Itinerary Regulations and Requirements.
Compliance with the general regulations is applicable on the territory of the nature reserve including:
- Travelling through the territory of the nature reserve is allowed only when accompanied by a representative of the nature reserve staff who observes the compliance with the rules and regulations and provides protection for tourists.
- Tourists must not move away from the representative of the nature reserve further than 50 meters.
- Distance and procedure of approaching to the animals of various species is determined by the staff representative.
- It is prohibited to collect any plants.
- Leaving garbage is prohibited.
Special regulations of the itinerary:
- The itinerary passes through the area of Snowy owls and Arctic foxes breeding. Snowy owl is one of the most vulnerable species on the island. After the 10th of August it is prohibited to approach the chicks as well as adult owls more than 200m.
- In case of owls’ brood finding near or on the itinerary it is necessary to slow down to 7kph and bypass the brood location without stopping.
- Stops duration near the owls’ broods after the 10th of August at the distance of 200-500m must not exceed 15 minutes, 30 minutes for the Arctic foxes’ broods.
- It is prohibited to follow the animals and birds flying or running away.
- Minimal distance of approach to the Arctic Foxes (adults, cubs and burrows) is 50m.
- It is strictly prohibited to approach the nests/broods of the Snowy owls during the bad weather (strong wind and rain/snow).
- It is prohibited to remove bones of the fossil animals.
Short Itinerary Description:
Day 1: arrival and accommodation at the base, safety briefing and instructions, general walking excursion.
Day 2: the itinerary begins from the guest house at Somnitelnaya Base and passes along Krasin Gulf shore – then it passes along the road to the river Mamontovaya – up the river Mamontovaya to the stream Tules (Grey Plover) – up the bed of the stream Tules (Grey Plover) – then to the stream Khromonozhki (the Lames) and along this stream to the bed of the river Neozhidannaya (Unexpected) – camp station Neozhidannaya (Unexpected) - overnight accommodation. Distance – 80km.
Day 3: excursions on the all-terrain vehicle to the mouth and riverhead of the river Neozhidannaya (Unexpected).
Day 4: from camp station Neozhidannaya up the bed of the river Kamnesharki to the watershed with the left tributary of the river Gusinaya (Goose) – to the camp station Nizhnyaya Gusinaya – lunch – then down the stream of the river Gusinaya (Goose) – a turn along the shore to the Komsomol lake – overnight accommodation. Additional excursion from the camp station Nizhnyaya Gusinaya to the cape Rookery.*
*Additional fee.
Day 5: from the camp station Komsomol along the Western valley to the mouth of the river Melkaya (Shallow) – up the valley and then by the pass to the river Bolshoy Pritok (Big Tributary) – down this river to the river Tundurovaya and then to the mouth of the stream Balkovy – up the stream to the camp station Tundyrovy Peak – overnight accommodation.
Day 6: excursions on foot and by all-terrain vehicle to the surroundings of Tundrvaya mountain and an excursion to Kit mountain. Overnight accommodation.
Day 7: from camp station Tundyrovy Peak – along the mouth of the stream Balkovy to the river Tundurovy and then to the mouth of the stream Pryamoi (Straight) – up the stream to the watershed with the river Mamontovaya (Mammoth) – down the river to the camp station Srednyaya Mamontovaya – lunch (optional) – along the road that passes over Pyrkatkun mountain and mountain passes Vyuchny or Somnitelny (Doubtful) to the Southern valley – along the shore to Somnitelnaya (Doubtful) base - overnight accommodation.
Day 8 – packing up and departure.**
**In case of the helicopter arrival delay excursions to itineraries №13, 17, 18 are available on agreement.
Main stops to observe the landscape, flora and fauna: Chertove ravine (Devil’s ravine) – the slope of Skurikhinsky pass – mouth of the stream Tules (Grey Plover), rookeries, lake Kmo, cape Florence – lake Komsomol, Dream-Head mountain, the Bezymyannie (Nameless) mountains – Tundurovy Peak, the Mamontovie mountains, view to the Central Mountains, the Pyrkatkun mountains, Inkaly mountain, the stream Soviny (Owl), mountain pass Vyuchny.
Main things to see: the landscape of the inner regions of the island from the mountain passes, view to the Mineev mountains and the Central mountains, Western table land and Peak Beregovoy (Shore) mountrain, view to the Northern and Bezimyannie (Nameless) mountains, Dream-Head mountain, visit to abandoned rock crystal mines at the slope of Pyrkatun mountain. Along the route tourists will observe the life of flora and fauna of the island. Depending on the season and ecological conditions it is possible to observe Arctic foxes near their holes, Snowy owls, seahawks, sandpipers, passerines, it is possible to see musk oxen, reindeer, wolverines. In some regions of the island it is possible to see polar bears. Tourists may find mammoths’ bones and tusks.
Target audience (general public, bird lovers etc).
The itinerary is intended only for visitors with good physical training to stay in Arctic field conditions, for those who are interested in natural history, flora and fauna of the Wrangel Island.
Equipment and Outfitting.
Information boards at the base Somnitelnaya (Doubtful) and at the camp stations Srednyaya Mamontovaya (Middle Mammoth), Neozhidannaya (Unexpected), Komsomol. Recreational facilities and overnight accommodation are available only at the base Somnitelnaya (Doubtful) and at the camp stations Neozhidannaya (Unexpected) and Komsomol. The camp station Srednyaya Mamontovaya is applicable for a short rest, it is also possible to visit an open-air museum of fossil and contemporary animals’ bones.