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Cruising the Mighty Amur River
This fascinating journey starts in the city of Khabarovsk where we board the Amur Star, our home for the journey on the Mighty Amur River. While we are cruising we will visit sleepy villages that are home to vibrant native cultures. We will explore verdant nature preserves endowed with pristine river, lakes and gently sloping mountains. At the end of our cruise we will take the legendary Trans Siberian Express for a short visit to Vladivostok, the pearl of the East. The Amur River and the Russian Far East The Amur River historically provided the main link between the small settlements along the river and the more sophisticated city of Khabarovsk. The river, one of the largest in Russia and frozen almost seven months out of the year, meanders through a continuous changing landscape dotted with small villages where life practically has remained the same for centuries. This corner of Russia commonly called the Russian Far East is endowed with stunning natural beauty and offers a one of a kind opportunity to get acquainted with vibrant native cultures and exotic nature reserves. We will spend some time talking with the elders in the various native communities about their way of life and their traditions. We also have the opportunity to buy hand made souvenirs, such as jewelry, tools and clothing. Also an opportunity to visit some of the most important archeological sites in the Khabarovsky Krai is part of the excursion. The Amur River Cruise Destinations Khabarovsk The city was named after Yerofei Khabarov who was one of the most famous figures among the Russian pioneers. Once Khabarov said: "This place is unique, richer in cultural resources and more picturesque in comparison with Siberia. Farm lands will appear here and the region will be beautiful and fertile."
Khabarovsk with its 700,000 inhabitants still remains a friendly and welcoming city. Many of the old buildings have been renovated and the main streets with its cafes and variety of shops provide the visitor with a collage of vibrancy. There are many broad tree lined boulevards with little parks in between, where in the summer crowds of people, old and young, enjoy the sun. Khabarovsk of all far eastern cities has the most sunshine; it is very rare to have a rainy day. Khabarovsk rich cultural aspects can be viewed at the many museums, all of them close to downtown. There are many cafes and restaurants offering a variety of food and shopping is always delightful. Bolshekhekhtsirsky Reserve is located close to Khabarovsk where the Amur and Usury Rivers flow together. The reserve was founded in 1963 to preserve the unique biodiversity of the virgin forests of the Bolshoi Khekhtsir mountain range. The reserve offers one of the most biologically diverse landscapes in the Russian Far East. We will be able to observe different species of birch, maple, linden, elm, fir, Mongolian oak and others. Various animals roaming the reserve, such as Manchurian deer, sable, Himalayan bear are, however, more elusive and live far beyond the buffer zone that we are allowed to visit.
Troitskoye is the administrative center of the Nanai District. The Nanais are the oldest ethnic group and the first settlers in this area. A small ethnographic museum tells the story about the original settlement of this area. Original Nanai souvenirs are made by the inhabitants and can be purchased in a small native owned store. Bolonsky Reserve was created in 1997. The diamond of the reserve is Bolon Lake, which is of great biological and geographical importance due to its high concentration of wetlands. It is also a critically important nesting area for rare and endangered species of birds and is included in the lists of Wetlands of international importance according to the Ramsar Convention.
Birds that can be found during this time are thousands of swans, geese, ducks, cranes and different birds of prey. Rare species include: Oriental White Stork, Japanese and black crane, Mandarin duck, osprey and peregrine falcon. Komsomolsk-on-Amur originally was a center of heavy industry; specifically it housed and still does a huge manufacturing plant of planes and ships used during the Cold War. It was actually still a closed city until about 1993. Komsomolsk also offers the only opportunity for those belonging to native cultures to be educated in professional skills. The Komsomolsk Reserve was founded in 1963 and includes both lowlands and mountain landscapes. Forest cover about 80% of the Reserve. The Reserve's flora includes five species of flora that are listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation: Japanese Yew, caltrop, and others. The reserve also offers the most favorable conditions for conservation of dark coniferous taiga that is inhabited by musk, sable, elk and brown bear. The reserve also offers opportunities to observe rare bird species. Gennady I. Nevlskoy, a Russian naval officer and explorer, founded Nikolaevsk-na-Amur in 1850 It was originally a military outpost named Nikolaevsk. Only in 1856, it became a city. Nikolaevsk was the first northern capital of the Primorsky District. Before the revolution in 1917, the city became the biggest industrial center of the Russian Far East. The Japanese community in Nikolaevsk played an important role during this time. The interesting architecture of this period can be seen in the many buildings backdating to this era. In 1920,m the city was almost totally destroyed by fire. Luckily, most of the historical monuments were preserved. Bulava is the national center of the Ulchi district. The culture and traditions of the Ulchi people are carefully maintained and preserved. Ulchi people living here participated in several types of economic activities, such as hunting, fishing, etc. The small village has a very interesting museum where one of the Ulchi elders explains the history of the Ulchi culture. Ulchi elders also are in charge of the folklore performance and have been able to interest their teenagers and young people in restoring their dances, fables and traditional stories Sikachi Alyan is a national Nanai village. The culture and the language of the Nanai's are very similar to that of the Manchurian people. A small museum will acquaint you better with their culture. The petroglyphs that are visible close to the native village are reminders of centuries ago. Most of the petroglyphs depict animals, masks and snakes. The first discoveries of these petroglyphs took place in Russia in 1894 and in 1895, a US explorer wrote about them. The monument is now protected and preserved by the Russian government.
Day-by-Day ItineraryIncluded
Day 1 (Wednesday) Upon arrival a colorful folklore ensemble welcomes us with open arms to the city of Khabarovsk. Khabarovsk is a beautiful city with a rich historical and cultural past reflected by its architecture and various public places. We are transferred from the airport directly to the vessel. After boarding the vessel, we settle in our cabins and enjoy our departure from the city. This evening will be rather quiet as we get used to our ship, Russia and a truly new experience. Day 2 (Thursday) This morning we settle into the ship's routine. After breakfast we enjoy our first lecture about the flora and fauna of the Amur River territory. We also have a briefing about our afternoon excursion to the Komsomolsky Reserve. After lunch on board, we board the smaller preserve boats for our cruise through the Reserve. When we arrive at the Reserve cabins, we enjoy visiting a small Ulchi settlement, two elderly people only who perform for us and show us their house adorned by Ulchi decorations. We continue to explore the Reserve and hike up to the look out point that affords us a splendid view of the entire Reserve. Before dinner this evening, we will enjoy a sharing of experience. This evening there will be music in the lounge
Day 3 (Friday) After breakfast this morning, we arrive in Bulava, a small village inhabited by Ulchi People. We disembark and walk through the village to the cultural center, where we are lavishly entertained by an enthusiastic group of Ulchi's performing their traditional dancing and storytelling. Afterwards we return for lunch to the Amur Star. This afternoon, we will learn more about the people of the Amur River, their culture and traditions. We also have an opportunity to see some of the beautiful handicrafts brought on board of the vessel. After dinner there is an opportunity to create some handicrafts of our own under the direction of an Ulchi artist Day 4 (Saturday) Today we will spend much of the day enjoying the ambiance of our vessel and its amenities. Our afternoon lecture will be about the history of the Russian people, their religion and their traditions. In the late afternoon we will arrive in Komsomolsk-na-Amur where we will disembark the vessel for an interesting city tour and a visit to two local museums. Old Stalin type buildings, heavily decorated stand along broad tree-lined boulevards. The city is much more quiet than Khabarovsk and presents a picture of serenity. After out city tour we board our vessel for a late dinner and an evening of entertainment. Day 5 (Sunday) This day is devoted to exploration of one of the oldest cities in the Khabarovsky Krai and the Amur District, Nikolaevsk-na-Amur. We enjoy meeting some of the representatives of the Nivkh culture and enjoy a typically Nivkh meal while entertained by their dancers. In the late afternoon, we re-board our vessel and enjoy the rest of the afternoon watching the river float by. In the evening, we will have a short briefing about the Bolonsky Reserve excursion tomorrow morning and afterwards enjoy a folklore performance by our on board entertainment group. Day 6 (Monday) Our activities today will be dominated by nature, as we have a chance to explore the wonderful Bolonsky Reserve and perhaps catch a glimpse of its many bird species. We will take a picnic lunch ashore. In the evening, as we do every night we share our experiences with others. Dinner on board and entertainment. Day 7 (Tuesday) Shortly before lunch we arrive in Troitskoye, a village that once more offers acquaintance with yet another culture, the Nanai. Some of the elders of the Nanai meet us and share with us their cultural traditions and storytelling. Afterwards we meet some of the local Nanai entrepreneurs who create their own wonderful souvenirs. After lunch the Amur Star proceeds to a wonderful beach where we disembark to enjoy a traditional Ukha soup party. While the kitchen staff prepares this wonderful, tasty feast, we explore the shoreline, take a swim or enjoy some games organized by the ship's staff. After returning to the Amur star and a nap perhaps, we get together for our final banquet and evening. Day 8 (Wednesday) We continue to sail towards Khabarovsk, time permitting making a stop in Sikachy Alyan, where petroglyphs depicting animals and native masks indicate the presence of native cultures centuries ago. We arrive in Khabarovsk in the early afternoon for disembarkation and bard our buses to get acquainted with the city of Khabarovsk. We vast the local market, the new and old Orthodox churches and the regional museum. After the city tour we check into the Intourist hotel. We have dinner this evening at a wonderful Russian restaurant. Day 9 (Thursday) We have an early breakfast and board our buses to drive to the Bolshekhekhtsirksy Reserve where we first visit the educational center to get acquainted with the work of the Preserve. We than take a walk to the newly build visitor center and an overview of the Amur River. At this particular point the Amur and Ussuri River flow together. From this particular point it is easy to observe the Chinese border. Time permitting; we will have some free time to explore Khabarovsk on our own. At 5:0o p.m. we meet at the Intourist for a snack and we are transferred to the railroad station, where we board the overnight train to Vladivostok. We will share two berth comfortable compartments and enjoy watching the scenery and the stops at the various small cities on the way. Day 10 (Friday) We arrive in the early morning arrival in the city of Vladivostok. We are transferred to the Hotel Vladivostok to refresh ourselves, before we take the grand tour of the city. We have lunch in a local restaurant. We continue our tour of the city during the early part of the afternoon after which there is some free time to relax or to explore the city on your own. In the evening we have a wonderful evening banquet at Nostalgia, one of the most famous restaurants in Vladivostok. Day 11/Sept 15 This day is free to do some shopping, gallery hopping or going to the local market. After lunch we depart for the airport for our flight to Seoul, Korea. Note: Traveling in Russia requires a bit of adaptability because things do change and not always in the way we would like to. However, that is part of the charm of traveling in Russia. Most of the unexpected things happening tend to be the ones that will be most clearly and fondly remembered. International Airline Connections and Costs We recommend that you fly from the US to Seoul, Korea on the carrier of your choice or on Korean Air. If you fly on Korean Air from Los Angeles there is a direct connection with Asiana Airlines from Seoul, Korea to Khabarovsk. You need to leave the US from Los Angeles on Tuesday morning at 0:30am. If you fly to Seoul on other carriers you need to leave the US. on Monday and overnight in Seoul, Korea before catching Asian Airlines flight on Wednesday to Khabarovsk. There is a return flight from Vladivostok to Seoul, Korea which leaves on Saturday to connect directly again with a flight from Seoul, Korea to Los Angeles. Other carriers again necessitate an overnight in Seoul. It is also possible to use an Aeroflot flight from Seattle to Moscow with an overnight in Moscow and a direct flight to Khabarovsk. Upon the return there are daily flights from Vladivostok to Moscow. Visas We will provide you with a letter of invitation once we receive your deposit. We ask that you handle your visa processing through our company to assist in smoother operation of our itineraries in Russia. Visa processing is extra and with optimum time periods to process will cost $110 per person. You need to have a valid passport for at least six months after your trip to Russia. Tour Operations We operate this tour under the leadership of a tour manager who is responsible for the overall logistics and providing you with insights based upon long term on the ground experience. Your tour manager most likely will join you upon your arrival in Russia. All local arrangements are made through our Russian partners with whom we have been working for a period of at least six to ten years. Our local partners are knowledgeable and care about your welfare, safety and security. Most of our travelers form long-term relationships with our Russian partners. We chose our itineraries for uniqueness to areas that are not well known or in most cases are not easy to access or explore on your own. These areas are without a doubt the most representative of the unique natural and cultural wealth of Russia. However, we also include a variety of other activities in our itineraries, giving you a chance to learn more about Russia and its people. Meetings with local people form a very important part of our programs as well as educating ourselves about this very rich and historically interesting culture. This program is rated as moderately active due to the excursions to the various nature reserves. These require an ability to disembark alongside the vessel to smaller boats, some hiking at the reserves and great flexibility as to the activities in the reserve. Having a great sense of humor, the ability to adapt are great assets while traveling in Russia. We try to keep our actual operation of the program as close to the itinerary as possible, however, changes will be inevitable. We will try to keep you advised as to these changes and the reasons therefore. However, we reserve the right to make these changes both to improve the program as well as to avoid difficulties and to adapt to changing weather conditions. No refunds will be made for any part of the program changed for these specific reasons. Eastern Russia has changed a lot over the past decade, however some of the less desirable trends are still with us. Your patience and cooperation are very much appreciated as we encounter moments of delay, changes and the inevitable bureaucracy. We know from our long-term experience, that afterwards these moments are easily forgotten. Climate September is one of the most beautiful months in the Russian Far East. Featuring sunny and warm days. However, just as everywhere, weather patterns are changing and therefore we ask you to be prepared and take a sweater and coat to be used in the evening or during cooler temperatures. It is also recommended to take water resistant clothes for the excursions to the nature preserves. Insurance We highly recommend that you purchase trip insurance. You may do so through our company, your travel agent or through a company you prefer. Our policies Your $500 deposit is non-refundable except for $200 up till 60 days prior to departure. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. Our cancellation policies are described in our tour documentation. Payment can be made by check or credit card. Credit card charges carry a 3 percent additional fee. Airline tickets can be purchased by either credit card or check payment. We reserve the right to advice you regarding our group size prior to the time for final payment. If the group is less than the size we anticipated in our pricing procedures, we may offer the trip to you under adjusted circumstances. In this case, the cost of the tour may increase. It is up to you to decide whether to participate or not under these circumstances The Amur Star The Amur Star was built in Stretinsk, Russia and refurbished in Harbin in 1991 at a cost of $3.2 million. The vessel is registered in Russia and because of its shallow draft is perfect for river cruising, such as on the Amur River. The vessel offers a variety of public spaces including a library. It has two lounges with bar service, and two restaurants that are located on the main and upper decks. Services provided are luggage storage, laundry, medical, and massage and hairdressing services. The vessel is fully air conditioned, with individual controls in each cabin. The Amur Star has an open bridge policy. Your cabins are cozy and comfortable. They afford great views of the passing scenery through large picture windows. Each cabin is furnished with a table, chairs, wardrobes, individual reading lights individually controlled air conditioning/heating and a combination shower, WC and washbasin. There are five categories of cabins: Our vessel, the Amur Star offers you a comfortable way to explore and discover the territories alongside the Amur River. The diversity of nature that you will encounter is a combination of might and beauty that is what the Russian Far East is all about. Hospitable staff and crew await you when you board the vessel and welcome you back after each visit ashore. An open bridge policy while cruising allows you to observe the captain and crew at work. This is the place to be early in the morning to watch the sun come up over the bow and learn more about our ship and its itinerary as we move along. Experienced chefs prepare all your meals and the hospitality staff presents you with food that is fresh, wholesome and delicious. One of the best gourmet adventures you can experience on our green stops is the Ukha soup cooked for you especially by the captain. Also tour cruise offers you the famous Neptune celebration, a festivity in which everyone can participate. The Amur River Cruise onboard activities Nature reserve excursions are lead by local scientists and nature reserve staff and provide ample opportunities to both learn about the important ongoing preservation efforts within the reserves, in addition to guided walks and exploration of the unique aspects of the reserve. On board lecturers who are specialists about the area, will make presentations on the abundant and rare species that can be found in the nature reserves. Also the historical and economic significance of the area will be highlighted. You will have a chance to get acquainted with Russian culture, history and traditions. Both in Khabarovsk and on the cruise, the emphasis is on experiencing Russia and the Russians. During the day you will meet real Russian people who will tell you about their lives and traditions. We also include visits to Orthodox churches as the Orthodox religion plays a very important role in the lives of Russian people. Our onboard entertainment will delight you with its variety inviting you to participate in song, dance and poetry. We will have a chance to get to know each other in many different ways.
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