SEASON: June 10^th - July 10^th
Departure 2010: June 20^th
Group size - up to 8 pax.

This expedition to Kamchatka will take place in early summer - the best time to see migrating and breeding birds, land and sea mammals and wild flowers before the mosquitoes become troublesome. We shall sail from Petropavlovsk on a small newly refurbished ocean-going cutter and explore the southeast coast of the peninsula. This is an extremely remote and seldom visited part since no roads reach it and very few boats venture along its shores. It is a wild and spectacular coast with towering, snow-capped, volcanoes including Viluchinsky and Mutnovsky. There are small islands and sea stacks which are the home of thousands of breeding seabirds including puffins and auks. Steller's Sea Lions haul out on the ledges. In sheltered bays Sea Otters and seals swim and on the high cliffs the magnificent Steller's Sea Eagle breeds. On the black volcanic sands we should see Brown Bears turning over the seaweed, washed up by winter storms, to look for dead fish. At the mouths of rivers and deltas there will be a mixture of migrant land birds, waterfowl and shore birds. Whilst sailing we should see Gray whales and dolphins including Orcas. We shall go ashore to explore the lakes, cliffs, beaches and rivers and possibly visit a hot spring area. We shall combine this ship-based part of the expedition with a land-based visit to two mountainous areas of the peninsula. The ancient volcano, Vachkazhets, is scenically one of the most beautiful places in Kamchatka and we can easily walk into its caldera and visit a beautiful waterfall. Mutnovsky, on the other hand, is still active and after climbing through a canyon past a glacier belching steam we enter the crater with its geysers, fumaroles, mud pools, spectacular rock formations and colours - a "journey to the centre of the earth". There will be plenty of time to savour the atmosphere of Kamchatka and follow our own interests whether they are ornithology, botany, geology, Volcanology, photography or walking.

Day 1. Arrive in Petropavlovsk. Welcome dinner in the restaurant. "Petropavlovsk" Hotel.
Days 2-5. Embark on our boat. Depending on the weather and wind direction these days will be spent sailing along the southeast coast of Kamchatka. We shall go ashore whenever possible and explore bays including Viluchinsky, Zhirovaya, Russkaya, Tikhirka and Bechevinka; capes including Kekurny, Nalychevo; islands including Starichkov and Krasheninnikova. We shall look for bears, sea mammals, sea birds, and wild flowers. Scuba diving is also possible.
Day 6. Sail back to Petropavlovsk. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 7. Drive in an all-terrain bus to a small lake beside the ancient volcano, Vachkazhets. Camp.
Day 8. Explore on foot the beautiful caldera and waterfalls of Vachkazhets.
Day 9. Drive to Mutnovsky Volcano or Avacha Volcano plateau. Camp or lodge there.
Day 10. Explore the tundra close to the volcano for flowers. Return back to your hotel.
Day 11. Optional helicopter excursion to the famous Geysers Valley. Evening concert at the farm of Sasha Yastrebov. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 12. Depart Petropavlovsk for Moscow.

Cost EUR 2690 per person.

Weather: Variable; may be warm, dry and sunny but may also be cool, cloudy and raining; temperature in the range 4-20°C.
Fitness: The pace will be leisurely. The walks are not difficult and are entirely at the discretion of the individual.

Price includes:

• Full board
• Accommodation in hotel or guest house sharing a twin-bedded room; on board ship in large cabin which sleeps 10 persons in separate enclosed bunks; 2-man tents and a large base tent
• Food and cooking facilities while camping
• English-speaking rep at the arrival and departure in the PKC airport 
• Transfers by coach and boat
• City tour and museum entrance
• Guides, interpreter and cook services
• Visa invitation and visa registration

Questions? Interested in booking a trip? See here for answers to frequently asked questions and here for more Kamchatka pictures, click here for booking details or ask your questions here.

SEASON: July 10^th - September 10^th
Departure 2010: July 12^th

8 DAY ITINERARY

Day 1. July 12. Arrive in PKC. Accommodation in hotel. Welcome lunch in a restaurant. Free time. Prepare for the trip. Night at the Hotel Petropavlovsk***.
Day 2. July 13. Excursion aboard amphibious tracked vehicle through the vast and unspoiled Kamchatka. July is a month when we will find a lot of mud so we really can enjoy the power of the fantastic military vehicle Vityaz, consisting of two units, capable of delivering more than 700 horse power. Also we can test the amphibian capacity  crossing some rivers. This fantastic vehicle mount tracks over 1 meter in diameter and has never been exported from the former Soviet Union. It can operate at temperatures of -50 ° C and on all types of terrain.
It has never been used before by any tourist expedition.
Please check this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VOULfira3o&hl=it
Night at the Hotel Petropavlovsk ***.
Day 3. July 14. Voyage by jeep through muddy roads, crossing rivers and glaciers to the plateau of the volcano Mutnovsky. Arrived we may enjoy a stroll around and admire the landscape dominated by the active volcanoes Mutnovsky (2322 meters) and Gorely (1829 meters). The Kamchatka is part of the so-called "ring of fire" of the Pacific that is the most unstable area in the world, it seems that about 90% of the global seismic activity is concentrated here. There are about 150 volcanoes, 29 of them active. Overnight in simple cabin.
Day 4. July 15. Today we have to reach Zhyrovaya Bay overlooking the 'Pacific Ocean, we will drive through a virgin and unexplored territory. For the first time ever a touristic expedition try this challenge. Here the skill of our drivers will be seriously tested. In the evening we will arrive in the bay where the Kathleen, our boat, a small newly refurbished ocean-going cutter, will be waiting for us. Overnight on board, single cabin with private berths.
Day 5-6-7. July 16-17-18. In the next 3 days we will explore the southeast coast of the peninsula. This is an extremely remote and seldom visited part since no roads reach it and very few boats venture along its shores. It is a wild and spectacular coast with towering, snow-capped, volcanoes including Viluchinsky and Mutnovsky. There are small islands and sea stacks which are the home of thousands of breeding seabirds including Puffins and Guillemots. Steller's Sea Lions haul out on the ledges. In sheltered bays Sea Otters and Seals swim and on the high cliffs the magnificent Steller's Sea Eagle nests. On the black volcanic sands we should see Brown Bears turning over the seaweed,washed up by winter storms, to look for dead fish. At the mouths of rivers and deltas there will be a mixture of migrant land birds, waterfowl and shore birds. Whilst sailing we should see Grey whales and Orcas. We shall go ashore to explore the lakes, cliffs, beaches and rivers and possibly visit a hot spring area.
Depending on the weather and wind direction these days will be spent sailing along the southeast coast of Kamchatka. We shall go ashore whenever possible and explore bays including Viluchinskaya, Zhirovaya, Russkaya, Tikhirka and Bechevinka; capes including Kekurny, Nalychevo; islands including Starichkov and Krasheninnikova. We shall look for bears, sea mammals, sea birds, and wild flowers. Overnight on board, single cabin with private berths.
Day 8. July 19. Visit the open market looking for salmon and caviar. Transfer to the airport for the flight to Moscow.

Cost EUR 2600 per person.

Price includes:

• Full board
• Accommodation in hotel sharing a twin-bedded room; on board ship in large cabin which sleeps 10 persons in separate enclosed bunks
• English/Italian speaking guide
• Cook services
• Tents and sleeping bags
• Transfers by bus, jeeps and ATV
• City tour and museum entrance
• Visa invitation and visa registration

Questions? Interested in booking a trip? See here for answers to frequently asked questions and here for more Kamchatka pictures, click here for booking details or ask your questions here.