Big Country Travel: Trips to Russia, Adventure Tours & Vacation Packages

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Immerse yourself in an unforgettable trip to Sakhalin and Kunashir — the very places where beautiful nature harmoniously combines with rich history and gastronomic diversity.

Picturesque landscapes, majestic volcanoes, hot springs and unique traditions await you.

Every minute on these islands brings discoveries: from hiking trails among dense vegetation to relaxing thermal baths.

This is a journey for those whose soul craves new emotions and real beauty!

Location

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Sightseeing tours

from

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

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Tour highlights

Fresh seafood

Take part in a master class on opening oysters and taste freshly caught seafood

Mud baths and thermal springs

Relax and unwind in the healthy waters

Great photos

You will be able to make impressive shots that will decorate your photo collection and capture emotions

The greatness of the volcano's caldera

Appreciate the power of nature at the sight of lakes, where hot water emissions, thick steam and constantly changing water color create an impressive picture

An exciting ecotrope

You will feel like an explorer of the plant diversity and the interweaving of streams of different temperatures

Picturesque lighthouse

You will see the original Aniva Lighthouse, which is a complex technical project of the Karafuto period and an outstanding achievement in the practice of lighthouse construction

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival to Sakhalin. 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). The start is approximately at 15:00, the exact time will be indicated two days before the tour.
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.
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.
We will discuss the details of the trip over dinner.
Transfer to the hotel after dinner. Rest.

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Day 2 - Departure to Kunashir
Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
Delivery of rooms.
08:00 Departure to the seaport of Korsakov.
10:00 Check-in and boarding the ship.
12:00 Departure to Kunashir Island (t/x Admiral Nevelskoy or t/x Pavel Leonov).
Travel time is ~ 21 hours.
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", so always have cash with you.
Day 3 - Arrival by sea to Kunashir Island. The fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano. A walk along the coast
09:00 Approach to Yuzhno-Kurilsk (Kunashir island). Disembarkation.
Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at the hotel.
10:30 Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
11:00 Departure for a tour of the fumarole field of the Mendeleev volcano.
An active volcano in the southern part of Kunashir Island. It was named in honor of the outstanding Russian chemist D. I. Mendeleev in 1946. A complex stratovolcano with a central extrusive dome.
There are many fumaroles and hot springs on the slopes of the volcano, the surface of the slopes is covered with coniferous-deciduous forests with dense undergrowth of Kuril bamboo and cedar elfin. The status of a state monument of nature was assigned to it in 1983.
11:30 Arrival at the beginning of the trail. Exit to the fumarole field on foot.
12:30 Arrival at the fumarole field. Visual inspection.
A walk through the field. PHOTOSESSION.
13:30 Bathing in the thermal stream of the Mendeleev volcano.
15:00 Camping snack (tea brewed in nature, vegetable, meat, fish, bread, cookies, apple).
16:00 Return trip to the parking lot.
17:30 Departure to Yuzhno-Kurilsk.
18:00 Walk along the coast, sightseeing of the coast, kekura "Devil's finger" and "Devil's Gate".
19:00 Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel cafe.
Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, mosquito repellent, bathing accessories, towel, cotton gloves, in adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and rubber boots.
Please note! In the area of the fumarole field, precautions must be taken, be sure to follow the instructions of the attendant – you can fall into the fumarole, get chemical burns.
The route is of medium difficulty. 17 km by road from Yuzhno-Kurilsk, 3 km one-way from the road to the fumarole field over rough terrain. The duration of the tour is 6-7 hours.

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Day 4 - The caldera of the Golovnin volcano. The Lake Is Boiling. The lake is hot
09:00 Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
09:30 Departure for an excursion to the Caldera of the Golovnin volcano, Boiling Lake, Hot lake.
Golovnin Caldera (caldera is a cauldron–shaped depression with steep slopes and a flat bottom, formed as a result of the collapse of the top of the volcano).
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 the eruption of the volcano.
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 constantly changing water color create an impressive picture!
Another excursion for hiking enthusiasts (don't forget to take trekking poles)!
A lot of emotions are 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!
10:00 Stop at the observation deck overlooking the Golovninsky cliff.
10:30 Arrival at the beginning of the trail.
Exit to the caldera on foot.
During the crossing, stop at the observation deck overlooking 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.
13:00 Arrival at the cordon of the reserve.
Camping snack (tea from a thermos, vegetable, meat, fish cuts, bread, cookies, apple).
14:00 Exit to the lakes in the caldera.
Visual inspection. Ascent to the observation deck.
Passage along the "hot" trail of the Boiling Lake.
15:00 Reception of mud baths in the Boiling lake.
Swimming in the Hot lake.
16:00 Departure on the way back to the parking lot.
18:00 Departure to Yuzhno-Kurilsk.
19:00 Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel cafe.
Attention! In the area of the fumarole zone on the lake. When boiling, precautions must be taken, it is necessary to step in the wake of the accompanying person – you can fall into hot mud, get chemical burns. You can swim and take mud baths only in certain places.
Important information: from Yuzhno-Kurilsk to the reserve, we travel by car, then follow on foot to the caldera of the Golovnin volcano. The total duration of the walking trip is ~ 16 km (round trip).
Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have comfortable sneakers or trekking shoes, mosquito repellent, bathing accessories, a towel, in case of adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and raincoats for shoes.

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Day 5 - Boat trip to Rogachev Island
09:00 Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
10:00 Departure for a boat trip to Rogachev Island.
Transfer by car to the Pacific coast of the island, in the area of Cape Devil's Finger.
10:20 Transfer by boat across the Pacific Ocean to Rogachev Island (about 30 km).
The Pacific coast of Kunashir Island attracts with the opportunity to take a closer look at the very island that is familiar to everyone who has seen pictures of the Tyata volcano.
The north of the island is rarely visited due to the lack of a highway, but it is there, in the northern part of the island, that the Good Key tract and the Chaika hot spring are located.
Moving by boat along the coast, you will see the rugged shores of the island, alternating dark coniferous and light-green deciduous forests, and many waterfalls.
There is a high probability of seeing bears coming out into the open spaces of the coast in search of food, and marine life in the sea — dolphins, porpoises, killer whales, seals.
On the route you will meet a lot of interesting birds: ten species of seagulls, three species of cormorants, an axe (sea parrot), a puffin rhinoceros, a petrel, an albatross, etc.
13:00 On the way back, swimming in the hot springs "Chaika".
14:00 Lunch with seafood on the coast.
15:00 Departure on the way back.
16:00 Transfer to ground transport. Transfer to the hotel.
18:00 Dinner at the hotel cafe.
Recommendations: on this route, it is advisable to have bathing suits, bath slippers, a small backpack for carrying bathing accessories, sunscreen (UV filter), repellent, motion sickness pills, waterproof clothing and shoes.

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Day 6 - Stolbovskaya ecological trail, mud therapeutic thermal springs. Cape Columnar. Departure from Kunashir
09:00 Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
10:00 Departure to the ecological trail and the Stolbovskiye mud therapeutic thermal springs.
10:30 Arrival at the beginning of the trail. Exit to the trail.
Along the trail you will descend to a tangle of streams of different temperatures. The water from the streams is mixed in a depression in the ground, here you can take a warm sodium chloride mineral bath.
Nearby, a larger recess is filled with hot mineral mud. The place is called Stolbovsky thermal springs.
It is necessary to soak up in the lake with thermal mud, rinse with the mineral water of the stream! All the fatigue of the past days will be removed by hand.
11:00 Approach to the thermal springs. Swimming.
12:00 Exit to Cape Columnar along the seashore.
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.
13:00 Approach to the clamp. The transition of the clamp on the rock.
Inspection of Cape Columnar: "Organ", "Turtle", "Paving stone". PHOTOSESSION.
15:00 Exit along the seashore to the lunch place.
16:00 Lunch of fresh Kuril delicacies by the sea.
Relaxing by the sea. Those who wish can swim.
17:30 Boarding the vehicle. Transfer to Yuzhno-Kurilsk.
18:00 Return to the hotel.
18:00 Dinner at the hotel cafe.
19:00 Transfer to the port.
19:30 Boarding the ship.
22:00 Departure from Kunashir Island (t/x Admiral Nevelskoy or t/x Pavel Leonov). Travel time is ~ 22 hours.
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 adverse weather conditions, do not forget to take a raincoat and rubber boots.
Please note! Driving by car to the exit point of the route, then walking 3 km along the path downhill. Next, go ashore, 30 minutes along the coastline, then press down the cliff or cross the cliff along the trail, 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, lunch. Return by car to Yuzhno-Kurilsk.
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 7 - Arrival at the port of Korsakov (O.Sakhalin). Transfer to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
20:00 Arrival at the seaport of Korsakov.
20:30 Meeting of the group in the arrival area.
21:00 Transfer to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
22:00 Arrival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Accommodation in hotels.
Day 8 - Aniva Lighthouse and lunch with oysters at Busse Lagoon
05:45 Car pickup at the hotel, departure to the place of the general gathering of the group at the Aniva lighthouse.
Important! The night before, order your breakfast with you at the hotel reception.
06:00 Departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Novikovo village.
08:30 Arrival in the village. Novikovo. Briefing, preparation for going to sea.
09:00 Departure to the sea from Novikovo village on PVC motorboats.
11:00 Arrival at Aniva Lighthouse. Sea circumvention of the rock with a lighthouse. PHOTOSESSION.
The Aniva Lighthouse (yap. Naka — Siretokomisaki) was established in 1939 on a small Sea Lion rock, near the inaccessible rocky cape Aniva.
It is not only the most original and complex technical project of the Karafuto period, but also an outstanding world achievement in the practice of lighthouse construction at that time.
The need to build a lighthouse was due to unpredictable treacherous currents, mixing the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk and Aniva Bay, frequent fogs and rocky banks.
12:00 Transfer to Cape Marble.
During sea crossings, we can meet sea lions, seals, dolphins and killer whales.
13:00 Arrival at Cape Marble. A walk, a photo shoot.
13:30 Departure to the village. Novikovo.
14:30 Arrival in the village. Novikovo. Preparation for departure to the village of Muravyovo (laguna Busse).
14:45 Transfer to Busse Lagoon.
15:15 Arrival at the lagoon coast.
A master class on opening oysters.
PHOTOSESSION.
Lunch of freshly caught seafood and wild oysters.
You will have an exciting journey to a unique "restaurant" of seafood cuisine with tasting of wild oysters, completely unique in their taste qualities, which you can try only on Sakhalin.
In the menu:
1/2 glass of wine;
fresh scallop;
red caviar;
sliced fish;
wild oysters with lemon and signature oyster sauce;
baked oysters with cheese and garlic;
Sakhalin Childhood dish (seasonal fish baked in burdock leaves);
Sakhalin ear;
fresh vegetables;
Morse;
tea/coffee.
18:00 Transfer from Busse Lagoon to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
20:00 The end of the tour.
Return to the hotel or to the gathering place.
Attention!
While on board a swimming vehicle, you must adhere to generally accepted norms of behavior, not create dangerous or threatening situations. A life jacket must be worn, if you are seasick, you must take a medication for motion sickness. During excursions, take care of cultural and historical monuments, as well as take care of nature.
A boat trip depends entirely on the mercy of the sea. In case of bad weather conditions and inability to go to sea, the boat trip will be canceled or replaced with an auto tour.
Recommendations:
Aniva Lighthouse — on this route, on the way by boat by sea, do not forget to take a raincoat, hat, cotton gloves.
Lunch with oysters: take your favorite wine with you. Dry white wine, prosecco and brut go well with oysters.

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Day 9 - The end of the program. Departure from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
07:00 Breakfast in the hotel restaurant or cafe (if breakfast is included in the room rate). Delivery of rooms.
Transfer to the airport with the opportunity to visit (by prior arrangement) the fish market.
Check-in of rooms before 12:00. Late check-out is possible with a 50% surcharge/room/day.
Transfer to the airport.

Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Tour organizer's comments

Physical fitness and the absence of problems with the musculoskeletal system are important. The walking distance can be up to 20 km per day.

Accommodation

Hotel

3 nights

Comfort

Midscale
Upscale
Premium

The tour provides accommodation for 3 nights in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in one of the hotels to choose from, 3 nights on Kunashir Island in standard rooms with amenities per block at the Iceberg Hotel (building 1) and 2 nights in a cabin on the Pavel Leonov or Admiral Nevelskoy motor ship.

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

Hotels	Double occupancy	Single occupancy	Child under 12 years old in double occupancy
Squirrel 3*	142 858	12 700	139 858
Mega Palace Hotel 4*	146 618	14 400	143 618

Belka Hotel

A three-star hotel with an interesting name "Belka" is located in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

The hotel has 46 rooms of various capacities and comfort levels. Each room is equipped with comfortable furniture, which makes your stay as comfortable as possible. Each room has a private bathroom and a shower cabin.

Breakfast is served every morning in the hotel's restaurant. Lunch and dinner can be ordered for an additional fee or visit nearby cafes and restaurants.

The Regional Museum of Local Lore, the Chekhov Theater Center and the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ are in the immediate vicinity of the hotel.

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Another option

Mega Palace Hotel

This hotel is located on the Far Eastern Russian island of Sakhalin, at the foot of the Susunai Mountains.

Mega Palace Hotel is a multi—storey building where you will find modern rooms and apartments with antique-style furniture.

Each room has a safe, a minibar and cable TV.

The spa area includes a fitness center, hot tub and sauna.

In the evening, you can spend time in a karaoke bar or a nightclub where DJs perform.

A buffet breakfast is served every morning.

The Marquis Restaurant serves Russian, European and Japanese cuisine, while Serbian cuisine can be tasted at the Grill in the Sky restaurant. The hotel also has an Asian restaurant "Asia" and a Japanese restaurant BamBoo.

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

The center of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk can be reached in 15 minutes.

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Another option

The Iceberg Hotel

The Iceberg Hotel is a complex of two buildings located side by side at a distance of 30 meters from each other at 5 Okeanskaya Street in Yuzhno-Kurilsk. This street is one of the central ones and is characterized by a good location, a calm atmosphere and a comfortable personal space.

The street runs along the high shore of the Pacific Ocean. The distance from the hotel building to the shore is about 50 meters.

In the vicinity you can find a museum of local lore, enjoy the picturesque views of the island's nature and visit many more interesting places.

Each guest is provided with a towel and slippers. Free Wi-Fi is also available on site.

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Another option

Cabin on the ship "Pavel Leonov"/"Admiral Nevelskoy"

A place in a four-person cabin with Class III amenities.

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Tour conditions

Group

up to 17 tourists

Minimum age

9 years old

Duration

9 days 8 nights

Group meets at

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Included in price

guided tours according to the program;
transfers according to the program;
accommodation in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the selected hotel;
accommodation on Kunashir Island: standard rooms with amenities per block at the Iceberg Hotel (building 1);
meals specified in the program (6 breakfasts + 1 breakfast with you, 3 lunches, 2 camping snacks, 5 dinners);
transportation services on the routes;
accompanied by professional instructors on all routes;
registration of permits for staying in the border zone on Kunashir Island;
accident insurance, insurance coverage up to 100,000 rubles.

Paid extra

flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
meals on the ship, drinking water;
tickets for the Pavel Leonov or Admiral Nevelskoy motor ship (ticket price for the 2024 motor ship. In case of an increase in the ticket price by the supplier, the difference is paid additionally):
- along the route of Sakhalin (Korsakov port) — Kunashir Island (a place in a four-person cabin with Class III amenities):
  - adult — 5700 rubles/person.;
  - child (2-12 years old) — 4,300 rubles/person.;
- on the route Kunashir Island (Yuzhno-Kurilsk port) — O. Sakhalin (Korsakov port) (a place in a four-person cabin with Class III amenities):
  - adult — 5700 rubles/person.;
  - child (2-12 years old) — 4,300 rubles/person.

It's important to know

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;
- rubber slippers for walking on a rocky bottom in water;
- bath slippers;

Additionally:

mosquito repellent;
towel;
raincoat and rubber boots (in adverse weather conditions);
a small backpack for carrying bathing accessories;
sunscreen;
motion sickness pills;

Documents:

passport, voucher;
medical insurance policy;
insurance policy;
birth certificate (if a child is flying with you).

Dates and Prices

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25 Jul – 2 Aug 9 days 8 nights

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8 – 16 Aug 9 days 8 nights

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5 – 13 Sep 9 days 8 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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Unknown Sakhalin and Kunashir — the "black" island of the Kuril Ridge

Location

Tour highlights

Itinerary

Accommodation

Tour conditions

Included in price

Paid extra

It's important to know

Dates and Prices

Reviews

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