Volkanolog

Sergei is one of these men that you immediately trust with your life. Not only that, he has a great sense of humor as noted in the drawings in the Kamchatka Newsletter. The company has been very successful in attracting the German market, so you know immediately that his programs are incredibly organized. Bringing with him an inordinate amount of knowledge about volcanoes, you are in good hands when you travel with Volkanolog.

Wild Kamchatka
Rivers, lakes and volcanoes

Included:
• All transfers & ground transportation in Russia
• Double Accommodations hotel, tents & camps
• All meals, sightseeing & entrance fees
• English/German speaking volcanologists, one cook
• Pre-information package including a reading list, a map, our newsletter and a copy of our Russian Far East Travel Handbook

Not Included:
• International air fare - we can assist you with information and bookings
• Visa processing - we provide the forms and facilitate visa processing at an extra cost of $100 per person
• Extra luggage charges
• Travel insurance
• Items of a personal nature, such as laundry, alcoholic beverages, etc.

This trip is one of a kind including some areas of Kamchatka which are not usually offered by other tour operators. It includes native cultures (Esso), historical aspects (Ust Kamchatsk), and exploration of the many great rivers and lakes of Kamchatka, a precious voyage by boats And not to forget, the volcanoes, we will be surrounded by them, on almost any day of the trip.

This trip is lead by Dr. Sergei Khubunaye and a colleague from the Kamchatka Volcanology Institute, which is a branch of the Far Eastern Academy of Sciences. This is a private company which has been in business for five years. Both of them are utterly reliable, eager to show their world. They know Kamchatka intimately and look forward to sharing it with you.

Note: Because you are traveling in areas which are still quite active, your best choice for leaders is experienced volcanologists. This may make the trip somewhat more expensive than others, but both your safety and the ability to share the incredible knowledge of experienced volcanologist will make this journey so much more enjoyable.

Itinerary

Day 1 (Sunday) Arrival in Kamchatka. Transfer to small Russian hotel in Yelizovo. Briefing by expedition leaders. Dinner and overnight

Day 2 (Monday) Flight to Ust Kamchatsk by plane. Transfer to ship "Boris "Plyp" and travel to Nizhne Kamchatsky Ostrog "Old Fortress". Also excursion to Church of St. Bogoroditsa. Evening meal and overnight in cottages.

Ust-Kamchatsk lies on the mouth of the Kamchatka River. And as a matter of fact it is the second largest port in Kamchatka. The area around Ust Kamchatsk is also very famous for its Russian American history and the place where the Cossacks established their first fort. The original fort was actually in Klutchi but it burned down in 1731 and was rebuilt in Nizhne Kamchatsk.

Day 3 (Tuesday) After breakfast we board several small boats for an excursion alongside Arzhabachye Lake. Late afternoon return to Old Fortress and have a wonderful sauna. Evening meal and overnight.

Arzhabadchye Lake covers an area of 62.5 Sq. km. and in some places is 33 meters deep. It is not only one of the largest areas for spawning salmon.

Day 4 (Wednesday) Today after breakfast, we take our boats to the small island of Stolbovoy at the mouth of the Kamchatka river. Many cliffs rise 100 meters above sea level and have become home for a large number of sea animals and birds, such as cormorants, guillemonts and horned and tufted puffins. Sea lions, bearded seals, harbor seals and ring seals frolic in the water.

Day 5 (Thursday) Today we board our vessel for our trip to Klucthi which will take one full day. Lunch is on board. Arrival in Klutchi about six pm. Continue to Kozirevsk. Overnight in small houses

Kozyrevsk is inhabited by hunters and farmers. It lies in the middle of coniferous forests. Quite close by, you can find pine trees, Korean cedars, evergreen trees and larch.

Day 6 (Friday) We move by 4WD bus to the expedition camp of the Institute of Volcanology where we will have lunch. Afterwards we will make an excursion to the northern and southern cones of the Tolbachik eruption of 1875-76. Dinner and overnight.

Klutchi was founded in 1741 by Russian migrant farmers. Its main attraction is the Volcanology Camp which has been operating since 1935.

The Klutchesvky group of volcanoes present the most interesting volcanoes in Kamchatka. On the bend of the Kamchatka river in the east, invisible to us, two volcanic arches came together - the Kurilo Kamchatkaya and the Aleutskaya volcano arches. As a result the largest group of volcanoes was created. In a relatively small area (65. Thousand square km), 14 volcanoes rise to the sky. These are the largest volcanoes of Europe and Asia. Klutchevsky Volcano (4,750), Kamen Volcano (4,579), Ushkovsky (4108), Krestovsky (3943), Ostry Talbachik (3682), Plossky Tolbachik (3085)Bezymianny, Ovalnaya Zimina, Ostraya zimina, Bolshaya Udina, Serednyaya, Zarechny and Kharzhinsky.

Day 7 (Saturday) Weather permitting we will make an excursion to the active volcano Tolbachik, taking approximately 5 hours. We will visit the active crater. If the weather conditions do not permit this, we will make an excursion to the Tobalchik dike and lava flow Overnight in camp.

During the last 10,000 years there have been at least 60 explosions. This is how the Valley was created. It is decorated by a multitude of slag cones, cracks and lava caves. All this lies in between low tundra and multi colored mountains.

Day 8 (Sunday) We leave today by 4WD bus (6 hours). We hike in the forest nearby Esso, and enjoy the natural hot springs. There is also a chance to visit the interesting museum. Overnight in cottages.

Esso lies in the Bystrinsky region. It is a picturesque settlement surrounded by evergreen forests, sculptured cliffs and ridges. Close by are the Usikchan and Bistraya rivers. The cities of Esso and Anavgai, an Evensk settlement are heated by thermal water. In the center of town there is a large heated swimming pool. Many of the trails around Esso afford beautiful views of winding rivers, azure blue lakes and towering mountains.

Day 9 (Monday) After breakfast we fly to visit with an Evanesk reindeer camp. Here we can observe the centuries old customs of reindeer herders. We have some free time in the afternoon. Overnight in cottages.

Day 10 (Tuesday) After breakfast we board our bus to return to Petropavlovsk. We make a stop in Milkova for lunch and to visit the small museum. The road takes us along a wonderful landscape, now and then interrupted by small villages. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Day 11 (Wednesday In case of bad weather this is an extra day. If everything works out we will spend the day exploring Petropavlovsk and surrounding areas. Do some shopping and in general relax. Evening farewell dinner in Yelizovo. Overnight. We can also schedule an optional excursion to the Valley of the Geysers, space available.

Day 12 (Thursday) This morning we depart for home.

If you are arriving by Reeve Aleutian we can organize various optional programs in conjunction with this itinerary, i.e. a couple of days in Nalychevo Park or a trip tp Gorely and Karymsky volcanoes.

© 2000 Far East Development
All Rights Reserved