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Kamchatka
Volcanoes and Bears

Mutnovsky active volcano being a nest of merged craters, is perhaps the most beautiful volcanic phenomenon of Kamchatka. The view from its top is magnificent: steep walls surrounding the vast and deep crater cavity, glittering of firm and sparkling glaciers split by cracks, torches of fumaroles oscillating far below and drawing a translucent view over the northern crater, the southern crater under its armour of ice and above all this a column of vapor rising from the Active Funnel crater, surrounded by a cogged crest.

ADVENTURE # K801
Itinerary
  
15 days
Group size
  
Up to 14 pax
Season
  
August
Departure
  
August 6, August 17
Price
  
14 pers: 1590 €/2700 CHF
12 pers: 1720 €/2920 CHF
10 pers: 1890 €/3210 CHF


In order to book this voyage, contact us

INCLUDED

  • accommodation as per itinerary
  • guiding and interpretation services
  • full package of services in Kamchatka
  • meals three times daily
  • fees for visiting protected nature areas
  • transportation
  • services of a cook
  • museums
  • excursions

PROGRAM

Day 1
Arrival in Kamchatka in the morning. Bus transfer to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the capital of Kamchatka. Short sightseeing tour of the city. Transfer to Paratunka (famous for its numerous thermal springs), accommodation at the hotel with thermal pool. Dinner at the restaurant. Free afternoon, rest in the thermal pool.

Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by 6WD bus to the caldera between the Mutnovsky and Gorely volcanoes (about 4 hrs). Lunch en route. Dinner, overnight at the base tented camp

Day 3
Breakfast. Hike (without backpacks) to the Mutnovsky volcano (about 40 min.). Hike into the crater of the Mutnovsky active volcano through a crack in the volcano's edge. The view is alarming and fantastic. Excursion into the crater takes about 4 hrs. Return to the base camp (40 min.). The total distance of hiking during this day is 18 km. Lunch there. Dinner, overnight in tents.

photo E.LedovskikhDay 4
Breakfast. Ascend and hiking excursion to the chain of craters of the Gorely volcano. Gorely volcano presents the unique collection of craters - a chain, which lies across the top. Most of volcano's activity is concentrated in the Central crater. The hiking distance is 20 km. Excursion will take about 8 hrs; according to the clients’ wishes it is possible to return to the base camp earlier. Picnic lunch. Return back to the base camp. Overnight there.

Day 5
Transfer by 6WD bus to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Visit the fish market. Optional (for additional fee) visit to the Museum of local lore, the Museum of the Institute for Volcanology, Salmon Museum, or the museum and visitor center of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. Lunch at the café. Transfer to Paratunka, dinner and overnight stay in the hotel.

Day 6
Breakfast at the café. Bus transfer to the area оf the Tolbachik volcano (more than 500 km, about 10 hrs or more with stops in interesting places). On the way, we will make a stop in the Malki thermal springs (taking curative bath in the springs is possible). Picnic lunch. On the further way, we will have an opportunity to watch just from the bridges salmons migrating to their spawning grounds. Overnight in the tented camp.

Day 7
Hiking excursions at the bottom of the Plosky (“Flat”) Tolbachik volcano. The altitude of this area is 1000 m above the sea level. (*In the Soviet time, the testing of the lunar exploring vehicle took place there). Picnic lunch. In the afternoon, hiking to the dormant volcano Krasnaya Sopka – 3 hrs, about 5 km. It is quite possible to see hares, reindeer and bears there. Overnight accommodation in the tented camp (another option is a wooden hut with rustic facilities).

Day 8
Hiking without backpacks to the area where the “Eruption of the Century” (the Big Cleft Tolbachinskiy eruption) took place. Hiking excursion in the Peplovoe Plateau (8 hrs, about 18 km). Ascend 3 small volcanoes. Visit the “Fairytale” forest (forest that dried standing during the eruption). Return back to the hut, overnight there.

Day 9
Hike to the bottom of the Plosky Tolbachik and ascend this volcano (the total hiking distance is 20 km; this route will take us from 1000 m to 3000 m above the sea level). Ascend to this volcano does not require special technical skills. The whole route will take about 9 hrs. Lunch en route. Return back to the tented camp (or wooden hut) for dinner and overnight.

photo N.Nikolaenko

Day 10
Reserve day for the case of bad weather. In the afternoon, transfer by 6WD bus to Esso, the national village of the Evens and Koryaks (about 4-5 hrs). Overnight in the private hotels or in the hotel of local Administration.

Day 11
Visit the ethnography museum in Esso. Drive to the village of Anavgai, visit the ethnography complex near-by. Talk to local people living there, taste traditional cuisine. Performance of the folk ensemble “Nurgeneck” and children folk group “Orjakan”. * For additional payment, visitors can order this day a several-hours horseback riding trip or a helicopter flight to the nomadic camp of the Even reindeer herders). Overnight in the “chum” or private hotel in Esso.

Day 12
Car transfer to the river Essovskaya Bystraya, relax in thermal springs and after that rafting down a very dynamic and picturesque section of Essovskaya Bystraya river. Overnight in the tented camp.

Day 13
Bus transfer back to Paratunka (meant for the whole day). Overnight at the hotel.

Day 14
Transfer by 6WD bus to the bottom of the Avachinsky volcano. Ascend the Avachinsky volcano (its total elevation is 2741 m). Usually tourists start ascending early in the morning. They cross the deep gorge of the Suhaia river and ascend the volcano along its somma. They stop for a lunch at the attitude of 2000-2200 m and then continue ascending along the new cone of the volcano to the edge of its crater. The ascend usually takes about 6-8 hrs; the steepness of the slope is 30o. During the ascend and from the edge of the crater, wonderful views open. Drive back to Paratunka, dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 15
Bus transfer to the airport, departure to Moscow. Arrive in Moscow, transfer to the international airport for the flight home.