Big Country Travel: Trips to Russia, Adventure Tours & Vacation Packages

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On this tour, you will visit Sakhalin and Kunashir, the southernmost island of the Great Kuril Ridge.

Here, the earth breathes hot steam, the grass is taller than a man, and the foothills of volcanoes are lined with bamboo.

You will taste Far Eastern delicacies, go to the island by boat, see the fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano and swim in wild thermal springs.

Location

Russia, Sakhalin region, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

from

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Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Cape Columnar

Explore a mystical place with your own music

The multifaceted Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Take a sightseeing tour of a modern, beautiful city with a history

Majestic Cape

Take a walk along the coast and explore the coves and grottoes, bird markets

Rest and recovery

Have the opportunity to swim in the warm waters of the thermal springs of the Mendeleev volcano

The nature of Kunashir

You will see the most beautiful fields of cedar elderberry and Kuril bamboo

Tastes of the Far East

Enjoy Sakhalin fish soup, local delicacies and caviar

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. City Sightseeing Tour
Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Meeting at the airport.
If arrival is at 09:15, then transfer to the hotel, we leave our things.
Free time ~2.5-3 hours.
Please keep in mind that check-in at the hotel is at 14:00. Early check-in can be booked and paid in advance, if necessary.
If arrival is at 12:30, then we immediately go to the restaurant.
Welcome lunch at one of the best Japanese restaurants.
Sightseeing bus tour of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the capital of the Sakhalin region.
A modern, beautiful city with a history.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner (on your own).

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Day 2 - The bay Is Quiet. The Island Is Noticeable. The eastern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk
08:00 Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
09:00 Departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk by bus.
Travel time with stops is approximately 3 hours, 135 km, paved federal highway.
On the way, we will stop at the amber coast and collect amber, watch the seals resting on the rocks.
We will visit the Japanese Torii gates of the Karafuto governorate period, which were installed in front of Shinto temples.
An intermediate stop in the village of Rybakov Seaside, where you can buy freshly boiled crabs and taste them during lunch.
There is a quiet walk along the coast in the bay, after which you will have a hot gastronomic lunch – delicious Sakhalin fish soup with red fish, Far Eastern delicacies, caviar, tea with herbs, Sakhalin sweets.
19:00 Return to the hotel.
Dinner (on your own).

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Day 3 - Cape Bird and Cape Giant. The southeastern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. Jeep Tour
08:00 Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
09:00 Departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk with a jeep guide.
The journey time is 3 hours, during which we will travel 100 km, the first half of the way is a federal paved highway, the second half of the way is a difficult road through the pass.
After Okhotsk, rush along the seashore, then through the Sakhalin taiga through the pass, and in front of you soar majestic stone arches, columns and kekurs-giants created by wind and sea waves. Beautiful coves and grottos, bird markets.
A walk along the coast will be a great pleasure, one Cape Bird is worth it.
A walk through the sea terraces and Sakhalin taiga will introduce you to the diverse world of flora. The guide will tell you a lot of interesting things.
Lunch — lunch box (Japanese cuisine), Far Eastern delicacies, tea with herbs and berries.
19:00 Return to the hotel. Dinner (on your own).

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Day 4 - Departure to Kunashir
08:00 Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
09:00 Transfer to Korsakov port. Registration on the ship.
12:00 Departure of the motor ship "Igor Farkhutdinov" to the island of Kunashir.
The vessel leaves the port of Korsakov and follows the coastline of the Tonino-Aniva Peninsula for 4 hours.
You can see the Aniva Lighthouse from aboard the ship, and dolphins and killer whales are likely to be seen during the passage through the Sea of Okhotsk.
Lunch and dinner on the boat in a cafe on your own.
Day 5 - Parking on the island of Shikotan. Arrival on Kunashir. A walk along the Pacific coast
Breakfast and lunch at the cafe on the ship on your own.
09:00 Arrival at Shikotan Island.
The vessel is parked for 4 hours, but is allowed ashore only for 2 hours strictly if there is a border pass.
Meeting at the port and an organized tour of the surrounding area.
You can also enjoy freshly brewed coffee in the cozy cafe.
17:00 Arrival in Yuzhno-Kurilsk, Kunashir Island.
Meeting at the seaport, transfer to the hotel, accommodation.
Let's go say hello to the Pacific Ocean! Endless Quiet... with a serious character and a powerful energy.
A short walk along the coast — kekur "Devil's finger", "Devil's Gate".
Dinner at the cafe.
Return to the hotel.
Day 6 - Fumarole field and thermal springs of the Mendeleev volcano
09:00 Breakfast at the cafe.
10:00 Departure for the medium-difficulty route "Large fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano".
By car for 30 minutes, then trekking for 2-2.5 hours through bamboo with a constant climb, 3 km in one direction. A path with stops for short rest.
Parking on the fumarole field ~ 2 hours.
Fumaroles and solfatars are among the largest, if not the largest, on all the Kuril Islands.
From the erupting hum and high-temperature gases, it's even scary to imagine what's going on inside.
Lunch (dry ration).
Bathing in wild thermal springs is optional.
Dinner at the cafe.
Return to the hotel.

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Day 7 - Golovninsky cliff. Veslovsky Peninsula
09:00 Breakfast at the cafe.
10:00 Departure by car to the Veslovsky peninsula, Golovnino settlement, the southernmost part of the island.
Visit to the memorial sign at the site of the founding of the Russian settlement on the island of Kunashir in 1778.
Golovninsky Cliff is an extremely impressive natural site.
The giant outcrops of this unique relief form capture the main stages of the Golovnin volcano's activity and climatic events over the past 2 million years.
The structure of the cliff deposits is very complex: the ashes of ancient volcanic eruptions alternate with strata of marine sediments and include peat bogs of different ages. The cliff is "alive", constantly crumbling, and autumn storms play a particularly important role in this.
It is possible to drive to the cliff only at low tide.
Lunch by the ocean.
Dinner at the cafe.
Return to the hotel.

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Day 8 - Golovnin volcano. Lakes are Boiling and Hot
09:00 Breakfast at the cafe.
10:00 Departure for the route of medium difficulty "Volcano Golovnina. The Lakes are Boiling and Hot."
40 minutes by car, then trekking 2.5–3 hours along the path, 7 km in one direction.
The entire journey is accompanied by beautiful fields of cedar elderberry and Kuril bamboo, completely impassable to humans.
The volcano is a caldera about 4 km in diameter, surrounded by a ridge with a maximum height of 541 m.
There are four small domes and two crater lakes at the bottom of the caldera, Boiling and Hot.
The parking time in the caldera is ~3 hours.
Lunch (dry ration).
You can not swim in Boiling lake, there are hot springs, mud boilers and hot steam at the bottom of the lake and along the shores. It's possible and necessary to have hot things in the lake.
Dinner at the cafe.
Return to the hotel.

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Day 9 - Cape Columnar. Stolbovskie springs. The White Monks Rocks. Departure to Sakhalin
Room release.
Breakfast at the cafe.
Taking the route of medium difficulty "Cape Columnar" is one of the most amazing and unique places on earth.
Residents of Kunashir say, "Whoever has not seen Cape Columnar has not seen Kunashir."
Millions of years ago, as a result of the eruption of the Mendeleev volcano, basalt lava flowed towards the sea. Physico-chemical processes have created such columnar structures in the form of five-hexagonal columns.
Coming here, it is impossible to accept that nature created it. A mystical place with its own music.
The cape, open on three sides, is located on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.
A difficult passage through small shelves / fragments of pillars.
Relaxing on the cape, swimming in the sea.
There are many sea urchins in the littoral lagoons.
Then 2 km along the shore to our cozy parking lot, where a bonfire lunch will be organized — delicious fish soup.
18:00 Dinner at a cafe.
19:00 Registration on the ship.
22:00 Departure of the Pavel Leonov motor ship to Sakhalin.
Day 10 - A day on the ship and arrival on Sakhalin
Breakfast and lunch on the boat on your own.
20:00 Arrival at the port of Korsakov.
Transfer to the hotel.

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Day 11 - Free day
Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
Free day (reserve).
Walking through the beautiful Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk with a large number of alleys and parks, fragrant flower beds and many fountains will give you pleasure.
In the evening, land in one of the cozy restaurants with Japanese, Korean or pan-Asian cuisine.
We also recommend visiting:
1. Sakhalin Museum of Local Lore.
2. Pobeda Memorial Complex with interactive expositions and panoramas using various modern technologies. The Pobeda complex has entered the top of the best military museums in Russia.
3. Shops with Korean and Japanese goods.
4. Souvenir shops and a fish market with a wide variety of fresh seafood and Sakhalin delicacies. You can't think of a better gift for your family and friends!
Day 12 - Departure
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport.
Departure.

Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Tour organizer's comments

The tour includes hiking trails of moderate difficulty, including those with constant climbing, as well as jeep rides.

Accommodation

Hotel

5 nights

Comfort

Upscale
Premium

The tour includes accommodation in hotels and a cabin on the ship.

The cost of the tour for 1 person is 182,000 rubles.

The surcharge for single occupancy on the tour is 27,000 rubles.

Additional payments on Kunashir are optional (increased comfort level of accommodation):

for a double suite at the Flagship Hotel (with amenities) on Kunashir Island – 9,000 rubles/person (4 nights);
for a single room at the Iceberg 2 hotel (with amenities) on Kunashir Island – 9,000 rubles/person (4 nights);
for a double suite at the Iceberg 2/Iceberg 1 hotel (with amenities) on Kunashir Island – 9,000 rubles/person (4 nights).

Mega Palace Hotel

The Mega Palace Hotel is located on the Far Eastern Russian island of Sakhalin, at the foot of the Susunai Mountains. The city center is 1.2 km away.

The multi-storey hotel offers modern rooms and apartments with antique-style furniture. All rooms are equipped with beds, a large table where you can work or tidy up. There is a cable TV, a safe. The bathroom has all the necessary plumbing, towels, cosmetics.

The Marquis Restaurant serves Russian, European and Japanese cuisine, while Serbian cuisine can be enjoyed at the Grill on the Sky Restaurant. There is also an Asian cuisine restaurant "Asia" and a Japanese BamBoo restaurant. Guests can relax at the Duke Karaoke Bar.

The spa facilities include a fitness center, hot tub and sauna. Nearby you can also visit the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, the park. Gagarina, the Northern Ring ecotrope. The distance to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport is 9.2 km, and to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Railway Station is 2.2 km.

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Another option

The cabin

The tour provides accommodation in a four-person cabin of the ship.

Port fees and bed linen on the ship are included in the price of the tour.

Another option

The Flagship Hotel

The Flagship Hotel has 7 rooms.

Breakfast is served in the village cafe, as there is no separate restaurant.

For an additional fee, you can choose an increased level of comfort – a double suite (with amenities).

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Tour conditions

Group

From 15 to 25 tourists

Minimum age

7 years old

Duration

12 days 11 nights

Group meets at

Russia, Sakhalin region, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Included in price

airport – hotel – airport transfer;
accommodation in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk at the 4 hotel*;
tour guide services;
meals specified in the program, including three meals a day on Kunashir;
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk – Korsakov Port – Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk transfer;
accommodation in Yuzhno-Kurilsk at the Flagship Hotel (partial facilities);
port charges;
bed linen on the ship;
transportation services according to the program;
accompanying instructors-guides on the routes;
Kurilsky Nature Reserve pass;
border pass to Kunashir Island and Shikotan Island.

Paid extra

flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
tickets (the price is preliminary, the exact price will be announced in April):
- Korsakov – Yuzhno-Kurilsk – Korsakov train tickets (four–person cabin) - 30 500 rub.;
meals on the ship;
surcharge for single occupancy;
additional payment for an increased comfort level of living on Kunashir (optional);
dinners in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk;
early check-in and late check-out of hotels;
medical insurance.

It's important to know

lightweight headdress for sun protection;
trekking waterproof sneakers/boots (Gore-Tex), or treated with a water repellent + a replaceable pair of shoes;
comfortable sports sandals with a rigid fixation on the foot, in which it is convenient to walk on water and stones (necessary on the route Tikhaya Bay, for visiting thermal springs / baths on the islands of Kunashir and Iturup);
sports trousers are comfortable for trekking (2 pairs). It is also preferable to have waterproof trousers. It is especially convenient on the side zippers to quickly put on over sweatpants if necessary. They are light and do not take up space at all;
comfortable, lightweight, wind and moisture proof(!) jacket;
warm clothes: sweater, fleece jacket or similar warm clothes;
T-shirt with short or long sleeves with moisture-repellent properties for trekking;
lightweight cotton clothing: shorts/capris, T-shirts;
bathing suit;
socks are warm and thick;
a small travel towel (quick-drying);
a small backpack of 25-30 liters for one-day radial routes for water, photo/video equipment, swimsuit, towel, raincoat, etc. It is mandatory to have a waterproof backpack cover;
sunscreen and sunglasses;
a sunscreen adapted for you with a protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 units;
plastic water bottle for routes;
gloves;
telescopic poles for hiking (personal necessity);
photo/video equipment;
mosquito and tick repellents (personal necessity).

Dates and Prices

from
$2,202

15 – 26 Jul 12 days 11 nights

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from
$2,142

23 Aug – 3 Sep 12 days 11 nights

Tour option - A trip to Sakhalin and Kunashir islands

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from
$2,215

16 – 27 Sep 12 days 11 nights

Tour option - Sakhalin and Kunashir Tour

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A trip to Sakhalin and Kunashir