Interview with Sergey Insarov
The North Pole is not one of the main tourist attractions – still, an expedition there could become a thrilling lifetime experience. As head of North Pole Adventures, Sergey Insarov has organised over 20 expeditions to the region.
Russia Today: You’ve done over 20 expeditions to the North Pole. What do you think attracts people to that region?
Sergey Insarov: Every person goes to the North Pole for their own reasons but I believe the overall reason is the opportunity to say upon return, ‘I’ve been there, ‘I’ve seen the North Pole’.
RT: When you get there what can you see? What are the pictures unfolding before you the closer you get?
S.I.: Every time the picture is different. Some people are lucky enough to see beautiful huge ice blocks which seem to be radiating blue light around them. Some get a chance to see the so-called Arctic whiteout when the boundaries between the ice, the sky and the horizon are totally invisible. So every person brings back their own pictures and memories of the North Pole.
RT: When is the best time to visit the region?
S.I.: On March 26, the polar night period finishes at the North Pole and there’s about a month when tourists can comfortably stay there. At this time it is still quite cold and the snow has not started melting yet.
RT: What can tourists do there?
S.I.: If you mean extreme tourism, each year there are less and less people seeking it. A restaurant – or rather a buffet – we have there works 24 hours a day. And I think if people are lucky to see a polar bear, this becomes one of the most exciting experiences of their trip.
RT: The North Pole has a unique ecosystem we need to take care of. So are tourists like yours sensitive to that?
S.I.: Speaking about the tours we organise, I can say we take back all the things we bring there. So we do not damage ecology there. But no doubt the pollution of the Arctic Ocean causes concerns of many specialists and simple tourists. But I must say that our activities do not contribute to the pollution.
