The way to the heart of Kamchatka: a hike around Tolbachik

Transfer from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the village of Kozyrevsk. We take a regular bus all day (about 10 hours).

On the way, we stop in the village of Sokoch.

Divine pies are sold here. The whole of Kamchatka is famous for them! Everyone who cares comes here to get them. There is a wide choice of them — for every taste and color.

Further along the way, we have lunch at the canteen-cafe in the village of Milkovo. The dining room has been preserved since the days of the Soviet Union, but the food in it is excellent.

After Milkovo, we roll along the gravel road a little more.

We'll reach the parking lot by evening.

Overnight in cabins.

A sauna is optional, not included in the price.

• 510 km away
• houses

The active part of the hike begins. The attendants get up early and by the time the whole group gets up, breakfast is almost ready.

We have breakfast, pack our things and set off towards the giant volcanoes.

By off-road vehicle, we will drive along the forest road from the village of Esso to the parking lot of the Table, which is located under Mount Hoof (distance ~ 125 km, travel time 4-5 hours, depends on the traffic situation).

There's no water in the parking lot, so we'll just have a bite to eat and move on.

The final point of the third day of the hike is the parking lot of the Edelweiss Glade. We go with backpacks for 8 km, we set up camp near the place where the famous flower grows.

Next to the parking lot there is a beautiful waterfall on the Baraniy Stream, and 3 km downstream there is another natural attraction — the Barany Rocks. We'll go there after lunch, stopping by the Edelweiss on the way.

We return, have dinner, share our impressions and go to bed — an eventful day awaits us!

• 125 km away
• 8 km on foot
• tents

Backpacking is 16 km, climbing 330 m. We leave the Edelweiss Glade for the Champ de Mars parking lot. We walk through the canyon of the Studenoy River, a unique place formed by the rapid flow of the river in volcanic rocks.

Further along the way we pass a mountain with the "talking" name Woodpile. I can't even believe that this is a natural landmark, and not a pile of bricks prepared for construction purposes.

If we are lucky and the weather is clear, then on the way to the Field of Mars we will see Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the highest active volcano in Eurasia.

We set up camp, have dinner.

We are surrounded by alien species: the cones of Mars and Jupiter are located next to the parking lot — the result of the 1945 eruption, around huge pieces of lava, already overgrown with grass. Fantastic!

• 16 km on foot
• 330 m climb
• tents

Backpacking ~10 km, climbing 150 m, dropping 300 m. We continue the hike: according to the plan, we have the Tolbachinsky pass 1572 m. It's simple, but a lot depends on the "wayward" Kamchatka weather.

We are accompanied to the pass by black-capped marmots—tarbagans - they are everywhere.

The pass offers spectacular views of the nearest volcanoes: Bolshaya Udina, Ovalnaya Zimina, Kamen, and Bezymyanny.

Martian landscapes are replaced by alpine vegetation. We set up camp under the Ovalnaya Zimina volcano, have dinner, share our impressions and prepare for a new day.

• 10 km on foot
• 150 m climb
• 300 m altitude drop
• tents

Backpacking 15 km, climbing 80 m, dropping 370 m. We continue our hike through the valley of giant volcanoes.

Today, the scenery will change from alpine meadows to volcanic fields, we will walk along a dry riverbed.

We set up camp at the Tolud base. The first half of the hike is over.

• tents
• 15 km on foot
• 80 m climb
• 370 m altitude drop

Backpacking 10 km, climbing 550 m, dropping 200 m. Today is the last day under the backpack: we are moving from the Tolud parking lot to the Kleshnya parking lot under the Tolbachik volcano.

Along the way, we cross bright green meadows and come to a lava field that formed very recently: during the eruption of 2012-2013. In some places, volcanic heat can still be felt from under the lava.

We set up tents at the Kleshnya parking lot. There is an equipped kitchen-dining room, where we will prepare dinner.

We are resting, gaining strength: an eventful day awaits us.

• 10 km on foot
• 550 m climb
• 200 m altitude drop
• tents

Today we will climb to the highest point of this route — the active volcano Plosky Tolbachik (3140 m).

The ascent will not be easy, you will have to walk 7-8 hours (12 km). But the picture that awaits above is worth our efforts: a huge crater (3 km in diameter and 400 m deep) with walls ending inwards.

If the weather permits, we will see panoramas of the volcanoes of the Klyuchevskaya group and all the places where we passed. We will admire and photograph a lot, and then we will start the way back to the camp.

Tired but satisfied, we have dinner, chat and go to the tents for a well-deserved rest.

• 3140 m height
• 24 km on foot
• tents

Today we have no less eventful day than the previous ones: we are going to the Northern Breakthrough in an all-terrain vehicle. This is the result of the Great Fractured Tolbachinsky Eruption (BTTI) of 1975, a complex, diverse and largest volcanic eruption in Kamchatka in the 20th century. The total area of the eruption is 800 sq km.

We will see the active cones of Tolbachik, make a stop in the Dead Forest. The tree trunks were covered with volcanic ash very quickly and they did not have time to burn down. Vegetation is already appearing in the Dead Forest: mosses and shrubs.

Then we move to the village of Esso, where we stop at the recreation center from where we started the route.

• We are going 160 km

The final day of our trip is rafting on the Bystrica River.

We will go to very picturesque places where we will go fishing, have lunch and take a lot of beautiful pictures.

Early rise, packing.

Today we have a long road to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

On the way, we will have lunch again at the dining room in Milkovo village (not included in the price), pick up pies in Sokoch, and finally reach the hostel in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

• 510 km away
• hostel in PK
• breakfast. Lunch and dinner for an additional fee

We're having breakfast.

Warm hugs and goodbyes. Our journey has come to an end.