Unknown Kamchatka 2015
14 days/ 13 nights
Dates in 2015:
July, August (on request)
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy. Meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel in
Paratunka or PKC. Accommodation, free time, rest, bathing in the swimming pool with hot
thermal water (in case of hotel in Paratunka).
Day 2 – Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by a 6x6 truck to Kozyrevsk (or Lazo) village (600 km).
On the way, stop at the Malkinskiye hot springs, bathing.
The Malkinskiye hot thermal springs are situated in the valley of the Bystraya river, at a great
thermal territory of underground natural springs. Hot thermal water runs to small basins
situated near the cold creeks. This is a great place for bathing and rest in the open air.
Then transfer to Milkovo settlement, lunch break. On arrival to Kozyrevsk (or Lazo), setting up a
tent camp, dinner, overnight under tents.
Day 3 – Breakfast. Transfer to the Tolbachik volcano foothill (about 4 hours). Lunch – picnic en
route.
The Tolbachik Valley is one of the unique places in Kamchatka. The Tolbachik volcano is
situated in the north sector of the Kluchevskaya group of volcanoes. This place is famous for the
Big Crest Tolbachik Eruption which includes the new born small Northern and Southern volcano
cones (1975 – 1976). The Northern cones consist of slag cones, hardened lava flows on the
western slope, ash fields remaining after the eruption and covering the area of 1000 square km.
In the Soviet times they tested a running gear of a lunar rover here.
Even more than 35 years after this powerful eruption the area looks like a surface of some
fantastic planet. Lifeless, as it only may seem, ash fields, chains of colourful slag cones, volcanic
bombs, fairy-tale branches of a dead forest which is “frozen” by a hot breath of the Earth and
flowers thrown here and there on the dark slag like a bright northern patch.
Setting up a tent camp. Dinner, overnight under tents.
Day 4 – Breakfast. Ascending the Tolbachik volcano (Ploskiy Tolbachik, 3085m). Boxed lunch
en route.
The top of the Ploskiy Tolbachik volcano is cut off by a crater of 3 km in diameter. The caldera
is filled with ice and eruptive products. In the western part of the caldera there is a gap of about
300 meters in diameter and 40-50 meters deep. Sulfur gas and vapour are regularly emitted from
the crater. The ascend is rather easy and doesn’t require special physical training though it’s
long. The total time for ascending and returning to the base camp is 8-9 hours for average
groups.
**In case of impossible ascending because of bad weather – trekking to the new Tolbachik lava
flows of 2012-2013 eruption.
Return to the base camp, dinner, overnight under tents.
Day 5 – Breakfast. Excursion by a 6x6 truck to the “Dead Forest” (18-20 km). On the way, stop
and a short ascending of the Northern volcanic cones of the 1975-1976 eruption. Boxed lunch en
route.
In summer 1975 one of the most beautiful and powerful eruptions of the 20th century began here,
it was the Big Crest Tolbachik Eruption often called the “Eruption of the Century”. It began in
18 km to the south of the Ploskiy Tolbachik volcano when the ground cracked and magma
started fountaining from the depths. In the result the new volcanic cones appeared. The eruption
lasted for more than a year. Geologists claimed it catastrophic. Lava flows covered a huge area,
volcanic bombs flew out in different directions and for great distances, the layer of the ash and
slag reached 7 meters. Every living being at the volcano foothill was destroyed.
Return to the base camp, dinner, overnight under tents.
Day 6 – Breakfast. Transfer to Esso village (about 5 hours). On arrival to the village,
accommodation in a private hotel. Lunch, rest. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 7 – Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion by a truck to the traditional camp “Menedek” (25 km).
Meeting with natives (Evens), their culture and traditions. Return to the hotel. Excursion to the
village and visit to the local museum. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 8 – Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (600 km) with a lunch –
break in Milkovo settlement. Arrival at the hotel in Paratunka or PKC. Rest, bathing in the
swimming pool with hot thermal water (in case of hotel in Paratunka).
Day 9 – Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by a 6x6 truck to the Mutnovskiy volcano foothill (120
km). On the way, stop and excursion to the Vilyuchinskiy volcano waterfall. Lunch – picnic.
Setting up a tent camp at the Mutnovskiy volcano foothill, rest, dinner, overnight under tents.
Day 10 – Breakfast. Ascending the Mutnovskiy volcano (2323 m). Boxed lunch en route.
A column of volcanic gases and vapour rises above the crater of the Mutnovskiy volcano. This
effect comes from the fumaroles (small cracks and holes in the ground from which steams of hot
gases are emitted). They are situated mainly in the North-East crater and the Active crater of the
volcano. The scientists estimate this fumarole field one of the biggest in the world. The ascend is
not difficult ant takes about 6-7 hours in all for average groups.
Return to the base camp, rest, dinner, overnight under tents.
Day 11 – Breakfast. Transfer to the Goreliy volcano (12 km). Ascending to the craters of the
volcano (1829 m). Boxed lunch en route.
The Goreliy is an active volcano, an outstanding geological object. It represents a chain of 11
craters piled on top of each other. Numerous lakes, fumaroles and about 40 side slag cones with
lava flows are situated in and around the craters. The time for ascending and returning is 4-5
hours for average groups.
Return to the base camp, hot lunch. Return to the hotel. Rest, bathing in the swimming pool with
hot thermal water (in case of hotel in Paratunka).
Day 12 – Breakfast at the hotel.
Optional tour: helicopter trip to the Valley of Geysers.
The Valley of Geysers is by right called the Pearl of Kamchatka. There is no other place which
can be compared to the Kamchatka Valley of Geysers according to the majesty of the sight and
the number of gushing geysers situated on a rather small territory. The unique nature of the
Valley attracts tourists from all over the world.
The Uzon Caldera is a gigantic caldera 12 km in diameter which is a unique place of the
modern volcanism. Its uniqueness is in a large diversity of hydrothermal activity: mineral lakes,
powerful steams of vapour coming from hot springs, mud volcanoes in miniature.
Transfer to the helicopter pad. Check-in, boarding. Departure for the Valley of Geysers with
flight over the active volcanoes Karymsky and Maly Semyachik (flight time 1h 15 min). Landing
in the Valley of Geysers. 10 minute rest. 1.5 hour excursion in the Valley. Flight to the Uzon
caldera (flight time 5-7 min). 1 hour excursion in the caldera. Flight to the Zhupanova river
(flight time 40 min), hot meal, bathing in hot thermal springs. Return to the helicopter pad (flight
time 35 min). Transfer to the hotel.
Other optional trips are possible or free time.
Day 13 – Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the sea port in PKC. Boat trip to the Avachinskaya
Bay and Starichkov Island. Sea waterfowl and mammals watching. Lunch on board (fish soup
“oukha”).
The Avachinskaya bay is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Its twisting
coastline is cut by numerous small bays. Two spawning rivers flow into the bay. 32 species of
fish inhabit its waters. Practically all the year round we can find here several species of sole,
greenling, bullhead and halibut. Sea birds are rather numerous in the area. One can see seals in
the bays situated at the entrance to the Avachinskaya bay. The seals are not afraid of people and
let them approach rather close. Among big mammals one can find killer-whales. The waters of
the Avachinskaya bay are rich in natural gifts – sea urchins and crabs.
The Starichkov Island is situated about 10 km (5,5 miles) from the entrance to the Avachinskaya
bay. It got its name after small sea birds that nest there (Puffins). The Starichkov Island is a
nature reserve on water which abounds in puffins, loons, cormorants and other waterfowl.
Several nests of Steller’s Sea Eagle and a seal harem are situated on the island.
Return to the hotel.
Day 14 – Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport. Departure.
Price for 1 person, in USD:
Hotel
Solnechnaya/ Flamingo Hotel
Antarius Hotel
TWIN
4225
SNGL
4585
4390
4890
The price includes:
 hotel accommodation in Paratunka or PKC
 guide
 meals according to the programme
 transfers according to the programme
 excursions according to the programme
 bathing in swimming-pools (in case of hotels in Paratunka)
Additional costs:
 dinners at the hotel (except Esso village)
 optional excursions on Day 12: the Valley of Geysers + Uzon Caldera + Zhupanova river –
USD 1 060 per pax (fo group of 18 pax)
List of necessary things:
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a small backpack for trekking and ascending (for personal things)
strong boots and special trekking shoes (not trainers)
a waterproof jacket with a hood
sports trousers
a cap and a warm hat
mittens or gloves for trekking and ascending
sun glasses
a flask or a plastic bottle for drinking water during trekking and ascending
sun cream with UV protection
anti-mosquito spray
a second set of underwear and necessary things (for a two-day trip to the
Avachinskiy volcano)
chap stick
photo and video cameras
other things – at your discretion