Trip Overview
Length:
10 days / 8 days kayaking
Difficulty:
4 / 5
Price:
€ 3350
Location:
Kamchatka, Russia
Dates:
2022 - July 1st to 10th
What makes this trip special
- 8 days of remote wilderness paddling
- Volcanic peninsula and geography
- Exposed coastline
- Sea caves and arches
- Abundant wildlife including whales, sea lions, sea otter, bears and a plethora of sea birds
- Russian culture
The Tour
We will paddle the remote coastline of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Daily views include smoking volcanoes, snow covered peaks, beautiful blue green waters and the wide open pacific ocean to the east.
We will paddle exposed coastline, travelling through wind and swell. The majority of the trip will be paddling along cliff walls or past expansive white sand beaches. Sea otter, sea lions and seals will be a regular occurrence, and sea birds in the thousands will greet us as we paddle past cliff faces. We will encounter the Kamchatka Brown Bear and share the same waters with orca, humpback and minke whales.
Experience the Russian culture of Kamchatka through our local guide and through the Russian characters we will meet along the way.
The Place
Based in the far east of Russia, Kamchatka is a 1250 kilometre long peninsula. It contains abundant wildlife and dramatic landscapes. Kamchatka is home to 160 volcanoes, 29 of which are active, granting the peninsula its title “Land of Fire and Ice”.
Wildlife is abundant in Kamchatka, Eurasia’s largest population of brown bear is found here living off the thick vegetation and one of the world’s largest wild salmon stocks.
The Peninsula’s surrounding waters contain a healthy population of seals and sea lions as well as humpback, grey and orca whales. Human habitation is sparse in Kamchatka and the best way to explore this region is by kayak.
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The Weather
The weather in the summer can change dramatically as this area is exposed to the Pacific Ocean. Temperature can range from 10C-18C during the day. Winds can whip up quickly on the exposed coast. We will experience a variety of ocean conditions on this trip. Large swell and strong currents, strong winds as well as protected bays where the ocean is mirror calm.
The Sea Kayaking
We will experience every sort of paddling condition during this trip. Paddlers must be experienced expedition kayakers and very comfortable paddling in a variety of conditions. We may paddle in 10ft swell 20 knot winds, and strong ocean currents. This is a cold water environment where weather can change very fast. Paddlers must be familiar with surf landings and launches and be able to spend hours at a time in the boat.
What's Included
- Airport pick and transfer to guesthouse
- All breakfast, lunches and dinners starting on Day 2 of the trip through to lunch on Day 10
- Expedition kayaks, paddles, life jackets and safety equipment
- Dedicated kayak guide
- Guided walks and land excursions
- First and last night in Petropavlovsk
- Sailboat pickup and transit back to Petropavlovsk
What's Not Included
- Any flights
- Meals on Day 1
- Alcoholic beverages
- Travel insurance
- 10L personal dry bag for sunscreen, snacks, camera etc.
- Camping equipment
Trip Itinerary
Our itinerary will ultimately be determined by the weather and sea conditions.
Meeting location:
You will be met at the airport in Petropavlovsk by the Guesthouse staff.
DAY 1
We will meet at the Bay House Guesthouse in Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka.
Check in available after 2pm. Your guide will meet you at the guesthouse. We will meet at 5pm for a trip briefing and kayak outfitting with a group dinner to follow.
Overnight group hotel. Dinner.
DAY 2
After breakfast at the hostel, we will make our way to a local beach where we will pack our boats for the journey. We will paddle east to the mouth of Avacha Bay. Our first campsite is in a small, silent bay. The south side of Avacha Bay has caves and statue rocks for paddlers to marvel at, as well as incredible rock formations. We will encounter many sea birds such as murres and cormorants.
Camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
DAY 3
We will awake with views looking back over Petropavlovsky and two volcanoes that stand watch over the city. We will exit Avacha Bay and paddle past more caves and sea stacks, giant rock fingers that rise directly out of the ocean waters. We will see hundreds of Puffins flying by and fishing in the ocean. We will spend the night on Starichkov Island (weather depending), a sea bird nesting site. Gulls, terns, puffins, sea eagles, murres, guillemots all nest on this Island.
Camping. B-L-D
DAY 4
Today the volcano Vilyushinsky will be a constant sight as we paddle beneath massive cliffs and enjoy the sight of 1000 m waterfalls cascading from snowy peaks to the oceans surface. We will spend the night in Vilyuchinskaya Bay. This is a protected bay with a lovely short hike to a lookout tower and fields of wild flowers.
Camping. B-L-D
DAY 5
We will awake to incredible views of Vilyuchinsky Volcano, a 2500 Meter volcano rising up out of a gentle valley. The volcano dominates the landscape, and it is hard to tear your eyes away from this monolith. Each paddle stroke brings us closer to the massive volcano at the head of the Bay. Incredible granite and basalt formations line the entrance to the bay, and we may encounter a grizzly bear foraging along the shoreline as we paddle towards the volcano. We will spend a second night in Vilyuchinskaya Bay.
Camping. B-L-D
DAY 6
We will say goodbye to Vilyushinsky Bay and continue our paddle southward. Massive cliffs and black pebble beaches will great us around each corner. The rock gardening along this shoreline is incredible. We will camp in Tihirka Bay, and enjoy the solitude of being in Kamchatka.
Camping. B-L-D
DAY 7
Today we will paddle the outer coastline, under 1000m cliff faces, rock gardening. We will encounter our second sea lion haul out, where we can hear the sea lions roaring for miles! There are many special surprises during today’s paddle and we will visit them all! We will spend the night in Russkaya Bay, which has a rich history.
Camping. B-L-D
DAY 8
Today we will explore Russkaya Bay. The shoreline boasts waterfalls to the ocean and incredible rock formations along the way. We can take a short hike to a beautiful waterfall viewpoint and explore two abandoned ships.
Camping. B-L-D
DAY 9
Our last day paddle is one of the most incredible of the trip. We will have the opportunity to watch sea lions in their natural habitat, hauled out on their favourite rock in the sun! Around the corner massive caves beckon the brave! Our campsite tonight is a big open beach, with incredible views of the rising sun.
Camping. B-L-D
DAY 10
We will spend the day sailing back to Petropavlovsk, enjoying the views along the way and reminiscing about all the sights and sounds during our kayak expedition.
End of Trip
We will finish the trip in Petropavlovsk at the Bay House Guesthouse. Accommodation is included. Dinner is not included.
Accommodation
This trip is a wilderness camping based expedition. The highlights of our tent based expeditions are sleeping under the stars, total flexibility in our route plan depending on weather and group desires, as well as self sufficiency during the trip. Tent based trips offer an intimacy with the natural environment that we don’t experience anywhere else in our modern everyday lives. Waking up to the sights and sounds of the wilderness offer a peace and tranquility to each day. Ending the day around a campfire, watching the sun go down and the stars come out is one of the highlights of these trips.
Each evening we will set up tents in a different location along our route and spend the night in a beautiful wilderness setting. The requirements for our evening campsites are beautiful views, water front property, and some sort of beach for ease of access with our kayaks.
Each campsite will consist of an area where we set up tents, a separate kitchen area where our dining tarp and kitchen are set up and a designated wilderness “bathroom”.
Photo Gallery
Route Map
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the meals like on this trip?
Will we encounter rain on our trip?
What sort of winds will we encounter while paddling?
Will we encounter Swell during the trip?
What is the average air temperature?
What is the average ocean Temperature?
What sort of kayak will we be paddling?
What kind of paddles will be used?
What is a typical day like on the trip?
What sort of distances will we paddle each day?
How many hours will we paddle each day?
Will we encounter mosquitos?
Trip Reviews
Basil Caffery- Coolum Australia, 2017
If you never never go, you never never know, Kamchatka the land of fire and ice is this type of place. With Angela of Expedition Engineering and a Russian Guide, a group of us kayaked out of Petropavlovsk into the Bering Sea, paddling south for eight days along the snow-capped rugged and spectacular coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The kayaking was easy, at a casual pace never knowing what we would encounter from one headland to the next as we chanced upon otters, sea lions, orcas, dolphins etc. Bird life was prolific on the rocky outcrops, amongst the cliffs and numerous waterfalls. We had camp sites to ourselves in stunning bays with fire wood abundant. There were chances to stretch our legs and get amongst the fauna during short walks on dry land and snow. The one way paddle was capped off with a few beers on Liberty the pickup yacht as we sailed back to Petropavlovsk to take on further adventures in the land of fire and ice.
Robert Falloon – Melbourne Australia 2017
Really enjoyed the journey, paddling next to the huge coastal cliffs with long plunging waterfalls and soaring snow covered volcanoes beyond. The constant close encounters with marine and bird life were fantastic as were the campsites and meeting locals at remote fishing camps.
Brett Ross-Australia
“What an amazing part of the world. Pristine wilderness, rugged coastlines, soaring cliffs, snow-capped volcanoes, isolated bays, and an abundance of wild life. Our small crew of 6 departed Petropavlovsk for an 8 day adventure into the unknown down the remote East coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, and it didn’t disappoint. As we casually paddled from bay to bay, around exposed headlands and amongst rocky outcrops, we were greeted by an abundance of bird and marine live, ranging from puffins and sea eagles, to sea otters and orcas. Even the occasional bear would make an appearance on the remote beaches. Camping was easy with a multitude of bays and beaches to choose from, all with million dollar views of the unspoilt waters and coastline. From time to time we would encounter the occasional local Russian inhabiting isolated fishing camps, who were happy to share their stories of life in Kamchatka over a Vodka or two. There was even the opportunity to experience a traditional Bunya the Russian way. As for our guides, Angela and Ivan, they couldn’t be more accommodating and helpful. The food was tasty and filling, kayaks were comfortable, and late nite banter memorable. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone wishing to experience one of the world’s most pristine wilderness areas overlooked by so many.”
Application Form
Once you’ve filled out our online application form we will contact you within 24 hours. Our follow up email will include the detailed trip notes.
We’ll also send you a medical form. This helps us make any necessary preparations, it does not exclude you from the trip. To secure the booking we require a 500 Euro deposit for each person. If you’d prefer to contact us directly we can be reached at info@expeditionengineering.com or at +12502662515
We’d be happy to discuss different trip options and help you find the perfect expedition holiday.
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