Russia

Travel to the world’s most off the beaten track travel destination, the Extreme North of Russia. Here, you will discover the world’s most traditional nomadic people, mammoth graveyards, indigenous whale hunters, timeless log cabin villages, fearsome gulag concentration camps, Neolithic stone labyrinths, and rookeries of up to 80,000 walrus that nest within eyesight of isolated villages and are fed on by enormous polar bear populations. Most people in the region, whether nomads, villagers or town-dwellers, live thousands of miles from the nearest road or rail network. Travel to this region is an adventure and requires a knowledgeable outfitter. The only sea in Europe to freeze annually, Russia’s White Sea, is part of the Arctic Ocean basin.  One of the most incredible marine mammals in the world takes up residence here, the Beluga whale. They live in the White Sea year-round and bear their calves in its chilly waters. Whether you dive or snorkel with whales contained in a natural habitat or enjoy a chance meeting with them in open waters, the experience will be truly unforgettable.