Birding Siberia's Lena Delta Region

When: Best in June & July

Length of tour: Two ten-day itineraries are proposed, but we are open to your suggestions

Fee charged:

• INTERNATIONAL BIOLOGICAL STATION 'LENA-NORDENSKJOLD' :
  • In a group of 3 people - $2470 per pers.
  • In a group of 4 people - $2250 per pers.
  • In a group of 5 people - $2000 per pers.
  • In a group of 6 people - $1940 per pers (etc., up to 10 people)
• NIZHNY BOBROVSKY AREA
  • In a group of 5 people - $2630 per pers.(up to 10 people)
• Price for both above tours includes:
  • In Yakutsk (on the way to and back): transportation; accommodation (at a cottage); meal (dinner, breakfast).
  • In Tiksi (on the way to and back): transportation; accommodation (at family's); meal (dinner, breakfast)
  • Travel: two-way flight ticket Yakutsk - Tiski; two-way flight by rented helicopter.
  • Tour location: camps, electric generator, sattelite phone, meal (breakfast, carry-out lunch, dinner), boat rent.
  • Service: guide-ornithologist (Dr. Vladimir Pozdnyakov); English-speaking interpreter.

Stuff to bring:
Antimosquito repellent, high rubber boots, hiking boots, waterproof jacket, warm clothes, sleeping bags (just in case), etc.

Tour #1:  INTERNATIONAL BIOLOGICAL STATION
'LENA-NORDENSKJOLD'

Travel to tour location: Yakutsk -- Tiksi (3 hrs by plane), Tiksi -- Lena-Nordenskjold Station (30 minutes by helicopter). There are no regular direct flights from the major Russian cities to Tiksi. The way goes through Yakutsk only.

Expected temperature: 0°C - + 20°C (+40°F - +70°F).

Guaranteed Breeding Birds to watch:
Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata), Black-throated Diver (Gavia Arctica), Pin-tail (Anas acuta), Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis), King Eider (Somateria spectabilis), Rough-legged (Buteo lagopus), Peregrine (Falco peregrinus), Willow Grouse(Lagopus lagopus), Rog Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus), Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva), Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius), Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus), Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), Little Stint (Calidris minuta), Rufous-necked Sandpiper (Calidris ruficollis), Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii), Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Pomarine Skua (Stercoraries pomarinus), Arctic Skua (Stercoraries parasiticus), Long-tailed Skua (Stercoraries longicaudus), Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus), Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca - only in 2004), Shore Lark (Eremophila alpestris), Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus), American Pipit (Anthus rubescens), White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea), Arctic Rosy Finch (Leucosticte arctoa), Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), Lapland Bunting (Calcarius lapponicus).

Itinerary:

1 DAY. Arrival in Yakutsk (in the morning). Accommodation at a cottage one night. Rest time. Dinner.
2 DAY. Breakfast. Morning flight Yakutsk - Tiksi. Accommodation at family's. Procedure of getting permission documentation with frontier post authorities.
3 DAY. Arrival to Lena-Nordenskjold by helicopter. Accomodation at the station. Bird-watching. Trekking outskirts.
4 - 8 DAYS. Bird-watching. Trekking neighbour hills. Mixed with 4-days travelling in the Lena Delta at a short distance by boats.
9 DAY. Back to Tiksi by helicopter (in the early morning). Flight to Yakutsk (by midday). Arrival in Yakutsk, accommodation at cottage for night. Dinner.
10 DAY. Breakfast. Early departure for Moscow.

Tour #2: NIZHNY BOBROVSKY AREA IN THE LENA DELTA

Travel to tour location: Yakutsk -- Tiksi (3 hrs by plane), Tiksi -- Nizhny Bobrovsk (1 hr 10 min by helicopter). There are no regular direct flights from the major Russian cities to Tiksi. The way goes through Yakutsk only.

Expected temperature: 0°C - + 20°C (+40°F - +70°F).

Guaranteed Breeding Birds to watch:
Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata), Black-throated Diver (Gavia Arctica), Brent Goose (Branta bernicla), White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons), Bewick's Swan (Cygnus bewickii), Pin-tail (Anas acuta), Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis), King Eider (Somateria spectabilis), Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri), Willow Grouse(Lagopus lagopus), Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius), Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), A Little Stint (Calidrus minuta), Rufous-necked Sandpiper (Calidris ruficollis), Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii), Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus), Pomarine Skua (Stercoraries pomarinus), Arctic Skua (Stercoraries parasiticus), Long-tailed Skua (Stercoraries longicaudus), Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus), Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini), Ross's Gull (Rhodostethia rosea), Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca - only in 2004), Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea), Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), Lapland Bunting (Calcarius lapponicus).

Itinerary:

1 DAY. Arrival in Yakutsk (in the morning). Accommodation at a cottage one night. Rest time. Dinner.
2 DAY. Morning flight Yakutsk - Tiksi. Accommodation at family's. Procedure of getting permission documentation with frontier post authorities.
3 DAY. Breakfast. Flight to Nizhny Bobrovsk by helicopter. Accomodation in camps. Bird-watching. Trekking.
4 - 7 DAYS. Bird-watching. Trekking with boat travelling and bird-watching on neighbour islands.
8 DAY. Back to Tiksi by helicopter (after lunch). Accomodation at family's. Rest time.
9 DAY. Flight to Yakutsk (by midday). Arrival in Yakutsk, housing at cottage for night.
10 DAY. Departure for Moscow (in the early morning).