HIGHLIGHTS:

ACTIVITIES:

Ice-diving safari and snowmobile rides to dives at the mobile ice camp, snorkelling with beluga whales, seabirds and seals watching, ice-fishing and Russian steam bath experience.

ACCOMODATION:

Comfortable guest houses on the shore of the frozen sea, exquisite Russian food, traditional Russian beverages and the Russian banya (steam bath) experience. Two types of accommodation:Comfort: Twin room with toilet, basin and shower, Economy: Twin room with common bio toilet, and shared basin (per two rooms

 

NOTE:
Itineraries can be tailor made on request;
Overnight stays, tours and transfers in Moscow, St. Petersburg or Kuusamo can be arranged;
The number of days in the programme can be changed upon request.

 

The Arctic Circle PADI Dive Centre is the best place in Europe and one of the best places in the world to discover Sea ice diving. The White sea is the only sea in Europe that freezes every year.
A well-established base, instructors with many years’ experience of diving in severe North conditions, a mobile ice camp with warm wooden huts, a large stock of equipment and accessories all combine to make the ARCTIC CIRCLE the world’s ICE DIVING CAPITAL.

 

TRAVEL:

You can choose one of the ways of getting to the Arctic Circle Dive Centre:

Option 1 (travel by rail from St. Petersburg) Train from St. Petersburg to Chupa (19 hours); transfer to the Dive Centre (2 hours).
Option 2 (travel by rail from Moscow)Train from Moscow to Chupa (28 hours); transfer to the Dive Centre (2 hours).
Option 3 (travel by air from Moscow) Flight from Moscow to Murmansk (2 hours); transfer from Murmansk to the Arctic Circle Dive Centre ( 6 hours).
Option 4 (by car from Finland) Flight from Helsinki to Kuusamo (1:15 hour); transfer to the Dive Centre through the Finish - Russian border. ( 6-7 hours)

 

 

SAMPLE PROGRAMME:
Day 1 Arrival at the Arctic Circle Dive Centre. Check dive; second dive – a slope near Maly Krestovy (Small Cross) Island. Kelp forests, crabs and starfish. Evening: a Russian banya and rest.
Days 2 - 5 Ice diving programme – 2 dives per day for qualified ice divers.
Alternatively the opportunity to take the ice diving specialty course conducted over 2 days from the first day of programme.*
A daily trip to the ice camp for 2 dives
The programme includes:
Diving by a legendary cliff with sea anemones near the Krestovy (Cross) Islands.
Diving by a bank with soft corals.
Wreck diving: a wooden fishing boat and steel scientific boat.
Lectures on White Sea biology.
Day 6 – Following the completion of the programme, at 23:30: departure from the Dive Centre for Chupa train station, Murmansk or Kuusamo Airport. Return to Moscow (the train arrives in Moscow on the fallowing day). The programme can be changed depending to the ice and weather condition.