About Kamchatka
Kamchatka is rightfully considered to be one of the most unique and beautiful places on our planet. Kamchatka nature is reserved in its natural and original state as it was millions of years ago. It fascinates by its wildlife, cosmic landscapes, beauty of majestic volcanoes and spouting geysers. Here you can see acid lakes in the craters, generous flows of solidified lava, consequences of disastrous eruptions and large volcanic calderas. Kamchatka varied landscape, alpine meadows, mountain rivers full of fish and healing thermal springs attract tourist from all over the world. However there is no mass tourism on Kamchatka and there are many places where one can travel for a long time without meeting people.
This peninsula is called fiery for a reason, there are about 300 volcanoes on Kamchatka, 30 of them are active. Specifically owing to volcanoes Kamchatka is quite another planet and not any photo can convey the ambrosian landscape in the region of Tolbachik volcano or all the beauty of the famous Valley of Geysers.
Kamchatka is one of the largest peninsulas in the world and the greater part of it is taken up by natural parks and conservation areas. Almost all of them are known as Word Heritage sites of UNESCO.
Climate and relief
It is necessary to take into account that Kamchatka weather is very changeable and sometimes unpredictable. Abundant precipitation and rushes of wind happen not infrequently. Fogs are very often, they become the main obstruction for sightseeing and passing the route in scheduled time.
Take into account that sharp change of weather is typical for Kamchatka. Summer tourist season lasts from Julу to October. It may be quite cold in autumn months, it snows in the highland regions and that impedes to ascent of the volcanoes.
Kamchatka landscape is mostly mountainous. It is very various and unusual because of high volcanic and seismic activity, severe climate, geographical location of the peninsula and other factors. Highland begins above 1000 meters, tundra vegetation prevails there. Relief in the regions of high volcanic activity is constantly changing.
Almost all the routes that are suggested by our firm run through mountain and cross-country terrain.
Transportation
Most part of tour routes run through inaccessible and remote from
civilization places with total absence of any infrastructure.
Transportation to the place of tour execution can account to high percentage
of tour cost because it is carried out by a helicopter or by automobiles that
are equipped for transportation on the local challenging relief. These are
mostly off-road vehicles that are intended for transportation in complex road
conditions and across country. The transportation of tourists to the place of
most tour execution is possible only in such vehicles. However the routes that
run through Kronotskiy conservation area, near Karymskiy, Malyi Semyachik (“Small
Semyachik”) and Ksudach volcanoes, are accessible only with the use of
helicopters. Prices for these tours are much higher because of necessity to use
helicopters for transportation. At that, the time of waiting for helicopter can
be delayed up to several days in case of bad weather. That’s why if you wish to
buy a tour with helicopter transportation we recommend you to place it in the
beginning of your journey over Kamchatka and/or to foresee more reserve days in
your travelling.
Level of difficulty
All basic tours suggested by our firm are not extreme and are divided into
easy, moderate and demanding levels for convenience.
It is not necessary for participants of easy tours to have special
physical fitness. Most of the excursions are arranged with the use of
automobiles and helicopters, and pedestrian tours do not take much strength.
Travelers can ascent of the volcanoes at their wish and it must be specified in
advance. Accommodation during tour is in hotels, recreation camps and specially
equipped touristic houses. Overnights in the tent camp are admitted only in
those places where comfortable accommodation is not possible.
It is not necessary to have an experience in trekking or any special skills
for passing the route of moderate category tours, but the participants
must be ready for some difficulties. Pedestrian walks and volcanoes ascensions
take from 4 to 7 hours a day. They pass through territories with great elevation
changes but along touristic paths. Ascent of volcanoes is not technically
difficult, but it demands physical efforts. Moving along route may be
complicated by unfavorable climatic conditions. Most of overnights
take place in touristic camps and more rarely in two-men tents.
Demanding level tours are intended for people who have a vast
experience in trekking. Pedestrian walks constitute the greater part of route.
They may take more than 7 hours a day and pass through cross-country territory
with great elevation changes, in unfavorable weather conditions and absence of
touristic paths. The participants must have very good physical fitness and
endurance. Ascensions of some volcanoes are dangerous because of high volcanic
activity. All common outfit and food products are equally distributed among all
participants of the tour including officers of the firm. Weight of common load
per person may be from 3 to 6 kilograms. All participants of the tour take part
in tent setting. The basis of daily ration is composed of sublimate
products of high quality. Overnights are mainly in tents.
Number of participants
Minimum number of participants in the group is stated for each tour presented on this website. In general, the tour will be held if this number of participants is gathered.
As a rule minimal number of participants in trekking does not exceed 12 people. It is necessary for providing optimal-safety movement along the route. The number of participants in automobile and helicopter tours is restricted by the vehicle capacity (maximal load of helicopter MI-8 is 22 people, maximal load of automobile KAMAZ is 24 people).
The number of participant in the group can be individually decided for each tour that is interesting for you.
Accommodation
Hotel infrastructure on Kamchatka is developed not well enough that’s why
offers during summer season are limited and very often it is difficult to make a
reservation in real-time. It is necessary to take this fact into account when
you plan your vacation. If you intend to solve this matter independently without
recommendations of our firm officers, first of all it is necessary to define
your priorities. If the main thing is the accessibility to the places of
excursion beginning, related services (shops, restaurants, night clubs, city
sights), you’d better choose the hotel in regional center - the city of
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy. If the main thing for you is comfort, silence and
calm rest with hot pool, the best place for you is Paratunka resort zone. If you
intend to economize on accommodation you’d better choose guest houses in the
vicinity of Yelizovo - the second largest population center of the peninsula.
All hotels of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (as of 2013) occupy buildings that
remained since USSR, hotel room capacity remained the same, in most cases only
cosmetic repair has been done. Standard set - two beds, bedside-table, table
with chairs, TV-set, shower-bath, toilet and not a meter of free space. In spite
of declared “three stars” the level of service in most of them is far from
accepted standards. Nevertheless, the prices in hotels are very high.
There are many so-called “recreation bases” in Paratunka resort zone that is
situated in 50 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy. Actually these are
former Pioneer camps or departmental sanatoriums equipped for tourists’
accommodation. But there are also modern hotels that can be classified as
four-stars - commodious rooms, pleasant furnishing, nice cooking. These include the following hotels: Antarius, Belkamtur and Arbat. When booking
rooms in other recreation bases one should take into account that Paratunka is the resting place of local
population that’s why there is the probability to be in the adjacent room with
drunken company on the weekends. At the same time every recreation base or hotel
here, even the cheapest, can boast of presence of one or several pools with
thermal water.
Guest houses in Yelozovo are the variant for those who does not pay much
attention at the inconvenience. Usually they are not very expensive and situated
in the suburban partnerships. In other words, these are former private summer
houses that further were adapted for tourists’ accommodation. Toilet outside the
house and greenhouse with tomatoes onsite is a common thing.
For our part we can recommend you to choose the program of your vacation at
first and only after that to think about accommodation according to chosen route.
Or you can apply for help of our travel agency officer. We provide services in
consultation, choice and booking the hotel for any period free of charge for
clients who had ordered any tour.
For more information about hotels, recreation bases, huts and tens see more Accommodation
Tour cost
Tour price is indicated per one person and is calculated on the basis of minimum number of participants in the tour. As a rule it includes transfer, accommodation in recreation base/camping site/hotel, accident medical insurance, transportation to the place of tour and back, services of a guide, a cook and porters, and also services of providing common tourist outfit (two-men tents, gas-jets, gas cylinders and so on).
Tour cost does not include: air ticket to Kamchatka and back for any of participants, his necessary personal outfit, for foreign citizens – visa support, and also extra expenses that are not covered by the program of the tour.
After you have chosen one or another tour, you will get additional information on its cost.
Personal belongings
See below the list of recommended belongings and outfit that is necessary for a tourist during travelling over Kamchatka:
- Rucksack
- Sleeping bag (approximate t regime -5°C comfort)
- Sleeping mat (mat for tent overnight)
- Trekking poles
- Trekking boots
- Jacket Gore-Tex
- Trousers Gore-Tex
- Warm jacket (polartec or fleece type)
- Light down jacket or vest
- Rain poncho (optional)
- Hat and gloves
- Light thermal underwear
- Sandals or other rational footwear for stopping-places
- bucket hat or cap
- Sunglasses and sun-protection cream
- Flashlight
- Mosquito net and repellents (we ask you to pay special attention at this point, the absence of these things can essentially complicate your tour over Kamchatka!)
Safety and evacuation
The officers of the firm that accompany the group have first aid kit
necessary for the first-aid treatment, GPS, and also satellite telephone that is
used for organizational arrangements and operative communication in case of
emergency. In case of emergency connected with the health of a tour participant,
evacuation from the route is carried out at the expense of insurance company.
The evacuation at the expense of a tourist is carried out in the following
cases:
- violation of rules of being in the reserved zone by him/her;
- refusal to perform the requirements of a guide and/or firm officers;
- unreasonable refusal to follow the route or lack of fitness;
- if his/her actions impede other participants from following the route;
- voluntary wish of a tourist to cancel the tour.
Prior to tour every participant gets safety instructions and rules of conduct
in the tour and is responsible for their compliance.
