Helicopter excursion to the valley of geysers

You will know that the Valley of Geysers is a special place as soon as you get there: billowing steam rising dozens of yards, boiling mud, and volcanoes all around. The beauty is beyond description or photography. Your only way to intense pleasure is go see the Valley of Geysers in Kamchatka with your own eyes.

The place is beautiful, but it is also very enjoyable to absorb the view of several dramatic volcanoes and lakes while flying there.

The Valley of Geysers is listed among the wonders of Russia, unparalleled in our country. The area isn’t vast at just four square kilometres, and it’s located entirely within the Kronotsky reserve, an eighty-year-old highly protected territory, occupying a gorge that is difficult to access.

It attracts researchers, but not only researchers. All sorts of geothermal activities can be observed here, including springs, hot lakes, mud cauldrons and mud volcanoes, steam jets, heated outcroppings, and, of course, geysers. These latter number around ninety, and the count of thermal springs exceeds two hundred.

The Valley of Geysers can look different depending on time. In 2007, a mudslide rearranged the landscape, destroying several geysers yet by no means impacting the attractiveness of this natural object.

Notably, the Valley of Geysers is frequented by bears who love to spend hours in thermal springs or bathing in hot mud.

Uzon caldera

Abundant with all forms of volcanic features, this caldera is also within the territory of the Kronotsky reserve. 40,000 years ago a gigantic stratovolcano towering 3,000m was found here, but after a series of tremendous eruptions (stratovolcanoes usually erupt explosively) it collapsed, creating a large recession known as caldera.

The most recent cataclysm occurred 8,500 years age when a kilometre-wide dent in the ground was created. The main thermal zone, feeding over thousand hot springs, is located in the centre of the caldera which is constantly heated by the still-hot magma chamber. The Itelmens, an aboriginal group, call this place ‘steaming ground.

• Price per person: 37 000 RUB (or 34 000 rub in May when no helicopter landings are made)
• time available: June through December
• duration: 6-7 hours

Included:

• helicopter ride;
• guidance;
• lunch; 
• entry fees;
• ranger fees;
• accident insurance.

Helicopter excursions in the Valley of Geysers are for groups of eighteen or more. Groups are assembled daily in July and August. You can request to join the group on any day you like.

Individual tours and excursions on Mi-8, Mi-2, Robinson, or Eurocopter can be arranged year round. Groups of two or more are welcome!

Weather may impose change in itineraries, including delays and postponed departures.