Volcanoes, rivers and bears of Kamchatka

General information
Detailed program
Necessary equipment
Tour cost

Tour period:

July - September

Tour duration:

10 days / 9 nights (2 nights in tents)

Number of people in the group:

4 - 15

Difficulty of the route:

3/5

Short description

Route: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (PKC) – the Avacha bay - Starichkov island - PKC - Camel Rock - Avachinsky volcano - PKC - Spokoiny stream - Mutnovsky volcano - Gorely volcano - PKC - Kuril Lake - Avacha river - PKC.

We offer this tour to those who would like to get lots of positive emotions in some days.

The tour is rather active, but does not require from your extra physical efforts. You'll reach the craters of three active volcanoes, try your luck in sea fishing during an excursion to the natural preserve "Starichkov island", take part in a helicopter excursion to Kuril Lake where during wild salmon spawning time you may safely watch bear fishing from just a few meters distance! You will also float down one of the most beautiful rivers of Kamchatka and admire its nature relaxing in a raft.

Additional information:

Avachinsky volcano (2741 m) – (or Avachinskaya Sopka) is one of the most active and most visited volcanoes of Kamchatka. It is located 25 km NE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Kamchatka's largest city, in southern Kamchatka. It is a stratovolcano that consists of a younger cone inside the rim of an older caldera and belongs to the Somma-Vesuvius type with the height of the somma 2317 m. The volcano contains a 4 km wide base and a summit crater 360 m wide and 250 m deep. The crater's appearance changed in width and depth from eruption to eruption. It continues to experience frequent earthquakes, and many fumaroles exist near the summit. The temperature of gases emitted at fumaroles on the slope has been measured at over 150°C, and at the crater fumaroles – over 700°C. Avachinsky volcano has erupted at least 18 times in recorded history, since 1737. The eruption of 15-16 June 1779 was witnessed by Captain Cook's expedition was one of the largest at the volcano. Ash fell on Cook's ships in Avacha bay. A large (VEI=4) explosive eruption occurred at Avachinsky in 1945, when about 0.25 km³ of magma was ejected. The most recent eruption in 1991 lasted from 13-30 January and was observed well from Petropavlovsk.

Mutnovsky volcano (2323 m) – is located in 70 km (44 miles) to the south of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Together with Gorely, Vilyuchinsky, Asacha, this volcano forms a complex multiple-aged massif with Kamchatka and the world’s mightiest fumarole and mud fields and pulsating sources. Mutnovsky consists of four merged cones. One of them – Vostochny (eastern) – is the youngest, and its top is the highest point (2,323 m or 7,621 ft). There are two craters, partially overlapping one another, on the western slope. In 2000, an eruption occurred in one of them. In result, near the famous Active crater a new crater has formed with a blue lake on its bottom. One can observe vapor and gas jets edged with volcanic sulfur on the bottom and walls of the old crater. Sulfur cupolas with height up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) and diameter up to 5 m (16 ft) can be seen above some of them. There are also water and mud pots here. Cutting the bottom and western walls of the northern crater, the Vulkannaya river forms a 80-meter (262-feet) waterfall in its outlet, and there is a deep canyon – Ovrag Opasny (Dangerous canyon) – is being formed below.

Gorely volcano (1829 m) – is a typical shield-type volcano located in Southern Kamchatka, about 75 km SW of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Its modern edifice is composed of three large superimposed cones and 11 associated craters forming an intra-caldera ridgeline. There is a complex of 40 modern subsidiary cones on the slopes of “Young Gorely”. Andesite-dacitic lavas are exposed on the caldera rim and have a depth of 3-20 m. In the caldera, lava reaches a maximum thickness of 200 m. The explosive activity of 1984 – 1986 produced a crater which is now filled with an acid lake. The slopes of the main crater has multiple fumarolic outlets.

Day 1: Arrival in Kamchatka.

Arrival in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Meeting at the airport. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Lunch at the hotel. A brief city-tour around Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (drive to the viewing point and some historical sites of the town).

The city, founded by Danish navigator Vitus Bering in 1740, has always been a strategic port in the Far East of Russia. Many round-the-world expeditions of the XVIII – XIX centuries visited Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky with the refreshment purposes. During the 1854–1855 Crimean War the city was put under siege by the Anglo-French forces but never fell.

On return to the hotel you meet with the guide to discuss the program in detail.
Dinner at the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 2: The Avacha bay - Starichkov island.

Breakfast. Transfer to the sea quay in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Cruise along the bay Avachinskaya to a natural preserve – the island Starichkov. Lunch on board.

The way to the island Starichkov goes along the Avacha bay passing the so called ID-card of Kamchatka the rocks "Three Brothers" and lava rock "Devil's finger". You will see the rookeries of the sea mammals and bird colonies.

On the way back we make a stop to catch some sea fish in the Tikhaya bay.
Return to the town. Transfer back to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 3: PKC – Avachinsky volcano – mount Camel.

Breakfast. Transfer by all-terrain bus to the foot of Avachinsky volcano to the altitude of 860 m asl.

Part of the route is through the bed of a dry river. The drive to the distance of 30 km takes 2 – 2,5 hours depending on the road conditions.

Accommodation in huts for 4 – 10 persons in the base camp or in double tents in a tent camp. Walking excursion to the mountain Camel (1200 m asl.) will take us 3 – 4 hours. Lunch en route.

The natural monument – "Mountain Verblyud" (Camel) located on the mountain pass between the volcanoes Avachinsky and Koryaksky – is a small rocky massif with two sharp peaks. The mountain was formed during the eruptions of both volcanoes. As a result of earth crust movement and activity of the volcanoes incandescent lava flowed that later became the mount Verblyud.

Return to the camp. Dinner. Toolbox talk for the next day. Overnight stay in the base camp.

Day 4: Ascent of Avachinsky volcano (2741 m) - PKC.

Breakfast. Ascent of Avachinsky volcano.

We get to the summit along the western slope by the ascending path with the level of difficulty 1A. The ascent to Avachinsky volcano and return to the base camp take as a rule 9 - 12 hours depending of the participants’ physical fitness. The difference of the altitude is almost 1900 m. The most difficult part of the ascent is the last 100 m.

If you feel en route that you are not ready to continue the ascent, our guide’s assistant will take you back to the camp where you may wait for the rest of the group to return.

Lunch on the volcano slope at the altitude of about 2000 m. Climb the young volcanic cinder cone to the crater. Walk around the crater.

From the edge of the crater you will catch the beautiful view of Nalychevo valley, the southern volcanic group and the Pacific coast. Here you may approach the fumaroles and touch the lava cork that sealed up the crater in 1991.

Descent back to the base camp. Dinner. Drive back to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 5: PKC - Spokoiny stream.

Breakfast. Transfer by all-terrain bus to the foot of Vilyuchinsky volcano.

The route goes south gaining height along the valley of the river Paratunka. As we go up the road we stop to make photos and video at the height of 1100 m on top of the highest automobile mountain pass of Kamchatka - Vilyuchinsky pass. You will admire the formidable view of the valley of the river Paratunka and volcanoes Gorely and Mutnovsky. Then we go south along a volcanic plateau.

Arrival at the destination. Set up camp at the stream Spokoyny.
Lunch.
Walking excursion to the waterfall Kosy Veroniki. Return back to the camp.
Dinner. Toolbox talk for the next day.
Overnight stay in tents.

Day 6: Excursion into the crater of Mutnovsky volcano.

Breakfast. Drive to the foot of the volcano Mutnovsky.
Hiking inside the active crater of the volcano. Excursion around the fumarole zone – observe of the "Falling glacier", pulsating springs, fumarole outlets, mud pots...

The biggest crater of the volcano is located at the altitude of 1600 m, it is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Kamchatka. Thus in order to get into the crater you don't have to climb to the top of the volcano (2323 m). The ascent is rather easy, you walk on the path of a 1A category in a crust fracture. It takes usually 2 - 3 hours to get to the crater, depending on the physical fitness of the participants of the tour.

Lunch en route in the volcano crater.
Return to the automobile. Transfer to the canyon Opasny. Observing the 90 meters deep canyon and a waterfall.
Return back to the camp.
Dinner. Toolbox talk for the next day.
Overnight stay in tents.

Day 7: Ascent of Gorely volcano - PKC.

Breakfast. Packing up the camp.
Transfer by all-terrain bus to the caldera of Gorely volcano.
Ascent of Gorely volcano up to its top (1829 m).

The ascent is rather easy and takes approximately 2 – 4 hours depending of the tourists’ physical fitness. The steepness of the slope at the top makes up to 25°. The elevation difference is about 900 meters. You will see a lot of solidified lava rocks of whimsicle forms on your way called kekur.

If you feel en route that you are not ready to continue the ascent, our guide’s assistant will take you back to the camp where you may wait for the rest of the group to return.

Lunch on top of the volcano.

From the top of the volcano Gorely you can see the neighbour volcanoes: Vilyuchinsky, Moutnovsky, Zhirovskoy, the volcanoes of the Tolmachev valley, volcanoes Asacha and Opala. In good weather you can clearly see in the north the volcanoes: Avachisky, Koryaksy, Kozelsky, Zhupanovsky; volcanoes: Zheltovsky, Ilyinsky, Khodutka and Priyemysh in the south.

Walk around the carters. Descent to the vehicle. Drive back to Petropavlovsk.
Stop at the foot of Goryachaya hill. Lunch.
If you like you may climb to Verkhneparatunskiye thermal springs (about 70 m) to bathe in the hot springs.
Transfer to the hotel.
Dinner. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 8: PKC - Kuril Lake - PKC.

Breakfast. Transfer to the helipad.
Helicopter flight to Kuril Lake. Flight time about 1 hour.
Arrival at the lake. Trekking excursion on the lake. Bears and salmon spawning viewing. Trek to fish-counting weir.
Lunch: salmon with rise, tea/coffee, juice. Duration of the excursion is 1 hour 30 minutes.

Flight (15 minutes) to the next stop - the caldera of Ksudach volcano.
Trekking excursion in the caldera. Hot Beach viewing. Duration of the excursion is 15 - 20 minutes.

Caldera of Ksudach volcano is the Monument of Nature due to its geological construction. The eruption resulting in the volcano collapse took place in 1907 so that its volcanic ash is still recognized 200 km away from the epicenter of eruption.

Flight to the next stop - about 20 minutes. Landing at the foot of Khodutka volcano. Bathing in the unique hot river, where temperature of water reaches 40°С.

The springs are believed to have a healing effect as they contain a great amount of silicic acid.

Flight back to town. Flight time is about 40 minutes.
Transfer to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay at the hotel.

If you’d like to abstain from the helicopter excursion you spend this day on your wish. An optional program may be organized for additional fee.

Day 9: Rafting.

Breakfast. Departure from the hotel to the river Bystraya . The drive to the distance of 120 km takes 2 hours.

Arrival at the rafting start point. Preparing the equipment for rafting. Safety measures instructions. Beginning of rafting and fishing.

The duration of rafting is 4 - 5 hours. We float down the river without riffles. Each tourist gets fishing tackle. An experienced guide controls each raft.

At the end of rafting, we cook lunch using the caught fish. Packing up the raft.

Return to the hotel. A farewell dinner. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 10: Departure from Kamchatka.

Breakfast. Visit to the local fish market and a gift shop.Transfer to the airport.

: Created: 27 July 2020; Last Updated: 31 July 2020

Volcanoes, rivers and bears of Kamchatka

Short description

Additional information:

* The tour price includes:

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