Ascent to Mutnovsky volcano: excursion to the crater

Vilyuchinsky Pass

The excursion starts with the group gathering in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at the hotel of the same name ‘Petropavlovsk’. We will meet you and drive out of the city.

The way to the foot of Mutnovsky volcano will take about 4 hours. The length of the route is about 120 kilometres. Half of it is on asphalted road, half of it is off-road and volcanic landscapes.

We will pass several settlements and a wooded area with a low forest of cedar shrubs. On the way we will stop at several interesting places. For example, we will taste pure spring water at Serebryaniy brook and take photos at the bridge over the Paratunka river. A little further on the route leads along the pass, from the top of which you can see Vilyuchinsky volcano, located very close. We will stop at the viewpoint, have a look around and take photos. Apart from the slender Vilyuchinsky cone, in good weather you can see 7 other peaks and the panorama of the mountain valley.

Around noon we will arrive at the foot of Mutnovsky volcano and have a short briefing before the ascent.

Ascent. Trip to Mutnovsky volcano

The length of the hiking route can vary greatly, it all depends on the thickness of the snow cover. If it allows you to get closer to the crater by vehicle, you will only have to walk 4 kilometres, which is a 2-hour journey. If there is too much snow - you have to start climbing 12 kilometres away from thegeothermal power station. The altitude gain is about 700-900 metres.

Before the ascent we will choose a tempo that is comfortable for all participants, and on the route we will take regular breaks, so the ascent will be easy and fast. The trail is mostly on rocks and snowdrifts. On the way we will climb the Pumice Escarpment, which offers a panoramic view of the neighbouring Gorely, Opala and Asacha volcanoes, and then move along the Vulkannaya River Gorge.

Excursion to Mutnovsky volcano. Inside the crater

The riverbed will lead to a rift in the volcano wall. We pass through it and find ourselves inside the crater. It is a huge basin surrounded by steep cliffs, where everything is bubbling. We will spend a couple of hours here so you can see the most interesting manifestations of volcanic life.

Fumaroles are fissures through which vapours and gases rumble out of the volcano's depths. The sulphur, they contain, settles around the holes, resulting in bizarre domes of bright yellow colour. The temperature of the vapour and gas columns exceeds 100 °C, so you should be careful in the fumarole field and follow the guide's advice.

Mud pots are puddles of bubbling viscous liquid of different colours. They are formed when meltwater falls on fumaroles, boils, and volcanic minerals gradually dissolve in it. The brutal Black Cauldron attracts the most attention.

Active crater is a small crater, a closed bowl about 150 m in diameter from which powerful fumarolic columns rise.

Glacier - stretches from the top to the bottom in the eastern part of the crater. Volcanic vapours and gases also burst through cracks in it.

Excursion to the Dangerous Waterfall

On the way back, when we are already beyond the walls of the volcano, we will deviate a little from the route and turn to Danger Canyon to show you the waterfall of the same name.

The acidic Vulcan River, which starts in the glaciers of Mutnovsky, rushes down here from a height of 80 metres into a huge canyon. This muddy volcanic water contains so much sulphuric and acid that the river remains lifeless all the way to the ocean.

Return to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

We will descend the same way to the foot of the volcano, where transport will be waiting for us. In about 4 hours you will already be in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.