Volcanoes of Kamchatka

10 AM arrival at PKC airport. Thermal pools soak to ease the muscles after a few days of travel. , check in to a hotel/guesthouse. 

Today we will have our first team meeting and take some of the afternoon to rest. 

Tonight we will have an EPIC group feast. 

Note: clients are responsible for book their own return flights from Moscow. 

We recommend that you sleep one night at a hotel in Moscow before the trip starts (not included). 

Starting at 8AM, 7-8 hrs private minibus transfer to Kozyrevsk village with lunch en route. Then 3 hrs 6WD transfer to Kopyto drop-off point, North of Tolbachik volcano . 

Trek to Edelweiss Meadow campground. Hiking around.  Epic views of Klyuchevskoy Volcano – the highest active volcano in the Northern hemisphere

Tonight is the first day we are tents! Enjoy a tasty hot meal before spending the evening relaxing and getting ready to do some star photography once it gets dark. 

Distance: 8 km

Today is the day we explore landscapes straight out of a graphic novel as we head to a place that literally makes you feel like you are walking on another planet Mars Field. 

We will wade the Studenaya river en route to our stopping point of the day: Mars field camp ground.

Distance: 15 km

Today we will cross the beautiful Tolbachinsky pass.

This is the point of the trip where every where you look there are mind bending views of volcanoes set against lush fields of green tundra pasture.

We finish the day with a hike to Zimina Shoulder with yet another epic perspective of Klyuchevskoy Volcano.

Distance: 8 km

Today we head to one of the only man made landmarks found out here: Tolud cabin. 

The hiking today is challenging and over varied terrain. Sighting brown bears (not Grizzlies), marmots, and other animals is not uncommon. 

We sleep in tents or in the cabin if it is open/available. 

Distance: 17 km

Another day brings another stunning objective: trekking Tolbachik Basecamp. 

We try to arrive at campsite not too late as we have a big day tomorrow. 

Distance: 10 km

Today we are sending a Volcano Guys! This trek is probably the most challenging day of the whole trip, but by this point everybody will be ready to crush it. 

The steep climb to the summit (3,000m) requires about 1,700m in elevation gain with plenty of rests in route including a visit to the breathtaking lava caves.

We return to the basecamp in the late afternoon to spend another night in our cozy tents.

Distance: 24 km

Alas our trip by foot comes to an end. Our trusty Mad Max rigs pick us up and shuttle us back to Kozyrevsk Village in the morning with an excursion around the lava fields along the way. 

The total drive back to the village takes around 5 hours. 

What is in store for tonight? A real bed and a traditional Russian steam sauna to sooth those tired joints and feet. 

Distance: 5 km

Road trip day!

The minibus transfer back to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky takes around 7-8 hrs.

Listen to your favorite podcast or music while taking in the serene views. Lunch en route. 

Early in the morning we head straight to the port to experience Kamchatka and its wildlife from the seaside!

A comfortable boat takes us out to Avacha bay, one of the largest natural bays in the world. We sail by the legendary ‘Three Brothers’ rocks – a magnificent symbol of the city and a mascot of local sailors.

We exit the bay and venture into the open ocean aiming at a tiny Starichkov island located about 30 kilometers south of the city. Rising steeply up to 140 meters above the sea its shores are home to multiple colonies of countless marine birds, mainly ancient murrelets (the islet is named after them in Russian!) and puffins but also red-faced cormorants, guillemots and seagulls. Often it is possible to spot fur seals lazing on the coastal reefs and if we are lucky we may even catch a glimpse of an orca (killer whale)!

Weather-permitting, we will take turns using an inflatable motorboat to draw closer to the island. Those remaining on the boat can try their hand at sea fishing with the most common catch being plaice, halibut, sea perch, greenling and cod. At the same time, a professional diver will fetch sea urchins, sea stars or even crabs from the ocean floor. In a short time piping hot seafood will be waiting for us, complemented with a tasting of sea urchin caviar! The entire trip takes about 6-7 hours which seems to pass all too quickly!

We use custom-made all-terrain monster trucks (the Mad Max rigs) to reach Russia’s only geothermal power plant and then trek into the caldera of the Mutnovsky volcano.

This place feels like one of the planet’s energy nodes where its raw untamed energy comes out in the form of sulfur vents, roaring like jet engines, steam fountains and bubbling mud. The downside of the show, of course, is the acrid smell of rotten eggs!

The heat of the Earth melts glaciers in the caldera, giving birth to a wild stream that cuts through colorful layers of volcanic sediments and abruptly ends in a dramatic 80m high waterfall.  On the way back to the city we stop at one of the numerous thermal pools which are a delight to soak in after our adventure.

We return to Kamchatka for our final group meal and party. 

Today is the day we say good bye and head back to the other side of Russia. 

Transfers from the hotel to the airport will be arranged. 

Note: Epic Backpacker Tours staff do not fly back to Moscow with you and it is your responsibility to make your own hotel arrangements there – though we can provide suggestions of course!