Yakutia Airlines Embarks on Fourth Season of Summer Service
This year, Russian air carrier Yakutia Airlines marks the 4th year of its Alaska-Russian Far East Air Service by offering direct service between Anchorage, Alaska and Yakutsk, Russia. The new route to Yakutsk will operate via established destination Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula. The flight schedule permits travelers from the US to make same-day connections at Petropavlovsk and Yakutsk to Moscow, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok and other Russian cities. The flights will operate on Saturdays, July 11 to August 29, utilizing Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The service is synchronized with the airline’s seasonal Japan-Kamchatka service, enabling travel from Alaska to Japan via a same-day connection at Petropavlovsk.
Tickets are now on sale through AirRussia.US, the newly redesigned web portal for InterPacific Aviation and Marketing; booking and payments may now be submitted on-line. Tickets are also available through most professional travel agents and ticketing outlets across Russia.
Yakutsk is the capital of Russia’s Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), in Eastern Siberia. It is the world's largest city built on permafrost and, with an average winter temperature of -30F, it is the coldest major city in the world. Visitors to the city will enjoy visiting the Mammoth Museum, its outdoor “living” shamanism museum, and the underground Permafrost Museum featuring ice sculptures year-round. A day-cruise up the Lena River from Yakutsk tower the breathtaking Lena Pillars, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; these picturesque cliffs reach up to 900 feet high and extend for miles along the river. Yakutia, an area almost five times the size of France, is rich in natural resources; most notably, it produces more than 25% of the world’s supply of diamonds. Yakutsk is sister city to Fairbanks, Alaska.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is a popular destination for outdoorsmen and adventure travelers. Thousands of miles of pristine rivers and streams flow from the scimitar-shaped peninsula’s volcanic mountain ridges to the sea, forming ideal habitat for rainbow trout, salmon and other fish species; for anglers worldwide, an expedition to Kamchatka is the trip of a lifetime. The region's active volcanoes, Uzon caldera and Geyser Valley are must-see sites for visitors. Trekkers will appreciate the breathtaking landscapes, wildlife viewing, and a soak in one of the area’s countless hot springs. Kamchatka’s indigenous Koryak, Even and Itelmen peoples welcome travelers to experience their rich culture first-hand at such events as the lively thanksgiving festival Alkhalalai. The flight from Anchorage to Kamchatka is just 4 ½ hours.
Yakutia Airlines’ seasonal service has transformed Anchorage into a preferred gateway to Alaska, and the US West Coast, for Russian travelers. Same-day connections at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky from Russian domestic flights make this the most convenient route to Alaska for travelers, whether they’re originating their travel in Moscow, Khabarovsk, or Vladivostok. In the summer of 2014, the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau, Visit Anchorage, and AirRussia.US invited travel agents from across Russia to explore Alaska and build the partnerships necessary to promote it as a travel destination. The group traversed Alaska’s heartland by train, explored Denali by small plane, rode dogsleds on a glacier, and viewed wildlife from a cruise ship.
Eastern Russia boasts five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is of increasing importance as a travel destination. A new branding initiative by the Russia’s federal tourism agency, Russia’s Eastern Ring, promotes itineraries that unite such unique features as Lake Baikal, the Lena Pillars, the Trans-Siberian Railroad and Kamchatka. Tour operators and outfitters experienced in travel to Kamchatka offer trips to accommodate a wide range of interests and budgets, ranging from bear-viewing and volcano climbing to fishing and scientific expeditions. Fly-fishing outfitters include The Best of Kamchatka, The Fly Shop and Ouzel Expeditions. Treks and cultural tours are available through such experienced operators as Kamchatintour, MIR Corporation, Explore Kamchatka, 50 Degrees North, Betchart Expeditions, Diligans Kamchatka, and 56th Parallel. Most operators are pleased to arrange custom trips upon request. Links to operator sites may be found at AirRussia.US. Expeditionary cruise ship operators, including Zegrahm Expeditions and Heritage Expeditions, explore Russia’s wildest coastlines, from Japan to the Arctic.
US-based Klondike Travel specializes in trip packages for Russian traveling to Alaska, Hawaii, Seattle, and other US travel destinations.