Birding the Kuril Islands itinerary:

Day 1: Sakhalin Island
On arrival at Sakhalin Island airport, transfer to a centrally located hotel in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Day 2: Port of Korsakov
After breakfast, transfer by coach to the Port of Korsakov and embark the Spirit of Enderby. Settle into your cabin, then meet the crew and take part in a mandatory orientation.

Day 3: Kunashir Island
At sea this morning we may see Short-tailed Shearwater, Northern Fulmar, Rhinoceros Auklet, Brunnich’s, Common and Spectacled Guillemots, and Tufted and Horned Puffins, among others. At the Kurilsky Zapvednik Reserve on Kunashir Island. Local rangers will guide us and we may see the Long-tailed Rosefinch, Siberian Stonechat, Black-faced Bunting, Oriental Greenfinch, and many other species.

Day 4: Iturup Island
From the Iturup village of Kurilsk, local buses take us to nearby Rubetskiy Volcano – an opportunity to bird for the Eastern Buzzard, Great Spotted and Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Japanese Bush Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Siberian Rubythroat and others.

Day 5: Urup & Chirpoy Islands
An early morning landing on Urup Island may reveal the White-tailed Eagle, Harlequin Duck, Goosander and Japanese Cormorants along the shoreline, with many more species inland. During lunch we sail to Chirpoy Island for more Zodiac cruising. Dramatic headlands rise out of the ocean covered in kittiwakes, guillemots and puffins.

Day 6: Simushir & Yankicho Islands
This morning we travel by Zodiac into a huge volcanic caldera granting easy access to the slopes of Karlomyy Volcano on Simushir Island. The caldera is home to an abandoned submarine base – a haunting reminder of the Cold War.
This afternoon we travel to Yankicho Island, a submerged volcano that supports birdlife that is nothing short of spectacular. Entering the caldera, we are surrounded by thousands of birds as they come and go from their nest sites.

Day 7: Matua & Toporkovy Islands
Today we visit Matua Island and nearby Toporkovy Island where we will find an abandoned military airfield dating from the Japanese occupation during the Second World War. Expect several species of warbler, finch and bunting. Cetaceans are common here, including Sperm Whales, Northern Minke Whales and Killer Whales, not to mention porpoises and seals.

Day 8: Onekotan & Paramushir Islands
This morning we land on a black beach and enjoy a walk to nearby Black Lake, nestled in the lee of Volcano Nemo. Notice the juxtaposition of Japanese gun emplacements and wildflowers. Birds that we might see here include the Red-throated Pipit, Greenshank, Buff-bellied Pipit and Rough-legged Buzzard.
This afternoon we enjoy an expedition landing on Paramushir Island. This is a large, mountainous volcanic island with five of 20 volcanos active. Both of today’s landings offer very good birding.

Day 9: Utashud Island
We see the Kamchatka Peninsula dominated by snow-covered volcanoes as we cruise westwards towards Utashud Island, covered in birds including Tufted Puffins, Horned Puffins, Pigeons and Brunnich’s Guillemots.

Day 10: Zhupanova River
Today we anchor off the Kamchatka Peninsula and take Zodiacs up the Zhupanova River in search of wildlife, notably the Steller’s Sea Eagle. On our return we will stop at a local salmon fishing camp – an important industry here, as salmon are harvested all along the Peninsula.

Days 11 & 12: Commander Islands
The Commander Islands form the western extremity of the Aleutian Islands. They were named after Commander Vitus Bering, leader of the First and Second Kamchatka Expeditions. He died here in a shipwreck.
Today we will visit the small but excellent museum in the village of Nikolskoye on Bering Island and meet some of the locals before going in search of birds, seals and sea lions.

Day 13: At sea
Enjoy a day at sea as we cruise towards the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, our final destination. Watch for cetaceans, as this border between two major tectonic plates provides the deep canyons where these animals feed. Partake also in an end-of-expedition farewell dinner.

Day 14: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy
This morning we arrive at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, a major Russian naval base during the Cold War. Coaches will transfer you to your hotels or airport.