One of the most remote places in Russia, Kamchatka is attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists, even despite the pandemic. There are many reasons for that. First, the peninsula is known as the most seismically active place on the Earth, with earthquakes being quite a common thing. Second, it serves as the base for the Pacific Fleet of Russia. Meanwhile, tourists can climb up and take a look into craters of active volcanoes or just contemplate them from afar, as well as embark on hunting tours, try rafting, winter diving, swim in thermal springs, watch bears in the wild, and so much more.
About Kamchatka
Kamchatka is a peninsula in the Russian Far East that is famous for its remoteness from the rest of the world as for the beauty of its wild nature.
For instance, you can see active and dormant volcanoes, giant glaciers and ica caves, lava fields and geysers, waterfalls and thermal springs, pure mountain rivers and emerald-green lakes, taiga, tundra and more. No wonder Kamchatka has so much to offer: its territory can compare to some european countries.
It is a very hard place to get to due to its remoteness: only by plane or sea. In fact, in Kamchatka is also a name for the farthest desk in a school class, because it is as remote as the peninsula, and reach it is just as hard.
If there is one thing Kamchatka is known for it is volcanoes. In fact, the peninsula accounts for over 300 volcanoes, and about 30 from them are active. It is the highest concentration of volcanoes on Earth. Taking a look at the crater of an active volcano is a dream of many travelers, and the way to its top is also picturesque.
One of the most popular volcanoes is Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Eurasia’s largest volcano. It is over 4,800 m high.
Another thing Kamchatka is known for is its fish stocks. The peninsula reminds of a huge fish itself if you look at the map. The area is home to all six species of Pacific salmon, which is the favorite food of Kamchatka’s brown bear. It is also inhabited by walruses, sea lions, seals, killer whales, and numerous bird species.
Until recently, Kamchatka was closed to the public, and even Russians had to apply for a special pass or invitation, let alone foreigners. However, now the peninsula is open for all tourists, and the number of experiences and tours is growing.
Weather in Kamchatka
The peninsula has a rather harsh climate, and even in summer it can get pretty cold. For example, the temperature in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, the main city in Kamchatka, rarely reaches +20 °C even in June or July.
The right time to visit Kamchatka depends on your preferred activities. Thus, for hiking the perfect months can be August and early September, as it is still warm, there are many sunny and clear days, and it does’t rain often.
Note that it rains heavily in Kamchatka. Most importantly, helicopters don’t fly, which is sometimes the most important transport outside Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy. So, if it rains, your helicopter tour will likely get cancelled, or, in a worst case scenario, you can get stuck somewhere in the nature reserve or on the volcano slope waiting for the rescue. So you need to be prepared in advance!
As for swimming, it is recommended to do so in a wetsuit. Otherwise, it could be really cold, because the water temperature rarely gets above +18 °C.
Best things to do on Kamchatka
Here are some of the best places to visit in Kamchatka.
1. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is the largest city on the peninsula. Most tours around Kamchatka start from here, but the city is worth visiting itself.
One of the iconic places to take a photo in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is the monument to Peter and Paul, holding an Orthodox Cross between them. The importance of the statue is due to the fact that the city was named after the two apostles. From this place, you can get a picturesque view over the city, as well as the Avachinsky Bay and the Avachinsky Sopka volcano. Close by, there is a park with flowers and many benches to take a rest on.
Another landmark in the city is Nikolskaya Sopka. This is a small mountain in the center of the city and the starting point from where Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was built upon. In geological terms, Nikolskaya Sopka is a rock formed from volcanic ash a long time ago. Today, there are many monuments as well as recreation facilities located closeby.
2. Avachinsky Bay
As some travelers say, Avachinsky Bay offers the essence of Kamchatka in one place. Surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, the bay is very scenic, especially if viewed from a boat or helicopter. You can also see wildlife, such as eagles, whales, sea lions, tufted puffins, orcas, and many other species. You may also see a submarine or other vessels, as the bay is home to the Russian Pacific submarine fleet.
Especially cool are three rocks called Three Brothers that one can find in the bay.
3. Home volcanoes
Just about 25 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky there is a so-called ‘home’ group of five volcanoes: Avachinsky, Arik, Koryaksky, Kozelsky, Aag. The highest one is Koryaksky (3,456m). The area is popular with skiers and snowboarders who ride the slopes until the middle of the summer, and hiking can continue through the whole season. There are different routes, for example, climbing up the Avachinsky Sopka can take from four to eight hours.
4. Kronotsky Nature Reserve
Kronotsky is situated on the east coast of the Kamchatka peninsula and covers a huge territory, almost untouched by the hand of man. It is often called the Land of fire and ice, as the reserve is home to numerous volcanoes and geysers.
Due to the remoteness, the reserve can mainly be reached by helicopter with a day visit worth $700 on average.
There are over 20 tourist routes on the territory of the reserve, some of them about 100 kilometers long. The number of overnight stays depends on the route length, it usually takes less than 6-7 hours to get from one to another. However, such hiking requires good physical training.
The routes are very picturesque and diverse: ocean coast, tundra, forest, rocks, highlands, as well as breathtaking views over volcanoes.
The reserve is also home to Eurasia’s biggest brown bear protected population with over 800 bear species.
Note that there is no cell phone reception in the reserve.
5. Kronotsky Sopka
Kronotsky is a major active volcano on the Kamchatka peninsula, and one of the beautiful ones too. Located in Kronotsky Nature Reserve, the volcano can easily be seen from afar due to its height of over 3,500 m. The volcano’s conical shape is reminiscent of Mount Fuji in Japan and Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. The top of Kronotsky is always covered with ice.
6. Uzon
Uzon is a volcanic caldera and the pearl of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. The place is noteworthy because it is some kind of a natural laboratory with numerous geological processes and increased hydrothermal activity of the crust. There are over a hundred springs, hundreds of mud pots, steaming areas, lot lakes, and more.
7. Valley of Geysers
Valley of Geysers is a UNESCO site and a unique place in the world with a very high concentration of biological objects. You can watch over 90 geysers, mud pots, hot pools of different colors, fuming hills, let alone bear prints on the walk…
One of the tour highlights is the Bolshoy Geyser that erupts every hour, releasing water to a height of up to 10 meters. That is one impressive sight, especially when you feel a hot wave of steam and the smell of hydrogen sulfide. According to tourists, the whole experience feels like another reality. Some even metaphorically say that it looks like the Earth is breathing.
Situated in Kronotsky Nature Reserve, the valley can only be reached with a guided helicopter tour accompanied by an armed ranger.
8. Lake Kronostkoye
It is Kamchtka’s largest lake with 11 picturesque islands scattered across its territory. The latter are home to colonies of Pacific gulls, of which there are about 600 pairs. Sometimes brown bears swim to the islands to feast on the eggs of seagulls.
The surface of the lake freezes completely from December to mid May. The ice is up to 1 meter thick.
9. Lake Kurilskoye
Lake Kurilskoye is the southernmost lake in Kamchatka. It is the second largest lake in the peninsula and one of its most remarkable natural objects.
The lake is notable for its lava islands, as well as hot springs on the shores with temperatures up to 45ºС, the largest herd of sockeye salmon, and one of the largest gull colonies in freshwater.
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