Tour from Tolbachik Volcano to Kurile Lake / Geysers Valley

Arrival in Kamchatka. The guide will meet you at the airport and take you to the Paratunka resort recreation center. For this first night in Russia, we will stay in a comfortable hotel with all amenities. On the territory of the base there is a dining hall and a restaurant, as well as a pool with thermal water. If your flight arrives before 1 p.m., you will be offered an excursion to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the Pacific coast.

• Night in hotel

The day will be spent on the road to the Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes. This volcano group is located in the north of Kamchatka, it takes about 10-12 hours to get there, part of the way is on gravel, the last kilometers are off-road. Even leaving Paratunka early in the morning, our group would only travel to the area of ​​the large Tolbachik Fissure eruption in the evening.

The last part of the route passes through the mountains, the cars rise to more than a thousand meters above sea level, and that is where the glamping is, where we can rest. The unobstructed views soften the arduousness of the road, and fatigue is forgotten. Outside the car, solidified lava and the growing cones of new volcanoes will be seen as far as the eye can see.

During this day we will have a lunch in the dining room of Milkovo and have snacks during short breaks.

• Dinner at camp in the evening
• Night in glamping

The day is devoted to the ascent of the stratovolcano Plosky Tolbachik. This volcano is part of a massif formed on the site of an ancient shield volcano that once stood here and was the result of the merger of two strato-volcanoes. One of them – Ostry Tolbachik – is already extinct, while Plosky is still active. Climbing it is not easy, even if no special climbing equipment is required. We will need good physical condition to reach the summit of Plosky Tolbachik which is located above 3000 m altitude. The climb is quite gentle, and there are no very steep sections, but it is long and tough.

Difficulties may arise due to the rocky and sandy slopes, so it is important to wear good shoes and gaiters that will prevent your feet from getting sand and small pebbles. We will only take a small backpack with a minimum of necessary things. It is necessary, while going up, to cross 20 km. It takes 6-8 hours depending on the pace of the group. The descent is faster and is done in a few hours.

During the ascent, we will walk among layers of lava, and we will see traces of volcanic bombs ejected in the past and fallen along the path. From above, an amazing view awaits us with a valley covered with a layer of ash after a powerful volcanic eruption and where new cones have formed. The last section before the summit is the steepest, and after overcoming it we will find ourselves facing a huge crater, the diameter of which after the eruption has increased more than fivefold (approximately up to 1700 meters).

In the evening, we will return to the glamping, where a hot dinner awaits us.

• Night in glamping

This day is attributed to the northern and southern breakthroughs, formed in the mid-1970s following an eruption from a fissure. The cataclysm led to the formation of seven new structures. These cinder cones are called the Northern Breakthrough. Having reached a small height, we will be able to admire the bottom of Tolbachik which represents an amazing picture of volcanic activity. The cones stand in a row, forming a chain. The passage from one cone to the other cone allows you to admire the variety of rocks. They are of different colors, up to bright red. Some stones are impossible to handle as long as they are still hot.

In the south, the eruption was less powerful, so its consequences did not cause the active construction of new cones, but lava caves were formed. There is also an impressive forest of dead conifers: a totally burned area in which all the plants are dead. But life resumes its rights and new greenery begins to grow.

In the evening return to camp and dinner.

• Night in glamping

The discovery of the Plosky Tolbachik volcanic complex continues. This time we will visit the exact location where the 2012-2013 eruption occurred and where the marks are evident. This recent natural disaster resulted in the release of large amounts of ash into the atmosphere. There was also a lot of smoke. Fissure eruptions (as it was) are characterized by copious outpouring of lava. As a result, spectacular lava rivers formed, which are now petrified, but still retain incredible heat in some places.

The landscape that opens before our eyes is truly fantastic. The existence of such a place on Earth seems unreal, thoughts of a cosmic landscape equivalent arise. The eruption formed large caves, some visitable by tourists, and new cones. There are plenty of objects for truly futuristic shots.

Full of impressions, we will return to glamping, the chef has already prepared dinner for us.

• Night in glamping

We say goodbye to the amazing camp in the mountains and return to the hotel in Paratunka. Drive about 600km, so we will spend most of the day on the way back, making short stops.

• Night in hotel

Today change of scenery and onward for a sea cruise along Avacha Bay with a visit to Starichkov Island and Russkaya Bay. This trip will take about 10 hours, during which we can see amazing pictures of nature. Leaving Avacha Bay, you can admire the mountain landscape from a new angle, from the sea. Impossible not to pay attention to the rocks of the Three Brothers which, like guards, stand at the entrance of the bay . An ancient legend is connected with them, which the guide will certainly tell you about.

Birds fly over the bay, snatching fish straight out of the water. The closer to Starichkov Island, the more different the birds, and on the island itself the noise is deafening. It is a protected area where there are colonies of birds and colonies of pinnipeds. You can only admire the animals from afar, landing on the island is prohibited. You can also watch colonies of sea lions at Cape Kekurny, past which the boat passes in the direction of Russkaya Bay.

The locals called this bay formerly Ahomen. It was renamed in 1952. Its location makes it a very convenient secure site, making it a safe haven for ships. In the 18th century, sailing ships hid here from the storm. During World War II, a naval base was located in this bay. Besides its strategic importance, the bay also has a purely aesthetic significance. This is one of the most beautiful places in Kamchatka. Just above the bay is a lake with a high silver content in the water – another unique touch to Kamchatka’s nature palette.

In the Bay Area, you can occasionally see whales and killer whales, which swim close enough that their fins are visible above the water.

There is excellent fishing in the bay. We will equip ourselves with the necessary equipment, and fish our own dinner, and after eating a delicious fish soup and resting, we will return to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

• Night in hotel

This day is associated with the Gorely volcano. Its ascent is not difficult and passes between slag fields and petrified lava flows. Gorely has several cones and about ten craters. The most interesting for us are the craters named x – “Active” and “Blue Lake”. The first fully justifies its name, it has never stopped its volcanic activity, and the second is not left out either, allowing the humble beings that we are to marvel at the incredible beauty of the lake lying in its bottom.

We will walk along the rim of these craters, marveling at the geological richness of their structure and admiring the views that open up to us. The descent is faster than the ascent. After the ascent, we check in glamping on the Vilyuchinsky pass, and we will have dinner, then rest and sleep.

• Night in glamping

We will wake up, have an early breakfast and head to the foot of the Mutnovsky Volcano. Today it is planned to visit the springs of Dacha and the waterfall “Braids of Veronica”. Dacha thermal springs are located in the east between Dvugorbovaya and the Rocky Mountains, on the northern slope of Mutnovsky.

The volcanic manifestations are dispersed in a wide strip that extends for more than a kilometer. There are 5 steam sources and emissions, the most powerful of which is the active crater. One can observe hot springs, boiling pots and jets of steam on the walls of this pool.

Further, our journey will continue to the heights of the Vilyuchinskaya Valley, where we will hike to the majestic “Veronika’s Braids” waterfall. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls on the peninsula, located on the Spokoyny stream. It rises on the slope of the Gorely volcano. The height of the waterfall is 16 m and the width of the falling stream is 5 m. The waterfall is framed by rocky and steep banks, covered with stone alders and birches. In the evening we will return to the hotel.

• Night in hotel

For this penultimate day, we have the choice between two routes:

• Itinerary 1: an excursion to the Valley of Geysers with a visit to the Uzon volcano and the thermal springs of Nalychevo,
• Itinerary 2: an excursion to Kurile Lake with a visit to the Ksudach volcano and the thermal waters of Khodutka.

Both routes are long distance and involve a helicopter flight. Both offer an unforgettable spectacle and beautiful views. The choice will therefore be difficult.

Itinerary 1:

Everyone seems to have heard of the Valley of the Geysers. It is a natural monument of global importance, one of the most impressive places on the planet. Located in a canyon in the basin of the Geysernaya River, the valley is rich in various outlets of thermal waters and steam. There are gurgling mud baths here, but above all powerful fountains that spurt hot water from the bowels of the earth. The Valley of Geysers has developed its own ecosystem, which is carefully studied by scientists. There are organisms and plants here that cannot be found anywhere else. In order not to harm the fragile nature of the valley, we will only move on specially prepared paths.

After admiring the Valley of the Geysers, we will take a helicopter that will take us directly to the caldera of the Uzon volcano. It has a diameter of 10 km and, at first glance, looks like a plain. However, upon further analysis, all sorts of miracles of volcanic origin are then revealed – hot fumaroles, mud pots and beautiful lakes filled with water or acid, which gives water a beautiful bright color. Therefore, in the caldera it will be necessary to behave very carefully. Here, too, nature has developed its own ecosystem, in which animals have developed. You can see both small species, foxes and even bears. When you encounter a bear, you need to create as much noise as possible, it will scare it away.

After such adventures, it’s time to relax. In the natural park “Nalychevo” everything is arranged for this. There are hot springs where you can swim and recharge your batteries. They also have a healing effect. After dinner, the group will return to town to spend the night in a hotel.

Itinerary 2:

The second route, to Kurile Lake, is just as interesting as the first. This protected place is famous for its beauty and the fact that you can still encounter bears there. There are a lot of them in August, when a great spawning begins in the waters of the Ozernaya River which flows into the Kurile Lake, and its mouth is exactly the place that connects the lake to the ocean, and this is the only way for the spawn to access fresh water. In this place there is a research base, the specialists of which study fish and monitor the spawning process. They gladly introduce tourists to their work and talk about the habits and way of life of the animals that live there.

Leaving the shore of Kurile Lake, we will fly to the caldera of the blast-destroyed Ksudach Volcano, flying over the impressive peaks of Karymsky and Maly Semyachik Volcanoes along the way. Several craters can be observed in the caldera, in one of them there is a hot lake, around which we will walk. The spectacle will invariably delight our eyes. At the end of the day, a pleasant and relaxing visit to the hot springs of Khodutka, where swimming will restore our strength. After dinner, the group will return to town to spend the night in a hotel.

• Night in hotel

We will say goodbye and we will organize a transfer to the airport with many impressions for you. Those who wish to stay in Kamchatka for a few more days have the option of booking day trips to see other beautiful places on our beautiful peninsula.