The Commander Islands, also known as the Komandorskiye Islands, are an archipelago comprising two large islands and two smaller ones in the southwestern Bering Sea of the Pacific Ocean. These islands are part of Kamchatka Krai, Russia, and are named after navigator Vitus Bering, who discovered them in 1741.
Bering Island is the largest in the archipelago, stretching approximately 90 km in length and 24 km in width. It is the final resting place of Vitus Bering and several of his crew members. The only settlement on the island is Nikolskoye, a village with a population of around 600 residents. Like the other Commander Islands, Bering Island is situated on an underwater ridge extending from Alaska, which is also home to the Aleutian Islands of the United States. Photo by Andrey Grachev.
The Commander Islands National Park is the largest national park in Russia, covering a protected water area of more than 36,000 square kilometers. This reserve encompasses both the Commander Islands and surrounding waters, located in the northern Pacific Ocean between Eurasia and North America.
Over 300,000 marine animals from 40 species, such as fur seals, spotted seals, Steller sea lions, and sea otters, inhabit the Commander Islands. This remarkable diversity of marine mammals is unmatched anywhere else in Russia. Additionally, the islands host around 50,000 birds, including gyrfalcons, peregrine falcons, and glaucous-winged gulls.
The second largest island, Medny (meaning “Copper” in Russian), measures about 56 km in length and up to 8 km in width.
The climate on the Commander Islands is harsh, characterized by low temperatures, high humidity, and strong winds. The islands are also notably foggy, particularly in July. The ideal time to visit is from June to September, offering opportunities to witness diverse wildlife, including vast marine mammal rookeries, bird colonies, and whale migrations.
Traveling to the Commander Islands can be done by air or sea. The quickest option is to fly from Elizovo Airport (located in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky) to the village of Nikolskoye (on Bering Island). Several flights operate during the summer season, with 1 to 2 flights in other seasons.
Tags: Kamchatka Krai · Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City
