A week on Sakhalin and Iturup

Traveling around Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, you need to understand the main thing - the weather is very unstable here. During the day, the sun may shine brightly and it may rain heavily. Along with the weather, you need to clearly understand that you are traveling in the wild, where there are no prepared trails. In order for the trip to give you maximum pleasure, we have prepared recommendations for you on shoes, clothes and accessories that you will need on the route. 

In our opinion, shoes are the most important thing to start preparing a wardrobe for a trip. For traveling around Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, we advise you to pay attention to the following types of shoes:

1. Comfortable urban shoes. You will need it to travel to and between our islands. You will also need it to move around the city between excursions and during city tours. There are no fundamental features here. Who is comfortable with what. To save space in your suitcase, you can use sneakers as urban shoes, which we will discuss below.

2. Sneakers. This is the most versatile type of shoes for traveling to Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. If you are traveling in Sakhalin and Iturup, sneakers will be enough for you to overcome any route from our combined tours. We advise you to buy sneakers that can resist moisture and have a good ribbed sole for hiking on slippery ground and crossing small rivers. 

3. Rubber slippers. This type of shoes will be necessary for you to move around the hotel, sauna and hot springs on Iturup. We advise you to pay attention to slippers with fixation, they will be especially convenient for you in natural hot springs, where there is no good even coating. 

Clothes.

1. Let's start with what will replace your traditional underwear while bathing in hot springs and going to the sauna. It's about swimming trunks and a swimsuit. Please note that some types of fabric may turn red after bathing in hot springs, so you should not take the latest collection of famous brands with you)

2. Comfortable breathable sweatpants. This is the most popular option of clothes on your feet when traveling on our islands. Please note that the pants should stretch well, have a high fit and let moisture pass from your body. 

3. Shorts. You will need them for simple routes on Sakhalin and Iturup in hot weather. You can also use them to move around the city and in a hotel. 

4. Fleece clothing. We advise you to take one zip-up fleece jacket with you. It can be used as a light jacket in the afternoon and evening in non-hot weather and worn under a windbreaker in cool weather. In any case, you can always take it off and put it in a backpack if you don't need it, and get it out if the weather worsens during the day. 

5. Windproof jacket. You must have a jacket with you, no matter when and where you travel. it is very good if the jacket breathes and releases moisture from your body and at the same time is moisture-resistant from the outside, which will not let you get wet from the rain. 

6. Long sleeve T-shirt. We recommend that you wear such T-shirts while walking through the forest or dense vegetation, in order to protect your body as much as possible from insects, sunlight and small scratches. 

Please note that the headdress must be present in your wardrobe during the trip. 

1. Buff. The most versatile headdress for active travel that does not take up space in your bag at all. From this headdress, you can make a light hat, a balaclava, and close your neck from the wind. 

2. The cap. This headdress will help protect you from the sun's rays in good weather. 

3. Sports hat. We recommend taking the hat on a trip in September and October. It can be windy during these months and during sea excursions to the Aniva lighthouse, as well as on trekking routes, you can not do without it. 

Accessories.

1. Sunglasses. This is a must-have travel accessory. Please note that the glasses should stay well on your head, as during the route it very often happens that they fall and break. It is very convenient if the glasses have a lace for additional fixation on the neck. 

2. Be sure to bring sunscreen with you. Even when the sun is not shining very brightly and the sky is cloudy during an excursion or trekking route, your skin will be very exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation. At this point, there is a very high probability of getting burned. 

3. To protect against ticks, mosquitoes and whiteflies, we advise you to take an individual bottle of repellents. Pay attention to whether you are allergic to these products. 

4. Lightweight backpack of 30-40 liters. A backpack must be taken with you on all trips to our islands. It will be useful for you on any route, in it you can store personal belongings, food and water, a first-aid kit, a camera and things. Please note that you should be comfortable carrying this backpack for a long time. It is advisable to have a rain cape for a backpack. 

5. A towel. Unfortunately, the hotel does not allow you to take towels from the room to visit the hot springs, so tourists need to have their own towel. You can bring it with you or buy it on the spot. 

6. Every tourist should have personal hygiene products with him, as well as a personal first-aid kit with medicines that you need for the peculiarities of your health or the behavior of the body in different situations. 

7. Camera and power bank. Now most modern mobile phones have decent cameras, but if you are interested in photography professionally, you will definitely need good photographic equipment, we have a lot of work for you) In any case, we recommend taking a portable charger with you.