Kamchatka Peninsula Russia
Russia
Frequently Asked Questions
In Avacha Bay at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, one of the largest natural harbours in the world. You enter through a channel guarded by three rock pinnacles, the Three Brothers, battered by North Pacific swell.
Two options depending on the ship: a land excursion to the lava fields and high plateaus, or a Zodiac outing to the bird cliffs and sea lion rocks. The municipal market in Petropavlovsk rounds out the day nicely.
Yes, they dominate the view. Avachinsky and Koryaksky rise above the rooftops of Petropavlovsk, and the peninsula lines up dozens of active volcanoes, a group inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Excursions reach the lava fields and high plateaus, where lupins bloom and marmots whistle among the rocks — not the summits. For a broad view without the effort, the city hill lookouts do the job.
From the Zodiac: thousands of tufted puffins and guillemots on the cliffs, Steller sea lions on the rocks, and sometimes orcas and humpback whales, particularly towards Russkaya Bay. The pilot cuts the engine and you listen.
A fjord on the Kamchatka coast, known for the unreal calm of its water and for passing orcas and humpback whales. Some Zodiac outings run there, depending on weather and the ship's programme.
From Vitus Bering's two ships, the St Peter and the St Paul. The expedition wintered in Avacha Bay in 1740 and the town grew from it. Today it stretches between hills and shoreline, with its trawler fleet lined up in the harbour.
Red caviar sold by the ladle, smoked salmon hung in whole families, giant crabs with legs longer than your forearm, and tundra berries preserved in jars. The women behind the stalls hand out tastes and explain with gestures.
The Russian rouble and Russian. Bring cash: foreign-issued cards do not work and the market runs on cash anyway. English is not widely spoken, even in shops.
In layers, with a waterproof windbreaker. Even in summer the North Pacific brings fog, wind and showers, and Zodiac outings get you wet. Waterproof boots and gloves if you are heading out on the water: the bay is cold even in July.
