A trip to the edge of the world: Sakhalin, Shikotan, Kunashir, Iturup

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This exciting journey will take you to the Pacific Islands of Russia — Sakhalin, Iturup, Shikotan and Kunashir.

Wayward islands with a unique history, rich in diverse wildlife, coves, capes, volcanoes and hot springs.

You will admire the Sea of Okhotsk from the deck, walk to the caldera of Golovnin volcano, stroll through abandoned Japanese tunnels, relax in the thermal springs and see the mirrored beach of Kasatka Bay.

An adventure in the Far East that will stay in your heart for the rest of your life!

Location

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Sightseeing tours

from

Early
booking

Contact the tour coordinator

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

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Tour highlights

Four Islands

Take a trip to the islands of Sakhalin, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Iturup

Fumarole field

Observe the fumaroles, from which volcanic gases come to the surface

Lakes are Boiling and Hot

You will see lakes formed after a giant explosion thousands of years ago

Lava field

Take a walk along the frozen volcanic lava of the Yankito Plateau

Dinner with oysters

Enjoy the exquisite taste of the freshest oysters on the shores of Lake Busse

Hot springs

Relax in the thermal baths

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. City tour
Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Meeting at Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk airport with a guide or company representative.
Transfer to the hotel.
Free time.
Check-in at the hotel from 14:00 (early check-in on request, with surcharge).
15:00 Information meeting in the hotel lobby: all about the upcoming trip.
16:00 Guided tour of the most beautiful and iconic places of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Transfer to the restaurant.
18:30 Welcome seafood dinner at one of the most popular restaurants in the city.
19:30 Transfer to the hotel.
Free time.

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Day 2 - Departure to Shikotan Island. A day at sea
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Packing and transfer to the port city of Korsakov.
10:00 Arrival, check-in.
12:00 Departure to Shikotan Island.
We go to Shikotan Island through Kunashir Island. The total travel time is 30 hours.
What you can do 30 hours before Shikotan:
Meet the beautiful sunrise and sunset at sea;
get to know the band better;
Enjoy the fresh sea air;
see the landscapes of the coastline of the islands;
to believe in luck and meet sea companions – dolphins.
Self-catering on the ship.
Day 3 - Arrival at Shikotan Island
Breakfast and lunch on your own on the ship.
The first Kunashir views and the most important one are with the Tyat volcano.
Parking at the Yuzhno-Kurilsk port is 4 hours.
17:00 Arrival at Shikotan Island.
Transfer to the hotel.
Supper.
Free time.
Day 4 - Nameless Bay and Cape World's Edge
Breakfast.
Departure for an excursion to Bezymyannaya Bay and Cape Edge of the World.
Jeep tour to Cape Edge of the World along the forest road.
Walking tour of Cape Edge of the World.
Cape Edge of the World is high, undulating and long, like a rolled–out scarf. Take a short walk, and the Pacific Ocean opens in front of you. This is the furthest point from the capital of Russia, the distance to Moscow in a straight line is just over 7,100 km.
That's it, Russia is over. Beyond that, beyond 8,000 km of water– there is only America. Underfoot, at the bottom of a sheer 50-meter chasm, heavy waves beat against the rocks. A strong wind makes itself felt, almost tearing it from its place, energizing this place.
A photo stop.
Transfer to Cape Crab, outdoor inspection of the lighthouse of Spangberg.
Lunch – lunch box.
Departure to Bezymyannaya Bay.
Nameless Bay – since the film was shot in 1972, it has been increasingly called Robinson Bay, but the name is unlikely to take root, because Nameless has already taken root. According to many eyewitnesses, this bay is the most beautiful natural place on the island.
A photo stop.
A walk along the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel.

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Day 5 - Mount Shikotan and Dimitrov Bay
Breakfast at the hotel.
Gathering and departure to the foot of Mount Shikotan.
The walking route is approximately 4 km in both directions, 1-1.5 hours on the way.
Mount Shikotan is the highest point of the island, due to this, military locators were located there during the Soviet period, today only remains of them remain.
The height of the mountain is 412 m above sea level.
In clear weather, you can see the islands of Kunashir and Iturup from the top of the mountain.
In 1994, during a strong earthquake, a rift formed on the mountain in a matter of seconds – it seemed to burst and burst.
As a result, a crevice with ragged edges and a narrow entrance appeared at the foot. At the bottom of the fault, columns of flagstone have formed a fantastic landscape that attracts the eyes of many travelers.
Photo stop at the top of the mountain.
Lunch at the hotel.
Jeep tour to Dimitrov Bay.
Walking tour of the bay and the ocean coast. A photo stop.
Dimitrov Bay and the peninsula of the same name were named in honor of the outstanding figure of the Bulgarian labor movement and founder of the Bulgarian People's Republic Dimitrov Georgy Mikhailovich.

Japanese fishermen once lived in the area of Dimitrov Bay. Now this place is an exclusively natural attraction.

High rocky shores, ocean views, the aromas of meadow grass – this bay is ideal for photo walks and solitude with nature.

Return to the hotel.

Supper.

Free time.

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Day 6 - Transfer to Kunashir Island
Breakfast.

Pick up your belongings and transfer to the port.

Check-in for the flight.

14:00 Departure to Kunashir Island.

Lunch on your own on the ship.

18:00 Arrival at Kunashir Island.

Transfer to the hotel.

Supper.

Free time.
Day 7 - Golovnin volcano. Lakes are Hot and Boiling
Breakfast.
Departure to the beginning of the trekking route to the Golovnin volcano caldera.
Where cars can't handle it, we walk.
Trekking route to the Golovnin volcano caldera.
The distance from disembarkation from the transport to the destination is 7 km (round trip is 14 km).
Descent into the caldera.
Golovnin Volcano is named after the brave Russian traveler Vasily Golovnin, who explored the Kuril Islands in the early 19th century and made two trips around the world.

A characteristic feature of Golovnin volcano is the absence of a clearly defined cone — once upon a time, thousands of years ago, there was a giant explosion comparable to the explosion of Tambor or Krakatoa.

There are two lakes in the caldera, one of them is named Goryachye, and the second, which is located directly in one of the craters, is Boiling Lake.

There are large amounts of sulfur and sulfide compounds in lakes, and sulfide-sulfur foam floats on Boiling Water.

Inspection of the lakes is Hot and Boiling. A photo stop.

Lunch on the picnic route.

Return to the parking area of the transport. Boarding a transport.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner at the hotel.

Free time.

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Day 8 - The fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano
Breakfast.
Transfer to the starting point of the route.
The route starts from the parking lot.
Departure for the route along the forest path through the bamboo thickets.
The tracking route from the parking lot to the fumarole fields is 3.5 km (round trip 7 km).
The route passes through bamboo about 1.5–2 meters high.
Arrival at the fumarole field. Inspection of fumaroles.
Fumaroles are cracks from which volcanic gases come to the surface with loud exhausts. They contain sulfur, which crystallizes and decorates the outlets with yellow lace patterns. An unusual and spectacular sight, which is difficult to break away from!
On request, it is possible to take natural thermal baths.
Lunch – picnic on the route.
Return to the parking place of the transport. Boarding a transport.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel.
Free time.

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Day 9 - Cape Columnar
Breakfast.
Jeep tour to the coast.
A 7 km long trekking route along the coast.
Cape Columnar tour. Let's give you the best angles separately.
Cape Columnar is one of the business cards of Kunashir Island and the entire Sakhalin region.
The cape was formed as a result of the eruption of the Mendeleev volcano. The whole breed consists of hexagonal and pentahedral regular columns, which are striking in their shape. In some places, the height of the pillars reaches 50 meters.
Cape Columnar is listed in the UNESCO register as a monument of world significance.
Lunch – picnic on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel.
Free time.

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Day 10 - Departure to Sakhalin Island. A day at sea
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the port. Check-in for the flight.
13:00 Departure of the ship.
We go to Sakhalin Island through Shikotan.
Let's remember how our journey began. Parking at the port of Malokurilskoye is 5 hours.
Lunch and dinner by yourself on the ship.
Overnight on the ship.
Day 11 - Arrival on Sakhalin Island
Breakfast, lunch and dinner on your own on the ship.
20:00 Arrival of the ship at the port of Korsakov.
Transfer to the hotel.
Free time.
Day 12 - Aniva Lighthouse. Gastro dinner on Lake Busse
Breakfast at the hotel in a lunch box format.
06:00 Departure to Novikovo village.
On the way there is a sanitary stop in the village. Ozerskoye.
08:45 Arrival in Novikovo village.
Briefing, boarding the boats and departure to Aniva Lighthouse. An excursion to the Aniva lighthouse is carried out as part of a team group on inflatable rubber boats.
Depending on the weather conditions, the arrival and departure times from the lighthouse may vary.
The Aniva Lighthouse was installed during the Karafuto governorate in 1939 on a small Sivuchya rock, near the inaccessible rocky Cape Aniva.
The Aniva Lighthouse is a unique historical site, which is the most complex technical structure in the whole of Sakhalin and one of the most interesting achievements of the world practice of lighthouse construction at that time.
Built during the period of Japanese rule on Sakhalin and successfully carried out its task during the Soviet period, the Aniva Lighthouse is currently one of the cards of the Sakhalin region.
10:30 Arrival at the lighthouse, inspection of the lighthouse from the sea. Disembarkation at the lighthouse is prohibited due to technical and restoration work.
12:00 Departure to Cape Marble, disembarkation, sightseeing, picnic lunch.
13:30 Departure to Novikovo village.
14:30 Arrival in Novikovo settlement, disembarkation, departure to Lake. Busse.
15:00 Arrival at the lake.
Early dinner with oysters on the lake shore.
16:30 Return to the hotel.
18:30 Arrival at the hotel, free time.

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Day 13 - Departure to O. Iturup. Baransky Volcano Tour
Breakfast at the hotel.
Extract from the hotel.
Free time before departure.
Transfer to the airport.
Departure to Kurilsk (the time will be known after the publication of the summer schedule).
Excursion to the foot of the Baransky volcano.
Baransky Volcano is an active volcano on the island of Iturup. The slopes of the volcano are full of mud, mineral springs and other thermal manifestations.
At the foot of the Baransky volcano is the "Starozavodskoe" fumarole field. The Oceanskaya geothermal station was built next to it. Now there is a normal road leading here, which begins at the Kuril fish hatchery. The geothermal power plant is just over a kilometer from one of the main attractions of these places – the Boiling River.
The famous sources of the Boiling River Stream are the Cauldron and the Blue Lake.
Walking through the thickets of the Kuril bamboo.
An old geothermal thermal power plant.
Boiling lake "Blue Eye".
"Island snack" (we can't say more details – it's a surprise).
A walk along the Boiling river.
Evening relaxation in the thermal baths.
Dinner at the cafe.
Arrival at the hotel, rest.
Depending on the published departure time, the program will be adjusted. Iturup without changing the composition of the declared objects of visits. Before departure to O. Iturup free time.

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Day 14 - Kasatka Bay. Baths Thermal complex
Breakfast.
Jeep tour of the Pacific coast.
Along the way we will show you the most beautiful views of the island.
The beached tugboat "Corundum".
The mirrored beach of Kasatka Bay.
Kasatka Bay is located on the Pacific coast of the largest island in the Kuril Chain, Iturup Island.
This place is also interesting for the Devil's Rock, in which the Japanese cut a tunnel for a through passage through it. The tunnels have been preserved to this day, and during the tour you can visit them and walk through the rock.
Walking along the Pacific coast.
"Journey into the past" — walks through abandoned Japanese tunnels.
Hot lunch on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Depending on the weather conditions, lunch can be moved to a cafe.
There are new hot springs every day! This time, the Baths thermal complex is located on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Dinner at the cafe.
Arrival at the hotel, rest.

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Day 15 - White rocks. Black rocks and black sand
Breakfast.
Jeep tour along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Jeep tour along the White Cliffs of Prostor Bay.
A walk through the Grand Canyon of White Rocks.
The white rocks are a stunning creation of the elements in nature.
The mountains, stretching for 28 kilometers along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, consisting of soft pumice stone formed after a volcanic eruption, are striking in their beauty.
The emerald greenery that framed the resulting composition gives this place a special charm.
The pumice stone has undergone severe erosion under the influence of storms in the Sea of Okhotsk, rains and numerous small rivers and streams, which eventually formed bizarre and amazing rock shapes.
The sand of the coastal strip is mixed: white quartz and black titanium-magnetite. Probably, its unusual dark gray color is formed from their connection.
The coast, where all the sand is magnetic.
Hot lunch on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk. Depending on the weather conditions, lunch can be moved to a cafe.
Relax in the thermal springs in the middle of the "Hot Waters" forest.
Dinner at the cafe.
Arrival at the hotel, rest.

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Day 16 - Excursion to the Yankito lava plateau. Departure to Sakhalin
Breakfast. Extract from the hotel.
Jeep tour to the Yankito lava plateau.
The Yankito Plateau is a frozen volcanic lava formed on the seashore as a result of a volcanic eruption. The bizarre shapes of the formed rocks add a special charm to this place.
A walk through the frozen lava. A photo stop.
Departure to the airport, check-in for the flight.
Departure to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (the time will be known after the publication of the summer schedule).
Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Transfer to the hotel.
Free time.
Dinner on your own.
Depending on the published departure time, the program will be adjusted. Iturup without changing the composition of the declared objects of visits.

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Day 17 - The bay is Quiet
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Departure to Starodubskoye settlement.
I. F. Kruzenshtern, the famous Russian navigator, called the bay Quiet for a reason. It is located in the east of Sakhalin, and from the west it is covered by the Zhdanko ridge. This is a truly heavenly place.
The attraction of this place can be called a free-standing rocky island. It has a wide base and a flat top. There is no approach to the island. However, it stands out very much and is noticeable even from afar, which is why it received such an eloquent name — Noticeable.
Noisy seagulls have chosen this place, but apart from them, no one and nothing breaks the natural silence here.
On the way to the Bay, we make a stop on the coast to collect amber and visit the famous Torii Gate from the Seaside village, which during the Karafuto period turned the road into a Shinto temple.
Arrival in the village of Starodubskoye, stop on the Okhotsk coast, collecting amber.
Departure to the village of Vzmorye.
Arrival in the village of Vzmorye.
Stop, inspect the torii gate of the former Shinto temple.
Arrival in Tikhaya Bay.
Excursion — acquaintance with the bay.
Hot lunch with seafood.
Departure to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
18:00 Arrival at the hotel.
Dinner on your own.

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Day 18 - Departure
Breakfast at the hotel.
Extract from the hotel.
A visit to the fish market (possible only upon departure after 11:00).
Transfer to the airport.

Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Tour organizer's comments

The tour has planned quite long cross-country crossings.

Accommodation

Hotel

8 nights
Cabin on the boat

2 nights
Guest House

7 nights

Comfort

Upscale
Premium

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

The cost of the tour for 1 person:

double occupancy — 339,900 rubles.;
single room — 405 700 rub.

The Mega Palace Hotel is located on Sakhalin Island, in the Far Eastern region, at the foot of the Susunai Mountains. The city center is only 1.2 km away.

The hotel has all the conditions for a comfortable stay. It offers modern rooms and apartments decorated in a traditional style.

Each room has comfortable furniture, including beds, a large table where you can work or tidy up.

The rooms also have cable TV and a safe.

The bathroom has everything you need: plumbing, towels and cosmetics.

The rooms have a tea set and a mini-bar.

The Marquis Restaurant serves Russian, European and Japanese cuisine. Serbian cuisine can be enjoyed at the Grill on the Sky restaurant. The hotel also has an Asian cuisine restaurant "Asia" and a Japanese BamBoo restaurant.

For karaoke lovers, there is the Duke Karaoke Bar.

The spa area includes a fitness center, hot tub and sauna. In the evening, you can visit a karaoke bar or a nightclub with DJ performances. The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ and Gagarin Park, as well as the Northern Ring ecotrope, are located near the hotel. Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport is 9.2 km away, while Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Railway Station is 2.2 km away.

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Tour conditions

Group

From 6 to 12 tourists

Minimum age

14 years old

Duration

18 days 17 nights

Group meets at

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Included in price

transfers according to the program;
meals specified in the program (15 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 12 dinners) for more information, see the "Important to know" section;
Sakhalin Island tour service;
escort by a guide driver on the Kuril Islands (Shikotan, Kunashir and Iturup);
habitation:
- Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk – double/single room at the 4-star Mega Palace Hotel (TWIN or DOUBLE room);
- Yuzhno-Kurilsk – double/single accommodation in the Kunashir Guest House (TWIN or DOUBLE room, room amenities);
- Malokurilskoye – double/single accommodation at the Zvezda Hotel (TWIN or DOUBLE, room facilities);
- Kurilsk – double/single accommodation in the guest house "Kamelia" (TWIN or DOUBLE room, room facilities);
accident insurance (coverage amount up to 2,000,000 rubles;
registration of a border permit for the Kuril Islands;
a visit to the thermal springs on Iturup.

Paid extra

flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
the ticket for the ship on the route port Korsakov — port Malokurilskoye — port Yuzhno-Kurilsk — port Korsakov in the cabin of the 3rd category (four—bed accommodation, facilities in the cabin) - the price is specified;
flight Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk — Kurilsk — Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk — the cost is being specified;
meals not included in the program.

It's important to know

trekking shoes (preferably not wet) with good foot fixation;
sportswear is convenient for walking cross-country routes;
windbreaker;
change of clothes and shoes;
waterproof and windproof suit;
photo camera;
a remedy for mosquito and tick bites;
gloves;
swimsuit;
flip-flops;
trekking poles are optional.

Dates and Prices

$3,856

1 – 18 Aug 18 days 17 nights

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Reviews

ER
Elena Rachkova

about provider

31 Jan, 2025

The tour was exceptionally well-organized!! Absolutely flawless! The accommodations during the trip were also fantastic!!!
E
Elena

about provider

1 Nov, 2024

This tour operator is great! I wish every tour company were just as awesome!

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