Novaya Zemlya Arctic Russia
Russia
Frequently Asked Questions
No. There is no receiving port and no village open to passing ships. The expedition vessel anchors in a sheltered bay and Zodiacs go out to scout: here the word 'call' returns to its original meaning of a stop along the way.
No, never. Every landing depends on wind, drifting ice and bears. A day's programme can change three times. Regulars of the high latitudes rather enjoy that: it is the price of the unexpected.
In the Russian Arctic, between the Barents Sea to the west and the Kara Sea to the east. The archipelago has two main islands, stretches nearly 900 kilometres south to north, and its glaciers calve straight into the ocean.
The Dutch navigator who, in 1596, was seeking the Northeast Passage to China when his ship was crushed by ice at the northeastern tip of the archipelago. His crew built a hut from the wreck's timbers and survived a whole polar winter — the first documented Arctic wintering in European history.
Cliffs where guillemots and kittiwakes nest by the tens of thousands, in a din that drowns out the Zodiac engines. On the northwestern islets, walruses pile into compact colonies. The polar bear, master of the place, belongs here to a distinct population.
Every landing begins with armed guides posted as lookouts. It is standard procedure in the Russian Arctic and it is not negotiable. Follow the expedition team's instructions to the letter.
Because the archipelago was a closed military zone, used as a nuclear test site during the Cold War. That chapter is closed, but it explains why these shores remain among the least visited in the Arctic.
None. No open village, no shops, no ATM. Everything depends on the ship, including landing gear often supplied by the operator. Plan to be entirely self-sufficient.
In full Arctic layers: thermal base, fleece, waterproof shell, waterproof boots, hat and gloves. Zodiac outings are long, wet and windy, even at the height of summer.
During the Arctic summer window, roughly July to early September, when the ice loosens enough for expedition ships. Only a handful of polar expeditions reach the archipelago each year.
