Trip Overview

Length:

10 days / 8 days kayaking

Difficulty:

4 / 5

Price:

€ 3350

Location:

Kamchatka, Russia

Dates:

2022 - July 1st to 10th

What makes this trip special

  • 8 days of remote wilderness paddling
  • Volcanic peninsula and geography
  • Exposed coastline
  • Sea caves and arches
  • Abundant wildlife including whales, sea lions, sea otter, bears and a plethora of sea birds
  • Russian culture

The Tour

We will paddle the remote coastline of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Daily views include smoking volcanoes, snow covered peaks, beautiful blue green waters and the wide open pacific ocean to the east.

We will paddle exposed coastline, travelling through wind and swell. The majority of the trip will be paddling along cliff walls or past expansive white sand beaches. Sea otter, sea lions and seals will be a regular occurrence, and sea birds in the thousands will greet us as we paddle past cliff faces. We will encounter the Kamchatka Brown Bear and share the same waters with orca, humpback and minke whales.

Experience the Russian culture of Kamchatka through our local guide and through the Russian characters we will meet along the way.

The Place

Based in the far east of Russia, Kamchatka is a 1250 kilometre long peninsula. It contains abundant wildlife and dramatic landscapes. Kamchatka is home to 160 volcanoes, 29 of which are active, granting the peninsula its title “Land of Fire and Ice”.

Wildlife is abundant in Kamchatka, Eurasia’s largest population of brown bear is found here living off the thick vegetation and one of the world’s largest wild salmon stocks.

The Peninsula’s surrounding waters contain a healthy population of seals and sea lions as well as humpback, grey and orca whales. Human habitation is sparse in Kamchatka and the best way to explore this region is by kayak.

Kamchatka Sea Kayak Expedition Kamchatka Sea Kayak Expedition

The Weather

The weather in the summer can change dramatically as this area is exposed to the Pacific Ocean. Temperature can range from 10C-18C during the day. Winds can whip up quickly on the exposed coast. We will experience a variety of ocean conditions on this trip. Large swell and strong currents, strong winds as well as protected bays where the ocean is mirror calm.

The Sea Kayaking

We will experience every sort of paddling condition during this trip. Paddlers must be experienced expedition kayakers and very comfortable paddling in a variety of conditions. We may paddle in 10ft swell 20 knot winds, and strong ocean currents. This is a cold water environment where weather can change very fast. Paddlers must be familiar with surf landings and launches and be able to spend hours at a time in the boat.

What's Included

  • Airport pick and transfer to guesthouse
  • All breakfast, lunches and dinners starting on Day 2 of the trip through to lunch on Day 10
  • Expedition kayaks, paddles, life jackets and safety equipment
  • Dedicated kayak guide
  • Guided walks and land excursions
  • First and last night in Petropavlovsk
  • Sailboat pickup and transit back to Petropavlovsk

What's Not Included

  • Any flights
  • Meals on Day 1
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Travel insurance
  • 10L personal dry bag for sunscreen, snacks, camera etc.
  • Camping equipment

Trip Itinerary

Our itinerary will ultimately be determined by the weather and sea conditions.

Meeting location:

You will be met at the airport in Petropavlovsk by the Guesthouse staff.

DAY 1

We will meet at the Bay House Guesthouse in Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka.
Check in available after 2pm. Your guide will meet you at the guesthouse. We will meet at 5pm for a trip briefing and kayak outfitting with a group dinner to follow.

Overnight group hotel. Dinner.

DAY 2

After breakfast at the hostel, we will make our way to a local beach where we will pack our boats for the journey. We will paddle east to the mouth of Avacha Bay. Our first campsite is in a small, silent bay. The south side of Avacha Bay has caves and statue rocks for paddlers to marvel at, as well as incredible rock formations. We will encounter many sea birds such as murres and cormorants.

Camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 3

We will awake with views looking back over Petropavlovsky and two volcanoes that stand watch over the city. We will exit Avacha Bay and paddle past more caves and sea stacks, giant rock fingers that rise directly out of the ocean waters. We will see hundreds of Puffins flying by and fishing in the ocean. We will spend the night on Starichkov Island (weather depending), a sea bird nesting site. Gulls, terns, puffins, sea eagles, murres, guillemots all nest on this Island.

Camping. B-L-D

DAY 4

Today the volcano Vilyushinsky will be a constant sight as we paddle beneath massive cliffs and enjoy the sight of 1000 m waterfalls cascading from snowy peaks to the oceans surface. We will spend the night in Vilyuchinskaya Bay. This is a protected bay with a lovely short hike to a lookout tower and fields of wild flowers.

Camping. B-L-D

DAY 5

We will awake to incredible views of Vilyuchinsky Volcano, a 2500 Meter volcano rising up out of a gentle valley. The volcano dominates the landscape, and it is hard to tear your eyes away from this monolith. Each paddle stroke brings us closer to the massive volcano at the head of the Bay. Incredible granite and basalt formations line the entrance to the bay, and we may encounter a grizzly bear foraging along the shoreline as we paddle towards the volcano. We will spend a second night in Vilyuchinskaya Bay.

Camping. B-L-D

DAY 6

We will say goodbye to Vilyushinsky Bay and continue our paddle southward. Massive cliffs and black pebble beaches will great us around each corner. The rock gardening along this shoreline is incredible. We will camp in Tihirka Bay, and enjoy the solitude of being in Kamchatka.

Camping. B-L-D

DAY 7

Today we will paddle the outer coastline, under 1000m cliff faces, rock gardening. We will encounter our second sea lion haul out, where we can hear the sea lions roaring for miles! There are many special surprises during today’s paddle and we will visit them all! We will spend the night in Russkaya Bay, which has a rich history.

Camping. B-L-D

DAY 8

Today we will explore Russkaya Bay. The shoreline boasts waterfalls to the ocean and incredible rock formations along the way. We can take a short hike to a beautiful waterfall viewpoint and explore two abandoned ships.

Camping. B-L-D

DAY 9

Our last day paddle is one of the most incredible of the trip. We will have the opportunity to watch sea lions in their natural habitat, hauled out on their favourite rock in the sun! Around the corner massive caves beckon the brave! Our campsite tonight is a big open beach, with incredible views of the rising sun.

Camping. B-L-D

DAY 10

We will spend the day sailing back to Petropavlovsk, enjoying the views along the way and reminiscing about all the sights and sounds during our kayak expedition.

End of Trip

We will finish the trip in Petropavlovsk at the Bay House Guesthouse. Accommodation is included. Dinner is not included.

Accommodation

This trip is a wilderness camping based expedition. The highlights of our tent based expeditions are sleeping under the stars, total flexibility in our route plan depending on weather and group desires, as well as self sufficiency during the trip. Tent based trips offer an intimacy with the natural environment that we don’t experience anywhere else in our modern everyday lives. Waking up to the sights and sounds of the wilderness offer a peace and tranquility to each day. Ending the day around a campfire, watching the sun go down and the stars come out is one of the highlights of these trips.

Each evening we will set up tents in a different location along our route and spend the night in a beautiful wilderness setting. The requirements for our evening campsites are beautiful views, water front property, and some sort of beach for ease of access with our kayaks.

Each campsite will consist of an area where we set up tents, a separate kitchen area where our dining tarp and kitchen are set up and a designated wilderness “bathroom”.

Photo Gallery

Route Map

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the meals like on this trip?
The meals will be prepared by your guide on the trip in a camp setting. Western type food will be provided with protein, vegetable and carbohydrate options for each meal. Meals are nutritious and healthy are aimed at providing participants with the energy required for a full day of paddling. We can accommodate any dietary restrictions so please let us know prior to the trip of any dietary needs.
Will we encounter rain on our trip?
There is a high chance of rain in Kamchatka. Guests should have excellent quality rain gear for both on the water and on land. We recommend bringing a small tarp to add rain proofing to your tent at night. There will be a group tarp to protect against the elements when in camp or lunching on beaches.
What sort of winds will we encounter while paddling?
We will most likely encounter all sorts of winds. From calm to 15-20 knot winds. We may have day were we are beach bound because of the strong winds.
Will we encounter Swell during the trip?
The area we will paddle in is mostly exposed coastline. We will be paddling in swell throughout the trip. 1-3 meter swell can be expected, with possible surf landings.
What is the average air temperature?
Air temperature can hover between 6C-15C.
What is the average ocean Temperature?
Average ocean temperature is 10C.
What sort of kayak will we be paddling?
There are numerous options for kayaks to paddle. We have both rudder and skeg boats as well as single and doubles. Please let us know your preference beforehand and we will reserve that type of boat for you.
What kind of paddles will be used?
If you are used to a high end carbon type paddle, we suggest you bring your own. Paddles are a plastic/fibreglass combination with large blades.
What is a typical day like on the trip?
A typical day is as follows. This will depend on weather conditions: 730 am breakfast 900 on water paddling and exploring the area 1200 lunch break 1300 afternoon paddle 1700 arrive at our campsite for the night. This will vary greatly depending on weather, currents, and conditions.
What sort of distances will we paddle each day?
The average distance we will paddle each day is 20-40 km a day.
How many hours will we paddle each day?
We will kayak around 6 hours a day with lunch breaks and rest stops during that time.
Will we encounter mosquitos?
We will encounter mosquitos during the trip. Some summer seasons can be worse than others. Make sure you have a mosquito head net and mosquito spray.

Trip Reviews

Basil Caffery-  Coolum Australia, 2017 

If you never never go, you never never know, Kamchatka the land of fire and ice is this type of place.  With Angela of Expedition Engineering and a Russian Guide, a group of us kayaked out of Petropavlovsk into the Bering Sea, paddling south for eight days along the snow-capped rugged and spectacular coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula.  The kayaking was easy, at a casual pace never knowing what we would encounter from one headland to the next as we chanced upon otters, sea lions, orcas, dolphins etc.   Bird life was prolific on the rocky outcrops, amongst the cliffs and numerous waterfalls.  We had camp sites to ourselves in stunning bays with fire wood abundant.  There were chances to stretch our legs and get amongst the fauna during short walks on dry land and snow.  The one way paddle was capped off with a few beers on Liberty the pickup yacht as we sailed back to Petropavlovsk to take on further adventures in the land of fire and ice.

Robert Falloon – Melbourne Australia 2017 

Really enjoyed the journey, paddling next to the huge coastal cliffs with long plunging waterfalls and soaring snow covered volcanoes beyond. The constant close encounters with marine and bird life were fantastic as were the campsites and meeting locals at remote fishing camps.

 

Brett Ross-Australia

“What an amazing part of the world.  Pristine wilderness, rugged coastlines, soaring cliffs, snow-capped volcanoes, isolated bays, and an abundance of wild life.  Our small crew of 6 departed Petropavlovsk for an 8 day adventure into the unknown down the remote East coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, and it didn’t disappoint.  As we casually paddled from bay to bay, around exposed headlands and amongst rocky outcrops, we were greeted by an abundance of bird and marine live, ranging from puffins and sea eagles, to sea otters and orcas.  Even the occasional bear would make an appearance on the remote beaches.  Camping was easy with a multitude of bays and beaches to choose from, all with million dollar views of the unspoilt waters and coastline.  From time to time we would encounter the occasional local Russian inhabiting isolated fishing camps, who were happy to share their stories of life in Kamchatka over a Vodka or two.  There was even the opportunity to experience a traditional Bunya the Russian way.   As for our guides, Angela and Ivan, they couldn’t be more accommodating and helpful.  The food was tasty and filling, kayaks were comfortable, and late nite banter memorable.  I would highly recommend this trip to anyone wishing to experience one of the world’s most pristine wilderness areas overlooked by so many.”

 

Application Form

Once you’ve filled out our online application form we will contact you within 24 hours. Our follow up email will include the detailed trip notes.

We’ll also send you a medical form. This helps us make any necessary preparations, it does not exclude you from the trip. To secure the booking we require a 1000 Euro deposit for each person. If you’d prefer to contact us directly we can be reached at info@expeditionengineering.com or at +12502662515

We’d be happy to discuss different trip options and help you find the perfect expedition holiday.

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Kamchatka Sea Kayak Expedition Application Form


Please include as much information in this booking form as possible so we can answer your questions to the best of our ability. The more detailed information you include the better we can help you choose an adventure that is suited to your needs.

 


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