Vishera Nature Reserve

The Vishera reserve covers about two and a half thousand square kilometres in the far north-east of Perm region, on the western slope of the Northern Urals against the Komi and Sverdlovsk boundaries - dark taiga of spruce and fir, mountain tundra above the tree line, and the upper Vishera and its tributaries running clear over stones. Tulymsky Kamen at 1,469 metres is the highest point in Perm region; Ishcherim, Muravyiny and the Chuvalsky ridge are the others. It protects a substantial sable population, brown bear, wolverine, elk, reindeer and the Ural grayling and taimen in the rivers. Access is by permit only, with routes assigned, and the practical way in is to raft the Vishera from the reserve boundary downstream, which is what most trips do. There are cordons with basic huts. No roads run inside and mobile signal is absent.

What you actually see

• The scale - two and a half thousand square kilometres with no roads inside.
• Tulymsky Kamen - at 1,469 metres, the highest point in Perm region.
• The taiga and tundra - dark spruce forest giving way to bare ground above the tree line.
• The rivers - clear upper Vishera water holding grayling and taimen.

When to go

July to September; the season is short and the rivers are high in June. A week or more. Permits from the reserve must be arranged well ahead.

Honest expectations

Permits are compulsory, limited and take time. No roads, no signal and no rescue - this is genuine wilderness travel. Bears are present and food discipline matters. Mosquitoes and blackfly in July are extreme. Rafting needs equipment and experience or an operator.

Nearby

Krasnovishersk is the last town; the Komi republic and Yugyd Va are north.