Space Kamchatka
Valley of geysers, ocean, climbing, salmon spawning, bears and orcas
Tour: 9 days
Kayaking
Climbing a volcano
Sea sailing trip
Seeing Kamchatka from the water, air and land — exactly such an adventure into the world of wild Kamchatka is awaiting you! You will climb active Gorely Volcano, watch orcas in a sea sailing to the Russkaya Bay, visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the Valley of Geysers, visit the Lake Nachikinskoye salmon spawning ground, walk along the volcanic sands of the Pacific Ocean coast and, of course, take a walk in the picturesque Vachkazhets mountain range.
Program
Day 1
Arrival in Kamchatka
After arrival at the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky International Airport, we will drive to the Pacific Ocean coast — black volcanic sand Khalaktyrsky beach, will have picnic by the ocean and walk along the beach. We will then head to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky for guest house check-in. Dinner and overnight in the guest house.
Day 2
Helicopter excursion to the Valley of Geysers
After breakfast in the guest house, the flight to the Valley of Geysers will take approximately one hour. From the air on the way, weather allowing, you will see two active volcanoes — Karymsky and Maly Semyachik. In the Valley of Geysers an experienced guide will take you along purpose-made trails that protect the land from trampling. You will observe the eruption of the Bolshoy geyser, the activity of various thermal fields, springs and mud pots. If lucky, you will see Kamchatka brown bears, who are frequent guests here, but for people show only curiosity, nothing more.
We will fly by helicopter to the Uzon Volcano caldera. Here the tour passes through the Eastern thermal field, where you can admire various thermal activities and bewitching lunar landscapes. On the way back, we will have lunch and swim in hot thermal springs in the Nalychevo «Volcanoes of Kamchatka» natural park. The temperature of water in natural baths reaches 40-45°C. We will then return to the heliport and to the guest house to have dinner and rest.
We will fly by helicopter to the Uzon Volcano caldera. Here the tour passes through the Eastern thermal field, where you can admire various thermal activities and bewitching lunar landscapes. On the way back, we will have lunch and swim in hot thermal springs in the Nalychevo «Volcanoes of Kamchatka» natural park. The temperature of water in natural baths reaches 40-45°C. We will then return to the heliport and to the guest house to have dinner and rest.
Day 3
Cruise to Russkaya Bay
The day starts with breakfast in the guest house, followed by a drive to the seaport and check-in on the «Kosatka» sailing catamaran, where you will meet the crew. We will then set sail for a wide Russkaya Bay, stretching 8 km inland. The voyage takes approximately 6 hours. Keep your eyes open! Orcas and whales may appear be right on the course! We will enter the bay by the evening and will dock by the abandoned vessel «Uda». Lunch and dinner will be served on board the catamaran.
Day 4
Kayaking and Marine Mammal Watching
Morning in the Russkaya Bay will start with a breakfast, followed by kayaking. Our guides will explain the basics and ensure safety during the paddling. If you are lucky, you will see spotted seals, that starting June rest in the shallows in the bay. After lunch on board the catamaran, you will visit Cape Kekurny, home to a year-round rockery of sea lions, and will then head towards the city. Dinner and overnight in the city in the guest house.
Day 5
Return to the city
After breakfast in the cabin of the catamaran, we will go to the seaport. In the evening, a delicious dinner will be served at the guest house.
Day 6
4×4 tour to Avachinsky pass
After breakfast, we will leave to Avachinsky Pass. The road from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the foothills of Avachinsky Volcano takes approximately 2 hours and passes along a dry river bed, that gets filled with meltwater after winter. In the summer, you can hike in-between the two active volcanoes, climb Mount Camel and see the amazing vegetation of the high-altitude tundra. In the vicinity of the shelter and visitor centre of the natural park, tourists are greeted by amusing Beringian ground squirrels (evrazhki). Return to the city. Dinner and overnight at the guest house.
Day 7
Visiting Lake Nachikinskoye
After breakfast in the guest house, we will leave for the glacial Lake Nachikinskoye. Many rivers and streams flow into the lake, turning it into a large spawning ground for salmon, as well as a place of attraction for brown bears. The journey will take about 2.5 hours, after which we will take a boat through the waters of the lake, watching the spawning of salmon and hunting of bears. Lunch in the base camp on the lake and return to the guest house.
Day 8
Free / extra day
Breakfast at the guest house. Free or extra day in case of bad weather. If all components of the tour programme have been fully completed, it is possible to choose an additional activity. Dinner and overnight at the guest house.
Day 9
Airport transfer
Breakfast at the guest house. Transfer to the airport with a stop at the fish market and souvenir shops.
Accommodation
7 days in «Bay House»
2 days on the catamaran «Kosatka»
Answers to frequently asked questions
How physically fit does one have to be to join a tour?
No special training is required, but you need to be in a minimally good physical shape.
Is it comfortable to live on a catamaran for several days?
Our catamaran is characterized by increased comfort: the organization of the living space allows you to create privacy and freedom of movement. With a length of 15 meters and a width of 7 meters, there are five cabins with beds, lighting, sockets and storage space. The cabins are spacious enough and comfortable to stay on board for a long time.
In the conditions of a sea voyage, especially a long one, the little things come to the fore, so familiar in everyday life and especially valuable if they stay together for a long time away from the coast. Therefore, two independent and spacious latrines (toilets) with showers and one more shower at the stern can no doubt be attributed to the indisputable advantages of a catamaran.
The stable construction of the catamaran allows it to feel quite confident on the water. In this case, we get a safer and more enjoyable swimming experience. People who suffer from seasickness for the most part feel good. Rolling, compared to a conventional yacht, is less noticeable. The galley (kitchen) has everything you might need for cooking, including serving utensils. There is a large dining table and soft seats.
Is it possible to arrive before the start of the tour?
Yes, you can arrive earlier if you wish. Please let us know when booking a tour, that you are planning to arrive earlier, and we will help you find accommodation and plan your stay.
What is the time difference with Kamchatka?
With Moscow +9 hours (if it is 12:00 in Moscow, it is 21:00 in Kamchatka).
What is the best way to buy airplane tickets to join a tour?
When buying airplane tickets, it is important to consider the time difference between the point of departure and Kamchatka. For example, if your tour starts on 01 April, it means that you need to be in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on 01 April. And it means that you need to depart from Moscow, Novosibirsk or Irkutsk on 31 March. From Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Sakhalin or Blagoveshchensk, you can depart on the same date, provided there is a convenient flight. You can arrive at any hour of the day or night of your tour start date, or earlier. Next-day (after the start date) arrival is not permitted, irrespective of the tour programme. Depending on the weather, the tour schedule may change and you risk missing the start of the tour, which is not refundable. The last date of the tour is the return flight date. You may fly back on this date or any time after. If returning to Moscow, you will land on the same date you departed from Kamchatka. The same applies to other cities in Russia, with a difference of one hour.
What are my additional expenses when in Kamchatka?
Your additional expenses may be alcohol, lunch on a free day, caviar, fish you may buy on the market for yourself or as a souvenir. You will also most likely want to buy presents for yourself and family and friends.
Is medical insurance required?
Yes, we always require a medical insurance for all our tours. A complete travel insurance with extreme sports coverage — for hiking up to 2,500 m, yachting, kayaking / surfing.
Different insurance companies have different policy options and you may be required to pay for an additional winter / extreme sports add-on. Further conditions may be the minimum number of people on a tour.
Please remember in Kamchatka in case of emergency an ordinary ambulance may not be able to reach the mountains or the ocean and special assistance may be required. Please ensure that your insurance covers all the scenarios.
Do explain to your insurance provider the nature or your trip and should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
How and where is it better to get insurance?
We do not require an insurance policy for summer programs, but we recommend that you protect yourself from unexpected expenses.
There are portals that include several proven companies and offers for any of the extreme activities.
For self-registration of the policy on the website www.saveprolife.ru:
1. Select the country of travel — Russia;
2. Designate the period of the trip;
3. The age of the tourist, if you have a group, then click «Add» and enter the age. For a one-time registration for a group, you can issue a policy for 5 people at once;
4. Press sports extreme — Select a sport — trekking up to 3500 m / yachting / jeeping;
5. Click «Find».
In the second step, you will drop insurance programs.
Select program Alpha Classic C, coverage — 40000 $/€. To get a 5% discount, use the promo code «spl».
This is our recommendation, you can take out insurance with similar conditions from any company.
