The commander Islands were discovered in 1741 during the expedition, led by commander Vitus Bering, and named in his honor. For a long time after opening, the Islands were uninhabited, the first settlers – Aleuts and Creoles began to settle the Islands only in 1825, formed in consequence of the peculiar and unique Islands in their ethnic traditions of the Creole group. Nikolskoye village on the largest of the commander Islands, Bering island – the only settlement of Aleuts in Russia.

In the times of Tsarist Russia commander Islands were one of the main suppliers of furs, replenishing the Royal Treasury. The uncontrolled destruction of animals "fur fever" led to the slaughter of seals, dramatically reducing their numbers. Only in the late nineteenth century began to be protected rookeries, and there were restrictions of production of sea otters and sea lions. The control of fishing sea otters and the prohibition of the production of fur seals were introduced in 1911.

In Soviet times, the situation on the commander Islands has improved – since 1958 there was a ban on fishing in walking about thirty miles zone around the Islands, in 1980 the Islands was established the Reserve, which since 1983 has acquired regional importance. Federal value and the name "State nature reserve of Federal significance "commander" gets April 23, 1993, and in late 2002 he was awarded the status of "biosphere" under the auspices of UNESCO.

Commander of the reserve is the second largest territory among the reserves of Russia. Its area is 3 648 679 hectares, including 185 379 ha of land and 3 463 300 Pacific ocean and Bering sea. On site there is no volcanic activity, but there are earthquakes.The reserve is located in the southern part of the Bering island, on the Islands puffins, Arius Stone, Copper, compact group located to the East of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

The reserve is divided into areas with different degree of protection:
reserve the kernel is forbidden on these sites the human intervention in natural processes, absolute forbidden land;
- buffer zone – permitted traditional craft and limited economic activity.

On-site commander is full of lakes, rivers, wetlands, waterfalls. Almost all of the river – spawning salmon. Lake Sarannoye is the largest on the commander spawning sockeye. The climate is subarctic Islands – wet and windy.

The fauna of the commander Islands reserve is amazing and versatile.Under the protection of the reserve – pinniped animals, whales, blue Fox, red vole, American mink, wild reindeer, over a million birds. In the coastal waters of the Islands there are 17 species of whales: sperm whales, small whales, the commander ramasuri, whales-cleverely, Japanese and humpback whales, fin whales and SEI whales. In search of food whales swim very close to shore, allowing tourists to admire produced by the water fountains and the majestic silhouettes.

Pinniped animals – the main wealth of the reserve. The Islands are home to more than 250 000 sea otters, sea lions, Antonov, Largo, sea lions, sea hares, lionfish, walrus and other species. Blue and bowhead whales, small whales, ENTURY, the commander ramasuri, sea otters are listed in the Red Book.

Thanks to the unique flora of the Islands, the commanders severed from the flora of Kamchatka and the Aleutian Islands floristic region. Due to frequent and strong winds on the Islands there are no trees, and only in sheltered valleys and gully grow short and strongly curved shrubs of willow and mountain ash, and in the open areas there are thickets of juniper.

The valleys of the rivers and the shores of lakes rich in flowers, many species of which are listed in the Red Book: slipper grandiflora, the slipper Yatabe, lady's slipper, polutnik sea, TRILLIUM Kamchatka and Arnica Lessing. Without special permission in the reserve you can pick berries and mushrooms.

Commander Islands attract tourists from all over the world with its wild, primitive, untouched nature. The period from July to September is the most favorable for visiting the reserve. For tourists developed two existing route: "Aleutian trail on the island Copper" and "familiarity with the fauna and flora of Bering island". The program of the cruise includes a visit to the village of St. Nicholas, the fur seal rookeries, exploring the Islands puffins, Copper, Arius Stone.

To reach the administrative center of the commander Islands – the village of Nikolskoye on Bering island, in three ways: by plane L-410 from Yelizovo airport, the MI-8 helicopter, or Maritime passenger vessel. The tour is conducted by GAZ-66, UAZ, ZIL-131, Ural mountains, or walking on water on a motor boat "Zodiac".