three-toed gulls, white-bellied gulls, puffins, and many other species can be found here.

The taiga fauna is richly represented on the mainland.

Brown bears, wolves, wolverines, foxes, some species of ferrets, musk deer and moose roam freely here.

The first inhabitants appeared here in the person of Russian Cossacks in 1647, forming one of the earliest cities in Far Eastern Russia.

After the famous navigator Vitus Bering visited him on his way to Kamchatka, during his first expedition to this part of the world, he proposed to build a maritime school for young sailors.

Since then, for almost a century, Okhotsk has been an important port on the Far Eastern coast, from which a large number of expeditions have been conducted.

Now, the city is not so big anymore, it is only a shadow of what it used to be.

However, Okhotsk is still a natural place that Russia can confidently be proud of.

A tiny island in the north of the Sea of Okhotsk, an absolutely wonderful place with birds, and very interesting for lovers of wild life.

More than 140 species of birds can be found on the island, most of them are migratory.

However, 21 species of birds live there all the time, and this small island is one of the largest seabird colonies in the north of the Sea of Okhotsk.

Over 1.8 million birds enliven these rocks and darken the sky when they fly high above the sea.

Gulls, spoonbills, thick-billed guillemots, hatchets, Pacific puffins, crested and small stags, common old men and many other species from paradise for bird lovers.

Foxes also live on the island, and they are not as shy as in other places, and this provides an excellent opportunity for photography.

Beautiful mountains and rocky loaches covered with a dwarf fur coat, spotted with snowfields, mountain rivers and lakes, traces of ancient human settlements – all this is the Koni Peninsula, located just 50 kilometers from Magadan on the territory of the Olsky section of the Magadan Nature Reserve.

The Koni Peninsula has the largest concentration of brown bears in the Magadan region.

Fox and ermine are also numerous.

A snow sheep lives on the mountainous parts of the peninsula's coast.

The huge bays in the north of the Sea of Okhotsk are known for high tides.

There are 4 species of seals here: sea hares, ringed seals, striped seals and largemouths.

In addition, you can often see whales and sea lions.

Your captain and the expedition leader will choose the best place for today's landing, taking into account the weather conditions and the state of the ice.

During our stay in the Magadan region, we will have a chance to learn about its tragic past and the development that is currently taking place.

In addition, there is a living monument to all those who suffered here in Soviet times, as well as the largest cathedral in Far Eastern Russia, and one of the tallest in the country.

There is a lot to see and learn here while there will be guided tours and walks around the city.

Disembarkation from the ship will take place at noon.

You will be provided with a free transfer to any hotel of your choice, or to the airport. 

The description of this route is the general plan of the expedition. The route may change due to external factors.