Itinerary at a glance:

Day 1 Otaru, Hokkaido (overnight onboard)
Day 2 Korsakov, Sakhalin
Day 3 At sea
Day 4 Urup Island, Kuril Islands,Chirpoy Island, Kuril Islands
Day 5 Yankicha Island, Kuril Islands, Matua Island, Kuril Islands
Day 6 Skaly Lavushky, Kuril Islands
Day 7 Atlasov Island, Kuril Islands, Shumshu Island, Kuril Islands
Day 8 Vestnik Bay, Kamchatka
Day 9 Zhupanova River, Kamchatka
Day 10 Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka
Day 11 Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1 Otaru, Hokkaido (overnight onboard)
Otaru is one of Hokkaido's key ports, primarily servicing the nearby city of Sapporo. Otaru is famous, among other things, for its excellent - though expensive - sushi! It is also known for its glasswork and its welcoming and picturesque shops along the restored canal. It is also home to one of the world's few working steam clocks, which uses steam to play chimes every hour.  It is the embarkation point for our journey to the Russian Far East.

Day 2 Korsakov, Sakhalin
Korsakov is the main port for the Russian island of Sakhalin and serves as our official entry or exit port when coming and going from the Russian Far East. A tour of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and the surrounding area is included in today's visit to Sakhalin. We will visit several highlights of the town including the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Resurrection and Sakhalin's regional museum. The museum will allow us an insight to the history, natural history and even the geology of the area. At the cathedral we will have the opportunity to hear a Russian Choir perform. We will also visit a city park where a special cultural performance, including Cossack dancing, will be held in our honor.

Day 3 At sea

Day 4 Urup Island, Kuril Islands,Chirpoy Island, Kuril Islands
Urup was originally inhabited by Ainu, the native peoples of the Kurils, Sakhalin and Hokkaidō. The first recorded visit by Europeans was in 1643, when a ship of the Dutch East India Company landed here, seeking furs. Like many of the islands in this region, "ownership" has repeatedly and often controversially passed between Russia and Japan. Weather allowing, we will attempt to make a Zodiac landing on one of the beaches of Urup and explore this island. Remnants of ancient Ainu settlements can still be found on the island, as can cabins once used by Russian fur traders. Zodiac cruises are also possible today.
Weather and conditions permitting we may be able to make an expedition landing today to explore the black sand beaches and green lava strewn plateaus of Chirpoy, a volcanic island still developing.We will also view a Steller sea lion rookery, accompanied by a ranger from the Russian Fish and Wildlife Service.

Day 5 Yankicha Island, Kuril Islands, Matua Island, Kuril Islands
Yankicha and its nearby neighbor Ryponkicha are the emergent tips of an extinct volcano known as Ushishir. The steep-walled caldera is broken to the south and is flooded by the sea, forming a tranquil lagoon where harlequins and sea otters show their stuff, and Crested and Whiskered Auklets nest. Near the lip of the lagoon is a gap in the beach which fills with thermal waters - a beckoning setting for a hot spring bath. Arctic foxes, harbor seals and abundant bird life inhabit the area, and we will use our zodiacs to enter the lagoon toinvestigate the hydrothermal field with steaming fumaroles, sulfur crystals, hot springs and boiling puddles, where the scent of hydrogen sulfate fills the air. The landscape here is often described as straight out of "Lord of the Rings" or "Jurassic Park".
After a wet landing on a black sand beach, we will make our way inland to explore the abandoned Soviet airbase of Matua and its decaying equipment. The airbase, abandoned since the collapse of the Soviet Union, was previously an important Japanese military base during World War II. Zodiac cruises to observe the significant bird life, harbor seals and the geological formations are also offered today.

Day 6 Skaly Lavushky, Kuril Islands
Skaly Lavushky is a small gathering of rocky islets home to many northern fur seals and Stellar sea lions. Red-necked phalaropes, fulmars, puffins, and cormorants are also common in this mini-archipelago. A noisy rant of seabirds, seals and sea lions will accompany our Zodiac cruising today. Exact destinations, as always, will depend on the actual weather and conditions.


Day 7 Atlasov Island, Kuril Islands, Shumshu Island, Kuril Islands
As we approach the island of Atlasov you'll see the beautiful 2339 meter peak of the volcano Alaid, said to be more perfectly shaped than Mount Fuji.tured. We will explore the island by foot. It was at one time a fox farm as well as a women's Soviet prison. Keep an eye out for Asian Rosy-Finches, peregrines and Slatey-backed Gulls. Various walks on the island will be offered.
Shumshu is the northernmost of the Kuril Islands, and we are visiting today primarily to observe the plentiful wildlife. Hundreds of sea-otters, in the kelp beds just offshore make fabulous viewing from our Zodiacs, which will get you close to the otters as they go about their daily business. The beaches of Shumshu are littered with glass fishing floats, used by the Japanese to float their fishing nets in the days before plastic floats became the norm.

Day 8 Vestnik Bay, Kamchatka
Vestnik Bay is a true wilderness area in this remote land of the Russian Far East. The bay sits within the Yuzhno-Kamchatsky nature reserve on the Kamchatka peninsula, south-east of Petropavlovsk. Our plan is to explore the magnificent bay and its surroundings by Zodiac to see the spectacular scenery and unique wildlife, including the Stellar sea eagle, arctic fox and possibly bears. As with all destinations in the Russian Far East the actual weather and conditions on the day will dictate the exact location visited and the activities undertaken.

Day 9 Zhupanova River, Kamchatka
To the north of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, the Zhupanova River watershed boasts one of the most productive trout rivers in the world. The Kamchatka south-eastern peninsula and river are home to a rich rainbow trout habitat, supporting a large population of wildlife. The Zhupanova is a resting place for migratory birds, and we will will looking for nesting areas, including those of the Steller sea eagle, the heaviest eagle in the world. The Russian Far East has more brown bears than Alaska, and the Zhupanova, before or during the annual salmon run, is a good place to see them.


Day 10 Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka
After entry procedures into Russia we will receive a traditional welcome ceremony with bread and salt presented by official welcoming locals in traditional Russian costumes.We will then set out to explore this intriguing city on Siberia's Kamchatka Peninsula. We will travel by coach to the Siberian Dog Sled Kennel and Lodge. Here, you will be introduced to Siberian, Kamchatka and Alaskan Huskies, learn about the local Dog Sled Foundation and take a walk through the woods surrounding the lodge. A traditional Russian lunch will be served and a traditional Koryak dance will be performed.
After lunch we will visit such sites as the local market, perfect for your caviar purchases, the museum, for some local history and the Russian Orthodox Church which is open 24 hours a day and welcomes foreign visitors.
This full day experience will introduce you to the best of Petropavlovsk.
An optional add-on excursion to see the geyers of the area is offered as well; please contact us for more information.

Day 11 Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka

2012 Departures

• May 31
• June 10 (reverse)

Orion II is a private yacht-like expedition cruise ship built by Cantieri Navale Ferrari of Italy. After a number of years as a private yacht, Orion II was relaunched in 2009 following an extensive technical refit. Little expense was spared with this stylish, Italian built, all-suite Mega Yacht. Orion II now offers the finest standards in small-ship cruise travel. She is fitted with stabilisers and the expedition equipment includes Zodiacs to deliver the Orion expedition experience. Combining luxury and service will require staffing by 70 offices and crew to serve Orion II's capacity of 100 guests. Excellence of design, craftsmanship and quality materials combined with Orion II's spaciousness and intimate ambience make her ideal for distinctive cultural and expedition voyages.

Technical Information:

• Length: 88 metres
• Beam: 15.3 metres
• Draft: 4.5 metres
• Hull: Ice- strengthened hull for voyages in the Arctic and Antarctic
• Gross Tonnage: 4,077
• Engines: MAN B&W Diesel 2 x 2520 KW
• Speed: 14 knots. Cruise speed 13.5 knots
• Stabilisers: Retractable fin stabilisers
• Manoeuvrability: Bow thrusters
• Built: January 1991. Refitted 2009
• Builder: Cantieri Navale Ferrari (Italy)
• Suites: 50
• Guest Capacity: 100 (twin occupancy).
• Crew: 70
• Elevator: Yes
• Classification: Lloyds
• Regulations: Orion II is built according to the latest international safety regulations, including those of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Public Health, Canadian Arctic Shipping, and St. Lawrence Seaway.
• Additional Craft: 9 Zodiac Heavy Duty MK5
• Communications: Direct-dial satellite telephones; fax; e-mail; Internet access; internal telephone system.
• Registry: Malta