Chukotka
Chukotka (Russian: Чуко́тка, choo-KOHT-kuh) is a region in the Russian Far East and is the northeasternmost region of Russia. Located along the Bering Strait, Chukotka is home to beautiful tundra scenery and the indigenous Chukchi people, butt of many Russian anecdotes. Chukotka was governed until 2008 by Roman Abramovich, an extravagant Russian oligarch (and owner of Chelsea football club). Never a province to fit in nicely, Chukotka is also the only region of Russia lying in the Western Hemisphere. It borders three Russian regions, Yakutia to the west, and Magadan Oblast and Kamchatka to the southwest.
Cities
Other destinations
- 🌍 Big Diomede — easternmost island of Russia
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El'gygytgyn Lake
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Wrangel Island — a
Understand
The Chukotka autonomous district is notable as being the closest point that both Eurasia and Russia gets to North America and the United States. A clear day you can see across the Bering Sea which separates them into Alaska. While Chukotka is massive at about 285,000 sq mi (740,000 km2), it only has a population of 55,000. With fewer than 400 mi (640 km) of road and no railway infrastructure; the population is mostly employed in mining and subsistence hunting.
Read
Classic Chukchi literature of Yuri Rytkheu.
Talk
Like most people in Russia, Chukotkans mostly speak Russian, with several thousand Chukchi and Yukaghir speakers. Most of these people are bilingual in Russian and their native languages.
Get in
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Enter by swimming Being this close to the US provides some interesting ways of getting into Chukotka however very impractical, illegal and dangerous. It's even possible to swim or even walk across (when the water freezes) but doing so will definitely get you into trouble with local border guards. Although highly impractical, it is also possible to swim from the United States of America to Chukotka across the Bering Strait. To date only the legendary Lynne Cox has chosen this route, swimming 3 km (2 miles) from Little Diomede in Alaska to Big Diomede of the then Soviet Union. Reportedly, she requested a "babushka" for when she arrived, thinking she could take home a souvenir scarf. But babushka in Russian (as opposed to Polish) means "old lady"—so the Soviets made a babushka available at the site of her arrival, trained in medical care to revive the freezing traveler to health! In August 2013, a team of 65 swimmers swam a relay swim across the entire Bering Strait from Russia to Alaska (roughly 110 km), the first swim crossing ever. They had special permission and support from the Russian Navy. There have also been people walking over the ice in winter, but this is very dangerous as the ice streams quickly and it is possible to end up in the open ocean. |
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Note: Being one of the autonomous districts of Russia, entry to Chukotka is limited. Chukotka has little presence of foreigners. Even Russian citizens need to get special permission issued by the Government of Chukotka, in order to enter the region. A valid passport bearing valid Russian entry visa and propusk are required for foreigners. The permit is known as propusk in Russian and the issuance may take several weeks. Contact Border Service offices in Russia or local tour agencies for detailed information. |
The way of getting in would be by either boat or plane at any established points of entry. Passengers of cruise liners are allowed to land on Chukotka and stay for 72 hours without visa and special permission.
By air
- Bering Air offers charter flights from Nome to Provideniya on either a Piper Navahoe, taking 80 minutes or a Beach King Air 200, taking 60 minutes. Flights are weather dependent and each airplane carries nine passengers. Charter flights can be arranged from Nome to Anadyr.
- There are flights from Moscow to Anadyr, but not every day. Transaero Airlines, VIM Airlines and Yakutia Airlines have such flights.
By boat
- In summer time some cruise ships go from Alaska and stop at Anadyr, Provideniya and more places. Search for "cruise anadyr" on Google. In 2014, Silversea Cruises has such cruises.
Get around
By air
Air is the most used mode of local travel inside Chukotka. Anadyr is the main hub. Chukotavia operates local flights inside Chukotka.
By road
There is no network of roads, and very few local roads near settlements. In winter there is a network of snow and ice roads.