Tour to the foot of Kliuchevskaya Sopka without ascent

Departure to Klyuchi village

In the morning we will meet in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, take our seats in jeeps and head north. The nearest village to the Kliuchevskoi volcano, Klyuchi, is 564 kilometres from the city. The route to it leads along the only asphalted road on the peninsula and takes about 9 hours. The road mostly crosses low forests, but beyond them you will see volcanoes of central Kamchatka.

On the way we will stop for a snack in the village of Sokochi. This is where the recipe for the famous Sokochi pies, which are called Kamchatka pies in other regions. Local housewives knead potato dough and mould pies of large size.

For lunch we will make a big stop in the village of Milkovo. It is surrounded by mountains, it is almost always windless and much warmer in summer than in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Traditionally, all tourist groups travelling northwards have lunch in the local cafe ‘Tayozhnoye’.

By evening we will arrive in Klyuchi - one of the oldest settlements on the peninsula, built on the site of the Nizhnekamchatsky stockade before Petropavlovsk was founded. Klyuchevskaya Sopka is already perfectly visible in the settlement. We will be waited for at the hotel and double rooms will be prepared. We will be able to rest from the road and walk around the neighbourhood.

A walk at the foot of the Kliuchevskoi volcano

In the morning we will leave the village and get even closer to the Kliuchevskoi volcano (4,750 m) by jeep. The Apakhonchich volcanological field station is built on its eastern slope, on the border of the forest and the cinder zone. It is only 70 kilometres from Kluchi, but it takes about 6 hours to get there, as the route is mostly off-road through the forest.

On arrival we are accommodated in a small modest hut of the tourist shelter. This is the only island of civilisation for dozens of kilometres around. In such places a simple rule applies: the doors are open to any traveller and all guests are equal. Therefore, it is impossible to book a place in advance. In case the lodge turns out to be occupied, we will have with us everything for setting up a tent camp.

In the evening we will serve a hearty field dinner and relax in the silence of wild nature. Here you will have a close look at the largest Kamchatka volcano. Kliuchevskaya Sopka has hardly calmed down over the last century and still erupts frequently. If it continues in the same vein, we will observe a brightly glowing lava eruption in the dark.

Besides, two more peaks of the Kliuchevskoi group can be perfectly seen from the base. Kamen volcano (4,579 m) is the second highest and the most difficult to climb in Kamchatka. Next to it is Bezymyannyi volcano (2 882 m): against the background of neighbouring giants it seems small, but in fact it is comparable in size to Avachinskaya Sopka - the famous 'domestic' volcano of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. And in terms of destructiveness Bezymyannyi surpasses its brothers: scientists have estimated its sudden awakening in the 1950s as the strongest eruption of the XX century. You will definitely hear more about these volcanoes and the consequences of their activity on the route.

Walk to Ambon stone

On this day we will take a break from the roar of the engines and go for a walk to the Ambon stone. There is no need to carry rucksacks with things, just the necessary things. The route is not difficult - 11 kilometres one way without climbing any serious hills.

Ambon is a stone the size of a five-storey building that broke away from the top of the Kamen volcano more than a thousand years ago during an eruption. The explosion was so powerful that a huge chunk of rock weighing 40,000 tonnes was thrown 10 km away.

We will be walking through open terrain. The route takes you through both green alpine tundra and the traces of devastating eruptions. You will see lava rivers and fields of volcanic ash that have destroyed all vegetation for hundreds of kilometres around.

After the radial walking journey we will again take jeeps and return to Klyuchi village in the evening. Before going to bed we will have a steam bath.

Shiveluch volcano

In the morning we will leave the hotel and head to Shiveluch (3 283 m) - it is the northernmost active volcano in Kamchatka. It is also considered to be one of the most active volcanoes on the peninsula. Shiveluchu has been making itself known frequently in recent years, and the probability of catching its eruption is still very high. Although it is difficult to guarantee it: sometimes the volcano manages to erupt several times in a day, and sometimes it behaves calmly all day long.

The 45 km journey will take about 3 hours. Upon arrival we will leave the jeeps and go out for a radial walk to the active cone of the volcano, which is called Young Shiveluch or Kraternaya Mt. In total on this day we will walk about 10 kilometres. The route is along the frozen lava flows along the Dragon Canyon. You will see fresh traces of eruptions, volcanic bombs and fumaroles - holes from which vapour-gas clouds hiss out.

After the hike, we will return to the jeeps and drive back to the hotel in the Klyuchi village.

Return to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

In the morning we will pack up, leave Klyuchi village and start our way back to the city. The journey will also take about 9 hours. On the way we will stop at familiar cafes in Milkovo village and Sokochi settlement. By evening we will arrive in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and say goodbye.