Route from Gorely Volcano to Tolbachik: trekking, climbing, sea and river fishing, and overnight stays in tents

Day 1 Arrival to Kamchatka

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.

Day 2 Boat trip to Avacha Bay

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.

Day 3 Climbing the Gorely volcano

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.

Day 4 Hiking to the Small Valley of Geysers

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.

Day 5 Optional day for helicopter excursions and transfer to Milkovo

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.

Day 6 On road to Tolbachik volcano

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.

Day 7 Lava fields

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.

You will have a snack on the route, and you will return to the campsite for dinner.

Day 8 Tolbachinsky cones

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.

Day 9 Dead Forest

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.

Day 10 Rafting on the Bystraya river

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.

Day 11 Departure

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.