More than 54 000 cruise passengers have visited specially protected natural areas
The 50 Let Pobedy nuclear icebreaker will perform six cruise voyages during the 2024 season. The icebreaker passengers will visit the territory of the Russian Arctic National Park and disembark at Franz Josef Land, the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources press office said.
“The route is in demand... The territories of the Russian Arctic are also visited by travelers on ice-class expedition yachts. Their routes depend on ice and weather conditions. They visit primarily the central islands of the Franz Josef Land archipelago. The itineraries duration is from 12 to 30 days,” said Alexander Kirilov, the National Park Director.
More than 54 000 cruise passengers visited the federally significant specially protected natural areas (SPNA) in 2023, the ministry said. Due to the growing popularity of cruise expeditions, the number and variety of itineraries will become wider in the coming season. There were ten cruise voyages last year onboard the converted RV Professor Khromov in the Far Eastern regions, including Kamchatka, Chukotka and the Sakhalin region and 13 such voyages are planned for the upcoming season, including a visit to the Far Eastern Marine Reserve in the Primorsky Territory.
The Beringia National Park in Chukotka will host two cruise voyages in 2024. Besides, it is planned to repeat the “Sacred Necklace of Baikal” cruise in the upcoming season. The first voyage took place in 2023. The peculiarity of the route is that some of the natural objects can be reached by water transport only.
River itineraries along the Volga, Kama, Yenisei and Lena rivers include visits to about 20 specially protected natural areas.