Pearls of the Kuril Islands: Sakhalin — Kunashir — Iturup

The Kuril Islands are one of the most inaccessible places in Russia. They are lost in the Pacific Ocean in the Far East. 

You will discover truly fantastic landscapes: volcanoes and hot springs, monuments — traces of the Japanese, low trees and tall grass as tall as a man. 

Get ready for a seafood tasting: fish, caviar, oysters — everything is really fresh, prepared according to local recipes. 

Location

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
from
$1,920
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
13 Days
12 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • Dates for next season
    • 29 September – 11 October, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    7 nights
  • Cabin on the boat
    2 nights
  • Guest House
    3 nights
Comfort
  • Basic+
  • Midscale
  • Upscale
  • Premium
Difficulty
Moderate
Involves moderate physical activity
Group
Up to 20 people
Minimum age
8 years old
Group meet at
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Tastes of the Far East
Get acquainted with Sakhalin cuisine and eat plenty of seafood
Relaxation in the thermal baths
Relax in several springs and recuperate in relaxing hot baths
Fumaroles of the Mendeleev volcano
Take a walk through the fumarole field of an active volcano
Jeep tour to the White Cliffs
Admire the famous rocks of porous volcanic glass and pumice
Golovnin Volcano Lakes
Take mud baths in the Boiling lake and swim in the Hot Lake
By boat to Aniva Lighthouse
Go to the lighthouse, installed in 1939 on a rocky cape

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Sightseeing tour of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Welcome dinner

    Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

    Meeting at the airport. 

    Transfer to the hotel, accommodation. 

    Check-in at the hotel from 14:00 (early check-in is possible with an additional 50% / room / day).

    Sightseeing tour of the city (2 hours). 

    During the tour, you will learn how the city grew and developed during the period of Japanese rule (at that time it was called Toyohara), you will see preserved Japanese buildings built in the same distant times, including one of the oldest buildings built in 1908 and the most striking buildings built in 1937.

    Get acquainted with the most beautiful places of the modern, cozy city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and the main attractions of the island capital: the observation deck of the STK "Mountain Air", which offers a magnificent view of the whole city (the ascent to the middle platform is carried out by motor transport).

    We will visit three squares — Lenin, Victory and Glory, as well as Chekhov Center Square.

    Welcome dinner in Sakhalin style.

    We will begin our journey with an introduction to Sakhalin cuisine. At our dinner you will taste the famous hemultan soup, salads from Sakhalin wild plants.

    Over dinner, we will discuss the details of the trip and give you the necessary attribute for a trip to Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. 

    The weather on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands is changing very quickly, and to make your trip comfortable, we have prepared a raincoat for you.

    Your clothes will always stay dry, even in the most inclement weather.

    Transfer to the hotel after dinner. Rest. 

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  • Day 2 - Departure by boat to Kunashir
  • Day 3 - Arrival on Kunashir. Stolbovskaya ecological trail. Mud healing thermal springs
  • Day 4 - The caldera of the Golovnin volcano. Lakes are Boiling and Hot
  • Day 5 - The fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano
  • Day 6 - Excursion to Cape Columnar
  • Day 7 - Departure by boat to Iturup
  • Day 8 - Arrival at Iturup. The Museum of Local Lore. Jeep tour to Kasatka Bay. A mirrored beach. The Devil's Rock. Thermal springs "Baths".
  • Day 9 - Jeep tour along the coast. Sailing Bay. White rocks. Hot Water thermal springs
  • Day 10 - Jeep tour to the foot of the Baransky volcano. Rest in the thermal springs
  • Day 11 - Jeep tour to the Yankito lava plateau. Flight to Sakhalin
  • Day 12 - Aniva Lighthouse. Lunch with oysters at Busse Lagoon
  • Day 13 - Transfer to the airport
Difficulty
Involves moderate physical activity

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    7 nights
  • Cabin on the boat
    2 nights
  • Guest House
    3 nights
Comfort
  • Basic+
  • Midscale
  • Upscale
  • Premium

The tour provides accommodation in hotels along the route.

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

For double occupancyAdditional payment for single accommodation on the island Iturup, Kunashir IslandChild under 12 years old in double or triple occupancy
182 06913 500179 069

An additional fee for a guaranteed room with amenities in the Kasatka guest house on Iturup Island is 4,500 rubles per room.

An additional fee is paid for a hotel in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (cost for 1 person for 3 nights), RUB.:

 For double occupancyFor single occupancyExtra nights
double/single room
Youth 3*8 70014 7002 900 / 4 900
Squirrel 3*9 60016 3503 200 / 5 450
Jubilee 3*9 90016 0203 300 / 5 650
Gagarin 3*10 80017 4003 600 / 5 800
Mega Palace Hotel 4*11 70019 9503 900 / 6 650
Santa Risot Hotel 4*
(two 1.5-double beds)
15 00025 8005 000 / 8 600
Santa Risot Hotel 4*
(one large bed)
15 75027 2105 250 / 9 070
Paradise Risot Hotel 4*18 00033 0006 000 / 11 000

When booking accommodation in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on your own, please take into account:

  • transfer to arrival / departure (meeting /departure) is available for an additional fee: 600 rubles per person one way, within the city, without arrival at the market;
  • the tourist must independently arrive at the gathering place of the group for transfer to the airport upon departure to the Kuril Islands, the place and time for collection is confirmed the day before or independently arrive at the airport;
  • upon the group's return from the Kuril Islands, the transfer takes tourists only to the base hotels;
  • the tourist must independently arrive at the starting point of the group excursions according to the program, the place and time for collection is confirmed the day before, at the end of the tour, tourists are delivered only to the base hotels.
The Yubileynaya Hotel or Santa Risot Hotel 4* or 3 nights
The Yubileynaya Hotel

The Yubileynaya Hotel is located in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, a 10-minute walk from the Gorny Vozdukh Ski Center. It offers rooms with a microwave, a sauna and free private parking.

The rooms at the Yubileynaya Hotel are decorated in a classic style and feature a work desk and a bathroom with a hairdryer.

The Time Cafe serves European and Oriental cuisine, and there are several restaurants within a 10-minute walk of the hotel.

Guests can relax in the sauna. Gagarin Park, where entertainment programs are held, is a 3-minute walk from the Yubileynaya Hotel.

Yubileynaya Hotel is a 10-minute drive from Khomutovo Airport. An airport shuttle service is available upon request.

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Another option
Santa Risot Hotel 4*

Santa Risot Resort Hotel is located in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, next to the picturesque Gagarin Park at the foot of Parkovaya Mountain, a 10-minute drive from the city's business district. It offers a sauna, a hot tub, a restaurant and a tennis court.

The Rubin Restaurant serves Russian, European, Pan-Asian and Japanese cuisine. At the Kristall Bar, guests can order exotic cocktails, which can be enjoyed on the outdoor terrace with panoramic views.

Rooms at the Santa Risot Resort feature a balcony and free Wi-Fi. They are equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV and a minibar. The private bathrooms are equipped with toiletries, bathrobes and a hairdryer.

The Santa Risot Resort features a spa complex with a sauna with a swimming pool, as well as a well-equipped gym. In winter, guests can take skiing lessons and rent ski equipment.

The resort is just 3 km from the center of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and the train station. Free private parking is available on site.

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Another option
Mega Palace Hotel 4*

This hotel is located on the Far Eastern Sakhalin Island of Russia, at the foot of the Susunai Mountains. It offers an international restaurant, a spa and a nightclub. Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city centre is a 15-minute drive away.

Mega Palace Hotel is a multi-storey building with modern rooms and apartments furnished with antique furniture. All rooms are equipped with cable TV, a safe and a minibar.

It offers a fitness center, a hot tub and a sauna. In the evenings, guests can visit the karaoke bar or a nightclub with a DJ.

A buffet breakfast is served every morning. The Marquis Restaurant serves Russian, European and Japanese cuisine. Serbian cuisine can be enjoyed at the Grill in the Sky restaurant. Asian cuisine restaurant "Asia" and Japanese restaurant Bambu are also available on site. Guests can relax at the Duke Karaoke Bar.

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport is a 30-minute drive away. Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Central Station can be reached in 20 minutes by car.

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Another option
Gagarin Hotel

Gagarin Hotel it is located in a quiet location in the park area of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, a 15-minute drive from Khomutovo Airport. The Gagarin Hotel offers a sauna with a mini-pool.

The rooms of the Gagarin Hotel in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk are decorated using elements of Japanese and European styles. They are equipped with a work desk and a TV with over 100 satellite channels. Featuring a bath, the private bathroom also comes with a hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers.

A full buffet breakfast is served every morning at the hotel. The Gagarin restaurant specializes in European cuisine.

Guests can relax in the karaoke bar. A park named after him is located next to the hotel. Gagarina with a beautiful rock garden.

Free parking is available on site at the Gagarin Hotel. Staff at the 24-hour front desk can arrange a shuttle service for guests.

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Another option
Belka Hotel

The first hotel in the Far East, made according to Finnish technology in a wooden style made of milled timber.

The three—storey building with a basement was built according to an individual project developed by Japanese architects, with maximum preservation of all the unique properties of wood - a healthy microclimate, special deep warmth, comfort, creating a favorable atmosphere and giving a sense of security and peace. Within the walls of the hotel there is an atmosphere of warm, taiga wood in its pristine beauty.

Hotel It was opened in 2003.

Renovated in 2019.

In all rooms: TV, Internet Wi-Fi, safe, air conditioning, refrigerator, mini-bar, bathrobe, slippers, personal hygiene products, hair dryer.

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Another option
Yunost Hotel

Yunost Hotel is located in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. At the guests' disposal: ski storage, parking, high-speed Internet, daily cleaning, luggage storage, smoking areas, board games and puzzles.

The cozy rooms, designed in a simple style and pleasant colors, are equipped with all the amenities for a comfortable stay. At the guests' disposal there will be: air conditioning, private bathroom, shared lounge.

In the morning, guests are treated to a delicious breakfast. There is a grocery store nearby.

1 more photo
Another option
Paradise Risot Hotel 4*

The hotel is located in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk near the airport and Victory Square.

Check-in is possible in standard rooms, apartments, suites, each of which is equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable stay: a private bathroom, a flat-screen TV, a refrigerator and a wardrobe. The bathroom has a hairdryer, bathrobe, and free toiletries. The windows offer stunning views of nature. Laundry and dry cleaning services are available. A wellness center located in the hotel will be a pleasant addition to your rest. The list of services includes massage, spa treatments, sauna, steam room, swimming pool and much more.

The food is organized at the highest level. There is a coffee shop and a bar on the territory of the hotel, as well as a "breakfast in the room" service and a buffet. You can also have lunch in one of the many cafes and restaurants near the hotel.

The hotel is located near the airport, railway station and the city park of culture and recreation, where you can spend your leisure time.

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Motor ship "Igor Farkhutdinov" 1 night
The ship "Pavel Leonov" or "Admiral Nevelskoy" 1 night
The Iceberg-1 Hotel 4 nights
Kasatka Guest House 3 nights

Tour conditions

Group
up to 20 tourists
Minimum age
8 years old
Duration
13 days 12 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 Kunashir Island in the Iceberg Hotel, building 1, standard rooms with amenities per block;
  • meals according to the program; 
  • transportation services on the routes; 
  • excursion service on Sakhalin Island; 
  • escort by guides to Kunashir Island, Iturup Island; 
  • entrance tickets to the sources; 
  • registration of permits for staying in the border zone on the island Iturup, Kunashir Island; 
  • accident insurance, insurance coverage up to 100,000 rubles.;
  • raincoat. 

Paid extra

  • flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
  • accommodation in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk — from 8,700 rubles/person. for 3 nights;
  • additional payment for single accommodation on the island Iturup, Kunashir Island — 13,500 rubles.;
  • additional payment for a guaranteed room with amenities in the Kasatka guest house on Iturup island — 4,500 rubles per room;
  • when booking accommodation in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on your own, please note that a transfer for arrival / departure (meeting / departure) is provided for an additional fee of 600 rubles/person one way, within the city, without arrival at the market;
  • air ticket on the Kurilsk — Yuzhno-Kurilsk route: 
    • adult — 7,900 rubles.;
    • a child 2-12 years old — 4,450 rubles.;
  • ticket for the ship "Pavel Leonov" or "Admiral Nevelskoy" on the route Sakhalin Island (port Korsakov) — Kunashir Island (port Yuzhno-Kurilsk), travel time ~ 22 hours (place in the cabin class III, 4-bed with amenities):
    • adult — 5,080 rubles.;
    • child 2-12 years old — 3,690 rubles.;
  • ticket for the motor ship "Igor Farkhutdinov" on the route Kunashir Island (Yuzhno-Kurilsk port) — O. Iturup (Kurilsk), travel time ~20 hours:
    • a place in a cabin of 3 categories, 4-bed, facilities on deck:
      • adult — 2,650 rubles.;
      • a child 2-12 years old — 1,930 rubles.;
    • a place in the cabin of the 2nd category, 4-bed, cabin facilities:
      • adult — 3,350 rubles.;
      • a child 2-12 years old — 2,230 rubles.;
    • a place in the cabin of the 1st category, 2-bed, cabin facilities:
      • adult — 4,050 rubles.;
      • a child 2-12 years old — 2,630 rubles.;
    • a place in a luxury cabin, 2-bed, cabin amenities (2 rooms: living room + bedroom):
      • adult — 4,750 rubles.;
      • a child 2-12 years old — 2,975 rubles.;
  • meals on the ship, drinking water;
  • dinners on the island Iturup marked "independently";
  • surcharge for early check—in at the hotel - 50%/room/day;
  • the surcharge for late check—out from the hotel is 50%/room/day.

It's important to know

Personal equipment you need for the tour
  • photo camera;
  • warm and waterproof clothes;
  • jacket;
  • slates;
  • boots or waterproof shoes;
  • bathing suit;
  • mosquito repellents;
  • sun protection cream;
  • a headdress.
Registration of a pass to the Kuril Islands
The complexity of the routes on Kunashir Island
Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?
Are there any possible changes in the program?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification
  • $1,920
    29 Sep – 11 Oct, 2025 13 days 12 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now