Kamchatka in winter. What to see, tours, vacations

There are a large number of glaciers, active and extinct volcanoes, and geysers on the territory of the Kamchatka Peninsula. There are also many hot springs, stormy rivers and lakes.

Such a variety of natural attractions has led to the development of tourism in this region, which in winter provides both extreme entertainment and accessible to tourists without special physical training.

The region is 1,200 km long and 500 km wide. It was established on July 1, 2007, and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is considered its administrative center. In total, the Kamchatka Territory has a total area of about 465,000 square kilometers, it is considered the largest region in Russia and occupies about 3% of the area of the entire country.

Due to the difficult climate, the area is sparsely populated, there are 0.2% of the total population of the Russian Federation, according to the last census, about 345,000 people live here.

Location and how to get there

The region is located in the northeast. Kamchatka is informally called the “edge of geography”, and in some cases the name of the region is used to characterize some very remote place.

The geographical coordinates of the location of Kamchatka are 54°51’00” s.w. and 99°39’00” v.d. or 54.00000, 99.6500000. The altitude of the region above sea level is 489 m.

Due to its shape, Kamchatka has the status of a natural boundary between the Pacific Ocean and the Okhotsk and Bering Seas.

On the eastern side of the peninsula are the Commander Islands, on the southern side the peninsula enters the Sakhalin region and the Kuril Ridge. Kamchatka is adjacent to the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug on the north side of the land area, and to the Magadan Region in the northwest.

The Kamchatka Peninsula, together with the Karaginsky and Komandorsky Islands, formed a separate subject of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District called the Kamchatka Territory.

Access to the remote region is possible only by air. There is an airport in the city of Yelizovo, located at a distance of 30 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Passenger planes from Russian cities arrive here:

• Moscow;
• St. Petersburg;
• Magadan;
• Vladivostok;
• Krasnodar;
• Krasnoyarsk;
• Novosibirsk;
• Khabarovsk;
• Rostov-on-Don.

The flight from the central part of the country to Kamchatka will take about 8 hours.

Winter weather

The climatic conditions in the region are strongly influenced by the proximity of the Pacific Ocean, the Bering and Okhotsk seas. They act on seasonal temperature fluctuations and make Kamchatka a real coastal sea city.

The weather conditions on the peninsula are oceanic, mild, characterized by a large amount of precipitation, up to 2,000 mm during the year. The height of snowfall on the peninsula can reach 3 m, the average temperature in the winter season is about -16.5 ° C.

There is no severe cold on the southern side of the peninsula in winter. On the northern side of the peninsula and in areas remote from the ocean and seas, climatic conditions have a pronounced continentality.

The air temperature here can drop to -40 ° C, the resulting climate is greatly influenced by the vast land areas on the Asian mainland and the location of the seas beyond the mountain ranges. The winter period in this region is longer than in the central regions of Russia.

A distinctive feature of the climate is strong winds and the ability of weather conditions to change many times in one day. Strong seasonal climatic fluctuations occur due to the great distance from the equator.

Recreation options

Kamchatka is popular in winter among fans of an active lifestyle. There is a unique ecosystem on the peninsula. Due to certain climatic conditions, active entertainment related to winter sports is most popular here.

Recreation centers

Kamchatka is a popular tourist destination, especially in demand during the winter season. For this reason, a large number of recreation centers are open on the territory of the peninsula.

The most visited of them are:

Attractions

Kamchatka is very picturesque in winter. The peninsula is characterized by pristine nature, there are state reserves, natural parks and nature reserves. Almost all protected areas can be visited for free, the costs will be mainly for the services of an escort.

Valley of Geysers

The famous Valley of Geysers can be called the hallmark of Kamchatka. The Far Eastern landmark has retained its pristine beauty due to its inaccessibility. You can view the unique phenomenon from a helicopter.

This is one of the largest geyser fields in the world, the uniqueness of which is explained by the presence here of all known varieties of thermal phenomena:

• burning sources;
• floating springs;
• streams;
• waterfalls;
• geysers
• hot lakes;
• warm lakes.

Volcanoes and hills

The Kamchatka Peninsula consists of numerous mountain peaks and volcanic terrain. Currently, 28 volcanoes are active, 141 are extinct. Almost 18% of the area is considered protected here, 6 volcanoes in Kamchatka are included in the list of World Heritage Sites.

“Homemade” volcanoes

“Home” volcanoes on the territory of Kamchatka are formations that are visible from almost any area of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

The complex includes:

• The Kazan volcano;
• Avacha hill;
• Koryak hill;
• Vilyuchinsky volcano;
• Mutnovsky volcano.

The fastest and most comfortable way to get to the most beautiful Avacha volcano is by snowmobile, while admiring the beautiful scenery around.

Karymskaya hill

Karymskaya Sopka is the name of the smallest Kamchatka active volcano in Russia. According to observations, more than 20 of its eruptions have occurred over the past 170 years. To explore the active volcano in winter, you need to sign up for a helicopter tour, during which you can see a huge crater, snow-covered mountain slopes and lava frozen around.

Due to the high activity, it is forbidden to approach the crater on the ground. A particularly beautiful sight can be a nighttime volcanic eruption. Travelers who are lucky enough to see the phenomenon from the outside will have a stunning view of how red lava will begin to erupt against the background of snow-white slopes and black ash will begin to rise up.

The hill is a target

Mishennaya Hill, located within the city limits of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, is completely covered with forest and is a favorite place for local residents and guests of the capital city to walk. A dirt serpentine road is laid along the slopes of the mountain, along which you can hike, climb the mountain by car or bike.

There is an observation deck at the top of the mountain, which offers a magnificent view of nearby volcanoes and snow-capped foothills of the mountains.

Kuril Lake

Kuril Lake was formed in the caldera of a dormant volcano, the water in it has a turquoise hue. The lake has a unique ecosystem. About 2 hundred brown bears live near the lake, they fish in the lake.

You can look at the reservoir as part of an excursion group, which is accompanied by the keeper of the reserve during the trip. In winter, the Kuril Lake is very beautiful, the reservoir rarely freezes, but visiting during the cold period will not be comfortable, strong cold winds are constantly blowing here and a large amount of snow is falling.

Traveling in winter consists solely of exploring the surroundings of the lake, since fish do not spawn at this time, and bears hibernate for a long time.

Commander Islands

The Commander Islands consist of separate continents called:

• Bering;
• Copper;
• Toporkov;
• Arius Stone.

They are separated from the Kamchatka Peninsula by the wide Kamchatka Strait. The islands were discovered by the discoverer Vitus Bering. Of all the continents, Bering Island is the most inhabited, and there is a village called Nikolskoye on it.

There is a unique animal and plant world on the island continents, here you can see seals and sea lions in huge numbers. There are a huge number of birds on the islands called Ariy Kamen and Toporkov.

During the cold season of the island, the behavior of birds and animals changes. Many have a different shade of six, they become more fluffy and sleepy. In winter, a period of prolonged storms occurs in the waters of the Commander Islands.

The unpredictable climate is introduced in absentia in Kamchatka, in winter, airlines regularly delay flights to Nikolskoye for several days or even weeks.

The Dead Forest

The Dead Forest is a landmark that clearly shows what consequences a volcanic eruption can have. At the end of the last century, as a result of aftershocks and lava eruptions, the once green forest turned black.

There is not a single living tree left on the territory of about 45 square kilometers, charred trunks are everywhere observed here. In and around the dead forest, everything is strewn with volcanic ash. The Dead Forest is also known for the discovery of deposits of precious stones here. A new type of diamond was found near the forest, on Tolbachin land.

In winter, it is very cold in the Dead Forest, and a strong wind is constantly blowing. A layer of black ash is covered with snow by the middle of winter. The ascent to nearby mountain peaks is complicated by regular snowfall and frost, so there are few tourists at this time of the year.

Paratunka Thermal Springs

Paratunka is one of the most popular mineralized springs. The presence of hot springs is explained by the active volcanic activity of the region. They are used as mineral pools and even heat small settlements with them.

A year-round balneological resort has been founded in the village, where you can swim in hot fonts in any frost. Currently, it is one of the most popular health facilities among residents of the island and visitors.

Museums

To learn more about the history of the region, you can visit one of the many museums located in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

The most popular ones are:

Active leisure

In Kamchatka, you can go skiing or snowboarding in winter.

The best ski resorts in the region are located on the slopes of the mountains:

• Frosty;
• Krasnaya Sopka;
• Alpina;
• Edelweiss.

Hiking on extinct volcanoes or horseback riding along hiking trails are very popular in the region. The most picturesque route leads to the observation deck on the hill, which offers a magnificent view of the group of “Home volcanoes” and the Ganal ranges.

Ice fishing, which takes place on the Malkinskaya Bystrica River, is in great demand in the region. The cook will cook fish soup from the caught catch in an improvised camp.

Tourists take part in dog sledding races.

As snowmobile tours for animals in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, it is offered to purchase:

Where to go with the children

Kamchatka in winter will also be interesting for children, for whom watching animals in their natural habitat is considered popular. Due to the small number of the local population and the limited number of tourists, the animals are not afraid of people and you can look at them from a short distance.

In winter, you can admire the white-shouldered eagles on Kuril Lake. In the cold season, birds flock to the ice-free reaches of the lake to finish the fish that the bears left behind.

To admire the sea lions, it is recommended to visit the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, located 10 km from the bus station. It is located on the road towards the sea, not far from the Arsenyev hotel, almost in the center of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. On the shore of Avacha Bay, you can see representatives of the world’s largest eared seals.

Tours

You can purchase a vacation ticket in the region from travel agencies.

During the trip, it is planned in advance to visit all the natural attractions that abound in the region.

Despite the difficult climatic conditions on the Kamchatka Peninsula, about 300 thousand tourists from different regions of Russia come here every year. Almost all the sightseeing sites that can be visited in winter are located outside the cities.

You can get to them on a snow-covered road with the help of cross-country vehicles, which can be rented on the peninsula. These can be snowmobiles with passenger sleds, ATVs or GAZ.

Video about Kamchatka

Volcano eruption. What to see in Kamchatka in winter:

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