Sakhalin — Kunashir

Breakfast at the hotel restaurant.

09:00 Departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk by bus. 

The journey time with stops is about 3 hours, 143 km in one direction. 

On the way, we will visit the Amber coast, where the sea throws out amber, Sakhalin has its own special type of amber — requenide.

Next, we will stop by to see the Japanese Torii gate, which was installed in front of Shinto temples.

An intermediate stop in the village of Vzmorye, where you can buy freshly caught crabs (boiled).

Arrival at Tikhaya Bay. 

A walk along the coast — lagoons, grottoes, gorges, and of course, the bird market on the island of "Noticeable".

Go up to the sea terraces, there is a magnificent panorama of the surroundings of the bay.

Lunch — traditional Korean Hemultan soup, freshly boiled crab, caviar, Far Eastern salads (Sakhalin wild plants), various snacks and Sakhalin tea with herbs and berries.

Rest.

In the evening, return to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (approximate time of return is 19:00). 

Dinner (on your own).

09:00 Transfer to Korsakov seaport.

10:00 Registration on the ship.

12:00 Departure of the ship to the South Kuril Islands. The ship is heading to Kunashir Island via Shikotan Island.

Lunch, as well as dinner on the ship (independently).

Flocks of dolphins accompany the ship all the way to the islands. Sometimes you can see killer whales and even whales.

18:00 Arrival in Yuzhno-Kurilsk (O. Kunashir). 

Meeting at the seaport, transfer to the hotel, accommodation. 

Meet the sunset on the Pacific coast with a glass of sparkling wine!

One of the business cards of Kunashir is the South Kuril Cape, where the abandoned lighthouse is located.

Transfer to the hotel.

Dinner at the cafe.

09:00 Breakfast at the cafe.

10:00 Visit to the Museum of Local Lore, guided tour of the museum.

11:00 Departure for the route "The Great fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano". 

The Mendeleev volcano, located in the southern part of Kunashir Island, belongs to a specially protected natural area and was awarded the status of a state natural monument in 1983. 

By public transport up to 17 km, then a trekking route of about 3 km in one direction. 

The route passes through a protected area. 

The nature of these places is unique. 

Centuries-old trees with trunks up to 2 meters in diameter, thickets of Kuril bamboo, the purest mountain streams.

Approach to the fumarole field.

Here you can feel the hot "breath" of the earth. 

Its surface looks more like a Martian landscape. 

Small and large smoking fumaroles, cedar elderberry and a view of the Hokkaido Mountains.

Parking is 2 hours. 

Lunch (lunch box). 

Optional bathing in wild hot springs. 

Return to the 17th kilometer. 

A trip to the cascade of waterfalls of the river Sour (swimming optional).

Return to Yuzhno-Kurilsk in the evening. 

Dinner at the cafe.

09:00 Breakfast at the cafe.

10:00 Departure towards the village of Golovnino (Veslovsky Peninsula). 

A journey with a stop at the observation deck for a short rest and take the most beautiful shots.

Upon arrival, parking at Golovninsky cliff for inspection and photography.

Transfer to the Golovnin caldera, Boiling and Hot lakes.

In the south of the island of Kunashir is the caldera of volcano Golovnin a— the southernmost volcano of the Kuril Ridge. 

This is an active volcano, the last eruption of which occurred already in historical times — around 1848. 

After a powerful eruption, the volcano exploded, forming a huge caldera, which eventually filled with water and formed two incredible lakes.

A 2.5–3 hour walk along a dirt road, about 7 km in one direction. 

The entire journey is accompanied by beautiful cedar elderberry fields.

The parking time in the caldera is about 2 hours. 

Lunch (lunch box).

The volcano is a caldera with a diameter of about 4 km, surrounded by a ridge (541 m).

There are four small domes and two crater lakes at the bottom of the caldera, Boiling and Hot.

The Golovnin volcano caldera is unique in its volcanic activity. 

A jet of superheated steam and boiling water can suddenly strike from the bottom of a Boiling Lake — an incredible sight!

One of the solfatarny fields of Goryachy Lake once spewed out a stream of liquid sulfur, which poured into the lake and froze there with a bizarre tongue. 

Swimming in the lake is "Hot".

Return to the hotel in the evening. 

Dinner at the cafe.

09:00 Breakfast at the cafe.

10:00 Departure for the route. 

Cape Columnar on Kunashir is one of the most amazing and unique places on earth, it is a unique geological formation that arose as a result of the petrification of basalt lava.

Having poured out of the mouth of the Mendeleev volcano more than 6 million years ago, lava got into the water column and, under the influence of certain temperatures, divided into absolutely regular 5-6-sided columns, and then rose from the ocean to the surface. 

Residents of Kunashir say, "Whoever has not seen Cape Columnar has not seen Kunashir."

Ecological trail "Stolbovskaya", exit to the coast. 

Inspection of rocks of volcanic origin. The cape, open on three sides, is located on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. 

Beautiful "aquariums" and lagoons with crystal clear azure water.

Majestic "organs" made of solidified lava. 

Return to Yuzhno-Kurilsk, visit the thermal springs of Goryachy Ploshchad (slightly acidic, carbon dioxide-nitrogen, sulfate-chloride-sodium waters with a high content of methane, boron, bromine).

Return to the hotel in the evening.

Dinner at the cafe.

Breakfast at the cafe. 

12:00 Transfer to the seaport of Yuzhno-Kurilsk. 

13:00 Registration on the ship.

After checking the tickets and documents, we board the ship and enter the lobby, where there is a check-in desk and staff check passengers into the appropriate cabins.

14:00 Departure of the ship to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Korsakov port).

Lunch and dinner on the ship (independently).

20:00 Arrival of the ship to the port of Korsakov (Sakhalin Island).

Meeting at the port, transfer to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, hotel accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel restaurant.

09:00 Departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in prepared jeeps.

The journey time is approximately 3 hours (100 km one way, difficult road) with stops at observation decks.

Walking along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk — magnificent stone arches, columns and kekurs created by wind and sea waves, grottos and bird markets are of amazing beauty.

Lunch — fish soup, snacks, Far Eastern salads (Sakhalin wild plants) and, of course, real Sakhalin tea.

Free time.

Return to the hotel in the evening.

Dinner (on your own).

In our free time, we suggest visiting on your own.:

• Victory Memorial and Museum Complex (on Victory Square). 
• Sakhalin Museum of Local Lore is located in a building built in 1937 for the museum of the Karafuto Governorate in the forms of Japanese medieval architecture, built in the style of "teikan-zukuri" — this is the only building in this style in Russia.
• Cathedral of the Nativity — admire the giant mosaics made of Jerusalem stones, and the mosaic painting of the Savior is the largest in the world. The frescoes were made by the best Russian icon painters, and you can use them to study the entire history of Christianity.
• Souvenir shops and a fish market.

It is also possible to go on a day trip to the Aniva lighthouse or the Busse Lagoon lake.

Lunch and dinner on your own.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Room release.

Visit to the fish market.

Transfer to A.P. Chekhov Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport for the recommended flights (departure at 11:45 and 15:00).