The untouched beauty of Kamchatka: mountains and volcanoes, flora and fauna. Active volcanoes of Kamchatka Kamchatka Mountains
The eastern ridge was formed thanks to the mountain formations, Kumroch, Ganalskaya and Valaginskaya. In ancient times, these places were under an extensive cover of basaltic lavas. During the Middle Pleistocene, the development of horst structures began, lava covers began to erode, and stratovolcanoes appeared in their place, which in turn quickly ceased their activity and were destroyed. As examples of such phenomena, one can describe the Shish, Tuirok, Konradi, Iult, Bakening volcanoes and the Zavaritsky volcano.
Mount Velkhatnaya (Velvet Hill)
The mountain received this name for a reason: the surface of its slopes from afar can be mistaken for velvet. In fact, the slopes consist of volcanic emissions, tuff and dust. 850 meters is the height of Velvet Mountain. Fans of active recreation constantly visit [b]Velvet Hill. During the warm season, both locals and travelers climb the mountain. In winter, many ski lovers appear on its slopes.
Goryachaya Mountain (Goryachaya Hill)
Sopka Goryachaya (Mount Goryachaya) is located between the Paratunka and Karamshina rivers. A magnificent mountain peak with a height of 721.4 m, the Mountain is of igneous origin, its relative height is 621 m.
Mount Zaykin Cape (Mount Chirelchik)
Mount Zaikin Mys is located near the village of Termalny. Its height is 948 m above sea level. The gravel road leading to the Mutnovsky Pass stretches along the eastern slope of the mountain, which is covered with a stone-birch forest with rowan undergrowth.
Mount Sharp
Mount Ostraya, located near the village of Sosnovka, reaches a height of 1233 m (absolute mark). Tourists come here all year round. In the summer to climb to the top and admire the surroundings, in the winter to go skiing and snowboarding.
Mount Woodpile
Mount Polennitsa is located on the territory of the Klyuchevsky Natural Park, included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List. In 2001, it was officially included in the category “Volcanoes of Kamchatka”.
Koryak Highlands
The Koryak Highlands are located in the Kamchatka and Magadan regions of the Russian Federation. It is located on the shores of the Bering Sea, between the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Gulf of Anadyr. The length of the highland is 880 km, and its width is 270 km. The average height of the ridge is 600-1800 meters, and the highest point is Mount Ledyanaya, whose height is 2562 m.
The Kamchatka Territory was formed on July 1, 2007 as a result of the merger of the Kamchatka Region and the Koryak Autonomous Okrug.
In the spring of 2011, Vladimir Ivanovich Ilyukhin took office as governor of the Kamchatka Territory.
Geographical location, climate
The Kamchatka Territory is located in the northeast of the country on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Karaginsky and Commander Islands.
In the north and northwest, the region borders with the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and the Magadan Region, in the south with the Kuril Islands, in the east Kamchatka is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, in the northeast by the Bering Sea, and in the west by the waters of the Okhotsk Sea.
More than 1,000 Kamchatka volcanoes, including 29 active ones, make the peninsula a region of active volcanism.
The tops of the mountain ranges are covered with year-round glaciers and snowfields, giving rise to thousands of streams and rivers, into which the main natural wealth of Kamchatka - Pacific salmon - comes to spawn.
The Kamchatka waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean are among the most productive fishing zones of the World Ocean; natural reproduction of over 2 million fish is provided here.
tons of biological resources of the seas.
Climate
The climatic features of the peninsula are determined by the proximity of vast expanses of water, which influence seasonal temperature fluctuations and give the climate of the coastal areas of the peninsula a marine character.
Cold currents of the Okhotsk and Bering Seas reduce average annual air temperatures, which has a particularly unfavorable effect in the warm season.
The climate of the peninsula is oceanic, relatively mild, with a large amount of precipitation - up to 2000 mm/year (the height of the snow cover reaches 2.5 - 3.0 m), a long frost-free period - up to 140 days.
The average long-term air temperature in January is -16.4°C, in July +13°C.
In the southern part of the peninsula there are no severe frosts in winter and hot days in summer.
Summers here are cool with many foggy and rainy days.
As you move north and deeper into the peninsula, the climate becomes more continental, the influence of the large land areas of the Asian continent and the protection of the ridges from the influence of the seas are more pronounced. All these climatic factors significantly shorten the normal duration of summer for these latitudes and lengthen winter.
Therefore, most excursions to Kamchatka are organized in early summer, and only a few companies offer trips to the peninsula in winter.
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Another feature of the climate of Kamchatka, located in a zone of intense cyclonic activity, is strong winds.
Cyclones bring with them heavy rainfall. The largest number of them occur in the southern regions of the peninsula, where up to 1200 mm of precipitation falls per year.
Territory, population
The area of the region exceeds 464 thousand square meters. km (2.8% of the territory of the Russian Federation).
The permanent population is 345 thousand.
people (0.2% of the Russian population).
The number of indigenous peoples of the North is 15,475 people.
Population density - 0.7 people per 1 sq. km.
The Kamchatka Territory includes 68 municipalities: 3 urban districts, 11 municipal districts, 5 urban settlements, 49 rural settlements.
Natural resource potential
The large extent and special geographical location of Kamchatka determines the diversity of its natural conditions.
The southern and central parts of the peninsula contain the most significant and unique natural attractions available to lovers of tourist travel.
There are unique recreational resources for the development of tourism in Kamchatka. Mild snowy winters and snow-covered slopes of volcanoes even in summer make it possible to organize year-round ski tourism and build ski resorts.
Among the many ski resorts in Kamchatka, five have slopes whose characteristics meet the requirements of international standards.
A stable snow cover on the slopes forms in early November and persists until early May. From the end of May until the end of October, ski resorts operate on the slopes of the Avachinsky and Kozelsky volcanoes.
Thermal springs and natural parks are attractive to guests of the peninsula.
The Kamchatka Valley of Geysers was recognized in 2008 as one of the 7 wonders of Russia.
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Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the administrative and cultural center of the Kamchatka Territory, the oldest city in the Far East with a long history and heroic past - an outpost of Russia on the Pacific Ocean.
This is a port city and the “air gate” of Kamchatka, connecting the region with major cities of Russia.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has the main concentration of hotels, restaurants, theaters, museums, and historical monuments; the beginning of all roads leading deep into the peninsula; from here there is regular bus service with the largest settlements of Kamchatka.
The proximity to the city of the Paratunskaya resort area with hot springs, sanatoriums and the best recreation centers in Kamchatka, the picturesque Avacha Bay and the Avacha group of volcanoes have created the necessary conditions here for the development of Kamchatka tourism.
The most favorable time for summer travel in Kamchatka is from July 1 to September 20, for hiking in the highlands - from July 15 to the end of August.
Fishing industry
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The basis of the territory's economy is the fishing industry.
In the territorial structure of the Russian economy, the regional fishery complex produces 20% of aquatic biological resources and produces 16% of the country's commercial food and fish products.
Mining complex
In the Kamchatka Territory, 12 deposits of thermal and thermal energy waters have been explored, 10 deposits and 22 promising areas of indigenous gold have been identified and studied to varying degrees.
There are residual reserves of alluvial platinum, and the occurrence of primary platinum ore with predicted resources of 30 tons is being studied.
Kamchatka is one of the largest nickel-bearing provinces, in terms of the scale of mineralization it ranks 3-4 in the world among ore deposits of this class.
The predicted land resources of the Kamchatka Peninsula in terms of hydrocarbon potential are estimated at 150 million.
tons of oil and about 800 billion cubic meters of gas.
The start of oil production in pilot production mode is planned for 2013. A gas pipeline to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, with a length of 387 km, is under construction.
The region is provided with all types of building materials, with the exception of raw materials for cement production. More than 50 deposits have been explored in the Kamchatka Territory for the production of building materials.
Agriculture
70.2 thousand people live in the rural areas of the region, or 20.3% of the total population of the Kamchatka Territory. The average annual number of people employed in agricultural production, excluding citizens running private households, is 7.2 thousand.
The agricultural production sectors form five main food markets, among which the markets for eggs, potatoes and vegetables can fully meet the needs of the Kamchatka Territory with products of their own production.
The markets for dairy and meat products, due to technological reasons, are provided with products of their own production by 34.2% and 11.4%, respectively.
The volume of the dairy products market in the Kamchatka Territory is about 47 thousand tons, of which locally produced products account for 34%.
The number of reindeer is about 40 thousand heads.
Standards of living
Since 2002, there has been a steady trend of increasing living standards of the population.
What are the features of natural conditions on the Kamchatka Peninsula?
Average per capita cash income more than doubled over six years, from 5,915.6 rubles in 2002 to 15,553.4 rubles in 2007. The poverty level indicator, characterized by the number of people with incomes below the subsistence level, has decreased.
The share of the population with incomes below the subsistence level in 2002 was 34.3%, in 2007 - 22.8% of the total population.
The government of the Kamchatka Territory has identified a set of investment projects, the implementation of which will contribute to the socio-economic development of Kamchatka, ensure proper growth in the well-being of the population, stabilize the demographic situation and create conditions for the development of the region.
Projects are focused not only on the needs of the domestic market, but also on the development of interregional and international cooperation.
Among the projects already being implemented is the construction of a cascade of small hydroelectric power stations on the river. Tolmacheva, construction of two sections of the Milkovo - Klyuchi - Ust-Kamchatsk highway.
The implementation of the assigned tasks will contribute to improving indicators of socio-economic development and raising the standard of living of the population of the Kamchatka Territory.
Materials used from the official website of the Government of the Kamchatka Territory
Mountains and ranges of Kamchatka
A mountain range is an elongated elevation of terrain with pronounced slopes that intersect in its upper region.
Kamchatka Mountains
The highest points form a line that extends in the longitudinal direction and is called the ridge. This ridge divides the ridge into 2 slopes and serves as a kind of watershed. A center line is drawn along the ridge, which is displayed on orographic maps.
The shape, length and height of the ridges depend on the time of their origin, historical development, as well as on the rocks that make up them. According to the shape of the axial line, they are divided into straight and slightly curved.
The largest of the mountain ranges have spurs, so-called branches, expressed in the form of small ridges.
Collectively, all the massifs make up a mountain system, and the places where they meet are called the Mountain Knot. Buildings that are located next to each other create a mountain range.
Kamchatka Ranges
The largest massifs of the Kamchatka Territory include Valaginsky, Ganalsky, Vostochny, Vachkazhets, Kumroch, as well as the Penzhinsky and Sredinny ridges.
The Ganal Range is a mountain range that rises sharply above the surrounding area with steep tectonic faults on its slopes, characterized by a rugged ridge, and formed as a result of the rapid movement of tectonic plates.
The vegetation of this area is similar to the Alpine, and the fauna is inhabited by mountain sheep and gophers.
The length of the Valaginsky ridge reaches 150 km, and the maximum height is Mount Kudryash (1794 m).
The rocks that make up the massif are slate, granite and volcanic lava. This mountain formation has steep slopes that are covered with Kamchatka birch forests. The Valaginsky, or rather the northeastern slope of Mount Skalistaya (2016 m), gives rise to the 100-kilometer Kavycha River.
The eastern ridge in Kamchatka is called an entire mountain system, which consists of several separate buildings.
The slopes of the Eastern Range are very steep on the western side and gentle on the eastern side. Its southern part is occupied by the Ganalskie Vostryaki, the middle part is occupied by the Valaginsky ridge, and in the northeast is the Kumroch ridge.
The total length reaches 600 km, and the width is 120 km. The highest point is the Kizimen volcano with a height of 2485 m.
Vachkazhets is a whole mountain range located in the southern part of the peninsula. The highest point is the mountain of the same name, 1556 m high. Mount Vachkazhets belongs to an ancient volcano, which a very long time ago was divided into three parts by a strong eruption: Mount Letnyaya Poperechnaya with a height of 1417 m, Mount Vachkazhtsy - 1500 m and the Vachkazhets volcano.
Within the first of them, two large cirques of volcanic origin have been preserved to this day, serving as a reminder of what was once a single volcano. The base camp is located here, and the area itself is conducive to trekking, bird watching and admiring vegetation.
The length of the Kumroch mountain range is approximately 220 km, and the highest point is the Shish volcano, 2346 m high.
The eastern side of the building is cut through the valley of the Kamchatka River.
The Penzhinsky massif is located in the Koryak Highlands. On the one hand, it is protected by the Parapolsky Valley, on the other by the valley of the Penzhina River. The length of the ridge is approximately 420 km.
The Sredinny Range is the main mountain range on the peninsula. It stretches across the entire Kamchatka, and its length reaches 1200 km. It contains many volcanoes and simply volcanic buildings.
There are also lava plateaus and individual massifs covered with glaciers. In the Sredinny Range, Malkinsky, Bystrinsky and Kozyrevsky can be separately distinguished. The highest point is the Ichinsky volcano, 3621 m high. Many rivers flow down from the slopes, and the lower part is covered with forests of dwarf dwarf and stone birch.
The Middle Belt includes 28 passes and 11 mountain peaks. The ridge itself is asymmetrical. Its western part descends into the Western Kamchatka Lowland, and the eastern part ends very abruptly towards the Central Kamchatka Lowland.
I would especially like to mention such mountains as Mount Camel, Goryachaya, Polennitsa, and Mishennaya Sopka.
Mount Camel is recognized as a natural monument and is located on the territory of Nalychevo Park.
The mountain was named because it has two peaks. The approximate age of the mountain is 10,000 years. She also annually participates in the “Volcano Day in Kamchatka” holiday.
Mount Goryachaya is noted for its location between the Paratunka River and the Karamshina River. The mountain is of igneous origin. Due to its close location to thermal areas, the vegetation on its territory is constantly changing.
Mount Polennitsa is officially included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List in the “Volcanoes of Kamchatka” category.
Mishennaya Sopka is one of the remarkable mountains of Kamchatka, because...
Thanks to its location, the peak itself offers picturesque views of the Avachu and Koryaksky volcanoes, as well as the entire Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The mountains will meet you as you approach the Kamchatka Peninsula and will surround you wherever you go.
Choose our tours and enjoy the view.
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About Kamchatka
In the Soviet Union, Kamchatka was completely closed to both Russians and foreigners.
Up and reefs
Since it was a national treasure, it was closed primarily for government security and partly to preserve its natural beauty. Thanks to this, Kamchatka remains untouched and is waiting for you to discover it yourself.
geography
The Kamchatka Peninsula is closer to Alaska than Moscow (9 time zones from Moscow).
Lying between the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, it is a lonely, remote region of Russia. The length from north to south is about 1500 km, the area is 470 thousand square meters. km.
In the central part of Kamchatka there are two mountain ranges - the middle and eastern hills.
Among them is the central Kamchatka Valley. One of the unexplored places on Earth, Kamchatka is known as the “land of fire and ice” due to its 414 glaciers and 160 volcanoes, of which 29 are active. Compressed magma still comes from volcanoes, and excursions of lush greenery alternate with huge volcanic ash and cinders.
The geysers and molten sulfur that continually shoot through the continuous pairs of volcanic cones create an unrealistic, moon-like image. The Kamchatka rivers are home to one of the world's largest salmon populations.
History of the region
Local residents (Itelmen, Chetny, Koryak, Aleut, Chukotka) were the first settlers on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The study of eastern countries with Russians began in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Russian goats were only 60 years old to explore the Urals and Siberia in the Pacific Ocean. F. Popov and S. Dezhnev were the first people who went on ships around the Chukchi peninsula and opened the strait between Asia and America. The study of the Far East continued by V. Atlasov. He contributed to the connection between Kamchatka and the Russian Empire. With the passage of 65 Cossacks and 60 Yukaghirs, he arrived first in Kamchatka.
Russian King Peter the Great signed a decree on preparing the first expedition across Siberia to Okhotsk and Kamchatka. There were three expeditions in total that helped explore the Pacific Ocean and Kamchatka.
In 1740, two ships, “St. Peter” and “St. Paul,” under the leadership of V. Bering and A. Chirikov, arrived in Avachinsky Bay and a small town was created, called Petropavlovsk in honor of the two saints Peter and Paul. To settle the new countries, the Russian government forced them to move to Kamchatka.
Among the researchers here are Charles Clarke, James Cook, and La Perouse.
In 1854, Petropavlovsk was invaded by the Anglo-French squadron.
Although the defenders were sparse, numbering about 1,000, their courage and vengeance led to victory. During and after World War II, Kamchatka developed as a militarized region. The submarines that are here are on border patrol. This is one of the reasons why Kamchatka was closed for so long to both foreigners and Russians.
Only in 1990 it was possible to visit the Kamchatka region. Today Petropavlovsk is a modern city with 250 thousand inhabitants.
The climate of the Kamchatka Peninsula is very unusual and depends on the influence of the oceans and seas surrounding its coastline, monsoons and covers the territory from north to south.
During your trip, you will be able to experience many climate zones, including the seashore on the coast, the continental center and the Arctic zone in the north of the peninsula.
Summer here is a time of rapid growth and flowering as plants and animals rush to complete their annual activity before the onset of winter. Summer days are long. During summer rains there may be rain and snow on the ground, especially in the mountains.
| January | February | march | April | Maybe | June | July | August | saint | October | new | December | |
| Temperature in Petropavlovsk (°C) | -4.5 / -8,4 |
-5 / -11 | -2 / -10 | -5 / + 1 | +2 / + 8 | +6 / +15 |
+10 / +20 |
+12 / +20 |
+8 / +15 |
+7 / -0 | -4 / -0 | -4 / -9 |
| Average temperature in Milkovo (°C) | -21,4 | -18,3 | -12,5 | -2,8. | 5 | 11,3 | 22,1 | 23,6 | 12,6 | 0.2 | -10.8 | -18,6 |
| Precipitation (mm per month) in Petropavlovsk | — | — | — | 42 | 20 | 40 | 60 | 84 | 80 | 120 | 70 | — |
| snow | 100 | 67 | 140 | 40 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | 70 | 96 |
| Sunglasses/sunglasses | 09: 00- 19:00 |
08: 00- 19:00 |
07: 00- 19:30 |
07: 00- 20:30 |
07: 00- 22:00 |
06: 30- 23:30 |
06: 00- 22:00 |
06: 00- 22:00 |
07: 00- 21:00 |
07: 30- 20:00 |
08: 00- 18:00 |
09: 00- 18:00 |
Flora and fauna
The local flora is characterized by tall grass (up to 3-3.5 m) and a vertical arrangement of plant areas.
From the mountain base to its peaks there are changes in vegetation. Stone birch, ash, cedar stems, alder, and poplar grow at the foot of the mountain. Large areas of the coast are occupied by dog rose. Here you will find a lot of delicious and healthy strawberries such as fakes, flowers, blueberries, cranberries and others.
The flora includes 60 species of mammals and 170 species of birds. Animals on the peninsula differ from animals on the continents in their large size.
For example, the brown bear (weighing about 700-1000 kg, length 2.5-3 m) lives throughout the peninsula. Other representatives of the local fauna are sables, rabbits, rogues, polar foxes, wolves, marmots, and muskrats. The Canadian drummer and the coon were brought to the peninsula for acclimatization. Lynx and squirrels moved to Kamchatka from the north at the beginning of the last century. Wildlife also features animals such as the American Hornbill, with horns extending up to 5 meters, bighorn sheep, which live only in the mountains and never go below 600 meters.
In Kamchatka they contain a large number of different birds: swan, stalked sea eagle, eagle, bleacher, tundra partridge, moth, cormorant, scorpion, duck, seagull, geese and others.
population
Most of Kamchatka's population lives in the coastal areas of the peninsula.
Itelmens, Evens, Koryaks, Chukchis, Aleuts are the autochthonous inhabitants of Kamchatka.
The Ilemians live on the western coast of the peninsula, as the oldest inhabitants of Kamchatka.
There are 1,450 people who follow the traditional way of life and speak their own language. Most of them are concentrated in the Tigil region and the village of Kovran. They mainly engage in hunting, salmon fishing, and plant gathering. In winter they use dog sleds as their traditional means of transport.
There are about 9,000 people on the peninsula who were born due to the marriage of Russians and Icelanders, but do not have official status as natives.
They live in the Kamchatka Valley and in the south of the peninsula (the cities of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Yelizovo).
Koryaks(7200 people) mainly live in the north-west (Koryak Autonomous Okrug) - the village of Palana. Koryaks are divided into nomadic and sessile. The main group of nomadic nomads is reindeer herder. Fishing and hunting marine mammals are the main occupation of the sitting Koryak people. Both nomads and settled Koryaks mature with fur.
Evens(1490) lives in the Bystrinsky region - the settlements of Esso, Anavgai, "Lamuts" (another name for citizenship) are engaged in breeding deer, hunting and hunting.
Dogs are not used in the belt, only for hunting.
Aleuts(390 people) lives on Bering Island, Nikolskoye village, the traditional group of these people is fishing, hunting marine mammals, picking strawberries and plants.
Chukchi(1530 people), despite the fact that the autochthonous inhabitants of Chukotka partially inhabited the northern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula.
They are divided into nomadic-reindeer alders and hunters at headquarters.
Kamchatka Krai located in northeast Russia. It covers the area of the Kamchatka Peninsula, part of the land north of the peninsula, as well as the Karaginsky and Commander Islands (Bering and Medny).
From the west it was washed by the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, and from the east by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and its Bering Sea.
The territory of the Kamchatka Territory is 472.3 thousand square kilometers. Kamchatka Territory is part of the Far Eastern Federal District.
equity Kamchatka Territory is the site of the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky military holiday.
There are two more cities in the province: Elizovo and Vilyuchinsk, the remaining settlements are villages and towns.
The population of the Kamchatka region, according to Federal State Statistics for 2013, is 320.5 thousand people. The main population lives in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - about 180 thousand people (as of 2010).
The Kamchatka region was founded on July 1, 2007 in connection with the merger of Kamchatka and the Koryak Autonomous Region.
Kamchatka Territory consists of 11 municipal districts.
These are Aleutsky, Bystrinsky, Yelizovo, Milkovsky, Sobolevsky, Ust-Bolsheretsky, Ust-Kamchatsky and Koryak districts: Karaginsky, Olyutorsky, Penzhinsky and Tigilsky.
Freight transport communication Kamchatka region with the continent - air and sea. There are no land roads between Kamchatka and the continent.
Passenger traffic with the mainland is carried out only by air; sea transport of passengers, previously carried out by ship from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Vladivostok, is now (as of 2015) absent.
The main airport of Kamchatka is Yelizovo (20 km from the entrance to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky).
Therefore, passenger liners depart to the west - to Russia and to the east - to Alaska.
length The Kamchatka Territory from south to north is 1200 kilometers. Local transport is carried out by sea (along the eastern and western coasts of Kamchatka and the Commander Islands - in the Aleut region), as well as by road from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the regions of Southern and Central Kamchatka.
The northernmost regions of the region do not have a land road. There is air transport between Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and large villages in the region. Kamchatka is not a railway.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky- a city without a metro, trolley, tram, funicular.
The main city bus is the bus. Of course, there are taxis, and there are buses (locally called “mikriks”). Lots of personal vehicles. They consider Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky the second largest automaker in Russia.
The buildings in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are mostly low: five-story, because there is an earthquake zone here.
But in recent years, houses have been built on the 12th and 16th floors, which are designed to withstand a possible earthquake of 10 points. I often shook here.
Regular shots are 3 points, but also 4 points and higher. The strongest last earthquake in November 1971 was felt in various buildings of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky as 7-9 points.
(The footage was then in other parts of Kamchatka, especially shaking in Ust-Kamchatsk).
The capital of Kamchatka is located in the hills, along the coast of the picturesque Avacha Bay (here the longer word is “bay”), overlooking 9 volcanoes.
These are Avachinsky (or simply Avacha), Koryaksky, Kozelsky (the listed volcanoes are “home” here), Aag, Arik and Vilyuchinsky, Gorely, Mutnovsky, located on the opposite side of Avachinsky Bay.
Koryak and Avachinsky volcanoes are active. From Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Elizovo - 2-3 km. Over the years, townspeople have observed outbreaks of Koryak and Avachinsky.
Truly, they are not strong, they did not threaten the cities, but they struck. Avacha feels herself every day. However, against its crater “it does not surpass human ways,” and even every year in August there is a huge rise of everything to come. Participate in the growth of hundreds of people, from little ones on the shoulders of their parents to people of honorable age.
Kamchatka- a rich country.
Marine resources in the region are of global importance (fish, including salmon, coming to the rivers of the peninsula, seafood, including crabs). There are huge rookeries of marine mammals (sea lions, sea otters, moor, seals). At the depths of various minerals (platinum, gold, mercury, nickel, gas, oil, drinking water, coal, etc.) they lie. In central Kamchatka there are forests rich in forest and fur animals.
Russian and foreign tourists are attracted by exotic Kamchatka.
This is the unique beauty of the landscapes; carrying hunting (Kamchatka brown bear is the largest bear in the world); rafting on board along fast mountain rivers and fishing; the rise of volcanoes and observation of the outbreak of any, and sometimes two or three of the 30 active Kamchatka volcanoes; ice skating in the summer on skis and snowboards from the snowy slopes in the mountains; bathing in healing thermal mineral springs; Active birds of the colony, hatcheries of marine animals are the Uzon Caldera and the beautiful valley geysers - one of the seven wonders of Russia, as well as the opportunity to get acquainted with the interesting ancient culture of the indigenous people in the north - Koryak, Itelmen Evens - to explore national villages and camps.
Recreation Resources Kamchatka is protected.
More than 14% of the territory of the Kamchatka Territory has been preserved. These are natural reserves of national, regional and local significance, sanctuaries, natural monuments, and natural parks.
Kamchatka, this unique corner of the planet, with its untouched nature, protects something. Many plants, fungi found on Kamchatka animals are listed in the Red Book of Russia and Kamchatka in two volumes of the Red Book (Volume 1: Red Books of Kamchatka, Volume 2: Red Book of Kamchatka plants, fungi, thermophilic microorganisms).
Kamchatka is known not only for its natural resources, beautiful landscape and those that affect the average person by natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, water seizures and steam geysers, salmon rune.
Kamchatka is known for its history.
Was anyone surprised that Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, this remote city from central Russia, received the title "Place of Military Glory" in 2011?
In general, this city gained its fame for more than a century, when the whole world was surprised and impressed by the feat of Kamchatka and some of the military crew of Petropavlovsk.
All newspapers began to talk about the only victory of Russia in the Crimean War in 1853-1856 - about the victory of the defenders of the city and the real defenders of the Fatherland. They did not surrender to the Russian city of the Anglo-French squadron, which in August 1854 entered Avacha Bay and tried to land.
Six ships of the enemy squadron left Kamchatka in disgrace: the Russian weapons of the Russian spirit were stronger than many pistol invaders. Courageously, selflessly defending the city, they called it - bribing Petropavlovsk and forever imprinting in the history of Russian victories over those hiding on Russian soil, as well as this pearl of Russia, like Kamchatka.
Half a century after the defense of Peter and Paul in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The Kamchatka police defended their land in battle and did not allow them to capture other intruders - the Japanese.
And forty years later, in August 1945, the sailors and soldiers of Kamchatka fought for the liberation of the Japanese militarists of the neighboring islands - and Shumshu Paramushiro (the northernmost of the Kuril Islands).
A military operation called the Kuril Landing was carried out by forces from the Kamchatka region, mobilizing thousands of people mobilized throughout the Kamchatka region. The victory of Russian soldiers in the Kuril Islands decided the outcome of the Russo-Japanese War: on September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered. And the Second World War ended.
In the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, in the cities of Kamchatka, there are many historical monuments for the glory of Russian weapons.
Kamchatka fought and always won!
Kamchatka may be far from Moscow. Make it fringe. Let its economic development, improvement of settlements and comfort of people in life lag behind other regions. This is the fate of the periphery. But everyone knows about Kamchatka.
Ask someone: “What is Kamchatka?”
And you will receive the answer: “This is the highest volcano in Klyuchevskoye in Eurasia,” or: “This is the Valley of Geysers,”
or: “This is red caviar,” or: “This is the researcher Vladimir Atlasov, the scientist Stepan Krasheninnikov, the military governor Vasily Zavoiko,” Or maybe also: “This is the last table in the class,”
Well, even if this is the answer. But the answer! Because everyone knows about Kamchatka.
This information has been summarized on the local history website "Kamchatka Krai"
Ostroumov A. G. What is the actual area of the peninsula (notes of a local historian)
It would seem that such a ridiculous question is inconvenient to ask.
The area of our peninsula has probably been measured and remeasured more than once; of course, it is well known. It is enough to open any reference book, the Great Soviet Encyclopedia or one of the books containing a physical and geographical description of Kamchatka to obtain the necessary information.
Well, let's look through some of the books. Already the first of them give unexpected surprises. It turns out that finding the answer to this question is more difficult than it seemed at first. Gradually, surprise gave way to bewilderment.
How so?
In the famous book about Kamchatka by E. L. Lyubimova, published in 1961, we find that the area of the peninsula is 350 thousand square kilometers.
She notes that the northern border of the peninsula should be drawn along the line of Rekinniki Bay - Anapka Bay.
G. F. Starikov and P. N. Dyakonov in their book about the forests of the peninsula (1954) write that the northern geographical border of Kamchatka is considered to be a conventional line running from Rekinninskaya Bay, on the west coast, to the south along the Rekinniki River and then along the Alkhovayam River , flowing into Anapka Bay, on the east coast.
They name latitude and longitude, but there is no size of the peninsula's area in their book.
In the collection "Kamchatka Region" and in the book by N. N. Ermakov "Geography of the Kamchatka Region", published in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in 1966 and 1974, there is no information about the area of our peninsula.
The article “Storm is rocking Kamchatka” (Izvestia newspaper No. 45 of February 22, 1980) states that the area of the peninsula is 350 thousand square kilometers.
But not everyone thinks so. These were, if you like, maximalists. However, along with them, there are also minimalists.
In the well-known reference book on the surface water resources of Kamchatka (1966), they insist that at the northern border of the peninsula, drawn from the mouth of the Rekinniki River to the mouth of the Vyvenka River, its area does not exceed 250 thousand square kilometers.
It is enough to look at the map to understand that the discrepancy of 100 thousand square kilometers is difficult to explain.
Let's take a look at the major work "Geology of the USSR", published in 1964.
In the section “Physical and Geographical Description,” B.V. Styrikovich indicates that the northern border of the peninsula can be considered a line running from Rekinninskaya Bay along the Rekinniki River and further along the Anapka River, which flows into Uala Bay. Within these limits, the area of the Kamchatka Peninsula is about 270 thousand square kilometers.
The location of the northern border of the peninsula varies among different authors, but is relatively insignificant.
The resulting “surplus” of territory cannot in any way be estimated at an area of 80–100 thousand square kilometers. In fact, it is many times smaller.
But let’s not despair and turn to the third edition of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
From the article by S. L. Kushev and V. I. Tikhonov (volume 2, 1973) we learn that the area of the peninsula is 370 thousand square kilometers.
Where is the truth?
In the book by I.S.
Gurevich and K.G. Kuzakov “Koryak National District” (1960) and some others provide information about the areas of individual administrative districts of the Kamchatka region. Thus, the total area of the Olyutorsky and Penzhinsky districts, located mainly outside the peninsula, is about 200 thousand square kilometers. And the area of the entire Kamchatka region, as you know, is 472.3 thousand square kilometers.
Simple arithmetic operations lead us to the conclusion that the area of the peninsula is close to 270 thousand square kilometers.
However, let us be distrustful and resort to a well-known specialist, quite simple and accurate, weight method for determining areas using analytical balances.
For greater reliability, we will perform our manipulations, as expected, several times. It turns out that within the boundaries indicated by B.V. Styrikovich, the area of the Kamchatka Peninsula is really about 270 thousand square kilometers.
Consequently, the area of the peninsula occupies 57 percent of the territory of the Kamchatka region.
Published based on the book
"Across Kamchatka - from Cape Lopatka to the Khatyrka River
(notes of a naturalist, local historian, letnab)"
(Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 1997).
Basic moments
Kamchatka is sometimes called the “edge of geography,” and in Soviet times the name of this peninsula, one of the largest in the country, was firmly assigned to the last desks in school classes. They even joked about the students who took their places there: “He’s sitting in Kamchatka.” Indeed, this land is associated with such concepts as “distant”, “remote” and so on. However, today Kamchatka has undoubtedly become much closer than ever before. And all thanks to the active development of the region’s tourism infrastructure. What you won’t be offered here for a good rest: these are rich excursion programs, and exclusive tours with hunting and fishing, underwater sports, cruises along the famous Avachinskaya Bay, not to mention horseback riding and ornithological travel and, of course, medical and health-improving and cultural and ethnographic tourism. It is also worth mentioning snowmobile and helicopter tours, but this will not be a complete list.
Kamchatka bears against the backdrop of a volcanoKamchatka is a land of pristine nature, so it is not surprising that there are as many as 3 state reserves, 5 natural parks, 19 nature reserves, which are also protected by the state, and 169 other unique natural sites. A total of 18% of the territory of this remote, in many ways harsh, but so alluring region is protected. Thus, the UNESCO World Heritage List includes 6 specially protected local natural sites, united by the common name “Volcanoes of Kamchatka”. But at the same time, no statistics, even the most impressive, can replace those unforgettable feelings and emotions that await everyone who sets foot on this earth at least once. Today we say to everyone: welcome to Kamchatka!
Geography and climate
Kamchatka stretches 1200 km in length, but its width is half that – 500 km. This elongation provided the peninsula with the role of a natural border between the Pacific Ocean, the Bering and Okhotsk Seas, which wash the region on three sides. On the eastern side are the Commander Islands, in the south – the Kuril ridge, which is part of the Sakhalin region. In the north, already by land, the peninsula borders on the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, in the northwest – on the Magadan Region.
Kamchatka is a kingdom of mountain ranges: wherever you cast your gaze, you are sure to meet your gaze with them. The local mountain-volcanic relief originates in the distant geological past, when, apparently, the peninsula was either absorbed by the ocean or freed from its embrace. Numerous volcanoes burned this region with fire and ash in ancient times. A significant part of them, namely 141, became extinct over time, but 28 volcanoes are still active today. Earthquakes also remain a common occurrence in Kamchatka: local seismic stations record up to eight hundred tremors per year.
Mountain range panoramaThe peninsula, as well as the Karaginsky and Commander Islands, form a subject of the Russian Federation within the Far Eastern Federal District - Kamchatka Territory, which appeared on the map of the country on July 1, 2007 as a result of the merger of the Kamchatka Region and the Koryak Autonomous Okrug. The administrative center of the region is the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The Kamchatka Territory is one of the largest regions in the Russian Federation: its area exceeds 464 thousand km², which is 2.8% of the country’s territory. However, it cannot be called densely populated: only 345 thousand people live here, which is 0.2% of the Russian population. They are commonly called Kamchadals, and they are engaged in reindeer husbandry, hunting, fishing and processing of fish, logging, and ship repairs.
Speaking about the climate of the peninsula, it should be noted that it is greatly influenced by the proximity of the waters of the Okhotsk and Bering Seas, as well as the Pacific Ocean. These vast expanses of water influence seasonal temperature fluctuations and give the climate, especially in coastal areas, a maritime character. In general, the weather conditions of Kamchatka can be called oceanic: they are relatively mild, characterized by a large amount of precipitation - up to approximately 2000 mm per year. The height of the snow cover is also quite impressive: 2.5-3 m. The average temperature in winter and summer remains unchanged for many years: in July +13 degrees Celsius, in January – 16.4 degrees minus.
In the south of the peninsula (that’s probably why it’s south) there are no severe frosts in winter, but, oddly enough, in summer it’s not at all hot here - there are a lot of rainy days and fogs are frequent. But in the northern and remote areas of Kamchatka, the climate takes on a distinctly continental character, influenced by the large expanses of land on the Asian continent and the protection from the seas provided by mountain ranges. These features make winter longer, and, on the contrary, shorten the summer period. It is not surprising that most excursion tours are organized in early summer, and trips in winter are less frequent. In the central part of the region, winter temperatures can reach -40 degrees, but in summer the heat reaches 30 degrees.
Another special feature of Kamchatka’s climate is the presence of strong winds. They bring with them heavy rainfall to the peninsula, the largest amount of which falls in the southern regions. In general, speaking in general, the weather in Kamchatka changes a hundred times a day. However, this circumstance does not bother the local population in any way. Kids go out to frolic outside even in a snowstorm, ride sleds, and make snow women. Both children and adults do not pay attention even to earthquakes: for them, 3-4 points are “little things in life.”
History of Kamchatka
Since ancient times, the territory of modern Kamchatka has been inhabited by representatives of various nationalities: Ainu, Koryak, Itelmen, Kamchadal. According to one version, the name of the entire peninsula came from the name of the latter.
The first Russians to visit these areas are considered to be Mikhail Stadukhin and his companions, who went here in 1651. For two whole months they wandered in search of the Penzhina River. As a result, they stumbled upon a right tributary and, having rafted along it on kochas, explored the western coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Around the same time, industrialist Sava Anisimov and former Cossack Leonty Fedotov settled in these areas. By modern standards, these were real crime lords, because, being very enterprising, they found a way to impose tribute on local communities while remaining completely unpunished.
In 1697, the expedition of Vladimir Atlasov, consisting of 120 people, reached the eastern coast of Kamchatka. She set off from the Anadyr fort and overcame the very difficult Koryak ridge to cross. After this, brave travelers explored the west coast. They even built a fort in the upper reaches of the Kamchatka River, which they called Verkhnekamchatsky. In 1700, Atlasov met with Semyon Ulyanovich Remezov, an encyclopedist and cartographer of Siberia. The result of their cooperation was a more detailed and reliable map of the Kamchatka Peninsula with all the necessary descriptions.
The development of the territory of this rather harsh region at the beginning of the 18th century deepened even more. The southern coast of Kamchatka was explored by the expedition of Vitus Bering in 1729, as a result of which Avacha Bay and Kamchatka Bay were put on maps. In 1740 the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was founded. A year later, the Bolsheretsky fort was erected, an office and a command post were located on its territory, as well as food warehouses and even a church was erected. There were also trading shops here, as well as four dozen private houses. In addition, a military garrison of 70 soldiers was stationed in the fort.
In 1803, the Kamchatka region was formed as part of the Russian Empire; in subsequent years, however, it more than once passed from one jurisdiction to another. In August 1854, the combined forces of British and French troops tried to capture the peninsula, but the troops of the Russian garrison successfully repelled the enemy attack.
Tourist potential of the peninsula
Despite the by no means tropical climate, the Kamchatka Territory, this distant and fabulous land, is attractive to tourists and receives them all year round. The development of relevant infrastructure has recently received a noticeable impetus here. In such picturesque places as the Valley of Geysers, Lake Kurilskoe, Nalychevsky Natural Park, the Opale and Zhupanova rivers, as well as at the Khodutkinsky, Malukinsky and Tumrok hot springs, tourist camping centers, hunting lodges and even entire hunting camps, shelters, and parking lots are equipped.
Great opportunities for the development of ecological, sports, mountain and ski tourism, as well as sport fishing and hunting, diving, rock climbing, snowmobile and dog sled racing, open up thanks to the presence of volcanoes and glaciers, thermal and mineral springs, that is, local natural diversity and most its flora and fauna untouched by civilization.
The list of tourism opportunities in Kamchatka also includes hiking or trekking, rafting on lowland and mountain rivers, which can be combined with both sports and recreational fishing, climbing mountain peaks, descending from volcanoes using helicopters, and extreme ski tourism. Separately, it should be said about diving: despite the fact that Kamchatka waters are cold, their flora and fauna are in no way inferior to tropical seas.
Sights of Kamchatka
Not far from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 30 km to the north, stretches the majestic Avacha group of volcanoes. Two of them - Avachinsky, whose height is 2741 m, and Koryaksky (even higher: 3456 m) - are active. This volcanic ridge is called the hallmark of the peninsula, and it is this ridge that greets travelers arriving at Yelizovo airport. The foot of the Avachinsky volcano has become a favorite vacation spot not only for tourists, but also for the Kamchatka residents themselves. In the summer, local residents take the already traditional “weekend routes” - with an ascent to its crater. In winter, skiing and skiing on snow-covered slopes are practiced. Avachinsky last demonstrated its formidable character in 1990-1991: the eruption was accompanied by the outpouring of powerful lava flows.
From the northwest, another ridge adjoins the Avachinskaya volcanic group, enclosing the valley of the Nalycheva River in a semicircle. Among these ridges there are also two active volcanoes: Dzendzur, its height is 2521 m, and Zhupanovsky, 2927 m. In the upper reaches of the river there are many hot and cold mineral springs. And in its valley lies the Nalychevo Natural Park, where many hiking trails lead, the routes of which are not complete without climbing to the craters of active volcanoes and swimming in healing mineral waters.
The most active volcano in Kamchatka remains Karymskaya Sopka, its height is 1568 meters. Sometimes it calms down, but not for long, and such periods of calm are certainly followed by eruptions with emissions of ash and lava, which can last for many years in a row. The last such eruption began in 1996 and continues to this day. Karymskaya Sopka is famous for its many hot springs located at its very foot. The Karymskaya River attracts tourists with a whole cascade of waterfalls, and hot springs pulsate on the shore of the lake of the same name.
One of the most visited “volcanic” areas of Kamchatka among tourists is the Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes, which occupies an area of about 7,000 square kilometers and has 12 fire-breathing giants. Travelers are attracted by landscapes created by volcanic activity, cinder plateaus devoid of life, and piles of lava flows. It is here that Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the highest volcano in Eurasia (4850 meters), “hides”. Tourists and climbers visiting this area see with their own eyes the amazing volcanic processes and feel the powerful breath of the Earth. Climbing peaks and peering into craters, these courageous people test their will and stamina. On this unique territory, the Klyuchevsky Natural Park was formed back in 2002.
The Kronotsky State Biosphere Nature Reserve, one of the oldest protected areas in Russia, located on the eastern coast of Kamchatka, is rightfully considered one of the attractions of the peninsula. It owes its appearance to the Kamchatka sable, whose fur is so valuable that this representative of the local fauna has been considered the main wealth of the region for many centuries. If it were not for the ban on its fishing established in 1882, the animal would probably have disappeared.
On the territory of the reserve there are Boiling hot springs, or rather 14 km southwest of the Kizimen volcano or Shchapinskaya Sopka, in a swampy floodplain. They are also called Nizhne-Shchapinsky springs. The composition of the water is hydrocarbonate-magnesium, the total mineralization is 2-3 grams per liter. It also contains iron, phosphorus and manganese ions in large quantities. In addition, the water, similar in composition to the Caucasian Narzans, contains carbon dioxide.
A unique place of volcanic activity not only in the Kamchatka region, but also on the entire planet is the caldera of the Uzon volcano. Unlike its cone-shaped counterparts, it is a deep depression 9 by 12 km, which is approximately 40 thousand years old. The word “caldera” does not mean anything scary or life-threatening: it denotes such a natural phenomenon as steam coming from underground, which is why Uzon is also called “floating earth.” Walking on the ground of the caldera - and you will have such a unique opportunity if you find yourself here - literally to the marrow of your bones you feel the indomitable energy of the earth’s depths and you clearly begin to understand that our planet is alive, it breathes. In addition to the powerful columns of steam coming from the hot springs, the caldera is also notable for its mineral lakes, bubbling mud pots and numerous streams of various colors, which look simply magical against the backdrop of the surrounding rocks.
After mainland Kamchatka, the greatest interest among tourists is the Commander Islands, which are sheltered by the Pacific Ocean at a distance of 250 km east of the peninsula. The islands themselves and the 30-mile water area surrounding them constitute a single Komandorsky Natural Biosphere Reserve, where a zone of economic activity is preserved. Within its boundaries, the indigenous inhabitants of the islands - the Aleuts - practice both traditional and modern areas of environmental management.
The main attractions of the reserve are the rookeries of representatives of the local fauna: fur seals, sea otters, sea lions. Tourists are also attracted to the islands of Ariy Kamen and Toporkov, where you can see colonies of rare bird species. Among the attractions, one cannot fail to mention the amazing beauty of Gladkovskaya and Poludennaya bays, as well as the unique natural monument “Steller’s Arch”. It is a geological structure that really resembles an arch, the height of which is about 20.6 m. This rocky outcrop is the hallmark of the reserve, and it offers beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.
The Commander Islands have many mountain rivers rich in fish and cascading waterfalls. On Bering Island there is the only village of Nikolskoye in the entire archipelago, which is also the center of the Aleutian national region. This settlement is connected with Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky only by air. There is a unique local history museum, the collections of which contain rare exhibits. For example, a cannon from the legendary packet boat "St. Peter", the commander of which was Vitus Bering himself, or the skeleton of Steller's cow. Interesting examples of decorative and applied art of the Aleuts are presented here. If you find yourself in Commander Bay, you can visit the grave of Bering, the discoverer of the archipelago. Note to tourists: a visit to the Commander Islands is usually included in the tour program upon prior request and is a one- or two-day helicopter excursion.
Well, now we invite you to move to the Valley of Geysers, which is rightfully considered the “pearl” of this Far Eastern Russian peninsula. In general, geysers are a very rare phenomenon in nature; they are found only in a few areas of our planet, and when in 1941 they were discovered in Kamchatka by geographer T. Ustinova, this event became a real sensation. Today, the region has 22 large geysers, as well as many boiling colored lakes, pulsating springs and mud pots. The largest among the geysers are Zhemchuzhny, Fountain, Giant and Bolshoi, whose names speak for themselves.
The Valley of Geysers can be called exclusive, because it remains the only place on the planet where the geological processes of the formation of the Earth are still ongoing. And this is its main difference from the geysers of Iceland, New Zealand and the USA. The Kamchatka Valley welcomes tourists, showing itself very vigorously. Your eyes will see jets of swirling steam, multi-colored splashes rushing upward, and a slight smell of sulfur will invariably be detected in the air. Excursion programs usually start from the Big and Small geysers - the most powerful, beautiful and picturesque. Next comes the Goblin, striking with its unearthly form the Gates of Hell, the Double and the already mentioned Fountain. The biggest surprise for travelers is usually the eruptions of the valley's largest geyser, the Giant. Just imagine: it “shoots” about 27 tons of boiling water to a 30-meter height in just 45 seconds!
Geyser "Giant" 
Another unique and unforgettable place in Kamchatka is the Khodutkinsky hot springs, located in the south of the peninsula, at the foot of the Priemysh and Khodutka volcanoes (the latter, in fact, gave them their name). To be more precise, they are located right in the crater of a volcanic explosion. The uniqueness of the springs is that you can swim in them all year round.
No less famous and popular are other hot springs – Timonovskie, which are located relatively close to the city of Elizovo (90 km). Hot baths in them are indicated for those suffering from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, gynecological ailments, metabolic disorders, diseases of the digestive system, dermatological pathologies, lesions of the peripheral nervous system, and water from these sources can also be drunk. And she really helps!
Recreation and entertainment
So, your dream has come true, and in front of you it is Kamchatka! What should you devote your time to in this wonderful region, so multifaceted that at some point it may seem that you are not on Earth, but on some other unknown planet? The question, as they say, is a dead one. But we know the answer to it, and there will be several options for this answer.
Let's start with climbing volcanoes, the tops of which are piles of frozen lava of bizarre shapes and eternal glaciers shimmering in the sun, and the foothills are literally seething with life. Moreover, ascents - both dormant and active volcanoes - are carried out not only by climbers, but also by ordinary amateurs. The main condition: you must be physically healthy. Experienced guides accompany tourists to the top. They have appropriate equipment (helmet, suitable shoes) and are specially trained in the skills of moving on glaciers. The best time for climbing is from March to October.
Climbing the volcanoAnother favorite pastime for extreme sports enthusiasts is river rafting, which is usually practiced from mid-May to mid-October. The most popular Kamchatka rivers for this type of recreation are the Left Avacha, Bystraya (Malkinskaya), Opala, Pymta and the Plotnikova River.
If you are interested in leisurely and relaxing boat trips, you can go on an exciting boat trip along Avacha Bay. While skiing you will be able to explore a unique natural monument – the Three Brothers rocks. You will have access to the open Pacific Ocean: the boat will head towards Starichkov Island, which will be remembered for a long time, because it is near this piece of land that the seal breeding grounds are located. In addition, the ship comes close to bird colonies. And if you also see killer whales, this can be regarded as real luck.
Rocks "Three Brothers"
The Kamchatka region literally attracts hunters like a magnet, and this is not surprising: after all, the brown bear, one of the largest representatives of the bear family, lives here. Its prevalence on the peninsula is also impressive. According to available data, there are from 10 to 20 thousand brown bears here. Hunting for this animal is usually carried out in spring and autumn. Statistics show that approximately a thousand bears are hunted in the region throughout the year.
Avid hunters are no less proud of their bighorn sheep trophy, especially since its extraction requires considerable physical effort, not to mention a lot of practical experience and basic luck. Bighorn sheep found in Kamchatka are divided into two subspecies: Kamchatka bighorn sheep and Koryak bighorn sheep. August-November is the sport hunting season for it. On average, up to 150 individuals are caught per year.
Elk, polar wolf, wolverine, lynx and reindeer are also hunted in Kamchatka. Hunting for elk is carried out from autumn to mid-winter, but for the other named animals it is not so common. The reason is the small number of populations and the inaccessibility of places for shooting. Hunting for a very beautiful but rare bird, the stone capercaillie, is also allowed, but only for one week in May. Meanwhile, fishing remains one of the main industries in Kamchatka. Every year, Pacific salmon of various species swim into local rivers in large numbers. There are a lot of them – hundreds of thousands! Some fish are simply huge, their size exceeds a meter.
It is difficult to imagine Kamchatka, like Switzerland and other alpine states, without such entertainment as alpine skiing and snowboarding. The routes here are laid out for every taste: both for beginners and for extreme riders. Fields of untouched snow stretch for many kilometers between November and July, offering fantastic skiing opportunities. Only in Kamchatka and nowhere else can skiers descend directly into the craters of active volcanoes or go straight from the mountain slopes to hot springs.
Ski centers, in particular, are located directly in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - there are two of them. One is located in Krasnaya Sopka, whose height is 380 m, and the maximum length of the route is 975 m, and the second is in Pokrovskaya Sopka. The maximum length of the latter route is 1305 m, and the height is 418 m. Another popular ski center in the Kamchatka Territory is Mount Moroznaya, located 30 km northwest of the regional capital. The base has two rope tows serving five ski slopes of varying difficulty. Some are intended for professional athletes, others for beginners and those who have just decided to join this type of outdoor activity.
But the most remote area for alpine skiing remains the northern region of the peninsula, located 500 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. This area can be reached by air (2 hours by helicopter) and by land (8 hours by bus). In this part of the peninsula, as we said above, there is the largest cluster of volcanoes and the highest of all active in Kamchatka.
Are you into diving? The Kamchatka region is one of the best places on Earth where you can immerse yourself in this exciting activity. From May to October, dives are organized in the waters of the Avachinsky Gulf of the Pacific Ocean and the bay of the same name. You will have something to see here, because in different parts of Avachinskaya Bay there are sunken ships that lie at different depths, from 5 to 20 m. Many divers, especially beginners, are interested in how safe it is to visit these silent participants in sea disasters? Experts answer honestly: safety is relative. By the way, diving in Kamchatka is easily combined with spearfishing. On the same Avacha Bay, as many as 32 species of fish constantly live.
Transport
The road network in Kamchatka is underdeveloped, so the main transport that delivers both local residents and tourists to remote and inaccessible places is aviation, primarily helicopters. Regular passenger buses, minibuses and cars are usually used within many settlements, such as Ust-Kamchatsk, Milkovo, Ust-Bolsheretsk, Klyuchi, Esso, and, of course, in the capital of the Country of volcanoes and geysers - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Almost all excursion sites in Kamchatka are usually located outside the cities and are located in mountains, volcanic plateaus, swampy lowlands of rivers and forests, that is, places where it is very difficult to lay roads, so you have to move through such terrain along washed-out tracks, dirt roads, potholes - in a word , off-road. In such cases, so-called all-terrain vehicles are often used to transport tourists, namely snowmobiles with passenger sleds, ATVs, URALs, GAZs, KamAZs.
There is no railway connection between the peninsula and the mainland, which affects the cost of fuel and, accordingly, the cost of travel, since maintaining and operating helicopters and large vehicles in proper condition is an expensive pleasure. Tourists going on vacation to Kamchatka should be prepared for some lack of comfort when moving around the region and relatively high travel costs. But all possible inconveniences are more than compensated by a wonderful time and relaxation, rich in the most vivid impressions and positive emotions.
Where to stay
There are no five-star hotels, as you may have guessed, in Kamchatka. Hotels and recreation centers are mainly located in Soviet-era buildings, but they provide everything necessary to ensure that travelers' vacation is as comfortable as possible. The rooms in them, as they say, suit all tastes and needs, ranging from simple and homely to luxury apartments. A good level of service, not to mention the delicious Kamchatka cuisine, is distinguished by local cafes and restaurants.
If you come to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, you can stay in one of the city hotels or in a rented apartment. Hotels are scattered literally throughout the city, so you can find a suitable option both in the historical center and in its business part. By the way, once you are in the capital of the region, you don’t have to spend all your time in a hotel: you can visit local theaters, museums or visit a night entertainment establishment.
Hotel "Petropavlovsk"
For fans of a more relaxed and measured holiday, we can recommend the Paratunka sanatorium and resort area, located just 60 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. There are recreation centers here, which are small hotel complexes. Each of them is equipped with one or even several swimming pools with hot water from local mineral springs. Vacationers have a choice of both shared buildings and separately located cottages.
How to get there
In the city of Elizovo, 30 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, there is an airport that accepts flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as Magadan, Vladivostok, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Rostov-on-Don, Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk.
We have already said above that there are no railways on the Kamchatka Peninsula. To the above, we add that there are no regular passenger sea flights here.
The shores of the Kamchatka Peninsula are washed by the waters of the Okhotsk and Bering Seas, as well as the Pacific Ocean. Okhotsk is really cold, while Beringovo acts as a cooler in the summer and a heater in the winter. The deep-sea Kuril-Kamchatka Trench runs along the eastern coast. This is related to the structure of the relief, volcanism, seismicity, climate, flora, fauna of the peninsula... and almost everything. The west coast has a flat coastline and gentle terrain. The eastern coast is indented with peninsulas and bays, among which is one of the largest and most beautiful in the world - Avachinskaya Bay. The relief of the peninsula is mainly mountainous. Across the entire peninsula, from south-west to north-east, two ridges stretch parallel to each other - Sredinny and Vostochny. They are separated by the so-called Sredinno-Kamchatka depression, along which the largest river of the peninsula, the river, flows. Kamchatka. Along the same depression passes the only road artery connecting all the main settlements of this part of the World: ...Milkovo ...Kozyrevsk ...Klyuchi ...further on the map.
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Kamchatka Peninsula. |
How to get there
Definitely by plane. In summer there are several flights a day, in winter there are naturally fewer of them. This pleasure costs from $200 round trip in winter to $550 in summer. Naturally, this is economy class and if you purchase a ticket in advance and deliberately, if you take this issue lightly, you may not fly even for 1000. There have been cases. In Kamchatka, this is generally the rule - MONEY DOESN’T SOLVE EVERYTHING! The law “money conquers evil” does not apply here to the same extent as it does on the mainland.
Aeroflot, Transaero, Domodedovo and a couple of other companies fly. There is no big difference between them, but there are some nuances that you should know. Aeroflot has a baggage limit of 50 kg, everyone else has 30. It’s unnecessary to explain why this is important. I can only say that, not knowing this nuance, I almost paid the price when flying on Transaero. I just miraculously carried 60 kg on one stigma while flying from Kamchatka... and the situation was aggravated by the fact that I had no money to pay for the excess kilograms. Don't repeat the mistakes of others. Another nuance is the difference in service, for some this is important. Transaero has no competition here. They also have one of the most reliable aircraft fleets in the country. By the way, the flight is not close, after all, 9 hours...., therefore, all other things being equal, it is better to fly on the Il-96, or its bourgeois analogue - the Boeing 767.
But the plane, to be completely honest, is not the only option for getting to Kamchatka. A number of my desperate foreign friends first traveled from Moscow to Vladivostok by train, and from there, walked by sea for another 4 days to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Four days is if there are no storms, but it can be longer... This idea is not easy technically, the cost is clearly more expensive, and there is nothing to talk about time. Of course, this is also interesting and educational in its own way, but if your goal is to visit Kamchatka and not get acquainted with the Baikal-Amur Mainline or the Trans-Siberian Railway, then it is better to fly.