KAMCHATKA 16-DAY WALKING & PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION 2020 ITINERARY 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 Kamchatka's striking & remote wilderness offers a last frontier experience with breathtaking & unique landscapes. We walk through a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site among some of the most spectacular volcanos such as Tolbachik and Klyucheskaya . Expect to drink water straight from icy fast-running streams and to see bears, frolicking in the distance. DAY 1- YELIZOVO DAY 2 - KOZYREVSK KAMCHATSKIY STIL' HOSTEL MARIA'S GUESTHOUSE Arrive at the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Just under 500 kms away this small typical International Airport where we will pick you Russian village, on the banks of the Kamchatka up. You'll know you're in Kamchatka because river, is a perfect place to start our expedition as soon as you arrive you will see Avachinsky around the Volcanos of Kamchatka National Park. volcano from the runway. Experience Russian country side and first night Get to know your fellow adventurers & photography session discuss the adventure ahead over dinner. www.edgewalkers.com.au erika@edgewalke rs.com.au +61 0406758062 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 DAY 3 - DRIVE TO TRAIL HEAD AND WALK TO FIRST CAMP CAMPING A couple of hours on a 4WD truck will get us through the dense woodland to the start of our walk. We head in the direction of Klyuchevskaya volcano to the north and walk to our first campground - approximately 10 km. We carry enough provisions and equipment for 2/3 days. Another night photography session - learn your equipment & the night sky besides this giant mountain. DAY 4 - WALK TO KLYUCHEVSKAYA CAMPING Today our walk takes us to the foot of the volcano where we set up camp early and use it as a base to explore the surrounding areas and capture great compositions with wildflowers. We cook & eat around a campfire and enjoy some storytelling & reflecting on creativity & self-expression. Night photography session - capture the Milky Way and night sky from the campground with Paean. DAY 5 - WALK BACK FROM KLYUCHEVSKAYA CAMPING Enjoy an early morning wake up in the Kamchatka wilderness to do some sunrise photography (will depend on weather). We make our way back towards the start of the trail head to pick up provisions and start heading south, towards Tolbachik volcano. Reflective writing & some night photograpy. www.edgewalkers.com.au [email protected] +61 0406758062 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 DAY 6 - WALK TOWARDS TOLBACHIK VOLCANO CAMPING We load up with enough provisions for 3 days and head off on a slight ascent towards Tolbachik. We arrive at our first campground and settle for the afternoon and explore the surrounding area. There is a gorge nearby with some interesting rock formations & lots and lots of wildflowers. As a few bears do inhabit the area we are always on the lookout and make sure we move noisily through the hike. Expect mosquitoes! DAY 7 - WALK AROUND TOLBACHIK VOLCANO CAMPING Expansive and rugged, the Kamchatka environment continues to provide inexhaustible opportunities for nature photography. Under a dark, dark sky we will capture the stars in their northern hemisphere positions. Group activity - finding metaphors throughout our hike to describe our surroundings & experience. DAY 8 - WALK AROUND TOLBACHIK VOLCANO CONT. CAMPING Sometimes called the land of ice and fire, Kamchatka, like other areas of Russia's Siberia, spends much of the year covered in ice. Even in summer there are plenty of ice/snow covered fields... they are easier to walk on than they look. Photography composition with Erika & Paean. www.edgewalkers.com.au [email protected] +61 0406758062 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 DAY 9 - ARRIVE AT TOLBACHIK MAIN CAMP CAMPING We walk towards the main campground at the foot of Tolbachik volcano. Some facilities make it easy for us to have a freshly cooked meal and enjoy a fireside gathering with other campers. To get there we pass several waterfalls and a massive lava field. DAY 10 - CLIMB TOLBACHIK VOLCANO CAMPING Tolbachik volcano is actually a conjunction of two volcanos, a peaked and a flat-topped volcano close to each other. Today we summit the flat-topped volcano (3100 mts) walking through the ashfields where Russian lunar vehicles were tested! The climb is approx. 1200 metres and distance about 14 km return. It will take us all day and expect four seasons in one day. Walking poles would be very useful during this section. We spend out last night at the basecamp. DAY 11 - DRIVE TO ESSO/KOZYREVSK CAMPING We drive back to Kozyrevsk or Esso depending on the accessibility. Our wish is to explore the area of Esso; with its traditional local Evens & Koryak people's culture being revived in the last 20 years. The village is picturesque and the surroundings wild. www.edgewalkers.com.au [email protected] +61 0406758062 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 DAY 12 - YELIZOVO KAMCHATSKIY STIL' HOSTEL We make our way back to Yelizovo and stop along the way to eat some local pastries. Back in Yelizovo we can relax eat a meal at a local eatery and indulge in a sauna - Russian style. DAY 13 - DRIVE & CLIMB GORELY VOLCANO CAMPING We get an early start and drive to Gorely volcano. We leave our gear in the truck and carry a day pack to climb Gorely Volcano and then hike over to the Mutnovsky campground where we are met by our driver. This is possibly our longest day and we will definitely enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful views from this old vulcanology station. DAY 14 - WALK TO MUTNOVSKY VOLCANO & THERMAL SPINGS & DRIVE BACK TO YELIZOVO KAMCHATSKIY STIL' HOSTEL We walk to Mutnovsky volcano - a truly impressive ascent into the heart of this crater with many fissures and a definite scent of sulphur present. Lunch at the volcano before trekking to the thermal springs to meet our driver. We get dropped off at Yelizovo for our last two nights of our Kamchatka adventure. www.edgewalkers.com.au [email protected] +61 0406758062 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 DAY 15 - YELIZOVO & PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY KAMCHATSKIY STIL' HOSTEL Sleep in, have a hot shower, wash some clothes and then we'll explore Yelizovo and Petropavlovsk with a visit to the Vulcanarium...it is fascinating. Enjoy a walk through the small city and along the beaches DAY 16 - YELIZOVO - AIRPORT FLY HOME Today you our tour comes to an end and we take you to the airport to fly to your next destination. There will be an option to go on a helicopter tour to Kuril Reserve, this is a separate tour with additional costs. See below. www.edgewalkers.com.au [email protected] +61 0406758062 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 $ 4,880 30 % DEPOSIT TO SECURE PLACE FINAL PAYMENT BY MAY 1, 2020 INCLUSIONS 16 days of guided expedition Daily photography & night photography coaching sessions with Paean Ng 6 nights in local guest houses with saunas (twin-share/ dorm) 9 tented nights (twin-share) Camping & cooking equipment including mess tent, shower and toilet All meals & snacks National Park and border military area permit fees Overland transport: Russian 4WD vans including gasoline Airport transfers English speaking trekking guide Satellite/GPS phone for emergencies Discounted one-on-one post expedition photography processing tuition with Paean. EXCLUSIONS Flights to and from Russia Travel insurance Sleeping bags & mats Excess baggage fee on local flights Meals not indicated Extra drinks Toiletries Gratuities NOTE: We can cater for most special dietary requirements - it may incur extra cost. www.edgewalkers.com.au [email protected] +61 0406758062 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 ABOUT DR ERIKA JACOBSON BA WRITING MA INTERNATIONAL & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PHD TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING Erika envisions, designs & facilitates retreats & walking expeditions that give participants immersive opportunities to recover, realign & reignite their creative aspirations and reconnect with nature. She brings together powerful aesthetic, embodied & applied theatre tools, knowledge from her research in transformative learning, practical creative thinking tools, her own creative & reflective practice & over 15 years of experience helping individuals, organisations & communities access creative solutions to complex problems. She has been a passionate traveller all her life & has trekked in France, China/Tibet, Nepal, Indonesia, Australia, the US & Mongolia. She leads walking expeditions half the year in Australia, Mongolia and Russia. She founded Edgewalkers with the intention of bringing people closer to nature and their most creative selves. ABOUT KAMCHATKA UNSPOILT PRISTINE WILDERNESS In addition to its unique geological and geographical position, the Kamchatka Peninsula is recognised for its vast pristine wilderness and wildlife. The 1,200 km long and 480 km wide stretch of land just below the Bering Strait, boasts some of the largest populations of brown bears on the planet, the biggest salmon, the puffin bird & the Steller eagle, as well as pods of Orca whales populating its surrounding icy oceans. Our expedition will include walking through the UNESCO World Heritage listed, Volcanos of Kamchatka National Park along both Klyuchevskaya & Tolbachik volcanos to the north & trek up & between Gorely & Mutnovsky volcanos to the south. The environemnt is breathtaking & impressively rugged & unspoilt. We will visit Esso, home to Evens & Koryak people & we will explore Kozyrevsk & Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The opportunities for landscape, nature, wildlife & night photography are inexhaustible. www.edgewalkers.com.au [email protected] +61 0406758062 24 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2020 ABOUT PAEAN NG PHOTOGRAPHER - ASTROPHOTOGRAPHER By night Paean travels to various iconic locations around Western Australia to capture the beauty of the night sky through photospheres and panoramas. He often spends sleepless nights out in remote parts of WA to photograph the raw landscapes and stunning dark skies. By day, he documents special life moments like weddings and family events.