This tour includes all the highlights of Kamchatka with a focus on nature and culture. You will experience time with the bears and salmon of the Kurilskoye lake, helicopter rides over and to volcanoes and swimming in thermal hot pools. There is also an overnight experience with nomadic reindeer herders in their summer camp in the mountains and chances to meet local people.

There is plenty of time to savour the atmosphere of Kamchatka and follow your own interests. It is a fascinating place with rich history as well as geography. People are friendly and this tour will cover it all.

Countries visited

• Russia
• Kamchatka

Places visited

• Kurilskoye Lake
• Petropavlovsk

Transportation

4WD expedition vehicle, four helicopter flights with spots along their routes.

Included In Price

* Kurilskoye Lake fees and photography fees
* All meals during tour
* Accommodation in a variety of styles- hotels, lodges, flats, yurts and tents.
* English-speaking guide to meet you at your arrival and departure in the PKC airport
* Transfers by coach, 6WD truck-bus, helicopters MI-8 and marine excursion
* Evens folk concert in Esso
* City tour and museums fees
* Guides, interpreter and cook services
* Invitation letter and visa registration
* Permits

Meals Included

This tour includes 41 meals; 14 breakfasts 13 lunches 14 dinners

Not Included In Price

International flight tickets, single rooms, drinks with meals, activities, gratitudes and meals beyond listed in program, optional helicopter flight to the Valley of the Geysers.

Day 1: Arrival into Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

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You will be greeted at the airport by an English-speaking guide and then transferred to Hotel Petropavlovsk. In the afternoon there will be a city tour. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is a remote Russian outpost with little infrastructure. There is a welcome dinner to meet your guides and group this evening.

Accommodation

Tourist accommodation

Meals Included

1 x Dinners

Day 2: Helicopter flight to volcano and then Kurilskoye Lake

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Leave this morning on a flight by MI-8 helicopter to Ksudach Volcano (1hr). Make an excursion to the crater lake of Schtubelya (situated inside Ksudach Volcano) and visit a lovely waterfall where water cascades out of the crater. There is time to visit hot springs that create a "hot beach" on the lake's shore.

Following your dip, there is another short flight to Kamchatka's famed Kurilskoye Lake. Accommodation in a small cozy wooden lodge on Grassy Point. The lodge is two stories with 2 bunk rooms of 5 people each on the second floor. One, 5 person bunk room and a dining room are situated on the first floor. A "wrap around" deck affords a gorgeous view of Kurilskoye Lake and surrounding mountains. Often it is possible to watch bears fishing along the lakeshore without even leaving the territory of the lodge. There will be time to enjoy excursions along the lake's pumice rock beach and you will briefed about the next day's activities here.

Accommodation

Wooden lodge on Grassy Point

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 3 & 4: Activities at Kurilskoye Lake

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Today is a day to view Kamchatka brown bears, Stellar sea eagles and salmon spawning places. Recently 150 bears were spotted during this trip.

We will enjoy taking a motor boat excursion and walking excursions with local wardens to a nearby bear view platform (250 meters from the lodge) that is located at the mouth of the many rivers that drain into Kurilskoye Lake. Here you'll have a good chance of taking great, close-up shots of bears fishing for migrating salmon. The salmon pause briefly in the lake and then make their way from the lake into the streams where they spawn.

Take longer walking excursions to a large meadow where bears feed on wild berries and visit other spawning streams farther from the lodge. Along these streams you'll see spawning salmon and many signs of the large number of bears in the area. There's a good chance you'll see bears fishing just a few yards away as you walk along the banks of streams.

Accommodation

Wooden lodge on Grassy Point

Meals Included

2 x Breakfasts
2 x Lunches
2 x Dinners

Day 5: Bathe in the thermal hot water of the Khodutka River and fly over Mutnovsky active Volcano.

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The day is spent on walking excursions with local wardens to a nearby bear view platform (250 meters from the lodge).

In the late afternoon, there is a return helicopter MI-8 flight back Petropavlovsk. The helicopter will detour to allow you to enjoy a bathe in the thermal hot water of the Khodutka River. This is the largest wild hot springs on Kamchatka. The water bubbles out on a section of tundra located just under Khodutka Volcano and forms a small stream. Farther from the source the water slowly cools and you can find the location where the temperature is right for you to take a swim. Then fly over the crater of Mutnovsky active Volcano, awesome for taking pictures. Return to Petropavlovsk for an evening in town.

Accommodation

Petropavlovsk Hotel

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 6: Reserve day for bad weather - Avacha bay excursion

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Today is a reserve day in case of bad weather. You can join an excursion around Avacha bay by boat with fishing and Ukha (fish soup). Visit Starichkov Island to view sea birds and mammals (6 hours in total). 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.

For those who need more volcanoes, there is an optional helicopter flight to the Valley of the Geysers.

Accommodation

Petropavlovsk Hotel

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 7: Visit the Cossack settlement of Milkovo and camp in the wilderness

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Drive by 4 or 6WD bus to the old Cossack settlement of Milkovo (306 km). Here lunch will be prepared in a local restaurant and there will be a chance to stroll around the village to get a feel for Russian rural life. Continue driving north of Milkovo and camp out in the wilderness in a mixed evergreen and deciduous forest along the banks of the Kamchatka River (Kamchatka's largest river which runs northward through the central valley of the peninsula). 7 -9 hours depending on road conditions. Kamchatka is remote and road conditions are rough.

Accommodation

Camp out in the wilderness

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 8: Visit the 'Moon', or Lunakhodchikov as it is known in Russian.

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Drive to the Lunakhodchikov (150km) base camp (this will be base for the next 2 nights) in tents. This place, reminiscent of the Moon, is famous because it was here that the first Soviet "Lunar roving vehicle-1", was tested.

Accommodation

Base camp in Lunakhodchikov

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 9: Visit the craters of Tolbachik and other volcanic sites.

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Today is a day of exploring this remote area. We will visit the new craters of Tolbachik, the dead forest and other volcanic sites. There is plenty of time to enjoy nature at it's best.

Accommodation

Base camp in Lunakhodchikov

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 10: Drive to Esso and enjoy a local dancing performance.

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We will drive west from Tolbachik to the hotel in the village of Esso. We will enjoy a performance from the local dancing group.

Esso is known as the 'Switzerland of Kamchatka', surrounded by snow-capped mountains and evergreens. It has one of the finest museums in Kamchatka, the Bystrinsky District Ethnographic Museum. This area is very interesting culturally and a little less remote, you can go to a cafe for coffee if you need!

Accommodation

Tourist hotel in Esso

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 11: Overnight with Evens Reindeer Herders

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This morning we fly by helicopter to the camp of Evens Reindeer Herders. These reindeer herders, who inhabit this area, stay away from the towns and modern tendencies – they carefully keep their traditions. You will experience their lifestyle, where every day is the struggle for survival, and get to know their culture.

Stay overnight in tents whilst experiencing this incredible lifestyle.

Accommodation

Overnight in tents

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 12 & 13: Helicopter back to Esso

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We return to Esso and have one day in reserve for bad weather. Time to reflect on your experience whilst further exploring Esso's museums and attractions. There are optional activities such as river rafting to enjoy here.

Accommodation

Tourist hotel in Esso

Meals Included

2 x Breakfasts
2 x Lunches
2 x Dinners

Day 14: Driving back to Petropavlovsk

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Today is a driving day, heading back to Petropavlovsk. Lots of stops and beautiful scenery will keep you happy.

Our last evening will be spent at a group dinner in a city restaurant. 8 hours - 10 hours depending on road conditions

Accommodation

Tourist accommodation

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 15: Depart Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

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After breakfast, you will be escorted to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky airport for your international flight.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts