Russian Arctic National ParkRussian Arctic National Park at a Glance
About Russian Arctic National Park
Russian Arctic National Park is a protected area in the Russian High Arctic established in 2009. It was created to conserve Arctic ecosystems and cultural sites across remote island groups and surrounding seas.
The park covers vast polar island and marine environments where visitors on expedition cruises encounter sea ice, seabird colonies, walrus haul-outs and polar bears. Boat-based wildlife viewing, guided shore landings and historic polar exploration sites are the main visitor activities.
The park was formally designated by the Russian government in 2009 for nature conservation and to manage regulated tourism and research. That designation brought previously disparate protected areas under a single administration focused on Arctic biodiversity and cultural heritage.
Geographically the park lies in the high Arctic of northern Russia, encompassing island groups and surrounding waters in the Barents and Kara Sea regions. It is well north of the Russian mainland and reachable only by long sea voyages or specially permitted flights.
- Access: Access is by expedition vessel or special permit and is seasonally limited; most visits occur in summer (July-August) when sea ice retreats.
Best Time to Visit Russian Arctic National Park
Go in the Arctic summer (June-August) when ice retreat and midnight sun make the park most accessible.
Weather & Climate near Russian Arctic National Park
Russian Arctic National Park's climate is classified as Ice Cap - Ice Cap climate with freezing summers (peaking in August) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -29°C to -2°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | - | -29° - -22° | -39° | 27 mm | - | 99% | 7.1 m/s | 0.0 low | 0.0h |
| February | Poor | -28° - -23° | -38° | 27 mm | overcast | 99% | 6.8 m/s | 0.0 low | 3.4h |
| March | Poor | -27° - -21° | -36° | 23 mm | overcast | 99% | 5.8 m/s | 0.1 low | 11.1h |
| April | Poor | -24° - -18° | -31° | 20 mm | partly cloudy | 97% | 5.0 m/s | 0.4 low | 18.1h |
| May | Poor | -14° - -11° | -21° | 21 mm | overcast | 96% | 4.9 m/s | 1.0 high | 24.0h |
| June | Poor | -7° - -5° | -12° | 26 mm | overcast | 95% | 5.0 m/s | 1.4 high | 24.0h |
| July | Poor | -4° - -2° | -8° | 38 mm | overcast | 95% | 4.0 m/s | 1.0 high | 24.0h |
| August | Poor | -4° - -2° | -8° | 39 mm | overcast | 95% | 4.3 m/s | 0.5 low | 21.3h |
| September | Poor | -6° - -4° | -12° | 39 mm | overcast | 95% | 6.1 m/s | 0.2 low | 13.5h |
| October | Poor | -13° - -10° | -21° | 34 mm | overcast | 96% | 6.2 m/s | 0.0 low | 6.8h |
| November | Poor | -20° - -15° | -28° | 27 mm | partly cloudy | 98% | 6.0 m/s | 0.0 low | 0.0h |
| December | - | -25° - -19° | -34° | 28 mm | - | 99% | 6.4 m/s | 0.0 low | 0.0h |
How to Get to Russian Arctic National Park
There are no scheduled public transport links into the Russian Arctic National Park; access is by organized expedition vessel, icebreaker or helicopter. The usual embarkation points for Arctic expeditions are the Russian ports of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk - fly to Murmansk (Murmansk Airport) or Arkhangelsk and transfer by taxi a few kilometres to the city port to join an expedition cruise to the park.
Tips for Visiting Russian Arctic National Park
- Access is almost always by licensed expedition cruise or research vessel rather than independent travel-arrange an operator and Russian permits well in advance since landings and routes are controlled by park authorities.
- Plan for the Arctic summer (roughly July-August) when sea ice is at its minimum and wildlife viewing (polar bears, walrus, seabirds) and safe landings are most reliable.
- To avoid the handful of busy cruise dates, choose smaller-ship operators or travel in the shoulder windows (early June or September) when there are fewer visitors-be prepared for more variable weather and some sea ice.