Travel Partners

In each location we work with experienced Travel Partners who oversee our operations. Most of these travel partners are headed by strong men and women who build their companies through the use of innovative ideas, professionalism, and passion for what they do. They all have excellent reputations. All are dedicated to conservation and protection of the natural areas that surround their operations. These travel partners are:

Arctic/Antarctic Expeditions

Oceanwide Expeditions in the year 2009 was named the World's Leading Polar Expedition Company. Ko de Korte, who is the visionary for the company organized various expeditions by ships almost thirty years ago for the Plancius organization. Oceanwide Expeditions purchased the assets of the organization in 1996 and Ko de Korte came on board as a consultant. Oceanwide Expeditions Managing Director is Michel van Gessel. Oceanwide Expeditions at that time used Russian vessels, but now is the proud owner of two new vessels, which are Chilean and Dutch, the Antarctic Dream and the Plancius and a sailing vessel, the Noorderlicht. Oceanwide is an innovative company, which appeals to the more active traveler, by adding kayaking, walking and diving to its expeditions both in the Arctic and Antarctic. Most expeditions attract a variety of people from a multitude of countries and ages, offering an environment which is exciting as well as informative. The language on board is English, with most staff members speaking various other languages, such as French, German, Spanish, Italian and, of course Dutch.

In the Arctic area, Oceanwide offers programs which depart from Iceland and Scotland, ending in Spitsbergen, where they operate programs out of Longyearbyen all summer through the fall. The cruises in the Arctic offer extensive daily hikes, kayaking and diving.

In some of the programs Oceanwide Expeditions offer in the Arctic as well as in the Antarctic, they use the "Base Camp" concept i.e. the ship serves as a base from which passengers can participate in a variety of activities, including kayaking, trekking, diving, snowshoeing, skiing, and experience an overnight on the Antarctic Peninsula.

The focus on most Arctic cruises is on the geological formation of this area, historical expeditions that have taken place tracing the discovery of this fascinating area. For people passionate about flora, the Arctic provides numerous opportunities to view species that are small but mighty. For birders, the area offers a plentitude of species including the very picturesque puffins. And then, of course, there are some of the greatest and mightiest mammals of the world, the enigmatic Polar bears and the huge colonies of walruses. There are also times that the Mine whale makes an appearance.

Cruises in the Antarctic area include kayaking and diving, and overland camping, at an extra cost. The itineraries themselves include the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the Antarctic Peninsula and other areas in this polar region.

East Russia

The Primorsky Krai - Terney area (Amur Tiger programs).

Dalintourist is the most experienced travel company in Vladivostok. The agency has great connections with the local government and has in the last twenty years handled the operations for the luxury Trans Siberian Express. Olga Bekhtereva, with whom we work, loves what she does and her knowledge is broad. Her official job is to make sure that large group of passengers on the TSB, have a good time while they are traveling besides handling all the logistical details. But her main love is in her own region, where she accompanies the tour to the Amur Tiger Habitat. Olga holds a degree from the Academy of Sciences in Vladivostok.

For other programs taking place in the Primorsky Krai we use Discovery Club and Julia Prkonov. Julia formerly was the Manager for Daltinourist and is an expert in every activity that takes place in the Primorsky Krai. She is enthusiastic, has explored most of the regions nature preserves/reserves and her programs are always well organized and interesting.

Kamchatka

Explore Kamchatka is an agency run by Martha Madsen, an American living in Kamchatka. Martha not only runs a tourism company but she also has a B & B, which is her operational base. Everyone loves to stay at her B & B, because she knows a lot about Kamchatka, and conversations at night are spirited and fun. Martha was very active in setting up the first tourism magazine, www.kamchatkatourism.com, which is now managed by a Kamchatka company, and the organization of the Kamchatka Ecotourism Society, which she started and which is now fully operating. Martha also has managed many media trips, including one for National Geographic Magazine and worked with very upscale groups such as Private Jet Expeditions.

Lake Baikal/Buryatia/Mongolia

Absolute Siberia is a company which practices what it preaches. Its owner Alexei Nikiforov has always been very active and quite understanding of the fragile nature of the area in which he specializes. There is no other person as passionate and knowledgeable about the region and as concerned about its environment. We have worked with Alexei on a number of different projects over the last 15 years or so, such as an Agricultural Exhibition, a very exclusive tour for Private Jet Expeditions, which through his extensive efforts always were a great success. Alexei is also involved in various efforts to create more programs for small businesses to be involved in tourism.

Yakutia

Tour Service Center Co., Ltd. has been working with us for over ten years. The company has aided us with media trips, expeditions into the interior, and worked with us on various tourism conferences. Slava has very good connections, which is important when operating in a region with very little infrastructure and offers is innovative ideas that we implement in our programs. Yakutia is a very difficult environment to operate in, and we have had outstanding success in working with this agency.

East Russia Expedition cruises

Heritage Expeditions was formed as a way to more actively protect and preserve the environment. Its founder Rodney Russ was a biologist working for the New Zealand Wildlife Service. Through his work on Kakapo, Black Robin and other endangered species he appreciated that rather than locking wilderness areas away, it was important to share them with people so that they might become "ambassadors" advocating and supporting conservation efforts. He has long held the view that conservation and responsible travel are partners, which together can achieve what might otherwise be unachievable.

From those small beginnings the company, which is still family owned, operates its own Polar Research Vessel on expeditions to the Russian Far East. Each expedition is meticulously planned and led, ensuring that passengers (maximum of 50) participate in every opportunity they have to learn and experience as much as possible about the region, while at the same time minimizing the impact of their visit.

Heritage-Expedition's ship spends the Spring in East Russia's waters, going from Sakhalin through the Kuril Islands to Kamchatka, the Commander Islands and then to Chukotka. Their Chukotka programs include Wrangel Island. Those passengers that cruise to Chukotka board the vessel and disembark in Nome, Alaska.

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