Sailing along Kamchatka

On July, 2021:
28.06 – 08.07 / 03.07 – 13.07
08.07 – 18.07 / 26.07 – 05.08

On August, 2021:
31.07 – 10.08 / 05.08 – 15.08
10.08 – 20.08 / 15.08 – 25.08

Exploratory cruise
Whale watching
Free diving with sea lions
Ascents on volcanoes
Searching of brown bears

Killer whales
Killer whales, no one in the oceans can match their intelligence, effectiveness and gracefulness. We are going to Kamchatka to see these fast and deft creatures with our own eyes and to feel thrill, respect and absolute profound admiration for them. Imagine a 7 meter-long predator with its sharp teeth and intellect gliding next to your boat, quietly cutting waves with high fin. You can hear its breathing so close to you. To notice a killer whale or, generally, a family of killer whales is a wonderful event. You will fall in love at first sight and won't be able to stop looking at orcas.
A little while ago killer whales had a bad reputation and were anti-heroes of murderous myths. But the more scientists search these animals, the more complicated their social organization, roles and behavior look. Our main idea is to understand that legends of killer whales is just a part of dark past. And moreover, with some luck we'll have opportunity to dive with them in their wild habitat.

Sea lions
The northern sea lion (also known as the Steller's sea lion) is a biggest representative of eared seals. Its length and weight respectively reaches 3,5 meters and 1000 kilos.
Snorkeling with these animals is one of the funniest things. Spitting, roaring and slow onshore they are unbelievably whipping in water. Under water sea lions play like kittens: gazing you with their wide open eyes, circling around you with the pack, trying to catch your flippers. Adrenaline rush is guaranteed.

*Diving is available optionally with advanced request.

Brown bears

According to brown bears population census there are about 20000 species in Kamchatka that means that each tenth habits there. Yearly by summer rivers of the peninsula fill up with spawning salmon so that hungry taliped bears gather along banks to banquet on this delicacy. They hunt salmon by pushing it to shoals and stunning it with their heavy sharp-clawed paws. Brown bears of Kamchatka are known as less aggressive among other bears dew to their fish diet.
We are going to show you few good spots to watch the animals from close distance but keep in mind that brown bears are incredibly strong dangerous predators, up to 600 kilos weight following all safety instructions and rules is a priority.

Hiking
It's also planned to ascend Mutnovskiy and Goreliy active volcanoes during our trip. Mutnovskiy volcano has a unique everlasting type of eruption, each time in a good weather you may notice columns of vapor under its crater. Moreover, there are largest geo-thermal field in the world and Mutnovskaya geo-thermal power station on the volcano.
In the modern history Goreliy volcano erupted more than 50 times, last eruption happened in 2010. Noteworthy, there is a lake in its crater.
Optionally on a free day you may ascend Avachinskiy volcano as well. Usually ascend takes 6 hours and descend takes 3-4 hours, that's why we don't offer it as a mandatory part of the program.

Five-day cruise on catamaran across the Pacific
Any sea-trip is definitely an adventure! There is a whole ocean with its picturesque coastline and surprising waves at your desire! We organized 5-day autonomous sea-trip with overnights right on a boat in different bays. We are going to have fishing, kayaking to sea-lions rookeries, walking ashore and many other interesting things to explore Kamchatka.
Our comfortable catamaran with its friendly crew and our professional biologist is at your service for all five days.

Helicopter excursions
During free day you will have an opportunity to have helicopter excursions to Kuril Lake or to Valley or Geysers – visiting cards of Kamchatka. If you plan to visit those places we recommend you to stay in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy city another few days because there can be some delays or cancels of helicopter flights dew to impropriate weather conditions.
Itinerary
On July, 2021:
28.06 – 08.07 / 03.07 – 13.07
08.07 – 18.07 / 26.07 – 05.08

On August, 2021:
31.07 – 10.08 / 05.08 – 15.08
10.08 – 20.08 / 15.08 – 25.08
Day 1
Arrival. Hot springs, briefing.

Arrival to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel. It's important to arrive with an early flight (or one day in advance) to adapt better to a get lag before starting the trip.

You will devote your first day in Kamchatka to relaxing, resting in hot springs, acclimatizing to a local nature. While dinner you'll have a briefing about all the details of our trip and will have chance to ask all your questions to your tour leader. It is important not fall to sleep before evening this day to have easier get lag.
Day 2
Horse riding excursion along the ocean coast. Surfing.

You are going to explore a unique black volcanic sand beach of Pacific Ocean, called Khalaktyrskiy, while horse riding excursion on this day. The beach stretches for 33 kilometers along wild part of eastern coast of Kamchatka - there are no tourist infrastructure, cafes or shops. There are only ocean, tones of black sand and silhouettes of mighty volcanoes at the horizon.

Horse riding walk is going to be easy and slow so that even a beginner will enjoy it.

During second part of the day everybody will have an option to practice surfing*, even beginners may try it for the first time with a professional coach. If you call to you memory a fact that 4000 kilometers directly far from you there is a world-famous surfing mecca of Hawaii – this kind of activity will become especially attractive.

Another one option for second part of the day is going to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy to have a walk around the city, visiting a super-market to buy any necessary things before you go to remote uncivilized places of Kamchatka. In the evening bathing in hot springs is provided as well.

*rental surfing equipment and coach accompaniment are available for extra charge.
Days 3
Mutnovskiy volcano summit

Next 3 days we will spend watching bowhead whales in Wrangel bay. The bowheads inhabit cold waters of the Northern hemisphere, their "southern" flock abides in the Sea of Okhotsk. They come in the bay for socialization and for hiding between shoal waters from killer whales. To be unnoticed by the animals while getting close we are going to use inflatable sup surfing boards. Also we will set special photo traps in a nearest forest area to catch some land animals in the frame.
Last year we got brown bears, foxes and reindeers.
Different trekking routes along the bay are available as well so we may walk and observe whales from upper points and rocks. Each our group for this kind of tour is accompanied by professional Team Trip biologist who conducts interesting lectures about sea mammals every evening. Accommodation in individual tents, russian sauna, comfortable inflatable mats are provided.
Day 4
Goreliy volcano summit.

Goreliy volcano (1829 amsl) is a ridged mountain massif with few volcanic craters, rising up from the bottom of a huge elliptic caldera. Its most recognizable crater called the Blue lake has ungeometrical shape around 500 meters wide surrounded with rocky walls of 200 meters high. There is an incredible lake full of blue icy water and floes on the bottom of crater. Summit takes around 3 hours (distance – 6 kilometers, elevation – 900 meters).

In the evening we are going back to the city, resting and preparing to a sailing part of our trip.
Day 5
Sailing to Russkaya bay

Accommodation on a tourist boat in the early morning. Meeting a crew, briefing. Sailing to Russkaya bay. Observing of different geological monuments, searching and watching of sea-animals on the way. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on a boat.
Day 6
Search for whales and orcas. Trekking.

Looking for killer whales while sailing from bay to bay alosouth-western coast of Kamchatka. We are going to choose a route according to the weather and a factual presence of whales. If circumstances allows (killer whales behavior, no wind and strong waves) – we will try to snorkel with animals right in the ocean.

After lunch we'll continue our searching and go back to Russkaya bay to have a walk onshore and visit abandoned ship. Watch out there a chance to encounter a brown bear. Keep following safety rules and all the instructions given by your tour guides.

After walk our professional Team Trip biologist will conduct an educational lecture as well.
Day 7
Sailing to Kekurny Cape. Snorkeling with sea-lions.

Sailing towards Kekurny Cape where killer whale families often occur. There is a sea-lions rookery nearby the Cape. We'll get close to it to snorkel with these amazing creatures in their wild habitat. Sea lions are huge, playful and very curious, rarely come to you alone but surround you with a whole pack.

Splashed to the top or our bents we will sail to Tihaya bay. There we'll land to explore wild nature of Kamchatka via kayaks through crystal clear lake. We'll make a stop at our special secret place "in the middle of nowhere" to have a short trekking. Don't forget to take your swimming suit with you for having a refreshing swim in a cold lake.

During second part of the day we'll be trying to catch a fish for making dinner, and right before the sunset we'll get back to the sea-lions cape and come close to them with our kayaks, watching the animals wallowing in sunny rays. Usually sea-lions greet visitors loud and pose a lot.

In the evening we'll be warming ourselves in a local fishermen sauna onshore.
Day 8
Kayaking to a seal rookery. Searching for brown bears.

In the dusk we are starting moving towards seal rookery. Seals are unbelievably fearful animals, that why it is important to get close to them quietly and carefully. If we reach our destination in a right way seals will surround us, coming up to the surface like bobbers, getting closer each time to view their visitors. The rookery locates in a very picturesque place with few small waterfalls coming down from rocks right in the water.

We'll keep searching of killer whales after breakfast and go back to Russkaya bay after lunch to have trekking along waterfalls to a mountain lake. At the end of the day we'll go to our secret place on a river via rubber motor boat in order to find brown bears that usually hunt fish there. With some luck we'll take a look at these amazing huge but really dapper animals.
Day 9
Last day of the cruise. FEROP and bird rookeries.

This is the last day of our cruise. Bid a farewell to Russkaya bay, which has been our home for previous days and start moving towards Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy sea-port. On a way back we'll visit Zelyony Cape (a base of Far Eastern Orca Project scientists that survey killer whales in Avacha bay), walk through high green grass onshore, take photos of Vilyuchinskiy volcano, meet residents (if they are there by time we come) and listen some excurse about local killer whales.
We'll pass the Starichkov island (sea birds reserve) on the way back as well. Coming back to the city not later than 19:00, accommodation in a hotel.
Day 10
Reserve day.

We have this day as a reserve for case of bad weather. If we are back to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy on time than while this day you may have a walk around the city or take any optional excursion, such as:

  • 6-hour helicopter excursion to Kuril lake (3 landings, lunch and bathing in wild hot springs)
  • 6-hour helicopter excursion to the Valley of Geysers (3 landings, lunch and bathing in wild hot springs)
  • Avachinskiy volcano summit
  • Any other available excursion
Day 11
Departure.

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Departure. Don't forget to buy traditional local souveniers – caviar and salmon!
Price:
198 000 RUB per person*

On July, 2021:
28.06 – 08.07/ 03.07 – 13.07
08.07 – 18.07/ 26.07 – 05.08

On August, 2021:
31.07 – 10.08/ 05.08 – 15.08
10.08 – 20.08/ 15.08 – 25.08

*Only cruise is available for 142 000 rubles.

  • Included:
    • Guest house/ hotel accommodation in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city and in Paratunka settlement (double accommodation in a twin room), 5 nights.
    • Accommodation and meals on a boat while cruise (double and triple cabins).
    • Group rubber boat/ sup boards/ kayaks needed for ashore landings and for watching sea animals up close.
    • All the transfers under the trip program (including automobile transfer to Kuril Lake and back).
    • Trekking to Mutnovsky and Goreliy volcanoes with overnight at camping.
    • Transfers.
    • Accompaniment of Team Trip guides all the time.
  • Not included:
    • Flight tickets to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and back.
    • Rental diving/ snorkeling and surfing equipment/
    • Medical insurance with emergency evacuation option.
    • Extra charges caused by impropriate weather conditions, flight schedule changes, damage of personal and group equipment at your fault, illnesses or any other unpredictable reasons.
    • Additional transfers not included.
    • Optional excursions prices.
Additional information:
  • Personal equipment needed:
    • Comfortable waterproof boots, 2 pairs (trekking boots, sneakers)
    • Thermal clothes
    • Head light
    • Insect Repellent
    • Waterproof jacket and pants
    • Rain coat
    • Warm hat, wool socks, gloves, sweater
    • Wetsuit, mask, snorkel, fins, wet gloves and socks (Rental is available in a local diving center)
  • Disclaimer:
    It is anticipated to have appropriate weather conditions to implement the trip program timely and fully. The program may be changed due to bad weather or other unpredictable objective factors occurrence. Schedule and order of activities described are exemplary. In case of failure to implement a part of the program due to unexpected reasons the company will change this part to alternative.
It's easy to book with us!
The process of booking becomes easy with Whale Watching Russia.
  • 1
    Contact us
    However you like: phone or WhatsApp +79163114469, email info@whale-expeditions.com, using Facebook or fill the application form below
  • 2
    We will call you back
    Or write a message. We will answer all your questions, explain all the details and discuss your personal wishes
  • 3
    Deposit payment
    When you are ready to book expedition, we would ask you to pay the deposit, usually it's 50% of the price. You can pay the rest later, the last payment day is 60 days before expedition start.
  • 4
    Done!
    You got your space on the trip, it's time to buy plane tickets! By the way, we can help you with tickets and visas if needed.
Contacts
+7 926 566 39 91 (cell/whatsapp/telegram)
info@whale-expeditions.com

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