Among the huge number of tourist destinations, tours to the North Pole have recently become popular. You can get to know this region during a short two-day tour, a long ski expedition or a full-fledged icebreaker cruise.
The last travel option will be discussed in the article.
The mysterious and harsh North Pole
Before we go directly to the description of the cruise, let's try to figure out why tourists are so eager to get here?
Despite the uncomfortable cold weather, the almost complete absence of attractions, such travel continues to attract. And there are quite reasonable and logical explanations for this phenomenon.
The North Pole is beautiful for its peace, desertedness, and hence the mystery. You experience both fear of the greatness of nature and admiration for it. Icebergs, huge frozen glaciers, white silence for many kilometers around and a bright light that just hurts the eyes.
This attracts, first of all, incorrigible romantics who dream of repeating routesfamous navigators and conquerors of the North. Extreme lovers test their character there, experience the possibilities, for example, by diving into the icy ocean. Whales, walruses, polar bears posing for cameras, and other local inhabitants also attract attention. Someone just wants to change their attitude to life, and the endless northern latitudes contribute to long reflections and analysis.
There is another reason - the prestige of such trips because of the high price of them. Such a trip will immediately show the financial viability of a person. Denotes a certain leadership over others (we are all subject to vanity to some extent).
Our pride
No other country in the world has its own nuclear icebreaker fleet, except for Russia! At the moment, there are as many as six operating units. These are nuclear-powered ships: "Russia", "Yamal", "Soviet Union", "Taimyr", "50 Years of Victory", "Vaigach". Three more are under construction, with the first scheduled for completion by 2017.
A lot of interesting articles and books have been written about these vessels. Just do not include the book "Icebreaker" in this list. Suvorov Viktor wrote it about something completely different.
Some of the nuclear-powered ships were idle in the summer. It was decided to use them for those wishing to visit the North Pole. For example, the Yamal icebreaker used to carry tourists. We will tell you more about him.
Nuclear icebreaker Yamal
It was built in 1992 in the city on the Neva - St. Petersburg. Meets all the requirements and standards of the worldlevel.
The Yamal icebreaker is by far the most powerful and complex ship in the world!
The length of the vessel reaches one hundred and fifty meters, and the width is thirty. Specifications are impressive: power 75,000 horsepower, displacement - 23,000 tons.
The icebreaker "Yamal" is capable of breaking thick enough ice both when moving forward and backward. The sight is very beautiful and mesmerizing. Tourists love it.
The team has a crew of 150 people. Passengers can be accommodated on board up to one hundred units.
This icebreaker successfully presents a combination of modern technologies with comfortable conditions for tourists and team work.
The hallmark of Yamal is the smiling mouth of a shark, painted on the bow of the ship. It was made (as they thought then) for the duration of a humanitarian cruise for children from around the world, so that little passengers would have more fun. Then we decided to leave. Now it is a kind of logo of the Yamal icebreaker.
Floating hotel
The Yamal nuclear-powered icebreaker is a huge house with a gym, a restaurant, a bar with karaoke, a sauna, a heated pool, a volleyball court and other attributes of recreation. There is also a library in which, perhaps, there is a book "Icebreaker". Suvorov wrote it not at all about a beautiful and powerful ship. Although he could glorify one of the icebreakers on the pages of his book.
Comfortable decks located at different levels and the captain's bridge, which is always open for passengers, allow you to enjoy the beautifulviews of the realm of ice.
During the cruise, everyone is given the opportunity to take to the air in a Mi-8T helicopter and take amazing pictures from above.
Festive polar barbecue and ice skewers await tourists when they reach the highest point on earth (90 degrees north latitude). There is no visible identification mark of this place, but only the coordinates on the GPS screen. When the navigator shows these numbers, it means that the goal has been achieved - you are at the North Pole! At this point, all meridians and time zones converge.
In order to make any landing on the surface comfortable, each traveler is given special clothing: a jacket, shoes.
After the Top of the World, the Yamal icebreaker continues its cruise and makes its way to Franz Josef Land. The journey ends in the city of Murmansk.
Journey on the Yamal icebreaker: price
Now let's talk about the cost.
If you take in dollars - it will be about twenty thousand, and in rubles - more than one and a half million in two weeks. Perhaps now the prices have become even higher due to currency fluctuations.
There are no more than five rounds during the summer. It is clear that not everyone can afford to buy a ticket for the Yamal icebreaker (cruise). The price, of course, is not affordable for everyone, and the number of tourists is limited. If, for example, five trips over the summer, it turns out no more than 500 people a year. Sometimes, to get on a cruise, seats are booked a year in advance.
Conclusion
If funds allow, you should definitely go on an icebreaker cruise to the North Pole at least once. The experience you will get will last a lifetime.
