Northern Japan will be the prologue to your adventure. The island of Rishiri off Hokkaido is dominated by a volcano of the same name, with a cone-shaped peak. Spring is here – be fascinated as you explore the colourful nature with your experts.

The course will take you to the Sea of Okhotsk, where Anton Chekhov brought literary notoriety to the island of Sakhalin when he wrote about the erstwhile penal colony of Korsakov in his travelogue. Still impressed by the historical details, you will then take a Zodiac to the east coast of the island of Tyuleny. Its beaches are home to huge colonies of fur seals and its jagged cliffs are populated by flocks of common murres. Like in so many other places on this route, whales can often be spotted here.

Hardly any other region in the world offers such a mesmerising reflection of the natural forces of the Pacific Ring of Fire as the Kuril Islands. Overgrown mountain peaks shimmer through the mist and the spray thunders against steep cliffs: here, numerous Zodiac rides and landings will allow you to experience the vastness of nature. Wildlife sightings are a truly special part of the adventure. Chirpoy, part of an archipelago with still-active volcanoes, is home to sea lion colonies, for example. With a bit of luck, the Zodiacs will let you see marine mammals and seabirds up-close around the Lovushka Islands. The basalt coast provides birds with shelter and you with the most stunning subjects for your photos.

The many facets of Kamchatka could fill several books: active and extinct volcanoes, sputtering geysers and deep fjords, verdant forests and crystal-clear rivers. The HANSEATIC spirit’s route is adjusted according to daily weather conditions and expected sightings. Experience the true feeling of expedition late into the light evenings – for example, on a hike with your experts in Tikhirka Bay and with the possibility of spotting sea otters. The renowned scientists on board will happily expand your knowledge of different eras of Russian history, whether you’re interested in the indigenous peoples – the Itelmen and Koryaks – or the Cossack conquerors. You will then see the inhabitants of Petropavlovsk, the scientific and cultural centre of Kamchatka, in a new light. To marvel at the spectacle of fuming sulphur springs and columns of water from the perspective of the sea eagle, take a helicopter flight to the Valley of the Geysers*. The flight to Nalychevo Nature Park* also promises breathtaking panoramas and the opportunity to bathe in the wilderness. Alternatively, a hike up the Avacha volcano* will reward you with fantastic views. You’ll also find these on your Zodiac landing in Morzovaya Bay: keep a lookout for Steller’s sea eagles and relics of times gone by. Salmon return from the Pacific to spawn at this time of year – easy prey for the Kamchatka brown bears, who you might see with a little luck. From this natural kingdom, the HANSEATIC spirit will set off for Bering Island, where the great pioneering acts of the famous explorer will be brought to life. Vitus Bering ran aground here in 1741 on the way home from his second Kamchatka expedition.

What is life like for the people in the village of Nikolskoje? On a Zodiac ride off the Ptichiy Islands, see the islands – and the home of common and spotted seals – for yourself. Your experts will also explain how volcanoes work at Atlasova’s black lava beach and at the Alaid, the tallest volcano in the Kuril Islands at more than 2,000 m (6,562 ft). On Yankicho (Ushishir), you can explore inside the steep caldera in the Zodiacs if the weather is good.

A relaxing day at sea will take you back to Otaru via Korsakov. How will you remember the Far East – as an adventure or a Russian fairy tale?