Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Maite · Just Starting Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

Hey everyone!
My name is Maite;, I'm from Quebec, Canada and I'm planning a trip through Russia starting june.
Here's the plan: leave from moscow with train, stop in irkutsk for a little, then to ulan ude to spend some time in the monastery and then to the last stop of the train before going south (I think it's Chita?). I'll then make my way to Magadan and then fly to Anadyr and then to nome or anchorage.

My questions are:
1. Anyone know more about the permission to enter Chukotka? How long does it take? How to get it? How much is it? That really is my main problem.

2. I know there's a road going to Magadan. I know that much. Is it possible to hitch hike that road? Or bus it?

3. Just want to make sure, are there any other regions other than Chukotka in the ones I named that need a permission to enter?

4. Do you know about how much is a plane between chukotka and alaska? It doesn't say on the bering air site and they haven't yet answered my email.

...Any other information you have about those places are very welcomed!

Thanks!!

Maite. xxo

solnishko · Frequent Guest Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 25

This is going to be a VERY expensive trip I would say. I suggest you contact a travel company that specialises in this region to work out at least part of this for you. VERY limited transport and accommodation in this part of the world. You will also need someone to provide the permits as these are border areas and free travel is not permitted here.

[b]
Travel Agencies etc[/b]

[u]The Department of culture, youth, sport, tourism and information policy of the Chukotsky Autonomous Okrug[/u].
689000, Chukotsky Autonomous Okrug, Anadyr , Lenina St , 18A
Phone/fax: (42722) 2-43-89; 2-43-67
e-mail : molod-anadyr AT mail DOT ru

[u]russiadiscovery.com[/u] - adventure tour operator with good connections in Chukotka

[u]dalgeotours.com[/u] - based in Khabarovsk

[u]Aliot[/u]
e-mail: aliot AT anadur DOTru

[u]ChukotTISIz[/u]
e-mail: purga AT anadyr DOT ru

[u]NORTOKO[/u]
nortoko AT mail DOT ru

[u]Extremalniy Mir[/u]
E-mail: hunting AT mail DOT ru

[u]
Air Transport Agency Chukotka[/u]
ata.chukotka DOT ru/index.php?section=1

[u]service-jts DOT ru/[/u] - this company is based in Smolensk but is licensed to operate in Chukotka

[u]
Diana Hunting Club[/u]
dianaclub DOT ru

[u]Club Ibex[/u] - Moscow based
club-ibex DOT ru

To get to Chukotka you need to fly. I don't know if [u]Domodedovo [/u]fly this route any more from Moscow. [u]Dalavia [/u] should fly from Khabarovsk so you could take the train there from Ulan Ude. Transaero are I believe the most reliable carriers to [u]Anadyr [/u]but they only fly from Moscow I believe using Boeing aircraft. The flights are only on Sundays for now (summer timetable not released yet) and fill up VERY quickly.

Moscow - Anadyr = 24,000 RUB

Apparently[u] Atlant-Union[/u] fly from Omsk-Magadan-Anadyr. Most likely not in the safest of planes.

From Anadyr to Alaska there are most definitely not regular scheduled flights. One of the problems is that the local planes are very far from meeting international standards. It is also problematic to fly from Magadan or Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky. You may also have problems getting from Anadyr airport to the city itself. There is a ferry that runs once every 2 hours or so.

Maybe these guys know something more about getting to Alaska:

[u]arctictravel DOT net[/u]

Prices in Chukotka are extremely high. If you thought Moscow was expensive in Chukotka groceries are 3-4 times higher and fruit is astronomical. Deer, seal, walrus and fish are cheaper :)

Other [b]useful links[/b]

[u]Alaskan Region Federal Aviation Administration[/u]
alaska.faa DOT gov

[u]chukotka DOT org[/u] - Official Govermnet Site

[u]adm.anadyr DOT ru[/u] - Another Government Site

In June there are going to be MANY VICIOUS mosquitos so you will want excellent repellant and protective clothing.

[b]Places to stay in Anadyr[/b]

There are only a few hotels and you will have to check which can take foreigners: Anadyr Hotel (over 100 USD pp), Hotel Chukotka (VERY expensive), Chukotka Hotel 2 (single w/out bathroon 1000-1500RUB). Cheapest place is [u]Gostevoy Dvor[/u] (700 RUB for bed in 4 bed room)

As for [b]MAGADAN[/b]

Foreigners might be able to stay at [
u]VM-Tsentralnaya Hotel[/u] (Try contacting vmcentr AT nc.mssn DOT ru) or
[u]Hotel Complex Okean[/u]

As far as I know the airport is actually located in a different town called [u]Sokol[/u]. Buses run from Magadan - Sokol about every hour. There is no public transport from Magadan - Anadyr

Travelling here is a very ambitious project! Good luck!

european · Frequent Guest Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 48

It seems that Alaska Airlines is going to fly to the some places in the Far East.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9C01E2D9103BF933A05750C0A961958260
If so it might be easier to go back to e.g. Magadan and fly from there to Alaska.

european · Frequent Guest Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 48

It seems that that is an old NY Times, the date on the article changed from 2008 to 1997. Sorry.

Maite · Just Starting Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

Hey! thank you for the replies! Everything is helpful. But my main problem really is the permit to enter Chukotka...do you know about that? How much it would be and all? I'll try checking the links you provided, THANKS! I'm having troubles reading some of them though with all the coding.

I do not want to fly from Magadan to Alaska because THAT is going to be crazy expensive...I guess it would be easier, but so much more expensive. I believe a plane from Magadan to Anadyr is about 400$. And Anadyr to Alaska, I don't know yet... but not that much.

I don't want to fly Moscow-Anadyr, there's no use in that. I want to see the country. I'd take a train all the way to Chita with stop in Irkustk and Ulan Ude...this ends up around 100$ (taking third class, I don't need my comfort).
I'm also not staying in hotels, except maybe the monastery in Ulan Ude..if you concider that an hotel, I will either couchsurf or camp whenever possible.

thank you. Smile