SAKHALIN ISLAND

The seemingly never-ending hilly terrain; the centuries-old pine trees reaching up to the sky; the rivers teeming with fish ready for spawning; the playful grey whales in the sea; the storms, the typhoons... Welcome to Sakhalin, Russia’s largest island. It is a place with the capacity to surprise even the most seasoned of travellers, where life is governed by its unique climate. The island is home to some incredible, and very rare, flora and fauna – over a hundred species of amazing plants and animals found on Sakhalin are on the IUCN Red List. Sakhalin’s indigenous Nivkh people, while small in number, are warm and welcoming, happy to provide an insight into their traditional way of life and spirituality. Today, the island is a nature reserve, untouched by modern civilisation. It is a true gem of the Russian Far East, a beacon standing above the waves of the Pacific Ocean.