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 until just recently governed by the extravagant Russian Oligarch (and owner of Chelsea's football club), Roman Abramovich. Never a province to fit in nicely, Chukotka is also the only region of Russia lying in the Western Hemisphere. Regions Cities Anadyr — the capital Bilibino — small city on the edge of tundra, site of world's northernmost nuclear plant Pevek Provideniya — port, village in north-east Chukotka with population ~2,500-3,000 Other destinations El'gygytgyn Lake Wrangel Island — UNESCO World Heritage Site 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. In fact on a clear day you can even see across the Bering Sea which separates them into Alaska. While Chukotka is massive at about 285,000 square miles, it only has a population of 55,000. With fewer than 400 miles of road and no railroad infrastructure; the population is mostly employed in mining and subsistence hunting. Talk Get in Being this close to the US provides some interesting ways of getting into Chukotka. 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. The easiest way of getting in legally would be by either boat or plane, as long as they stop at one of the established points of entry. Remember that a valid passport and Russian entry visa are required if entering from the U.S. Chukotka is listed among regions with limited presence of foreigners, so please contact tour agencies and get an invitation paper. Passengers of cruise liners are allowed to land on Chukotka and stay for 72 hours without visa and special permission. By air Bering Air [1] 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. By swim 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 kilometers/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! Get around See Read Classic Chukchi literature of Yuri Rytkheu.[2] Itineraries Do Dogsledding Attend Whaleboat or Reindeer races Walrus Watching (not hunting) Eat Drink Stay safe Get out This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!