In search of whales on the Kola Peninsula

Murmansk is the northernmost city in Russia, an ice-free port and a hero city! In May, the weather begins to improve. The daytime air temperature is increasingly exceeding 7-9°, and frosts are possible at night.

Prepare for the fact that snow in Murmansk may remain until the beginning of June, so that the trip will be enjoyable, prepare well for it.

The average temperature is: 

1. April – May: from +10 to -15° (there is still snow).
2. June: -2 to +10°, warmer (snow falls from time to time).
3. July: from +15 to +25, polar day September: from +5° to +20°, warmer (golden autumn)

We check the weather forecast before the trip! Take a hat and scarf to sea at any time of the year! It is often windy in Teriberka, and the temperature at sea is 5-7 degrees lower than on the shore.

Murmansk hospitably offers a variety of restaurants that can satisfy even the most refined taste. 

Regardless of whether you are a local or a tourist, you can always find an establishment to your liking and get to know the Arctic cuisine better.

It is better to book places in restaurants in the city in advance! This is especially true during the high tourist season, for example, the May holidays.

In the Murmansk region, the time of retail sale of alcoholic beverages is limited from 21:00 to 11:00.

The Tsarskaya Okhota restaurant is a real paradise for meat lovers.
If you are a connoisseur of fine meat dishes, then the Tsarskaya Okhota restaurant in Murmansk is a place that is definitely worth a visit.

The Terrace Lounge Cafe offers a wide range of dishes, including fresh seafood, fish, meat delicacies and delicious snacks.

The Tundra Restaurant is a place where you can enjoy the unique taste of Arctic cuisine and experience the spirit of the northern tundra.

The White Rabbit is a European cuisine restaurant with an emphasis on seafood and steaks. Here you can enjoy delicious dishes and an excellent selection of wines. The establishment is perfect for lovers of coffee and sweets and a very tasty breakfast.

Lounge-cafe "Gray Goose" is a panoramic restaurant with elegant author's cuisine in the business center of Murmansk. The basis of the gastronomic concept is the use of live fire, seasonal and local products of Arctic cuisine. Fireworks of fish and meat offerings from the barbecue, bowls and Finnish fish soup, live seafood, oysters, sea urchins and Murmansk scallops.

"Pomory" — Arctic cuisine with fresh local products, located 5 minutes from the Kosmos Hotel. Author's local cuisine, interactive visualization of Pomor life. Authentic interior.

The M-Club is located in the Meridian Hotel on the Five Corners Square. Arctic and European cuisine are served.

If the weather and external circumstances do not make their own adjustments, then our route will take place in this schedule.: 

Day 1. Country tour.

Arrival in Murmansk, independent check-in at the hotel. 

20:00 Pomeranian meal is optional for an additional fee (6,500 rubles/person).

Day 2. Teriberka + sea trip.

08:30 Breakfast buffet at the hotel, departure for the program. 

Excursion and walking program in Teriberka. 

Going to sea.

Lunch.

19:00-20:00 Approximate time of the end of the program at the Kosmos Hotel.

Day 3. Murmansk and the icebreaker Lenin.

08:00 Breakfast buffet at the hotel, room release. 

Things in the hotel's luggage room or on the bus. 

09:00 Sightseeing tour + Lenin icebreaker.

13:00/14:00 Lunch at a cafe in the city.

15:00 Approximate end time of the program at the Cosmos Hotel or transfer to the airport.

Important! Do not purchase tickets with departure earlier than 18:00.

Please note that glass jars are not allowed in hand luggage! 

You can take food in tin cans. Murmansk residents are very fond of dried ruff.

The Volna Shopping Center is located on the Five Corners Square, where the Azimut Hotel is also located. There are two good souvenir shops on the ground floor in the center. 

Stores "Runduk" and "Present". In them you will find delicious teas, gift sets of canned fish at good prices, venison jerky, clothes, thermos cups and thermoses, magnets and much more.

In the Murmansk Mall shopping center you can find shops of local designers. Jackets, backpacks, hoodies, purses and other items with the symbols of the north are for you.

The Kosmos Hotel also has a small souvenir shop.

1. Murmansk Mall. Opening hours are 10:00-22:00. It is located at 32 Lenin Ave. (practically the city center). There are famous fast food restaurants, popular shops and souvenir shops.
2. Severnoye Nagornoye Shopping Center. Opening hours are 10:00-22:00. It is located at 158 Kolsky Ave., building 1. It is one of the largest shopping centers in Murmansk. It is well suited for the whole family. 
3. The Forum Shopping Center. Opening hours are 10:00-21:00. It is located at 134 Kolsky Ave. The shopping center is located in Pervomaisky district, above the ski slope "Nord Star". The Forum offers a beautiful panoramic view of Murmansk. There are few people here, and there is also a cinema. 
4. Murmansk House of Commerce. Opening hours are 11:00-21:00. It is located at 69 Lenin Ave. It houses some of the most expensive shops in Murmansk. There is also a Terrace restaurant and a 24-hour Euroros supermarket in the same building. 

24-hour supermarkets.

Convenience stores are problematic in Murmansk. In addition, the street is almost deserted at night. Therefore, we recommend making purchases before 22:00. "Euroros". This supermarket chain is the most widespread in Murmansk. 

You can find round-the-clock supermarkets in Murmansk at the following addresses: Karl Marx St., 38, building 1; Kolsky Ave., 60; Admiral of the Fleet Lobova St., 40. SPAR supermarkets. 

Store addresses: 64 Kolsky Ave.; 31 Skalnaya St.; 11 Shabalin St. 

Round-the-clock pharmacies: Europharma Pharmacy: 12 Samoilova St. (city center); Aloe Pharmacy: 34 Shevchenko St.

1. The departure and arrival times for the guided tours are indicative and cannot be considered a mandatory item of the program.
2. The company reserves the right to make changes to the tour program without reducing the overall volume and quality of services. Important: The program may vary by day!
3. The Company cannot influence possible delays related to the actions and activities of government agencies, traffic jams, road works and other situations beyond the control of the Company.
4. We would like to draw your attention to the fact that the company and the partner network of travel agencies registered have the right to use your photos published in the group chat. Photos and videos can be used for informational and commercial purposes. We are always happy to share your pictures with our subscribers, future tourists and send greetings from you to those who wish to be on this trip. If you do not want your photo or video to be shared, please do not post the material in the group. 
5. During periods of worsening weather (storms, heavy snowfalls, drifts on roads, very low/very high air temperatures, heavy rains, floods, mudslides, fog, etc.), the Company reserves the right to change the tour program in exceptional cases: to replace objects with others, and if replacement is not possible, to exclude objects from the program (with the subsequent refund of the cost of visiting the facility), the visit of which in the weather conditions at the time of the tour may endanger the safety of tourists. The decision on the specified replacement/cancellation of facilities is made unilaterally by the tour guide and the lead tour manager.
6. The tourist is personally responsible for damage to property in the hotel, on the bus and at the display facilities, violation of the norms of behavior, as well as being late for the tour and loss of valuables. If you are late for the tour or if you do not attend the tour for a disrespectful reason, the tour fee will not be refunded.

What kind of boats do we use to set sail from Teriberka? The boats on which we go out for a boat trip are fishing, authentic, like the place in which they are located. 

How is boarding the boat? All berths in Teriberka were equipped for fishing and corresponding boats, taking into account strong tides. Accordingly, the descent and ascent from the pier takes place via steep stairs. 

And if it rains, we won't walk? The weather conditions are not a hindrance to us, the right clothes will help us enjoy the northern beauties. If you decide not to walk to the waterfall during the tour, inform the guide in advance, he will be able to leave you on the sandy beach near the restaurants so that you can spend your free time comfortably. 

What locations will we see from the boat? The places we will see will depend on the availability and locations with whales, because first of all we will go to the place where marine life is observed, and second, where there is a waterfall, a bird market, and a dragon cave. 

What is the situation with the sanitary stops on the way to Teriberka? On the way to Teriberka, we will have 1-2 stops in the tundra (at windmills and stone pyramids), there are no gas stations or shops on the route. After leaving Murmansk, you will be able to visit the restroom only upon arrival in Teriberka. 

1. Arrival and departure recommendations: on the first day, arrive on any convenient flight, departure from Murmansk no earlier than 18:00. Distances: airport — Cosmos Hotel 35 km, Murmansk — Teriberka 140 km, Murmansk — Waterfalls 85 km.
2. Most of the Murmansk Region lies beyond the Arctic Circle. The territory occupies three peninsulas — Kola, Rybachy and Sredny, washed by the Barents and White Seas. It also includes a number of islands: Ainu, Seven, Veliky and Kildin. The region borders Finland and Norway to the west, Karelia to the south, and the Arkhangelsk Region across the White Sea.
3. We would like to draw your attention to the fact that this is a trip to the wild. We cannot guarantee a 100% chance of encountering whales, but we can say for sure that a boat trip in Teriberka is an enjoyment of rocky shores, a picturesque waterfall and the "shore of dragon eggs", and the Pomorsky House is one of the top 100 places to eat in Russia.
4. When boarding a boat, it is mandatory to have a passport or a certified copy with you, and birth certificates for children, since border control is in place at sea. You will not be allowed on board without documents, in which case the cost of the trip will not be refunded.
5. Please note! A very steep descent from the pier is possible in Teriberka! We may have to go down a steep flight of stairs. All berths in Teriberka were equipped for fishing and corresponding boats, taking into account strong tides.
6. We kindly ask you to arrive in Murmansk: the first day on any flight convenient for you, take the return flight no earlier than 18:00.
7. If you have any dietary restrictions, be sure to let us know!
8. The Pomeranian meal is held when recruiting a group of 18 people or more (Several groups unite in the Pomeranian House, a maximum of 35 people.). It is necessary to sign up for a meal when booking a tour and at least 14 days before the start of the trip. 7 3-5 days before the start of the trip, a group chat is formed in Telegram, where the contact phone number of your guide will be indicated, as well as the exact route timing.
9. We remind you! Check—in at the hotel is possible only if you have an identity document (passport, birth certificate for children).
10. Please note that all accommodation facilities have "check-out time" rules (check-in at 15.00, check-out before 12.00). On the first day, you check into the hotel and check your belongings into the luggage room (In the Kosmos hotel, luggage storage is provided free of charge). Accordingly, accommodation in the rooms is provided after the excursion program. If rooms are available, the hotel can accommodate guests earlier than check-out time. If you want to be guaranteed to stay in the morning, then you need to book and make a payment of 50% of the cost of the day, in some cases, hotels confirm the full day at the total cost. 
11. You can get from the airport to the hotel by bus or taxi. The most convenient way to get from point A to point B is by Yandex Taxi. This app is available for Android and for iOS. We recommend choosing the comfort class, because in the economy version there are far from the most presentable cars. A taxi around the city in a good car costs from 190 rubles, so it's convenient and fast. The average taxi fare from the airport is 700-1700 rubles, depending on the weather and the class of the car. Estimated travel time is 45-60 minutes. Bus number 106 can be reached in an hour. The interval for public transport is 20-30 minutes, and the bus runs even after midnight. To find a bus stop at the exit from the arrivals area of the airport terminal, head to the left, along the parking lot, 100 meters, there is a stop and a sign with an up-to-date schedule. The cost is approximately 90 rubles, the bus stops next to the Kosmos (Knipovich) hotel.
12. The tour is available for Russian citizens and for foreign citizens.

Accommodation categories and information about the Kosmos Hotel (former. "Park INN Polar Dawns"): Akademika Knipovich str., 21a, Murmansk. 

The modern Park Inn by Radisson Polar Dawns Murmansk is located in the very center of Murmansk, close to the main attractions, shopping streets and business centers. The hotel offers 262 comfortable and cozy rooms from standard to suites with sauna. On-site facilities include a restaurant serving Russian, European and Arctic cuisine "Polar Dawns" with a capacity of up to 160 people, conference rooms with modern equipment, an Icebreaker nightclub, and a sauna. For all guests, free breakfast, wireless Internet (Wi-Fi), access to the gym.

Cosmos Hotel has prepared places for storing fish products for guests: at the hotel reception, you inform them that you need to put your purchase in the refrigerator or freezer, a coupon will be prepared for you and everything will be stored, the main thing is to take care of the packaging. 

In the rooms (mini-fridges), fish storage is prohibited, as the smell is difficult to remove. Be careful, there is a fine for this. Important for the summer period: Since Murmansk is a northern city and summers are usually short and not hot, all hotels lack air conditioning! We cannot influence this in any way, we hope for your understanding.

Double rooms of the "Standard" category. Standard rooms are equipped with: a bed with orthopedic mattress or 2 separate beds (1m x 2m), Additional bedside lighting, Desk, chair, armchair, Wardrobe, Electric kettle, tea/coffee maker, TV, Telephone, Internet outlet, Free high-speed Internet (Wi-Fi), Bathroom with shower and underfloor heating, Hygiene kit (cosmetic napkin, hygiene bags), Hairdryer, Shoe horn, Free access to the gym. The room size is 23 sq.m.

Single rooms of the "Individual" category. Bed with orthopedic mattress (1m x 2m), Additional bedside lighting, Desk, chair, Armchair, Wardrobe, Electric kettle, tea/coffee maker, TV, Telephone, Internet outlet, Free high-speed Internet (Wi-Fi), Bathroom with shower and underfloor heating, Hygienic a set (cosmetic napkin, hygiene bags), Hairdryer, Free access to the gym, Room size – 17 sq.m. 

Additional medical insurance is not included in the price of the tour. If you wish, you can apply for insurance on the website of a Large Country without commission directly from insurance companies.

Air and railway tickets to and from the start of the tour are not included in the price. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.