ARRIVE PETROPAVLOSK
Arrival in Petropavlosk, the capital of the Kamchatka Oblast. Founded by the explorer Vitus Bering, he reached Avacha Bay in 1740 and laid the foundation stone for the port city. During the Crimean War, the city successfully held out against a siege by the Anglo-French forces. The entire peninsular was totally closed off to foreigners and most Russians until 1991, one of the main reasons being that across Avacha Bay from the city is Russia's largest submarine base, the Rybachiy Nuclear Submarine Base, established during Soviet times and still used by the Russian Navy. However, the benefit from this legacy is that most of Kamchatka is a totally pristine wilderness.

Transfer to accommodation in a hotel at the Paratunka Hot Springs Resort, and although it would be completely understandable that you would wish to start exploring this unique and exciting place at once, we strongly recommend that you spend the rest of the day simply relaxing and acclimatisating. This valley is famous for its wonderful natural hot springs. In the area are nearly thirty swimming pools, heated by geo-thermal activity. Both the village and the area of Paratunka were historically major settlements for the indigenous peoples of the peninsular; the Koryaks and Itelmens.

Optional (extra fee payable locally) helicopter excursion to the spectacular Valley of Geysers, where there are more than forty geysers, or other optional excursions such as the Itelmens National Village at Sosnovka, or the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Spend the night in a hotel.

NALYCHEVO NATURE PARK
Helicopter flight to Nalychevo Nature Park where you will stay in lodges near the village of Pinachevo. Most likely your helicopter will be the civilian version of the Mil Mi-8. This reliable and rugged design has been the workhorse of the Soviet armed forces and other nations since 1961 and also used extensively in Russia and former USSR for civilian roles, so it is ideal for traveling around the peninsular.
In Nalychevo.

Nalychevo Nature Park was established on August 18, 1995, and the main part of the park is formed by a bowl of active and extinct volcanoes. The park centre has an information center where visitors can learn about the park's flora, fauna, geothermal, and volcanic activities. There are walking excursions to thermal springs, mood cauldrons and other volcanic displays. There is also a very good chance to meet (at a respectful distance!) brown bears and other interesting animals and birds such as Steller Sea Eagles, or fish in the Nalycheva River. Spend the night in lodges.

ESSO
Bus trip of 310 miles to the Evens national settlement "Esso" in Central Kamchatka. "Esso" means "large" in the Evens language. Here you will stay in a mini-hotel.

Bystrinsky Nature Park is part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and a wilderness area covering 1,325,000 hectares, located in the middle of the Kamchatka Peninsula in an area sometimes referred to as "Kamchatka's Switzerland." The park is also part of the Sredny Mountain range representing almost all features of the central Kamchatka ecosystem. See intact taiga forests and as in all Kamchatka, a diverse range of wildlife such as big horn snow sheep, moose, sable, bear, beaver, mink, fox, wolves, reindeer, the golden eagle and of course - the bears!

ESSO
In Esso. Visiting the local Ethnography Museum and the Handicrafts Studio. Excursion to the Evens national village at Anavgai. Get acquainted with traditional dances, games and food. There is an optional helicopter excursion to a field of reindeer herders in the tundra (extra fee payable locally)

PARATUNKA
A bus trip back to Paratunka with an overnight stay in hotel.

17 Jul

MUTNOVSKY VOLCANO
Excursion by off-road bus to Mutnovsky volcano which is 2323m (7621 ft) above sea level. When you ascend the crater you will see that one can see all different forms of activity here and that there are also magnificent structures of volcanic sulfur some of which can be over five meters in diameter. Some of these structures contains rare minerals, and nearby are boiling mud pools, active craters, and glaciers.

The River Vulkannaya flows down from the crater of the volcano and forms an 80 meter-high waterfall and deep canyon. All these features make Mutnovski unique and make it one of the most outstanding thermal fields in the world.Spend the night back in a hostel.