Commander Islands on the physical map. Commander Islands: wiki: Facts about Russia. Geography of the islands. Relief

Numbers

Economy

Climate and weather

Attractions

• Vitus Bering's grave
• Aleutian Museum of Local Lore
• Fur seal rookery "North-West"
• State Nature Reserve "Commander"

Curious facts

Steller's cow is an extinct marine mammal of the sirenian order, length up to 10 m, weight up to 4 tons. By the time of the Bering expedition, it was not found anywhere on earth except the Commander Islands. 27 years after the discovery of the islands, this sedentary herbivore was completely exterminated. The description compiled by the naturalist Georg Steller, who found it, and the name of the cape on the island have been preserved. Bering, named in her honor.

Male fur seals - cleavers - secure areas of 20-25 mg for a “harem”, each of them with up to 100 females.

During the Soviet era, from the Kamchatka Peninsula to the Commander Islands, in the village. Nikolskoye, there was a regular passenger ship "Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky", capable of accommodating the entire population of the islands.

At the beginning of the 19th century. the Commanders had their own Robinson: a certain Yakov Mynkov spent on the island. Bering completely alone for seven years without tools or fire.

55°25’ and 54°31’ N 165°04’ and 168° E

Where are the Commander Islands

The Commander Islands are a group of 4 islands located in the southwestern part of the Bering Sea and washed by the Pacific Ocean. They are located 200 km from the Kamchatka Peninsula and are part of the Aleutian region of the Kamchatka Territory.

Due to the location of the islands on the boundaries of lithospheric plates, they are subject to strong earthquakes. The result of this interaction is a displacement of the Commander Islands towards Kamchatka by approximately 50 mm per year (preliminary research data).

Geography of the islands. Relief

The Commander Archipelago is part of the Aleutian Arc, consisting of 47 straits and 150 islands. The latter, in turn, are the peaks of an underwater volcanic ridge. The formation and origin of the islands dates back more than 50 million years ago. Having gone through many stages of formation, the island chain is still rising by about 2.2 mm per year.

The Commander Islands itself includes 2 large islands: o. Bering and Fr. Copper, as well as small o. Toporkov, O. Aryan stone.

Near o. Bering: Aleut Stone, Half Stone, Steller Stone, Surface Stone.

Near o. Copper: Wachsmuth Stone, Kekur, Beaver stones, Ship Pillar, East Steller's Stone, Steller's Stone.

The Kamchatka Peninsula and the Commander Islands are separated by the Kamchatka Strait, about 190 km wide. The Aleutian Arc is separated from the rest of the islands by the Blizhny Strait (width 363 km). The largest o. Bering and Fr. Medny are separated from each other by the 49-kilometer Admiral Kuznetsov Strait. The current in this strait is rarely calm, so the passage of ships here is extremely unsafe.

Bering Island is the largest in the Commander Islands. The length from north to south is about 90 km, width 18 km, area 1,667 m². The length of the coastline reaches 260 km, and the height of the island ranges from 150 to 755 meters.

The area of ​​the northern part of the island. Beringa is low and flat. Here you can see Cape Northern and Vaksel. The southern one, on the contrary, is represented by mountainous terrain, Likandrovskaya Bay and Cape Monati. The highest point is Steller's Arch.

On the island there is a settlement, the village of Nikolskoye, with a population of about 800 people.

Medny Island is the second largest of the islands of the Commander Archipelago. The length from north to south is 53 km, the width is on average 5 km, and the area is 186 m². The maximum width is 8.4 km, and the minimum is 0.35 km. The length of the coastline is about 165 km, the height ranges from 360 m to 647 m (Mount Steineger). Here you can admire the Zhirovoy and Senkinsky capes, Peschanaya Bay, Korabelnaya Bay, Sekachinskaya Bay and the Ostrovnaya Isthmus. The entire island is mountainous. In the 19th century, the village of Preobrazhenskoye was formed on the island, whose population was resettled to the island in 1970. Bering. At the moment Fr. Copper is completely uninhabited and serves only for annual scientific work aimed at studying the flora and fauna of the area

Toporkov Island is a flat plateau, 9 m high and 2 km in circumference. This small island is located in a bay called Nikolsky roadstead, 4 km from Cape Entrance Reef, on the northwestern side of Bering Island. The area of ​​the island is 0.25 km².

Arius Stone Island is essentially a rock. Its height is 53 m.

During periods of lowering sea levels and the action of winds, sand moves from the dried parts of the bottom, and dunes are formed. The longest dune field is located in the Nikolsky roadstead bay, located on the island. Bering. The length is 7 km and the width reaches 800 m. Some dune fields of the Commander Islands are up to 9,700 years old.

Bering and Medny Islands are filled with a network of inland rivers. As a rule they are small. Some of them end with waterfalls, the height of which ranges from 10 to 100 m. The longest river Kamenka is located on the island. Bering. Its length is 27 km.

A separate point of the relief formation of the Commander Islands are lakes. There are about 120 of them there. The largest is Lake Sarannoe, with an area of ​​31.6 km² and a depth of 36 m. Once, more than 20,000 years ago, the lake was a sea lagoon, but the resulting drop in water level led to desalination and the formation of the present appearance of the lake. The largest spawning of sockeye salmon on the island is observed here.

The next largest is Lake Gavannoye, the water of which is still brackish to this day. Previously, the lake was a shallow sea bay.

The biggest salt Lake on the island there is Lake Peresheikovskoye. Through the channel it has a connection with the ocean.

The oldest lakes in the Commander Islands are considered to be the lakes on the Pig Mountains. Their age reaches about 0.8-0.1 million years.

Cape Monati is the southeastern high and rocky tip of Bering Island.

Cape Nepropusk is a rocky sheer cliff 48 m high. 5.5 km from Cape Monati to the north.

Cape Peregrebny is 13 km from Cape Nepropusk to the north. A high steep bank with three waterfalls, 65.93 and 95 m high.

Cape Tolsty - 8 km in the north-west direction from Cape Peregrebny. A rocky ledge of land 180 m high. There is an all-terrain road.

Cape Polovinny - includes Polovina Bay and the Polovina River.

Cape Buyan - 14 km in the northwest side of Cape Polovinny. Low bank with a sharp turn. Buyan Bay and Buyan River. There is an all-terrain road.

Staraya Gavan Bay is a small shore and two reefs located 17 km from Cape Buyan. The weather here is better than in the village. The place is good for relaxing in sunny weather.

Rookery "North-Western" - or "home". 16 km from the village. Nikolskoye. You can watch from the window of the house. The observation structure is practically absent.

Rookery "Severnoe", Cape Yushina - 25 km from the village. There is a new observation overpass. The road is badly damaged. It's better to walk.

To visit the rookeries you must obtain permission.

History of the Commander Islands

The appearance of the Commander Islands is the result of early Cenozoic volcanism, divided into several stages and originating more than 50 million years ago. Tectonic processes of the movement of lithospheric plates took part in the formation of the islands. For a long time it was believed that there were no manifestations of volcanism in this area, but already in 1987 in the northeast direction from the island. Bering, about 70 km away, the active underwater volcano Piipa was discovered. There is no evidence of volcanism on the islands themselves.

The discovery of the archipelago dates back to 1741, during the 10-year “Second Kamchatka Expedition”, under the leadership of Alexei Chirikov and Captain-Commander Vitus Jonassens Bering.

The task of the expedition was to find a way to North America, as well as the islands located in the northern part Pacific Ocean.

In September 1740, a detachment of two ships “St. Peter” and “St. Paul” approached the shores of Kamchatka, where in Avacha Bay the expedition detachment founded a fort, which later transformed into the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Almost a year later, the detachment set sail to the shores of North America. Having missed each other, the ships moved towards different directions. Having reached the western shores of the new islands, Vitus Bering's ship moved back to the Peter and Paul prison, but on the way his almost lifeless ship washed up on the shore of an unknown island, where he died during the winter on December 8, 1741. The surviving part of the team managed to survive the winter and in the summer of 1742, they returned to the mainland. The vessel was a boat made from the remains of a ship.

To this day, this “unknown” island is the largest of the Commander Islands chain, and is called Bering Island.

Medny Island was named after the native copper found at the time of its discovery in 1743 by Emelyan Bassov. He is the first Russian to sail to the Commander Islands for fishing purposes.

Toporkov Island is named after the bird of the same name, which has numerous colonies here.

Ariy Kamen Island is also named after the guillemot bird of the same name, or “macaw” in Aleutian.

The development of the commander's lands began the very next year after the expedition members returned to Kamchatka. The fame of fur-bearing animals and sea animals attracted the attention of industrialists. The raids for profit continued until the Aleuts moved here for permanent residence.

Population of the Commander Islands

After the discovery of the islands, its population was only temporary and consisted of Russian miners, imported by the Russian-American Trading Company (R.A.K.) for hunting. There is a story of Yakov Mynkov and Shipitsyn, forgotten in solitude by R.A.K. on the Commander Islands for 7 years, which happened even before the first Commander Aleuts.

By 1819, the population of the island. Bering numbered 30 people, Fr. Copper 15. In 1825, whole families of Aleuts were imported from the island of Atha, and after 2 years the population of the island. Bering has almost tripled. In 1826, another batch of Aleuts and Creoles were resettled from the island. Attu and Fr. Atha. These Creoles and Aleut aborigines became the first permanent inhabitants of the Aleutian Islands. In subsequent years, the island was visited by Eskimos, a couple of Indians, a few Russians, as well as the Kamchadals and Ainu themselves.

The name "Aleuts" was coined by the Russians, and the Aleuts call themselves Sasignan (on Bering Island) and Unangan (on Medny Island), which means coastal inhabitants. The future mixing of peoples led to the common name Aleuts. The traditional belief of the inhabitants of the Commander Islands was the animation of all nature. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Aluetians adopted Orthodoxy together with Russian traditions. However, in the local history museum located on the island, opened in 1965, you will see exhibits of the life of the first aborigines of the Commander Islands - the Aleuts.

The main types of economy in those days were hunting, fishing, poultry farming and gathering. Traditional clothing was parkas - long clothes with fur, and food was yukola, dried jerky.

The village of Nikolskoye on the Commander Islands is today the only populated area with a population of more than 700 people. The foundation of the village dates back to 1826. The entire territory is divided into four parts: the “lower” with American-built houses of the last century, the “school”, the “upper” located on the upper hills and the “main” where the bulk of the population lives. Also a landmark of the village are 2 wind turbines installed in 1995.

At the moment, there are many abandoned houses in the village, most of which are in unusable condition. The cost of housing here is from $100 to $500 for a two-room apartment. Almost every apartment has its own stove, because... Due to weather conditions, centralized power supply shutdowns occur frequently. The village has 5 shops, a modern ethnocultural center, a school, a kindergarten, a church and a hospital. In emergency situations, patients are sent by air ambulance helicopter to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Since 1998 there has been slow internet and 2 television channels. Communication is carried out via satellite.

The ethnic composition of the Nikolskoye village includes Russians, Ukrainians and native Aleuts. The latter, in turn, are fighting for the preservation of Aleutian culture, which led to the creation of 2 dance and folklore groups “Unangan” and “Chiyan”.

Economic activity is mainly aimed at fishing.

In the village Nikolskoye houses the apartment-museum of Sergei Pansyuk, artist, writer and yachtsman.

Climate

The Commander Islands are located in the area where many cyclones move. According to long-term data, they are the zone of greatest frequency of cyclonic days in the North Pacific Ocean. The consequences of this location are frequent, prolonged snowfalls, storms and blizzards. On the Commander Archipelago there is at least one day a year when the wind speed reaches hurricane gusts and is equal to 108 km/h. The maximum recorded wind speed is 180 km/h (50 m/s). Winds of such strength are observed especially often in March and December.

The climate of the Commander Islands depends no less on the waters in which it is located. Cold currents from the Arctic Ocean and warm branches of the Kuroshio Current pass relatively close to the islands.

The climate of all islands is oceanic: cool summers and warm winters. Temperatures for o. Medny is a little larger compared to Fr. Bering. So, the absolute minimum for Fr. Bering was -18°С, and -24°С for the island. Copper, and the absolute maximum is +23°C for the island. Bering and +24°С for the island. Copper. Average temperatures of the month reach +10°C in August and -4°C in February. The ocean waters around the islands generally do not freeze.

There is a very weak expression of seasons here. Summer is relatively conditional, usually low clouds, fog and a lot of precipitation, and the average wind speed is 5 m/s.

High air humidity, low temperatures and a large number of precipitation, makes living conditions on the Commander Islands quite harsh. The maximum recorded air humidity is 91-93%.

Fogs occupy a special place on the Commander Islands. July is recognized as the foggiest month. The maximum number of foggy days recorded is 29. On average, there are from 55 to 98 foggy days a year. The commander's "Bus" is especially different - a foggy veil consisting of droplets of moisture (not yet rain, but no longer fog).

State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Commander"

In 1993, the “Commander State Reserve” was created, which includes about. Bering, Fr. Medny, Arkiy Kamen and Toporkov Island, plus nearby small islands with rocks and the adjacent 30-mile water area of ​​the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea.

The largest marine reserve in the Russian Federation.

All 10 species of pinnipeds recorded in the North Pacific Ocean are found here. 21 species of cetaceans, which is ¼ of all known cetaceans in the world, roam the waters nature reserve. Here, on the territory of the Commander Islands, there are the most numerous bird colonies. The entire history of research in the reserve includes 219 species of birds.

The restrictions that led the islands to the status of a protected area became a certain conclusion of early research work. Thus, among Russian researchers one can note N.A. Grebnitsky, who worked as the head of the fisheries on the Commander Islands in 1877-1907, and E.K. Suvorov, who studied fur-bearing animals. Among the foreign researchers is L. Stanger, who studied the problems of fur farming from 1882 to 1922.

Flora and fauna of the Komandorsky Nature Reserve

The main vegetation of the island is short grass and belongs to the mountain tundra. In the valley on the island. Bering you can come across thickets of willows, 3.5 m high. There are also shrubby birches, juniper, rose hips, hogweed, reed grass, aconite, shelomaynik, etc. Open surfaces are covered with dwarf cedar.

Rhododendrons occupy a special place; large light yellow flowers are a real decoration of the Commander Islands. Recurved buttercups and Claytonia sibirica, covering the island. Copper.

The works of E.F. are well known. Guryanova, a well-known specialist in seaweed, who noted the uniqueness of the flora of Bering Island, especially the areas with seaweed. Thanks to its species, albeit few, plants, the Commander Islands are marked as a separate floristic region.

The Bering Arctic fox, Mednovsky arctic fox, gray rat, red vole, house mouse, American mink and reindeer - this is, perhaps, the entire list of terrestrial mammals that have settled on these lands.

The blue fox or Commander's arctic fox is the original inhabitant of these places, given the fact that it was originally the only inhabitant here.

The terrestrial fauna of the islands is not as rich as the marine fauna. Among the marine mammals live sea lions, fur seals, and anthuras, but the most interesting will be cetaceans: sperm whales, killer whales, beaked whales, dolphins, porpoises, humpback whales, Japanese whales and many others.

The largest number of fish found in these waters are salmon. These are coho salmon, sockeye salmon, pink salmon, etc.

A distinctive feature of the islands is also the numerous rookeries of seals and yellow-brown sea lions, located along the coastal strips, and including about 300,000 individuals. Until recently, there were mass slaughters of these animals, but with the inclusion of Komandor in protected areas, the slaughter stopped and at the moment the population of these marine animals is increasing. Thus, the weight of one male fur seal can reach 300 kg. They annually swim to the shores of the islands, forming rookeries on the Northwestern, northern and southeastern shores, as well as Cape Manatee.

Another view sea ​​creatures seals, or otherwise spotted seals, live here. They are located mainly on rocks and reefs. Ariy Stone, as well as the beaches of. Toporkov.

The most valuable fur-bearing animal in the world, the sea otter, also lives off the coastal zone of the Commander Islands. The sea otter is distinguished by the fact that it does not have a protective layer of fat, and instead it is protected by very thick fur.

The coasts of the Commander Islands are a place for mass nesting of seabirds.

One of the most attractive representatives is the hatchet. Unusual plumage with white cheeks and a bright orange beak make this bird very beautiful. Typical representatives of Fr. Arius Stone are: red-legged talkers, guillemots, auklets, cormorants, white-bellied auks, mottled guillemots, kittiwakes.

The tundra areas of the islands are poor in living creatures and, indeed, only the Lapland plantain, similar to our sparrow, can be found here in large numbers. In the small mountains you will meet the Mongolian plover, and closer to the valley streams, the Beringian sandpipers. The true resident of the island is the tundra partridge, you can always meet it here.

Reptiles and amphibians are completely absent on the Commander Islands. You won't see crocodiles, lizards or frogs here.

Some of the species of flora and fauna represented on the islands are listed in the Red Book. The "Red Book of the Russian Federation" includes the Mednovsky blue fox, Canada goose, grey-winged gull, Aleutian tern, Yatabe's slipper, etc. The "Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature" includes the Commander's belted whale (toothed whale), northern sea otter, anturus, minke whale, bald eagle , peregrine falcon and gyrfalcon.

Steller's sea cow

A sea animal once discovered by Georg Steller, a participant in the “Second Kamchatka Expedition”. Remaining among the survivors on the Commander Islands, he found food and survival options for the crew by forcing them to eat algae, which allowed most of the crew to survive the winter.

Data about this animal are known only thanks to the records of the natural scientist himself. The sea cow had a quiet disposition, ate algae and lived near the shores of the island. Bering. The size of the animal reached 10 m, weight 5 tons, and life expectancy up to 90 years.

The animal had a large supply of fat and meat, which could be stored long enough for the crew not to starve for several weeks.

The parameters and weight of this animal made it awkwardly slow, which did not allow it to hide from humans. The first to draw attention to the fact of the disappearance of individual sea cows was P. Yakovlev, who spent the winter on the Commander Islands in 1754. Calls to stop hunting this animal were unsuccessful. Subsequently, this species was completely exterminated. The last sea cow was killed in 1761.

How to get to the Commander Islands

The main means of transportation to the Commander Islands is by plane.

On Bering Island there is Nikolskoye Airport, which receives all aircraft flying to the island.

The flight departs from Yelizovo. The frequency of flights is quite scattered from 1 time per week to 1 time per month in winter due to unpredictable weather conditions. Therefore, even if you arrived at the airport at the appointed time, it is far from certain that you will fly out on that day.

If successful, the flight takes 3 hours. When refueling in Ust-Kamchatsk 4 hours. Baggage transportation of 10 kg is free, everything above that is paid for each kg.

The cost of tickets for people with registration in the Kamchatka Territory at the beginning of 2016 was about 14 thousand rubles, for people without registration more than 30 thousand rubles.

For a tourist

Many photographers, researchers, scientists and naturalists strive to get here, and all because the Commander Islands are a treasure trove of real living nature.

The northeastern shore of the island is most interesting for travelers. Bering. Here are the most high waterfalls islands.

Bering Island is not a border zone, so a pass to enter the territory is not required.

The best time to visit the islands is from August to September. It happens most often at this time of year good weather, warmer and less snowy. During this period, there is a riot of wildlife: from thousands of fur seals to the migration of whales, and the tundra slopes generously share their gifts as berries.

The Commander Islands are the most accessible place for tourists, where you can watch dozens of whales at the same time. The largest population is that of the humpback whale.

August here is known for buckets full of mushrooms: boletus, porcini mushrooms, boletus, and sometimes chanterelles and russula. A distinctive feature of Commander mushrooms is their large size and almost complete absence of worms.

To collect berries and mushrooms in the southern part of Bering Island, you must obtain a permit.

Traveling in winter is extreme and takes place in a group on snowmobiles. Unpredictable weather and unfamiliarity with the area can play a bad joke.

Watch our new video from the unique tour "Legends of the North"

The amazing Commander Islands are the point where two continents connect - Asia and America.

The Commander Islands include. Medny and Beringov, which are part of the Komandorsky Natural State Reserve. The islands are named Komandorsky in honor of Captain-Commander Vitus Bering, who ended up on the islands as a result of a shipwreck. The captain and his expedition died without surviving the cold winter. After the discovery of unknown islands, the lands began to be gradually developed by people, and various fishing expeditions were carried out, in particular animal hunting.

In summer the weather remains cloudy and windy, the air temperature does not warm up above +15 degrees, in winter it is completely monotonous, there is snow everywhere and blizzards rage. Best time for traveling to the Commander Islands - the period from July to September, when life returns to the islands, birds fly in to nest, sea animals occupy the shores and the weather becomes more or less clear.

At first sight vegetable world may seem meager, because only dwarf birches and aspens grow on the islands; in some places there are glades of rhododendrons, buttercups and other northern flowers; the landscapes are not as bright as in regions with a warm climate. Despite this seemingly boring picture, tourists still come to the Commander Islands for new experiences, solitude with nature, and not missing the opportunity to observe the rich marine fauna. A trip to the Commander Islands is a great opportunity to relax away from the bustling noisy cities and everyday worries.

Large animals such as arctic fox and reindeer live on land; the most common species of rodents, namely mice and rats, are found. By the way, arctic foxes in these parts are very intrusive, chasing tourists throughout the entire journey. But you shouldn’t be afraid of them, they just know that people have food, which they can sometimes steal.

During low tides, sea urchins, sea anemones, sea anemones, and jellyfish can be observed on the exposed bottom. Seabirds scurry everywhere in search of food, including the well-known gulls, terns, as well as puffins, puffins and other birds.

On the coast, marine animals set up rookeries, lounging fur seals, and huge walruses attract the interest of all tourists. Traveling to the lakes, you have the opportunity to watch the spawning of salmon fish.

Excursion routes pass through picturesque places; along the way you can stumble upon berry meadows, mushroom spots, and relax by the lakes. The path runs through narrow canyons, past rivers and steep cliffs overgrown with grass, along deserted stone beaches to places where birds gather and rookeries of marine animals. It is worth noting that existing walking routes They are quite long, so minimal physical training is needed to overcome them.

Of no small interest expedition tours on sea ​​vessel, which allow you to discover something new, look at the islands from the outside, and watch whales. During sea ​​cruises you can go fishing.

In addition to walking and water excursions, there are helicopter and car excursions, the cost of which depends on the duration of the excursion.

You can explore the sights not only as part of an excursion group, but also on your own. After all, there are no predators here and dangerous places. Although you can learn a lot during group excursions interesting facts, learn about the history of the islands.

Sights of the Commander Islands

• Rookeries of fur seals and sea lions in the north and northwest of Bering Island, in the southeast of Medny Island. The greatest concentration of animals is observed in summer. Observation platforms are specially equipped for tourists.
• Small Toporkov Islands and Ariy Stone, which are nesting places for thousands of birds.
• Commander Bay- the site of the death of Vitus Bering's expedition.
• Buyan Bay, where there are deposits of semi-precious stones (jasper, opal), washed away by the Buyan River.
• Old Harbor Bay on the northeastern coast of Bering Island, approximately 16 km. from Cape Buyan. On the coast you can relax, swim in the sea, and go fishing.
• Lake Saranoe, where large salmon spawning grounds are located.
• Steller Arch, which is a huge stone vault formed by the forces of nature over many centuries. Near the arch you can observe large concentrations of birds and admire the waterfall.
• Aleutian Museum of Local Lore in the village of Nikolskoye, where skeletons of disappeared marine animals, a collection of semi-precious stones and other interesting exhibits are exhibited.

Where to stay

You can settle on Bering Island, in the village of Nikolskoye, which is a regional administrative center. The village is home to the indigenous inhabitants of these places - the Aleuts. The village has a post office, a hospital, and several shops.

You can buy food from local residents; many will be surprised at how cheap delicacies such as red caviar and sea fish are. To avoid unnecessary problems with food, it is better to stock up on food in advance, buy various canned goods, dry lunches, and also take care of essentials and warm clothes.

There are no catering establishments or hotels on the Commander Islands (there is one cafe and a small hotel), so many tourists spend the night in tents or try to rent accommodation in the village of Nikolskoye. Some spend the night in abandoned apartments.

The easiest way is to purchase tours to the Commander Islands, because... travel companies The tour includes accommodation, meals and excursions. Tourists are accommodated in a tent camp and in museum warehouses. Having enough funds, you can rent a cabin on a yacht.
You can stay in a hotel in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and from the city get to the islands by plane. But it’s easier to settle in the village of Nikolskoye, because... It is difficult to see all the sights in one day, and flying every day by plane, the ticket price for which is quite high, is expensive.

When planning a trip to the Commander Islands, you should not count on cheap holiday. average cost excursion tours is 52,000 rubles. Prices can be significantly higher, exceeding 100,000 rubles per person. When purchasing a tour, the price usually includes the price of tickets for transport, accommodation, meals and excursions. When traveling independently, costs may be lower; the main costs will be for transport.

Of course, the trip will leave the most vivid impressions; there is something to see on the islands, there is something to be surprised by. The main thing is to stock up on enough Money, because the prices here are very high.

How to get there

Russia, Kamchatka Territory, Aleutian region, Commander Islands, Nikolskoye village.

A trip to the Commander Islands begins with the purchase of an air ticket to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, from there you need to get from Yelizovo airport by plane to the airport in the village of Nikolskoye. Next you need to get to the village, which is about 7 km away. from the airport.

Please note that flights may be delayed or delayed due to bad weather. Flights operate several times a week, so you should carefully plan your vacation taking into account the day of your flight home.

Russia is amazing not only for its world-famous beauties and monuments. The main asset of our country is its endless open spaces, the opportunity to travel in places where there are no crowds of tourists. One of these remote corners is the Commander Islands. It’s quite difficult to find them on the map, and you can only get here from Kamchatka, on a small plane that flies once a week, and even then only in case of good weather, which rarely happens here. And yet, despite all the difficulties, this region is worth seeing!

Commander Islands: geographical location

The commanders spread out at east coast Kamchatka in the Bering Sea, in a geological sense they are a continuation of the Archipelago formally consists of a large number of land areas surrounded by water, but only four of them can be fully called islands: Medny, Bering, Ariy Kamen and Toporkov. Otherwise, the Commander Islands are rocks sticking out of the water (they are also called stones), unsuitable for human life. There are ten such stones in total, but these are only those that have their own names, because in the adjacent waters there are dozens more nameless cliffs. The relief of the Commanders is mostly mountainous, with minor flat areas and very sparse vegetation characteristic of tundra areas. But there are also small fresh rivers and lakes, berries and cereals grow here.

Climatic features

Since the archipelago is located in the cold Bering Sea, the weather here is very capricious and harsh. It’s not for nothing that the Commander Islands are called the land of winds and fogs! The climate in the region is rainy and windy, and the weather can change several times a day and differ from island to island. Summers are usually cool, up to 15 degrees Celsius (over the entire period of observation, the maximum temperature value was 24 degrees), winters are cold, with temperatures down to -24 degrees, which, together with the piercing wind blowing from the Pacific Ocean, creates very difficult conditions for local residents . Despite this weather, the ocean does not freeze in winter.

Commander Islands attractions

Commanders is not at all a place where you can come to look at city life. There is only one settlement on the archipelago - the village of Nikolskoye, and the population of all the islands does not reach even a thousand people. But we can say with confidence that these places are a natural storehouse. Not here large centers, industry is not developed, and people coexist peacefully with nature. Back in 1993, a biosphere reserve was opened on the archipelago, and today it has about four hundred species and forty subspecies of vascular plants. Unique endemic species of fish, birds and animals are also found here.

Ethnographic objects

The Commander Islands also have a number of historical attractions. It was here, at Cape Commander, that the ship “St. Peter” of the Kamchatka expedition, led by the famous associate of Emperor Peter the Great, Vitus Bering, anchored. According to the ruler’s idea, he had to find an isthmus or strait, which was the natural border of two continents. The ship's crew was forced to stay here for nine long months and fight for survival all this time. Vitus Bering himself could not withstand the adversity - he was buried on one of the islands. Later, a subsequent expedition found the grave, a memorial cross was installed on it, and a piece of land was named after the famous traveler and captain. It is worth warning those who are planning to come to the Commander Islands and want to see in person the grave of a Dane who served the Russian sovereign that the memorial can easily be confused with an ordinary memorial cross installed nearby.

What else interesting in terms of history are hidden in the Commander Islands? Vacationers are invited to explore the houses that were built by American sailors at the beginning of the 20th century. They, like Russian sailors, came to these places for fish and sea animals, because sea otters, seals, and whales pass here every year, so there is something to profit from.

Flora and fauna

Every year the Commander Islands become the object of ornithological expeditions. The fact is that dozens of species of seabirds nest on the archipelago, and certain species of marine mammals also set up rookeries and raise their offspring. A variety of representatives of birds flock to the islands, and their hubbub spreads across the surface of the ocean for hundreds of meters around. There are unique ones here: the Commander's Arctic fox, Aleutian tern, pulmonary lobaria, and others. The most striking (in every sense of the word) representatives of the local fauna are rightfully puffin puffins, also called commanding parrots. Against the backdrop of dull landscapes, their colors are especially bright. In honor of these birds, one of the largest islands in the archipelago was named Toporkov.

Types of tourism

The village of Nikolskoye is the “capital” of the Commanders and, as already noted, the only populated area on the archipelago. This is the place where the Aleuts live compactly - the people who settled the Commander Islands even before the arrival of the Russians. Tourism here is aimed specifically at studying the native traditions and life of the indigenous people, although they had long ago (at the beginning of the 19th century) adopted Russian culture and Orthodoxy. Performances are organized for visitors in Nikolskoye: Aleuts dress in national clothes made from skins and play musical instruments made from animal body parts. Everyone can try on shell beads and look at the hunting tools and household items of the islanders.

Vanishing culture

Modern commanders live in exactly the same way as their ancestors - by fur and sea fishing. But, unfortunately, a sad trend has recently been noticed: the number of speakers of the Aleut language decreases naturally every year, traditions are lost and replaced by modern ones, the local population ceases to pass on the folklore treasures of their people to younger generations. Therefore, you should hurry to visit the Commander Islands in order to still have time to experience the real native island culture.

Aleutian Museum of Local Lore

This main center scientific life of the archipelago. Here is one of the eleven remaining skeletons of a sea cow in the world, which lived on the Commanders before they became a fishing ground: the animals were exterminated literally within forty years. They did not have the means to fight for existence, and therefore could not survive. According to various expeditions, they weighed up to two hundred pounds, and their body length reached nine meters.

S. Pasenyuk Art Museum

In Nikolskoye there is a private museum on and Far East- Sergei Pasenyuk. All sorts of exhibits from the places he visited are collected here. On all souvenirs and printed products dedicated to the Commanders, you can see sketches and photographs by Pasenyuk, demonstrating either a signpost with a seal skull at the top - a symbol of the islands; that statue “Running on the Waves,” depicting an angel who brings light to ships at sea.

Hard to Find Commanders

What else can you do while traveling through the archipelago besides contemplating the mesmerizing beauty of the ocean and wildlife? This question is difficult to answer. There are no other holiday options on the Commander Islands. Here you are unlikely to be able to get acquainted with exotic and colorful cuisine, because all products are imported from Kamchatka. The most you can count on is to buy a few kilograms of red caviar or the meat of some pinniped animal at a relatively low price. There is also no basic tourist infrastructure on the archipelago, so visitors do not stay here for more than one or two days. Travelers live either in self-brought tents or in dilapidated houses. The Commander Islands are a border zone, this should not be forgotten. There is a fairly strict access regime here. In addition, this is mostly a nature reserve, so boats and vessels are not allowed here without permission. So diving won't work either. And the weather, I must say, is not favorable.

Finally

Commanders is a place for those who are attracted by truly wild nature without any civilization around. These are inhospitable and inaccessible islands, but they are still beautiful! The seething ocean, rolling onto the rocks with its mighty waves; thousands of birds and sea animals - all this allows desperate wanderers to feel like Robinsons, real pioneers. Undoubtedly, a trip to the Commander Islands will remain in the memory of everyone who spent at least a few hours here for the rest of their lives.

Russia is a huge country that surprises everyone not only with its diverse natural beauties, but also a large number of different attractions. The main assets of this country most often include its vast expanses; one of the most interesting places within the country is the Commander Islands.

Yes, this is by no means a standard vacation: beach, sea, and all inclusive. Rather, a trip to the Commander Islands is for those who crave something unusual, the most vivid impressions, both from the trip itself and from the inspection. From the article you will learn about holidays on the Commander Islands: how to get there and what to see? Perhaps, after reading about this stunning corner of our country, you will want to go there in 2019.

Brief historical background

The first European travelers reached the Commander Islands not so long ago by the standards of universal history: in the 18th century. These were members of Russian expeditions to Kamchatka, they were shipwrecked there. The main island of the archipelago was named in honor of the expedition commander, Vitus Bering. Bering himself died during this journey, but part of his team began exploring new territories, and this was later continued by other scientists.

Subsequently, not only researchers, but also businessmen appeared on the islands: thanks to the rich wildlife, various crafts developed here. Aleuts appeared on the islands, whom the combined forces of Russian and American businessmen imported as workers.

After the transfer of Alaska, oddly enough, the Commander Islands remained part of Russia. Many years passed before humanity reached the understanding that rare animals should not be exterminated uncontrollably, but should be preserved and the population size controlled. Currently, fisheries on the islands are still part of the activity, however, nature reserves have also been created, and the islands are no longer visited by discoverers or businessmen, but by tourists who want to visit unusual place and see a completely different, reserved world.

Brief geographical information and climate

The islands are located on the eastern side of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Due to the fact that these land areas are located in the northern part of the cold Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the climate on their territory is quite changeable and very harsh. Therefore, you can often hear that the Commanders are the land of “fog and wind.” It rains there very often and strong winds blow. Weather conditions on one island may differ significantly from weather conditions on the other, the weather tends to change several times during the day.

In winter on the islands, the average temperature on the islands is five degrees below zero, but can drop to twenty degrees below zero, and in summer the average thermometer reading is ten degrees above zero. It is better, of course, to go to the islands in the summer. The islands are not places where you can see the usual city life, since the only populated area on the archipelago is a village called Nikolskoye. It is home to less than 1,000 people - Russians and Aleuts.

Commander Islands on the map

Planning a trip to the Commander Islands: transport, accommodation, permission

How to get there?

For tourists wishing to get to the Commander Islands, this will not be so easy, since the small plane that transports travelers there flies only once a week, and one of the important conditions is the presence of good weather. However, the presence of all these difficulties has never stopped tourists from other cities and countries, and those people who have visited the Commander Islands at least once believe that every person should see this amazing land.

Firstly, there are specially organized tours to the Commander Islands. The cost of such offers is quite high for tours in Russia. So, you can book a 12-day summer tour to the Commander Islands for about 150,000 rubles. However, this amount will include:

• accommodation in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky;
• transfer to the village of Nikolskoye and all other movements;
• nutrition;
• excursions;
• rental of necessary equipment;
• medical insurance;
• All necessary permissions from the authorities.

When purchasing a tour to Commanders, air tickets to Kamchatka will have to be paid separately.

It must be said that the guides’ suggestions in this case are very justified: after all, if the tourist is not prepared and has not made such trips, it may even be dangerous for him to make such a trip without a guide.

But since there are also those who have already traveled on fairly stressful trips, you need to know how you can get to the Commander Islands on your own. You need to buy an air ticket to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The cost of a ticket from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in August will be approximately 25,000 rubles (one way per person).

In three hours from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky or Ust-Kamchatsk by plane you can reach the village of Nikolskoye, which is located 4 kilometers from the airport. You will have to get acquainted with the website of the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky airport in advance to understand when the plane will take off.

Another option is a trip by sea. From the seaport of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the Commander Islands, tourists are delivered by the motor ship "Vasily Zavoiko", the travel time will be at least thirty-six hours (depending on weather conditions, it may increase).

Where to stay?

Planning an independent trip to the Commander Islands will be difficult also because numerous hotels, inns and other delights do not await tourists there. No, in this corner of wild nature there is only one settlement - the village of Nikolskoye, where the only Vitus Bering hotel was opened just a couple of years ago.

In principle, you can try to find local residents in advance by correspondence and agree to rent a corner for certain time. However, what you need to know is that to thoroughly explore all corners of the islands, you will have to spend the night in camping conditions. To do this, you must either be part of an organized group, or be a very, very prepared and experienced tourist.

Permission to visit

A fairly large part of the islands is occupied by the Komandorsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve. In order to simply be on its territory, you must obtain special permission from the administration. Tourist groups who book a tour to the islands receive this permit among other paid services, but you can also obtain it yourself.

Tourists need permission to visit the territory for the purpose of educational ecotourism; they will also need to obtain paper separately for photo and video shooting. To obtain such permission, it is necessary to contact the administration of the reserve through official contacts in advance, even before making a trip.

Sights of the Commander Islands

So, the tourist overcame all obstacles. What awaits brave travelers on the Commander Islands?

It must be said that the village of Nikolskoye is the only stronghold of civilization among wild nature. But the stronghold is very modest: there are shops, a hospital, a bank, as well as the Aleutian Museum of Local Lore. The latter is definitely worth a look: learn more about the history of the discovery of the islands, travelers, Vitus Bering, the further history of this region, the Aleuts, the nature of the islands.

The anchored ship of the Second Kamchatka Expedition under the leadership of the ruler’s main associate is considered a historical landmark of the islands. Russian Empire- Vitus Bering. Also on the islands there is a reconstructed site of that same expedition, as well as the grave of the great explorer himself.

But the most important thing about the Commander Islands is their nature.

Today, the reserve is home to more than four hundred species and about forty subspecies of plants. They tend to be located on the so-called border of the natural zone of western and eastern flora and fauna.

So, on the islands you can see stunning rookeries of fur seals - these cute and beautiful animals live their lives on the shore, and tourists should only quietly observe and, with permission, take photographs. In addition to fur seals, tourists on the Commander Islands can expect, among others:

• humpback whales;
• sperm whales;
• porpoises;
• arctic foxes;
• Birds, fish, invertebrates abound.

Tourists usually do not miss the opportunity to visit local bays. The most famous of them are Podutesnaya and Poludennaya bays. In addition to the most interesting relief and landscape, in Podutesnaya you can admire the vibrant northern flora, waterfalls, an abundance of birds and fish, as well as sea lions, sea otters, and anturs. There is a station in Poludennaya Bay where scientists observe such powerful animals as whales and killer whales. Interesting place on the islands is Steller's Arch - natural monument unusual shape, named after the famous naturalist Georg Steller.

Medny Island will delight lovers of landscapes - the rocks on it are lushly overgrown with grass, the island is rich in grottoes and hills, gorges and waterfalls and is generally considered the most picturesque of the entire island group of the Commander Islands. The islands of Ariy Kamen and Toporkov are home to a very large bird colony: puffin puffins, jacuzzi, cormorants and other birds of local latitudes.

Features of traveling to the Commander Islands

You must immediately understand that such a journey will not be easy in any case. You will have to spend a lot of effort and money both on its planning and implementation. It is necessary to take into account all the nuances: how to get there (purchase tickets in advance, but be prepared for the fact that, for example, due to weather conditions you will have to stay on the islands); where and how to live; be sure to take care of communications and carefully collect everything necessary, but not unnecessary; check your health and have the necessary medications with you.

Of course, the islands are currently inhabited by scientists, reserve workers, and villagers from Nikolskoye, so they cannot be called completely uninhabited, yet this is not a trip to the desert where there is not a soul. In the village you can easily buy food and spend the night; local residents and reserve staff are usually friendly to inquisitive and polite tourists; a big advantage is that this is Russia, which means there will be no language problems. But if you have planned a trip to the Commander Islands, you must immediately understand that such a trip is not carried out for the sake of relaxation in comfort, but for the sake of knowledge, getting to know wildlife, and in some ways, even overcoming oneself.

However, if you decide to go on a trip to the Commander Islands, you will not regret it. After all, such pure impressions from the pristine and exotic northern nature No other place will give you this!