KURIL LAKE:
PHOTO TOUR TO BROWN BEARS
SOUTH KURIL ISLANDS:
EXPEDITION ON A YACHT IN SEARCH OF ORCAS
2024
August 14 - 21
8 days
Bears - photo tour
Easy difficulty level
388,000 RUB
Highlights
If your goal is to see bears, there are a lot of them and they are close, then this tour is for you!
Kuril Lake is a unique place. It has the highest density of clubfoot per square kilometer in the world. Bears here are very tolerant of people and do not show aggression, since they do not feel danger from humans and have enough food. You can approach them at a distance of several meters and watch bear fishing for a long time.

Most tourists get to Kuril Lake during a helicopter excursion for just a few hours. As part of this tour, we will spend 4 whole days surrounded by bears. We will not only study the bears living near the cordon, but also make several excursions on foot and by boat to the spawning rivers, along which hundreds of thousands of salmon go to spawn.

In addition to the bear program, you can go on a cruise in the Pacific Ocean along the coast of Kamchatka in search of whales and killer whales. We will swim with curious sea lions - sea lions, meet seals, sea otters, and watch northern seabirds, Beringian ground squirrels (euras) and black-capped marmots (tarbagans). In addition, you can climb the Mutnovsky and Gorely volcanoes.
ITINERARY
Day 1 / Arrival. Adaptation, briefing
Arrival. Meeting at the airport in Elizovo and transfer to the hotel.
Today we have a very relaxed day ahead of us. Over dinner we will hold a briefing, where we will talk about the route and answer all questions. It is very important not to go to bed until the evening in order to adjust to the new time as quickly as possible.
Day 2 / Transfer to the village of Pauzhetka along the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk
Early in the morning we set off for the Kuril Lake. There are no roads here, so our transport will be special off-road jeeps that can easily overcome passes and mountain rivers. The route runs along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. We'll make stops at ocean shores, estuaries, and other beautiful spots to rest, take photos, have a snack, and watch the animals.
Today we spend the night in a village house with a thermal pool.
Day 3 / Transfer to Kuril Lake, check-in at the camp, bear watching
After check-in, lunch and the briefing, we will go to watch the bears that wander along the paths just outside the cordon fence.
Days 4-5 / Ozernoy Cordon on Kuril Lake. Bear watching. Boat trips to spawning rivers and trekking. Photo tour
We will spend two days on the lake watching bears. We will watch both from the water and from the shore. We will take boat trips to spawning rivers, trekking along the rivers, if there are few bears near the river. Observation of bears will be carried out in the most comfortable conditions for photography: no fences or crowds of tourists. With the chairs, snacks and good company, we can focus on getting some unexpected shots of bears. All exits outside the cordon are accompanied by the inspector, who not only monitors safety, but also tells many stories about the life of bears and the peculiarities of their behavior.
Day 6 / Last day on Kuril Lake. Kutkhiny Bati and mini Valley of Geysers
Day 7 / Return to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
PRICE
Price
388,000 RUB per person
Dates
August 14 - 21, 2024
Included
- Permission to stay on the territory of the reserve on Kuril Lake
- Hotel accommodation in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (or Paratunka)
- Accommodation in tents at the Ozerny cordon on Kuril Lake, use of electricity
- Accompanying the inspector in the reserve
- Excursions on Kuril Lake, including boat trips
- Photo tour (shooting on spawning rivers among bears without fences or cages)
- Accommodation and meals in the village of Pauzhetka
- All transfers according to the program (including jeep rides to Kuril Lake and back)
- Guided Team Trip
Not included
- Flights to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and back.
- Food in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
- Medical insurance
- Expenses caused by bad weather conditions, changes in flight schedules, breakdown of personal equipment and public equipment due to the fault of guests, illness, or other unforeseen circumstances.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMME
Day 1-2 / Visit to the ocean on a catamaran. Search for orcas and humpback whales. Snorkeling with sea lions. Bird colonies.
Early in the morning we will board a catamaran and set off along the South-Eastern coast of Kamchatka in search of orcas and humpback whales. The route is determined by weather conditions and the presence of cetaceans.
Plan for these days:
- Observation of humpback whales and orcas. Searching for cetaceans is the main goal of the cruise. Every day we will go out into the ocean to find animals and watch them. How close you will see whales depends on the weather and their behavior.
- Snorkeling with sea lions. At Cape Kekurny there is a sea lion rookery. We will approach it to swim with the animals in their natural habitat. Steller sea lions are huge, playful and very curious, rarely approaching one at a time, surrounding them with the attention of a whole flock. They are usually willing to pose and greet guests loudly.
- Landings and trekking. We will explore the wild nature of Kamchatka in places where tourists rarely visit. We will see waterfalls, various plants and animals. Be careful - when landing on the shore there is a possibility of meeting bears. Remember to follow the rules, be careful and strictly follow the instructions of the guides!
- Sea fishing. We'll get food for dinner. Sea bass, halibut and flounder are well caught in Kamchatka.
- Bird colonies. In the coastal waters, impregnable rocks rise from the ocean, in each recess of which there is a nest. Thousands of birds have set up real apartment buildings here. The shallow draft of our catamaran allows you to sail close enough and see everything in detail.
Day 3 / Flight home
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport, departure.
Your journey starts here!
Just give us some info and we'll contact you shortly.
Price for the additional ocean programme
87,000 RUB per person
Dates
August 21 - 23, 2024
Included
- Accommodation in hotels in Paratunka/Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky with breakfast, double occupancy (single occupancy on request, paid additionally).
- Cruise on a catamaran/yacht in 2 or 3-berth cabins with three meals a day. On the vessel: motor boat; fishing rods for sea fishing.
- All transfers according to the program.
- Whale watching expeditions' guides on land, in water and under water.
Not included
- Flights to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and back.
- Food in Paratunka/Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
- Rental of snorkeling/surfing equipment.
- Medical insurance covering emergency evacuation.
- Expenses caused by bad weather conditions, changes in flight schedules, breakdown of personal equipment and public equipment due to the fault of guests, illness, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Disclaimer
The tour is subject to weather conditions. Depending on weather conditions and other unforeseen factors, the route may be changed. The indicated order of days and schedule inside are approximate. If it is impossible to complete part of the program for reasons beyond the control of the organizer, this part of the program will be replaced with an alternative one.
Contacts
info@whale-expeditions.com