A TRAVELLER’S GUIDE TO
RUSSIA, SIBERIA
A TRAVELLER'S GUIDE TO KAMCHATKA Once considered an inaccessible “edge of the world” location, only visited by the hardiest of adventure travellers, today Siberia’s Kamchatka Peninsula is gaining a reputation as one of Russia’s most remarkable tourist destinations. Make no mistake though, Kamchatka is remote -‐ with no road or railways connecting it to the outside world, the only practical access into this pristine wilderness is by air. For lovers of wildlife and rugged natural scenery, Kamchatka is paradise on earth. Located at the northernmost edge of the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, the Kamchatka Peninsula juts out dramatically from the north eastern tip of Russia. Thirty active volcanoes are scattered across the peninsula, including, including Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the largest in the Northern Hemisphere. Equally as stunning are the 90 geysers and numerous hot springs that make up the 6km Geyser Valley. The second largest concentration of geysers on earth, this natural gem remains a virtually untouched region of raw geothermal power. Getting to Kamchatka is half the journey, but once you arrive, the raw beauty of this far flung region will floor you. If your idea of the ultimate adventure is scaling an active volcano, coming within metres of wild brown bears, or exploring some of the most remote and spectacular coastline on earth, the isolated splendour of Kamchatka awaits!
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SECTIONS WITHIN THIS EBOOK When to Visit Kamchatka -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ 5 Attractions and Activities -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ 6 Getting In and Around -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ 14 Eating and Sleeping -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐16 Ethnic Cultures of Kamchatka -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ 19 Tours of Kamchatka -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ 21
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KAMCHATKA FOR BEGINNERS
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WHEN TO VISIT KAMCHATKA Kamchatka stretches across several climatic zones. Central Kamchatka’s climate is mild and continental. The alpine valleys are characterised by frosty winters and hot, humid summers, while the coast experiences a temperate, marine climate. The summer and autumn months (June through to October) are by far the most popular, when max temperatures range from 15°C to 30°C but a growing trend in winter sports means Kamchatka receives visitors year round. Kamchatka’s famous brown bears hibernate during the long, snowy winter, so you’ll need to visit between late July and mid-September to be able to spot them. Swimming, kayaking and SCUBA diving in Avacha Bay are possible during the summer months, and the fly fishing season is between May and October. Kamchatka’s ski resorts and off-piste mountain slopes attract hardcore snow junkies from February through to May.
of winter activities are available on the lake and its surrounds, including ice skating, cross-‐ country skiing, dog sledding and ice fishing.
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ATTRACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES
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VOLCANOES Kamchatka is renowned as one of the most outstanding volcanic regions of the world, with a high density of active volcanoes in a wide variety of types. Rugged volcanic peaks interspersed with lush valleys, desolate lava-spewing plains and ancient glaciers form a dynamic landscaped with a strange, almost otherworldly sense of beauty. Nineteen active volcanoes are included in the within the six groups of UNESCO World Heritage listed sites of Kamchatka. The highest volcano is Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4,750m), the largest active volcano in the Northern Hemisphere, while the most striking is the perfectly conical Mount Kronotsky, a prime contender for the world’s most picturesque volcano.
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These peaks are usually visited by helicopter, providing breathtaking aerial views – sometimes right over erupting craters. Somewhat more accessible are the three volcanoes visible from Kamchatka’s capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Koryaksky, Avanchinsky and Kozelsky. Trekkers can easily walk to the bases of these impressive mountains, and they can be summited on foot during summer with an experienced guide.
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VALLEY OF GEYSERS Seething, steaming and periodically expelling huge volumes of hot water in a spectacular jet, geysers are a remarkable natural phenomenon. Kamchatka’s Valley of Geysers is home to the second largest concentration of geysers on earth, scattered across a 6km basin with bizarre volcanic scenery. Due to their remote location, the geyers can only be accessed by helicopter. Once inside the valley, local guides and wooden walkways provide a safe passageway past some of the largest and most spectacular geysers, some with names such as Giant, Pearl, Fountain and Grotto.
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THE FISHING BEARS The most iconic resident of the peninsula is undoubtedly the Kamchatka brown bear, one of the largest subspecies of brown bear in the world. The region’s well-preserved wilderness has created a safe sanctuary for oneof the most concentrated bear populations in the world, meaning summer sightings of these impressive animals are virtually guaranteed. The best place to view wild brown bears is Lake Kurilskoye in the south of the peninsula. During late July to mid-September, this extraordinary place hosts Kamchatka’s largest salmon spawning event, attracting about 2 million fish each season. Tourists are transported to bear territory by helicopter and escorted by rangers to a number of watchtowers built especially to observe the bears as they swim, play and fish for salmon in the shallow waters of the lake.
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THE PACIFIC COAST Vast, rugged and largely uninhabited, Kamchatka boasts one of the most isolated stretches of coastline in the world. The region’s capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, is situated in the calm waters of Avacha Bay, under the shadow of the three Petropavlovsk volcanoes. One of most serene and beautiful Kamchatka experiences is a sunrise over the bay, followed by a leisurely boat ride to the unique rocky formations that spring out of the surface of the water. Beyond Avacha are thousands of kilometres of rocky coastline. The only human inhabitants are found in remote indigenous fishing villages. The most conspicuous residents here are seals, giant Stellar sea lions, orcas, whales and sea eagles. Experienced paddlers can explore the Kamchatka coast by sea kayak during the summer months.
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HELI SKIING For experienced skiers and boarders with a taste for the extreme, heli-skiing the untouched volcanic slopes of Kamchatka is a wild winter adventure with few equals anywhere else in the world. The experience starts with an incredible flight over the untamed peaks of the peninsula in a Russian chopper – the ultimate chairlift! Then, it’s touch down in the middle of nowhere and be prepared for the freeride of a lifetime. Kamchatka is the only place on earth where it’s possible to ski down active volcanoes. On some volcanoes, such as Mutnovsky (2,923m), it’s possible to ski into the crater, with active steam vents smoking and seething all around you! Under good weather conditions, heli-skiiers can be dropped into Bolshe-Bannie hot spring valley, or even ride all the way down to the Pacific Ocean shore.
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FLY FISHING Thanks to its uniquely suitable environment, Kamchatka is home the world’s greatest diversity of salmonoid fish. All six species of Pacific salmon – chinook, chum, coho, seema, pink and sockeye are found in Kamchatka’s waterways. The pristine, food-rich waters of the Icha River make for some of the most outstanding salmon and trout fishing in Siberia. Most prized among anglers are the chinook (king salmon), reaching up to 14kg and a metre in length, and the steelhead (known locally as Kamchatka salmon), a monster rainbow trout weighing up to 18kg. Between May and October, tour companies run fly fishing trips to Kamchatka’s richest fishing grounds, camping in the forest and using motorised rafts as transport.
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GETTING IN AND AROUND
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BY AIR Sandwiched between sub-Arctic Russia and the Pacific Ocean, Kamchatka has no overland routes leading into the region. There are no regular passenger ferries to anywhere in Kamchatka, so the only practical way for travellers to arrive is by air. The airport is located 20km from PetropavlovskKamchatsky in the village of Elyzovo. There are daily flights from Moscow (nine hours), and several flights a week from St Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok and Beijing. In peak summer season there are occasional flights from Anchorage, Alaska and Tokio, Japan.
OVERLAND Within the peninsula, most destinations are only accessible by 4WD or helicopter. Due to permissions required to visit Kamchatka’s restricted wilderness areas, and a lack of public transport, getting around independently in Kamchatka is difficult – the vast majority of visitors travel on organised tours. The only public transport are buses operating from Petropavlovsk to the nearby villages.
Most organised tours will include scenic helicopter flights over the volcanoes and lava fields – a truly unmissable experience on any visit Kamchatka.
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EATING AND SLEEPING
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ACCOMMODATION IN KAMCHATKA Accommodations in Kamchatka have improved dramatically over the last few years as the region grows in popularity. Still, there are a limited number of options – it’s best to let a tour company take care of where you’ll be spending each night. Most of the accommodation is found within Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky township, or in the village of Paratunka, a 40 minute drive out of town. Paratunka is now home to a handful mid-range resorts, with the cream of the crop being the Russo-Balt North Adventures Resort. Heli-skiiers often stay further out near the foot of the Viluchinsky volcano, roughly one and half hours from Petropavlovsk.
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Camping with an organised, well-equipped expedition is one of the most splendid ways to experience the serene beauty of Kamchatka’s alpine forests and valleys, or the remote bays and beaches along the Pacific Coast. River fishing, rafting and sea kayaking tours provide tents and camping equipment on their multi-day excursions. Kamchatka is very much an adventure travel destination, so don’t come expecting plentiful restaurants and high end cuisine. PetropavlovskKamchatsky has some local eateries with a focus on fish dishes. Staying at a ski resort, the hotel restaurant will often your only option. Try some of the local seafood – such as wild salmon and Russian king crab. Meat dishes often consist of local game such as moose and deer.
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ETHNIC CULTURES OF KAMCHATKA
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Kamchatka is one of Russia’s least populated regions. The total population is around 340,000, mainly concentrated in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the surrounding villages around the Avacha and Kamchatka Rivers. The rest of the population live mainly on the coast in small fishing settlements. Today, ethnic Russians make up about 80 percent of Kamchatka’s population. The main indigenous groups - Korykas, Itelmens, Evens and Evenky, are spread out across different regions of the peninsula. The coastal populations are mainly involved in fishing, while further inland, many indigenous people still live semi-nomadic lifestyles based around hunting and reindeer herding. For visitors interested in discovering the indigenous cultures of Kamchatka, a few Koryak and Evens settlements welcome guests at certain times.
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TOURS OF KAMCHATKA Due to its remoteness, lack of transport options and the permissions required to visit certain areas within Kamchatka, an organised tour is by far the best way to get the most out of a visit to Kamchatka. 56th Parallel offers a wide variety of summer and winter tours to Kamchatka with experienced guides, private transport, comfortable accommodations and a range of itineraries to suit individual interests. Visit www.56thparallel.com to see a full list of tours to the Kamchatka region.
Call us on 1300 742 374 (toll free from Australia) or +61-2-8221-88-59 from the rest of the world, or visit our website www.56thparallel.com
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