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Kamchatka Volcano Trek
Traverse volcanoes as we venture into one of the most remote places in the world
In this two-week remote Russian adventure you will pass through all the climatic zones of Kamchatka: from glaciers on Mutnovsky Volcano onto high mountainous tundra. Make ascents of active volcanoes, then relax in hot geothermal springs in the afternoons; gradually descend to the Pacific Ocean through sub-alpine, forest, and savannah areas and take a boat ride on Zhirovaya Bay. Encounter the bird species of each zone, see bears along the way, and watch salmon swimming up rivers to spawn. It is a unique journey in Russia's lost world.
Gallery View map
Tour Highlights
- Gorely Volcano's caldera
- Avacha volcano ascent (2748m)
- The crescent moon beach and marine life of Zhirovaya Bay
- The merged craters of Mutnovsky - the most beautiful volcanic phenomenon of Kamchatka
- Voinovskye and Zhirovaya geothermal hot springs
- Trekking in Far East Russia - the UNESCO World Heritage-listed volcanoes of Kamchatka
Inclusions
Local tour leader, transport and sightseeing.
- 4WD vehicle
- Boat
- Trek
- 14 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 13 dinners
Kamchatka Volcano Trek
Day 1
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Meals Privided:
, Dinner
Arrive in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and transfer to hotel. Our pre-departure meeting takes place this evening. This is followed by a welcome meal.
Day 2
Gorely Volcano caldera
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive by 4WD or 6WD bus to the Gorely Volcano caldera at the base of Mutnovsky Volcano. This caldera is an otherworldly landscape of dry ash and scattered volcanic rocks from the many eruptions of Mutnovsky and Gorely Volcanoes. Here base camp is made between the two volcanoes. Take short walks up the encircling ridge lines to see the large mountain marmots that inhabit the area. See the Kamchatka rhododendrons and variety of other mountain flowers.
Day 3
Mutnovsky Volcano
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day trip to Mutnovsky volcano (2323m). The Mutnovsky Volcano's 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 firn and sparkling glaciers split by cracks, torches of fumaroles oscillating far below and drawing a translucent veil over the northern crater, the southern crater under its armour of ice and above all this a column of vapour rising from the surrounded by cogged crest Active Funnel crater (10km).
Day 4
Gorely Volcano
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day trip to ascend Gorely Volcano (1829m). A chain of 11 craters across its peak make for a unique sight.
Day 5
Voinovskye Hot Springs
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Short lift by truck to trekking start point and trek down to the Voinovskye hot springs (18km). Starting at the Mutnovsky Thermal Station on the North East side of Mutnovsky Volcano you will descend along an abandoned geologist's dirt road into the valley of the Mutnovsky River. During the descent alpine vegetation is replaced with sub-alpine, and you pass the first bushes and trees. This section of the trek affords a spectacular view of the richly vegetated lowlands through which you'll be trravelling in the coming days and magnificent scenery in the surrounding mountain cirques. Make camp on the banks of the Mutnovsky River. Bath in the small, wild, Voinovskye hot springs which bubbles up in a sandbar with the river flowing all around. Days 5 and 6 of this trek require several river crossings. Although these river crossings are neither difficult nor dangerous, the pace of the hike can be seriously slowed if you are constantly changing footwear. It is recommended that thigh high rubber boots (see recommended equipment list) are used for this section to keep up the pace of the hike.
Day 6
Zhirovaya Hot Springs
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Trek to the Zhirovaya hot springs (12 km), you will pass through the giant 2-3 metre-high grass of the savannah. This section of the hike is made up of easy, level, walking along an abandoned dirt track through the rich greens of a Kamchatka's summertime birch forests. Make camp on the Zhirovaya hot springs. The Zhirovaya hot springs bubble actively off a small hillock and stream into a variety of pools where you can relax and bath, choosing the temperature that is right for you. Nizhne-Zhirovski thermal springs are 9 kilometres from mouth of Zhirovaya river at the right side of it. Ground at the main field (120x60m) warmed up to 40-60'C. Outlets of thermal waters is like boiling reservoirs (two metres in diameter), there is gryphones without visible gutters, and hot springs. On the plate formed small bath (pool) (42-98'C). There are two more thermal plates, at the left bank of river (in 500m from main group of springs); each plate is 150x70m gathering streams to thermal waters with temperature about 35-84'C. At the rivers-bed blue-green aquatic plants growing. Chemical structure of water is chloride-sodium with general mineralization about 1,2-1,5 g/l. Structure of gas is carbonic acid-nitrogen.
Day 7-9
Zhirovaya Bay
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Trek to the Zhirovaya bay (12 km). Hike through a birch forest along the valley of the Mutnovsky River to its confluence with Zhirovaya River. Continue along Zhirovaya River until it opens up into the picturesque lowlands of Zhirovaya Bay. Make camp on Zhirovaya Bay. Day 8. Rest day on the Pacific Ocean. Stroll along the expansive crescent moon beach of Zhirovaya Bay. Visit the fishing station at the mouth of the Zhirovaya River to see how Kamchatka fishermen live and work during the summer salmon run. Watch for seal heads popping up in the surf and sea birds gliding on the ocean breezes overhead. Day 9. Sailing by m/v Kathleen from Zhirovaya Bay to Starichkov Island to view seabirds and mammals. This tour is a unique opportunity to see the fascinating surroundings of Petropavlovsk from the sea, to explore the shores of the Avachinskaya bay, and to watch colonies of seabirds in their natural habitats. Sea fishing and Ukha (fish soup) aboard. Overnight in Petropavlovsk Hotel.
Day 10-12
Avacha Volcano
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive by 6WD bus along the Sukhaya River (Dry River) to the Avacha Volcano plateau (140km). Making a base camp between Avachinsky and Koryaksky Volcanoes (960m). Or stay in cabins there. Day 11. Ascend Avacha volcano (2748m). The trail ascends by a gradual slope to the top (time needed 5-6 hours for the ascent). You can have lunch on the edge of the crater of the volcano (filled to the brim with hardened black lava after an eruption in 1991) of the volcano while enjoying the magnificent panorama of the Pacific Ocean, Petropavlovsk, Koryaksky Volcano and Nalycheva Valley. Day 12. Reserve day in case of bad weather.
Day 13
Paratunka
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Return to Paratunka resort by bus. Accommodation in a hotel. Rest and swim in pool.
Day 14
Petropavlovsk
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
City tour & departure
IN A NUTSHELL
14 days
$5,895
15
TOUR INFORMATION
| Start | End | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 21/07/2012 | 03/08/2012 | $5,895 |
| 04/08/2012 | 17/08/2012 | $5,895 |
| 18/08/2012 | 31/08/2012 | $5,895 |
