This page presents information about tour operators running holidays for naturalists to the CIS
countries. There are also three Russian organisations which offer to arrange tours, or
expeditions for serious amateurs and professional biologists; and one Kazak organisation (Tien-
Shan Astronomical Observatory) that offers interesting facilities. Other Russian/CIS
organisations are not included, since normally they would act in association with a tour
operator in the West.
Only very sketchy details are included here - enough, hopefully, to enable you to decide
whether you want to seek further information from the tour operators. I endeavour to include
latest information, but if it is out-of-date please contact the tour operator. Tour operators
are requested to send in details of their tours promptly for inclusion on this page.
This page gives details about
Arcturus Expeditions,
Dersu Uzala,
Ecologia Youth Trust,
Ecological Travels Centre,
Far Frontiers,
Greentours,
Naturetrek,
Rufus Reade Tours, and
Tien-Shan Astronomical Observatory,
Arcturus is now the polar arm of Far Frontiers Travel.
Solovetski Islands and the White Sea: 5 - 18 February and 10 - 22 June 2012.
Kamchatka:
19 February - 4 March 2012 (dog sledging & reindeer herders);
13 - 23 March 2012 (dog sledging & volcanoes);
22 June - 4 July 2012 (Kamchatka in early summer from the sea: bears, birds, whales);
25 August - 11 September 2012 (Kamchatka in late summer: bears, eagles, salmon, volcanoes, autumn colours).
Sea otter survey in Kuril Islands: 8 - 25 May 2012.
Sea of Okhotsk (Sakhalin to Kamchatka): 6 - 24 June 2012.
Across the top of the World (Chukotka, Wrangel Island, &c): 24 July - 9 August2012.
Birding in the Russian Far East (Sakhalin, Kuril Islands, Kamchatka): 25 May - 8 June 2012.
In the Wake of Bering (voyage north from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy in Kamchatka): 23 June - 9 July 2012.
Far Frontiers Travel also offers 'taylor-made' itineraries including Moscow & St Petersburg (7 days);
By Train Across Siberia (17 days); Trek Around the Blue Eye of Siberia (Lake Baykal, 11 days);
Bears, Volcanoes & Geysers of Kamchatka (18 days); Cities of the Golden Ring (11 days);
Classic Mongolia & the Naadam Festival (12 days); Riding & Camping in the Altai Mountains (Mongolia, 15 days);
By Jeep to the Gobi (Mongolia, 15 days); Trekking in the Footsteps of Genghis Khan (Mongolia, 15 days);
The Reindeer Herders of Hovsgol (Mongolia 19 days); Shape, Shades & Colours of the Gobi (Mongolia, 15 days);
Classic Uzbekistan (9 days); Wilderness Trekking in Tajikistan (14 days);
Travels on the Silk Route (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, to China, 34 days); Trek in the Gissar Mountains (Uzbekistan, 14 days);
Highlights of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan (15 days)
'DERSU UZALA'
Ecotourism Development
Fund
| (address & telephone uncertain owing to changing location (August 2010)
tel./fax (095) 112-91-33 or 230-84-49
e-mail dersu@ecotours.ru or dersu_uz@mail.ru
website www.ecotours.ru |
This NGO is named after the main character in the eponymous book by Vladimir Arsen'ev, who
was himself an early explorer of the Sikhote-Alin' Mountains and other parts of the Russian Far East
bordering the Pacific Ocean. Information about Arsen'ev will be found in RNP's book Amur Tiger.
Environmentally responsible natural-history tours are offered in Kamchatka, Far East (Ussuriland, Amurland), Lake Baykal, Taymyr Peninsula and other parts of the Far North, Sayan Mountains, and Altay Mountains.
ECOLOGIA YOUTH TRUST
| The Park, Forres, Morayshire IV36 3TD
tel./fax +44 (0)01309 690995
e-mail info@ecologia.org.uk
website www.ecologia.org.uk |
ECOLOGICAL TRAVEL
CENTER (ETC)
| E.T.C., Leninsky prospekt 38A,
119334 Moscow
tel.(095) 939-22-89
tel +7 916 410-66-66
tel/fax +7 495 232-14-43
e-mail info@ecotravel.ru
website www.ecotravel.ru/eng/
|
GREENTOURS
| Leigh Cottage, Gauledge Lane, Longnor, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 0PA
tel./fax 01298 83563
e-mail enquiries@greentours.co.uk
website www.greentours.co.uk |
Tulips of the Tien Shan (for tulips and other spring flowers, also mammals and migrating birds): 9-22nd April 2011.
Tien Shan Mountains, The Mountains of Heaven (Kazakhstan, based on Aksu-Jabagly Reserve, but also taking in sites around Almaty; alpine flowers, mammals, birds, reptiles, butterflies, landscapes): 9th-26th June 2011.
Georgia, Greater & Lesser Caucasus (flowers, mammals, birds, mountain landscapes, a little culture; extension to Lagodekhi): 8th-21st(-26th) May 2011.
The principal leader in Kazakhstan is Vladimir Kolbintsev, an expert local naturalist and 'all round nice guy'.
NATURETREK
| Cheriton Mill, Cheriton, Alresford, Hants. SO24 0NG, UK
tel. 01962 733051
fax 01962 736426
e-mail info@naturetrek.co.uk
website www.naturetrek.co.uk |
‘Tulip meadows of Kazakhstan & the Tien Shan Mountains' (steppe & mountain flowers, with special emphasis on tulips): 9th - 24th April 2011.
‘The Tien Shan Mountains & Deserts of Kazakhstan' (birds of steppe, desert, lake and mountain, including Aksu-Jabagly Reserve): 23rd April - 8th May 2011.
'Belarus in Spring' (birds and general natural history in Pripiatsky Reserve): 8th - 14th May2011.
'Birds of Georgia's Steppes & Caucasus Mountains' (based at Kazbegi in the Greater Caucasus, and day excursions from Tbilisi): 6th - 15th May 2011.
'Armenia - Spring Birds & Flowers': 4th - 12th June 2011.
'Alpine Flowers of the Tien Shan' (based at the Aksu-Jabagly Reserve at the west end of the mountain chain, and mountains near Almaty): 18th - 30th June 2011.
Also 9-day birding tours to Kazakhstan (deserts, steppes, lakes and Tien Shan Mountains): 5th - 13th May and 13th - 21st May 2011.
'Kamchatka: a Voyage around the Ring of Fire ' (seabird colonies & volcanic scenery of Kamchatka and the Kuril & Komandor Islands, including 12-night cruise terminating in Sakhalin): 15th - 28th June 2011.
RUFUS READE TOURS
| 21 St Leonard's Lane, Edinburgh EH8 9SH, UK
tel. 0131 662 1612
fax 0131 667 6107
e-mail nomadstent@tiscali.co.uk
website www.nomadstent.co.uk |
'Armenia' (churches, culture, &c): 14th - 27th September 2010.
TIEN-SHAN
ASTRONOMICAL
OBSERVATORY
| Astrophysical Institute, Almaty, Kazakstan 480068
tel. 7 (3272) 636 634 or 636 973
fax 7 (3272) 631 207 box 157
website www.kantengri.kz
e-mail kurt@tsao.south-capital.kz |
For further information, see separate page: Tien-Shan
Observatory
