Very useful information. Travel to Kamchatka: tours, or on your own
The Kamchatka Peninsula, despite its remoteness from the central part of Russia, is known to many for its unique nature, hot springs and, of course, volcanoes. Holidays in Kamchatka in the summer of 2019 are an opportunity to touch miraculous sights, unusual entertainment and, perhaps, plunge into the Pacific Ocean. Read more about this in this article.
The uniquely shaped peninsula, located in the northeast of Russia, is quite difficult not to notice on the map. In its shape, it resembles a fish and stretches from north to south for 1200 km. The total area of the Kamchatka Peninsula is 270 thousand square meters. km.
From the East, its shores are washed by the Pacific Ocean and the Berengov Sea, and from the West by the Sea of Okhotsk. The eastern coast is quite indented, which caused the formation of a large number of bays. In one of them, Avachinsky, is the administrative center of the region - the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Peninsula on the map:
Most of the peninsula's territory has the status of specially protected lands. There are three reserves here: Komandorsky, Kronotsky, Koryaksky, natural parks and reserves.
It is quite possible to get into some of them as a tourist, going to Kamchatka in the summer.
The history of the peninsula, as a part of Russia, goes back to 1697, when during the expedition of Vladimir Atlasov the peninsula was assigned to Russia and forts were built: Upper and Lower Kamchatka.
The current administrative center appeared half a century later and thanks to a completely different navigator, Vitus Bereng. Danish by birth, he participated in two Kamchatka expeditions; the discovery of Petropavlovsk occurred on the second.
The city received its name in honor of the ships that, in the fall of 1740, having left Okhotsk, remained for the winter in the Avachinskaya Guba area. These were two packet boats “St. Peter” and “St. Paul”.
Petropavlovka is the name given to the bay, in which the settlement was subsequently built.
The Kamchatka region, originally formed in 1803, changed its status several times over the years. For example, in 1932 it was included in the Khabarovsk Territory, and two years later the Chukotka and Koryak Autonomous Okrugs became part of it. The region became an independent territorial unit in 1956, and in 2007 it was transformed into the Kamchatka Territory.
By the way, the Koryak Autonomous Okrug, located on the peninsula, today is a territorial unit with a special status.
A trip to Kamchatka is an opportunity to get in touch with the unique culture of indigenous peoples - Koryaks, Itelmens, Alyutors. Unfortunately, many traditions are lost as generations change, so do not put off your trip to this wild region.
How to get there
Air travel is the only way for a tourist to get to Kamchatka.
The international airport of the peninsula is located 30 km from the administrative center within the town of Elizovo.
The Kamchatka Peninsula has direct flights from, flights to these settlements are carried out daily. Every week you can go to Novosibirsk, Yakutsk and Magadan.
A little more about beautiful Kamchatka - in the video:
Summer holidays in Kamchatka in 2019 are an opportunity not only to get to know your country better, to see one of its most beautiful regions, but also to have an interesting time relaxing in thermal springs or enjoying active sports. Helicopter excursions, boat trips, hiking trips and horseback riding routes are just a few things that await a traveler in Kamchatka in the summer.
Tips about Kamchatka for touristsBefore I move on to the story about my vacation in Kamchatka, I think that I need to make a useful post with various tips for those who are just planning to go there. For those who do not plan to go there, it is better not to waste time because... The post is long and only about organizing the trip.
So, tips.
PURCHASING A TOUR and TRAVEL COMPANY
Firstly, it is not necessary to immediately look for a travel agency in Moscow (St. Petersburg and other cities) and buy a ready-made package tour, since everything can be bought cheaper on the spot. Indeed, when climbing volcanoes, for rafting you must be in a group with an instructor. Even if you can find the necessary paths yourself, you will still need a super-passable car to get to the beginning of this very path, or the raft itself. They travel either in good jeeps or in a tour group on rotational vehicles (trucks - Zilas, Kamazs equipped for transporting people). Renting a separate jeep with a driver for yourself is very expensive. Therefore, it is still better to go with a group.
Everyone really praises the local Kamchatka company “Traverse Tour” http://www.kamchatkatravers.ru/
They have their own equipment (shift boats, rafts, snowmobiles), their own guides and instructors, they have their own house at the foot of Mutnovsky, and many intermediary companies often join people to their groups.
In general, it’s better to fly to P-Kamchatsky and call Tatyana or her husband Konstantin Abramovich - the owners of the Traverse Tour company, they are very nice people and truly professionals in their field. They are praised by other companies and people who contact them.
You don’t have to buy a package tour with a program for, say, 10 days, but buy all the excursions included in it on the spot separately (there are separate climbs to volcanoes, a separate rafting, a separate boat trip, etc.), focusing on the weather and your well-being.
We also had very good instructors, girls Yulia and Arina from another company, with whom we went to Avacha. They plan to conduct their own exclusive tours later. I highly recommend them. They are not just guides, but people who love the mountains and nature of Kamchatka, who know a lot of interesting information. If you want to contact them, write in a personal message, I will give Yulia’s phone number, she will help you with organizing your vacation.
We also had a wonderful jeep driver Volodya, who can drive along the most impassable roads and can also help with the tour. You can also take his phone number from me.
Prices for helicopter tours (to the Valley of Geysers, Tolbachik, Kuril Lake, etc.) are almost the same everywhere, with a difference of 1000 rubles at best. They are also organized mainly by intermediary firms. Guides who accompany tourists directly to the lake from the company "Edge" tel 8 (415-2) 48 44 61. Helicopter tours are organized by the travel company “Vityaz-travel” (they own the helicopters) http://vityaz-travel.ru
There are two-week tours for photographers during the bear season to Kuril Lake. It is better to book them in advance, several months in advance, because... All places are being taken apart.
TRIP TIME
The hottest season for traveling to Kamchatka is summer. The most hiking time is from mid-July to mid-August. Bears on Kuril Lake fish from the end of July until mid-August (when sockeye salmon runs). Most birds (golden eagles, eagles) on Kuril Lake are in winter, from January to the end of February. In September, it is best to see volcanoes in the Valley of Geysers (and not only there), because... less fog, good visibility and very beautiful because... thickets of shiksha (a local berry) become like a fleecy burgundy carpet, and the trees are painted golden. Winter in Kamchatka is also very good. You can go snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, alpine skiing and dog sledding.
Ethnographic activities:
1. First Saturday of March - Reindeer Herder Festival (takes place in Esso)
2. First Saturday of June - Feast of the First Fish
3. Third Saturday of June - Nurgenek meeting of the Even New Year
4. The last Saturday of September is the Itelmen ritual holiday “Alhalalai” Thanks to nature.
5. The first Saturday of November - Koryak ritual holiday “Hololo”
Contact information about ethnographic villages, sites, etc. (sorry that it’s in English, but it’s not in Russian, and I don’t have time to retype it)
Also a very interesting annual event is the Berengia sled dog race (emphasis on the I). The race takes place in March and the exact dates can be found on their website. Usually start in Esso, finish in Ossora.
WHAT TO SEE
It's difficult to recommend because... everything is interesting. The only thing is that rafting on the Bystraya River is somewhat tedious, and if you don’t fish, then be prepared for the fact that you just slowly and meditatively watch the flow of water and a rather monotonous shore for several days. For people with poor health, hiking to and climbing volcanoes will be difficult; it is better to take helicopter tours to distant volcanoes, or, at best, a jeep tour to Mutnovsky, the climb there is not very difficult.
EQUIPMENT
For active tours, you need good trekking boots that really (!!!) do not let water through, and you have personally tested this on long hikes. The fact is that you will most likely have to walk through snowfields (they exist in the summer) and cross mountain streams on rocks, and sometimes ford. If you have light, wet boots, then don’t skimp and buy yourself rubber boots (you can do this right in P-Kamchatsky), you will walk with happy dry feet.
In general, Kamchatka has very clean air, and in general it is somehow clean, so if you are not going to get warm clothes wet (and dry them on the way), then ONE warm polartek (fleece) jacket is enough for you. A good waterproof and windproof raincoat (waterproof jacket) is a must. Light T-shirts for climbing will not be superfluous. Gaiters (“flashlights”) are very necessary on volcanoes because Either snow or volcanic dust with small stones tends to pour into my boots. For rafting you need Necessarily rubber boots, or you will face everyday life with wet, frozen feet due to the icy water splashing at the bottom of the raft. For hiking in the forest and for rafting (while staying on the shore), an anti-mosquito hat will not be superfluous.
Light trekking poles are useful, but if not, then the instructors provide their own (usually ski poles :)). There is also no need to bring a spoon, cup, etc. (unless expressly stated), the group is accompanied by a cook with his own utensils.
In the mountains you need sunscreen (the sun really beats down, even when it’s cloudy), and you also need mosquito repellent cream for forest hikes.
If you are going on a boat ride in Avacha Bay and sometimes get seasick, make sure to buy special Dramamine tablets in advance.
A warm (sub-zero) sleeping bag will come in handy when hiking.
You need to carry a swimsuit with you in your backpack, because... From time to time there is an opportunity to swim in a hot spring or in the Pacific Ocean.
Don't forget spare batteries for your camera equipment, because... In nature there is no place to charge your camera, but you will be taking a lot of photographs.
About maps: we didn’t find a good topographical map of the south of Kamchatka, in stores there is only a small piece around P-Kamchatsky (price 320 rubles) and there is a good map of the central part from Esso to Ossora (also about 300 rubles), the northern map is also in shops are not visible.
There are various hotels in the city, but in general living in P-Kamchatsky is not cheap. In my opinion, the cheapest option is to rent an apartment for a few days, or stay in a hostel. We lived for several days in a very pleasant hostel "Milano" http://milano-hostel.ru/
Hostess Tatyana tries to make all guests feel at home. Everything is new, modern, there is satellite TV, free tea and coffee. You can use a washing machine for free, there is a refrigerator, a multicooker, a microwave and a lot of other useful equipment, including a foot massager :) Very convenient location: two minutes from the bus station (firstly, you can get from the city center by almost any bus, -secondly, there is bus No. 104, which runs every 10 minutes to Yelizovo airport, so there is no need to take a taxi). The hostel is very clean. Bed space 850 rubles. Tatyana gave us a separate room. There is also a large room for a group.
Tatyana also rents out apartments, so you can contact her about an apartment.
In addition to hotels in P-Kamchatsky (which you can easily find on the Internet), you can live near hot springs in Paratunka (there are many recreation centers and boarding houses), or in Yelizovo. Buses go here and there from the bus station (the ride takes about 30 minutes). Buses run very frequently.
RELAX AT THE SPRINGS
They go on vacation to Paratunka, where the thermal water pools are open (in my opinion) until one in the morning. For example, they go to the “Pink Flamingo” boarding house. They also go to very good springs (including radon water) in Zelenkovskie Ozerki, but the bus does not go there. By taxi 1500 rubles. and you need to immediately make arrangements for the return trip and have them wait, because... There is nowhere to get a taxi there. Sometimes there are organized inexpensive tours there (350 rubles per nose). I honestly say that I didn’t go myself because... there was no time.
MOVEMENT AND TRANSPORT
Taxi drivers in the city charge unimaginable prices (for a fool), it is better to call a taxi by phone. The most popular “turtle”: phone 22-22-22. To the airport the fare is 850 - 1000 rubles.
It is better to travel around the city by comfortable buses. The fare is 18 rubles. The entire city stretches along the shore of Avacha Bay for 15 km. The main route is one main road, which is divided into segments with different street names (Pobeda Ave., Leninskaya, etc.) Along this main road, from one end of the city from the Bus Station stop to the other end of ZhBF (tin and can factory ), with an interval of a couple of minutes, half-empty buses constantly run. City center - stop "Dramater". Locals often measure their city not by street names, but by kilometers. For example, the Bus Station is the 10th kilometer.
From the bus station you can get to Termalny (via Paratunka), Elizovo, Milkovo, Atlasovo, Klyuchi, Esso, Oktyabrsky, Ust-Kamchatsk. You can also get to the village of Priozerny (?) and from there walk along the dirt road (it takes an hour and a half) to the shore of the Pacific Ocean.
As mentioned above, it is better and cheaper to get to Yelizovo airport (from the airport too) by bus No. 104. A ticket costs 40 rubles, a piece of luggage (luggage goes at the bottom of the bus in the luggage compartment) 10 rubles.
Tour operators from the city usually take you to the heliport themselves.
Local air travel in Kamchatka is very expensive; tickets for non-locals (locals have their own benefits) cost an average of 20 - 30 thousand rubles. Tickets are also not always available, it is better to buy in advance, because... There is a real crush at the ticket office before departure. It is necessary to take into account that the weather may not be suitable for flying (this often happens). Do not plan flights on deadlines; always leave some time to spare. It is especially difficult with the Commander Islands, they are most often in fog and sometimes people wait for weeks for a flight there and back. At the airport there is baggage packing, it seems like 300 rubles each, but I can’t say for sure.
Walking along Avacha Bay and going out into the Pacific Ocean is best done on organized tours (I haven’t heard of anyone being taken on boats), the fact is that, firstly, there can be really big waves and, secondly, there are restrictions on moving, because In the neighboring town of P-Kamchatsk, Vilyuchinsk, there is a submarine base, and when they go to the roadstead, movement of all watercraft is prohibited. If you are taking a sea tour to Russkaya Bay, also reserve time, because... The weather may deteriorate, and the boat may be delayed in returning (sometimes for several days). This is of course a rare case, but it happens.
Car rental is as usual, but remember that most of the cars here are right-hand drive. Gasoline is expensive. If in Moscow the 92nd cost 28.3 rubles when leaving, then here it cost 36 rubles, and the diesel and 95th 40 rubles. with kopecks.
EAT
In P-Kamchatsky, food is a little confused, there are few of the usual cafes, sushi restaurants and fast food, mostly some scary-looking bars, taverns, pubs, taverns, kebab houses, billiard rooms and nightclubs with food. The food in restaurants is very expensive (more expensive than in an average Moscow restaurant). It is optimal to have a snack in large shopping centers where there are pizzerias or some local burger joints. By the way, I haven’t seen McDonald’s in Kamchatsky. Maybe it's not there :)
Along the way, near the roads, there are all sorts of snack bars with pies. Local pies are large “bast shoes” fried in vegetable oil. The dough is not particularly edible, and it’s greasy because of the oil, but we have tasty, unusual fillings. For example, pies with apple and honeysuckle, or pies with potatoes and fern. Honeysuckle alone is not placed because very expensive. Such a bast shoe costs 70 - 80 rubles.
You can also eat delicious local berries (choksha, honeysuckle, cloudberries, lingonberries) depending on the season. It’s better to collect it yourself (there are a lot of ciksha and honeysuckle on the hills near the ocean). Buying locally is expensive.
For evening gatherings, we can recommend the local draft beer “Kamchatsky” or “Yakor”, and also in stalls and shops around the city they sell delicious smoked flounder (in small vacuum bags), which is made in Yelizovo. Very good!
SOUVENIRS
There are a lot of souvenirs and these are mainly items made of wood and bone (carved figurines), all sorts of claws and fangs are sold (a small bear claw costs more than 1000 rubles). For special fans, they sell skins and stuffed animals. In general, I’ll write right away that buying skins and stuffed animals is harmful, and not only because of compassion for animals and generally bad energy in the house from such trophies, but you also need to understand that over time, the fur (awn) (especially bear hair) crumbles into fine dust, which is very harmful to breathing and can cause severe lung diseases.
There are leather goods embroidered with beads, made in the local Itelmen and Koryak style.
For me, the main souvenirs were books about the nature of Kamchatka, bought in bookstores. I bought an atlas of plants, a guide to seabirds and animals, and books about the birds of Kamchatka. There are many books on the history of Kamchatka, about local folklore, collections of Kamchatka fairy tales and myths. Everywhere you can buy beautiful photo albums and postcards. Albums and postcards by S. Gorshkov and I. Shpilenok are especially popular.
Souvenir departments are very common throughout the city. There is a chain of specialized stores called Shaman's Shop. One of them is opposite the monument to La Perouse.
Fish, crabs and caviar are also popular souvenirs. It must be said right away that these souvenirs are not cheap at all. Their meaning is that when smoking fish, or when salting caviar, preservatives are generally not added, and in general everything is fresh and tasty, you won’t find anything like that here. A kilogram of caviar starts from 1200 rubles. Chinook salmon barrel with back from 750 rubles, there are cheaper parts of fish from 450 rubles. per kilogram. Sockeye salmon is cheaper. In general, you need to bargain and try. Caviar, if it is without preservatives, should not be bitter. In the markets, caviar is packaged in sealed plastic jars; the fish can be rolled up in a plastic vacuum bag (packaging in it costs 100 rubles). It’s better to pack everything tightly so that your things don’t stink of fish. Later, after the store packaging, we wrapped everything well in cling film. The crabs are sold cut into pieces and placed in plastic containers. These pieces are frozen. When defrosting, of course, they shrink greatly and give up a lot of water: (A small container costs 500 - 600 rubles. An iron can with crabs costs 500 rubles.
Of course, what if you have friends, etc. You can find everything cheaper, but I’m talking about prices on the regular market. There is a specialized market with products from Kamchatka producers - the Kamchatka Exhibition Center (KEC), it is located on the other side of Lenin Street, right behind the Drama Theater (if you go around it on the left), like building 58. In any case, you won’t get lost, it’s immediately visible. We bought at the city food market in the fish section. I can’t tell you exactly the address of the market (there is no house number on the Yandex map), but it seems to be: 50th Anniversary of October Avenue, 16.
Well, that seems to be all. If I haven’t written something, ask. For telephone numbers of the instructor and driver, please contact via PM.
Kamchatka is the outskirts of Russian land. I’ll tell you why you should come here, how to visit volcanoes for free, get paid for it, not be afraid of bears and be a good guy.
If you haven’t heard anything about the volcano peninsula, and the word Kamchatka evokes associations with the unattainable beauty of wild places, then you simply haven’t seen these photos and haven’t come across thoughtful notes from good travelers on the Internet.
In fact, everything is extremely simple (as in any business), and in the case of Kamchatka it can turn out to be pleasantly cheap and as accessible as possible.
A little bonus: tickets from Vladivostok and from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are sold at the same price, despite the huge difference in distance, and if you buy at least two weeks in advance, you can find them for 12 thousand rubles one way. I don't think that's a lot.
What I saw while flying over Kamchatka cannot be compared with any Indonesia... whole complexes of volcanoes, colored lakes, rivers, hills, forests... I didn’t even think that this could happen, not just somewhere there, but in our native Russia! If you're wondering whether it's worth it or not, then rest assured, it's a definite YES!
Where to stay
In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the main tourist spots there are hotels, apartments for rent and recreation centers. You can find recreation centers through a search engine or on site, and a hotel in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky can be selected and booked in advance based on reviews and ratings:
How to travel around Kamchatka
Season for traveling around Kamchatka- from July to September. But all year round you can take commercial tours and excursions, travel to the volcanoes on your own, or join a travel company and earn money by visiting volcanoes - you choose which side you end up on.
The cost of tours in Kamchatka is high, and visiting all territories is free, that is, permits have not yet been introduced here.
Tours and excursions in Kamchatka
If you have money and you just came to relax, then a huge number of tourism organizations are at your service; choose any hikes and excursions upon arrival on the spot or through websites that offer tours.
Hitchhiking and buses in Kamchatka
You can also take the position of a tramp who is not interested in money and company, open maps.me maps and feel free to travel along the indicated paths, as I do, for example.
Hitchhiking in Kamchatka very pleasant, the locals are kind, relaxed, they are always interested in who you are, where you are from, how things are on the mainland..
Bus Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Ust-Kamchatsk costs 3,000 rubles and this is the farthest distance, therefore all other routes are within this amount.
Around Kamchatka in a rented car
In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky you can rent a car for independent travel. The cost, depending on the season and car brand, is 2-4 thousand rubles per day (on average). Gasoline in Kamchatka costs around 44 rubles/liter. You can go around a lot of steep places, with the exception of some where only a snowmobile or ZIL can go, or peaks and volcanoes where you can only climb with your feet.
Work in Kamchatka and travel for a salary
If you are ready to work, but it seems to you that you can’t do anything special, then know: you know more than enough.
Who is needed? Current needs include: a cook (preparing food for hikes, fishing, rafting), a porter (carrying backpacks for pampered tourists), an assistant guide, or a guide himself (we download routes, read literature and lead a group, if we have the appropriate experience, of course), or translator (very relevant).
Salary on average five thousand a day, hikes on average every week, the highest season is July, August, half of September. If you know languages other than English, they pay quite nicely.
About prices in Kamchatka
In general, prices in Kamchatka are not as exorbitant as is commonly thought, if you do not take into account fruits and dairy products.
Half a liter of kefir costs 70 rubles; in principle, you can live magically with this, especially if you earn money here. A loaf of bread costs 30 rubles, canned food is the same as in any town on the mainland.
Otherwise, everything here is the same as everywhere else: there are billiards, bathhouses, cafes and taxis.
Hiking and rafting costs vary, visiting the territories themselves is free, and prices for hikes and excursions are crazy, so be wiser, download maps to your phones and go on a trip yourself. You will definitely fall in love with the volcano peninsula, there is no other way here.
What to see in Kamchatka
There are only two cities in Kamchatka: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (PK) and Yelizovo, all junctions, road and public, are tied around them. First of all, we get into the PC and from there we move on in a rented car or hitchhiking - whoever is up to what.
Sopka Mishennaya
The first thing everyone should visit is the observation hill in the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Mishennaya Hill, stop “6 km”), from there there is a cool view of the city, bay, ocean and two main volcanoes on the horizon.
View of the city from Mishennaya Hill. Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes are on the horizon. Volcanoes of Kamchatka
All volcanoes are located in separate groups, and some of them can be reached by road, sometimes even paved. Some territories are protected areas (the Kronotskoye Lake area, the area) and can only be reached there by helicopter and for a lot of money.
Of course, you can walk on foot in good weather in a couple of days, but if you get caught, then at best you will get into administrative trouble for lack of permission (I personally rebelled on a hike, but snow and common sense stopped us).
You can get a job there as a volunteer - it’s no problem, just like that airstop No one has canceled it yet, it also works (if you agree with the pilot, you can fly for free).
The nearest group of volcanoes can be reached in two hours from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Just open the maps.me map, find the Avachinskaya Sopka volcano, look where the path leading from it leads, and go to that point. If you hitchhike, then from the highway you will need to travel another 16 kilometers along the trail (if there are cars, of course, they will give you a lift), and you can safely set up a tent camp in the bushes at the foot.
The path to the Avachinskaya Sopka volcano Avachinskaya Sopka
This is the easiest volcano from where you can see incredible beauty with minimal effort. In summer, this is the level of a simple walk, and we walked in bad weather in the snow and in strong winds, this was my most difficult climb (and I did a lot). The volcano is active and periodically vibrates and makes humming sounds, sometimes stones fly out of the crater, but this does not bother anyone. The rock on the volcano is red, the fumaroles are doing their thing, the steam is coming out in two streams, the top is quite hot, by descending into the crater you can hide from the wind and drink tea and chocolate!
Koryak hill
Opposite Avachinsky there is the Koryakskaya Sopka volcano (3456 meters). All the locals say that only equipped professional climbers go to it and the routes to it are not registered at the base. We found route 1 B on the Internet and conquered it the day after Avachinsky. We were incredibly lucky with the weather, the sun was shining and there was absolutely no wind.
Descent from Koryaksky volcano The most beautiful landscapes of this group can be observed from the Kozelsky volcano; the path to it leads through Avachinsky.
Group of Gorely and Mutnovsky volcanoes
From Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky you can take a bus to the village of Termalny (95 rubles) and turn onto the Mutnovskaya GeoPP, this is the road to another group of volcanoes, which is famous for its cosmic landscapes.
I went to Gorely volcano in the evening and spent the night with a tent in the forest, not reaching 35 kilometers. I pitched my tent at the campsite and decided that I didn’t want to meet bears. Foxes came at night, but before I realized it, I remembered everything colorful that had happened in my life, and exhaled, realizing that they were not bears.
A few words about bears in Kamchatka
The kindest and shyest (or my karma is good).
These are not polar bears, they are not at all interested in destroying everything in their path, and people are not a delicacy for them. Especially in September, when the bear is already well-fed and picking berries.
The only thing you should beware of is the bear cubs, because somewhere next to them there is definitely a big mother who will definitely suspect you as a threat to her babies.
Undoubtedly, every year about a dozen people die from bears, and the remaining five thousand who were lucky enough to see them up close remained alive and happy, I think this is a good statistic. It turns out that it is much more logical to be afraid of car accidents than of bears, they are much more common. And of course, removing trash from nature, because feeding a bear is always not good.
Erupting volcanoes of Kamchatka
The craziest adventure was my trip to the village of Klyuchi, where the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano is now erupting. Before that, I thought that an eruption was some kind of process of ejecting lava, like a lightning-fast phenomenon... Here lava has been flowing along the slopes since April, and gathers huge crowds of tourists from all over the world.
You can’t see her during the day, she’s black and inconspicuous, but at night... This is the most unreal thing I’ve ever seen! Lava splashes out in a hundred-meter fountain and scatters along the slope of a tall mountain.
It seems that these are just coals flying at the speed of a feather, but you realize that these are huge blocks, and they fly very quickly, it’s just a huge height, what a force it is that pushes them out of there!! An incredibly sticky and cosmic spectacle, an indescribable delight.
They even try to climb it, but mostly everyone ends up with ash and people descend. One got hit on the helmet with a piece of hot stone, one got lost and wandered along the bed of a dry river for four days, going down...
The other day another volcano from that group began to erupt. It simply threw kilometers of ash into the air and a layer of dirt several centimeters fell on the cars, and continued to fall for some time; I won’t say that it was a harmless thing. In general, you won't get bored here.
Other places
I almost forgot, the city of Ust-Kamchatsk! Rows of Khrushchev-era apartment buildings, dilapidated wooden houses, landscapes of the consequences of the apocalypse, garbage dumps with rotting fish and bears, all this on the ocean shore with a cemetery of sunken ships and ultra-modern wind turbines.
However, getting here is already a whole adventure, hitchhiking is good, but the spaces between cars are filled with a specific romance... There is a forest in the area, there are a lot of bears, there are few cars, we collect chaga, drink teas, pick mushrooms, cook buckwheat, sleep on the edge of the forest, eat berries. .
The Kamchatka Peninsula is not only “far from everywhere”. These are also unique natural landscapes, healing springs, hunting, fishing, ancient way of life and customs of local residents...
You can always surprise your friends and acquaintances with the souvenirs, photo and video materials you bring; Kamchatka is unlike any other corner of the Earth. But the peninsula is large, its area is 270 thousand square kilometers.
How not to miss the most interesting things in Kamchatka? We will tell you about ten places that, in our opinion, any tourist who has visited this distant and mysterious corner of Russia should visit.
Valley of Geysers, reality fantasy
It is no coincidence that the legendary Sannikov Land was filmed here in the science fiction film of the same name. The Valley of Geysers is well known all over the world, but most people know it only from films, photographs, and articles.
The real impressions are most often stunning - a huge mountain valley is literally seething, throwing out jets of steam and hot water.
There is no such landscape anywhere on our planet, and if you manage to photograph a hefty bear that has come to “warm up” (in Kamchatka they are exactly like that), your reputation as an experienced and brave traveler is guaranteed for many years!
True, you will have to get to the Valley of Geysers by helicopter, but traveling to Mars is not an easy task, isn’t it?
Klyuchevskaya Sopka - a volcano with an unpredictable character
According to reviews from travelers, Klyuchevskoy is a volcano with a terrible character. The highest stratovolcano on the Eurasian continent (a conical volcano) can at any moment emit clouds of smoke, or even streams of lava and flying stones.
So you shouldn’t go specifically “to see the eruption”; having been near Klyuchevskaya Sopka, you in any case have a chance to enjoy an unforgettable spectacle.
As for climbing to the top, we categorically do not recommend it for unprepared tourists to do it on their own, without a local instructor. And getting to Klyuchevsky volcano is not difficult - a bus runs from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the village of Klyuchi.
The Nalychevo Natural Park became famous for its thermal springs, the water of which contains silver, cobalt, silicon oxide and a lot of other substances useful to humans.
In some springs (griffins) the water temperature reaches +75C.
And, what is important, these springs are located in incredibly beautiful, typically Kamchatka, places, which is easy to see by climbing the observation tower.
You can get to Nalychev by helicopter from the main Kamchatka airport Elizovo; in winter you can take an interesting hike here on a snowmobile.
Avachinskaya Sopka - a volcano in the accessibility zone
Avachinsky volcano has a completely different character than Klyuchevsky described above.
Residents of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky call this volcano “home”; in good weather you can admire it right from the city. But it’s more interesting, of course, to climb to the top, especially since such an ascent is accessible to people with almost any physical fitness and does not require special skills.
At the end of the five or six hour hike you will be at an altitude of 2741 metres. Agree, the opportunity to look into the mouth of an active volcano, which last erupted not so long ago, in 1991, is worth the effort spent on climbing.
We must warn you right away - you are unlikely to be able to swim on this beach, the waves of the Pacific Ocean are too strong and cold, and the currents are life-threatening.
But the very sight of the mighty and ancient ocean, framed by unusual black volcanic sand, is an unforgettable sight.
You can get to Khalaktyrsky Beach from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky by bus or taxi, but experienced people advise covering the distance of several kilometers from the city to the beach on foot and gaining lasting impressions of Kamchatka nature along the way.
And your body and soul will be able to get such rest in just an hour’s drive from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The tourist infrastructure of the Paratunka springs is well developed: there are several boarding houses and hotels, you can enjoy hot baths for as long as you like. But even one bath is enough to feel a surge of energy and mental strength.
Kuril Lake was formed eight thousand years ago, at the site of a volcanic eruption, and fits perfectly into the unusual Kamchatka landscape.
From April to November, the most delicious fish of the salmon family, sockeye salmon, spawns here; millions of fish come here from the ocean to spawn and die. Naturally, such an amount of tasty food attracts Kamchatka bears to the lake.
These brown giants demonstrate amazing dexterity during their fishing; lovers of photography and videography have a chance to take unique footage on Kuril Lake. But only with the use of long-focus optics - it’s better not to get close to bears while fishing (and in general).
Mutnovsky volcano, ski into the crater!
For lovers of alpine skiing and the thrills associated with this sport, Kamchatka provides unique opportunities.
You can ski right into the crater of the active (!) Mutnovsky volcano, 80 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
And the entire peninsula in winter is a paradise for skiers. It’s hard to imagine something like this anywhere else on our planet: skiing from the top of an active volcano straight to the ocean shore!
While traveling through such an interesting region as Kamchatka, tourists are left with a lot of impressions, and in order to systematize them and better understand what they saw, we recommend visiting the Regional Museum in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Experienced guides will tell you about the life of the indigenous peoples of the peninsula - the Koryaks and Itelmens, and about the history of the development of Kamchatka.
There are many unique exhibits here, such as a sundial with a compass that once belonged to Admiral Wrangel, or a chess carved from whalebone.
In this Karyak village, the warmest welcome awaits you, in the literal sense of the word - almost all the buildings here are heated with thermal waters.
People come to Esso for medical treatment and to get acquainted with the history and life of the indigenous population of Kamchatka.
The Bystrinsky Ethnographic Museum is located here. You will have the opportunity to visit a real yaranga and visit a real deer camp.
Of course, try the very tasty reindeer meat.
Kamchatka is an unexplored region and far from Moscow and, to some extent, from the civilization that is familiar to us. But this does not mean that tourism is not developed here. In Kamchatka there are comfortable hotels with quality service, and the tourism infrastructure is developing.
You can start your acquaintance with Kamchatka with cities and towns. But after resting from a long flight, leave the city. The value of the peninsula is that nature here can be seen as it was before the arrival of man. Then go back to the people to understand the mentality and culture of the locals.
Cities and towns of Kamchatka: just the beginning of the journey
The cities of Kamchatka will not surprise or attract inveterate urbanists. The main city attractions and historical “marks” are located in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky: monuments to the defense of 1854, the Holy Trinity Cathedral, etc. The village of Esso is popular among tourists. In both settlements you can visit nature museums. For example, in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky there is a museum of salmon, volcanology, the Kamchatka Military History Museum, etc.
Active recreation in Kamchatka can be varied. There are horseback riding and walks on the open sea. You can try driving a dog sled, fly a helicopter over a volcano, or ride a snowmobile. No one has also canceled ski slopes on the slopes of volcanoes.
The true wealth of Kamchatka: volcanoes and nature
The main attraction of Kamchatka is Klyuchevskaya Sopka. Thanks to this volcano, many foreigners, and even Russians, became interested in the peninsula. Klyuchevskoy volcano is high and active. An extraordinary view of it opens from the foot - from the village of Klyuchi or from the volcanologist base. And extreme sports enthusiasts and people with good health and strong willpower even go to the top. If you are one of them, take care of your equipment and prepare well.
A closer option, but no less beautiful, is Avacha Sopka. You can even look at this volcano from Petropavlosk-Kamchatsky. Avacha welcomes tourists more friendly. Climbing it does not require special training, but will require great endurance. The nature around the volcano is not similar to what people are used to seeing, for example, in the middle zone. Just look at the local ground squirrels - European gophers. Since Kamchatka has become popular among tourists, they are not afraid of people and even allow themselves to be photographed.
Popular volcanoes include Gorely Sopka, Koryaksky and Karymsky volcanoes. All these hills “act” and from time to time they smoke and even erupt. So, in the 20th of April 2017, Klyuchevskoy volcano “awakened”, and now volcanologists are constantly recording ash emissions of varying intensity.
People go to Kamchatka to, among other things, touch the Pacific Ocean. The best place for this is Khalaktyrsky Beach. Its peculiarity is the black color of the sand. It is black because the rock, crushed by the ocean, is of volcanic origin. The beach is unlikely to be to the liking of swimmers. The water is cold all year round, and the waves reach several meters in height.
One of the elements of the tourist culture of Kamchatka is Paratunka. There are pools here, natural or artificial, filled with thermal waters. The name of the local thermal baths comes from the name of the village of Paratunka, near which the most famous springs are located.
All year round, the water in the pools remains the same temperature. They are especially popular in winter. Experts also note the positive effect of Kamchatka’s thermal waters on health. However, these baths should last no more than 10-20 minutes.
The next miracle of Kamchatka is the Valley of Geysers. This is a geyser field unique for the European continent. There are no more such places on Earth than there are fingers on our hands. In addition to the geysers themselves, the attractions of the mountain valley are the landscape itself, mud volcanoes and thermal water sources.
The flora and fauna of the Valley of Geysers is not inferior in beauty and amazingness to the geyser itself. Remoteness and inaccessibility protect the Valley from unnecessary attention and curiosity of ordinary people. After all, you can visit these places only by using the services of a passenger helicopter.
Kamchatka is rich in natural beauties for every taste. Some places are known and loved by tourists, others are less explored and “inhabited”. Among the natural attractions of the peninsula, it is worth noting the Mutnovsky Falls, the Blue Lakes Natural Park, the Commander Islands, the dead forest near the Tolbachik volcano, the Kopyto, Alney and Troya glaciers. On Kuril Lake you can simultaneously observe salmon spawning and bear fishing in their natural habitat. And so throughout Kamchatka you can find something unusual and alien to a city dweller.
See the culture and life of Kamchatka
Local history museums and ethno-villages will complement your trip to Kamchatka with an acquaintance with the original local culture and the history of the development of these places. Local residents make a living by fishing and raising deer.
The ethnographic complex "Pimchakh" is a real village in which representatives of the indigenous ethnic groups of the peninsula live. To understand the life and traditions of this people, a visit to the complex will be useful. “Pimchi” hosts shamanic rituals, national celebrations, and you can also learn local crafts there.
Fishermen, professional and amateur, know a lot about Kamchatka fishing. Fast rivers, picturesque places, interesting and tasty fish. But that's a different story.
A traditional element of Kamchatka culture is dog sled racing. The most famous of them is Beringia. Every spring, dozens of mushers and hundreds of dogs enter the race and cover more than 1 thousand kilometers, passing through small Kamchatka villages, snow-covered plains and forests. To take part in the competition, you need to seriously prepare. This race is not for amateurs. To just watch, either guess the time or buy tickets for one of the tours.
Your Kamchatka
It is advisable to plan your route in advance to see Kamchatka as it is and not get stuck somewhere due to lack of transport. There is a lot to see on the peninsula. But there is hardly a place for lazy and passive tourists.
In Kamchatka you always need to take into account the natural factor. The unpredictable northern climate, combined with a lack of transport arteries, makes many of the peninsula's attractions inaccessible in winter. This increases the influx of tourists in summer, and therefore prices.
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