If you ask random oncoming people where the Commander Islands are, most will find it difficult to answer. And some will be surprised to learn that this is Russia. Getting to the ends of the earth, as many people call these places, is not so simple, and tours can cost more than 100 thousand rubles per person. However, the untouched nature and picturesque views that await infrequent travelers who ventured to go on such a long journey are worth it.

The best time to come here is mid-summer or early fall. Particularly suitable months for traveling are August and September, when Commanders meet rare guests with numerous berries and mushrooms, and the coasts are filled with fur seals resting there.

Country of fogs and rains

The Commander Islands are the archipelago of four islands located on the border between the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. These places are called the country of rains and fogs – the latter show how volatile the weather can be. The veil can appear suddenly, hiding waterfalls, animals, landscapes from the eyes of travelers, and also disappear sharply.

Some researchers and locals jokingly distinguish only two seasons – white and green winters. The average February temperature here is –4 ° C, and the average August temperature +10 ° C. And despite the fact that in the photographs of travelers you can observe turquoise waves, which attract you to swim, the water temperature even in the warmest time barely rises to +10 ° C.

Commander Inhabitants

The only place on the Commanders with the constant presence of man is Bering Island. Here is the village of Nikolskoye, in which about 700 people live. The rest of it belongs entirely to nature: sly arctic foxes live here, who have learned to beg food from infrequent tourists, fur seals arrange noisy rookeries on the coasts, and a variety of birds spend their weddings in the sky and on the slopes.

Most of the Commander Islands are the largest marine reserve in Russia. The fauna contains 1000 species of animals, including reindeer, who had once escaped from the farm and took root on the mink islands, as well as ten species of the North Pacific pinnipeds. In the Commander’s Reserve, sea lions are also known as sea lions, a species that has long been on the verge of extinction. Among the sea inhabitants there are also a lot of whales. In total, 21 species can be found in these places, of which 14 are rare or endangered.

Reserved places

The Commander Islands are striking in their beauty. Here you can find quiet beaches and bays (the most famous are Podutesnaya and Afternoon), waterfalls with crystal clear water, and fancy grottoes. Each of the islands of the archipelago is attractive in its own way. For example, on Medny you can find many amazing landscapes and a variety of different types of birds. The latter arrange noisy bird markets on the rocks. In order to fully imbue the spirit of untouched nature, many travelers prefer to stop in tents on the Komandorski Islands and live like this for more than one day, watching the inhabitants and walking along the local beaches.

Preserved beauty is one of the reasons photographers come here. So, as part of the Nikon Special Project expedition , Kirill Umrikhin came here – a traveler and a professional photographer who shoots extreme sports, and is also the Nikon ambassador . From his trip, the photographer brought a lot of amazing shots, as well as a sea of ​​impressions. As Cyril himself later admitted, from the thought that they were the first in these places and no one had previously ridden kite or surf on the Commanders and walked along these wild beaches, an absolutely amazing sensation arises. After all, here, at the end of the world, you really can be a pioneer. And these thoughts are breathtaking.

Land or paradise?

There is almost no tourist infrastructure on the Commander Islands. In a single residential unit there is only one hotel, designed for about 20 people, and products can be bought in only a few shops. At the same time, the local prices can surprise even the most sophisticated travelers: for example, eggs, meat and chicken are much more expensive than on the mainland, and there may be problems when searching for dairy products and fresh herbs. But fish and caviar are cheap, and mussels are completely free – they can be collected at low tide from the reefs.

Of the places of interest to visit in Nikolsky is the Aleutian Museum of Local Lore, where you can see the skeletons of many marine animals, including extinct ones. For example, the famous sea ​​steller cow . The museum also features a collection of semiprecious stones that have been found on the islands, excavations, various fossils and minerals.

Locals are friendly to the few tourists. And they love their island very much. So, to the question of Cyril about whether they are on the edge of the earth, the inhabitants answered in surprise: “No, we are in the paradise of the earth.”

What you must see

The Commander Islands is one big attraction. True, not in the usual sense for ordinary tourists. At first glance it seems that there’s nothing special to do here, but it’s not so: travelers can endlessly admire the scenery, discovering every island, and when you get tired, you can go on a kind of “tourist routes”.

In the north and north-west of Bering Island, as well as not in the southeast of Medny, special sites are equipped to observe the largest rookeries of fur seals and sea lions. Most of the “resting” animals can be observed from mid to late summer.

In addition to the rookeries, in the northern part of Bering Island is the Steller Arch. This impressive natural formation attracts the eye and amazes with its monumentality. And here you can see ocean birds and enjoy a relaxing holiday by the picturesque waterfall. In the southeast of the island is Lake Sarannoe – the largest salmon spawning ground in the reserve.

Another interesting place is Buyan Bay. Here you can feel like real treasure seekers, collecting on the beaches placers of bright polished stones with water. Deposits of jasper and opal are located on the coast, as well as transparent and opaque chalcedony and patterned agate. These stones are not uncommon, however, according to some experts, it is here, on the Commanders, that they have the best shape and quality.

In addition to natural attractions, there are also historical and cultural objects on the Commander Islands. Among them are the site of the expedition, led by Vitus Bering, and the grave of the famous navigator.

How to get there

You can get to the Komandorski Islands from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky by plane in about 3.5 hours or by ferry. In the latter case, the road will have to spend about 36 hours. In good weather, transport runs about once or twice a week, and in bad flights carry. Therefore, going to the Commander Islands, it is worth considering the inconstancy of the weather. You can come alone, or you can by ordering a tour. The latter option will be expensive, but it allows you not to think about finding places to sleep and organizing excursions.

Photo: Kirill Umrikhin