1. Two guides. The full team consists of 8-12 participants, with a rear guide to ensure you don't get lost in dense fog in the tundra, northern taiga, or over a pass. If you're having a hard time and are at the back of the group, I'll be reassured knowing that you're being taken care of and supported at any moment. The small team is limited to 12 participants, allowing for cozy communication and mobility on the route. If necessary, communication is established between the first and second guides via radio. My principle is not to stretch the group.
2. Overnight stay in a hotel on the first and last day. This allows you to choose the most convenient and pleasant ticket in terms of price on the day of arrival. On the day of arrival, we will hold a team meeting, safety instructions, gear check, discuss the trek plan, and pack food. After the trek, we will spend the night in the same hotel, so you can leave your city things in the storage room. This is convenient: you don't have to look for a hotel on your own, you can relax before and after the trek, take a shower, and explore local attractions.
3. Unique routes. The uniqueness lies in the fact that the routes are not widely known and have been explored personally by me. Most of them run along the coast of the Arctic Barents and White Seas, in mountain tundra conditions without trails. This kind of nature exists only here, these are wild places incredible in their atmosphere and boundless простор. From the shore, we can spot a minke whale, a seal popping up to look at our camp, or a bear passing by. All overnight stays are in a tent, and we won't encounter any people until our return. One of the treks stands out for its location, being in the heart of the Kola North — the Arctic Khibiny Mountains. Quirky plateau-like peaks and narrow gorges appeared here due to the massive influence of the Ice Age 12,000 years ago. Thawing, the glacier, up to 2 km high, retreated to the northwest, leaving behind landscapes of the north unlike anything else, carved by ice.
4. History of the places, nature, and animals. I love the Kola North, explore it annually on new routes, on the pages of books, and in historical notes. I will tell you about the history of the place, expeditions, Russian colonization, and the Sami people. On the trek, we will study old photographs and maps of the area, nature, and animals. To get a better look at the polar wildlife, I will provide a monocular, lightweight and compact, allowing you to observe the white-tailed eagle, fox, or seal. Love is also shown through kind deeds; on one of the routes, we will make a mountain library ourselves.
5. No duties. I prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner myself, as I understand that it might be uncomfortable for you to cook an unfamiliar dish for the team in unusual conditions on a burner. At the same time, if you want to help, I will be glad. Our common task is to set up the camp, prepare for meals, and collect firewood for the костёр.
6. Rules on the route. We don't play music from a speaker, preserving the atmosphere of the wild. We put our phones on airplane or silent mode so everyone can take a break from the sounds of smartphones. We don't consume alcohol on the trek. We don't discuss conflicting topics of religion and politics. Our common goal is to have a great time, become a team, and make friends.
7. Sports insurance. Each trek is a journey into the wilderness, where there are no civilization or roads. Everything, from gear to the route, is thought out and aimed at the highest level of safety. That's why I arrange sports insurance for the duration of the trek for each participant.
8. Safety. On the trek, I maintain daily satellite communication with the coordinator to monitor the weather via Iridium. The trek is registered with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. There is a navigator, a radio station, and signal rockets. Each participant is given a survival blanket and a personal flare. Before the trek, I assist in preparation, and a safety instructions briefing is conducted before starting the route.
9. Professional consultation on equipment and gear, high-quality public gear. I am professionally engaged in tourist gear, so I will advise you on what to buy, where, give recommendations on fitting, and discounts in tourist stores. I advocate for reasonable lightening of gear without compromising comfort and safety. The lighter the backpack, the more enjoyable the walk. This leaves more strength to admire the nature. We will discuss all elements of gear; if you don't have a tent or it's not suitable for windy tundra conditions, I will provide a wind-resistant 2-person tent weighing only 2.3 kg. We cook food on gasoline burners, they are more powerful than gas burners, and the fuel is lighter, which allows reducing the weight of each participant's backpack.
10. The route is always reconnoitered. You will never go on a trek that I haven't previously completed. Preliminary reconnaissance and planning of each route take a lot of time, but this is the principle. It ensures safety, the absence of surprises, and guarantees that we will see the most beautiful places in the north. Choosing the optimal path in the mountain tundra is a special blend of skill and aesthetics, maneuvering past lowland and upland bogs, searching for a ford in the most convenient places at low tide, overnight stays in incredibly beautiful bays, by lakes, and on hills, so that the beauty of the polar region surrounds you 100% of the time and leaves a lasting impression in your memory.
11. Delicious and high-quality food. We are in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, the food should complement the surroundings, so I cook simple but varied and delicious meals: lentil soup with tomatoes and reindeer meat, funchose with shrimp, or soba with rabbit meat. All this with natural spices and herbal tea. I know the secret of proper layout to avoid hunger while keeping the overall weight and volume low. We will have a nutritious snack on the move. The food is pre-weighed, packed, and vacuum-sealed. After the trek, we usually go to a restaurant to taste Arctic cuisine and celebrate our return.
