Severnaya Zemlya Arctic Russia
Russia
Frequently Asked Questions
No. There is no pier, no village and no shop on the archipelago. Expedition ships anchor offshore and land passengers by inflatable boat, when sea ice and wind allow.
Between the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea, in the Russian Arctic. The Northern Land was only sighted in 1913 and mapped in the 1930s, making it one of the last major landmasses charted by humans.
July and August, the only weeks when the ice opens enough for an ice-strengthened ship to pass. Outside that window the archipelago is unreachable.
Zodiac cruising along glacier fronts: Marat Fjord, the Vavilov ice cap, and the Red Army Strait bordered by the vast Academy of Sciences Glacier. Days alternate between onboard lectures and landings, depending on the weather.
No, and you have to accept that up front. The day's plan is written that morning, sometimes at noon, and rewritten an hour later depending on ice and wind. Flexibility is the first quality of a polar traveller.
Walruses in tight colonies on the shingle beaches, seals between the floes, and polar bears hunting along the ice edge. Overhead, ivory gulls often follow the boats, and cliffs host nesting seabirds during the short summer.
Boots and parka are usually provided by the ship. Bring binoculars — the single most useful item of the trip — layered clothing, gloves, and a sleep mask: the midnight sun completely scrambles your sense of time.
Rarely. Zodiac landings in cold seas, long sailing days and weather-driven waiting suit young children poorly. This is a trip for motivated teenagers and adults, on ships that carry few families.
No shops ashore, and internet depends solely on the ship's satellite link, often slow and billed separately. Bring everything you need before boarding, including medication and memory cards.
No. There is nothing to buy ashore; all spending goes through the ship's onboard account. Currency only matters at the embarkation and disembarkation ports, in Russia or Norway depending on the itinerary.
