Located in 130 km northeast of Murmansk, the village of Teriberka is currently the only place on the Russian coast of the Barents Sea open for foreigners.
The road to Teriberka goes through the forest tundra and bare tundra. In summer and in autumn the surrounding landscape is spectacular. From November to April, snow related road closures could affect traffic between Murmansk and the village. Thorough planning is required if you want to visit the place in winter.
Nowadays the population of the village comes to about 900 inhabitants, which is three times less than in 1970s. With its numerous deteriorating abandoned buildings, Teriberka was a film set for a rather depressing "Leviathan" movie (2014). The movie gained some popularity and the number of Russian travellers to Teriberka has begun to increase, followed with international tourists looking for a day trip in between their evening Aurora hunt tours.
Tourist attractions in Teriberka
- Dragon Eggs Beach
- Ship's graveyard
- Waterfall of Maloye Batareyskoye Lake
- Abandoned school and other buildings
- Teriberka Wind Park
- Sand beach
- “Leviathan” whale skeleton
- Weather station
- Tikhvin church and Orthodox chapel
- Husky and reindeer farm
- Abandoned artillery battery
- Throne and Swing installations
Whale watching in the Barents Sea
Whales and dolphins are frequent in the Barents Sea waters near Teriberka. In winter, one can spot Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and Killer whale (Orcinus orca). Later in spring, the migration of Common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) begins, followed with numerous pods of white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris). Small pods of Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) are occasionally seen throughout the year.
Seal population consists of bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), common seals (Phoca vitulina) and harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus). The latter is the most numerous seal species in the local waters.
Other marine mammals seen in the area include Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) and Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).
Local entrepreneurs run small boat trips for those who want to see whales and dolphins thriving in the wild. This activity is popular so advance reservations are highly recommended.
