"Kamchatka, Land of Volcanoes" Kamchatskaya Oblast' by XenoHumph

Kamchatskaya Oblast' Travel Guide: 60 reviews and 129 photos

Viljushic (right) and Koryakskiy (left) volcanoes

One of the last pristine nature area left on Earth

If you like complete wilderness, untamed and pristine, if you like volcanoes and geysers, if you like big mountains and huge rivers where bears fish salmon, if you like sub-arctic climates,... well then Kamchatka is made for you!

Kamchatka is on the "ring of fire" around the Pacific ocean, which describes the large amount of active volcanoes from the Andes and NE USA to Japan and Indonesia.

Fall in the Gorely region

I went to Kamchatka in 1995 as part of a geology field trip following a meeting in Vladivostok. Everything was organized for the group, lodging, food and visits of geological features. If you want to go too, the best is probably an organized tour. It is very expensive, however (count several thousand dollars per person)!

I only went in the Southeasternmost part of the peninsula, where most active volcanoes are located. Our trip could be divided in 2 parts: 1) the Mudnovsly-Gorely region (South of Petropavlovsk, the capital of Kamchatka), and 2) Uzon Caldera and geyser valley (North of Petropavlovsk).

Where is it??

Location of the Kamchatka peninsula

Kamchatka is in the middle of nowhere, at the end of the Earth, you know where the Earth stops and you fall in the void?

Kamchatka is a huge peninsula in the Northern Pacific Ocean. It is a region of Russia. It is located in Eastern Siberia making it closer to Alaska than to Moscow!

Kamchatka was forbidden to tourists up to the early 1990ies because of its strategic position close to Alaska, and its big military base.

Sorry, the map is in french, but you'll figure it out....

See my general tips for a detailed map.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Shear wilderness, beauty, big, volcanoes, geysers
Cons:Expensive, russian disorganization, mosquitoes
In a nutshell:As far away as one can go...

Last visit to Kamchatskaya Oblast': Aug 1995
Intro Updated Jun 23, 2003
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (31)

Gorely-Mudnovsky area, Kamchatka - Kamchatskaya Oblast'

Rain gear, hiking boots, mosquitoe... What to Pack (1)

Rain coat with hood, warm coat, warm sweaters: it rains a lot in Kamchatka in the summer, and temperatures fluctuate... more travel advice

Petropavlovsk Kamchatskiy street - Kamchatskaya Oblast'

A street in Petropavlovsk Local Customs (5)

Like a russian friend of mine pointed out looking at this picture, it could have been taken anywhere in Russia! Don't... more travel advice

Petropavlovsk Kamchatkiy inhabitants - Kamchatskaya Oblast'

A market in Petropavlovsk (4) Local Customs (5)

Who said russians never smiled??!! more travel advice

Petropavlovsk Kamchatskiy market - Kamchatskaya Oblast'

A market in Petropavlovsk (3) Local Customs (5)

Men's fashion! Addidas-like sport outfit is really the main type of clothes I have seen men wear everywhere I went in... more travel advice

Hotels (4)
See All Huts near the Gorely-Mudnovsky area (4)
Transportation (4)
See All Helicopter
Favorites (1)
Map of the active volcanoes of Kamchatka
Been to Kamchatskaya Oblast'?
Share your travels with the world!

Travelogues (5)

1 - 4 of 5

Comments (94)

himalia11 Oct 23, 2009 at 12:24 PM Report Abuse

What a fascinating region! But also pretty dangerous, at it seems! I just saw a film about Kamchatka and was curious if I find some VT pages and was suprised that there really are several!
iandsmith Sep 25, 2008 at 9:07 PM Report Abuse

Wow, Kamchatka, I'm so impressed (and envious). It's in my top ten place-I'd-like-to-see-but-I'm-never-going-to-get-there. Thanks for sharing. (If you want to see the opposite end of the geological spectrum, check out my Karijini pages in "State of W.A.")
victorwkf Jun 26, 2008 at 12:00 AM Report Abuse

Kamchatka is a place which I always wanted to visit, but somehow did not happen. Thanks a lot for the great insight into this great place!
frenchlondon Jan 23, 2008 at 6:41 AM Report Abuse

Not a place i think i will ever visit as it sounds like a total nightmare to get to, but brillant pages about a very exciting and mysterious destination most of us will never visit and had never heard of. Thank you!
bugulma May 30, 2007 at 11:58 PM Report Abuse

Fantastic views of Kamchatka!! I hope to see it by myself this year
matcrazy1 Jan 12, 2007 at 5:48 PM Report Abuse

Exciting destination! Wow, I'd like to be a geologist just now :-), several thousands $$$ is too much! Volcano Maly-Semiachik and Geyser Valley + helicopter flight is a must, I see!
icunme Nov 6, 2006 at 2:41 AM Report Abuse

Terrific faraway places with the strangest sounding names - I can only visit on tours of your pages. Grazie, Carol
NEILHALLIDYA Apr 15, 2006 at 7:18 AM Report Abuse

Interesting page. The pictures look like something out of National Geographic. Would love to go one day....
RickinDutch Feb 14, 2006 at 3:20 PM Report Abuse

Great tips and photos. I was with first US group allowed into P-K. Doesn't look much different. Wasn't that helo ride "memorable" ?
Rusket Oct 26, 2005 at 12:47 AM Report Abuse

Kamchatskaya is really one of the places I want to visit! I am very fond of seeing the less beaten paths :-) Thank you for sharing.