Fly into Provideniya, a village of 2000 beautifully situated on a mountain-ringed bay of the Bering Sea. After checking into our hotel, we will climb the nearest mountain for spectacular views over the mountain and the bay.

After breakfast, we travel to the other side of the bay to visit the abandoned town of Ureliki. Five-storey appartment blocks stand empty and can be fully explored. From there we head on 30km to the ancient Yupik village of Avan, built of whalebones. Avan is spectacularly located on the shores of a mountain-ringed lake, which is separated from the sea by a narrow sand spit. In this area we will have good chances of seeing whales, foxes and Eurasian ground squirrels. After exploring the village and nearby burial sites, we will head further down the coast to view an impressive bird colony on the nearby cliffs.

Overnight in Provideniya.

Travel 25km through the mountains to Rumilet Bay, whose stunningly transparent waters are ringed by mountains and separated from a small lake by a narrow sand spit. From here we will take motorboats out to the Bering Sea islands of Yttygran, Arakamchechen, Achinkinkan and Merkinkan. On Yttygran, whose coast is lined by whale skull sentinels, we will visit an ancient Yupik sacred site built of 5-metre long whale jawbones thrust into the ground and a large bird colony. On Arakamchechen we will visit the grave of a 19th-century sailor who died here. On Achinkinkan we will visit a huge bird colony and a seal rookery. On Merkinkan we will visit a puffin colony. Throughout the day, we are guaranteed to see large numbers of whales up close, especially greys and humpbacks.

Overnight in a basic wooden cabin near natural hot springs sandwiched between the mountains and the Bering Sea.

More wildlife photography in Senyavin Strait.

Today we travel around 5 hours by motorboat to the village of Lorino. On the way we will of course have many opportunities to view whales, seals and birds.

Lorino is the centre of Chukotkan whale hunting culture. About 120 whales are killed along the Chukotka coast every year, of which 55 are in Lorino. After checking into our guest house, we will go out to explore the village and the surrounding area.

If we have calm seas on this day, we will immediately go out in boats with the local Chukchi and Yupik whale hunters. If we do not have calm seas, this will be postponed until another day and we will transfer the activities of that day to today.

Assuming we have calm seas, we will head out in boats and spend several hours chasing whales until the hunters manage to spear one down. They attach floats to their harpoons, so that the whale carcass does not sink. They then tow it back to the shore, where they butcher it. The whole village comes down to the beach to take as much whale meat and fat as they want, so it has a bit of a party atmosphere.

Overnight in Lorino.

Today, we will travel three hours by boat to the abandoned village of Naukan. This site had been occupied by Yupik people for thousands of years. The remains of the old whalebone village still remain. The inhabitants were moved to Lavrentiya village in the 1950s, as Naukan was considered too remote to supply and too close to the enemies across the Bering Strait. Until it was abandoned, it was the easternmost settlement in Eurasia, just across the Bering Strait from Alaska. On a clear day, Alaska can even be seen from Cape Dezhnev, on which Naukan is situated.

Return to Lorino, with plenty of opportunities to spot whales on the way.

We will travel through the tundra to an encampment of nomadic Chukchi reindeer herders. We will spend these days observing and taking part in their daily lives. We will return to Lorino in the evening of Day 12.

Today we will travel 15 minutes by boat to the ancient whalebone village of Masik, widely regarded to be the best preserved and most picturesque in all Chukotka. Afterwards, we will returning to Lorino for lunch. After lunch we will go fishing for crabs and visit a workshop where local artists carve figures from whale bones and walrus tusks.

Transfer 40 minutes by road to the district centre of Lavrentiya and fly to Anadyr. Visit the abandoned Soviet military installation of Gudym before taking a ferry across the estuary. Good chances of seeing beluga whales, seals, puffins and other birds. Overnight in the Hotel Chukotka.

If we have calm seas today, we will do a boat trip to Russkaya Koshka, where there is usually a walrus colony. On the way, we will have good chances of seeing whales and seals. We will also stop at some bird colonies. If we have rough seas, we will do a hike up Mount Dionysius for spectacular views over the Anadyr tundra and estuary. We will have good chances of seeing various animals and birds during the hike too. Overnight in the Hotel Chukotka.

Ferry across the estuary to the airport. Good chances of seeing beluga whales, seals, puffins and other birds. Fly home.