In the footsteps of Robinson Crusoe. Sightseeing tour to Shikotan and Iturup

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The Kuril Islands are the most inaccessible places in Russia, lost in the Pacific Ocean and included in the TOP 10 "Most beautiful islands on the planet".

You will travel to two islands: Shikotan and Iturup. You will see Snezhkov Bay, Cape Edge of the World, turquoise lakes, the Yankito lava plateau. Relax in the hot thermal springs and boil eggs right in the volcanic water!

You can find the extended version of the tour at the link https://bolshayastrana.com/sahalin-i-kurilskie-ostrova/po-sledam-robinzona-kruzo-ehkskursionnyj-tur-na-sahalin-i-shikotan-128472

Location

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Sightseeing tours

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

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Tour highlights

Relax in the hot baths

Let's enjoy our vacation in the thermal springs

Charming nature

Let's admire the scenery: amazing islands, coves and mountains

Visit to the "Edge of the World"

We will visit a rocky promontory with steep walls

Kasatka Bay

We will visit a stranded fishing vessel

Yankito Plateau

We will hold a photo shoot among the frozen lava flows

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure by ship from the port of Korsakov
08:00 Departure to the seaport of Korsakov.
09:30 Check-in and boarding the ship.
12:00 Departure to Shikotan Island (t/x Admiral Nevelskoy or t/x Pavel Leonov).
Travel time is ~21 hours.
Important information:
Meals on board the ship are paid additionally.
Stock up on drinking water and snacks for the trip. Drinks can be purchased on the ship, but much more expensive.
Payment by card on the ship is accepted, but the connection may "hang up", so always have cash with you.

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Day 2 - Arrival by sea to Shikotan Island (Malokurilskoye). Snezhkov Bay
09:00 Approach to Shikotan island.
When approaching the island of Shikotan, prepare documents in advance for disembarkation from the ship: a passport and documents allowing you to stay in the border zone (a pass or a contract).
Disembarkation. Transfer to the hotel. Placement.
10:00 Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
10:30 Departure to Snezhkov Bay.
The island of Shikotan is an ideal place for lovers of hiking tours.
Snezhkov Bay is located far from highways. To see the beauty of the bay, you need to walk about two hours in one direction.
But the path itself leading to the sea is beautiful with the views.
A stone-birch stunted forest with intricately curved tree branches. An open hilly landscape, seemingly plush because of the green-yellow stunted bamboo.
Islets of juniper thickets: you just want to lie down in the very middle and breathe in plenty of useful aromas.
So imperceptibly we will reach the top of the hill, from which a breathtaking panorama will open, covering the entire south-eastern coast of the island!
You cannot do without an escort: you will not turn off the path, and you will find out that that shrub in the form of a Christmas tree is a juniper (not every city dweller knows this), and will tell you which hill a miracle awaits us.
13:00 Hiking lunch (lunch box) in the bay.
18:00 Return to the village.
19:00 Dinner at the hotel 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 14-15 km.
Travel time there is ~2-2:40, back 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 adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and raincoats for shoes or rubber boots.

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Day 3 - Mount Shikotan. The Shikotan Fault
09:00 Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
10:00 Excursion to Mount Shikotan.
The highest mountain on the island of Shikotan is 412 meters, 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 were abandoned at the present time.
Most of the island is visible from the mountain. A fault is clearly visible at the foot of the mountain. In clear weather, the islands of Kunashir and Iturup are visible.
13:00 Camp lunch (lunchbox).
15:00 Excursion to the Fault.
A crevice with ragged edges and a narrow entrance, formed here in a matter of seconds during an earthquake in 1994, cuts through the slope of the hill. The length of the shovel is about 200 m, the depth is up to 10-15 m. The width is about the same.
At the bottom of the fault are well-established pillars of flagstone, forming a fantastic landscape attractive to any tourist group coming to the island.
An interesting tragic story. How many stories this island knows. The guide will tell us all which ones he knows.
18:00 Return to the village.
19:00 Dinner at the hotel 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 14-15 km.
The travel time there is ~ 2-2.40, back 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 adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and raincoats for shoes or rubber boots.
Day 4 - Cape World's End, Nameless Bay. Departure by sea from Malokurilsk
09:00 Breakfast in the hotel cafe. Delivery of rooms
10:00 Departure to Cape World's Edge.
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. A breathtaking view of the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean opens from above, and the thought involuntarily comes that you are really at the edge of the earth!
At a distance of just over 1 km southeast of the legendary Cape World's End 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 islands of the Kuril Ridge in the 18th century, including Shikotan.
It became the last lighthouse built by the Japanese on the Kuril Islands.
14:00 Camping lunch (lunch box) in the bay.
Not far from the 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 because of the scattering of islets located inside the bay.
It was there, in 1972, that the film "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" starring Leonid Kuravlev was filmed. In the bay you will see the most famous log, which was cut by Robinson Crusoe.
Our escorts will show you the most successful angles for creating photos!
17:00 Transfer to the port.
18:00 Boarding the ship.
20:00 Departure to Iturup Island (t/x Admiral Nevelskoy or t/x Pavel Leonov). Travel time is ~13 hours.
The distance of about 24 km there and back is covered by transport, the transition between the bays up to 4 km is planned on foot.
The duration of the tour is 6-7 hours.
Recommendations: On this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, who uses trekking poles, mosquito repellent, in adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat, put on waterproof shoes.
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 much more expensive.
Payment by card on the ship is accepted, but the connection may "hang up".

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Day 5 - Arrival on the island Iturup. Jeep tour along the coast to the White Cliffs. Sailing Bay. Hot Waters thermal springs
09:00 Arrival at the island. Iturup. Disembarkation. Transfer to the cafe for breakfast.
10:00 Breakfast in the cafe.
10:30 Departure for an excursion along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk to the beach with White cliffs.
The length of the rocks 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 sand of the beach 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 — Bay Sailing.
In the depths of the bay, in a picturesque canyon, there is a waterfall "Maiden braids" with a height of 10 m.
13:30 Stop at the beach with White cliffs.
A walk through the canyon.
Departure to the Black Stones.
15:00 Lunch on the seashore near the Black stones (Iturup fish soup, campfire tea, sliced fish).
Vacation at the sea.
17:30 Boarding the ground transport. Departure to the thermal springs.
18:00 After the walk, you will enjoy a rest in the thermal springs "Hot Waters" (1 hour).
19:30 Return to the hotel.
Dinner (on your own).
Recommendations: On this route, in adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat, waterproof shoes or rubber boots, a hat, gloves, bathing accessories, sheets (you can take them at the hotel reception).

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Day 6 - Jeep tour to Kasatka Bay. A mirrored beach. The Devil's Rock. Jeep tour to the foot of the Baransky volcano
09:00 Breakfast at the cafe.
10:00 Departure towards the Pacific Ocean, to Kasatka Bay.
The first stop is at the observation deck near the Kuibyshevka River: inspection of the quarry, military equipment.
Next, let's stop at the "mirror" beach, which looks like an endless sea mirror.
A stranded fishing vessel, the most popular photo object among the guests of the island.
12:00 We will definitely drive to the Devil's rock.
At one time, the Japanese punched tunnels in it for through passage for military purposes, which have survived to the present day.
You will walk (somewhere you will crawl) through the places of hostilities, 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.
13:30 Departure on the way back.
15:00 Lunch at the cafe "Alliance", Kurilsk.
16:00 Departure to the Baransky volcano by car.
Baransky Volcano (height 1132 meters) is one of the most accessible active volcanoes on Iturup Island 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.
16:30 Visit to the mud boiler field.
We cook eggs in a thermal stream and taste them with caviar.
17:30 Departure to the complex with thermal springs.
18:00 Arrival at the thermal complex.
A walk along the ecological trail to the turquoise lakes.
PHOTOSESSION.
18:30 Return to the thermal complex.
Bathing in thermal springs.
Rest.
19:30 Transfer to Kurilsk.
20:00 Arrival in Kurilsk.
Dinner (on your own).
Attention! In the area of fumarole fields, precautions must be taken — you can fall into hot mud, in the area of mineral springs — get chemical burns. You can swim only in springs with a certain water temperature.
Recommendations: On this route, it is advisable to have bathing accessories, rubber slippers, sheets (you can take them at the hotel reception). The tour takes place by car.

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Day 7 - Jeep tour to the Yankito lava plateau. Departure from Kurilsk to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
09:00 Breakfast at the cafe. Delivery of rooms.
11:00 Departure for an excursion to the foot of the Bogdan Khmelnitsky volcano in Yankito, which is a plateau of frozen lava flows of bizarre shape.
Beautiful landscapes that open from any point of view. Bright, spectacular photos, unique impressions!
Dear ladies, feel like a fashion model, take your favorite dress with you and have an amazing photo shoot among the frozen lava flows!
13:30 Stop at the observation deck in the village. Whale.
Transfer to the airport.
Check-in for the flight.
Departure from Kurilsk.
Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Recommendations: in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat, raincoats for shoes or rubber boots.

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Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Accommodation

Cabin on the boat

2 nights
Hotel

2 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, RUB.:

For double occupancy	Additional payment for single accommodation on the island Iturup and O. Shikotan	Child under 12 years old in double or triple occupancy
125 448	8 000	122 448

Additional payment for a guaranteed room with amenities in the guest house "Kasatka" on O. Iturup — 3,000 rubles/room.

The ship "Pavel Leonov"

A place in the cabin III class 4-bed with amenities.

Meals on the ship, drinking water are paid for independently.

Another option

The ship "Admiral Nevelskoy"

A place in the cabin III class 4-bed with amenities.

Meals on the ship, drinking water are paid for independently.

Tour conditions

Group

up to 16 tourists

Minimum age

8 years old

Duration

7 days 6 nights

Group meets at

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Included in price

guided tours according to the program;
transfers according to the program;
accommodation on the island Iturup standard rooms at the Kasatka Guest House;
accommodation on Shikotan Island in the Ostrovnoy motel, standard rooms with amenities;
meals specified in the program;
transportation services on the routes;
escort by guides to Shikotan Island, Iturup Island;
entrance tickets to the springs;
registration of permits for staying in the border zone on the island. Iturup, Shikotan Island;
accident insurance, insurance coverage up to 100,000 rubles.;
raincoat.

Paid extra

flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
air ticket on the route Kurilsk — Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk:
- adult — 7,900 rubles.;
- a child from 2 to 12 years old — 4,450 rubles.;
ticket for the ship "Pavel Leonov" or "Admiral Nevelskoy" on the route: Sakhalin Island (Korsakov port) — Shikotan Island (Malokurilskoye):
- adult — 5,080 rubles.;
- a child from 2 to 12 years old — 3,690 rubles.;
ticket for the ship "Pavel Leonov" or "Admiral Nevelskoy" along the route: Shikotan Island (Malokurilskoye) — O. Iturup (Kurilsk):
- adult — 2,650 rubles.;
- a child from 2 to 12 years old — 1,930 rubles.;
meals on the ship, drinking water;
dinners on the island Iturup, indicated in the program marked "independently";
additional payment for single accommodation on the island Iturup. and O. Shikotan — 8,000 rubles.;
an additional fee for a guaranteed room with amenities in the Kasatka Guest house on Iturup Island is 3,000 rubles/room.

It's important to know

photo camera;
warm and waterproof clothes;
jacket;
slates;
boots or waterproof shoes;
bathing suit;
mosquito repellents;
sun protection cream;
a headdress.

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification

from
$1,226

5 – 11 Aug, 2025 7 days 6 nights

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from
$1,226

2 – 8 Sep, 2025 7 days 6 nights

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Reviews

AA
Alexey Alexandrovich Tolmachev

13 Nov, 2024

about provider

The experience was incredible: the vast Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk, rolling hills, volcanoes, mountain roads by jeep, miles of sea journeys, and new friends along the way. In Kurilsk, we were warmly welcomed and surrounded by kind, helpful people. A special thanks to Guram and Svetlana, Igor and Nikita. And many thanks to the 'Big Country' team, especially Dmitry. Explore the wonders of Russia...

13 Nov, 2024

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