Around Kamchatka in Comfort (10 Days/ 9 Nights)

Kamchatka is one of the most beautiful places on the earth, the amazing peninsula in the Russian Far East. Here, in wild nature, you can find various species of animals and birds, hot springs, active volcanoes, snowcaps and glaciers not melting even in the hottest summer – all these make Kamchatka the realland of ice and fire.

This program is not so extreme, that is why it is so appropriate for people in age and those who loves the quiet and relaxed vacation combined with comfort. 

Travel dates:  03.08 – 12.08.2018 

The tour duration: 10 days / 9 nights.

The group size: 6-20 persons.

Accommodation: Double/Twin rooms (BB).

 The tour schedule:

1 day– Arrival.
2 day – The helicopter trip to the Valley of Geysers and the volcanic Uzon caldera with stopover at the Nalichevo valley.
3 day – The Vilyuchinskiy pass. 30-meters waterfall hiking.
4 day – The Bystraya river rafting and fishing with visiting the Malkinskie hot springs.
5 day – Sea cruise to the Starichkov Island.
6 day – Avacha volcano or Mount Camel climbing.
7 day – The guided tour to Vachkazhets waterfalls.
8 day – The ethnic program in the Kamchatka sled dog kennel “Snow Dogs” with visiting the “Ozerki” hot springs.
9 day – City tour around Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy.
10 day – Departure.

Tour  program:

DAY 1. ARRIVAL. ACCLIMATIZATION.

Landing at the Yelizovo airport. The guide-interpreter meets tourists with a plate of “Red Rivers.” Baggage claim takes about 20-30 minutes. Boarding the bus.

Lunch at a restaurant.

Transfer to the hotel located in the hot springs area or in the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy city. The road takes about 30-40 minutes. Check in at the hotel, rest, acclimatization. Dinner.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 2.
THE HELICOPTER TRIP TO THE VALLEY OF GEYSERS AND THE VOLCANIC UZON CALDERA WITH A STOP AT THE NALICHEVO VALLEY (6 HOURS)

Breakfast and transfer to the heliport.

During a trip to the Valley of Geysers, it is possible to see the Karymskiy volcano (active) and the Maliy (Small) Semyachik volcano (active) with its impressive acid lake crater of turquoise color. Flight time will take approximately 45 minutes.

Walking sightseeing tour in the Valley of Geysers takes about an hour. Every guest of Kamchatka wants to visit the pride of the Kronotskiy natural reserve – the world-famous Valley of Geysers. This hard-to-reach place – is located 180 kilometers northeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and there are reservation conditions on its territory. The ecosystem of the Valley is unique for Russia and highly fragile to external influences. The Valley of Geysers is full of wildly eddying columns of vapour, light smell of sulfur and sparkling rain of colored drops. You can see a great number of different gushing, boiling springs – these are geysers stretching for about 5 km along the Geysernaya River.

A flight to the Uzon caldera. The excursion is for 1 hour.

After all, the flight to the Nalychevo valley for a short rest and bathing in the hot springs. Lunch.

The way back to the heliport and transfer to the hotel. Having rest. Dinner.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 3.
THE VILYUCHINSKIY PASS. 30-METERS WATERFALL HIKING

Breakfast.

Going towards the Vilyuchinsky pass is about 3-4 hours. On the pass, you will enjoy an amazing view of the Paratunka river valley and Vilyuchinskiy, Mutnovskiy and Goreliy volcanoes. In a good weather, it is possible to observe the southern group of volcanoes from the pass. The top ofVilyuchinskiy volcano covered with snow and glaciers almost all the summer; that is why some people poetically call it “the white pearl of Kamchatka”.

On the pass, you will notice a great number of flowers – some kinds of the alpine flora, blossoming period of one flower changing on others that is why it seems to be spring all the time on the pass.

The lunch and preparation for hiking to the waterfall. There is a roaring 30-meter waterfall on one of the slopes of Vilyuchinsky volcano. It appeared in the result of glaciers melting and the waterfall is especially beautiful and powerful in the middle of summer in the period of active snow melting. From a great height huge mass of water makes its way through the snowfield and flows down to the valley. The walk to the waterfall takes about 3-4 hours.

Return to the car, having snack.

Transfer to the hotel. Dinner and having rest.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 4.
THE BYSTRAYA RIVER RAFTING AND FISHING WITH VISITING THE MALKINSKIE HOT SPRINGS

Breakfast.

Departing from the hotel to the Bystraya River (about 150 km, 2 hours). On the way, there will be a short stop and rest in the Sokochi settlement, which is famous for its delicious cakes.

Arriving to the river, lunch (fish soup). Preparation for rafting.

The Bystraya River (Malkynskaya) is the right stream tributary of the Bolshaya River; it is an ordinary mountain river. The river has three easy rapids, flows among picturesque forests and mountains and among small islandsin the lower course of river. It is possible to see chinooksalmon, chumsalmon, cohosalmon, char, grayling, and rainbow trout coming to spawn in the river. The Bystraya River is the perfect place for fishing both for amateurs and for professionals.

During the rafting, you will have a chance to enjoy a unique and untouched world of the peninsula and relax, allowing the river tocarry you downstream.

This tour is appropriate for any tourist including children from 9-10 years. 16 ft. rafts, which are used for rafting all around the world and our experienced guides, are guarantee of your safety and comfort.

As you are on the final leg of the rafting tour, you are going to visit the wild Malkinskie hot springs. The rest and bathing in natural hot springs will help to refresh you and make you feel better. Here you can find several natural pools filled with thermal water of different “heat” and choose the one that suits you best.

Return to the hotel. Dinner.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 5.
BOAT TRIP TO THE STARICHKOV ISLAND (6 HOURS)

Breakfast. Transfer to the harbor.

Getting on a board, briefing on safety rules and the beginning of the trip.

The Pacific Ocean – the largest ocean on the earth, its endless blue color stretches to the horizon, and its depths still keeps a lot of mysteries and secrets. Avacha Bay is an amazing place. In addition, it is the main “sea gate” of the peninsula; one of the world’s largest bays that can take any vessel. Its scenic coastline covered with green colors, natural caves and cliffs, which became a popular place for the kayaking, as well as a huge number of seabirds and marine mammals in the bay area, makes Avacha Bay one of the most beautiful symbols of Kamchatka.

During the boat trip, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the coastline and see the symbol of the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city – The“Three brothers” rocks. According to the ancient legend, there were three brothers they protected the coast from a damagedtsunami. After that, they turned into stones and now protect citizens from any danger.

The last point of the route is the Starichkov Island surrounded by the numerous coastal reefs and rocks that appear during the low tide. The Island – a real “maternity home” and the place of dwelling of 40 colonies of more than 10 seabirds species, some of them are listed in the Red Book. In the coastal waters, it is possible to see the picturesque kekury (a chain of small islands) “Karaulniy” (Guardian) and “Chasovoy” (Sentry).

Going back to the harbor and transfer to the hotel. Having dinner and rest.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 6.
AVACHA VOLCANO OR MOUNT CAMEL CLIMBING

Breakfast and going from the hotel towards the base camp at the Avacha volcano foot.

The base camp is located at the altitude of 850 meters above sea level; you may have some hot tea, coffee and sandwiches there if you wish.

The Avacha volcano or Avachinskaya Sopka as native people of Kamchatka called it, is an active and complex, double stratovolcano. Once in ancient times the Avacha volcano was much higher than the current size. Moreover, in the result of powerful explosion in the past, it was destroyed almost in a half size. On the place of the destroyed cone, a new acting one appeared which has a smooth and beautiful shape. At the foot of the Avacha volcano, you may see remains of an ancient volcanic cone. The height of the volcano is 2741 meters above sea level. The ascent takes about 5 hours.

Nowadays there are active fumaroles at the top and the surface of the volcano on the summit is always warm. From the top, you will be able to enjoy a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Vilyuchinskiy and Mutnovskiy volcanoes; on the west, there is a gorgeous cone of Koryakskiy volcano; from the north – the Nalychevo river valley and Zhupanovskiy and Dzendzur volcanoes.

For tourists who don’t want to climb the volcano we offer a hiking trip to Camel mount.

The “Camel” extrusion (or two-humped mountain) is located 25 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky between the Avacha and Koryakskiy volcanoes. It is a small mountain range (altitude 500 m.) with two sharp peaks resembling the humps on a camel’s back. During this walk, you will be able to admire the alpine flora, enjoy the panorama of “home” volcanoes and observe the life of the inhabitants of these places – Bering gophers – ground squirrels.

After the walk, you’ll be back to the base camp. Dinner.

Packing the camp and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in the hotel.

DAY 7. THE GUIDED TOUR TO VACHKAZHETS WATERFALLS

Breakfast and departure to the Vachkazhets Mountain range.

The ancient Vachkazhets volcano was a single volcano, but after a powerful eruption, three separated volcanic parts appeared –Letnyaya Poperechnaya mountain (1 417m), Vachkazhtsy mountain (1 500 meters) andVachkazhets itself. In the area of letnyaya Poperechnaya Mountain, there are two big volcanic cirques which can be remains of the big volcanic crater.

There is a picturesque Tahkaloch lake at the foot of the mountains; its water seems to be completely crystal in the good weather. Vachkazhets surrounding mountains areais a unique example of altitudinal zones, where you can find mixed forest with the stone birches and high grass at the foot, then it gradually changes into alder and cedartrees, and real alpine meadows spread on the top.

The walk to the waterfalls takes about 3 hours and it is not very exhausted. Having lunch.

Transfer to the hotel. Dinner.

Overnight in the hotel.

DAY 8.
THE ETHNIC PROGRAM IN THE KAMCHATKA SLED DOG KENNEL “SNOW DOGS”
WITH VISITING THE “OZERKI” HOT SPRINGS

Breakfast.

Departure from the hotel to the sled dogs kennel “Snow Dogs”. There you can get to know about the natives of Kamchatka, their culture, traditions and lifestyle. During the excursion, you will be able to see and take part in traditional dances and games, to take photos in their national clothes, to be acquainted with the inhabitants of the kennel: sled dogs, prizewinners and winners of the dog sledding race and reindeer that you will be able to feed.

Having lunch when the excursion is over. You will try Russian and native’s traditional cuisine, such as Ukha (fish soup) or Shurpa (vegetable soup with deer meat), tea from growing wild herbs and cakes.

After visiting the kennel – you will go to “Zelenovskie” hot springs, the place where you can relax in the hot radon baths famous for their healing qualities. There is a cold natural lake next to the baths and the brave one can try to bathe in the lake cold water and then in hot springs.

Transfer to the hotel. Dinner.

Overnight in the hotel.

DAY 9. CITY TOUR AROUND PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKIY

Breakfast. Boarding the bus and the beginning of the city tour.

During 3 hours you will be able to visit the main places of interest: city center, historical and cultural monuments, fish market. The guide will tell you about the most interesting facts of the city history, its first settlers, their culture, traditions and customs.

Lunch at the city restaurant.

After lunch, transfer to the Khalaktyrskiy beach – a favorite place to have rest among citizens and visitors of the peninsula. Here you will be able to feel the power of the Pacific Ocean and enjoy the sound of waves rolling on the black sandy beach.

After the city-tour returning to the hotel, dinner and rest.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 10. DEPARTURE

Breakfast.

Before going to the airport you may visit the fish market and souvenir shop.

Transfer to the Airport.

• Twin bedded accommodation in a hotel with breakfast (BB);
• Three meals daily according to the program;
• Transport services;
• English-speaking guide;
• Guides services on the routes;
• Cooks services on the route;
• Use of group touristic equipment;
• Accident insurance.
• Visa support

The price does not include:

• Any additional excursions above the program;
• Helicopter excursion to the Valley of Geysers;
• Helicopter excursion to the Kuril Lake;
• Alcoholic beverages.

We recommend you to have personal equipment:

• Backpack (20-30 liters);
• Trekking shoes;
• Water- and windproof clothes;
• A set of warm clothes (sweater, warm trousers, socks, hat, gloves);
• Head protection from the sun;
• Sunglasses;
• Accessories for personal hygiene;
• Towel;
• Bathing suit;
• Insect repellent / spray;
• Sunscreen;
• Photo and video equipment.

Additional Information:

The route or the route schedule can be changed according to the weather conditions, the training level of the group, other external factors. The decision to change the route may be taken by the guide on the place.

WISHING YOU MANY DISCOVERIES AND PLEASANT HOLYDAYS
WITH THE RED RIVERS TOUR COMPANY!