Uelen Chukotka Russia
Russia
Frequently Asked Questions
At the eastern tip of Russia, on a shingle spit between the Chukchi Sea and a lagoon, facing the Bering Strait. There is no pier: expedition ships anchor offshore and landing is by zodiac, depending on sea state.
Barely a hundred kilometres. The village looks toward the Bering Strait, and many ships pass Cape Dezhnev, the easternmost point of the Eurasian continent, whose cliffs face America.
No. Everything depends on swell, fog and permits of the day. Fog can swallow the shoreline in minutes. This call is always described in the conditional, like every genuine expedition landing.
Fewer than a thousand people, the great majority Chukchi, in simple houses along a few wind-swept streets. Whale bones sometimes emerge from the ground, remnants of an economy always turned toward the sea.
The village's pride: a workshop with a small museum said to be unique in the world in its specialty. For generations, master carvers have turned walrus tusks into minutely detailed scenes of dog teams, whale hunts and tundra spirits.
A few pieces are offered to travellers, but walrus ivory falls under strict export and import restrictions, including in Canada. Check the rules with your travel advisor before buying: a piece can be seized on arrival.
Often, when a ship is announced: dances, skin drums and throat singing that imitates the wind and seabirds. The gestures tell of hunting, sewing hides and the flight of eiders. The moment stays simple and warm, with no staging.
The blow of grey whales offshore, frequently, and sometimes walruses packed together in a raft. Ashore, the tundra fills with tiny flowers during the short summer and seabirds occupy the nearby cliffs.
Warmly, even in July. The air bites as soon as the wind rises. Rubber boots for the shingle landing, a waterproof shell and warm layers: the ship usually provides boots and a parka.
During the Arctic summer, July and August, when the sea opens enough for expedition ships. Outside that window, access by sea is closed.
