Necklace of the Kuril Ridge: Sakhalin, Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup

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!

Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.

Transfer hotel – airport by comfortable bus with escort.

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.

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).

09:00 Breakfast in a cafe in the city.

10:00 Departure for a jeep tour along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk to the beach with White cliffs (duration 6-7 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.

Camping lunch on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk.

Boarding a transport.

Departure to the thermal springs.

Rest in the Hot Waters thermal springs (1 hour).

Departure to Kurilsk.

Return to the guest house.

Dinner on your own.

Please note! On this day of sightseeing, under suitable weather conditions, it is possible to organize a boat trip (3 hours) for an additional fee, 40,000 rubles, 1 boat for up to 6 people.

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).

Attention! If it is impossible to spend lunch in nature due to weather conditions, lunch will be provided in a cafe.

09:00 Breakfast in a cafe in the city.

10:00 Departure for a jeep tour towards the Pacific Ocean (duration 6-7 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 places of military operations, 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 to Kurilsk.

Jeep tour to the foot of the Bogdan Khmelnitsky volcano in Yankito (duration 2 hours), which is a plateau of frozen lava flows of bizarre shape.

Beautiful landscapes that open from any viewpoint. 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!

Return to the guest house.

Dinner on your own.

Attention! If it is impossible to have lunch outdoors due to weather conditions, lunch will be provided in a cafe.

Breakfast in a cafe in the city.

Check-in rooms.

10:30 Departure to the seaport.

11:00 Check-in and boarding the ship.

13:00 Departure to Kunashir Island (Igor Farkhutdinov train station). Travel time is ~ 20 hours.

Important information:

1. Meals on the ship are paid additionally.
2. Stock up on drinks and snacks for the trip. Drinks can be purchased on the ship, but they are much more expensive.
3. Card payments are accepted on the ship, but communication may be "suspended", so always have cash with you.

Kunashir, which means "Black Island" in Ainu, is the southernmost island of the Great Kuril Ridge.

The island is known for its Russian "Fujiyama", which is what tourists call the mighty Tyat volcano, the splendor of Cape Columnar, the caldera of Golovnin volcano and the Mendeleev volcano. Hot springs located right on the beach.

The island is dotted with red book plants, which you can see on the ecological trail.

09:00 Approach to Yuzhno-Kurilsk (Kunashir Island). Disembarkation. Departure to the coast.

Meeting. Transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast at the cafe.

10:30 Departure for the tour: fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano. (duration 5 hours)

An active volcano in the southern part of Kunashir Island. It was named after the outstanding Russian chemist D. I. Mendeleev in 1946. A complex stratovolcano with a central extrusive dome. The height is 886 m (according to other sources — 888 m). The volcano's cone is surrounded by a vast caldera, which was formed as a result of the destruction of the cone of an older volcano. Combined-cycle gas emissions and increased fumarole activity in 1880, 1901, 1946, 1977.

There are many fumaroles and hot springs on the slopes of the volcano, the surface of the slopes is covered with coniferous and deciduous forests with dense undergrowth of Kuril bamboo and cedar. The status of a state monument of nature was awarded to it in 1983.

Arrival at the beginning of the trail.

Exit to the fumarole field on foot.

Despite the difficulty of climbing the field, the path leading to it is very interesting. Then we walk among thickets of tall bamboo, taller than a man. Then we climb steep, protracted ascents, as if on steps, walking along the roots of trees. Then we cross the murmuring streams along the overturned log. Then we will stop, and the guide will point out the insidious mustard gas (a very poisonous plant), and offer to admire the beauty and majesty of the Ayan spruce. Then we will go down into the ravine and cross from one side to the other, gradually rising to the goal of our excursion: a spacious field on which large and small fumaroles "breathe" in pairs here and there!

Arrival at the fumarole field.

Visual inspection.

A walk through the field.

PHOTOSESSION.

Camping snack (tea brewed in nature, vegetable, meat, fish, bread, biscuits, apple).

Exit on the way back from the field to the parking lot.

Departure to the Sour creek (duration 2 hours).

Arrival at the stream.

Climbing the rapids and ripples of the stream.

Swimming in numerous natural baths, a natural water park, where each stream has its own sensations.

A walk along the coast after returning to the Cape Devil's Finger area.

Sightseeing of the coast, kekura Devil's Finger and Devil's Gate (duration 1 hour).

Transfer to the hotel.

Accommodation at the hotel.

Dinner at the cafe.

Breakfast at the cafe.

09:30 Departure for the excursion "Golovnin volcano Caldera, Boiling lake, Hot lake" (duration 9-10 hours).

Golovnin caldera (a caldera is a cauldron–shaped depression with steep slopes and a flat bottom, formed as a result of the collapse of the volcano's peak).

The diameter of the caldera along the ridge is more than four kilometers. One can imagine the force of the explosion that occurred here during a volcanic eruption.

Inside the caldera, at an altitude of 130 meters above sea level, there are two lakes: Boiling and Hot. Jets of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide gases – solfatars, hot water emissions, thick steam and the constantly changing color of the water create an impressive picture!

Another guided tour for hiking enthusiasts (don't forget to bring trekking poles)!

There are many emotions waiting for you: admiration for the views, surprise at new knowledge, pleasure from swimming in the warm mud of a boiling lake, cheerfulness from the coolness of a hot lake!

Stop at the observation deck with a view of Golovninsky cliff.

Arrival at the beginning of the trail. Exit to the caldera on foot.

During the crossing, stop at an observation deck with a view of the caldera and the Japanese coast across the strait! Don't forget to turn off the mobile transmission on your smartphone – you may receive a substantial bill for using the mobile Internet in Japan.

Arrival at the reserve cordon.

Camping snack (tea from a thermos, vegetable, meat, fish, bread, biscuits, apple).

Access to the lakes in the caldera.

Visual inspection.

Climb to the observation deck.

Passage along the "hot" trail of Boiling Lake.

Taking mud baths in a Boiling lake. Swimming in a hot lake.

Exit on the way back to the parking lot.

Departure to Yuzhno-Kurilsk.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner at the cafe.

Please note! In the area of the fumarole zone on the lake. When boiling, it is necessary to take precautions, be sure to step in the wake of the attendant – you can fall into the hot mud, get chemical burns.

You can only swim and take mud baths in certain places.

Important! We travel by car from Yuzhno-Kurilsk to the reserve, then walk to the Golovnin volcano caldera. The total walking time is ~ 16 km (round trip).

Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, trekking poles, mosquito repellent, bathing accessories, a towel, in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and raincoats for shoes.

Breakfast at the cafe.

10:00 Departure to the ecological trail and mud healing thermal springs Stolbovskiye (duration 2-3 hours).

Arrival at the beginning of the trail.

Exit to the trail.

The flora of the island is rich and includes species distributed from the subtropics to the northern latitudes.

Along the forest path, there are thick hedges of white and stone birches, gray trunks of velvet trees, mountain ash, Sakhalin fir with whitish trunks. The Ayanskaya spruce glows with blue needles up the slope.

The gaze stops at the trunk with a red stripe drawn by a caring human hand. This is a warning: beware of the magnolia tree! You will be lucky if you come in June, you will be able to see how it blooms, and the fragrance of its large white flowers fills everything around!

Along the trail we descend to a tangle of streams of different temperatures. The water from the streams is mixed in a depression in the ground, where you can take a warm sodium chloride mineral bath.

Nearby, a larger depression is filled with hot mineral mud. The place is called Stolbovsky thermal springs.

It is necessary to soak up the thermal mud lake and rinse with the mineral water of the stream! It will take away all the fatigue of the past few days.

The approach to thermal springs.

Bathing.

12:00-14:00 Departure to Cape Columnar along the seashore (duration 5-6 hours).

Cape Columnar is a unique place where the natural paving stones of the "Red Square" are replaced by views of stone pencils weighing 40 tons and deep-sea fjords.

The bizarre cliffs where you can hear the sound of organ music are true thousand-year-old monuments.… After all, they were the first pieces of land that emerged from the depths of the ocean, and they have been preserved almost in their original form to our era.

The approach to the clamp.

The passage of the clamp on the rock or over the rock from above along the path.

Cape Columnar tour: "Organ", "Turtle", "Paving stone". PHOTOSESSION.

Exit along the seashore to the lunch place.

Lunch of fresh Kuril delicacies by the sea.

Relaxing by the sea. Those who wish can swim!

Boarding vehicles.

Transfer to Yuzhno-Kurilsk.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner at the cafe.

Important information! Take vehicles to the exit point of the route, then walk 3 km along the trail downhill. Next, going ashore, 30 minutes along the coastline, then crossing the cliff or crossing the cliff along the path, first up the cliff, then down to Cape Columnar. From Cape Columnar, walk along the seashore for about 40 minutes to a place of rest and lunch. Return by road to Yuzhno-Kurilsk.

Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, rubber slippers for walking on a rocky bottom in water, mosquito repellent, bathing accessories, a towel, in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and rubber boots.

Breakfast at the cafe.

10:45 Boarding a motor vehicle. Transfer to the port.

11:00 Check-in and boarding the ship.

13:00 Departure to the island of Shikotan (t/x "Admiral Nevelskoy" or t/x "Pavel Leonov"). Travel time ~ 4 hours.

17:00 Approach to Shikotan island.

Disembarkation. Transfer to the motel.

Accommodation at the motel.

Dinner at the motel.

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).

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 stone-birch stunted 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.

09:00 Breakfast at the motel cafe.

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 were abandoned at the present time. 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 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. A Japanese cemetery has been preserved to this day, 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 ship repairs. 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.

Return to the village.

Dinner at the motel cafe.

Important information: the tour day takes place by car. Access to short walking tours upon arrival at the sightseeing locations.

Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, mosquito repellent, and in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and waterproof shoes.

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.

Dinner at the motel cafe.

The distance of about 24 km there and back is covered by transport, the passage between the bays up to 4 km is planned on foot.

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.

09:00 Breakfast at the motel cafe.

10:00 Departure to the exit point to Cape Trident (duration 4 hours).

The picturesque cape with a height of 161 meters is included in the list of popular tourist spots on the island. Rock formations resembling a trident protruding into the sea suggested the name of the cape.

Camping lunch (lunchbox) in the bay. Khromova and Otradnaya bays are located near the cape.

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 (Igor Farkhutdinov train station). Travel time is ~ 22 hours. The distance between the bays is covered by transport, the passage to the cape is planned on foot.

Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes. Those who use trekking poles, mosquito repellent, and in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and wear waterproof shoes.

Important information:

1. Meals on the ship are paid additionally.
2. Stock up on drinks and snacks for the trip. Drinks can be purchased on the ship, but they are much more expensive.
3. Card payment is accepted on the ship, but communication may be "suspended", so always have cash with you.

20:00 Arrival at the seaport of Korsakov.

20:30 Meeting of the group at the arrival area.

21:00 Transfer to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

22:00 Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Accommodation in hotels.

07:30 Transfer to Novikovo bucket port by comfortable transport with escort. If breakfast is held later at your hotel, we will book breakfast for you in advance at the hotel, and upon arrival at Port Ladle you can have breakfast and drink hot coffee.

Arrival at the Novikovo bucket port. Preparation for going to sea, briefing.

A boat trip to the most famous and unique Aniva lighthouse on boats or ribas.

Before the trip, we will give you raincoats for a comfortable trip to the sea (the duration of the boat trip is 3.5 – 4 hours).

Return to the Novikovo bucket port.

Tea and a light snack after a sea trip.

Transfer to Busse Lagoon.

Gastro tour on the coast of Busse lagoon (duration 4.5 – 5 hours).

A master class on opening oysters.

PHOTOSESSION.

Lunch of freshly caught seafood and wild oysters. You will have an exciting journey to a unique seafood "restaurant" with a tasting of wild oysters, completely unique in their taste qualities, which you can taste only on Sakhalin.

Departure to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

The tour ends in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Return to the hotel.

Please note! While on board a swimming vessel, you must adhere to generally accepted norms of behavior, not create dangerous or threatening situations. Be sure to wear a life jacket, if you get motion sickness, you need to take a medication for motion sickness. During excursions, take care of cultural and historical monuments, as well as take care of nature.

Important! The boat trip depends entirely on the mercy of the sea. In case of bad weather conditions and the inability to go out to sea, the boat trip will be canceled or postponed to another day, or a car tour will be replaced.

Recommendations: Aniva Lighthouse — on this route, on the way by boat across the sea, do not forget to take a raincoat, hat, and cotton gloves.

Lunch with oysters: take your favorite wine with you. Dry white wine, prosecco and brut go well with oysters.

Breakfast at the hotel restaurant.

Check-in rooms.

10:00 – 13:00 Organized transfer to the airport by comfortable bus. If desired, you can book an individual transfer with a visit to the market.

Individual jeep with arrival at the market (duration – 2 hours) – 4,000 rubles.

Attention! Check-in time is until 12:00 (late check-out is possible with a 50% surcharge/room/day).