Siberian Tiger Ecotour and trek

country:	Russia
departures:	2004: 21st August to 4th September, 24th September to 8th October
price:	US $2,900 (includes VISA, excludes international flights)
vouchers:	Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday

introduction to Siberian Tiger Ecotour and trek

The Siberian Tiger is one of nature's most wondrous animals. More robust than its more southern counterparts, the Siberian Tiger has much longer, softer and paler fur. Occasionally, the very rare Siberian Tiger will be black and white, and one pure white tiger has been recorded. A nocturnal animal hunting by night, a large male tiger may attain a shoulder height of 1 meter (3.3 feet) and weigh close to 300 kilograms (over 600 pounds). Tundra & Taiga will bring you to the home of the Siberian Tiger: the lush forest of the Russian Far East.

Though spotting a tiger is a rare and wondrous event, the tiger's natural environment will not disappoint the seasoned ecotourist. The forest of the Russian Far East of the territory surrounding Vladivostok is one of the world's most interesting natural regions. This “jungle” is a transitional zone between the coniferous taiga to the north and the wet tropical forests of the south. It features a rich variety of plant and animal life including rare species of trees and animal. In addition to the Siberian Tiger, the forest is home to Himalayan black bears, the Far Eastern Leopard, and the Amur Goral (a small goatlike mammal belonging to the same family as cattle and bison with backward curving horns and a coarse brownish gray coat).

The trip will feature 7 days exploring some of the most beautiful nature reserves and parks in the Vladivostok region (known is Russian the Primorskoe region). This ecotour will feature hikes in both forest and coastal zones and will take you into the heart of tiger country. This trip can be added on to our Trans-Siberian ecotour to create the trip of lifetime!

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Arrival in Moscow. Bus transfer to downtown. Accommodation at the Arbat Hotel (a 3-star hotel located in downtown Moscow (double rooms). Leisure time (2 hrs) after checking in to the hotel, followed by a welcoming dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 2:	Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion to the Red Square, the Kremlin, and its historic cathedrals. Lunch at a downtown restaurant followed by a boat excursion along the River Moskva or, in case of poor weather, more sightseeing and shopping. In the evening, the group will fly to Vladivostok.
Day 3:	Sightseeing in Vladivostok. The day will be spent visiting this historic center—the headquarters of the Russian Pacific Fleet. Lunch and dinner in city restaurants and a night's stay at a 3-star hotel.
Day 4:	After breakfast, the group will board a small ship and will sail to Popov Island located 1-1.5 hours north of the Far Eastern Marine Nature Reserve. On the island, the group will visit the Museum of Marine Nature and Preservation. The museum presents the amazing diversity of marine life found in the region and the threats posed to the local environment. After visiting the museum, the group will be briefed on the local ecology and the plant and animal life of the Gulf of Peter the Great. If weather conditions permit it, the group will take a trip by boat to the Gulf of Peter the Great sailing through an archipelago of picturesque islands. A number of stops will be made to observe the numerous species of birds found in the region. A marine biologist will dive down into the gulf and bring to the surface specimens of sea creatures explaining the ecology of the gulf. It will be possible to swim in the gulf and sunbathe on the shoreline. The expedition will visit the Khasan Nature Park. During migration, this nature park provides excellent bird watching opportunities as some 50 species of migrating shorebirds stop in the gulf and its islands during their annual migration cycle. Having completed the day’s activities, the group will return to Gamov Peninsula to spend the night in wooden cabins.
Day 5:	Leisure time to explore the natural environs, swim and rest. A tour of the site of 4000-year-old archaeological site will be organized. Dinner and overnight stay in the cottages.
Day 6:	In the early morning, the group will travel by bus for 3 hours to the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve This nature reserve is the oldest in Russia, established in 1925. It was conceived as a botanical reserve as it featured virgin groves of Manchurian Fir, Korean Pine, Ash Maple and Birch-Liana trees and forest. This nature reserve remains an oasis for wildlife as it is the only region of Russia that harbors a breeding population of the rare Far Eastern Snow Leopard. Upon their arrival, the group will travel along the Kedrovaya River through different types of forest to the top of one of the numeous hills of the reserve (total distance covered 6.5 kilometers or a bit more than 3 miles). From this vantage point, the participants will revel in a stunning panorama of hills overlooking an ocean bay. In September and early October, the hills are colored by a rainbow of rich hues as the trees are dressed in their fall colors. One evening will be spent with one of Russia’s premiere nature photographers who has compiled a video on the Far Eastern Leopard with footage filmed in the reserve. Overnight in the wooden cabins located in the nature reserve.
Day 7:	An excursion to the Leopard site (half a day). The group will climb a slope to gain a vantage point overlooking a leopard den. Leopard scratches and other signs of the Far Eastern Leopard will be visible. Upon return, participants will travel by bus to Vladivostok where they will spend a night in a hotel.
Day 8:	Participants will travel to Lazo village and will have dinner at a local café followed by an excursion to the Museum of Nature and Ecological Education Center of the Lazovsky Nature Reserve. Short lecture and video presentation about the nature reserve, famous for having the highest density of the Amur Tiger, also known as the Siberian Tiger. In addition to tigers, the region hosts a number of other rare and reclusive species such as the Himalayan Black Bear. The expedition will travel 30 kilometers (18 miles) by car to the “American Gorge.” The expedition will camp at the reserve’s camp—a collection of wooden huts—located in a forest meadow. Accommodation will consist of the huts and tents. The camp features a summer kitchen and a “banya”: the perfect location to soothe sore muscles and cleanse the body.
Day 9:	The entire day will be devoted to hiking and exploring the “American Gorge”. The gorge is a unique ecosystem characterized by a rich diversity of trees and plants. One can cross cedar taiga, in other locations broad-leafed deciduous plants prevail, in certain hollows poplar trees provide cover for the winter dens of Himalayan black bears. The trees found in the area include Korean Cedar Pine, Ayan Spruce, a species of relict Yew trees, in addition to a variety of shrubs and flowers that color the landscape. Signs of the Siberian Tiger will be seen in the forest: notably the occasional tiger paw print. Crossing the Perekatnaya river, participants will see a local species of salmon at their spawning grounds. The birdlife is extremely diverse. Dinner and overnight in the meadow camp.
Day 10:	Having thoroughly explored the “American Gorge,” the expedition will hike to the neighboring Karpad Gorge. The hike will feature crossing a chain of low hills will stops being made along the way to admire the scenery and a picnic will be organized en route. Dinner and overnight stay at the Karpad camp: a big wooden house located in a meadow close to the Karpad River.
Day 11:	Benevskiye waterfalls: The expedition will travel by food and by car to the Elamovskie srinngs (total distance greater than 75 kilometers or 45 miles) and from the springs will hive 8 kilometers (roughly 5 miles) to a collection of unforgettable waterfalls: the Benevskiye Waterfalls. The hike to the waterfalls features rapids and cascades cutting across rich forest scenery of broad-leafed deciduous trees and towering conifers. Along the way, the expedition will spot a number of rare species of trees such as a local relict species of yew tree. Among the trees, ginseng used to thrive—though it is now quite rare and extremely difficult to see in the wild—as well as a variety of shrubs and herfs with unforgettable flowers. With a bit of luck, a deer or fox will be spotted. Traces of tiger and bear will equally be witnessed along the way, possibly a fresh tracks left in the mud. In the forest, a variety of colorful songbirds will delight the participants with their fanciful melodies. At the end of the hike, the group will come to the main waterfall, towering 17 meters (55 feet) in height. In the afternoon, the group will hike downstream (8 km) and will then travel 50 kilometers (30 miles) by car to the seashore. The expedition will pass by one of the oldest local villages and will stay the night at this Petrova camp. Across the water, Petrova Island will be visible. Dinner will be organized in the summer kitchen and participants will have the option of washing in the banya before spending the night in tents, possibly hearing the roar of a tiger in the distance.
Day 12:	The expedition will travel by boat to Petrova Island and Bay, a natural botanical garden. In this small island, there are over 300 species of trees and plants and 117 species of lichen. Almost all of the species found in the region are found on the island and the island is teeming with migratory birds. In addition to exploring the island and doing some bird watching, participants will be able to swim in the clean waters of the Sea of Japan (Pacific Ocean) and rest on the island's golden sand, surrounded by a rich coastline with a sea teaming with life. The expedition will return to the camp for dinner and a night's rest.
Day 13:	Return to Vladivostok and overnight stay in 3-star hotel.
Day 14:	Return flight to Moscow. Overnight stay at a 3-star hotel.
Day 15:	Return flight home.

how this holiday makes a difference

All ecotours are organized in collaboration with the Russian non-profit organization The Ecotourism Development Fund Dersu Uzala. This organization was developed with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Dersu Uzala organizes ecotours, which support Russian nature reserves and local communities. Dersu Uzala also carries out student practices and volunteer expedition in Russian nature reserves and it educates the Russian general public about conservation issues through regular use of mass media, workshops and conferences. Together we work to promote conservation in Russia and promote fair employment practices and sustainable economic development.

By buying a tour, you are not only supporting a worthwhile organization, but you are investing in preserving the wild lands of Russia. Few people realize that Russia boasts the largest system of protected areas in the world.

Established during Soviet times, Russia has over 130 nature reserves and national parks that were established to protect Russia's diverse and unique ecosystems. These territories were closed off to human interference and they are home to a plethora of rare and endemic species of plants and animals. The protected zones span all of Russia's major ecosystems from the Arctic tundra to the subtropics. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, state funding to maintain and protect these nature preserves has decreased drastically endangering a rich legacy of natural protection. By encouraging ecotravel to Russia, we are bringing necessary funds to invest in Russia's environmental infrastructure to ensure that these protected environments are maintained and expanded.

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