KAR5. Land of Volcanoes

Type: Adventure
Tour duration: 12 days
Months of Operation: June - September
Recommended group size: 2 - 16
Mode of Travel: car/minibus, all-terrain car/bus, on foot, motor boat

This trip represents a shortened version of our tour KAR4 - Classic Kamchatka  without rafting along Bystraya river. It fits to those who do not like small boats and rafts. The trip covers two of the main volcanic areas of Kamchatka: Tolbachik zone and Mutnovsky-Gorely zone. You also touch to traditional culture of native peoples and have an option to take a helicopter excursion to the world famous Valley of Geysers.

You visit the Tolbachik area in the Central Kamchatka 500 km from Petropavlovsk, where the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption took place in 1975-76 and has left impressive after-effects: new volcanic cones with hot summits, huge ash fields, hardened lava streams, ash-burned forest. Tops of the new cones are still blazing. This area is a reminiscence of the Moon and first Soviet lunar vehicles were tested here.

You enter a crater of the Mutnovsky Volcano with intensive powerful gas and steam spurts and boiling mood cauldrons. Mutnovsky is considered the most impressive Kamchatka volcano now because it is always active.

You visit national settlements of native people – the Evens and get acquainted with their history, culture and present life. You also have a chance to see their national holiday “The Aborigine’s Day” if come there in proper time.

Relaxation at the Hot Springs resort in Paratunka adds to your experience of  life in Kamchatka.

 

Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrival in Petropavlovsk. Transfer to hotel. Accommodation. Acclimatization. At 20:00 - dinner with your guide and discussing the trip. (D)

Day 2. Boat cruise in the Avachinskaya Bay (5-6 hours). Visiting nestling-places of sea birds at Babushkin Kamen (Grandmother's Rock) island and Starichkov island in the open Pacific Ocean. Evening ride (100 km) by all-terrain bus to the foot of Mutnovsky volcano. Setting a base camp. Walking to a waterfall. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 3. Ascending the crater of Mutnovsky volcano (2322 m). Viewing active fumarolas, mud siphons, acid lakes. Duration of the whole excursion is around 8 hours. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 4. Ascending the Gorely volcano (1829 m). Hiking along lava and slag fields. Evening ride by all-terrain bus to Paratunka Hot Springs resort. Accommodation in hotel. Bathing in thermal basin. (BLD)

Day 5. Relaxation in Paratunka. Optional excursion to Valley of Geysers by helicopter (weather dependent). Evening ride (130 km) to Malkinsky Hot Springs. Overnight in tents. Bathing in natural thermal waters. (BLD)

Day 6. Full day ride (around 460 km) to Tolbachik volcanic area including ferry across the Kamchatka River and 50 km off roads. Setting a base camp. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 7. AscendingPlosky Tolbachik volcano (3080 m) to see a grand panorama of Klyuchevskaya volcanic group. The duration is about 7-8 hours. Return to base camp. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 8. Excursion by all-terrain bus to the Northern new cones. Ascending new cones 100-200 m high which represent mini-volcanos. Further ride to the Dead Forest and the Southern new cones. Return to base camp. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 9. Ride (150 km, 5 hours) to Esso. Excursion to the Evens and Koryaks ethnographic complex in Anavgai en-route. Accommodation in a small private hotel. Bathing in thermal basin. (BLD)

Day 10. Acquaintance with Even national settlement Esso. Visit the Esso Ethnography Museum. Relaxation. Overnight in hotel. (BLD)

Day 11. Visiting Handicrafts Studio. Return (520 km, 7 hours) by all-terrain bus to Paratunka. . Accommodation in a hotel. Bathing in thermal springs. (BLD)

Day 12. Fish market. Transfer to airport. Departure from Petropavlovsk.(B)

 Legend: B - breakfast, L - lunch, D - dinner.

Note: sequence of the arrangements may be changed due to local conditions

 

Tour Highlights

  • Tolbachik Volcano area – grand consequences of the recent Huge Tolbachik Eruption
  • Esso – national settlement of the Evens (indigenous people of Kamchatka) with wonderful Ethnography Museum
  • Mutnovsky Volcano – impressive active volcano with powerful gas and steam spurts and boiling mud cauldrons
  • Valley of Geysers – world famous sight with more than 40 geysers

Fixed departures – 2010 (guaranteed):

18/07-29/07/2010 (English speaking guide)
30/07-10/08/2010 (English speaking guide) - with visiting the Aborigine Day
11/08-22/08/2010 (English speaking guide)

 

Costs - 2010:

1402 EUR per person for joining in a fixed departure 6-16 PAX
Note: a staff of the combined group may vary during the trip.

Included:

  • TWN accommodation (QDR in Esso is possible because of limited capacity of the hotel))
  • full board
  • all necessary transfers including arrival and departure
  • all necessary equipments
  • all excursions per program with entrance fees
  • local English speaking guides/interpreters
  • subsidiary crew when needed

Not included:

  • air flights
  • optional activities and excursions to be paid on spot
  • insurance
  • visa

Supplements:

  • SGL in hotels: + 186 EUR per person
  • Helicopter excursion to Valley of Geysers and Uzon Caldera (to pay on spot) around 625 EUR per person
  • Air flight Moscow - Petropavlovsk - Moscow around 800 EUR per person (may be lower with early booking)

All the costs are valid at the date of publication and are subject to reconfirmation at the time of booking
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