Tour condition: Grade B+. This route is for active individuals in good health who enjoy backpacking.
Activity: trekking (6-8 hrs per day)
ITINERARY
Day 1. Arrival in Moscow. Transfer to the hotel. Your first night in Moscow.
Day 2. Check out from the hotel. After breakfast in the hotel, a bus tour around the city. Our tour guide takes you to the “Sparrow Hills” with an observation platform which provides a fantastic panoramic view of Moscow; then we will go to “Poklonnaya Hills” - the most significant monument constructed in honour of victory in the Great Patriotic War (World War II). Our bus will take you through the main streets of Moscow - huge, busy and elegant at the same time. We will have time to explore the major highlights of Moscow – the city of great Russian history and culture. Transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Kamchatka.
Day 3. Arrival in Kamchatka. Transfer from the airport to Petropavlosk-Kamchatsk, the main city of the region. Accommodation in the hotel. We will have a guided city tour and visit the Ethnographic Museum, the central market, an art gallery, and a local crafts workshop. The Ethnographic museum's displays are devoted to the history of the region, its flora and fauna, the native peoples of Kamchatka, and their ancient culture. You will learn about the ancient tribes that lived in Kamchatka thousands of years ago and about the discovery of this beautiful land by Russian explorers. The museum also contains interesting exhibits of Kamchatka's wildlife from the Kronotsky Nature Reserve and from volcanoes. After the excursion, we will return to the hotel and start preparing for the active part of the tour.
Day 4. We will take a helicopter to Glukhoi Greek, located in the Kronotsky National Park. From the helicopter we will enjoy a view of the breathtaking volcanic landscape. We will set up camp on the banks of the Sestryonka River. Dinner. Overnight in tents.
Day 5. We start our day with a 4 km acclimatisation trek through the Uzon valley, which is part of the famous Uzon Caldera Nature Reserve (9 km). This valley is interesting for the crater-shaped-pits 25 - 150 meters in diameter and 25 - 40 meters deep, filled with hot and unusually colored thermal water. During the hike we will pass a picturesque plain where bears feed on wild berries, and we will see some rare species of flora and fauna. We will stop for lunch along the way. Overnight in tents.
Day 6. 12 km trek and excursion to the Valley of Geysers, registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here we will see over twenty active geysers and numerous mud pools, surrounded by beautiful and powerful water-and-steam fountains. Lunch during the hike. We will return to the camp in the evening. Dinner. Overnight in tents.
Day 7. Continuing our trek through the Uzon valley to the Glukhoy Creek (12 km). Overnight in cabins.
Days 8-9. We start a 2-day trek to Burlyaschy volcano (approx. 12 km per day). This route will lead you through several vegetation zones with a large variety of rare birds and animals. Lunch, dinner. Overnight in tents.
Day 10-11. Rest and walking around Burlyaschy volcano. The bottom of the volcano’s crater is called 'the steaming valley' because of its many boiling puddles, small fountains and tiny mud pools. Here we will see all the volcano types in miniature. You will be amazed by the unique natural phenomenon - the valley is filled with the music of bubbling and splashing sounds. We will stop in the valley to rest and bathe in thermal hot springs. Overnight in tents.
Day 12. Today’s trekking route is quite long (20 km), challenging and interesting because of its variety of landscapes. The route is downhill to the Semyachik hot springs, where we can rest and enjoy a relaxing bathe in the thermal springs, if the water is not too hot. Lunch, dinner. Overnight in tents.
Day 13. We will continue our trek (6 km) towards Maly Semyachik volcano. It is a 3 km volcanic mountain range with 3 craters on its crest. To get there, we will be crossing different landscape zones. On the way we will see beautiful rivers and magnificent volcanoe peaks, and pass through the habitat of rare birds, animals, and unique plants. The hiking route (6 km) is downhill to the Pacific Ocean and then along the coast. Lunch, Dinner. Overnight in tent.
Day 14. Radial one-day trekking (6 km one way) to Pikhtovaya Roscha (Silver Fir forest) - a dark green spot shining against the light green background of birchwood. When seen from below, these trees appear to have a silver colour which gives them their name. Return back to the camp. Overnight in tents.
Day 15. Full day of rest on a Pacific Ocean shore. Evening helicopter MI-8 flight over the Maliy Semlyachik Volcano crater to Karymsky Volcano, another of Kamchatka’s natural wonders. Landing near active Karymsky Volcano, which is considered as the most active Kamchatka volcano due to the frequency and duration of its eruptions. Overnight in tent camp. Farewell party.
Day 16. Helicopter flight to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 17. Reserve day in case of bad weather. If the weather is fine, we will spend this day at the Paratunka thermal hot springs and enjoy relaxing swimming and bathing. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 18. Breakfast in the hotel. Departure to the airport. Flight to Moscow. Due to the time difference, arrival in Moscow is on the same date. Transfer from the local airport to the international airport to catch your flight back home.
Major Highlights of this Tour:
- Red Square
- The magnificent Valley of Geysers located in the Kronotsky State Biosphere Reservation
- Uzon Caldera. The caldera (term specifying a ringlike hollow) developed 40,000 years ago on the site of a huge volcano, which was destroyed by a set of bursting eruptions. Today the Uzon Caldera is about 10 km in diameter and it contains a complete "museum" collection of everything that Kamchatka is famous for: hot springs and cold rivers, poisonous mud cauldrons and pure lakes full of fish, a berry tundra and a birch forest, mountains and bogs, animals and birds. The Uzon Caldera is also a part of the Kronotsky State Biosphere Reservation.
- Kronotsky State Biosphere Reservation, which is one of the oldest nature reservations in Russia (created in 1882 as a preserve for hunting sable). In the 1980’s, the Kronotsky Reservation acquired the status of a Biosphere Reservation and was included in the international network of the world's biosphere reservations. In 1996 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The flora and fauna of the Reservation area (11,421 km) is unique: 763 species of vascular plants, and 232 bird species, many of which are endemic. The Kronotsky Reservation houses the world's largest population of the Steller's Sea Eagle and Aleutian sea swallow.
- Avacha Bay - one of the most beautiful harbors in the world. Its indisputable highlights are the fabulous sheer rocks at the entrance of the bay, called the "Three Brothers".
- Paratunka thermal hot springs suitable for bathing and swimming
Optional: if you take a flight to the UK in the late evening you can enjoy Moscow for one more day. On your request we can organize for you one of the following activities:
- If you are an art-lover then you will be impressed by the world famous masterpieces displayed in the Tretyakov Gallery and in the Pushkin museum.
- Another option would be a visit to the large and interesting Izmailovo Park presenting traditional wooden houses and churches as well as authentic Russian souvenirs.
- You can also visit the Novodevichy Convent, included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The Convent was used by women of the Tsar’s family and of the aristocracy. Many members of the Tsar’s family and some very famous Russian artists, writers, politicians have been buried in its cemetery. The Convent provides an example of the highest accomplishments of Russian architecture with rich interiors and an important collection of paintings and artefacts.
Some places you visit in this journey are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Please click here to view the UNESCO review page:
go to the top
)
