Northern Lights in Russia: Arctic Winter Magic

Russian winter turns cities a dazzlingly photogenic white, and reveal the true beauty of the Kola Peninsula, whose Arctic skies are often graced with the mythical Aurora Borealis.

Russian winters are harsh yet extraordinarily beautiful, and it’s the lands above the Arctic Circle where winter’s transformational effects are most keenly felt. The Kola Peninsula is home to people and animals who not only survive but thrive despite the chilling temperatures. Ending in the ‘capital’ of the Arctic Circle, Murmansk, this Northern Lights tour shows you two sides to life in the Russian Winter, from the grandiose cities of Moscow and St Petersburg to the polar landscapes of the remote Kola Peninsula.

Northern Lights in Russia tour highlights: 

• Moscow City Tour: Begin your journey in Russia’s mighty capital discovering Moscow’s highlights. Start with a guided exploration of the Kremlin in its finest winter decorations, before heading underground to discover the famous Moscow Metro system and its lavishly decorated subterranean stations

• Armed with the knowledge of an expert guide, uncover some of the most esteemed treasures among the 3 million works of art in St Petersburg’s State Hermitage Museum

READ MORE

Kamchatka Heli Ski

This Kamchatka heli-skiing tour takes you to soaring ridges blanketed in untouched deep powder snow, and to the top of the majestic volcanoes of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Your helicopter touches down in the middle of nowhere – the summit of a towering and very-much-alive volcano. The Mi-8 helicopter is the ultimate chairlift, and the volcanic slopes of Kamchatka are the ultimate free ride.

As the chopper disappears from view, the sense of isolation and the sheer silence of the mountains is profound. Take a moment to meditate on exactly where you are – one of the wildest, most remote places on Earth – then take a deep breath and away you go. Kamchatka is the ultimate winter wonderland for ski enthusiasts.

Kamchatka heli-ski tour highlights:

The exact volcanoes that will be flown to on this Kamchatka Heli-skiing trip will be dependent on the weather and conditions allow. Some possible highlights include:

• Kamchatka’s trophy volcano for heli-skiiers is Mutnovsky (2,322m). Mutnovsky consists of several cones joined together. Thousands of years ago, the main cone collapses inside the volcano and formed a massive crater with glaciers, fumaroles and boiling mud geysers. And yes, it is possible to ski into the crater, directly into the fumarole fields!

• Viluchinsky (2,173m) is a perfectly cone-shaped volcano that boasts dozen beautiful gullies and wide slopes. Landing on the top you’ll be greeted with an incredible panoramic view through the clouds to fijord-like valleys below

READ MORE

Lake Baikal - Frozen beauty of Olkhon Island

Lake Baikal winter tours are rightfully upheld as Siberia’s most famous attraction – its clear-as-a-mirror waters are a reflection of Siberia’s wildness, its vastness and its beauty. The crescent-shaped lake extends for 636km from north to south and is up to 1,637m deep, making it the deepest lake in the world. In fact, 20% of the world’s freshwater is contained within Lake Baikal. The vast Baikal region is home to unique indigenous cultures such as the Buddhist Buryat people. Traditional villages are dotted along the lake’s shore, interspersed with taiga forest and rocky steppes.

This tour takes place at the end of winter to provide guests with the unique opportunity to experience winter activities on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal and a trip to the region’s spectacular ice caves. READ MORE

Kamchatka Winter Adventure

A winter wilderness adventure like no other! This Kamchatka winter tour is your chance to visit one of the most remote and scenically stunning destinations on Earth – the Kamchatka Peninsula, an ancient volcanic region on the edge of the Pacific Rim of Fire. There are no roads or railways from Kamchatka to the rest of the world – the only practical way in is by air. One of the final frontiers of winter sports travel, unspoiled by commercial tourism, Kamchatka offers pristine mountain ski slopes, abundant wildlife and rugged natural scenery.

Kamchatka winter tour highlights:

• Embark on a thrilling guided snowmobile safari to Three Brothers Rock, a stunning viewpoint on a spectacular stretch of the North Pacific coastline.

• Ride a Snowcat (an enclosed vehicle with tracks designed to power through snow) across the foothills of the Avacha volcano to Camel Mount, a viewpoint commanding breathtaking panoramas of Kamchatka’s volcanic mountain ranges.

READ MORE