Converted from a private yacht, Orion II was re launched in 2009 after a total refurbishment. How wonderful to be able to enjoy an expedition, with the comforts of a five star hotel awaiting your return each day.

We love the Orion philosophy, relaxed and perfectly judged to create authentic experiences in unique destinations with quality ‘hardware’ and outstanding service. The Far East of Russia is rich in culture and nature and Exeter International are very pleased to finally be able to promote this part of Russia in an accessible way that offers comfort and value with experiences that truly are extraordinary.

Seasoned expedition managers are there to guide you and make each destination come alive. Zodiacs (inflatable boats popularised for marine exploration by Jaques Cousteau) make land falls to remote shores possible and safe.

Gourmet food that has won many accolades is available on board, but Orion are anything but stuffy - with their Australian heritage a delicious seafood barbeque on deck may be just what a perfect Russian summer day requires.

The Itinerary

Day 1

Otaru, Hokkaido

Otaru is one of Hokkaido’s key ports, primarily servicing the nearby city of Sapporo. Otaru is famous, amongst other things, for its Sushi, although it is noted as being some of the most expensive Sushi in Japan!

The city is centred around a picturesque canal which was once a central part of the city’s busy harbour in the first half of the 20th century. Large vessels offshore would unload their cargo onto smaller boats, which then transported the goods to warehouses along the canal.

Modern port facilities which allowed for direct unloading of larger vessels rendered the canal obsolete. A local “citizens’ movement” were successful in lobbying for a part of the canal to be beautifully restored in the 1980s instead of simply being used as landfill. The warehouses lining the canal were transformed into shops, cafes, museums and restaurants to add to the restoration of the canal area. Local artists present their works to people strolling past along the banks of the canal.

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. Just beyond the port is the town of Yuzhno – Sakhalinsk, with a population of 180,000 it is where the majority of people on Sakhalin live. Today Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is a modern city with a well developed economy and with a high level of social, political and cultural life although the city does reflect the Soviet era still, with rows of drab shops, so typical of that time period.

Included Expeditions

A tour of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and the surrounding area are included in todays visit to Sakhalin. We will visit several highlights of the town including the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Ressurrection and Sakhalin’s regional museum. The museum will allow us an insight to the history, natural history and even the geology of the area. After lunch we will visit the local market which is known for its lacquered boxes and matryoshki, the nesting dolls often associated with Russia. Before returning to the ship we will also visit a Sturgeon and Salmon farm and the lake where they release the Salmon.

Day 3

At sea

Day 4

Chirpov Island, Kuril Islands & Urup Island, Kuril Islands

Chirpoy (meaning small bird) is the collective name usually given to the twin volcanic islands of Chirpoy and Brat Chirpoev (Russian for Chirpoy’s Brother). Here volcanic activity will sharpen your senses. Chirpoy Island is still developing. Witness a new volcano forming in the centre of the island. Orion II will try to access the large bay near the newer volcano. At Brat Chirpoev, under the supervision of a Russian Fish and Wildlife ranger, we plan a Zodiac cruise just offshore to view a Steller sea lion rookery. Steller sea lions are the world’s largest sea lions, growing as large as 5.5m long and weigh as much as 1000kg. 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.

Included Expeditions

Today we will explore the volcanic coastlines by Zodiac and observe the breeding haul out of Steller’s sea lions. 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.

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. We head to a large bay on the northwest coast of Urup. Like many of the islands in this region, “ownership” has repeatedly and often controversially passed between Russia and Japan. Again like the other Kuril Islands, it is a chain of old volcanoes, Urup being made up of a group of four extinct or dormant stratovolcanos. 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.

Included Expeditions

We will search 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.

Day 5

Yankicha Island, Kuril Islands & Matua, Kuril Islands

Yankicha (also Yankitcha) and its nearby neighbour 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. Yankicha is considered by many to be one of the most visually scenic islands in the Kurils. The ancient Ainu people used the thermal area of Yankicha for initiation rites that lasted three days and three nights, in which young men in ceremonial furs were bound together by ropes on wooden platforms over the boiling springs. Arctic foxes, harbour seals and abundant bird life inhabitat the area. 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.

Included Expeditions

We will use our zodiacs to enter the lagoon where we can land to investigate the hydrothermal field with steaming fumaroles, sulfur crystals, hot springs and boiling puddles, where the scent of hydrogen sulfate fills the air. The more physically motivated can climb the caldera wall for a stunning view back down over the lagoon. The landscape here is regularly described as straight out of “Lord of the Rings” or “Jurassic Park”. Note our ultimate goal is to land inside the caldera’s lagoon, however as with all of the Russian Far East weather and conditions on the day will dictate the actual activities. There are seal colonies nearby and Zodiac cruising can possibly be undertaken as alternatives if need be.

On Matua (also Matya or Matsuwa in Japanese), a different story, an abandoned Russian air base – bunkers, half-tracks, an anti-aircraft gun, rotting bacteriological-and-chemical-warfare suits, the occasional helmet, and a mound of “cooked” ammunition lay abandoned and rotting away. With a central volcano reminiscent of Japan’s Mount Fuji and black volcanic sand beaches provide a contrasting setting for the abandoned airbase and it rusting piles of metal and general scatterings of decaying equipment. 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.

Included Expeditions

After a wet landing on a black sand beach, we will make our way inland to explore the abandoned Soviet airbase. The airbase, abandoned since the collapse of the Soviet Union, was previously a significant Japanese Military base during World War II. Join our expert team as you explore, or feel free to explore independently. Zodiac cruises to observe the significant bird life, harbour seals and the geological formations are also possible.

Day 6

Skaly Lavushky, Kuril Islands & Onekotan, 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 cacophonous rant of seabirds, seals and sea lions will be the sound track to our Zodiac cruising today. 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.

Included Expeditions

Join the Zodiac fleet to observe the northern fur seals and Steller’s sea lions around the islets of Skaly Lovushky. Usually as the Zodiacs depart the ship the fur seals join the boats and swim side by side. Hundreds of seals and sea lions can be observed in this area with several haul out areas close by as well.

Another volcanic island, Onekotan (which means “old settlement”), is home to red foxes and bird species, such as the Red-throated Pipit. Offshore, Dall’s porpoises surface along with six species of seals, including Steller sea lions. These giant pinnipeds hunt fish, squid, octopus and rarely, smaller seals. Remnants of Japanese WWII installations can still be seen on Onekotan. 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.

Included Expeditions

A guided walk onto the plateau of Onekotan will give spectacular views of snow-capped volcanos and a seemingly endless expanse of soft mossy tundra. Other walks over the sand dunes to the remains of old Ainu villages will also be available.

Day 7

Atlasova Island, Kuil Islands & Sumshu, Kuril Islands

As we approach Atlasov (also spelt Atlaasova or in Japanese Araido), from over the horizon you will be greeted by the 2,339 metre peak of the volcano Alaid, claimed to be more exquisitely shaped than Mount Fuji, it is the highest peak in the Kuril chain. Viewed from satellite photography, its shape is perfectly sculptured. Abandoned soviet era buildings including a women’s prison can be found behind the dunes, near lakes which are heaving with green-snapper, surrounded by scrubland and hills of volcanic ash. Keep an eye out for Asian Rosy-Finches, peregrines and Slatey-backed Gulls. 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.

Included Expeditions

Today we will explore the remains of the one time Soviet occupation of Atlasov. The island had previously been used as a fox farm and a women’s prison and a large concrete light house still stands on the island today. Various walks on the island will be offered.

Shumshu is the northernmost of the Kuril Islands. The Japanese and the Russians were still fighting each other on Shumshu as late as October 1945, three months after the official end of hostilities. There are some WWII pillboxes remaining today along the shoreline, but the main reason for our visit is the 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. As an interesting side note, 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. 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.

Included Expeditions

Zodiac cruises to observe the rafts of sea otters will be on offer as well as landings to explore the coast and wetlands of the island itself.

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. The scenery is very spectacular and you will have a unique chance to see various mammals and birds, including the Stellar sea eagle, arctic fox and even possibly bears.

Included Expeditions

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. The scenery is very spectacular and you will have a unique chance to see various mammals and birds, including the Stellar sea eagle, arctic fox and even 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 the richest rainbow trout habitat. The Zhupanova drains an area of 404,685 hectares, extending into the central Kamchatka Range of volcanic mountains and is Kamchatka’s second largest river. The river contains exceptionally large trout, some reaching 9 kg, five species of Pacific salmon, and two species of anadromous char (Salmo alpinus L). The Zhupanova is a resting place for migratory birds. 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. The eye stopper here is the huge Steller sea eagle, the heaviest eagle in the world. 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.

Included Expeditions

Zodiac exploration of the extensive river will be undertaken today; in particular we will be looking for nesting areas of the Steller sea eagle. Walks of varying degrees of difficulty can also be undertaken today in search of more wildlife. Bears are not uncommon and their tracks are often seen along the banks of the river.

Day 10

Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka

Good weather will unveil spectacular views of the four active volcanoes, a massive harbour, and one of the oldest towns in the Russian Far East. The explorer, Vitus Bering, laid the first foundation stone there in 1740, and later, Captain Charles Clerke, Captain Cook’s successor, was buried there. This is the crossroads of the continents and it was the jumping off point for both of Bering’s expeditions. Petropavlovsk is still home to a Russian submarine base. Weather permitting; a helicopter flight can target the Valley of the Geysers, the second biggest collection of geothermal features after Yellowstone. For those who can, it is worth it. Orion II overnights in Petropavlovsk.

Included Expeditions

A tour of Petropavlovsk town will be included today, which will visit Lenin Square, where one of Russia’s few remaining statues of Lenin stands today. There is also a monument here to residents of Petropavlovsk killed during the Crimean War of 1854. The local Museum of Natural History has a remarkable display of regional flora and fauna as well as displays on the early inhabitants of the Kamchatka Peninsula and even contemporary art of the native people of the area. A Russian Orthodox Church will also be visited. Today’s tour also includes a Russian lunch and a visit to a dog kennel breeding Siberian Huskies. Back onboard in the afternoon we will be entertained by a local troupe performing traditional Koryak dances. Accompanied by shaman drums and sung in the local language, the songs incorporate a unique form of deep breathing to the beats of the drums.

Optional Expeditions

FLIGHT INTO THE VALLEY OF THE GEYSERS An option exists today, weather permitting to undertake a flight into the Valley of the Geysers. The flight into the Valley, which takes about 40 minutes and gives opportunity to view active volcanoes, includes landing in the valley and walks on board walks through the geothermal area, before returning to the base camp near the mouth of the Zhupanova River. Flights are undertaken in Russian military style helicopters. FLIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND NO GUARANTEE OF DEPARTURE CAN BE GIVEN Price: To be confirmed

Day 11

Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka

Fights are not included in quoted prices, but we are happy to arrange them for you.

If you have more time we would be happy to create a tailor made onward Russian itinerary for you.

Contact us on 020 89562756 or enquiries @exeterinternational.co.uk

Accommodation onboard Orion II comprises of 50 Suites.

Every room offers you ocean views and is appointed with a sitting area or separate living room, twin or queen-size beds and marble bathrooms. All rooms offer conveniences such as ample storage space, complementary 24-hour room service, a flat screen TV, DVD/CD player, internet connectivity, air conditioning, a personal safe, hairdryer and a mini-refrigerator continuously stocked with complimentary bottled water.

Penthouse Suite Orion II’s four spacious Penthouse Suites are the only suites located on Deck 6. These 260sq ft suites have private balconies, window and sitting area.

Balcony Suite The twelve luxurious Balcony Suites are on Deck 5 with sitting area and a private balcony allowing you to take in the sea breeze.

Deluxe Suite The two Deluxe Suites occupy up to 285 sq ft* in area on Deck 5. Forward windows and a sitting area lets you relax and enjoy the beautiful ocean view after a day of exploration.

Junior Suite On deck 4 there are ten Junior Suites. These 235sq ft suites have a window and sitting area.

AA Ocean Suite These nicely appointed Ocean Suites are situated on deck 3. The average room size is 225 sq ft*, all with windows and a comfortable sitting area.

A Ocean Suite The A Ocean Suites are located on Deck 2 with portholes and a generous average area of 275sq ft*.

B Ocean Suite The B Ocean Suites are located on Deck 4 windows and sitting area. The average area is 215sq ft*.

• Average area of room size.

For more information please call us on 020 8956 2756 or email us at enquiries@exeterinternational.co.uk