08 Apr 2014

Experience the First Ever Beringian Arctic Games

Images ©ATockston                                                                         ©ACharles

                                                                                                                                                                                                  Approximately 14,000 years ago the first people walked from Chukotka (in Eastern Russia), across the Beringia Land Bridge to discover North America and beyond. In July of 2014 people from the seven Arctic nations will return to Chukotka for the first ever Beringian Arctic Games, coming together to celebrate and compete traditional games such as skin boat races and other competitions in the picturesque village of Novoye Chaplino in the Far East of Russia. 

When people made their way across the vast plain of Beringia from the Asian to the American continent, they moved on foot. Then as glacier ice turned to sea and the Bering Strait came into being, people on both sides continued to connect, sailing the waters in large skin boats. Life in these Arctic regions would have been unthinkable and unstainable without these Arctic ships.

The inaugural Beringian Arctic Games will bring together peoples from all around the circumpolar Arctic. It will be a powerful celebration of this environment and a feature event of these games will be the skin boat races in which the various countries will compete.

Your participation will help... Heritage Expeditions is sponsoring transport for 25 students from the 7 Arctic Nations to travel to these Games. Your participation on this expedition will help the students realise their dreams. Travel with them on our ship the Spirit of Enderby, share their journey, support them at the Games and learn from them - a truly unique opportunity that is not to be missed. 

Voyage details: 17-25 July 2014. Priced from $5500 USD. Voyage starts in Anadyr, Russia, (optional charter flight seat from Nome, Alaska available at additional cost & subject to availability)