14-day Tour
Available July 15-September 30
Easy to Average Hiking

Day 1 Arrival Airport greeting with guide, transfer to homestays or spa in Paratunka as desired. After settling in, meet with YTS to go over trip logistics, double check equipment and clothing. Go for a swim at Paratunka hot springs area as desired.

Day 2-5 Bear watching at Kurilskoye Lake. This will be camping at a fisheries research station on the shores of the lake. The camp will be set up within the boundaries of an electric fence to deter unwanted visits by bears. With us will be a guide/bear guard from the Kronotskiy Zapovednik staff. He will be armed in case of the remote chance the group meets with an aggressive bear. Equipment to bring-your sleeping bags and pads, all camping personal gear. Clothing for good or foul weather. Camera, binoculars. With our Zapovednik bear guard and guide, we'll hike and boat along the shores of the lake during the red salmon spawning season. This attracts bears to the shores, streams, and rivers where salmon are congregating. We'll have access to boats for a total of 6 hours during the time at Kurilskoye Lake. After lunch on the 5th day, the helicopter will pick us up and fly to Ksudoch Volcano for a brief visit to the crater's edge overlooking a large lake. The walls of the crater are painted with reds, golds, browns, and greys from volcanic activity. This is one of Kamchatka's most beautiful and least visited places. Return to Yelizovo and overnight with host families or your spa.

Day 6-10 Mutnovskiy and Goryeli Volcano Mutnovsky Volcano (2324 meters) is one of Kamchatka's most active volcanoes one of the largest geothermal deposits in the world. It is about seventy kilometers south of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. In the morning, drive about 4 hours from Yelizovo up to Mutnovskiy Volcano where we'll set up camp. Spend the afternoon hiking in the area.

Day 7 Hike up to the active crater of Mutnovsky Volcano (up to 10 km). The actual amount of hiking may depend both on weather and on the road conditions, which in early summer may not allow the vehicle to drive very close the volcano. In August-September, road conditions often allow one to drive to within a 40-minute hike up to the crater.

Day 8 Drive to the area of Goryeli Volcano (5 km) Hike to the hot acidic lake in the crater of Goryeli Volcano. All day hike with daypacks.

Day 9 Break camp and drive to Radnikova Hot Springs to overnight at cabins and for a dip in the hot springs

Day 10 Drive back to Yelizovo and overnighting with your host family. Rest, do laundry, go to town with hosts as desired.

Day 11-13 Drive to Malki and rafting the Bistraya River After breakfast, drive 2 hours to the put in place for your 3-day descent of the Bistraya River through the Central Kamchatka Mt. Range. This is a very moderate river. Here you'll see waterfowl, chance to see brown bears as they fish for salmon, and hopefully the Steller sea eagles which sometimes nest near the river.

Day 12 Float for about 4 hours, make camp, relax, fish as desired.

Day 13 Float for about 4 hours to the take out place. The take out place at the Bolsheretsk bridge, is a 3-hour drive from Yelizovo. Overnight at your accommodations.

Day 14 Marine Tour Drive to the port in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. See Avacha Bay, one of the largest ice-free harbors in the world and the departure site of many 19th century Russian-American Company expeditions to Alaska. Take a full-day marine excursion on Avacha Bay to 3 Brothers Rocks and Starichkov Island. Chance to see sea otters, seabirds, and seals.

Day 15 Reserve day with optional Avacha Volcano hike. Avacha Volcano last erupted in 1991. Her classic form graces the eastern skyline near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The reserve day is in case we are behind schedule due to no flying weather etc. If good weather, drive up to the saddle pass between Avacha and Koriyaki Volcanoes. Hike up toward to top as desired as the trail is steep. Picnic lunch and return in the evening for a banquet.

Day 16 Departure day

Please follow the general clothing and equipment list and in addition bring your own sleeping bag and pad, and rubber boots. If you like, bring your fishing pole.

This tour is organized by Yelizovo Tour Service. Please contact them for more information.

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