New tourist itineraries are being planned in Taymyr
© RIA Novosti. Yuriy Kuydin

New tourist itineraries are being planned in Taymyr

A research expedition initiated by Norilsk Development Agency has studied prospective tourist itineraries for the Taymyr Peninsula, in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, with a view to developing Arctic tourism and recreation opportunities there, according to the Taymyr District administration press service.

The expedition was to study local flora and fauna, the bathyorography of the Laptev Sea, Khatanga Bay and Lake Kungasalach, and verify the coordinates of walrus grounds and muskoxen migration patterns. This information will be used in planning the most interesting and spectacular tourist itineraries and help maintain wild animal habitats.

The experts note that now they cannot estimate the number of tourists or evaluate the human impact and minimize unfavorable effect on Arctic flora and fauna.

The Arctic tourist and recreation area will include Norilsk, Dudinka and the Putorana Plateau areas. Norilsk is being considered as the center of cultural, educational and industrial tourism, Dudinka as the center of event and ethnographic tourism, and the Putorana Plateau as extreme and environmental tourism.

Experts from various areas have long been of the opinion that Arctic tourism will not see big volumes because of high costs and a short tourist season, the three summer months. Nevertheless, it needs to be developed because the demand for unusual or extreme tourism is growing every year. Specifically, the northern regions can offer participation in research expeditions, taking Arctic animals "under patronage," extreme sports in the Arctic and traveling in small vessels.