RUSARC. NOVAYA ZEMLYA

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SEA EXPEDITION
TO NOVAYA ZEMLYA

MATVEEV AND VAYGACH ISLANDS AND NOVAYA ZEMLYA ONLY 2.5 HOURS BY PLANE AWAY FROM MOSCOW

Duration: 9 days
Group: 7 people

PROGRAM

RUSARC Captain

Daniil Gavrilov

''We were the first ones in the world to sail around the North Pole in a single navigation — in 2010. I am one of the best yacht captains in the world, and if you are interested in a complex polar project, most likely I am capable of doing that. But what inspires me most is the chance to show the most unexplored parts of our planet and its wonderful nature to as many people as possible''!

We have seen polar bears, walruses, singing Arctic foxes, reindeer, snowy owls and other northern birds.

We got to know the everyday life of the indigenous people, tried local cuisine and the freshest salmon. We even got to visit true hermits who left the civilized world dozens of years ago.

These wildlife locations are permeated with the Age of Discovery stories: abandoned hunters' trading posts, winter expedition quarters, polar station on Matveev Island, the sacred Vaygach Island.

We know and we love the Arctic as much as our home

We went on 5 exploratory expeditions to Novaya Zemlya archipelago in 2020!

Program of the expedition to Novaya Zemlya

06.06.2022 — 14.06.2022 (2 SPOTS LEFT)

06.06.2023 — 14.06.2023
15.06.2023 — 23.06.2023
24.06.2023 — 02.07.2023
03.07.2023 — 11.07.2023

Day 1. Naryan-Mar. You are welcome above the Arctic Circle!

We'll meet at Naryan-Mar airport and we'll head for an expedition base at the Pechora river delta (that is approximately 3 hours by car or by motorboat). A delicious meal and a Russian sauna will be waiting for you there.

Day 2. Early rise. High-speed motorboats are already there for us!

We'll go to our new home, the legendary PETER I yacht, by high-speed motorboats (around 30 minutes to get there). We'll have a safety briefing and start the expedition.

Day 3. The first anchor hold at Matveev Island

You will see a conservation area, an abandoned meteorological station, ancient Pomor crosses dated to the 16th century, a lighthouse that you'll be able to climb, a walrus rookery… We are very accurate with the animals, we just watch them without trying to bother them, and enjoy our walk. After that we are going to Vaygach Island, a place sacred to the Nenets people.

Day 4. Sacred Vaygach Island

Vaygach is an archipelago, it is surrounded by 111 tiny islands and cliffs. The Nenets name of the island sounds like ''Habidya-ya", meaning ''sacred land''. The legend goes that World Old Man and Old Lady, Vasako and Hadako, lived here. The route goes along the Land's End, a hub on the Pomors' route to the Siberian seas that is sacred for the indigenous people of the North. You will see ancient campsites of the Stone Age, wooden huts, Pomor crosses that they used as guide signs in the Russian territories, hundreds of idols, traces of areas for sacrificial offerings, a dozen of sanctuaries with names that speak for themselves: Fox Stone, Reindeer Stone, Bear Head, Dumbhead Mountain. Every stone here is filled with mystery, deep history and unique atmosphere.

In the morning we'll step ashore and will have a walk in the area of the Seven-Faced Idol. After that we'll sail to the North of the island, check out a walrus rookery and drop the anchor in a cozy bay hidden from all the winds where a true hermit lives. If we are lucky, we'll find him at home!

Day 5. Looking forward to Novaya Zemlya and to meeting polar bears at last!

At first light we'll head North, crossing the famous Kara Strait. In the afternoon we'll reach Rusanovo campsite, check out the buildings that have been preserved there and then visit a number of close islands. Novaya Zemlya is a cluster of islands and deep gulfs, our main adventure there is looking for polar bears.

Day 6. Cruising through Novaya Zemlya rocky islets

We will cruise among islands, gulfs and rocky islets, getting inspired by the Northern nature, looking for polar bears, and enjoying the sites.

Day 7. Tundra islands in the South of Novaya Zemlya

We'll go to the southernmost end of the archipelago. Here, on the Kusova Zemlya Island and Bolshoy and Maly Loginov Islands reindeer, wild geese and swans live far away from people.

Be careful while walking: you might find egg clutches and bird broods right at your feet. In the evening we'll start going back to the river Pechora delta.

Day 8. Sea cruise and festive lunch!

In the afternoon we'll catch a passenger motorboat that will take us to the expedition base not far from Naryan-Mar. We'll have a rest, share our emotions from the trip and spend a night at the base.

Day 9. Getting back to Naryan-Mar

We'll get up early, enjoy a nice breakfast and catch a transfer to the airport. Your expedition to the Polar Region has come to its end, and your life will never be the same again!

BOOK YOUR EXPEDITION

Built in Magnitogorsk

RUSARC bought her to set a world record with its expedition to the Arctic; and for this purpose the boat was fully reconstructed.

The world record: she became the first vessel in maritime history to go around the North Pole in a single navigation without any icebreaker assistance.

This steel sailboat, a RUSARC flagman, is ready for the roughest high latitude expeditions.

Legendary Yacht PETER I

PETER I is made of steel and designed for sailing in high latitudes under any weather conditions. She is perfectly fit for comfortable accommodation and is equipped with navigation and life-saving equipment as well as satellite communication, an inverter and a diesel generator. A reliable team made of the captain, a first mate and a cook will be there for you throughout the whole expedition. A landing boat is available for smoother disembarkation.

1992

2009

2010

Yacht Layout

1 - Quadruple cabin
2 - Head
3 - Drying closet
4 - Saloon

5 - Single cabin
6 - Master cabin
7 - Galley
8,9 - Double cabins

1 - Quadruple cabin
2 - Head
3 - Drying closet
4 - Saloon

5 - Single cabin
6 - Master cabin
7 - Galley
8,9 - Double cabins

Getting Ready

Low difficulty level
No age restrictions
Minors must be accompanied by adults

The weather might vary greatly:
from +20ºC in Naryan-Mar
to -5ºC in Novaya Zemlya

What you need to take:
- Warm fleece clothes and thermal underwear
- Several pairs of cotton and thermal socks
- Rubber boots with a warm insert for walking on shore
- Footwear to use on board (crocs)
- Windbreaker jacket, waterproof pants and clothing
- Gloves (better 2 pairs)
- Hat (better 2 hats)
- Sunglasses (with cord — not to let them get flown away by the wind)
- Personal hygiene products, a towel
- Face cream, hand cream, sun protection
- Waterproof cases for photo cameras and other equipment
- Personal medical kit with individual medicine
- Thermos for hot tea

(!) Everything should be packed in soft bags and backpacks

Price
€4,000

That includes:
· All transfers along the route (to/from Naryan-Mar airport)
· Accommodation
· Three meals per day
· Excursions
· Russian sauna on the first day, at the expedition base
· Permits to national parks and conservation areas
· Fuel duty

That DOES NOT include:
· Tickets to Naryan-Mar from your location and back
· Personal medical insurance
· Souvenirs, other pocket expenses
· Satellite connection

BOOK YOUR PLACE

CONFIRMATION OF YOUR PARTICIPATION
This expedition takes place in the border area of the Russian Federation, so we need to apply for a special permit for each member of the crew.

The permit preparation time:
· for Russian citizens – 30 business days
· for foreign nationals – 45 business days

Please take that into account while choosing the dates of your dream trip!

Expedition Reviews

Andrey, Saint-Petersburg
Expedition to Novaya Zemlya, August 2020

I took part in an expedition to Novaya Zemlya with RUSARC in August 2020.

First of all I would like to point out that as these routes lay in wild and uninhabited territories, far from any settlements, they allow you to see pristine nature, wildlife and places untouched by tourists. This is for those who love real, true adventures.

The second thing is the team and organization. I would say RUSARC is the only team in the world who have such extensive experience of autonomous expeditions in high latitudes. With them I feel like I am among the professionals who are not only experts in their area, but who also are capable of handling emergency situations. There is also a cook in the team: and I tell you when you are at the end of the world having an opportunity to savour some fine dishes, not only to have regular three meals per day, is worth a lot.

The third one is daily routine. You have to understand that such expeditions are not a tourist voyage, this is a team where everyone takes part in the crew operations as he or she can. Although you are comfortably accommodated in a warm cabin with an opportunity to take a shower or even go to a sauna, taking part in an expedition means all the team, including guests, have to be actively involved in the process. This means participating in on-shore activities, being on duty on board, helping out in trimming the sails. In short, expeditions with RUSARC are true adventures for spirited people that allow you to dive deep into the world of maritime travel, become part of the team and see hard-to-reach, intact places on our planet.

Olga, Naryan-Mar
Expedition to Novaya Zemlya, September 2020

Finding oneself on Novaya Zemlya is like finding oneself in a different world. Severe Arctic islands, empty and lifeless at first sight, hold a lot of beauty and wonders. In 10 days of our trip we saw everything we wanted, I guess: polar bears, walruses, whales, a huge amount of birds; we caught Arctic char and made sushi out of it right away. These impressions will be one of the brightest ones in my whole life.

We kicked off from Naryan-Mar, a small cozy Arctic town, where I live and while I love deeply. We followed the Pechora river into the sea. The first day before Novaya Zemlya was the toughest for me, until I got used to the rolling. The first landing was the most exciting one. After two days at sea I was willing to step ashore as soon as possible. That was Britvin Island. After that the route continued to the Rusanov Peninsula and Kuskova Zemlya Island. Sure, the most catchy impression is meeting the Arctic hosts, white giants who were languidly enjoying themselves on almost every island we were passing by.

After Novaya Zemlya we headed for Vaygach, a sacred Nenets island. I could spend hours talking about its history and spirituality, but I would only say that this is the island where Nenets gods live. The men from our team went to pay a visit to one of them, a seven-faced idol; women are forbidden there. Instead I had an incredible opportunity to see the stunningly beautiful river Talata. A piercing scream of a peregrine falcon above a mountainous canyon with the river at its bottom reminded me once again that I was standing on sacred land.

After that we went to Nenets reservation on Matveev Island, a summer residence of other Arctic hosts, walruses. They are huge, awkward in their movements on shore, but very curious at the same time. It's interesting to watch them, though you have to do it at a distance, not to scare them away.

PETER I became our home for these 10 days. Smooth coordination and mutual understanding are very important when you stay for a long time in a closed space. I would like to thank our wonderful captain, caring first mate and the cook who amazed us all with his culinary delicacies three times a day. Our team grew into a huge family with whom I would easily go to the end of the world!

Natalya, Saint-Petersburg
Expedition to Novaya Zemlya, August 2020

When you have travelled a lot and seen the world, the closed borders and weighty restrictions prompt you to expand your horizons in unusual locations of our country that are hard to reach. The expedition to Novaya Zemlya became an unbelievable adventure for me and gave me a chance to get to those places that seemed to have been marked as top secret and impossible.

Soviet nuclear polygons, amazing people working at polar stations, a hermit with a kerosene light, tundra, polar bears, Arctic foxes, walruses, lemmings, Arctic geese flying in formation. That is another world, cut by cliffed shores and almost uninhabited. All that throws you into limitless thought processes and soul revelations.

And for lunch you will get a kaleidoscope of venison dishes by the chef, heart talks and traditional dances to an old gramophone under the sails.

That's the romance of a distant sailing on board a steel hero-yacht PETER I.

I will remember it for the rest of my life.