Sightseeing tour to Sakhalin and Iturup

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

The traveler will discover truly fantastic landscapes: volcanoes and hot springs, ships washed ashore and abandoned armored vehicles, monuments — traces of the Japanese, low trees and tall grass as tall as a man. 

Be prepared for the abundance of seafood on the menu. Shrimp, crab, scallop and salmon are all really fresh and cooked according to local recipes. 

But the main wealth of these places is the people who will accompany you on the route.

Location

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
from
$1,206
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
7 Days
6 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • Dates for next season
    • 13 – 19 July, 2025
    • 20 – 26 July, 2025
    • 27 July – 2 August, 2025
    • 3 – 9 August, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    3 nights
  • or
    Guest House, Hotel
    3 nights
Comfort
  • Basic+
  • Midscale
  • Upscale
  • Premium
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
Up to 25 people
Minimum age
7 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

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Let's get acquainted with the Far Eastern city and its history on a sightseeing tour
Yankito Plateau
Let's see the bizarre creation of the volcano Bogdan Khmelnitsky
Wellness holidays
Take a dip in the healing thermal springs
White Rocks
Let's admire the fabulous pumice mountains
Oyster hunting
Let's go to a unique seafood "restaurant" with wild oyster tasting
Waterfall "Maiden braids"
We will go into the depths of the bay, where there is a waterfall 10 m high in a picturesque canyon.

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Sightseeing tour of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

    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 those distant times. 

    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 (Attention! 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 to O. Iturup
  • Day 3 - A boat trip along the coast. Sailing Bay. Sopochnoe Lake. White rocks. Hot Water thermal springs
  • Day 4 - Jeep tour to Kasatka Bay. A mirrored beach. The Devil's Rock
  • Day 5 - Jeep tour to the foot of the Baransky volcano. Departure from Kurilsk to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
  • Day 6 - Aniva Lighthouse and lunch with oysters in Busse Lagoon
  • Day 7 - The end of the program. Departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    3 nights
  • or
    Guest House, Hotel
    3 nights
Comfort
  • Basic+
  • Midscale
  • Upscale
  • Premium

The tour includes accommodation:

  • in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, a hotel to choose from;
  • on the fr. Iturup, standard rooms in the guest house "Kasatka", in the hotel "Iturup" or similar.

There are air tickets for arrival on September 1-7, a tour with non-standard accommodation on Iturup Island is possible.

The cost of the tour for 1 person with different accommodation options, RUB.:

The hotel in 
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
For double occupancySurcharge for single occupancyChild under 12 years old in double occupancy
"Mega Palace" 4*131 45817 000128 458
"Squirrel" 3*129 21815 000126 218

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

Belka Hotel  or Mega Palace Hotel  3 nights
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
Mega Palace Hotel 

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 in 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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Kasatka Guest House or Iturup Hotel 3 nights

Tour conditions

Group
up to 25 tourists
Minimum age
7 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 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, a hotel to choose from;
  • accommodation on the island Iturup, standard rooms in the guest house "Kasatka", in the hotel "Iturup" or similar;
  • meals specified in the program;
  • transportation services on the routes;
  • accompanied by professional instructors on all routes;
  • entrance tickets to museums and springs;
  • registration of permits for staying in the border zone on the island. Iturup;
  • accident insurance, insurance coverage up to 100,000 rubles.;
  • raincoat.

Paid extra

  • flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
  • air tickets on the route: Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk — Kurilsk — Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (surcharge when booking a tour):
    • adult — 14,800 rubles/person.;
    • children (2-12 years old) - 7,900 rubles/person.;
  • meals on the island Iturup, indicated in the program marked "independently";
  • additional payment for a guaranteed room with amenities in the guest house "Kasatka" — 4,500 rubles/room;
  • 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

Camping equipment:

  • clothes:
    • a warm sweater;
    • warm wool socks;
    • windbreaker;
    • windproof and waterproof jacket;
    • raincoat;
    • 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 a tenacious sole or trekking boots, waterproof sneakers;
    • sandals for walking on water, slates.

A raincoat and raincoats for shoes will be issued before the start of the tour.

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

Documents:

  • passport, voucher;
  • medical insurance policy;
  • insurance policy;
  • birth certificate (if a child is flying with you).
What is necessary to obtain passes to the Kuril Islands?
Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?
What time is it on Sakhalin?
What mobile operators are there on Sakhalin?
What is the weather like on Sakhalin?
Are there any possible changes?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification
  • from
    $1,206
    13 – 19 Jul, 2025 7 days 6 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $1,206
    20 – 26 Jul, 2025 7 days 6 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $1,206
    27 Jul – 2 Aug, 2025 7 days 6 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $1,206
    3 – 9 Aug, 2025 7 days 6 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $1,206
    10 – 16 Aug, 2025 7 days 6 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now

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
    2 more photos