Exploring Kamchatka

getting there

This is certainly the hardest part. It may not be half the fun, but it could take half the trip. Since flights from Alaska to Kamchatka were recently discontinued, the best option is to travel around the world – flying direct from JFK or Atlanta to Moscow, then transferring to a direct flight from Moscow to Petropavlovsk for another nine hours. By the time you get there, you’ll almost be back in the same time zone. The alternative is to fly from Los Angeles to Seoul, Korea, transfer to Vladivostok and spend a night there, then fly from Vladivostok to Petropavlovsk.

The best time to travel to Kamchatka in summer is August and early September, when the weather is generally nice and the bears congregate around salmon spawning streams and are easily observed. In mid-September the tundra and trees begin to turn incredible hues of red and orange. For winter sports, March is the most popular time for heli-skiing (when helicopters shuttle skiers to the top of wild mountains to ski down), as well as dog-sledding, and snowmobiling.

Make sure you plan at least 10 days and preferably two weeks (or more) for your trip. Anything less than that, you risk waiting for good weather (especially if helicopter travel is involved). 

getting around

The quickest way to get from place to place on Kamchatka is by helicopter, but it is also the most expensive. An MI-8 that fits about 20 people plus baggage costs about $1,500 an hour (and you pay for the time it takes for the helicopter to travel to and from your destination). Most people join up with other groups to share costs. This is why traveling with an agency has its advantages. There are smaller MI-2 helicopters, which seat 4-5 people plus baggage, and these cost only about $700 an hour. 

Most visitors take a day trip by helicopter to the world-famous Valley of the Geysers in Kronotsky Zapovednik. Helicopter tours operated by Krechet, a division of Belkamtour (krechet.com) cost about $500 a person.

There are also plenty of ways to get around Kamchatka without helicopters. Backpackers can trek 25 miles over the pass into beautiful Nalychevo Park (the trailhead is about 30 miles from Petropavlovsk). KamchatIntour (kamchatintour.ru) offers weekend trips to the summit of the Avacha Volcano in the park, providing ground transportation, food, and accommodation in comfortable trailers for a reasonable $100-150 per person. Esso and Kluchevskoy Park in the northern part of Kamchatka can be reached by public bus or by renting a mini-van (make sure the vehicle is in good condition). Southern Kamchatka Sanctuary with its impressive Kuril Lake is accessible only by helicopter.

Trip outings can be organized in any number of combinations – for example, travel by bus for one leg, rafting to complete another leg, horseback riding or hiking over a third leg, then being picked up by helicopter to complete the trip. Good travel agencies can craft a suitable trip according to your desires and financial considerations. 

– Laura Williams