Tour Kamchatka - Volcanoes, Geysers, Salmon, Bears and the Inhabitants of the Peninsula

Kamchatka is a 780-mile long peninsula located in the Russian Far East across the Pacific Ocean from Alaska. The size of California, Kamchatka is a hundred times less populated with less than one person per square mile.

The most spectacular volcanic region in the world, with a high density and a variety of active volcanoes, the Peninsula contains the Volcanoes of Kamchatka UNESCO World Heritage Site. Glaciers form with a wide range of volcanic features creating inimitable landscapes of outstanding beauty. The pristine nature of the area is famous for great species diversity with a high concentration of sea otters, brown bears and Stellar's sea eagles. Kamchatka produces over a quarter of all wild Pacific salmon, and its river system hosts the greatest diversity of salmonid fish on Earth, including the world's largest species, Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

On this tour, you will visit major volcanoes such as Avachinsky, Gorely, Tolbachik, Mutnovsky and the Valley of Geysers. Observe mass salmon migration. Photograph giant brown bears fishing salmon at the Lake Kurile, South Kamchatka State Nature Sanctuary. Meet local peoples and visit an authentic chum (choom), a tent like temporary dwelling used by the nomadic reindeer herders.

While on this tour of Kamchatka, you will also see firsthand geological forces in play at the famous Valley of Geysers. You will tour the Valley of Geysers and witness nature and human interaction in a unique hot spot of the world saturated with active volcanoes. Explore the effects of high geothermal activity, a unique landscape, the remote location and a low population density on local economy and natural habitat. Participate with our Russian partners in securing Kamchatka as a global stronghold for wild salmon and the many species it sustains. Learn about the traditional and modern salmon fisheries. Hear the history of Kamchatka's colonization and the traditions of indigenous nomadic Koryak tribes that have survived through the centuries.

To get a live glimpse into what you may experience on this tour, view Valley of Geysers' webcam.

Cost per person, double occupancy: $7,740
Next Tour: August 2 to 14, 2010. Book your tour to the Kamchatka Peninsula now.
Number of participants: 11
Duration: 13 days
Overnight stays:  small country style hotels and other lodgings
Itinerary: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Paratunka Valley, Sea of Okhotsk, Pauzhetka, Lake Kuril, Avacha Volcano, Mutnovsky Volcano, Gorely Volcano, Valley of Geysers, Avacha Bay, Pimchakh

Activities or Transportation details

The closest airport to our destination on the Kamchatka Peninsula is Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in far east of the Russian Federation. Private vehicles will be provided for some of the tour's transportation (see below) and some remote places are rechable only via a private, chartered hellicopter (shown right).

Tour Leader - Dr. Ilya Raskin

A world-renowned scientist, traveler and nature photographer, Ilya Raskin received a Ph.D. in 1984 from Michigan State University and joined the faculty of the Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in 1989. As Professor II of Plant Sciences, he directs scientific programs comprising of over 50 researchers from more than 15 different countries. He also is the President and Founder of the Global Institute for Bio-Exploration (GIBEX). Dr. Raskin has received a number of prestigious awards, including the Albert Shull Award for outstanding contributions to plant biology and the Thomas Alva Edison Patent Awards for revolutionary product innovation and scientific breakthrough. Dr. Raskin is an avid nature photographer, whose photographs have been published in numerous scientific and popular journals.