Kamchatka Bears & Volcanos

Overview

Set aboard this expedition to Kamchatka, the peninsula lodged in Russia’s Far East. Helicopters are the major feasible form of transport in this land of about 200 miles of the paved road situated in an area larger than Great Britain, making it indicatory of the land’s wilderness.

If you ask the folks there, they will explain how the chief motive of guests visiting this plateau is mainly Kamchatka bears and volcanoes. Both the bears and the volcanoes of Kamchatka are principal tourist attractions, especially for those who rejoice in exploring wildlife and experiencing the spirit of true adventure. This journey will take you to the most scenic locations, mainly covering the shores of a serene lake, encircled by the enormous mountains blanketed by refreshing greenery and a never-ending river stream, where the special guests, the bears, are typically found.

This breathtaking panorama of mother nature will leave you satisfied and wanting to stay longer, all at the same time. So go ahead, take that leap, and follow the group along this mighty peninsula that has nothing but captivatingly scenic beauty to offer.

Trip Highlights

Guests will get to witness dozens of bears, wandering, living, and doing their own thing, and be their guests amid everything beautiful at the Kuril Lake.
A chance, like never before, to stay two full days, spending all the time exploring the wild location of the Kambalyania River, where the bears are usually seen raising their cubs and teaching them how to catch a salmon.
A visit to one of the world’s most frontier destinations with one of the largest populations of brown bears in the world.
A spectacular helicopter ride to the Valley of Geysers, to gain a closer look at the strikingly magnificent beauty that the Volcanoes of Kamchatka are.
A peninsula that is well known for its much abundant Kamchatka bears and volcanoes never disappoints anyone who comes here, filling their hearts with feelings of content and astonishment.
Spotting sea life and splendid birds in a full day Marine tour at the Russian bay, which makes leaving the place all the more difficult.
Witnessing the larger than life Volcanoes from a bird’s-eye view, in their most natural, gorgeous form will be a sight of a lifetime.
Experiencing the wilderness, getting lost in the middle of an enchanting array of mountains and rivers which will make the experience worthwhile and forgetting is impossible.
Much to the joy of wildlife lovers, being a guest to European cousins of the iconic Grizzly bear of North America during this excursion, both by the river and near the mountains sounds like just the kind of tour they were looking for.

ITINERARY - 12 Days

Day 1	Arrival in Kamchatka The first day of the expedition starts with all the participants arriving at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the largest city of Kamchatka. Upon arrival, they will be transported to the guest house where they will meet the local guide and the photographic guide who will be there to accompany the journey. The rest of the day will be given to rest and relax since they'd have had exhausting journeys earlier. In the evening, their first dinner will be served to the group, allowing them to interact and introduce, and prepare for the journey that begins the next morning. After dinner, the group will retire to their beds at the Kuril Lake Camp.
Day 2	Moving towards the Kuril Lake The second day starts on a rather interesting note. After everyone is awake and ready to go, the helicopter flight to Kuril (Approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes) will be boarded and participants will reach their second destination, Kuril Lake. The time of departure of the helicopter depends on the weather. After the participants disembark the flight in the South Kamchatka Sanctuary, they will be guided to their tents, where the next three nights are to be spent. An inspector, who would also be accompanying them for the safari, will then brief the group with the rules of the sanctuary, that are to be followed for safety and comfort purposes. The participants will then call it a night at the Kuril Lake camp.
Days 3 - 4	Traversing the Kuril Lake The third and the fourth day will be spent at Kuril Lake. In these two days, the participants will get the opportunity to explore the lake completely. Those who are there for the Kamchatka bears and volcanoes will not be disappointed. This day will be a dream come true for all the wildlife lovers, as they will get to see the gorgeous beings that are the brown bears. Due to the rapidly changing weather on Kamchatka’s second-largest lake, there might be occasional stormy weather rolls, preventing the boats from being able to be taken out. In which case, the group will be guided to sites that are within walking distance to the camp, to see the bears. It needs to be remembered that the bears at Kuril Lake are still wild animals and it is important for the participants to stay in the group and follow the instructions given by the instructor at all times.
Day 5	Traverse to Kambalnaya river On the 5^th day, the group will be taken to the Kambalnaya river by a 15-minute helicopter flight, for which the boarding time will again depend on the weather condition that morning. The helicopter ride will provide a great chance to look at the scenic beauty of the mountains, volcanoes, and the lakes which they will be flying over. After landing at the river, the inspector responsible for this segment of your safari will accompany the group to the cabin at the riverbank, where they will be spending the next couple of days.
Day 6	Exploring the Kambalnaya river While the activities for the participants will be a bit similar here to Kuril Lake, the bears here will be seen indulging in many different varieties of activities like fishing, catching the salmon in the river, and much more. This will be quite a scene to witness and will make the day exciting. If the group is lucky, there will be a possibility of capturing these moments in their cameras. Post this, they might get a chance to go for a one way 4km hike along the river and up the plateau.
Days 7 - 8	Kambalnaya River and Yelizovo While day seven will be spent doing pretty much the same things as the sixth day, there are still chances of finding and seeing more bears along the river banks. The longer, the better, right? This will also give the participants a chance to relax and unwind in the beauty that surrounds them on this day. On the eighth day, depending on the weather conditions again, the participants will fly by helicopters to Yelizovo. Upon reaching, the group will have some time to themselves, for relaxing and interacting with other participants about the last few days at the guest house. Later that evening, they will have dinner together at a restaurant within walking distance from the guest house and retire to their beds at the guest house after planning for the next day.
Day 9	The Valley of Geysers The group will most likely depart at 10 am and disembark the 6-hour helicopter ride upon reaching the Valley of Geysers. They will then hike on the boardwalks on the valley, which will present them with an opportunity to observe and enjoy the phenomenal landscape. Post this, they will re-board the helicopter to reach Uzon Caldera, which is a 10-minute ride, and then move on to Nalychevo nature Park. This park offers the scope to bathe in the natural hot springs. A late lunch will be served and after spending some more time, the group will come back to their guest house and rest for the night, post-dinner.
Day 10	The marine tour Day 10 will come with a different schedule. This day has a lot to offer, starting with a boat trip which will leave the harbor at Avachinsky Bay and will take the group to see the splendid, Three Brothers Rocks, and some sea stacks before moving towards a seabird colony called the Starichkov island, where the tufted puffins, cormorants, species of gulls and also a pair of Steller's sea eagles that are known to nest on the island adjoining rock pinnacle, and several other species of birds. Participants will also have a chance to try your hand at deep-sea fishing. They will also enjoy some delicious fish lunch and a ride on the zodiac boat, through the rock grotto, making the day even more remarkable. As the day ends, the group will return to the guest house where dinner will be waiting for them.
Day 11	Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city tour This is the last day of the Kamchatka tour, making it the last chance of exploring and learning new things in this safari. Nevertheless, the last day will be made as memorable as the rest of the trip, maybe even more. The first stop will be the infamous “Russia begins here” monument where the group will spend some time before moving to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (PK). This city lodges several beautiful cultural sites, namely, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the Kamchatka Regional Museum, and the Volcano Museum. The next experience awaiting will be the overview of the most historic area of the city, above the harbor in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Post-Lunch, visits will be paid to the black sand beach where you can witness the beauty of the vast Pacific Ocean. After returning to the guest house, where a farewell dinner will be waiting for the participants, and spending time reminiscing and sharing with the group, the experiences they have attained for life. Here, their journey in longing to get to view the Kamchatka bears and volcanoes comes to an unforgettable halt.
Day 12	Itâ€™s time to bid goodbye Day 12 of the trip will start at a time suitable for weather conditions when the group will be traversed to the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport. From here, the participants will bid everyone else goodbye and depart for their journey towards home.