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Muir's Tours - Siberia - Kamchatka |
Wildlife viewing & hiking trip on the Pacific Rim of Fire - the unique Kamchatka peninsula. The area has about 190 volcanoes, some of which are active, as well as more than 200 mineral springs. We will be trekking in an area that is home to the largest brown bears in Siberia, magnificent sea eagles and six species of salmon. In summer and autumn we enjoy the trekking / hike to a vantage points to see the Kamchatka river "boiling" with salmon moving to their spawning areas.
One of the highlights of the trek is an ascent of Plosky Tolbachik volcano.
The small group size of 10 - 14 hikers means this trekking itinerary will be flexible and will allow plenty of time to indulge in your favourite interests, be it photography or plant life etc.
WWF Russia benefits from the major part of the proceeds from
this trip, with the balance of the profits going to our other core
charities.

Itinerary
Day 1 (Optional)
Arrive in
Moscow in plenty of time even allowing for the usual delays. Short sightseeing tour of the city with an English-speaking guide (in
case if the flight will arrive early enough). Dinner at the restaurant.
Overnight at the three star hotel.
Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel.
Sightseeing tour of Moscow, including visiting the Red Square and the Kremlin.
Boat cruise along the River Moskva. Lunch at the restaurant in downtown.
Transfer to the airport. Take a night flight to Petropavlovsk (9-hrs flight and
9-hrs time difference).
Day 3
Arrival
in Kamchatka in the morning (local time). Bus transfer to
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the capital of Kamchatka (about 30 min.).
Short sightseeing tour of the city. Transfer to Paratunka (a resort village not
far from Petropavlovsk, famous for its numerous thermal springs), accommodation
at the hotel with thermal pool Virginia or Lesnaya (double rooms; each hotel has
it own thermal pool; in one hotel, facilities are in the rooms, and in the other
on the floor). Dinner at the restaurant. Free afternoon, rest in the thermal
pool.
Day 4
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer by 6WD bus to the caldera between the Mutnovsky and Gorely volcanoes
(about 4 hrs). The road passes by the Vilyuchinsky volcano, a favorite
place for downhill skiing for Kamchatka dwellers (quite often snow lies there
even in July). Lunch en route. Dinner, overnight at the base tented camp.
Day 5
Breakfast. Hike (without
backpacks) to the Mutnovsky volcano (about 40 min.). Hike into the crater
of the Mutnovsky active volcano through a crack in the volcano's edge. The view
is alarming and fantastic: eastward a glacier descends the crater's wall to end
in a bluff eaten by fumaroles; opposite it rises a sheer rock, here and there
columns of water vapor are curling upward. The appearance of this crater is
changeable. The crater contains a lake of bitter whitish water and two groups of
powerful fumaroles. One of the fumaroles throw off small drops of melted
sulphur, the other — powerful jets of vapours, water and sulfureous. Near the
crater, there are vast mud pits. Excursion into the crater takes about
4 hrs.
Mutnovsky active volcano being a nest of merged craters, is perhaps the most beautiful volcanic phenomenon of Kamchatka. The view from its top is magnificent: steep walls surrounding the vast and deep crater cavity, glittering of firm and sparkling glaciers split by cracks, torches of fumaroles oscillating far below and drawing a translucent view over the northern crater, the southern crater under its armour of ice and above all this a column of vapor rising from the Active Funnel crater, surrounded by a cogged crest. Return to the base camp (40 min.). The total distance of hiking during this day is 18 km. Lunch there. Dinner, overnight in tents.
Day 6
Breakfast. Ascend
and hiking excursion to the chain of craters of the Gorely volcano. Gorely
volcano is a unique collection of craters. The chain begins with the
West crater, no longer active and surrounded by low rocky walls. The crater's
bottom is occupied by a glacier. Next is the chain composed by craters of
different age. Most of Gorey's activity is concentrated in the Central crater.
On its walls and bottom, there are permanently active fumaroles; their deposits
are colouring the crater's walls. The biggest and the most beautiful crater is
known as the "Blue Lake". Its bottom is occupied by a lake of tender-blue water
where blocks of ice float. The last in the chain is the "Cup". This crater is on
the top of a low and perfectly formed cone. Inside is a shallow lake
of violet coloured water. If the weather if favorable, all the craters can be
visited in a single day. The hiking distance is only 20 km and
should take about 8 hrs allowing for plenty of time to take in the
details; according to the clients’ wishes it is possible to return
to the base camp earlier. Picnic lunch. Return back to camp.
Day 7
Transfer by 6WD bus to
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Visit the fish market. Optional (for additional fee)
visit to the Museum of local lore, the Museum of the Institute for Volcanology,
Salmon Museum, or the museum and visitor center of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve (learn about the special protected nature areas
of Kamchatka - Kronotsky Nature Reserve and South Kamchatka State Nature
Sanctuary). Lunch at the café. Transfer to Paratunka, dinner and overnight stay
in the hotel.
Day 8
Breakfast at the café.
Bus transfer to the area îf the Tolbachik volcano (more than 500 km, about
10 hrs or more with stops in interesting places). On the way, we will make
a stop in the Malki thermal springs (taking curative bath in the springs is
possible. There are 3 “baths” and a cold spring). Picnic lunch. On the further
way, we will have an opportunity to watch just from the bridges salmons
migrating to their spawning grounds. Overnight in the tented camp.
Day 9
Hiking excursions
at the bottom of the Plosky (“Flat”) Tolbachik volcano. The altitude of this
area is 1000 m above the sea level. (the testing of the Soviet lunar
exploring vehicle took place there). Picnic lunch. In the afternoon,
hiking to the dormant volcano Krasnaya Sopka (Red Knoll) -
3 hrs, about 5 km.
It is quite possible to see hares, reindeer and bears there. Overnight
accommodation in the tented camp (another option is a wooden hut with rustic
facilities).
Day 10
Hiking without
backpacks to the area where the “Eruption of the Century” (the Big Cleft
Tolbachinskiy eruption) took place. It is considered one of the largest basalt
eruptions ever known in the volcano belt of the Kuril Isles and Kamchatka. It
lasted for one and a half year (July, 1975 - December,
1976) and was included in a list of six the most powerful cleft eruptions ever
happened on Earth. The events were evolving in the mid of a wood 18 km to
the south from volcano Plosky Tolbachik. The eruption was accurately forecasted
and studied by the scientists of the Institute of Volcanology (P.I.Tokarev). A
flaming “candle” reached 2,5 km in height, and the ash cloud was 12 km long. In
sequence, new clefts evolved one after another, and as a result four new cones
of Tolbachinski volcanoes were formed (from 100 to 330 m high). Eruption
turned an enormous territory around volcanoes into a burnt desert, the forests
captured by the ash fall dried off to the root. Lakes evaporated and rivers
disappeared. Those animals that had survived left the area for the best. Hiking
excursion in the Peplovoe (“Ash”) Plateau (8 hrs, about 18 km). A view
to this area is nice and unusual: a row of flat volcanoes, numerous clefts,
streams of hot gases coming through them. Ascend 3 small volcanoes. Visit the
“Fairytale” forest (ash buried the forest and dried it out while standing
during the eruption). Return back to the hut.
Day 11
Hike to the bottom of
the Plosky Tolbachik and ascend this volcano (the total hiking distance is 20
km; this route will take us from 1000 m to 3000 m above the sea
level). Ascend to this volcano does not require special technical skills. The
whole route will take about 9 hrs. A view to the magnificent volcanoes of the
Klyuchevskaya group (laying to the opposite side from the Tolbachik volcano)
will open from the upper plateau (if we hike across the plateau). There we can
see an interesting phenomenon characteristic only for this area: horizontal
icicles of snow about 20 cm in length. Lunch en route. Return back to the tented
camp (or wooden hut) for dinner and overnight.
Day 12
Reserve day for the
case of bad weather. In the afternoon, transfer by 6WD bus to Esso, the national
village of the Evens and Koryaks (about 4-5 hrs). Visit the ethnography museum,
attend the folk performance. Overnight in the private hotels or in the hotel of
local Administration
Day 13
Drive to the village of Anavgai to visit the
ethnography complex, where we can see the authentic
“chums” -
traditional dwellings of the indigenous
people which were covered by reindeer skins. Talk to local people living
there, taste traditional cuisine and phyto-teas. Performance of the folk
ensemble “Nurgeneck” and a childrens folk group “Orjakan”. For
additional payment, you can request a 2 to 3 hour horse riding trip or
a helicopter flight to the nomadic camp of the Even reindeer herders).
Overnight in a “chum” or private hotel in Esso.
Day 14
Transfer to
the river Essovskaya Bystraya (so-called “47 kilometer”), relax in
thermal springs and after that rafting down a very dynamic and picturesque section
of Essovskaya Bystraya river. Overnight in a tented camp.
Day 15
Bus transfer
back to Paratunka (7 hours +). Overnight at the hotel.
Day 16
Transfer by 6WD
bus to the bottom of the Avachinsky volcano. Ascend the
Avachinsky volcano (its total elevation is 2741 m). Usually tourists start ascending early in the
morning. They cross the deep gorge of the Suhaia (“Dry”) river and ascend the volcano.
They stop for a lunch at the attitude of 2000-2200m and then continue ascending along the
new cone of the volcano to the edge of its crater. The ascent usually
takes about 6-8 hours. During the ascent and from the edge of the crater, wonderful
views open up. To the south, the cities of PK and Elizovo can be viewed, as
well as the Avacha river valley, Avachinskaya bay, volcanoes
Vilyuchinsky, Gorely, Mutnovsky and (if clear) the snow-white cone of Opala volcano. To the west we will
see the massive cone of the Koriaksky volcano. To the north we will have an
impressive view of the Nalychevo river valley and the Zhupanovsky and Dzendzur volcanoes.
Drive back to Paratunka, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 17
Bus transfer to the
airport, depart for Moscow. Arrive in Moscow, transfer to the international
airport for the flight to your home country.
Dates: 17 – 31 July 2008
Price Indication per
person GBP / USD / Euro: 1330 Euro per
person in a group of 14 participants, 1460 Euro per
person in a group of 12 participants, 1640 Euro per
person in a group of 10 participants. Plus the cost of any flights you need
- the flight to Petropavlovsk will probably cost Euro350 if a return ticket
or Euro 210 if one way only.
The base currency is the Euro and exchange rates could have an effect on
the amount you pay if you do not provide
Euros.
There is an internal flight from Moscow to Petropavlovsk and these are purchased at the time of booking and the actual cost will depend upon market prices at the time. Book early for the lowest price.
What is included
All transfers and transportation within
Moscow and Kamchatka. Accommodation in basic hotels and huts
(nothing except basic exists here) in Kamchatka and good quality
hotels in Moscow. Meals as stated by the code (B =
Breakfast, L =
lunch, D = dinner). An English
speaking guide. All sightseeing costs and fees. Visa application
support. All support staff.
Airfare (from the
UK to Moscow)
As a guide, the international airfare should be in the range GBP350 to
GBP450 including outbound taxes for economy class.
Visas
A
visa is required for Russia and this will cost about GBP40 / USD60. We will provide a service to ensure you obtain a visa
for Russia with a letter provided to confirm that you have been invited to
Russia.
Travel Insurance
Comprehensive personal
insurance, including search and rescue is required on this trip.
For UK clients we recommend
the policies of the British Mountaineering Council, for their expertise in
evacuation from remote areas worldwide. Details at www.thebmc.co.uk
As Insurance is always
provided by a company based in your home country, we are unable to suggest
suitable insurance companies unless you reside in the UK.