A trip to Sakhalin and Kunashir Island

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Do you dream of visiting the distant and attractive islands of the Kuril Ridge? Don't miss the chance to visit two islands at once — Sakhalin and Kunashir!

An amazing journey awaits you — a trip to the atmospheric Cape Columnar and delicious dishes, a meeting with the Pacific Ocean and a tour of the Boiling and Hot lakes.

Location

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Sightseeing tours

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

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Tour highlights

Picturesque expanses

When visiting the Golovninsky Cliff, you will see how the main stages of the Golovnina volcano's activity were captured.

Delicious dishes

Try Sakhalin fish soup with red fish, caviar, tea with herbs and sweets

The greatness of the volcano

Admire the amazing scenery of the lakes Boiling and Hot

The Mysterious Cape

You will see an unusual cape, which is composed of volcanic rocks formed after eruptions and lava solidification.

Memorable locations

Explore the Torii Gate, built during the era of the Karafuto governorate, and enjoy a stroll along the coast.

Interesting activities

Embark on an exciting jeep tour and see majestic stone arches, columns, giant kekurs, beautiful coves and grottoes.

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 is in the fishermen's village of the 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 - Departure by boat to Kunashir
08:00 Breakfast at the hotel.
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.

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Day 4 - Arrival in Yuzhno-Kurilsk. Fumarole field and thermal springs of the Mendeleev volcano
09:00 The ship's approach to the port of Yuzhno-Kurilsk, Kunashir Island.
Meeting at the port.
Breakfast at the cafe.
Transfer to the hotel. We leave our things.
Route: Fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano. Thermal springs of the Mendeleev volcano
Departure to the route of medium difficulty "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. Portals to the bowels of the earth. 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 (optional).
Dinner at the cafe.
Return to the hotel.

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Day 5 - Cape Columnar. Stolbovskie springs. White Monks Rocks
09:00 Breakfast at the cafe.
10:00 Departure for the route of medium difficulty "Cape Columnar" — 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. But once you get here, it's 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 of broken pillars.
Relaxing at the cape, swimming in the sea.
There are many sea urchins in the littoral lagoons.
Then 2 km along the shore to the parking lot, where a bonfire lunch will be organized – delicious fish soup.
The total mileage of the walking part of the route is 6 km.
Dinner at the cafe.
Return to the hotel.

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Day 6 - 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.
Day 7 - Golovninsky cliff. Veslovsky Peninsula. Pacific ocean
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.
Please note! It is possible to drive to the cliff only at low tide.
Lunch by the ocean.
Dinner at the cafe.
Return to the hotel.
If it is impossible to travel to Golovninsky Cliff due to a strong tide, a landslide on the coast, etc., the route will be replaced with another route: Dog Rock, Lagunnoe Lake.

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Day 8 - Departure to Sakhalin
Breakfast at the cafe.
Registration on the ship.
13:00 Departure of the ship "Pavel Leonov" or "Admiral Nevelskoy" to Sakhalin.
17:00 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.
Lunch and dinner on the boat on your own.

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Day 9 - 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.
Day 10 - Cape Bird and Cape Giant. The southeastern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk
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).
Day 11 - Free day
Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
Free day.
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:
Sakhalin Museum of Local Lore.
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.
Stores with Korean and Japanese goods.
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!

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Day 12 - Completion of the program
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport.

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

10 nights
Cabin on the boat

2 nights

Comfort

Upscale
Premium

The tour includes accommodation in hotels and in the cabin of the ship.

The cost of the tour is for 1 person. for double occupancy – 211,000 rubles.

The surcharge for single occupancy on the tour is 29,000 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 hotel (with amenities) on Kunashir Island – 9,000 rubles/person/4 nights.

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.

There is a tea set and a mini-bar in the rooms. 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.

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Tour conditions

Group

up to 25 tourists

Minimum age

7 years old

Duration

12 days 11 nights

Group meets at

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Included in price

airport – hotel – airport transfer;
habitation:
- in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk at the hotel;
- accommodation in Yuzhno-Kurilsk at the Flagship Hotel (partial facilities);
transfer hotel – seaport Korsakov – hotel;
nutrition:
- on Sakhalin according to the program;
- on Kunashir, three meals a day;
transportation services according to the program;
accompanying instructors-guides on the routes;
tour guide services;
Kurilsky Nature Reserve pass;
border pass to Kunashir Island and Shikotan Island.

Paid extra

flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
dinners in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk;
meals on the ship;
tickets for the Korsakov — Yuzhno-Kurilsk — Korsakov motor ship (four-person cabin) – 20,000 rubles (cost may vary);
early check-in and late check-out;
additional payment for an increased comfort level of living on Kunashir (optional);
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

$2,908

14 – 25 Jun 12 days 11 nights

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