Staying near the lair of a Siberian tiger might seem risky, but it offers a truly unforgettable adventure.
For £3,500, tourists can embark on a rare journey to Russia, sleeping in the natural habitat of one of the world’s most endangered big cats.
Natural World Safaris, a bespoke tour operator, offers this unique seven-day trip to the Durminskoye Reserve in Khabarovsk, where the remaining Siberian tigers roam.
Guests can explore the tiger’s wild territory, set up camera traps with experts, and possibly capture glimpses of these elusive predators on film.
Participants will walk in the footsteps of these majestic animals and spend time with Alexander Batalov, a dedicated Russian conservationist who has spent two decades protecting Siberian tigers.
Although accommodations are basic, a translator is provided to enhance the experience.
Daily activities include exploring the reserve in hopes of finding tiger tracks. The safari doesn’t directly track the tigers to avoid accidental encounters; instead, it relies on strategically placed cameras to monitor the animals from a distance.
The data collected aids Batalov and his team in preventing the species from disappearing.
Will Bolsover, Managing Director of Natural World Safaris and a wildlife encounter specialist, called the trip one of the rarest wildlife travel experiences left.
“Spending time with Alexander Batalov in the home of some of the last remaining Siberian tigers, setting camera traps, and collecting essential conservation data is an incredible opportunity,” he told MailOnline Travel.
With fewer than 400 Siberian tigers remaining in the wild, they are officially classified as endangered.
Once spread across the Russian Far East, northern China, and the Korean peninsula, the population was nearly wiped out by the 1940s due to hunting, leaving only about 40 tigers.
Although their numbers have slightly recovered, spotting them remains extremely rare due to their vast home range and sparse prey availability.
Bolsover emphasized the unpredictable nature of tiger sightings: “Guests will be staying right in the heart of the tigers’ habitat, but with these cats being incredibly elusive, there’s no guarantee of seeing one.”
While setting camera traps and observing scent trails, footprints, and scratch marks, participants will be precisely where the tigers roam.
“The tigers could be 20 meters away, 200 meters, or even two miles distant—proximity is hard to measure,” Bolsover added.
The adventure lies in seeing a tiger and knowing they are close by in their natural environment.
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