There are places in the world where you envy yourself. One of these places is Kamchatka, an amazing land of volcanoes! It always seemed to me something very distant, difficult and expensive, so I once again went to conquer new continents, leaving the far eastern corner of my country for sometime later.
Then it came unexpectedly. In early April, Aeroflot and Transaero simultaneously got tickets for the summer from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and back for 18,000 rubles, which was an unprecedented generosity given the flight range, and we did not hesitate. During the day, a group of people gathered, we bought tickets and started planning the trip. Actually, at that moment, all the planning came down to the fact that I found an interesting route called the Pacific Ring from Kamchatka travel agencies, read a couple of reports from people who went through it on their own, believed in our strength and took this route as a basis. Then I did not know that the weather and nature would make significant adjustments to our plan, and half of our plans would not come true. But this did not make the trip less interesting and eventful.
When to go to Kamchatka? Weather
Buying tickets in early April, we certainly could not imagine that a very late spring would be added to a very snowy winter, which, it seems, came to Kamchatka along with our arrival on July 24th. On the first day on the streets of the City we were met by blooming lilacs. And the next three days we spent among the two-meter snowdrifts of dense July snow, which was so much around that it seemed as if we were in the Kingdom of the White with rare islands of thawed patches covered with bright spring flowers.
The snow was wet, and with it, the feet in the "waterproof" boots were constantly wet through. It is no coincidence that local guides walk only in rubber boots! Periodically squeezing water out of socks has become a common practice, but thanks to sunny weather and +20 degrees of heat, no one got sick in the end.
Local residents told us that it rained continuously throughout June, in July the weather was also not encouraging, and the only six sunny days in July fell just at the beginning of our trip to Kamchatka.
One day I talked with a girl from Moscow, who said that she was in Kamchatka at the same time three years ago, and then nature resembled the Crimean steppes scorched by the sun, and it was so hot that the group did some transitions and ascents in swimsuits / swimming trunks. So year after year is not necessary. But we saw an incredible combination of snow, bright greenery and amazing Kamchatka flowers - contrasts were everywhere!
Unfortunately, a week after our arrival, the weather turned bad, it rained continuously for two days, and the remaining three days were cloudy. So we never saw volcanoes from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and the Pacific coast was cloudy and through drizzle.
Next time, I will probably try to come to Kamchatka at the end of August, and sometime in mid-late September, to catch both the berries and the colors of autumn, so as not to walk in the snow and easily ford the shallow mountain rivers, as well as try to see how the fish go to spawn. Yes, and the bears will already be full))
Features of Kamchatka
The first thing that catches your eye upon arrival is right-hand drive cars. There are probably more than 90 percent of them in Kamchatka. At the entrance / exit from the airport around the terminal with a parking ticket, there are even two lanes - for left-hand drive cars and for right-hand drive cars. A few left-hand drive cars are either rare domestic or completely new cars from the salon. Among the cars dominated by Japanese. And among the left-hand drive buses - Korean.
There are few roads in Kamchatka, and even fewer paved roads, so the vast majority of cars are SUVs. Delica is very popular, put on tall and wide wheels - on such units people manage to drive almost to the very top of the Gorely volcano, as much as 1500 meters.
Organized tourists are transported on shifts made on the basis of Kamaz, GAZ and ZIL.
There are only a few cities in Kamchatka. But for the local residents of Kamchatka, only Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky deserves the name City. Usually they say this: "I'm going to the City, I can give you a lift to the City."
The self-name of the locals is Kamchadal.
Although Kamchatka is not an island, but a peninsula, the rest of Russia is called the “mainland”, and the Russians who arrived are called “from the mainland”. There are no roads connecting Kamchatka with "mainland" Russia through Chukotka or the Magadan region (except for winter roads), and you can get to the mainland only by plane or by sea.
If you want to pass for your own, put the stress on the first syllable in the names of the settlements of Yelizovo, Pinachevo and Nalychevo))
Prices in Kamchatka for food, transport and housing
We knew that everything is very expensive in Kamchatka, so we brought all the food for an autonomous trip for 10 days from Moscow.
In recent days in Kamchatka, we went “on an excursion” to the largest supermarket on the peninsula called Shamsa, we were horrified by the local prices. A kilogram of apples in early August cost 200 rubles, a kilo of bananas 180 rubles. There is a problem with dairy products in general! It is difficult for a resident of “mainland” Russia, accustomed to the variety of milk and kefir, to look at a small shelf in a huge supermarket without tears, where a couple of dozen packages of gourmet kefir are laid out in 3 piles. 73 rubles per 400 grams. This is 182 rubles for the usual liter / kilo of kefir !!!
Since we had plenty of food with us, on the spot we bought only caviar (1600 rubles per kilo of chum salmon caviar, 1800 rubles per kilo of sockeye salmon or pink salmon caviar, 2500 rubles per kilo of chinook caviar), cold-sweetened fish (700 rubles per kilo of sockeye salmon or chinook salmon), potatoes (30 rubles/kilo), bread and expensive "delicacy" butter. We were pleased with the prices for fresh fish - from 80 rubles per kilogram of salmon fish.
Prices in restaurants were surprisingly no higher than in Moscow, while the portions were large, and the food was very, very tasty. I really liked the Bulvar restaurant in the Shams shopping center on Pobedy Avenue - I have never eaten such delicious sushi and miso soups in Moscow! We had a good lunch at the Ugli restaurant on KP (as everyone calls Komsomolskaya Square): an elk cutlet with honeysuckle, as well as fried fern, were incomparable!
Intercity public transport turned out to be very expensive! The bus from Yelizovo to Termalny for 75 rubles did not really surprise us, but the bus from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Malka at 525 rubles for 130 kilometers made us think ... However, on the first day we found out for ourselves that in Kamchatka there is an excellent hitchhiking on the roads of any quality, and communication with local residents greatly enriches the Kamchatka experience, so the idea of traveling by bus was abandoned for a combination of reasons. Thanks to hitchhiking, we met very interesting people, both ordinary Kamchadals who are afraid of bears and do not leave their settlement or vehicle, and outdoor enthusiasts who drive snowmobiles, motorcycles and even trikes across the peninsula. And, of course, each of them had their own bear story!
We had accommodation in Kamchatka with us, and we spent the first 9 nights comfortably in our tents.
Prices for hotels in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are inhumane, but it is very easy to rent an apartment for a day - we are our studio apartment with a fresh renovation, modern interior, perfect cleanliness and a set of absolutely everything that you might need for a normal life, at a price of 1800 rubles per day ( easily and comfortably accommodates four) were very satisfied!
Independent travel around Kamchatka
Traveling around Kamchatka on my own with some preparation at home turned out to be incredibly easy. The Internet contains reports and GPS tracks of independent tourists, which are good to have for orientation in the area. Once again, the free offline MapsWithMe map turned out to be very useful, on which most of the trails, hot springs, and waterfalls were marked. Near Gorely, Mutnovsky, at Dachnye and Nizhne-Vilyuchinsky springs, we set up tents in places clearly intended for these purposes - somewhere nearby there were groups of organized tourists, in other places we were alone, but there were bonfires and even benches.
Wherever something is traveling, you can hitchhike, and even shift workers with organized tourists are brought up.
In terms of information, the Modern Guide to Kamchatka, published by the local visitor center, turned out to be valuable - you can ask for this book at the visitor center in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on Lenina Street and get it for free! It is a pity that I got this book only at the end of the journey, but it will clearly prove to be extremely useful in preparing for the next one.
What to take with you on a hike in Kamchatka?
In the summer in Kamchatka, anything can come in handy - from a light down jacket to a swimsuit! So you need to take clothes for any weather: a swimsuit / swimming trunks for hot springs, thermal underwear (at least a top) for comfortable transitions in weather conditions that change from cold to warm, long-sleeved synthetic sweaters so as not to burn in the scorching sun, a raincoat and rain pants, light warm fleeces, windbreaker.
A rain cover on the backpack or a dry bag inside the backpack - it will be very useful while fording, so as not to be afraid to soak things inside the backpack.
Big sun goggles are a must, as long walks in the snow under the scorching sun can turn any beautiful day into hell. Sun cream and lip balm with a high SPF, as it burns very easily in the mountains. Panama.
Trekking poles make climbing and descending very easy, as well as fording rivers.
In addition to comfortable worn shoes (preferably waterproof, but this will not help with constant walking in wet snow), sandals for fording rivers will not interfere.
We took down sleeping bags, so we slept softly and warmly everywhere. The guys went with thermals, I miraculously managed with foam.
The mosquito net was very relevant - there were a lot of mosquitoes almost everywhere!
Flashlight. Seat.
Bear protection! You can use beeps (we bought in Sportmaster), fan pipes (uncomfortable because you have to blow into them, which is difficult during long transitions, it is better to buy beeps in the form of a pear that you can easily knead in your hand), whistles. On the spot in Yelizovo, you need to buy flares - a pulled out pin gives a green or red flame 20 cm long for 30 seconds, which will help when meeting a bear face to face.
I read somewhere that vinegar helps against animals, including bears, so we took 0.3 liters with us and sprinkled the area around the tent in especially bearish places.
Fleece gloves and a hat were not useful - there was absolutely no cold anywhere, although near Gorely and Mutnovsky it became noticeably colder immediately after sunset, and the windbreaker hood was in demand.
Hiking layout. Nutrition
We brought all the food with us to Kamchatka from Moscow.
At first, there was an idea to buy freeze-dried ready-made meals from a well-known Gala-Gala company in hiking circles, but the tasting did not impress us - one dish was very salty, the second smelled like chicken droppings. So we took cereals (buckwheat, rice, lentils, millet, oatmeal), pasta, dry mashed potatoes, crackers, sausage, lard, dried pork and chicken (freeze-dried meat) in the oven, took Podtravka dry soups, to which we added dried carrots and onions from Auchan. From sweets and snacks, there were hazelnuts, raisins, dried apricots, halva, sherbet, gozinaki and Alenka chocolate. Plus green and black tea, sugar. They ate deliciously, no one went hungry, in the end I did not lose a single kilo, although, perhaps, the increased nutrition in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the last three days of the trip had an effect.
Most of the food display was packed in plastic bottles for milk, Shishkin Les water and 1-liter paper bags for milk and kefir.
The layout was based on 700 grams of dry product per person per day. As a result, at the start, each had 8 kg. food. Seryoga and I had backpacks at Sheremetyevo weighing 20 kilos, our two fellow travelers had 25 kilos each, but it all depends on how much extra unnecessary crap someone took as personal items))
Since immediately after arrival we wanted to go to the Gorely volcano, and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was slightly out of the way, I was tormented by the question of whether it was possible to buy gas and flares in Yelizovo. I haven't been able to find the answer to this simple question on the Internet. Yelizovo, where the airport is located, seemed like a village to me, but it turned out that this is one of three full-fledged and self-sufficient cities in Kamchatka, where there is absolutely everything. Right next to the bus station there are many tourist, hunting and fishing shops where you can buy gas and flares. Plus, there is a market nearby with red caviar and fish)) So go to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to buy what you need to buy in Kamchatka, since you can’t bring it from Moscow, you don’t need it at all - you can buy everything you need in Yelizovo and immediately advance at least under Gorely, even under Avachinsky, even to the north, which is much more convenient to do from Yelizovo!
Kamchatka is a picturesque peninsula on the edge of Russia, which attracts tourists with magnificent volcanoes, unusual nature and sights. To get to know this region better, many people go to Kamchatka by car. This makes it possible to visit every corner of the peninsula.
Travelling by car
Kamchatka is located on Far East and has a fairly large area. You can get to this region by land with your own car or go by ferry from different cities.
How to get to Kamchatka?
More recently, to get by car to Kamchatka it was not possible, since not a single road was laid from the large cities of Russia to this region.
The world knows some extreme heroes who tried to drive from Magadan, Vladivostok and Khabarovsk in specially equipped cars.
The travel time took at least 30 days, and the weather conditions forced us to take special equipment with us. At the same time, the distance between cities is quite large - about 4-5 thousand kilometers.
After a while, the situation has changed a little, but it is still enough to get from large cities to the peninsula hard. It is for this reason that not many people decide on such a trip, choosing other ways of traveling to Kamchatka.
Before planning such a responsible and lengthy move, it is necessary to carefully think over every step. The Far East region has a peculiar climate. If you have to make a stop somewhere during the trip, it is better to mark it on the map in advance.
It is worth noting that for such a trip, not only the route is important, but also the season. According to the reviews of people who made routes by car from major Russian cities, the easiest way to get to Kamchatka is in winter time, especially if you follow from Magadan. From this large city to the capital Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, "wintering" is laid - roads that make it possible not only to travel by car, but also not to break it, following the impassability.
The downside of this trip is incredible cold climate characteristic of this region. In winter, the thermometer drops to a critical level of -40-50°C, so you should think about other ways to travel to Kamchatka on your own.
In summer and autumn, the road from Khabarovsk, Magadan is a hilly and mountainous landscape, so you can only get to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky by SUV.
What seas wash the peninsula?
When planning an independent trip by car to Kamchatka, you should choose the best option for the trip - moving on ferries and other passenger ships coming from Vladivostok.
This region of Russia is washed by several water areas at once:
- Sea of Okhotsk;
- Barents Sea;
- Pacific Ocean.
Read about all the seas that wash the territory of the Russian Federation.
The main route on ships carrying cars runs through the Sea of Okhotsk.
From other cities of Russia, you can get to Vladivostok itself by trails fine quality. All of them are quite lightly loaded, and you can stop for the night or refuel on many sections of the road.
Upon arrival in Vladivostok, you should immediately go to the seaport, from where cargo ferries to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Three sea lines follow to the capital city. It is better to find out the schedule directly on the spot, as it is often changed due to weather conditions and the season.
On average, the cost of such a trip on a ferry with a car is from 15 to 20 thousand rubles. For the price, this method is much cheaper than if you had to get to Kamchatka by car directly.
When is the best time to go on vacation?
Kamchatka is beautiful for tourists any time of the year, but it should be borne in mind that some of the attractions will not be available for acquaintance due to climatic conditions.
Rest in winter
During the winter season, the peninsula is transformed, especially its unique nature. Snow-covered volcanoes of the northern region, as well as unique opportunities for winter adventures, attract tourists from all over the world.
Interesting sights and entertainment are available for vacationers this season, but ski holidays are in the greatest demand.
For fans of descent from the slopes in Kamchatka, ideal conditions have been created for active and fun vacation. Snow in this region lies on the slopes of volcanoes from December to June, and numerous slopes are equipped with lifts and snow cannons.
For fans of extreme skiing in this region there are undeveloped slopes of volcanoes, and for others - well-established routes:
- Avachinsky volcano;
- Aane slope;
- Mutnovsky volcano;
- Burnt volcano;
- Vilyuchinsky volcano.
From the mountains themselves open breathtaking views to the landscapes of Kamchatka, which you can finally see with your own eyes.
Great way to spend New Year in Kamchatka is to visit hot springs. There are only about two hundred springs on the peninsula, some of which flow calmly from the bowels of the earth, some rage and gush like a fountain, releasing puffs of steam at the same time.
Near the springs there are usually equipped mud boilers in which tourists can take health baths. The most popular place for recreational activities - hot springs Paratunka, as well as Nalychevo.
In winter, other entertainments are available for tourists in Kamchatka:
- riding on dog sledding;
- Landing on the slopes with helicopters(heli-ski);
- Freeride on the volcanic landscape;
- Winter fishing;
- Mini expeditions to the tops of the famous volcanoes;
- Acquaintance with the indigenous people of the region in the village of Kaynyran;
- visit sea lion rookeries;
- Walk to ocean.
Due to such an extensive choice of entertainment, the Kamchatka Peninsula is often called the most popular center extreme tourism.
In order to enjoy the rest during such a cool period, you should take warm clothes and comfortable shoes with you.
The "Land of Fire and Ice" in winter will delight all vacationers with the unsurpassed beauty inherent in this region.
What should a tourist see in spring?
In the spring, Kamchatka is radically transformed - the cold weather recedes, and everything around begins to bloom. Thanks to such excellent conditions, there are even more entertainments in this region, and the surrounding nature contributes to making active holidays memorable for a long time. In addition, one of the advantages of visiting the bear region in the spring are low prices to rest with the same amount of entertainment available.
In the first month of spring, ski tourism is still available in Kamchatka, so many people go to this region to enjoy the last opportunity to ski down the mountains. In addition, snowmobile rides are available for vacationers. Dimchikan cordon or to volcanoes, as well as getting to know the local cuisine. Holidays in March are wonderful because during this period, winter conditions are still observed on the peninsula, but they are still a little milder.
If you plan a trip to Kamchatka in the spring by car, then in a fairly short period you can visit several popular attractions at once:
- Avachinsky volcano;
- Lake Azabachye;
- Nalychevo Valley;
- Mutnovsky volcano;
- River Bystraya;
- Valley of Geysers.
Kamchatka is famous exclusively for its natural attractions, which can be found at almost every step. Not a single photo can convey how beautiful and atmospheric it is in its open spaces. It is for this reason that a trip by car will provide an organized spring tour. But at the same time, it is worth remembering that the roads on the peninsula are of rather poor quality, so an SUV is the best option for a trip.
In April and May, when the nature of Kamchatka is completely transformed, you can leave the car on your own and go to hike. This period is also beautiful because, being in nature, you do not have to worry about the abundance of mosquitoes and midges.
All companies organize professional guides who are able to lead a group of tourists to the right places, ensuring a safe outdoor recreation.
Attractions in summer
In summer, tourists go to the open spaces of Kamchatka in large numbers. This is facilitated by the beautiful weather, as well as the largest selection of opportunities for a great holiday.
In addition to traditional hikes to volcanoes, relaxation in the Valley of Geysers and exciting excursions to local villages, tourists are popular with tourists walking along the sea and visiting beaches with black volcanic sand.
Journey on passenger ships Pacific Ocean makes it possible to see Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, its high slopes and hills from a completely different angle. During the walk, you can also get acquainted with bird colonies, seeing them in their natural habitat.
Volcanoes Kamchatka in the summer is especially charming, and getting to their peaks with a guide is a fairly easy task. The ascent is not hindered by bad weather or extreme temperatures.
Before those who reach the top of one of the most famous volcanoes in Russia, impressive unearthly species, more reminiscent of Mars or the Moon. Some craters are filled with sky-blue and crystal-clear lakes, while others are shattered cracks from which streams of steam and fumaroles escape.
In summer, many seek to relax at sea, read about the resorts of the Black Sea coast.
In the summer, tourists become available:
- Khalaktyrsky beach;
- Avacha Bay;
- Mutnovskaya group of volcanoes;
- Karymshinsky sources;
- Malkinsky thermal springs;
- Kronotsky Natural Biosphere Reserve.
It will be interesting to get acquainted with the capital Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. This city has both natural attractions that attract tourists, as well as museums, monuments and other equally interesting places.
trip in autumn
Many tourists note that Kamchatka is especially beautiful in autumn. Hiking trips during this period, especially in September, they become relevant again for fans of outdoor activities. At the same time, it is not necessary to take all the necessary ammunition for the trip, such as tents, sleeping bags and cats, with you on a trip. Everything you need can be rented from local shops.
Hiking ( tracking) through the wild places of Kamchatka provide an opportunity to touch the unique Kamchatka nature, see rare landscapes that will be available only along certain routes. At the same time, you will have to overcome the difficulties of mountain passes, fords of icy rivers with a heavy backpack.
The best reward in such a trip will be the romance of an evening fire, the starry sky and new friends.
Popular walking routes:
- Through the volcanoes Nalychevskaya valley;
- By volcanoes north and south of Kamchatka;
- Travel around Tolbachik;
- Climbing to peaks volcanoes.
In October and November, hunting and fishing, picking mushrooms and berries, as well as many other outdoor activities are available for tourists in Kamchatka. It should be noted that this period is especially popular due to lack of mosquitoes and other nasty insects.
When planning a trip to Kamchatka, many rush to volcanoes and geysers, forgetting that the island has one unique attraction - locals who inhabited the islands even before the arrival of Russian expeditions. A visit to the Itelmen village promises to be incredibly interesting, where performances with food, music, dances and drinks are arranged for guests.
Travelers will be interested in some facts about the peninsula:
- On its territory, only about 29 active and 300 sleepers volcanoes;
- If it weren’t for modern modes of transportation that bring travelers to Kamchatka, one would have to get from Moscow to the peninsula about a year;
- The territory of Kamchatka is so vast that it could fit France and Belgium;
- The peninsula is incredibly rich bears, and each of them weighs about 150-200 kilograms;
- Almost all rivers here originate from glaciers, and the water in them is so pure that you can drink it without worrying about your health;
- origin of name"Kamchatka" is still being investigated by scientists - there are several versions, but so far it has not been possible to confirm exactly.
Kamchatka is wonderful to visit at any time of the year, and if you have your own car, this trip promises to be even more interesting and fascinating.
Watch a video clip about traveling around Kamchatka by car:
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Kamchatka is a land of untouched wilderness located on the periphery of the Russian Federation.
It is impossible to arrive there by train, since the railway to the peninsula is not laid. All you have left is planes and ships.
Now many tour operators offer sightseeing tours to Kamchatka. Extreme tourism in this region is gaining momentum.
In this article, we will learn about the cost of such a trip, explore seasonal price fluctuations and tell you exactly where you can buy tickets.
The cost of the tour to Kamchatka
When choosing a tour to this region and calculating the price of a trip, you should know that the final cost will depend on several factors:
- point of departure;
- Time travel;
- flight cost;
- number of days in the tour;
- the complexity of the tour;
- transportation.
The most popular types of outdoor activities in Kamchatka are:
- tracking;
- fishing;
- helicopter tours;
- car tours;
- combined expeditions.
Tourist routes pass through remote, wild and hard-to-reach places. The lion's share of the cost of the tour is the transportation of tourists by helicopters and SUVs.
The complexity of Kamchatka tours is:
- light,
- middle,
- heavy.
It also affects the price range.
The tourist infrastructure on the peninsula is poorly developed - this should be taken into account when planning a trip. Usually the price of the tour includes:
- transfer;
- medical insurance;
- accommodation (hotel, camp site, recreation center);
- transportation along the route;
- services of specialists (cooks, guides, instructors, porters, pilots).
Below we will analyze the services of some travel companies offering to buy a tour to Kamchatka, and also mention the main travel directions.
"Land of Volcanoes"
This company offers multi-day tourist tours on the most popular routes:
- Valley of Geysers,
- volcano Uzon,
- Klyuchevskaya Sopka,
- valley of death,
- Verkhne-Semyachinsky springs, etc.
The cost of the ticket does not include the flight (approximately it is calculated from Moscow separately).
- Trekking tours (4-8 days) - 106-126 thousand rubles.
- Trekking tours (12-14 days) - 76-136 thousand rubles.
- Helicopter tours (4-8 days) - 106-126 thousand rubles;
- Helicopter tours (11-12 days) - 94-136 thousand rubles;
- Car tours (3-6 days) - 12.600-42.000 rubles;
- Car tours (10-13 days) - 64-77 thousand rubles;
- rafting on the Fast River (three days) - 18,000 rubles;
- mixed tour (fishing and car travel, 9 days) - 98,000 rubles;
- combined tours for 14-17 days (fishing and car) - 78-96 thousand rubles.
Tourist club "Kamchatka"
The company offers economy class tours, which will cost an order of magnitude cheaper:
- Multi-day hike (14 days, crossing the entire peninsula) - 35,000 rubles;
- Pacific Ring (12 days) - 24,000 rubles;
- Acquaintance with Kamchatka (13 days) - 21,000 rubles;
- Big nine-day trip - 29,000 rubles;
- Bears and volcanoes (11 days) - 42.000 rubles, it is proposed to visit:
- lakes,
- Hot Springs,
- monuments of natural origin.
- Kamchatka in June (9 days) - 29,000 rubles;
- Colors of autumn (11 days) - 19,000 rubles, these are:
- Volcano Dzendur,
- pacific coast,
- Nalychevo natural park.
"Kamchatka-tour"
Here the emphasis is on a wide range of entertainment:
- Fishing - 11.000-12.000 rubles per day;
- One-day alloys - 5.000-10.000 rubles;
- Climbing (1 day) - 4.900-9.900 rubles;
- Excursions and horse riding tours (1-2 days) - 5.500-9.900 rubles;
- Expeditions on ATVs, jeep tours (1 day) - 5.200-6.900 rubles;
- Sea excursions (6 hours) - 3.850-7.700 rubles;
- Tracking (2-14 days) - 5.400-135.000 rubles;
- Helicopter and walking tours - 30.000-34.000 rubles.
You have already understood that the prices of tours to Kamchatka with a flight will have to be calculated separately. Mentally add the resulting amount to the prices indicated above - this is how you get the total cost of the trip.
In September 2012, I and two other stuntmen from Nizhnevartovsk flew from Kamchatka to the mainland. Getting on the plane, I knew that I would come back here, because the topic of Kamchatka was not fully disclosed by me and I did not see much beauty. For 18 days, we managed to visit only the Nalychevo park and Khalaktyrsky beach.
And now, 2 years later, I again went to Kamchatka, from August 10 to September 1, 2014. The action plan was as follows:
- Arrival, accommodation, sleep off after the flight, buy: gas, food, funds from bears.
- Three-day visit to southern Kamchatka:
- Thermal GeoCHP
- Dacha hot springs
- Mini valley of geysers
- Volcano Mutnovsky
- Volcano Gorely
- Twelve-day hike in Central Kamchatka:
- Volcano Plosky Tolbachik
- Dead forest, cones of the northern breach, lava caves
- lava flows
- Go around the Plosky Tolbachik volcano alone, look at the entire Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes and get to the natural monument - Mount Polennitsa.
Initially, the trip was designed for two, but six months before the trip I found out that my partner would not be able to go, and at the same time I read Marina Galkina’s book “Alone at the End of the World” - about her solo, two-month trip to Chukotka. Inspired by her story, I decided to take a solo trip. Therefore, the search for a new partner disappeared by itself.
In general, public transport is quite difficult in Kamchatka, and therefore it is very difficult to get to many places, and travelers have to either hire a jeep (expensive) or hitchhike (free of charge). But I solved the problem with transport (dropping on routes) in a rather interesting way by writing to the local tourist club, which is also engaged in commercial tourism, saying that, they say, I’m from the mainland, but I don’t want to buy a tour, they say, I’m a tourist myself and therefore asked me to just throw on the route, and take the money only for fuel. And the tourist club agreed, unlike the usual travel agencies.
Start. First day in Kamchatka
The moment of the beginning of the journey is difficult to determine, as one trip spilled over into another. On the first of August, I hitchhiked to St. Petersburg, after living there for 3 days, I went to Yekaterinburg to change a small backpack for camping equipment and a backpack of one hundred and twenty liters. On the same day, August 6, I left for Nizhnevartovsk, from where I had a flight to Novosibirsk on August 9.
In Novosibirsk, I stayed with Igor Korotaev, my old friend. That day I was shown Akademgorodok, the Ob Sea, and also told a lot of interesting things about the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong. In general, I was inspired by Southeast Asia and took note of it. On August 10, there was a flight to Khabarovsk, I ended up in Khabarovsk at 7 am on the 11th (such a good jump in time). Three hours of waiting, and I start in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
But stop! The adventures began in the Novosibirsk bus, on the way from the railway station to the airport. It's about forty minutes to go, and so I decided to talk with a neighbor, whose name was Svetlana, it turned out that she was flying on the same flight to Kamchatka, and she herself was from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. After the flight to Kamchatka, she offered to go with her and her friends on a two-day rafting trip, but if there was no rafting, then it would be possible to walk to the Blue Lakes, for me it just fit in between South and Central Kamchatka, and I agreed.
When leaving the plane, home volcanoes - Avachinskaya and Koryakskaya Sopki - immediately catch your eye, and you understand what a beautiful land you have flown into. At the airport, Sveta was met, and at the same time I was taken to the city. I note that in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky I did not live in a hotel or hostel, but again with couchsurfers. My couchsurfers worked until 8pm and had to wait. Since we arrived at two in the afternoon, it was necessary to put ourselves somewhere for these six hours of free time. It was decided to leave the heavy backpack with Sveta. In the meantime, I wanted to go and buy gas, but because of the long flights and the time difference, I was wildly sleepy (when flying to the Far East, you should always take this into account), and therefore I overslept on Sveta's kitchen sofa while she herself went to to their affairs. That's how I was extremely lucky to sleep off in a calm environment, and not suffer 6 hours of idleness and a wild desire to close my eyes and fall asleep somewhere on the lawn in the city, thanks to a chance meeting on the bus.
It is worth noting that Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is a city stretched out in a thread 10 kilometers long along the Avacha Bay, and moving around the city can be quite difficult and long. In the evenings, Sveta agreed to give me a lift to the other end of the city to my couchsurfers - again, lucky.
Second day in Kamchatka
Tuesday, August 12 - according to the plan, on this day I had to buy food (the Shamsa supermarket chain is best for this), gas (Alpindustria or the Kvartal shopping center), funds from bears.
There were no problems with food. There was no gas in Alpukha, but it was found in the Kvartal shopping center. But with funds from bears, everything turned out to be much more complicated, flares were not available anywhere, so it’s better to buy them in advance on the mainland.
Bear remedies:
- The simplest whistle (bears are afraid of sharp sounds)
- Flares - it is better to buy in a plastic shell, and not in paper. Effective when meeting with a bear nose to nose. Very heavy, better to buy one piece
- Hunter signal lights, good for scaring away bears at a long distance, reusable, and also very light.
It is worth having all three with you. But at that time I only had a whistle, and I didn’t manage to buy everything else. I needed all these funds only in Central Kamchatka, it was possible to go to the South without them. Therefore, I called Svetlana and asked my friends to look for flares until Saturday (while I was in southern Kamchatka), by that time we decided that on Saturday-Sunday we would go to the Blue Lakes.
I also didn’t have a GPS - and in Kamchatka it is extremely necessary, since the weather changes very quickly, and fogs can come for a long time.
Summary of the day: bought gas and groceries, noGPS and flares.
Day 3 Departure to South Kamchatka
Wednesday, August 13 In the morning I arrived at the tourist club. Gleba Travina (it was with him that I negotiated about transport), met the guide of the tour group Alexander, the cook Nina and the driver Alexei. By agreement, I was supposed to just be taken to the Mutnovsky volcano, but along the way I made friends with the guide and the cook, and thus for the next three days in Kamchatka I lived with the group, moved and ate with everyone - in this I was lucky (in which times already).
Then it became known that Alexander (guide) would also go with me to Central Kamchatka (which means that I will be fed there for about three days until the group leaves.). And when he found out that I was going to bypass Tolbachik alone, and even without GPS, he called me desperate (as many will call me in the future) and said that he could borrow my GPS completely disinterestedly, so thanks to another chance and luck Navigation issue resolved.
On this day, I also got acquainted with a tour group, among which it is worth highlighting two Muscovites of about 40 years old (Vitya and Sasha), they gave me important information about the state of the road and the flow of cars from Skovordino to Yakutsk and further to Magadan. Three years ago they flew to Vladivostok, bought a minibus and drove through Yakutsk to Magadan. And since next year I plan to hitchhike along the route Ekb - Novosib - Irkutsk - Yakutsk - Magadan, their information about roads in Yakutia and the Magadan region was extremely interesting for me.
Of the sights, we looked at the thermal GeoCHP, bathed in hot springs (Dachnye) and saw a mini-valley of geysers (really Kamchatka is a land of fire and ice!).
Day 4 The incident with the bear and Mutnovsky volcano
Thursday, August 14 In the morning I woke up at 6 in the morning from loud voices, looking at the clock I was surprised that everyone got up so early, then I heard 3 claps and thought that someone was firing fireworks (yeah, at 6 in the morning something). Then I realized that these were shots and decided to get out of the tent. It turned out that's what happened. A breeding bear (a young 2-3 year old bear that was recently chased away by his mother) came to our camp in the early morning in search of food, he was somehow seen by a Korean photographer from a neighboring camp. While the bear was behaving well, the Korean just filmed it with a camera, while the bear, having eaten the found flatbread, decided to look for food in one of the tents (it turned out to be the tent of our guide Alexander). The bear left a mark of five claws on the awning of the tent, but did not climb further, because the Korean shouted “Tika! Tika!” (Korean like “Don’t! Don’t!”) and banged the spoon on the plate that was lying next to him. The bear was frightened by sharp sounds, besides, everyone began to get out of the tents, then, out of nowhere, the huntsman appeared and drove the bear away with three shots. Since we were in the park, only the huntsman can kill bears, and since it was known that the bear in the vicinity began to pester people, the huntsman was called a couple of days ago. This is such a cheerful morning. The rest of the day was devoted to climbing the Mutnovsky volcano, which consists of three craters, with many sulfuric outcrops, fumaroles, mini geysers, boiling mud pots.
Day 5 Bear again, climbing Gorely volcano
At six o'clock in the morning three shots were fired again. Knowing that this was definitely not a salute, I quickly left the tent to look at the fate of the bear. But this time the huntsman hit for sure - the bear was killed. It is worth adding that over the past two years, the population of bears in Kamchatka has greatly increased, and therefore all the bears do not have enough food, as a result, hungry bears climb into settlements and the number of people bullied by them has increased significantly this summer. And this bear was very thin in mid-August - he did not overweight at all during the summer, and therefore, most likely, he would not have survived the next winter.
The rest of the day was devoted to moving under the Gorely volcano and climbing it. Both ascents (to Mutnovsky and Gorely) are not difficult, good paths have been trodden on both volcanoes (it is difficult to get lost). Gorely has 12 craters, but we examined the 3 most interesting ones. During the descent, I came across a 72-year-old Japanese man, who, despite his age, nevertheless climbed the volcano, but began to descend earlier than his group (so as not to delay them later), he was accompanied by a second guide from their group. And when I passed by, the knife that I carried in my backpack for 3 days came in handy just in case. The Japanese had a cramped leg and needed something sharp, I borrowed my knife, the cramp was relieved. A couple of phrases in Japanese that I learned a couple of years ago also came in handy. After talking with the guide and the Japanese, I left them a pen, just in case, suddenly the cramp recurs, and I ran to catch up with my group.
At the end of the day we drove back to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, on the way stopping for a swim in the Upper Paratunsky hot springs. On the way, it turned out that in the city for the next three days (Saturday-Monday) hot and cold water is turned off! Thus, I lost the opportunity to wash my things and wash properly (but I bought in hot springs).
6-7 days. Blue lakes and new acquaintances
Saturday-Sunday, August 16-17. On the night from Friday (day 5) to Saturday (day 6) I spent the night with couchsurfers. On Saturday, at 12 o'clock, a certain Alexander arrived, a guy of about 27 years old, a candidate of agricultural sciences, from Orenburg. He returned just from Plosky Tolbachik (Central Kamchatka), where I was going to go in a couple of days, so, after sharing his impressions a little, he said that he got in good weather and he really liked it there. At 14 o'clock Sveta picked me up and in her jeep we went to Yelizovo, for her friend Nadya, and from there immediately to the Blue Lakes. What is Blue Lakes? This is a 16 km path through the forest to the sources of the Polovinka River, and at the end you will find three very beautiful, blue lakes, from which a river flows and a beautiful array of mountains called the "circus". On the first day we walked only 8 km, we decided to spend the night not in tents, but in houses (free of charge), since in this area people constantly stumble upon bears. For dinner, they cooked an ear.
On the 7th day (Sunday) we got up early and went light to the lakes, leaving our things at the camp. In the evening we were at home in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, we never met a bear on the trail.
In the evening, Alexander from Orenburg gave me the hunter's signals, so something more significant was added to my whistle.
While I was in southern Kamchatka, Svetlana found 2 flares in a plastic shell, so the issue with them was also successfully resolved.
Day 8 Departure to Kozyrevsk (Central Kamchatka)
Monday, 18 August. Met a new group. It is 500 km to Kozyrevsk, and it takes ten hours to go on a shift. Why? Yes, because the roads in Kamchatka are gravel, and there is very little asphalt (it is only from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Milkovo, and even then not everywhere). Since the hotel in Kozyrevsk was not paid for me (I pay only for the shift), I spent the night in the shift itself (I remembered Kyrgyzstan). On the way, by the way, we made a stop in Sokochi and ate giant pies for 70-80 rubles.
Day 9 Road from Kozyrevsk to Plosky Tolbachik volcano
We went to the BTTI slag fields () of 1975-1976 (south of Plosky Tolbachik) and new lava flows (2012-2013 eruption). The road from Kozyrevsk is about 70 km long. Off-road. We drove for about 6 hours. Gradually, the forest was replaced by slag fields. The last part of the journey was along the cooled lava of 2013.
The remaining half of the day was devoted to setting up the camp (in conditions of strong winds, we surrounded the tents with stones so that they would not be blown away by this very wind) and inspecting the lava flows. An important note, there is practically no water in this place. One of the few sources is melting snowfields and glaciers on Tolbachiki, but it is far to go to them, because all the water here is imported. And with you you need to have containers for water, in the amount of about 4 liters.
Upon arrival, I had only one question left to solve: how to leave from here to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, since the group with which I arrived was leaving in two days, and I stayed for another week. Therefore, immediately after setting up the camp, I went to explore the surroundings and came across a camp of geophysicists who said that they would only leave on August 31 (I have a plane on September 1). I quickly got to know them and became friends. I thought that when I returned here on the 29th, if I did not find anyone (other tour groups) before 31, then I would leave with geophysicists and calmed down about my departure from the area.
Day 10 Climbing Plosky Tolbachik
The height of the volcano is only 3000 m. No special acclimatization is required, equipment is also required. The path leads up. The only thing is that it is cold at the top and warm below, so you need to take warm clothes and something windproof with you. And sunglasses. And a thermos of tea. And cookies.) The climb to the top takes about 4 hours. I spoke more English that day than on the bus tour of Norway. In general, I got the impression that there are more foreign tourists in Kamchatka than Russians. Mostly Europeans, less often Koreans, Japanese, Chinese. Almost all Europeans are pensioners, but they climb volcanoes very cheerfully. I met a German who lived in the GDR and studied in Kyiv, he even remembers Russian quite well.
We returned to the camp at six o'clock. It is worth talking separately about lava fields. Outside, they have cooled down, but inside the temperature can remain at the level of 1000 degrees, and therefore hot air and various gas vapors can come from lava faults, I watched how four geophysicists sat at the lava fault and dried their boots there, plus they warmed themselves. By the way, MTS catches quite well on the Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes.
Day 11 Dead forest, lava caves, group departure
In the morning we gathered the camp, except for my tent, which remained in splendid isolation. Here I was called desperate a couple of times, but I'm already used to it. All together in a shift went to the Dead Forest. Dead forest - these are trees covered half their height with volcanic slag in 1975-1976. But in forty years, the old trees turned into dry wood and died, and first moss and lichen appeared on the slag, then grass. Now, after forty years, there are places where new trees grow.
We visited the Zvezda crater with lava caves. Incidentally, it should be noted that among the group was Natalya Medvedeva, director of the Nizhny Novgorod newspaper "Studio NN". It turned out that we have a mutual friend - Rufina (I met her while traveling around Norway) - not a small world, but a thin layer.
Then there was an interesting scene, before turning to Kozyrevsk, the shift stopped, the door opened, and a small backpack flew out of it and landed softly on volcanic slag, then I jumped out. The whole crew waved their hands at me, and they left, and I was left alone in the middle of the slag desert, six kilometers from the camp. I reached the tent in an hour and a half, meeting several tourist camps with shift workers along the way (they gave me hope that in a week, when I return, there will be as many of them).
From this moment, my seven days of solo travel begin.
I spent the rest of the day drying my wet clothes in the sun and enjoying the sun. Imagine: the slope of the hill, at the foot of the lava flows spreading into the distance, from above the blue sky, the warm sun, white clouds collide directly overhead, changing their shape, for about an hour I just lay on the slope of the hill.
Spent the night at the old place.
Everyone knows more or less about the Kamchatka Territory, that is, the easternmost part of our homeland. But few dared to go here - the path is very long and expensive, and is there any point?
Believe me, there is! Here are just seven reasons to visit the land of volcanoes, bears and reindeer herders.
1. Valley of Geysers
The most expensive pleasure in Kamchatka is visiting the Valley of Geysers. You can get to this region of steam, hot mud pots and bubbling water only by helicopter, so a one-day trip will cost a tourist 30,000 - 40,000 rubles.
Those who are ready to pay this amount will first undergo a long safety briefing, because you can safely cook food in the sources of the Valley, it is so hot.
2. Hot waterfalls
Not so scorching and much safer and more enjoyable entertainment are hot hydrogen sulfide springs, here called paratunks. They can look like a lake, a waterfall or just a puddle, but they differ in their temperature, which does not fall below +38 ° C all year round.
The most common photo from Kamchatka is just winter swimming in a paratunka: warm steam, snow and happy faces of people ready to bask in the water for hours. By the way, do not forget that you should not spend more than 20 minutes in mineral springs.
3. Climbing the volcano
Do not think that only experienced athletes can climb a volcano and admire the surroundings from its top. Among the hundreds of volcanoes in Kamchatka, there are those that are accessible to any person in normal physical condition. By the way, the cost of such an excursion varies. For example, the ascent to Klyuchevskaya will cost 30,000 rubles, but you can get to Avacha for only 500 rubles.
If you decide to go to the volcano, do the following things:
- hire an experienced local guide;
- collect all the things that he orders (warm clothes, glasses, sunscreen and the list goes on);
- register with the local search and rescue team at 8 (415-2) 41-03-95 and tell your route, time of trip and number of participants.
- Approaching the volcano, do not forget to ask him for permission to climb, and at the end of the route - thank him. Of course, it is not necessary to do this, but, believe me, your guide will do so, like all the locals.
4. Riding reindeer and dogs
In winter in Kamchatka, you can ride a dog or reindeer sled or watch the largest sled dog race. Unfortunately, this pleasure is not available in summer, but nothing will stop you from playing with huskies or admiring the reindeer herds.
Winter entertainment costs about 3,000 rubles, but an experienced musher should drive the sledges. You can only be allowed to hold the reins or (for a fee) they will conduct a one-day training course.
5. National holidays
Historically, the territory of the Far East was inhabited by Evenks, Chukchi, Aleuts and other small peoples. Now the Slavs also live here, but there are also indigenous peoples who, by the way, observe their traditions and gladly introduce visitors to them.
To visit reindeer herders, to visit the First Fish festival, to see a shamanic ritual, to listen to the playing of a tambourine and throat singing ... but you never know what you can do here! The main thing is to find satellites from local residents and ask them to take you to the camp.
6. Red caviar
Another pride of the entire Far East, and hence Kamchatka, is red caviar. It is mined here, so the freshest product is always on the shelves.
Unfortunately, the prices for "red gold" are not very affordable, but it's still worth a try. Maybe not everyone will eat it with spoons, but a sandwich with caviar for breakfast will give enough energy for a busy day.
7. Kamchatka fishing and hunting
Both that and another in Kamchatka are a pleasure not only for real men, but also for women. To catch a twenty-kilogram fish and take a picture with it against the backdrop of volcanoes, you see, no one will refuse. In the lakes, rivers and sea waters of Kamchatka, there are dozens of varieties of fish, and you can cook it right on the shore.
The same applies to hunting, in which, however, the fair sex rarely participate. However, if running through the forest with a gun disgusts you, you can go on a photo safari. Bears, deer, wolves, foxes, hares and other animals may not be very willing to pose, but they will certainly get into the frame.
Summing up, we can say that not a single article will be able to list all the delights of Kamchatka. However, if the region interests you, you can always plan a trip here, buy plane tickets to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and see everything with your own eyes.
