A rare chance to search for indigenous nomads, the Chukchi and Koryaks, as they bring their reindeer herds over coastal mountains for life-sustaining sips of seawater. Migratory birds fill Chukotka wetlands and flowers brighten tundra walks. Whales blow hauntingly in fog-still bays, walrus haul out in their hundreds to pack protected coves. Northern Kamchatka’s deep fjords offer soaring bird cliffs and hikes to pristine mountain lakes. Further south, rivers dense with spawning salmon for feasting brown bears rush from snowy, soaring volcanoes. A powerful mix of traditional cultures, spectacular landscape and wildlife beyond counting in a truly remote region.

Arrive to a world of tundra and permafrost, transfer from airport to seaport on the mighty Anadyr River and a warm welcome on board Akademik Shokalskiy. We cast off in the evening and sail into the Bering Sea, watching for beluga whales.

Zodiac and environmental briefings prepare us for our first landings as we sail south along Chukotka’s coastline, its shallow bays, wide beaches and low hills reminders of former ice sheets. An expedition day, weather and sea conditions determine our first landing.

Visit the small Chukchi fishing village of Mainapilgino, set on a long spit of land along the Bering Sea, taste local caviar and salmon, and savour a glimpse of local life. With time to explore, we watch for migratory birds like the lesser sand plover, red knot and murrelets.

Listen for the blow of grey whales on a still, misty morning, as we load Zodiacs to land in Dezhneva Bay. Hike from the beach to a shallow coastal lagoon where white-fronted bean geese, whooper swans and shore birds nest. As the fog lifts, rolling tundra gives way to spectacular snow-covered hills.

Over three days we explore Ekspeditsiya and Machevnaya bays, and Amayan Lagoon in the lake-system tundra. From space it looks like a wet sponge, braided by vast rivers. At ground level, our spirit of discovery is heightened as we Zodiac up big rivers to freshwater lagoons, hike across budding tundra, and search for vantage points in the surrounding, ancient 1000-metre peaks. It’s a time of plenty, with mushrooms, ripening berries, and the air filled with birdsong. Rivers mean salmon and salmon means bears, and we may see them foraging. On all our excursions, we search for reindeer herders bringing their charges to the coast. Bird and whale watching fill the remaining hours of our days.

Hike to hidden alpine lakes and gaze upon the dramatic glacier-carved valleys of St Peter Bay, or Glybokaya Bay. Scattered stands of birch and alder shelter singing bluethroat, while golden rhododendron and dwarf azaleas carpet the tundra.

Wake to spectacular mountains rising above Natalya Bay. Zodiac cruise beneath Bogoslov Island’s sea cliffs, where puffins, kittiwakes, murres and cormorants breed, and climbing bears raid nests. Walrus haul out nearby. With luck, we encounter nomadic reindeer herder camps, recently set up on verdant coastline amidst breathtaking alpine scenery.

Anastasiya Bay is a beachcombers’ dream, while walks inland take us through prime habitat for nesting birds including the bluethroat and Siberian rubythroat. Our Zodiacs carry us to nearby coves in search of walrus haulouts.

Our northbound voyage carries back into tundra country and a visit to Khatyrka village, set between a vast river and nearby freshwater lagoon. Here the Chukchi people fall into two separate sub-cultures – reindeer herders and fishermen. Each has learned to survive and thrive on what the land and sea provide. We spend half a day with the villagers before exploring the surrounds.

Discover Gabriel Bay’s wide river mouth and lagoon, classic stone tundra country dotted with cheery pale-blue blossoms of forget-me-not. We may meet Chukchi fishermen living a traditional lifestyle, and inspect an abandoned polar weather station. Watch for brown bears and beluga whales.

With the Bering Sea behind us, and an early arrival in Anadyr, we bid farewell to staff and crew after breakfast and transfer to the airport for onward adventures.