Description
PEARLY LACE.
3 PEARLS OF THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST:
KHABAROVSK – SAKHALIN – KAMCHATKA
DAY 1 Khabarovsk
We are pleased to welcome You in the quietest and peaceful city which till 2018 was the capital of the Far Eastern region – Khabarovsk. From the days of its foundation Khabarovsk was the biggest economic, transportation, administrative and energetic hub of whole Far East. The city is located on the right bank of the mighty Amur river which you will have a chance to cruise today. From the riverside the city even more beautiful and during the cruise you will see Khabarovsk main sights depicted on 5000 banknote: the statue of Muraviev-Amurskiy and the Amur Bridge. During the city sightseeing you will know why those 2 objects were given the honor to be commemorated on Russian banknotes.
Balloon flight over the city at sunset will make your day! Delightful impressions and wonderful photos from up above the sky! For dash adventurous persons we are ready to organize more exciting flight by powered paragliding!
DAY 2 Aboriginal Nanai Village
From time immemorial the aboriginal tribes of 8 nationalities inhabited the lands along Amur river. The biggest group from them are Nanai people. You are to have an excursion to one of the native Nanai village Sikachi-Alyan. Locals are proud here not only with their unique cultural heritage, but far-famed stone carving – petroglyphs – dating back to the 2000 year B.C.
After seeing petroglyphs and lovely cultural exchange the hostess shows master-class of fresh caught fish development. Nanai people are masters in fishing and fish products processing.
Lunch is offered with Nanai national dishes made of mainly of fish: ukha soup, fish cutlet, tea with far-eastern herbs. After lunch you will have fun and try yourself in national Nanai games: arching, throwing, jumping and enjoy a folklore concert.
In the evening we are visiting local restaurant to try authentic Far-Eastern dishes as pike cutlet and fern salad.
Overnight in Khabarovsk.
DAY 3 Yuzno-Sakhalinsk
After breakfast, early flight to Sakhalin island – next pearl of the lace. Right from the airport we make city tour which will include:
· Visit to the regional Lore museum premised of are located in the ancient Japanese building constructed in traditional architectural style “keikan djukuri”;
· City panorama from viewing point of the mountain skiing complex “Mountain Air”;
· Glory prospect, Glory square, Glory alley, Kommusticheskiy prospect;
· Memorial Complex “Victoria”;
· Navity (Rozhdestva Khristova) Cathedral.
After lunch we are going to a capturing cruise to ANIVA Lighthouse (jp –Naka-Shiretoko Misaki) which is not only technically complicated construction of Karafuto period, but also a world heritage in lighthousing art. The lighthouse was the necessity to control unpredictable insidious water streams in this place. The mixture of Okhotsk Sea waters with Aniva Bay waters, frequent fogs, stone shoals, intensive ships floating – altogether made this place rather dangerous and the necessity to construct very reliable lighthouse. It was constructed by Japanese engineer Miura Shinobu.
35 kilometers by ship passing Yuzhnoye settlement and Marble cape and we are here – Aniva Lighthouse. We spend here 1,5-2 hours enjoying the beauty of the surroundings, listening to the story of the lighthouse and having photo session. During way back we can easily meet local inhabitants: dolphins, whales, killer whales, seals, lion-seals, seagulls, peacefully living here.
We are back to hotel in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk late evening, accommodation, overnight.
Day 4 – Tikhaya Bay, mud volcano Maguntan
Early morning, we start our 2-hours trip to Tikhaya Bay. We are sure to make a stop on the way to bay at Starodubskoye settlement where you can admire natural “Amber Shore” and even take one piece as a souvenir. Local amber is of unusually “black-tea with cherry shade” color.
On the way further we meet marine product market (Vzmorye settlemenet). Fresh caught fish and marine product are for your disposal. Fresh crab is cooked right before your eyes and you can try right here.
After we arrive to Tikhaya Bay we enjoy the sounds and the atmosphere of a seashore having a stroll along. Naturally created pictures are for your pleasure: arch-rock “Magic window”, “Elephant” stone, “Evident” (Zametniy) island.
Picnic-lunch on the seashore will add the harmony to the meal.
After lunch we start our way to the mud volcano “Muguntan” – which is the 2nd of this type on the island. It looks like a cluster of several mud lakes. In reality this is 4 kilometers in diameter mud field with several spots of vegetation. Sakhalin endemics are found exceptionally here in the volcano surroundings. One of them is “Schuchnik Tseveleva” (Poaceae, Deschampsia tzvelevii Probat)
We are back to hotel in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk late evening.
DAY 5 Kamchatka
After breakfast, early flight to Kamchatka peninsula – next pearl of the lace. From the airport we will show the city in short sightseeing tour. But main beauty and attraction is the sea.
After lunch we are going to boat trip to Starichkov island.
The Avacha Bay is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. The coastline is creek, rugged by numerous small picturesque bays. Two spawning rivers flow into its waters. 32 species of fish constantly live in the Avacha Bay. Almost all year round there are several species of flounder, greenlings, gobies, rockfish and Pacific halibut. Seabirds are quite numerous in the bay. In the small bays located at the entrance to the Avacha Bay, you can find seals are not afraid of people and allow to come quite close to themselves. In summer you can find larger animals like killer whales. The waters of the Avacha Bay are full of gifts of marine nature - sea urchins and crabs.
Starichkov Island is located approximately 10 kilometers (5.5 nautical miles) from the entrance to the Avacha Bay. The island got its name by the name of small sea birds making nests on it - tufted puffins (or in Russian - starichki). Starichkov Island is a water reserve abundant in tufted puffins, loons, cormorants and other waterfowl. On this piece of land there are several nests of a white-tailed eagle and a nerpa-rookery.
Overnight at hotel in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy.
DAY 6 Kamchatka
Today we see Kamchatka from above and distinguish another face of this land.
We offer for your choice 2 types of helicopter flight:
1. We are going to visit thermal springs splashing right from burning hot depth of Kamchatka geysers. Geysers Valley is a unique phenomenon discovered 60 years ago and attracting tourists and scientists from all over the world. The valley is hidden in one of the deepest canyons of Kronotskiy Reserve. It is full of geysers and fountains, mud glaciers, thermodriftweed, dry and wet sulfur lakes. You will enjoy the beauty and impose of the scenery of the valley, the mountains, active volcanoes, taiga, rivers and lakes. After helicopter landing you ‘ll have a walk in the valley and see the biggest geysers explosions.
2. Another excursion offers no less delighting views of 3 main volcanos of Kamchatka: Mutnovskiy, Gorely, Vilyuchinskiy. From a bird flight height, you’ll have a look right inside the volcanos’ craters. After helicopter landing you’ll enjoy the healing power of the natural hot springs in deep forest with magnificent view and surrounded by grand mountains of Kamchatka.
