Great Sayan Ring

Olympia-Reisen-Sibir tour operator
630091, Gogolya str,3, Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia.
Fax. +7 383 2184516, Tel. +7 383 2211743 www.olympia-reisen.ru
Working hrs Mon-Fri: 11:00 - 20:00 (Tokyo time) / 02:00 - 12:00 (London time)
Yulia Tsimpilova (ENG) mice@orsib.ru, Alla Romanova (ENG) siberia@orsib.ru,
Svetlana Nechaeva (DE) incoming@orsib.ru, Olessia Varnavidou (ITA) contact@orsib.ru
KAMCHATKA: Scenes of wild grandeur, aboriginal people and northern seafood
Join-in excursion tours in 2014 (from 1 pax)
Guaranteed departure dates for 2014:
June,27
July, 4, 11, 18, 25
August, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
September, 5, 12
Kamchatka is without exaggeration one of the most spectacular regions in Russia, a unique land where fire meets
ice. It occupies the area of 470,000 sq. km, which equals the size of France, Belgium and Luxembourg combined.
Kamchatka is one of five major geothermal areas in the world, making it a main link in the Earth's "Ring of Fire".
With more than 200 volcanoes, 30 of them active, Kamchatka is a prime spot of study for the world's volcanologists.
Volcanoes and volcanic peaks, cyclones and underground heat created here a mixture of twenty climate zones and
a great variety of flora and fauna. But the main attractions of Kamchatka are volcanic calderas, stone sculpture
“parks” and lakes in craters, geysers and mineral springs, all in pristine condition.
Kamchatka was born of fire and has never seen quiet - its history is one of continuous, violent rebirth. The native
peoples of Kamchatka are intimately familiar with this history. They have always feared the peninsula's volcanoes,
whose peaks they believed to be inhabited by mountain spirits. Despite its great size, the peninsula is home to just
400,000. As such, the peninsula is vastly uninhabited wilderness. While Kamchatka was shrouded in military
secrecy, its animal population was left to flourish. Some of the largest grizzly bears in the world roam Kamchatka's
interior, while tens of millions of salmon invade its undammed streams and rivers each summer, just as they have
for thousands of years.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the foreign tourist were permitted for the first time in over half a
century to visit Kamchatka, one of the most mysterious regions of the former Soviet empire.
We welcome you to this lifetime-experience trip to get to know this unique land by your own eyes!
PROGRAM
Day 1 – Arrival in PKC. Meeting at the airport, transfer to a hotel in Paratunka or Petropavlovsk
Accommodation. Free time. Rest and bathing in hot thermal water swimming pool (in case of the hotel in
Paratunka).
Day 2 – Breakfast at hotel. Optional tour – helicopter trip to the Valley of Geysers.
The Valley of Geysers is by right called the Pearl of Kamchatka. There is no other place which can be
compared to the Kamchatka Valley of Geysers according to the majesty of the sight and the number of
gushing geysers situated on a rather small territory. The unique nature of the Valley attracts tourists from all
over the world.
The Uzon Caldera is a gigantic caldera 12 km in diameter which is a unique place of the modern volcanism.
Its uniqueness is in a large diversity of hydrothermal activity: mineral lakes, powerful steams of vapour
coming from hot springs, mud volcanoes in miniature.
Transfer to the helicopter pad. Check-in, boarding. Departure for the Valley of Geysers with flight over the
active volcanoes Karymsky and Maly Semyachik (flight time 1h 15 min). Landing in the Valley of Geysers.
10 minute rest. 1.5 hour excursion in the Valley. Flight to the Uzon caldera (flight time 5-7 min). 1 hour
excursion in the caldera. Flight to the Zhupanova River (flight time 40 min), hot meal, bathing in hot
thermal springs. Return to the helicopter pad (flight time 35 min). Transfer to the hotel.
Other optional trips are possible or free time.
Day 3 – Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the foothill of the Avachinskiy volcano by an all-terrain vehicle
(about 2 hours). Arrival at the base camp, lunch, safety instructions before ascending the volcano.
All tours to the Avachinskiy volcano start from the “Kamchatintour” base camp situated at 890 m above sea
level. The distance between PKC and the base camp is about 50 km.
The Avachinskiy volcano (2751 m) is one of the most active volcanoes in Kamchatka often called “home
volcano” among its people. Its crater is filled with hardened lava above which you can see rising clouds of
fumaroles. The ascent is not very difficult and doesn’t require special equipment. The time for ascending and
returning to the base camp is 9 hours for “average” groups.
Lunch – picnic while the ascending, return to the base camp, dinner, return to the hotel, rest and bathing
in hot thermal water swimming pool.
Day 4 - Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the Bystraya River (about 3 hours). Lunch in a tent camp. Rafting
with “catch-and-release” fishing (2,5 – 3 hours).
The Bystraya River, the second longest river in Kamchatka, flows along the southern slopes of the Sredinniy
Ridge (Middle Ridge). It plays an important role in reproducing Pacific salmon. King salmon, Red salmon,
Humpback salmon, Silver salmon and Sima spawn in the waters of the Bystraya River. Pacific Char and East
Siberian Char are found here in great quantities as well as Grayling, Rainbow Trout and Atlantic salmon.
Experienced guides and inflatable rafts are at your disposal.
Transfer to the Malkinskiye hot thermal springs. Bathing in the springs.
The Malkinskiye hot thermal springs are situated in the valley of the Bystraya River, at a great thermal
territory of underground natural springs. Hot thermal water runs to small basins situated near the cold creeks.
This is a great place for bathing and rest in the open air.
Return to the hotel. Rest and bathing in hot thermal water swimming pool.
Day 5 – Breakfast at hotel. Transfer by all-terrain vehicle to the Mutnovskaya geothermal power station
(about 3 hours). Trekking to the Dachniye hot thermal springs.
The Dachniye springs are sometimes called a Valley of Geysers in miniature. They are situated at the foothill
of the Mutnovskiy volcano, at the edge of a huge intermountain area – the modern central part of the
Mutnovskiy geothermal deposit. The springs are situated in the ravine with steep walls. On its left slope there
are several warm spots, rising steam, bubbling caldrons. At the bottom, on the ledge of the right slope a big
bubbling caldron emits powerful steams of vapour. A bit higher there is a powerful vapour-water fountain. In
the riverbed of a hot stream a large basin where one can take a warm bath is naturally formed.
Lunch – picnic during the trekking. Transfer to the Spokoiniy (Quiet) creek (about 30 minutes). Visit of the
waterfall (the height is about 40 m). Return to the hotel. Rest and bathing in hot thermal water swimming
pool.
Day 6 – Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the Mount Vachkazhets (about 80 km from PKC). Trekking to the
mountain cirque with visit to the lake and waterfall.
The mountain-mass and its environs are one of the most beautiful places on the primordial Kamchatka
peninsula. In ancient times, Vachkazhets was a one-cone volcano. But as a result of a strong eruption, it
exploded and divided into three main parts: Mt. Letnyaya Poperechnaya (1420 m), Mt. Vachkazhtsy (1600 m)
and Mt. Vachkazhets itself. In the area of Mt. Letnyaya Poperechnaya, there are still two large volcanic
cirques that are probably the remains of the crater of the ancient large volcano.
Lunch – picnic. Return to the hotel. Rest and bathing in hot thermal water swimming pool.
Day 7 – Breakfast at hotel. Transfer by car to the sea port of PKC. A boat trip along the Avachinskaya bay
to the Pacific Ocean and the Starichkov Island. Lunch on board the vessel.
The Avachinskaya bay is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Its twisting coastline is cut
by numerous small bays. Two spawning rivers flow into the bay. 32 species of fish inhabit its waters.
Practically all the year round we can find here several species of sole, greenling, bullhead and halibut. Sea
birds are rather numerous in the area. One can see seals in the bays situated at the entrance to the
Avachinskaya bay. The seals are not afraid of people and let them approach rather close. Among big
mammals one can find killer-whales. The waters of the Avachinskaya bay are rich in natural gifts – sea
urchins and crabs.
The Starichkov Island is situated about 10 km (5,5 miles) from the entrance to the Avachinskaya bay. It got
its name after small sea birds that nest there (Puffins). The Starichkov Island is a nature reserve on water
which abounds in puffins, loons, cormorants and other waterfowl. Several nests of Steller’s Sea Eagle and a
seal harem are situated on the island.
City sightseeing tour after the boat trip. Visit of the Kamchatka museum of local lore, the view point of
PKC, the city centre, a gift shop, a market. Return to the hotel.
Day 8 – Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport. Departure.
Net tour cost per 1 person:
Solnechnaya or Virginia (2*)
Antarius Hotel (3*)
Avacha Hotel (3*)
Included:
 accommodation in TWN
 meals according to the programme
 guide
 transfers according to the programme
 excursions according to the programme
 thermal water pool if staying 1st night in
Paratunka
1 250 EUR per pax
1 415 EUR per pax
1 470 EUR per pax
SNG supl
310 EUR
500 EUR
350 EUR
Extra pay:
 interpreter services – 500 EUR per group
 dinners at the hotel
 alcoholic drinks
 spoonbaits in case of loss or damage (at
fishing)
 optional excursions on Day 2:
the Valley of Geysers + Uzon – 900 Euro
(Helicopter excursions prices are based on
not less than 18 passengers; During summer
season groups to the Geyser Valley are
gathered 3-4 times a week)
List of necessary equipment:
 a small backpack for trekking and ascending (for personal things)
 strong boots and special trekking shoes (not trainers)
 a waterproof jacket with a hood
 sports trousers
 a cap and a warm hat
 mittens or gloves for trekking and ascending
 sun glasses
 a flask or a plastic bottle for drinking water during trekking and ascending
 sun cream with UV protection
 anti-mosquito spray
 a second set of underwear and necessary things (for a two-day trip to the Avachinskiy volcano)
 chap stick
 photo and video cameras
 other things – at your discretion