EEF 2018 Regional Session Programme
14–17 September 2018, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

Cultural programme

Day 2, 13:30–20:00, Boat trip to the Three Brothers natural monument with fishing and visits to Tikhaya and Grotovaya Bays

A visit to and tour of Kamchatka’s calling card, the Three Brothers stacks that keep vigilant watch over Avacha Bay, followed by a trip to Tikhaya Bay for some fishing and Grotovaya Bay for boating and lunch. Participants will have the chance to take in the beautiful natural surroundings of Avacha Bay while they relax and fish its seas for flounder, halibut, perch, bluefish, and goby. There will also be an option to disembark in order to relax and take some photos.

Route: Quayside Visitors’ Centre (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky) – Three Brothers natural monument – Tikhaya Bay – Grotovaya Bay – quay for small vessels (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky).

Day 3, Cultural programme 1: Helicopter trip to the Valley of Geysers, Uzon volcanic caldera, and Nalichevo (6 hours).

The Valley of Geysers is situated within Kronotsky Nature Reserve. We invite you to join us in witnessing the unique natural phenomenon of erupting geysers, and to take in scenes almost unbelievable to the city-dweller: strange thermal fields of hydrothermally altered rocks, multicoloured clays, the countless bubbling and rumbling fountains of boiling springs and small geysers, greenish thermophilic algae, and cold and hot brooks and waterfalls.

At the Uzon volcanic caldera you will simultaneously observe the emergence of young volcanoes, the formation of minerals and ores, the development of thermal lakes, and the release of the youngest oil on the planet. The excursion will end in comfort with an opportunity to bathe in the hot thermal springs of the Nalichevskaya Valley.

Day 3, Cultural programme 2: Helicopter trip to Kurile Lake (6 hours)

The second largest of Kamchatka’s freshwater lakes, Kurile Lake is also the largest spawning ground on the peninsula. More than five million sockeye salmon come here to spawn every year. Watching a bear fish is an unforgettable spectacle, and the banks of Kurile Lake can host more than 100 of the creatures at a time as they excitably chase after salmon, splashing water mixed with clouds of red caviar, before tumbling lazily with full bellies into the grass to rest beneath the trees. Only here is it possible to enjoy the sights of ambling yet deadly mother bears lovingly raising and nursing their cubs, or to become an accidental witness to confrontations between feuding individuals. Kurile Lake is a feeding ground and home to wild animals, where predators have no fear of human guests, who forget their manners at their peril.

The excursion will include time for additional landings along the helicopter flight path. If weather conditions allow, the helicopter will make a landing at the Ksudach volcanic caldera and at Khodutka, where participants will have the opportunity to bathe in hot thermal springs with a unique chemical composition.

Cultural programme 3: Sightseeing tour of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, including visit to Snow Dogs sled dog kennels

A panoramic journey through the city, accompanied by a talk on the natural resources of Petropavlovsk and its surrounding volcanoes and hills. During the excursion you will learn about the history of the exploration of Avacha Bay, the founding and construction of the city and its founders Bering and Chirikov, and the heroic defence of the city against Anglo-French squadrons during the Crimean War, and will also be given the opportunity to admire a breathtaking panorama from the Nikolskaya Hill viewing platform.

The end of the excursion will include a visit to Kamchatka Regional Unified Museum, with exhibitions and galleries that will help you to learn more about the lives of the peninsula’s indigenous inhabitants and the history of its exploration, and where you can find unique souvenirs hand-made by some of Kamchatka’s finest craftspeople.

Route: Transfer to city centre, walking tour of historical monuments, visit to Nikolskaya Hill, transfer to viewing platform, view of city, commemorative photos, transfer to Kamchatka Regional Unified Museum, tour of museum, transfer to accommodation.