In the footsteps of Robinson Crusoe. Iturup and Shikotan Sightseeing Tour

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The Kuril Islands are the very corner of our country that is very easy to fall in love with.

On this tour, you will have an exciting trip to two islands: Iturup and Shikotan. Here you will see stunning places such as Snezhkova Bay, Cape Edge of the World, turquoise lakes of the Baransky volcano and the Yankito lava plateau.

You can also relax in the hot thermal springs and even boil eggs in the thermal stream!

Location

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Sightseeing tours

Contact the tour coordinator

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

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Tour highlights

Relax in the hot baths

Enjoy your vacation in the thermal springs

Charming nature

Admire the breathtaking scenery and take spectacular photos.

A trip to the "Edge of the World"

Visit a rocky outcrop extending far into the sea and ending in 40-meter walls.

Kasatka Atmospheric Bay

You will see an atmospheric fishing vessel stranded and a "mirrored" beach.

Majestic Yankito Plateau

Admire the mesmerizing streams of frozen lava

Impressive Mount Shikotan

From the height of the highest mountain of Shikotan, you can view most of the island.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival on the island Iturup. Jeep tour to the foot of Baransky volcano
Iturup means "big salmon" in the Ainu language. The largest island in the archipelago of the Kuril island range.
Majestic volcanoes, 12 of which are active, are the "authors" of the created relief and the real attractions of the island: frozen rivers of lava flows, numerous lakes, including hot ones, volcanoes with craters filled with water, fumarole fields, beautiful rocks, waterfalls, mud cauldrons, thermal swamps and springs! We have collected some of them on this trip to explore the island!
Self-service transfer to the airport.
Check-in for the flight.
Departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Arrival in Kurilsk.
Meeting.
Departure to Kurilsk.
Accommodation in a guest house.
Departure to Baransky volcano by car (duration 5 hours).
Baransky volcano (1132 meters high) is one of the most accessible active volcanoes on the island of Iturup with hot lakes of unusual turquoise color, fumaroles, mineral streams and healing springs.
We will enjoy the beauty and relaxation in the thermal baths, taste eggs with caviar boiled directly in volcanic water.
Visit to the observation deck "Trinoga".
Departure to the complex with thermal springs.
Arrival at the thermal complex.
Walk along the ecological trail to the turquoise lakes.
We cook eggs in a thermal stream.
Tasting of boiled eggs with red caviar and champagne.
A light snack.
Return to the thermal complex.
Bathing in thermal springs.
Departure to Kurilsk.
Return to the city.
Dinner at a cafe in the city.
Transfer to the guest house after dinner.
Attention! The exact time of departure to Iturup depends on the date of the tour. In case of significant differences in the timing of the program with the actual flight schedule, the program may be changed, while the volume and content of excursions will remain unchanged.
Attention! In the area of turquoise lakes, precautions must be taken – if you step outside the path, you can get chemical burns. You can only swim in springs with a certain water temperature.
Recommendations: on this route, you need to have bathing accessories, rubber slippers, your own towel or sheet. For an additional fee, bed sheets can be rented at the reception of the guest house (250 rubles).

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Day 2 - Jeep tour to Kasatka Bay. Jeep tour along the coast to the White Cliffs
09:00 Breakfast in the cafe of the city near the guest house.
09:30 Departure for a jeep tour towards the Pacific Ocean (duration 5 hours).
Kasatka Bay.
The first stop is at the "mirrored" beach, which looks like an endless sea mirror.
A stranded fishing vessel is the most popular photo object among the island's guests.
We will definitely drive to the Chertovka rock. At one time, the Japanese pierced tunnels in it for through passage for military purposes, which have survived to this day.
You will walk (somewhere you will crawl) through the battlefields, you will see the site of the former "hospital", the so-called laboratory where the Japanese worked on the development of bacteriological weapons.
In good weather, those who wish to swim in the Pacific Ocean.
Camping lunch on the shore of the Pacific Ocean.
Relaxing on the shore.
Departure for a jeep tour along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk to the beach with White cliffs (duration 4 hours).
The length of the cliffs is about 28 km. They consist of porous volcanic glass and pumice, frozen as a result of a colossal eruption of a red-hot gas cloud.
The beach sand consists of white quartz and black titanium-magnetite sand. Due to the mixture of these two sands, an extremely beautiful gray-graphite sandy beach is formed.
Stop at the beach with White cliffs.
A walk through the canyon.
Departure to the Black Stones.
Arrival at the Black Stones.
Walk.
Vacation on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Those who wish can swim.
Departure to Kurilsk.
Return to the guest house.
Dinner at a cafe in the city.
Attention! If it is impossible to spend lunch in nature due to weather conditions, lunch will be provided in a cafe.

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Day 3 - Jeep tour to the Yankito lava plateau. The ship's departure from Kurilsk
09:00 Breakfast in the cafe of the city near the guest house.
09:30 Jeep tour to the foot of the Bogdan Khmelnitsky volcano in Yankito (duration 1 hour), which is a plateau of frozen lava flows of bizarre shape.
Beautiful landscapes that open from any viewpoint. Bright, spectacular photos, unique impressions!
Transfer to the port.
11:00 Boarding the ship.
13:00 Departure from Iturup Island (Igor Farkhutdinov train station). Travel time is ~ 28 hours.
Important information:
Meals on the ship are paid additionally.
Stock up on drinking water and snacks for the trip. Drinks can be purchased on the ship, but they are much more expensive.
Card payment is accepted on the ship, but communication may be "suspended", so always have cash with you.
Day 4 - Arrival at Shikotan Island. Khromov Bay
17:00 Approach to Shikotan island. Disembarkation.
Transfer to the motel.
17:30 Check-in at the motel.
18:00 Departure to Khromova Bay.
Dinner on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Locals call the bay False. Either because Soviet fishermen, sometimes not very sober, mistakenly "steered" into Khromov Bay instead of Malokurilskaya Bay in the fog. Either because several false defensive dummies were installed in the bay: tank turrets with cannons without armored tank hulls, to create the appearance of a defensive line from the alleged enemy advancing from the sea into Malokurilskaya Bay through Khromova Bay.
After visiting the bay, you will see the remains of tank turrets, rusted by time, but still attractive as an entourage to create spectacular photos! Birdsong, quiet sea surf, beautiful multicolored sunset are the most preferable end of the day after a long road trip!
The accompanying guide will share all the secrets and secrets of the bay!
After dinner, return to the hotel.
Attention! When approaching Shikotan Island, prepare documents in advance for disembarkation from the ship: a passport and documents allowing you to stay in the border area (a pass or a contract).
Attention! If the weather conditions make it impossible to have dinner outdoors, dinner will be provided at the motel.

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Day 5 - Snezhkov Bay
09:00 Breakfast at the motel cafe.
10:00 Departure to Snezhkova Bay (duration 8-9 hours). Shikotan Island is an ideal place for lovers of hiking tours.
Snezhkova Bay is located far from highways. To see the beauty of the bay, you need to walk for about two hours in one direction. But the path leading to the sea itself is also beautiful with its views.
A low-growing stone-birch forest with bizarrely curved tree branches. An open hilly landscape that looks plush because of the green and yellow stunted bamboo.
There are islands of juniper thickets, and you just want to lie down in the very middle and breathe in plenty of healthy aromas! So unnoticed, we will reach the top of the hill, from which a breathtaking panorama will open, covering the entire southeastern coast of the island.
You can't do without an escort: you won't turn off the path, and you'll find out that that shrub in the form of a Christmas tree is a juniper tree (not every city dweller knows this), and it will tell you which hill a miracle awaits us.
Camping lunch (lunch box) in the bay.
Return to the village.
Dinner at the motel cafe.
Important information! The route starts from the village of Krabozavodskoye. It is difficult because of the hilly terrain. The distance there and back is ~20 km. Travel time there is ~2 – 2.40 hours, return time is up to 3 hours. It will be much easier to walk along the trail with trekking poles.
Recommendations: On this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, mosquito repellent, in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and raincoats for shoes or rubber boots.

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Day 6 - Cape Edge of the World. Bezymyannaya Bay
09:00 Breakfast at the motel cafe.
10:00 Departure to Cape Edge of the world (duration 8-9 hours).
Perhaps the most popular place on the island of Shikotan. It is a rocky outcrop extending far into the sea and ending in 40-meter walls. When you get here, the meaning of the name immediately becomes clear. From above, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean, and you can't help but think that you are really on the edge of the earth!
At a distance of just over 1 km to the southeast of the legendary Cape Edge of the World is Cape Crab, which got its name because of its external similarity to the arthropod of the same name. In September 1943, the Spanberg Lighthouse was built on this cape, named after the captain who discovered more than three dozen Kuril islands in the 18th century, including Shikotan. It became the last lighthouse built by the Japanese on the Kuril Islands.
Camping lunch (lunch box) in the bay.
Not far from cape "Edge of the World" there is an Unnamed bay. According to many eyewitnesses, this bay is the most beautiful natural place on the island due to the scattering of islands located inside the bay. It was there that the film "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" starring Leonid Kuravlev was shot in 1972.
In the bay you will see the famous log that Robinson Crusoe chopped. Our escorts will show you the most successful angles for creating photos.
Return to the village.
19:00 Dinner at the motel cafe.
The distance is about 24 km there and back by transport, the passage between the bays is planned to be on foot for up to 4 km.
Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, those who use trekking poles, mosquito repellent, in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat, wear waterproof shoes.

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Day 7 - Shikotan Mountain tour. Departure to Dimitrov bay, Airfield. Departure of the ship from Malokurilsk
09:00 Breakfast at the motel cafe.
Check-in of rooms before departure for the tour.
10:00 Guided tour of Mount Shikotan (duration 4 hours).
The highest mountain on the island of Shikotan is 412 meters. It is located near the village of Malokurilskoye. At the time of Karafuto, a Japanese sea observation post was located on the mountain, and later, during the Soviet era, military locators, which are currently abandoned.
Most of the island is visible from the mountain. The rift is clearly visible at the foot of the mountain. In clear weather, the islands of Kunashir and Iturup are visible.
Camping lunch (lunchbox).
Departure to Dimitrov Bay. Airfield bay (duration 3-4 hours).
Dimitrov Bay is the largest bay on the Pacific side of Shikotan. It is also uniquely beautiful, like all the shores of the island. But it has its own story! During the Japanese occupation of Shikotan Island, the bay was called "Inemosiri". It housed a farm of three Japanese fishing families engaged in catching and drying cod.
To this day, a Japanese cemetery has been preserved — a trace of the Japanese living in the bay. In Soviet times, in the 60-80-ies, the bay was closed to our fellow citizens and a border zone was organized, where Japanese schooners could enter without passing through customs formalities during storms for raid or minor repairs of the vessel.
The border checkpoint was equipped with a stable, dogs, and all-terrain vehicles to protect the borders from unauthorized crossing.
From Dimitrov Bay, you can walk along the path towards the neighboring bay – Aerodromnaya, which is also picturesque.
Return to the village.
19:00 Dinner at the motel cafe.
19:30 Transfer to the port.
Boarding the ship.
22:00 Departure to Sakhalin Island (t/x Admiral Nevelskoy or t/x Pavel Leonov). Travel time is ~ 22 hours.
Important information: the tour day takes place by car. Access to the pedestrian crossings upon arrival at the sightseeing locations.
Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, those who use trekking poles, mosquito repellent, in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat, wear waterproof shoes.
Important information:
Meals on the ship are paid additionally.
Stock up on drinks and snacks for the trip. Drinks can be purchased on the ship, but they are much more expensive.
Card payments are accepted on the ship, but communication may be "suspended", so always have cash with you.

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Day 8 - Arrival of the ship at the port of Korsakov. Transfer to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
20:00 Arrival at the seaport of Korsakov.
20:30 Meeting of the group in the arrival area.
21:00 Transfer to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
22:00 Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Tour organizer's comments

Physical fitness and the absence of problems with the musculoskeletal system are important. Walking distance can be up to 20 km per day.

Accommodation

Cabin on the boat

2 nights
Hotel

3 nights
Guest House

2 nights

Comfort

Midscale
Upscale

The tour provides accommodation in hotels along the route.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation:

for double occupancy – 278,489 rubles.;
The surcharge for single occupancy is 32,100 rubles.

Tour conditions

Group

up to 16 tourists

Minimum age

9 years old

Duration

8 days 7 nights

Group meets at

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Included in price

guided tours according to the program;
transportation services according to the program;
accommodation on the island Iturup, standard rooms at the Kasatka Guest House or similar;
accommodation on the island of Shikotan in the Ostrovnoy motel, standard rooms with amenities;
meals specified in the program;
instructor support on all routes;
entrance tickets to thermal and spa complexes according to the program;
registration of permits for staying in the border zone on O. Iturup, Shikotan Island;
accident insurance, insurance coverage up to 100,000 rubles.

Paid extra

flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
meals not included in the price of the tour;
optional guided tours, activities;
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk – Kurilsk flight ticket::
- if you have a residence permit in the Sakhalin region:
  - adult – 11,600 rubles.;
  - child (2-12 years old) – 6,800 rubles.
- in the absence of a residence permit in the Sakhalin region:
  - adult – 21,500 rubles.;
  - child (2-12 years old) – 11,900 rubles.;
ticket for the motor ship "Igor Farkhutdinov" on the route O. Iturup (port of Kurilsk) — Shikotan Island (port of Malokurilskoye), travel time ~ 28 hours – detailed information in the "Important to know" section;
ticket for the motor ship Pavel Leonov or Admiral Nevelskoy on the route Shikotan Island (port Malokurilskoye) — O. Sakhalin (Korsakov port), travel time ~ 22 hours.:
- adult – 9,980 rubles.;
- child (2-12 years old) – 6 140 rubles.;

It's important to know

Camping equipment:

clothes:
- a warm sweater;
- warm wool socks;
- windbreaker;
- windproof and waterproof jacket;
- raincoat for clothes
- raincoat for shoes;
- thermal underwear;
- t-shirts;
- shorts;
- bathing suit;
headdress, accessories:
- a panama hat or a cap;
- knitted hat;
- sunglasses;
- cotton gloves;
shoes:
- comfortable sneakers, worn, with tenacious soles or trekking boots, waterproof sneakers;
- sandals for walking on water, slates.

On each route, you must have a change of clothes and shoes with you.

Documents:

passport, voucher;
compulsory medical insurance policy;
insurance policy;
birth certificate (if a child is flying with you).

Dates and Prices

$3,798

2 – 9 Jul 8 days 7 nights

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$3,798

3 – 10 Sep 8 days 7 nights

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Reviews Leave a review

S
Sergei

about provider

5 Feb, 2025

4 more photos

Excellent organization of the tour, including seamless airport transfers. The journeys along the routes were comfortable and well-planned.
E
Ekaterina

about provider

5 Feb, 2025

Thank you so much for an unforgettable trip to the Sakhalin region! A huge thanks for the excellent organization, the care, and the well-thought-out itinerary that adapted perfectly to the weather conditions! We got to see every place at its most breathtaking! A special shoutout to our wonderful guide, Igor, on Iturup—an absolute professional! Traveling with him was not only insightful but also comfortable, enjoyable, and truly special. We left with only positive memories and will gladly recommend your company whenever we get the chance!!!
N
Natalia

about provider

4 Feb, 2025

6 more photos

I was very satisfied with the organization of the tour. Everything was well-planned, punctual, and ran smoothly. The food was delicious and plentiful.

Cabin category	Cabin description
3rd category	4-bed, shared facilities (shower, washbasin, bathroom), on deck
2nd category	4-bed, facilities (shower, washbasin, bathroom) in the cabin
1st category	2-bed, facilities (shower, washbasin, bathroom) in the cabin
Luxury category	2-bed, 2-room living room+bedroom, facilities (shower, washbasin, bathroom) in the cabin