Siberia’s mighty Kaa-Khem river is one of the few great untouched rivers left on the planet. From its source in the mountains of the Sayan, it descends on its course at an average rate of 17.4 feet per mile. That makes for swift currents and exciting class 3 and 4 whitewater.

If you’re a rafting enthusiast, this could well be the trip of a lifetime, but because the region is so remote, very few outsiders ever experience it. This year might be your best shot — Echo River Trips is celebrating its 40th anniversary by offering a chance to run the Kaa-Khem with Vladimir Gavrilov, one of their most respected river guides.

The 15-day trip includes rafting plus opportunities to hike in the surrounding taiga forests and to try to catch some of the monstrous fish that live in the river. Since the area is so isolated, you’ll start off the journey with a helicopter ride into the wilderness. As Echo says on their blog: “A river trip that begins with an Mi-8 helicopter ride will make you feel more like James Bond than any martini ever could.”

You’ll need a Russian visa for this trip, and getting one can be an adventure in and of itself. This trip is nonrefundable, so be sure to apply as far in advance as possible and to make sure you understand all of the necessary rules and regulations.

Here’s what you’ll need to apply for your visa:

• Your passport.
• A completed visa application form
• 1 passport photo
• A copy of your airline tickets or a copy of your itinerary showing your flight number and the dates that you’ll be in Russia.
• A tourist invitation from a Russian travel agency or hotel that can serve as your visa sponsor. If you’re going on an organized tour like this, this will be provided for you by the tour group.

None other than the US State Department calls the Russian visa system “restrictive and complicated.” Do yourself a favor and work with a visa agency like RushMyTravelVisa. You’ll get the assistance of a trained, professional visa specialist to research your itinerary and walk you through the paperwork, step by step. Then, we’ll expedite your application for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Russian visa today!

Tags: Russia, Russia visa, Russian visa

This entry was posted on Friday, February 18th, 2011 at 7:39 pm and is filed under Destinations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.