This is the most complete Kamchatka journey in our collection. You will explore the peninsula from south to north. You will spend three days in the remote area of the Tolbachik volcanoes, a place rarely visited by tourists. You will listen to the roar of fumaroles, walk across lava fields, warm yourself in thermal springs, and feel the fresh breeze of the Pacific Ocean.
This journey will appeal to those who, in their search for beauty, are ready for challenges. To travel hundreds of kilometers, spend a night in a tent, ascend to the crater of an active volcano, or encounter a bear on a riverbank.
This trip is safe and accessible to people with average physical fitness. However, the nature of Kamchatka is such that its most interesting places are located far from each other and in areas without hotels. The Kamchatka you will see on this journey is worth the long transfers and nights in a tent.
The trip will be conducted with the highest possible comfort. Off-road travel in all-terrain vehicles. Trekking without heavy backpacks, accompanied by experienced mountain guides. Nights in a tent will alternate with hotel stays, allowing you to shower, as well as wash and dry your clothes.
You will ascend to the summit of Gorely Volcano and peer into the crater with a lake where turquoise water splashes
You will go trekking across the vast lava fields of Tolbachik Volcano
You will take a walk through the Dead Forest, destroyed by the 1975 eruption
You will go rafting on the Bystraya River and, if you're lucky, observe bears fishing
You will embark on a boat trip in Avacha Bay and may encounter whales, seals, and orcas
The itinerary may change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances — in this case, we will offer you alternative activities. Alternatively, the tour may follow the standard program but in the reverse order.
After meeting at the airport you will move to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, where you will be accomodated in the hotel and rest. Then you can walk around the city.
We recommend you to climb the Mishennaya and Nikolskaya hills, which offer a great view of the city, Avacha Bay and the "home group" of Kamchatka volcanoes: Avachinsky, Koryaksky and Kozelsky.
Also we advise you to visit the "Volcanarium" — an interactive museum, which clearly presents the volcanic processes of Kamchatka. Please note, that museum tours should be booked in advance.
You will have dinner with the guide at 8 p.m. and discuss the program.
Today you will enjoy a boat trip to the Avacha Bay. You will see sea bird rookeries on Babushkin Kamen (Old Woman’s Stone) Island and Tri Brata (Three Brothers) Island.
Next, you will go out to the Pacific ocean. If you are lucky, you will meet the seals, whales and killer whales. If not, do not worry — you are going to visit Starichkov Island, where you will watch the largest sea bird rookery in Kamchatka.
If desired you will participate in sea fishing, after which you will have lunch with fresh crabs and red fish soup cooked by assistant captain.
After lunch you will return to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
If desired, and for an additional fee, it is possible to replace the place of the boat trip to Russian Bay (10 hours), where you will have the opportunity to meet sea lions, whales and killer whales.
You will gather your baggage and go with SUVs to the area where volcanoes Mutnovsky, Gorely and Vilyuchinsky are located (120 km).
Today you will visit another active Gorely volcano (1829 m high). Hiking route will take 5-6 hours, but the ascent will be more difficult with the total gaining altitude of 700 m.
From the top of the crater you will see a bright acid lake. Then you will have a snack at the place with a beautiful view of Vilyuchinsky and Mutnovsky volcanoes.
In the afternoon you will go the foot of the volcano, here you will set up a campsite, have dinner and spend the night in tents.
Today after breakfast you will go with SUVs to foot of the Mutnovsky volcano (2323 m high). From this point you will start the hiking route, which will last for 2-3 hours with stops for a snack and photoshoot at the most picturesque places.
You will walk to the Small Valley of Geysers. On the way, you will see a geothermal station on the slope of the Mutnovsky volcano. You can also visit the Snow Leopard Waterfall on the Calm Stream.
The guided tour will last 2-3 hours with a stop for a snack.
In the evening, you will drive back to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (130 km, 2 hours). You will check into a hotel and have dinner on your own.
On this day you can take one of the helicopter excursions (extra charge). You can fly to the Geysers valley that is the famous UNESCO world heritage site. Or you can visit the Kuril lake, where dozens of bears arrange salmon fishing. See the detailed description of helicopter tours in the "Common question" section.
After returning from the helicopter excursion you will go towards the village of Milkovo (280 km, 3-4 hours). On the route you will stop in Sokoch village to have lunch in the cafe (extra charge).
In the evening you will get to Milkovo ans check into a hotel.
Most of this day you will spend on the way to Tolbachik volcano (240 km, 8-10 hours).
The route will run towards the Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes which is the largest in Russia. Its area is 6.5 thousand km², and the age is estimated by scientists as several hundred thousand years. This group includes the highest volcano in Kamchatka — Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4835 m). There are 4 active volcanoes, 10 extinct volcanoes and about 400 smaller volcanic formations, such as lava and cinder cones and extrusion domes.
Your camp will be located in the area of volcanoes Flat Tolbachik (3140 m) and Sharp Tolbachik (3682 m). In the coming days you will see the effects of its eruptions, which took place in 1740, 1975 and 2013.
Upon arrival, you will set up a camp and go for a short walk. In the evening you will have dinner and rest.
Today hiking route in the vicinity of Tolbachik volcano is waiting for you (5-6 hours).
The eruption of the Flat Tolbachik volcano in 2012-2013 became one of the most powerful on Kamchatka in the last hundred years. Two fractured breakthroughs formed at the southern slope. Powerful lava flows passed through the snow-covered volcano's slopes for about 18 km. Today it resembles a huge black river, frozen in incredible forms.
The surroundings of the volcano are covered with black volcanic sand and slag. It is interesting that such a composition corresponds to the surface of the moon by 96%. In the Soviet years, the lunar rover was even tested here.
You will walk through lava flows, climb volcanic cones and be able to descend into caves made by the wide lava flows, the temperature in which still reaches +60°C.
After breakfast you will go by car to the North breakthrough. You will climb the Tolbachinsky cones which have a height of 100-200 m. Here you will see volcanic sand of red color and volcanic bombs of more than a man's height.
In some places the surface of the cones still have the holes from where hot gas comes. Its temperatures may reach up to +600°C. If you put there tree branches, they can catch fire after some time
Then you will travel to the Southern Breach, where you will visit another cone with lava caves.
In the evening you will return to the camp and can feed the ground squirrels. This kind of gophers have already become an implicit symbol of Kamchatka. They are not afraid of people, boldly beg for nuts and even pose for the camera.
In the morning you will take a walk through the Dead forest – a huge area destroyed by slag and ash eruptions in 1975. The depth of the ash under your feet will reach up to 11 meters, so imagine, that you will walk at the level of the tree tops.
During the eruption, the ash worked as a powerful absorbent and "dried" the huge forest. Today, however, this area is gradually recovering and new plants like "Ivan-tea" (loosestrife) appears.
After a walk through the Dead forest, you will move to Milkovo village (240 km, 8-10 hours). Here you will stay at the hotel, have dinner and relax.
Today you will go to the area of Malki village (170 km, 3 hours). You will have lunch on the river's bank, taste cooked salmon.
Then rafting on the Bystraya river is waiting for you. It will last for 2-3 hours. The raft will be managed by a guide, so you can rest and fish. If you are lucky, during the walk you will see bears hunting fish going to spawn on the banks of the river.
In the evening you will move to Paratunka. After arriving there, you will check into a hotel, have dinner and relax in a thermal pool.
After breakfast you will be taken to the fish market. You can buy red fish, caviar and crabs here. Then you will be taken to the airport to depart home.
The hotels in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the village of Milkovo may be changed to similar ones or to a higher category.
It is located in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. A buffet breakfast is served every morning at the hotel. You will stay in double rooms with double or twin beds and a private bathroom.
It is located in the village of Paratunka, surrounded by hills in a picturesque place with thermal springs. You will live in standard double rooms with single beds and a private bathroom.
On the territory of the complex: restaurant, pub, two outdoor pools with thermal water, sauna, massage room, barbecue area with gazebos.
Located in the village of Milkovo. You will stay in twin rooms with either a double bed or two single beds and a private bathroom with a shower.
The guides will teach you how to set up tents. All participants are given tents and tourist mats. The campsite area also include 2 large public tents for the kitchen and dining room, as well as a tent for the toilet.
On the territory of the camp at Tolbachik: two large tents for the kitchen and dining room, a tent-toilet, there is a shower.
Along with the tents, you will be provided with foam sleeping mats. Sleeping bags must be brought with you or rented on site for an additional fee (please notify us of this need in advance).
Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Kamchatka is a mountainous region stretching from the North to the South and surrounded by the waters of the Pacific ocean and the Okhotsk sea. The weather here is changeable, and there is a special microclimate in different areas.
The best months for summer travel are July and August. The average temperature in August is +12°C to +16°C. In the highest parts of the mountains there are glaciers. Rain is possible, as well as snow at high altitudes. In the forest area there are a lot of mosquitoes and midges. In September, it is important to take into account the low temperature and the possibility of frost.
You should be ready for all kinds of weather conditions: from summer heat to strong winds with cold autumn rain and frosts.
Documents:
Clothing and footwear:
Personal items and equipment:
For overnight stays in tents, you will be provided with foam sleeping mats, and during the rafting — wading boots and a dry bag.
Meals during the urban part of the tour are not included in the cost: you will need to pay for lunch and dinner on day 1, lunch on day 5, dinner on days 2, 5, 9 and 10.
During the rest of the tour, you will be provided with three meals a day: hot breakfasts and dinners, as well as light lunches on the route. The menu includes porridge, salads, soups, side dishes, meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, sandwiches, cookies, sweets, tea and coffee. During the active part of the tour, a cook will prepare the meals.
In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, we recommend visiting our tried and tested restaurants:
San Marino — a restaurant and confectionery with Mediterranean cuisine
Pastrami Kamchatka — a gastropub with seafood and a large selection of wines
KAMCHATKA Local Kitchen — fine dining made from local products
Butcher — a large selection of meat dishes
Transfer from the airport to the hotel on the first day of the tour and back on the last day is carried out by the driver.
From the second to the tenth days with will be accompanied by an experienced English-speaking guides, a driver and a cook.
On the fifth day of the tour, you can take one of the helicopter tours for an additional fee. Flights are carried out by Mi-8 helicopters. Duration of the tour: 6-7 hours. The group consists of 19-23 people, who are always accompanied by a guide. The price of the flight includes hot meals and swimming in natural springs (bring with you a swimsuit, a towel and slippers).
1. Geysers Valley
Highlights of the tour:
2. Kuril lake
Highlights of the tour:
If you wish to book a helicopter tour, please inform us at the time of booking or at least 2 weeks in advance. The flight is paid for at the airport, but seats in the helicopter is important to book in advance.
Price for the tours is being updated.
Note: in case of bad weather, the helicopter tour will not take place. If it is important for you to get to the Geysers Valley or Kuril lake during your trip to Kamchatka, we recommend to take some reserve days before or after the tour.
Mobile communication will only be available in the hotel areas and in populated areas.
Communication is practically unavailable on the active routes.
Transfers along the route will be carried out in an all-terrain shift vehicle based on a Ural or KAMAZ.
Transfer from and to the airport will be organized by car.
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Bucket List Journey to Kamchatka 11 days
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