TEXT: MAXIM KOVALYOV,
IRINA MARKELENKOVA

Today Kamchatka is open to travellers, the number of whom grows each year. They all recognize the land’s extraordinary spirit and the warm hospitality of local residents.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is the largest in Eurasia, with a sea coast, lakes and rivers, forests and, of course, volcanoes. Mountains occupy three quarters of the peninsula, with as many as 36 active volcanoes.

Volcanoes are an iconic feature of Kamchatka – no wonder that they are included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. You can see them first even from the plane. The socalled “domestic” volcanoesare lined up in a slender chain just 25 kilometres from the region’s capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. There are five of them: Aag (2,310 metres above sea level), Arik (2,156 metres), Koryaksky (3,456 metres), Avachinsky (2,751 metres) and Kozelsky (2,189 metres). Two of those giants are active: the locals affectionately call them “Koryaka” and “Avacha”. Downhill skiers and snowboarders come in the winter, spring and even summer, while mountain climbers conquer their steep slopes all year round.

The beautiful Klyuchevskaya Sopka Volcano (4,750 metres above sea level) is the pride of the region, the highest active volcano in Eurasia. This giant erupts regularly every 4-6 years, with the last eruption complete with lava recorded in 2017.

Many tourists, mountaineers and fans of extreme sports fl ock to its foothills and try to reach its summit.

Anyone who steps into this magical land is overwhelmed by its pristine nature. You can see all kinds of animals here: bears and foxes, wolves and hares, sheep and deer. Kamchatka is also famous for its marine resources and is justly called the “Salmon Paradise”.

You can come here at any time of year. The mountain summits are snow-covered virtually all year long, giving sportsmen and tourists the opportunity for year-round skiing, heli-skiing and snowmobiling.

Kamchatka residents celebrate Volcano Day every year. It takes place in the middle of August, when Kamchatka’s nature frees itself from the shackles of winter and lets travellers reach its most secluded nooks and crannies untouched by civilization. The celebration’s key event is the climb of the Avachinsky Volcano. On Kozelsky Volcano, among ranges and snow-covered ridges, creative and extreme workshops, master classes and demonstration lessons take place.

You can reach these “domestic” volcanoes by all-terrain transportation either on your own or as part of a tourist group. It is easy to choose a travel company: the Travel and External Aff airs Agency of Kamchatskiy Krai’s website (agtur.kamgov.ru/reestr-turoperatorov) off ers a list of travel agents.

Getting THERE

How to get there
The distance from Moscow to Yelizovo airport in Petropavlovsk- Kamchatsky is 6,773 km or 8.5 hours by air. There are regular fl ights to Kamchatka from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Novosibirsk, Magadan, Krasnoyarsk, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk and Anadyr, as well as charter fl ights from the United States and Japan.

Where to stay
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has many hotels, from economy to luxury, as well as guest houses,  inihotels
and hostels. They welcome guests all year round. During highsummer season, it is better to book a room in advance.

What to buy
As for souvenirs, it’s worth looking at wooden fi gures of traditional Kamchatkan talismans – peleken the jolly man, and kutkh, the embodiment of the spirit of the raven.

I had excellent company. The group of over 60 people consisted of managers and staff from the major tour operator TUI Russia, other travel agents, and officials from government tourism agencies. Our visit had been carefully prepared, with the support and active involvement of the regional government and Kamchatka’s tour operators, who together had organized this business tour with the title “Kamchatka – Winter Adventures”.

We stayed in Bel-Kam-Tour Hotel, in the resort and spa district of the village of Paratunka, 40 minutes’ drive from the regional capital. For guests from Central Russia, the most unusual feature of the hotel were the four outdoor pools with thermal waters at a temperature of 36-37ºC. The water flows into the pools from the hotel’s own 1600m borehole. When it’s -5ºC outside, with snow lying all around, you can float in the pools and gaze at the starry sky above you – it’s fantastic! Rooms at the hotel start from $110 for double occupancy per night, and there are also separate bungalows. Rates are roughly the same at the Avacha Hotel in the center of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, where we spent the two final nights of the trip.

Another peculiarity of a trip to Kamchatka is the jet lag. Due to the change in time zones, we were all waking up regular as clockwork at 4am. For me, this continued to be the case when I got back to Moscow. For about a week afterwards, I woke up at the same time and couldn’t get back to sleep again.

On the next day, we were taken to the Avachinsky Volcano, which is situated just 30km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and is the most popular of the peninsula’s volcanoes with tourists. The roads to the volcano aren’t passable by car, so we were transported in snowcats – big trucks on caterpillar tracks. Most of the group then transferred to snowmobiles pulling narty (long sleds). This was where the need for warm clothing became apparent – on the open slopes the wind whips straight through your coat, and we had to cover our faces with ski masks and goggles.

Frequent changes in weather on the peninsula make exact planning impossible, as was proved that day when a storm blew up that stopped us from reaching the peak of the volcano. We did, however, manage to get to the base owned by Alpika and Kamchatintour, where there was a delicious hot lunch awaiting us.

Water flows into the pools from a 1600m borehole. With snow lying all around, you can float in the pools and gaze at the starry sky above you.

The guest houses where travelers sleep summer and winter are very basic – rooms for 4-6 people with bunk beds and toilets in the yard. The electricity comes from a generator, and there are no roads. Tour managers are confident that if the government can get utilities out there, the conditions for tourists will be a little less spartan. Businesses are eager to develop the site.On that note, Kamchatka really has a lot of snow. The depth of snow cover in the mountains reaches as much as 20 meters, and it stays till July, so there’s a lot to offer downhill skiers.

On the following day, we had a helicopter tour. Take-off was delayed by an hour due to the weather. At the heliport we found ourselves alongside travelers waiting since morning for flights to the north of the peninsula, which can’t be reached any other way. The company Vityaz-Aero, the only operator in the area, boasts a fleet of 30 Mi-8 helicopters with experienced pilots, and built the heliport and terminal itself. Helicopter tours are organized by Vityaz-Travel, and an hour-long flight around the volcanoes costs roughly $320.

During the day, we got a bird’s-eye view of the Avachinsky, Koryaksky, and Zhupanovsky volcanoes, as well as the famous Three Brothers cliffs – a landmark of Avach Bay, where we made a landing on the beautiful shores of the Pacific Ocean and got the chance to take loads of stunning photos.

Perched on the ridges of ice were endangered sea eagles, while right on the deck we were serenaded by Vasya the sea lion, who jumped out of the water.

Yet another adventure came with our boat trip on the Almaz motor vessel. Due to ice swept into Avacha Bay by the wind, the boat couldn’t get out to sea on its own. A tug had to be found to clear a path and guide the Almaz out of the bay. Even so, we were still unable to reach our final destination, but we did get the chance to have an excellent meal – the menu included caviar, fresh seafood, and an exceptional ‘ukha’ fish soup. Heading out onto deck, we were able to enjoy extraordinary views of the ocean shackled in ice and a dimming sun setting through the clouds. Perched on the ridges of ice were endangered sea eagles, while right on the deck we were serenaded by a Stellar sea lion we christened Vasya. He jumped straight out of the water with a fearsome roar to beg us for fish. Eagles and sea lions can only be seen this close on winter sea cruises. In summer, the sea lions move hundreds of kilometers from human habitation, while the eagles perch on their nestswhich they rarely leave, and can therefore only be seen with powerful binoculars. Interestingly, when we fl ew out, the bay was clear again without a single piece of ice. Th at goes to show you how quickly weather can change in Kamchatka.

Our third day proved no less interesting. We visited the Kaynyran ethno-village (in the Koryak language, the name means “bear corner”), where there’s a kennel for sled dogs. Here they keep more than a hundred dogs, both huskies and the local Kamchatkan sled dogs. We went sledding with dog teams and were fed shurpa with hot tea made from Kamchatkan herbs in a traditional yaranga – a reindeer-hide tent. A Koryak ensemble performed a vibrant mix of songs and dances for us. In their tradition, they represent diff erent animals and birds in their dancing, while the favored musical instrument is a shamanic drum.

Two other groups from our party were introduced to the traditions and lifestyle of the indigenous peoples of the peninsula at the Children of the North community project, before visiting the Snow Dogs and Kamchadal sled-dog kennels.

At the Kaynyran ethno-village, we were taken dog-sledding and fed shurpa with herbal tea.

One more place that can be thoroughly recommended for travelers is the Volcanarium interactive museum of volcanoes in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatscky. Th ere you’ll learn just how interesting volcanoes can be, with explanations of what you’d see if you found yourself inside a real crater, you’ll take a tour through a lava cave and witness live experiments with fi re and crystals. As a souvenir, you can take home a little piece of volcanic lava.

Getting THERE

How to get there

The only way to reach Kamchatka is by air to the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Yelisovo Airport is situated 30km from the city.

What to see

The main attractions of Kamchatka are its volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, and wonderful nature reserves. The Paratunka thermal springs are situated an hour’s drive from the regional capital. The Valley of Geysers is one of the biggest geyser fi elds in the world, located within the Kronotsky Nature
Reserve, which is only accessible by helicopter. If you want to see bears in their natural habitat, head for the South-Kamchatka Wildlife Sanctuary around Kurilskoye and Dvukhyurtochnoye Lakes.

What to eat

Among the culinary highlights are: Kamchatkan ukha (fi sh soup) made with fresh-caught fi sh; fi shcakes stuffed with mashed potatoes, onion and spices; reindeer meat; and the yukola snack (dry-cured fish). The cuisine of the indigenous peoples can be
quite unusual for European tastes.

What to buy

A local market is an essential stop for all visitors, to buy fresh red caviar from Atlantic or Chinook salmon, and mouthwatering smoked fish – sockeye, chum, Coho, and Chinook salmon. A kilogram of Chinook salmon caviar costs $58, while the fi shitself goes for around $17. Another popular local delicacy is Kamchatka king crab.

When it comes to mysticism, Furugelm Island probably takes a wellearned second place behind the legendary Petrov Island in Lazovsky Nature Reserve. Dotted with stone columns, the landscape of this southwestern outpost of Russia can rival for beauty the Similan Islands in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Thailand – a dream destination for many tourists from the Russian Far East.

First mention of the island can be traced back to 1854 and the crew of the Pallada, the frigate from which Admiral Yevfi miy Putyatin and the great Russian novelist Ivan Goncharov surveyed the coasts of the Far East. Th e island was named aft er one of the expedition’s participants – Johan Furuhjelm, who would subsequently rise to the rank of admiral and serve as the military governor of Primorskaya Oblast and Russia’s American territories, one of the biggest names among the Finns of the Far East alongside merchant Otto Lindholm and captain Fridolf Höök.

From the 1930s to the 1960s, there was a garrison stationed on the island that numbered up to 600 men. On the island’s peak the remains of Artillery Squadron 250 of the Khasansk Sector Coastal Defense can be found, including four 130mm gun turrets. Th ey were mounted here immediately after Japanese incursions onto Soviet territory in 1938 that culminated nearby at the Battle of Lake Khasan. Th e guns “secured” an area with a radius of 30km, from Gamov’s Cape and Posyet Bay to Khasan. Th is artillery post was the only one of the military installations scattered across the peaks and capes of southern Primorye that was ever used in battle.

Nature – the artist, has sculpted extraordinary vistas for tourists.

From the peaks of Furugelm, you
have a clear view of not only the adjacent Russian coastline, but also of the shores of North Korea, and
the mountains of China.

Today, the overgrown ruins of the barrack houses seem like the remains of some ancient civilization. Here and there jut out a chimney stack, the crumbling walls of the offi cers’ mess, or the mound of a munitions bunker. Rumor has it that ghosts can be seen here at night. Among the sights is the tomb of Red Army soldier Nikolay Yedintsov, who died here in 1939.

When it comes to mysticism, Furugelm Island probably takes a well-earned second place behind the legendary Petrov Island in Lazovsky Nature Reserve. Dotted with stone columns, the landscape of this south-eastern outpost of Russia can rival for beauty the Similan Islands in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Thailand – a dream destination for many tourists from the Russian Far East. And this island off the Khasan Coast is no stranger to tsunamis, either. According to the recollections of Valentina Grigoryevna Belyaeva, wife of artillery commander Fyodor Belyaev, there was a time in the 1950s when a wave swept away 12 artillery rounds and all the garrison’s coal stores – 180 tonnes.

The beach in the West bay, which marks the boundary of the nature reserve, is notable for its  emarkably white sand.

Granite cliffs near Bochkov’s Cape.

However, it’s only memories that remain from that era. Now the silent, rusting barrels are a perch for seagulls. The island has the largest colony of black-tailed gulls in the world and, as July turns to August, the fledgling black-tails can be seen over the flower-strewn bluffs, learning to maneuver and find their own food.

Among the other birds on the island are cormorants, rhinoceros auklets, and spectacled guillemots. Furugelm is the only place in Russia where black-faced spoonbills and Chinese egrets nest, and the island is also a resting post for migrating petrels and sea eagles. The calls and squabbles of these myriad birds form a constant soundtrack on the island.

From the peaks of Furugelm, you have a clear view of not only the adjacent Russian coastline, but also of the shores of North Korea and the mountains of China. The beach in the West bay, which marks the boundary of the nature reserve, is notable for its remarkably white sand, which gives a soft pale-green tone to the coastal waters. Furugelm boasts a wealth of flora: vines, oaks, Amur cork tress and Amur barberries, cherry trees and “soothing” wormwood. Here, in these subtropical southern climes, every plant has a story to tell.

Due to the thick, genuinely tropical undergrowth, this tiny island – 2.5 by 1.5 kilometers – is not easy to get around. Only the traces of the former military paths have survived, and these are now used by tour groups. The only way to reach this frontier of the Russian world is through the Far Eastern Sea Reserve, and tours only last for a few hours.

This sparsely populated eastern region, with only 490 000 inhabitants, is near the top of the list for production of oil and gas, and for its yield of fish and seafood. Several major international corporations have operations here, and the total volume of foreign investment has already reached over $55 billion. One of the priorities for the regional economy now is the development of tourism.

Travel to Sakhalin is becoming easier and more affordable, and the number of Russian and foreign tourists to the region grows year on year. Anyone who enjoys ethnographic, gastronomic, extreme, or health tourism will be able to find something of interest here. Awaiting you is pristine natural wilderness— around 2 000 species of plants grow on the island, which is also home to bears, reindeer, wolverines, sables, Siberian musk deer, otters, and minks. More than 200 species of bird nest on Sakhalin, and the island’s rivers are richly stocked with the highly prized humpback salmon.

The mild Sakhalin winters draw tourists to the slopes of the modern Gorny Vozdukh (“Mountain Air”) ski resort. Today, Gorny Vozdukh is widely acknowledged as the best downhill ski resort in Russia. On the slopes of Mount Bolshevik, there are 16 pistes covering all levels of difficulty, with snow cover maintained to very high standards. The favourable climatic conditions make it possible to ski and snowboard from the beginning of December until the middle of April, and allow the resort to host international-level competitions such as the FAR EAST CUP.

The Kuril Islands spread like a string of pearls from the southern tip of the Kamchatka peninsula to the Japanese island of Hokkaido, and are home to 36 active volcanoes. The view of Tyatya volcano is one of the most stunning in the Kuril chain, while visitors head to Kunashir Island to see the Mendeleev volcano and the extraordinary cliff formations. Among the weeds on the seabed around the islands a number of wrecked ships can be found that have long served as dwellings for a variety of underwater creatures. On the island of Iturup one of Russia’s tallest waterfalls, Ilya Muromets, can be found, with water falling from heights of up to 141m. The fishermen on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands catch salmon, flounder, halibut, cod, and taimen, the Siberian giant trout. As for seafood, there are rich stocks of crab, prawns, and sea urchins.

Getting THERE

How to get there

There are regular flights between Khomutovo (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) Airport and Moscow, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Blagoveshchensk, Novosibirsk, and other Russian cities. There are also regular direct fl ights to cities in Japan, China, and South Korea. By sea, the main route to Sakhalin is the year-round Vanino-Kholmsk ferry connection. In summer, there are also ferries between Korsakov on Sakhalin and Wakkanai on Hokkaido (Japan).

Where to stay

Your tour of Sakhalin will begin in the regional capital, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. This is a city of 199 000 people, with 42 comfortable hotels, and more than 350 cafés, restaurants, and bars.

Where to eat

The geographical position of Sakhalin and its rich maritime resources make the island a culinary mecca for lovers of sushi, sashimi, spicy rolls, and hundreds of other Japanese dishes. Hoe, pyanse, kimchi, haemultang, japchae, and many other Korean dishes are regular features on the menus of local cafés and restaurants.

What to buy

Fish and seafood at local fish markets—whelks, scallops, prawns, halibut, crab, octopus, squid, sea cucumber, and fresh, smoked, and cured red fish.

Photo: Kirill Voloshin

EXPERT OPINIONS

VLADISLAV SHULAEV,
Territorial Promotion Director of the AGT Communications Agency:
The Far Eastern Federal District, which is about the same size as Australia, also resembles that country in the diversity of its natural wonders. The district’s territory is home to four nature reserves on the UNESCO World Heritage list: the Volcanoes of Kamchatka, the Lena Pillars in Yakutia, the Bikin River Valley in Primorye, and Wrangel Island in the north of Chukotka.

The federal district holds a number of world records: the famous “Pole of Cold” in Yakutia; Klyuchevskaya Sopka, which is the highest active volcano in Eurasia; and the Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest railway in the world. For Europeans, the railway journey begins in Moscow, and for Asia-Pacific residents— in Vladivostok, which, by the way, was included in National Geographic’s Top 10 Oceanfront Cities worldwide.

Every region has its own traditional holidays, culinary festivals, and fabulous hunting and fishing opportunities. In the past decade, almost all of the Far East territories have acquired their own first-class ski resorts: Gorny Vozdukh [“Mountain Air”] in Sakhalin, Kholdomi in Khabarovsk Territory, Aldan in Yakutia, Gora Moroznaya [“Frost Mountain”] in Kamchatka, and Snegorka in Magadan Region. Finally, the Far East has preserved perhaps the largest areas of pristine wilderness, comprising millions of square metres of natural beauty.

In Khabarovsk Territory and Primorye, you can see colonies of birds and breeding grounds of sea animals all along the coast, and watch lotus flowers bloom. Vladivostok’s huge oceanarium, and Orto Doidu Zoo, the Bisonarium and the Living Gems of Yakutia nature reserve in the Sakha Republic. Seals, fur seals, and Stella sea lions will accompany tour boats in Avacha Bay in Kamchatka. An incredible opportunity to photograph bears from just three meters away awaits visitors as they fish for sockeye salmon at Kurilskoye Lake. All these wonders are brought together in a single grand tour itinerary entitled the Eastern Ring of Russia.

The only problem is the logistics – the cities and nature parks of the Far East are scattered across the map, the distances between them are significant, and transportation is not cheap. Despite all these issues the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), the Buryatia, Zabaikal-sky, Kamchatka, Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, the Amur, Irkutsk, Magadan and Sakhalin Regions, and the Chukotka and Jewish Autonomous Regions have joined the route, although it is difficult to connect these regions in one trip. From Vladivostok to Khabarovsk is an overnight ride by train, and then you catch a flight to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. As part of this programme, you can visit the Pacific Fleet Museum on Russky Island, admire the view of Golden Horn Bay, take a boat trip along the Amur River, see the Sikachi-Alyan petroglyphs, and visit Avachinskaya Bay and the Valley of Geysers. There are programmes connecting Primorye and Khabarovsk with Sakhalin and Kamchatka, and also with Yakutia. The tour with the best name is the “Tiger Diamond” route, which involves a journey between Vladivostok and Yakutsk which takes in the “Land of the Leopard” park, the casino Tigre de Crystal, the safari park with the animals of Ussuri taiga, a diamond processing plant, the ice complex “Kingdom of Permafrost” with the residence of the Yakut version of Santa Claus, Chiskaan, and on to the Lena Pillars nature reserve and the Chochur-Muran ethnographic complex. You can understand that this combination of jewels, luxury, natural wonders and rare predators is very expensive. These tours were developed with foreign, primarily Asian, tourists in mind. It is difficult to organize such an expensive trip, but it is possible to plan more economical options with trips to the outskirts of Vladivostok – from there, it’s possible to go to the safari park and to Russky Island, and the Primorsky Oceanarium.

As part of this programme, you can visit the Pacific Fleet Museum on Russky Island, admire the view of Golden Horn Bay, and take a boat trip along the Amur River.

GETTING THERE

How to get there

The gateway to Primorye is Vladivostok, which is eight hours by plane from Moscow. Yakutsk is a six-hour flight, and Khabarovsk seven. But bear in mind that you still have to travel considerable distances onwards to reach many natural monuments. Reaching the famous Lena Pillars involves sailing on a boat from Yakutsk for several hours, while the Sikachi-Alyan petro-glyphs are a couple of hours by car from Khabarovsk.

Where to stay

One of the best hotels in Vladivostok is the five-star “Hyundai” hotel, where room prices start from $180.

The four-star “Astoria”( the oldest in the city) and the three-star “Versailles”, are around $130. A three-star option is more modest: “Amur Bay” – part of
the Azimut chain – costs from $60. In Yakutsk one of the best hotels is the four-star “Polar Star” complex, also part of the Azimut chain, from $135 per night. Rooms at the three-star “Ontario” start from $40.

Where to eat

The proximity of Asia is reflected in the gastronomic choices that Primorye offers – Chinese and Korean cuisine is popular here. You can go to the Pan-Asian restaurant Zuma – one of the best in the city. A popular chain of cafes is “Dumping-Republic”, which, unsurprisingly, prepares dim sum dumplings with different fillings. The second main component of local gastronomic traditions is seafood. To inspect that full diversity, it’s worth visiting the local fish markets, such as that in the “Pervorechensky” shopping centre (locals call it the “First
River market”). In Yakutsk, you can visit the “Chochur-Muran” ethnographic complex which has a national cuisine restaurant – try stroganina traditional strips of frozen raw northern fish and venison.

What to buy

It would be nice to take diamonds home as a souvenir from Yakutia, but if that’s beyond your budget, you can also find more modest gifts: amulets and ornaments made from tusks of mammoth and horsehair. Reindeer-skin boots are a lot warmer than they look but they, too, are not cheap. There are also gastronomic souvenirs: berries, dried horseflesh and fish. From Vladivostok, seaweed and pine nuts are popular purchases. Another popular and inexpensive gift is the famous “Bird Milk” candy from the “Primorsky Confectioner” factory.