Things to see and do Kamchatka Oblast

Kamchatka has over 150 thermal springs, the most abundant of which are in the Paratounka region. Ideal for a rest or treatment stay, the stations are located on the axis of the main Elisovo-Paratounka road, not far from Petropavlovsk, in the river valley of the same name.

In the Kronotski Natural Park, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Caldeiras and Geysernaïa caldeiras form the largest Kamchatka geothermal zone. The pebble of the Ouzon volcano, measuring 9 km over 12 km, is the largest of the peninsula. It formed in the middle of the Pleistocene following several major eruptions that destroyed the cone over 3 000 m high. Ouzon is a kind of natural laboratory: many métallogènes minerals (arsenic, mercury, copper, zinc, etc.) were discovered in its groundwater flowing to the surface. As water cools, these minerals are deposited around the sources of ore.

This volcano distinguishes itself from its neighbours by its height: at 3 456 m, it is the highest volcano in the southern peninsula. The Koriakski has a conical shape, the slope angle of the slope reaches 15-20 ° at the foot and 35 ° in the upper part. It attracts many climbers and climbers. His complex and technical ascent unfortunately causes many accidents every year. For mountaineers who are experienced and duly accompanied by professional guides.

A natural reserve and biosphere with a unique fauna, flora and ecosystem in the world. The reserve includes the Geysers Valley and the Ouzon volcano.

It is one of Kamchatka'oldest and most active volcanoes, consisting of four fused stratovolcans. His last eruption took place in the 1960 s, but there are still some ground explosions. The climb of the volcano (2 323 m) takes about 7 hours and allows you to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding landscapes where fire and ice are constantly confronting each other. Steep walls of glaciers surround the crater and glittering under the rays of the sun.

The volcano Plosky Tolbaltchik (3 682 m), located 350 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamtchatski, is part of the Klioutchevskaïa volcanic group to the east of the peninsula and is located in the territory of the natural park of the Klioutchevskoï volcano, which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The volcano is cut by two caldeiras: the first 3 kilometres in diameter was formed about 6 500 years ago in a powerful rash. It was formerly occupied by a small shield volcano and a glacier that formed a characteristic flat summit, hence the qualifier "plosky" (dish) attached to its name.

Inside the old pebble is a young pebble 400 meters high and 1,8 km in diameter created during the penultimate volcanic eruption of 1975-1976. This eruption ever changed the surrounding area of the volcano causing two ruptures (north and south), creating four scories cones and destroying all vegetation over 400 km ². The visit of the volcano, its cones and the "dead forest" allows to realize the magnitude of this phenomenal eruption.

The smallest volcano of the three was once a shield volcano whose foot was 30 km in diameter. Its central part disintegrated to form an oval pebble of 9 km over 14 km, with many craters from where the lava appeared on the surface. Today it represents a chain of stratovolcans amount of one single caldeira. The almost complete absence of vegetation and life on the slopes of the volcano is reminiscent of lunar landscapes. This is due to a fairly high volcanic activity. From time to time, the volcano thus emits columns of steam and gas at a height of 3 kilometres. The ascent of the Gorely volcano takes about 8 hours and allows to observe strange sculptures of hardened lava, slag fields and craters sometimes filled with hot water.