Practical Information

Climate

The best time to visit Kamchatka is summer, when the weather is mild but foggy, not unlike the climate of the Puget Sound area or south-eastern Alaska. The clouds tend to disappear by August and September. Winters in Kamchatka are clear and cold, with lots of snow.

Getting there

United States citizens with a valid passport and Russian visa can travel to Kamchatka if they have an invitation to stay with someone, a hotel reservation or a confirmed tour.

Last year, Alaska Airlines became the first American carrier to fly into Petropavlovsk, the main city on the peninsula, and it remains the only airline making the round-trip journey from North America. Starting Feb. 6, Alaska Airlines is due to start a fortnightly Seattle-Anchorage-Petropavlovsk flight, becoming twice-weekly on April 10 and continuing into September.

Money & Communications

Travelers checks and credit cards won’t get you anywhere — banks and businesses just don’t accept them. Carrying cash, particularly bills in good condition, is a must. If you travel to Kamchatka as part of a group tour, you will not need much money. Independent travelers can get by on about $25 to $30 a day, not including hotels and helicopter costs.

From Kamchatka, it is possible — but expensive — to send faxes or make overseas phone calls. The most dependable way to communicate between the U.S. and Kamchatka is via e-mail.

Getting around

Within the city of Petropavlovsk, buses are free, marshrutki (route taxis) cost about 40 cents, and taxis are inexpensive and plentiful. Traveling independently to other parts of Kamchatka is a challenge, though.

There is one major north-south road on the peninsula, and it is serviced by a weekly bus route. From Petropavlovsk, the road follows the Kamchatka River Valley past a number of small towns to the military settlement of Klyuchi, currently off limits to travelers.

For most back country travelers, a chartered helicopter is the only way to go. These ex-military helicopters can carry up to 10,000 pounds and 20 or so passengers, but they are not cheap (about $1,000 per hour). For independent travelers, the most cost-effective way of getting into the back country is to hitch a ride on a chopper with another group. The helicopter pad is down the road from the Hotel Geyser, and the pilots are open to negotiation.

Hotels

There are a few hotels in Petropavlovsk that cater to foreigners. The cheapest is the Hotel Geyser ($25), west of downtown, overlooking Avacha Bay. Just down the road, at 31 Karl Marx Ave., is the Hotel Petropavlovsk ($80). Closer to downtown is the Oktyabrskaya ($52). All offer sparse accommodation with private bathrooms, TV, telephone and — when open — a restaurant.

Tours

• Earthwatch, 680 Mt. Auburn St., Box 403, Watertown, MA 02272, (800) 776-0188;

• East-West Discovery, Box 69, Volcano, HI 96785, (800) 985-8552;

• Kamchatka Fishing Adventures, 2825 90th St. S.E., Everett, WA 98208, (206) 337-0326;

• MIR, 85 South Washington St., Suite 210, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 624-7289;

• Ouzel Expeditions, PO Box 935, Girdwood, Alaska 99587, (800) 825-8196;

• REI Adventures, Box 1938, Sumner, WA 98390, (800) 622-2236.

Books

• Explorations of Kamchatka by Stepan P. Krasheninnikov (Oregon Historical Society Press) — written in 1775 by one of Vitus Bering’s colleagues, this is the classic book on Kamchatka’s natural history;

• Tent life in Siberia by George Kennan (Peregrine Smith) — an account of the first American expedition to Kamchatka in 1865;

• Trekking in Russia and Central Asia by Frith Maier (The Mountaineers) — a travel handbook that includes a section on Kamchatka. Includes some helpful maps;

• Kamchatka: A Mysterious Land in Eastern Russia by Andrei Nechayev (Desertina & Quadrat) — An attractive new book, produced as a joint venture between Russian and Swiss publishers, that highlights the history and geography of the peninsula.

Facts and Figures

• A peninsula in Far Eastern Russia, Kamchatka lies 4,700 miles and nine time zones from Moscow, hanging off the mainland into the Bering Sea, opposite Alaska.

• Kamchatka has more than 300 volcanoes (29 of which are active), is largely mountainous and supports undisturbed hunting and fishing, plus other outdoor pursuits such as trekking, rafting and climbing.