Sakha Republic & Magadan Region

These two remote regions of Russia are locked in the grip of winter for over half the year and are both challenging but highly rewarding places to visit. Looming like a giant inverted iceberg north of the BAM line, the sprawl of the remote Sakha Republic (the country’s largest region) takes time and effort to reach. Likewise, the smaller coastal Magadan Oblast is a chunk of wilderness that travel adventures are made of: a frozen and remote world of endless pine trees, vast rushing rivers and gold mines.

The most unrepentant dissidents (first Decembrists, then Bolsheviks and later anyone deemed by Stalin to be an 'enemy of the people') were exiled here in camps where escape was impossible due to the swamps, ice, bears and bug-infested forests spreading for hundreds of kilometres in each direction. Today both regions attract hardy explorers keen to see Russia's most wild and remote corners.

Yakutsk Якутск

%4112 / Pop 269,000 / Time Moscow +6hr

Remote yet booming Yakutsk stands on stilts (the shifting permafrost causes buildings to collapse otherwise) and has its water and gas delivered in giant overground pipes, the surreal, entangled sight of which might be its most enduring image to visitors.

With a long-awaited train link to the city still incomplete, it's pretty much cut off from the already remote Far East, and yet, unlike so many remote Russian cities out here, Yakutsk roars with optimism and gusto. New buildings are popping up all over the city and the population is rising, as the gold and diamond rush continues. Yakutsk is an excellent base for exploring the vast wilderness of Yakutia and has plenty to keep visitors entertained between forays into nature.

Brace yourself for extreme weather. It’s hot and swarms with mosquitoes in summer and then utterly freezing in winter (January averages –40°C), a time of year nonetheless beloved by locals.

Yakutsk

1Sights

1Archaeology & Ethnography MuseumA4

2Khomus MuseumB1

Mammoth MuseumA4

3National Art MuseumC3

4Transfiguration ChurchC3

5Treasury of the Sakha RepublicC3

6Yakutsk Regional History MuseumD1

2Activities, Courses & Tours

7Lena Tur FlotD1

8Visit YakutiaC2

9Yakutia TravelC3

4Sleeping

10Azimut Polar Star Hotel YakutskC2

11Bed & Breakfast BravoB3

12Hotel LenaD1

13Hotel Tygyn DarkhanC2

14Mini-Hotel ProspectD2

5Eating

15Bon AmiC2

16Han Guk KwanC2

17KhachapuriD2

18Kita GavaA2

19Kvartira na ProspekteD1

20MakhtalC3

21Stolovka RublevkaC2

Tygyn DarkhanC2

6Drinking & Nightlife

22Bar OneginC2

23Dikaya UtkaD3

24Evropa KlubB4

3Entertainment

25Sakha TheatreD1

7Shopping

26Kuday BakhsyC3

1Sights

National Art MuseumMUSEUM

(Национальный Художественный Музей Республики Саха MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-335 274; www.sakhamuseum.ru; ul Kirova 9; R150; h10am-6pm Wed-Sun)

If time is limited, don't miss this excellent museum, with Sakha-themed exhibits covering local craftmaking traditions (mammoth tusk carvings, reindeer boots, finely carved urns for kumiss – fermented mare's milk), landscape paintings and portraits. Look out for the captivating paintings of village life by Andrei Chikachev (born 1967), the most famous living Sakha artist.

Permafrost KingdomMUSEUM

(Царство вечной мерзлоты GOOGLE MAP ; Vilyusky trakt, km7; R500; h9am-7pm)

At Permafrost Kingdom, two neon-lit tunnels burrowed into a permanently frozen hill have been filled with dozens of fabulous, never-melting ice sculptures of local pagan gods and a host of more recognisable objects and characters – a sitting Buddha, a pharaoh, Ded Moroz (Russia’s Santa Claus), a woolly mammoth and an icy interpretation of Picasso’s Guernica. Silver coats and woolly boots are given out to keep you insulated.

Permafrost affects almost every aspect of life in Yakutsk, obstructing drainage, causing unstilted buildings to bow and then collapse, spontaneously chucking up mounds of earth, and emitting enough methane to possibly alter the earth’s climate catastrophically. The Permafrost Kingdom is a great way to get up close and personal with this nebulous and omnipresent beast. In this subterranean permafrost zone, the temperature ranges from –7°C in summer to a balmy (relative to outside temperatures) –20°C in winter. Indeed, caves adjacent to the kingdom are used for electricity-free cold storage in the warm months. This is by far Yakutsk's quirkiest attraction and makes for a great little excursion year-round. It's 13km west of Yakutsk’s centre; buses 7 and 25 go here from pr Lenina, or a taxi is around R300.

Yakutsk Regional History MuseumMUSEUM

(Якутский государственный объединенный музей истории и культуры народов Севера MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112- 425 174; pr Lenina 5/2; R300; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun)

A good place to delve deeper into Sakha culture, the Regional History Museum contains local minerals, information on the region’s first Russian settlers and a mammoth skeleton alongside the standard Soviet natural history and WWII exhibits. Outside, there’s a huge whale skeleton found in 1961, as well as the original museum building, a charming wooden structure full of traditional furnishings.

Transfiguration ChurchCHURCH

(Преображенский собор MAP GOOGLE MAP )

This mid-19th-century church with gorgeous golden domes in Yakutsk's old town is the city's most attractive.

Orto DoiduZOO

(Якутский зоопарк Орто Дойду GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-225 259; www.zoo.ykt.ru; Hangalassky ulus, Pokrovsky trakt, km50; R250; h10am-7pm summer, 10am-5pm winter)

This popular zoo is some distance from Yakutsk, but it's well worth the trouble of getting out here if you're interested in the fascinatingly hardy fauna of Yakutia and Arctic Russia. Among the collection you'll find polar bears, wolves, reindeer, elk, brown bears and even a golden eagle. To get here, take bus 202 from the bus station (R160, one hour). Buses leave at 9am, 11.30am, 2.30pm and 5pm.

Archaeology & Ethnography MuseumMUSEUM

(Музей Археологии и Этнографии, Музей Мамонта MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-361 647; UGU Bldg, ul Kulakovskogo 48; Mammoth/Ethnography Museum R200/150; h10am-1pm & 2-5pm Tue-Fri, 11am-1pm & 2-4pm Sat)

These two separately run museums are in the same building; sadly, neither enjoys the luxury of signage in English. On the bottom three floors you'll find one of the Far East’s better displays on indigenous peoples, while the 4th floor gives an overview of mammoths in Sakha. See if they’ll let you glimpse into the Mammoth Museum’s refrigerated storage room, which is chock full of mammoth and woolly rhino bones.

Khomus MuseumMUSEUM

(Музей хомуса MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Kirova 31; R250; h10am-1pm & 2-6pm Mon-Sat)

Khomus (Jew’s harps) play a big part in Sakha culture. Concerts occur year-round, when performers imitate natural sounds such as a horse neighing. The unexpected (and unfortunately soundtrack-free) Khomus Museum has a collection showcasing international Jew’s harp heroes from present and past. Ask the welcoming staff for a demonstration.

Treasury of the Sakha RepublicMUSEUM

(Выставка Сокровищница Республики Саха MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.expo-gx.ru; ul Ammosova; R240; htours 10am-4pm Mon-Fri)

Pay a visit to this unique museum for a look at Yakutia's rich mineral wealth combined with fine craft traditions. You'll see exquisite carvings in mammoth tusks, tiny sculptures adorned with precious stones and a radiant 11-carat diamond. Admission is by 40-minute guided tour, which departs on the hour (except 1pm).

Mammoth MuseumMUSEUM

(Музей Мамонта MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 4th fl, UGU Bldg, ul Kulakovskogo 48; R100; h10am-1pm & 2-5pm Tue-Fri, 11am-1pm & 2-4pm Sat)

Despite its rather exciting-sounding name, this one-room museum is rather a let-down due to its total lack of signage in English. On the plus side, there is an almost complete mammoth skeleton on display, as a well as a model of 'Dima', the mummified mammoth calf discovered in the region.

WORTH A TRIP

EXCURSIONS FROM YAKUTSK

Yakutsk’s city limits can get a little grey and grubby at times, but things quickly get wild once you leave town. By just hiring a taxi (about R600 to R800 per hour), you can reach a couple of places; others involve boats.

Lena Pillars The area’s most popular tour is the boat cruise to the 80km-long Lena Pillars (Lenskie Stolby), a 35-million-year-old stretch of Kimberly limestone on the edge of the Lena River, about 220km south of Yakutsk. Jagged spires and picturesque crumbling fronts (almost brick-like) look like ancient ruins if you squint. Many companies offer one- and two-day tours to the Lena Pillars. You can also book passage on a comfy 70-cabin ship for a 36- or 48-hour cruise offered by Lena Tur Flot. Both tours include about five to eight hours at the pillars, a shaman ceremony and the chance to fish or swim. Meals cost extra. Boats leave from Yakutsk once or twice weekly from June to September and should be booked ahead through a travel agent or Lena Tur Flot.

Sottintsy Home to the Druzhba Park Reserve (Дружба Историко-Архитектурный Музей-Заповедник «Дружба» GOOGLE MAP ; %411-612 3171; Ust-Aldansky ulus, Sottintsi; R200; h9am-6pm) – a collection of traditional dwellings – Sottintsy is about 60km north of Yakutsk on the opposite side of the Amur River. To get here take a bus to Kangalas and cross the Lena River by parom to Sottintsy; it’s a 2km walk from the riverbank to the park.

Elanka Features a few rest houses, a small ethnographic museum and fishing on a peaceful patch of the Lena. It's a two-hour drive south via Mokhsogollakh.

Buotama River Between the Lena Pillars and Yakutsk, cutting west from the Lena, this narrow tree-lined river is popular for kayaking and rafting camping trips, where you can spot bear and fish in the wild. These start at about R8500 per person per day, not including meals.

Oymyakon This remote village 650km east of Yakutsk holds the record as the coldest inhabited spot on earth. Temperatures have been recorded as low as –71°C (in the nearby valleys they go down to –82°C). Oymyakon also has a breeding station for reindeer, horses and silver foxes. An annual Pole of Cold Festival, with reindeer races and (outdoor!) concerts, takes place here or in nearby Tomtor in late March. A one-week trip taking in Oymyakon and various other cold places organised by Yakutsk travel agencies runs to R104,000 per person for groups of three people, including transport by Russian UAZ jeeps.

2Activities

oVisit YakutiaTOURS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %8-924-765 9930, 4112-259 930; www.visityakutia.com; pr Lenina 17)

This excellent outfit offers overland trips to Magadan, visits to reindeer herders, winter journeys to Oymyakon, Lena Pillar and Tiksi cruises, and a range of other outdoor activities including trekking, fishing, rafting and reindeer sledding. It's run by English-speaking Bolot Bochkarev.

Yakutia TravelTOURS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %8-924-662 1144, 4112-351 144; www.yakutiatravel.com; office 66, ul Yaroslavsky 30/1)

Experienced English-speaking staff can arrange Sakha wilderness tours, Lena Pillars boat trips, Oymyakon visits and plenty more. It also offers interesting ethnological trips to Sakha villages. An English-speaking guide is R1500 per day.

Lena Tur FlotCRUISE

(Ленатурфлот MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-263 535; www.lenaturflot.ru; ul Dzerzhinskogo 2; 36hr cruise to Lena Pillars s/d cabin from R7500/12,000)

Offers regular sailings from Yakutsk upriver to the Lena Pillars, as well as an epic 10-day cruise downriver to the Arctic Ocean town of Tiksi, for which you need special permission to visit.

zFestivals & Events

YsyakhCULTURAL

( GOOGLE MAP )

One of Russia’s better-kept secrets, the major Sakha festival of Ysyakh (tough to pronounce; try ‘ehh-sekhh’) is celebrated all over the Sakha Republic each year in June. The biggest event occurs in Us Khatyn field near the village of Zhetai, about 20km north of Yakutsk, on the first Saturday and Sunday after the summer solstice.

Don’t miss the opening, at noon on Saturday, when hundreds of costumed performers, including Chinggis (Genghis) Khaan–like soldiers, reenact battles and people hand out free skewers of horsemeat and offer sips of horse milk.

Stands are filled by Sakha from across the republic, often set up around modern irasa (tepees); the rare foreigner is likely to be drawn in for horsemeat and kumiss (fermented mare’s milk). The ‘no alcohol’ (other than mildly alcoholic kumiss) policy keeps things sober during the day, but it can’t be guaranteed later on, when many locals come to greet the dawn – an all-night party for young and old. It’s well worth planning your Yakutsk detour around this event, though be sure to book accommodation well in advance.

Packed buses head to/from the festival regularly from pr Lenina in Yakutsk (45 minutes).

4Sleeping

London HostelHOSTEL$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-210 031; bldg 2, ul B Chizhika 33b; dm/d R450/1500; W)

Despite its truly garish exterior (think Big Ben and the London Eye emblazoned onto the walls in photographic wallpaper), Yakutsk's first real hostel is a great deal that offers exactly what the traveller needs: two eight-bed dorms, two private rooms, shared toilets and showers, and a decent communal kitchen and lounge. From Lenina take bus 1 or 6 to the Aviagruppa stop.

oBed & Breakfast BravoGUESTHOUSE$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-405 111; www.bravo-hotel.ru; ul Ordzhonikidze 49, 9th fl, apt 64; s/d incl breakfast from R3500/4000; aW)

Bravo is a little tricky to find and is not marked at all from the street. But once you get here, you'll find several apartments stitched together to form a spotless guesthouse boasting modern rooms outfitted with large flat-screen TVs, big windows, desks and excellent mattresses.

Go into the courtyard of 49 and turn right: the entrance is the second one. Ring buzzer number 64.

Hotel OntarioGUESTHOUSE$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %8-914-222 9030; hotelontario@bk.ru; ul Sergelyakhskoe, km13; s/d from R3200/3900; aW)

Though it's far from the centre, pine-fringed Hotel Ontario lets you wake to singing birds rather than honking horns. Rooms are small, modern and carpeted, but cosy with plank walls that smell of cedar. There's a restaurant on-site. It's a R250 taxi ride, or bus 25 stops nearby – get off at the Borisovka Pervaya stop.

Mini-Hotel ProspectHOSTEL$$

(Мини-отель Проспект MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %8-4112-423 118; flat 36, ul Lenina 11/1; s/d from R2000/3000; W)

This very central, spotless budget option is effectively a self-service hostel. Three rooms share a bathroom and kitchen, but are otherwise totally independent. The owner, Lena, speaks some English and will meet you on arrival and give you a key. It's a great option if you want to be central without paying for a fancy hotel.

Hotel Tygyn DarkhanHOTEL$$$

(Гостиница Тыгын Дархан MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-435 109; www.tygyn.ru; ul Ammosova 9; s/d incl breakfast from R5000/7950; aiWs)

Just steps from pl Lenina and with the old town on its doorstep, TD’s regular rooms follow a standard Soviet template, but are freshly updated and have modern bathrooms. Rates include use of the indoor pool, sauna and gym, and there's a popular restaurant on-site as well.

Azimut Polar Star Hotel YakutskHOTEL$$$

(Azimut Отель Полярная Звезда Якутск MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-341 215; pr Lenina 24; s/d incl breakfast from R7800/9800; aiWs)

Little appears to have changed at the top business hotel in town since the Azimut chain took over – the Polar Star remains a fairly ugly place with decent modern rooms reached by glass elevator. Service can be variable, but there's usually someone on hand who speaks a bit of English. Location is excellent.

Hotel LenaHOTEL$$$

(Гостиница Лена MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-424 214; www.lena-hotel.ru; pr Lenina 8; s/d incl breakfast from R4500/6400; W)

Fresh from a full refit in 2016, the Lena is looking good these days, even if it's impossible to truly disguise a Soviet hotel due to the small rooms and low ceilings. That said, it has a fantastic location and well-meaning staff, although there's way too much beige and brown in the new decor.

5Eating

Stolovka RublevkaCAFETERIA$

(Столовка Рублевка MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Korolenko 2; meals R200-400; h9am-11pm; W)

With leather armchairs and white brick walls, Rublevka is a surprisingly elegant stolovaya (canteen) with a good selection of smoked fish, soups, dumplings, salads and cooked meat and fish plates. Great prices, too, and the advantage of not having to read a Russian menu.

Bon AmiCAFE$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Yaroslavskogo 22; desserts R80-280; h8.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat & Sun)

Pleasant cafe with frothy coffee drinks, buttery croissants and other temptations (cherry Danishes, apple strudel, honeycake, bliny). The takeaway shop is downstairs.

oKvartira na ProspekteRUSSIAN$$

(Квартира на проспекте MAP GOOGLE MAP ; pr Lenina 6/6; mains R400-900; hnoon-midnight, until 2am Fri & Sat; W)

This fun place makes a noble effort to resemble a babushka's living room, which is no mean feat since it moved to bigger premises and is now housed inside a thoroughly modern building. The menu remains excellent and inventive with dishes such as quinoa salad, couscous and Caesar salad with salmon.

oKhachapuriGEORGIAN$$

(Хачапури MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-261 601; www.vhachapuri.ru; ul Yaroslavskogo 13/2; mains R400-700; W)

Georgia's culinary colonisation of even the farthest-flung parts of Russia continues apace, and this gorgeous place is easily one of Yakutsk's best dining options (should you tire of frozen fish). Attentive staff look after you in this bright and breezy place, with a pictorial and English menu, making navigating the Georgian dish names a breeze.

oChochur MuranRUSSIAN$$

(Чочур Муран GOOGLE MAP ; %8-924-661 6100; Vilyusky trakt, km7; meals R400-1600; hnoon-midnight; W)

In a Cossack-style lodge filled with antiques, Chochur Muran is an atmospheric and fun lunch stop if you are heading out to the nearby Permafrost Kingdom. It’s the best place around to try Sakha delicacies such as stroganina (frozen raw chyr, a white fish common in Arctic rivers), zherebyatiny (fillet of colt meat) and reindeer.

oMakhtalYAKUT$$

(Махтал MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Kirova 2; mains R350-1500; hnoon-1am; W)

In the old town, Makhtal is one of Yakutsk's most atmospheric options, with thick log walls adorned with traditional tapestries and handsomely attired waitstaff gliding about in broad-shouldered tunics and long flowing robes. Downstairs there's a cheap and informal cafeteria, while upstairs it's a Yakut feast with dishes including horse meat in caramel and indigirka (raw, frozen fish).

Han Guk KwanKOREAN$$

(Хан Гук Гван MAP GOOGLE MAP ; LG Sakha Centre, ul Ordzhonikidze 36/1; mains R300-1100; hnoon-midnight)

A large, airy and authentic Korean restaurant on the ground floor of one of Yakutsk's fanciest office buildings (look for the fabulous ornamental gates), Han Guk Kwan may have fairly surly waitstaff but the food is excellent and the R300 business lunch is great value.

Tygyn DarkhanRUSSIAN$$

(Тыгын Дархан Ресторан MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-343 406; Hotel Tygyn Darkhan, ul Ammosova 9; mains R400-900; hnoon-3pm & 6-10pm; W)

Though the atmosphere is lacking, Tygyn Darkhan is the place to score Sakha specialities in the centre. Try indigirka (frozen raw chyr and onions – a bit like eating frozen fish in a ball of snow) and Darkhan pelmeni (horsemeat dumplings), washed down with a glass of kumiss and topped off with whipped cream and foxberries.

Kita GavaJAPANESE$$

(Китагава MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Oyunskogo 5; meals R500-1400; h11am-1am; W)

The best place in town for sushi, Kita Gava is a buzzing place that serves up tasty sashimi platters, noodle soups and plump gyoza (dumplings). While not cheap, the food is good, the service fast and friendly, and the place buzzes with a young and well-heeled local crowd come evening.

6Drinking & Nightlife

Dikaya UtkaPUB

(Дикая утка MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Chernyshevskogo 20; hnoon-2am Mon-Fri, from 2pm Sat & Sun)

A favourite of expats, the spacious wood-lined 'Wild Duck' is the go-to spot for refreshing brews, and there's decent pub grub on hand. There's live music on Friday and Saturday nights (cover R300; from 9pm). It's in the stary gorod (old city).

Evropa KlubCLUB

(Европа Клуб MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.evropaklub.ru; pr Lenina 47; h6pm-6am)

The most popular club in the centre, Evropa is a five-storey complex with dance club, sports bar, bowling alley and, uh, strip club.

Bar OneginEUROPEAN

(Бар Онегин MAP GOOGLE MAP ; pr Lenina 23; hnoon-2am; W)

Bar Onegin whips up tasty salads, sushi, pastas and grilled fish dishes (mains R350 to R650), but it mainly serves as a bar. It's a fairly stylish spot, with Pushkin-esque stencils on the wall and a chatty cocktail-sipping crowd at night.

3Entertainment

Sakha TheatreTHEATRE

(Саха Театр MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-341 331; pl Ordzhonikidze)

A strikingly modern venue in the centre of the city that has theatre in Yakut and far more accessible traditional music performances.

7Shopping

Kuday BakhsyGIFTS & SOUVENIRS

(Кудай Бахсы MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Ammosova 3a; h10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun)

In the old city, this is the best place in town to browse for crafts and souvenirs. You'll find mammoth tusk carvings, leather slippers, reindeer boots and gloves, embroidered dolls, Jew's harps, carved wooden bowls, paintings, knives, bizarre magnets and CDs of traditional music.

8Information

There are plenty of ATMs around town, but particularly in the top-end hotels and all along pr Lenina.

Post Office (Почтамт GOOGLE MAP ; pl Ordzhonikidze; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat)

8Getting There & Away

Passenger trains from Neryungri go as far north as Tommot in southern Sakha. The new Amuro-Yakutskaya Mainline (AYaM) passenger train will supposedly link Yakutsk with Tommot, Neryungri and Tynda, and thus the entire Russian rail network, though work is currently stalled on the project, with no completion date even mooted.

Air

Yakutsk airport (Аэропорт Якутск GOOGLE MAP ; %4112-491 001; www.yks.aero), 7km northeast of the town centre, is well connected to most of Russia. Destinations include Moscow (six hours), Khabarovsk (2¾ hours), Vladivostok (3¼ hours), Novosibirsk (four hours) and Irkutsk (three hours), as well as Magadan (two hours) and numerous far-flung destinations in Sakha, including Neryungri (1¾ hours, daily except Sunday) and Tiksi (three hours, three weekly).

Boat

Yakutsk remains an important port and dispatches ferries and cruise ships both up and down the giant Lena River during the summer months.

The most interesting ferry service is the four-day trip from Yakutsk to Tiksi, departing every 10 days between July and early September. The far shorter jaunt upriver to the Lena Pillars is one or two days and offers some lovely sights en route, including several hours to enjoy the pillars as well. Both services are offered by Lena Tur Flot. Departures are from the Yakutsk river terminal (Речной вокзал GOOGLE MAP ; ul Novoportskaya 1), 2km northeast of the centre.

You can traverse the Lena by ferry (leaving from the terminal) to Nizhny Bestyakh on the opposite bank (R250, one hour). Departures are every 80 minutes from 7am to 6.20pm. Don’t miss the last boat back at 7.40pm.

Bus & Taxi

Buses go from the Yakutsk bus station (Автовокзал GOOGLE MAP ; ul Oktyabrskaya 24) to relatively nearby points in Sakha. For overland journeys south to connect with the Russian railway network, it's more convenient to go by shared taxi to Tommot (R2000, about 10 to 14 hours) or Neryungri (R2800, 14 to 20 hours).

The rough UAZ journey to Neryungri crosses the Lena an hour south of Yakutsk in industrial Mokhsogollakh. Most travel agencies can arrange this journey.

8Getting Around

A handy city bus is line 8 (R18), which goes past pr Lenina’s hotels on its way between the river terminal and bus station. Bus 4 goes to the airport – catch it heading east on pr Lenina. Taxis charge around R150 for rides around the centre.

Magadan Магадан

%4132 / Pop 92,000 / Time Moscow +8hr

The centre of Stalin's unspeakably cruel Far Eastern Gulag system in the 1930s, Magadan is today an isolated but not unpleasant town on the Sea of Okhotsk. Despite its dark past, it boasts an attractive main avenue painted in pastels and has views of the surrounding countryside and snow-capped mountains in all directions. Magadan deals well with its terrible past by Russian standards, with a famous monument to the victims of the camps overlooking the town and a well-run museum that movingly details the prisoner experience.

Those who travel to Magadan today are usually business travellers brought here by the local gold mining and jewellery industries. The odd intrepid traveller and tour group also makes it here every now and then to check out the town and perhaps camp at the remnants of a remote Gulag camp, fish on the Arman River or go birdwatching or hiking.

1Sights & Activities

Mask of SorrowMONUMENT

(Маска скорби GOOGLE MAP )

Ernst Neizvestny's famous Mask of Sorrow, erected in 1996, is the stark and brutalist concrete rendering of the suffering of the tens of thousands of political prisoners who passed through Kolyma's camps between the early 1930s and the late 1950s. Behind the giant mask made up of dozens of tiny faces kneels a weeping figure beneath a headless person on the cross. It's a deeply moving place, with good views across the town.

A taxi here costs around R200 from the town centre.

Magadan Regional MuseumMUSEUM

(Магаданский областной краеведческий музей GOOGLE MAP ; %4132-651 148; www.magadanmuseum.ru; pr Karla Marksa 55; R100; h10am-6pm Wed-Sun)

As well as a standard and very detailed look at the lives of the local indigenous groups, this excellent museum displays a moving collection of artefacts from the Gulag camps, including a guard tower used in the Kolyma region. There's sadly no signage in English, so non-Russians should call ahead to arrange a tour in English (R400 per small group).

Holy Trinity CathedralCATHEDRAL

(Свято-Троицкий кафедральный собор GOOGLE MAP ; Sobornaya pl; h10am-3pm & 4-7pm)

This striking gold-domed cathedral would catch your eye almost anywhere, but in Magadan its beauty is instantly noticeable against the backdrop of grey apartment buildings and even the grandest weathered facades.

Kayur TravelOUTDOORS

(Каюр Трэвел %8-914-862 8920; www.kayur-travel.ru)

This agency offers a whole range of tours into the wilderness of the Magadan region, including boat tours, skiing tours, ethnographic visits to indigenous peoples, fishing tours, hiking tours and snowmobile tours. Tours are conducted in Russian, but translators can be hired with notice.

4Sleeping

oLucky HostelHOSTEL$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %4132-220 112; lucky-hostel@bk.ru; ul Kolymskoye Shosse 13; dm R600-750, d R2900; W)

Magadan's shiny new hostel has a giant sign, meaning that you won't be tramping around for ages trying to find it, as is often the way. Dorms are spick and span and sleep between four and eight, while the one private room has its own bathroom. There's a good guest kitchen and a washing machine to boot – what more do you need?

Arriving by bus from the airport, ask to be let off at tridtsat pyervy kvartal (трицать первый квартал).

VM Central HotelHOTEL$$

(ВМ Центральная гостиница GOOGLE MAP ; %4132-601 088; www.hotelvm.ru; pr Lenina 13; s/d incl breakfast from R3900/5200; W)

The lobby here is a study in Soviet exuberance and leads up to rooms that haven't had much done to them for decades. That said, they're perfectly comfortable and the staff here are remarkably friendly. Skip the breakfast, however.

oHotel Golden HouseHOTEL$$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %4132-201 111; www.hotel-goldenhouse.ru; ul Transportnaya 1; r/ste from R5000/9700; W)

The smartest option in town is this discreet but very warm and welcoming hotel on the 2nd floor of a business centre. It's not perfectly located, but the town centre is just a short walk away. Rooms are spacious, spotlessly clean and rather chic (if thoroughly beige), and there's a restaurant in the same building that serves all meals.

Magadan HotelHOTEL$$$

(Гостиница Магадан GOOGLE MAP ; %4132-604 557; www.magadanhotel.ru; ul Proleterskaya 8; s/d incl breakfast from R4200/6600; W)

Almost within bell-ringing distance of Magadan's cathedral, this renovated Soviet hotel has been given a very sophisticated and impressive makeover. The lobby boasts both artistically hung grass on the walls and a stylish restaurant, and the rooms, while on the small side, are immaculate. Welcome is warm.

5Eating & Drinking

As very little grows here, almost everything you eat is flown in, making prices in shops and restaurants a good deal higher than what you'll pay on the 'mainland'.

Moskovskaya RyumochnayaRUSSIAN$$

(Московская Рюмочная GOOGLE MAP ; Proletarskaya ul 32; mains R300-650; hnoon-midnight; W)

Low lighting, comfortable booth seating and friendly staff make the 'Moscow Vodka Bar' a great place for a meal. There's a big choice from the large menu, including Russian favourites pelmeni, vareniki (boiled dumplings) and bliny, as well as a list of Magadan specialities, pies, soups, steaks and a huge range of vodka.

Torro GrillSTEAK$$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; www.torrogrill.ru; ul Pushkina 10; mains R600-1550; hnoon-midnight; W)

Pricey but definitely one of the smartest places in town, this large, upscale grill is easily one of Magadan's best places for a meal or a drink. As well as good steaks, they have a huge wine list, burgers, salads, soups and lunch deals. It's also one of the few places open late.

Alaska Beer PubPUB

( GOOGLE MAP ; ul Dzherzhinskogo 26; hnoon-midnight; W)

The closest Magadan does to a charming bar is this recently opened pub, a two-room establishment clad in timber and with cosy booths to sit in and try various local and imported brews.

8Information

Visit Kolyma (Туристический информацинный центр Магаданской области GOOGLE MAP ; %4132-651 587; http://visitkolyma.ru/en-us; office 213, 2nd fl, Shkolny per 3) This new office in an unlikely, unsigned location opened in summer 2017 with the challenging remit of encouraging tourism in the Kolyma region.

8Getting There & Around

Nearly all visitors arrive by plane at Magadan Sokol Airport (Аэропорт Сокол Магадан GOOGLE MAP ; %4132-603 335; www.airport-magadan.ru; Sokol), and there are daily flights to/from Moscow and Khabarovsk and weekly connections to Yakutsk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Anadyr (Chukotka) on Yakutia. The alternative to flying is to take the intrepid overland route from Yakutsk along the so-called road of bones.

From the airport bus 111 runs to Magadan's bus station (Автовокзал GOOGLE MAP ; pr Lenina) (R130, 50 minutes). Taxis run the route for R1500 to R2000.

THE ROAD OF BONES

A dream for hardened adventurers, the infamous Kolyma Hwy – aka the ‘road of bones’, so named because of the countless Gulag labourers who froze to death building it – makes for a tough three- or four-day journey 2200km east to Magadan from Yakutsk. It’s possible to try to negotiate a ride with a truck for the trip, or to hire 6WD vehicles going in either direction.

Visit Yakutia are specialists on the route and lead 10-day group tours in both the summer and winter months, as well as offering self-drive packages if you're not keen to do this seminal Russian overland journey with other travellers. Prices vary enormously depending on the numbers of people taking the tour and a dozen other factors, but this is definitely an adventure that will challenge even the hardiest Russia hands (not to mention your bank account). The route takes in the Verkhoyansk Mountains, Oymyakon, the world's coldest inhabited town, several former Gulag camps, the mining ghost town of Kadykchan, several working mining settlements and crosses countless rivers.

Sakhalin Сахалин

El Dorado for present-day businessfolk and ‘hell’ to Anton Chekhov, who famously passed through in 1890 (not to mention the thousands and thousands of prisoners shipped here from the late 19th century), Sakhalin Island these days is defined by its booming oil and gas hub, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. But there's much more to this often beautiful island, which is filled with a wild terrain of forests, islands of seals, streams full of fish, slopes for skiing and lots and lots of bears. Relatively cheap flights can get you here, but prepare to open the purse strings once you’ve arrived: Sakhalin is no place for shoestringers.

The main 948km-long island is one of 59 (including the Kuril Islands) that make up the Sakhalinskaya Oblast (Sakhalin Region). Sakhalin’s weather is – even locals will agree – despicable. Winter is freezing and long, while summer is humid and brief. August and September are the best months, mosquitoes notwithstanding.

History

The first Japanese settlers came across from Hokkaido in the early 1800s, attracted by marine life so rich that one explorer wrote ‘the water looked as though it was boiling’. The island – mistakenly named for an early map reference to ‘cliffs on the black river’ (‘Saghalien-Anaghata’ in Mongolian) – already had occupants in the form of the Nivkhi, Oroki and Aino peoples but, just as this didn’t give pause to the Japanese, the Russians were equally heedless when they claimed Sakhalin in 1853. Japan agreed to recognise Russian sovereignty in exchange for the rights to the Kuril Islands.

Japan restaked its claim on Sakhalin, seizing the island during the Russo-Japanese War, and got to keep the southern half, which it called Karafuto, under the terms of the Treaty of Portsmouth (1905). In the final days of WWII, though, the Soviet Union staged a successful invasion, and Sakhalin became a highly militarised eastern outpost of the Soviet empire, loaded with aircraft, missiles and guns.

In 1990 Muscovite governor Valentin Fyodorov vowed to create capitalism on the island. He privatised retail trade, but most people soon found themselves poorer. Fyodorov left, head down, in 1993. The demise of the USSR and the influx of thousands of oil-industry internationals succeeded where Fyodorov couldn’t, and today Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is one of the wealthiest cities in Russia.

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Южно-Сахалинск

%4242 / Pop 193,600 / Time Moscow +8hr

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is the prosperous and booming hub of Sakhalin Island, and a place changing fast as new office towers, hotels and apartment buildings shoot up all over the oil town’s streets (which are still named after Lenin, Marx and other communists). Despite its firmly business atmosphere, Yuzhno is quite relaxed, with pleasant tree-lined sidewalks and looming mountains that you can ride chairlifts up and ski or climb down, and a couple of nods to its distant Japanese history. It's also a safe bet to say that you'll be one of the few tourists here, whenever it is you decide to travel.

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

1Sights

1Art MuseumA2

2Gagarin ParkD1

3Museum of Sakhalin Island: A Book by AP ChekhovC3

4Sakhalin Regional MuseumC2

2Activities, Courses & Tours

5Omega PlusA2

4Sleeping

6Gagarin HotelD1

7Hostel 65A1

8Lotus HotelB2

9Natalya HotelB3

10Pacific Plaza SakhalinC3

11Rubin HotelB4

5Eating

Bar 133D1

12CippoliniB4

13FursatoB3

14MarusyaB4

15MelnitsaA2

16Melnitsa 2B1

17Nihon MitaiD4

18Pak DegamC2

19Supermarket PervyB4

Taj MahalB3

20The SohoC2

6Drinking & Nightlife

21MooseheadB1

Transport

22Bi-TomoD1

23Bus Stop to AirportB2

24Main Bus StopA3

25Sakhalin-KurilyD2

1Sights

oCathedral of the NativityCATHEDRAL

(Кафедральный Собор Рождества Христова GOOGLE MAP ; ul Gorkogo)

This extraordinary new addition to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk's otherwise ho-hum architectural ensemble is a staggeringly impressive golden-domed cathedral, which at 81m high is the tallest church in the Russian Far East. While the building was completed in 2016, it was still having its interior frescoes painted in 2017, and may not be fully complete for some time yet, although visitors are welcome.

Museum of Sakhalin Island: A Book by AP ChekhovMUSEUM

(Музей книги А. П. Чехова Остров Сахалин MAP GOOGLE MAP ; pr Mira 104; permanent/temporary collection R50/100; h11am-6pm Tue-Sat)

Based on Chekhov’s seminal account of his few months working as a doctor on Sakhalin in the 1890s, this museum provides insight not only into life on Sakhalin in tsarist Russia but also into the life of the great playwright. More interesting than the untranslated Chekhov works are multimedia exhibits and lifesize models that give an idea of life on the island; there's even a recreated sleeping quarters for convicts (though you'll have to imagine the roaches and bedbugs).

A small gallery of temporary artwork is upstairs. The surrounding park has a few sculptures of Chekhov personages.

Sakhalin Regional MuseumMUSEUM

(Сахалинский областной краеведческий музей MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.sakhalinmuseum.ru; Kommunistichesky pr 29; R100; h11am-6pm Tue-Sun)

The pagoda-roofed Sakhalin Regional Museum has a strong exhibit (sadly in Russian only) exploring the Japanese/Soviet overlap of the city’s history, typified by the building itself, which served as the home of the Karafuto administration before the Soviets seized the island from the Japanese in 1945. The strong ethnographic section has some fascinating and unique Aino artefacts and photos from back before the original south Sakhalin inhabitants fled to Japan, plus bits on the Nivkhi and the rare Aleuts.

Art MuseumMUSEUM

(Художественный музей MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-723 643; ul Lenina 137; R70; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun)

This museum has a modest permanent collection of pre-Soviet Russian oil paintings and Korean and Japanese textiles upstairs, and changing exhibits downstairs. Best is getting inside the unique building, a former Japanese bank built in 1935.

2Activities

The Kuril Islands qualify as trip-of-a-lifetime material. Other tours offered by Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk travel agents include seal-infested Moneron Island off Sakhalin’s southwest coast, plus shorter hops to points north, such as Tikhaya Bay, about 140km north of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (R3500 per person); and 1045m Chekhov Peak, a nice one-day climb in the Sakhalin Mountains not far from Yuzhno. Tikhaya Bay is possible as a DIY tour – just jump on any train heading north to Tikhy.

oGorny VozdukhSKIING

(Горный Воздух GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-511 110; www.ski-gv.ru; lift ticket summer R300, winter weekday/weekend R1300/1800)

The ‘Mountain Air’ ski slope looms east of town on Yuzhno's biggest mountain. A chairlift runs all year (Friday to Sunday only in summer) and leads up the mountain – another heads down the back side. In winter it's hugely popular with skiiers, while in summer hikers use the lifts to get a good start on some walking trails.

Omega PlusOUTDOORS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-723 410; www.omega-plus.ru; Office 347, 1st fl, Hotel Moneron, ul Kommunistichesky 86; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat)

The travel agent in town most accustomed to handling foreigners, Omega Plus focuses on Japanese-heritage tours but also runs various area trips and week-long trips to the Kurils and Moneron Island. Ask for English-speaking Elena.

SodruzhestvoOUTDOORS

(Содружество GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-729 362; ul Komsomolskaya 192a; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri)

This well-established travel agency offers various trips to hard-to-reach parts of Sakhalin Island, including Chekhov Peak, various local lakes, some 19 different waterfalls and a volcano. It also offers themed tours of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, including ones centred on Chekhov and Japanese history.

Friends & HikersTRAVEL AGENCY

(Друзья & Походники %8-914-755 4014; www.friendsandhikers.com; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri)

English-speaking Friends & Hikers runs a comprehensive range of hiking, fishing, kayaking, mountain-bike and boat tours in the summer, as well as ice-fishing, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobile tours in the winter. English-speaking Ekaterina will help you plan your itinerary.

4Sleeping

oHostel 65HOSTEL$

(Хостел 65 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-774 409; www.hostel65.ru; ul Amurskaya 4; dm R800; W)

A well sign-posted Russian hostel – rivals, please take note – you'll find Hostel 65 centrally located on the ground floor of an apartment building. It has four sparkling-clean dorms, all with comfy wooden bunks and lockers, and there's a decent kitchen, a washing machine for guests to use and a friendly vibe, despite limited English.

Natalya HotelHOTEL$$

(Гостиница Наталя MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-464 949; www.natalyahotel.ru; ul Antona Buyukly 38; r/ste from R3600/5000; aW)

This friendly business hotel offers bright, spacious rooms, with full kitchens (including stove and microwave). The rather dated furnishings might mean that it's a bit like visiting your aunt in Norilsk in 1993, but it's good value and staff are helpful. Breakfast is R400 extra. Entrance is in the back.

Lotus HotelHOTEL$$

(Гостиница Лотoс MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-430 918; www.lotus-hotel.ru; ul Kurilskaya 41a; s/d incl breakfast from R2700/4000; naW)

On a peaceful street, the Lotus Hotel has clean and classically furnished rooms, with wood or parquet floors, natural light and a small desk. Pricier rooms feature an extra room, a kitchenette and small dining area. Excellent value, but some rooms are smoky and there's no lift.

Pacific Plaza SakhalinHOTEL$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-455 000; www.sakhalinpacificplaza.ru; pr Mira 172; s/d incl breakfast from R5605/6372; naiW)

The Pacific Plaza is generally considered the top business hotel in town, and it's certainly the largest; an eight-floor green-and-grey blob of modernity with attractive carpeted rooms, lacquered wood furnishings and lots of creature comforts. There's good service, two eating spots (restaurant, lobby cafe) and a top-floor bar with a terrace open in summer.

Rubin HotelHOTEL$$$

(Гостиница Рубин MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-424 220; www.rubin-hotel.ru; ul Chekhova 85; s/d/ste incl breakfast from R4500/5000/5900; aW)

Aimed primarily at longer-term visitors, but perfectly viable for a night or two, this is one of Yuzhno’s most popular hotels. It looks like a polished Scandinavian motor inn – perfectly run, clean and welcoming. All rooms have kitchenettes, and include use of the gym and sauna. Breakfast is served in the popular Mishka Pub in the basement.

Gagarin HotelHOTEL$$$

(Гостиница Гагарин MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-498 400; www.gagarinhotel.ru; ul Komsomolskaya 133; s/d incl breakfast from R4500/5500; naiW)

A bit out of the way overlooking the namesake park, this pleasant business hotel capably fills the upper-midrange niche. Rooms are plush, with a modern design and sparkling bathrooms. There's also a sauna, for which guests enjoy a discount, and an excellent on-site restaurant, though breakfast is sadly lacklustre.

5Eating & Drinking

Business lunches are naturally popular here – think R300 to R350. For shashlyk and beer tents head to Gagarin Park (Парк культуры и отдыха имени Ю. Гагарина MAP GOOGLE MAP ; hdawn-dusk).

MelnitsaCAFE$

(Мельница MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Lenina 171; pastries R50-100; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat & Sun; W)

This is the most centrally located of this Sakhalin bakery chain where sticky Danishes, rich eclairs, sandwiches, coffee and tea are all on offer. It's a good breakfast spot and there's another usefully located branch on ul Sakhalinskaya ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Sakhalinskaya 45; pastries R50-100; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat & Sun; W).

Supermarket PervySUPERMARKET$

(Первый супермаркет MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Lenina 219; h7am-midnight)

Good supermarket, with tempting bakery items and hot prepared dishes.

oNihon MitaiJAPANESE$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-720 550; pr Pobedy 28b; mains R340-950; h11am-11pm; v)

Yuzhno’s favourite sushi spot is a bit out of the centre, but the very cool bamboo loft dining room is a great choice for soba noodles and ramen and picking from the sushi conveyor belt after 7pm. The ground floor has a small grocer with some Japanese products.

MarusyaRUSSIAN$$

(Маруся MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Lenina 219; mains R200-500; h8am-midinight Mon-Fri, noon-midnight Sat & Sun; W)

A chic and friendly new addition to the city's eating options, Marusya is part contemporary riff on traditional Russian folk aesthetics and part acid trip with its vibrant and playful decor. Quality Russian staples are served cafeteria style until 4pm, after which it's table service only, transforming the space into something more refined and classy.

CippoliniITALIAN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; SFERA Business Centre, ul Chekhova 78; mains R350-1400; h11.30am-2.30pm & 6pm-midnight; Wv)

This slick basement restaurant-bar has an extensive pub menu (including pizzas, pastas, seafood, steaks). Upstairs, stop in the cafe (open 8.30am to 5pm weekdays) for a coffee on the go. An expat fave.

Taj MahalINDIAN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-499 488; ul Antona Buyukly 38; mains R350-750; h11.30am-10pm; Wv)

Heavy inlaid wooden furniture and red tapestries set the stage for tasty chicken tikka masala, rich curries and fluffy naan bread at this expat favourite and contender for world's least likely location for an Indian restaurant.

FursatoJAPANESE$$

(Фурсато MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Lenina 179; mains R500-1000; hnoon-11pm; Wv)

With a picture menu, this popular Japanese spot serves up good but pricey sushi and sashimi platters, belly-filling tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet), plus silky rich bowls of ramen, udon and soba noodles. The dining room may be a little low on atmosphere, but Fursato is one of the few places right in the centre of town.

oThe SohoINTERNATIONAL$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-391 888; www.sohocafe.ru; ul Kommunistichesky 31b; mains R500-2500; hnoon-1am; v)

Inside a small but fancy mall, this upscale minimalist place is unashamedly aimed at an international crowd, with English-speaking waitresses and an iPad menu that allows you to see each imaginative dish. These include gorgeously presented fare such as tuna carpaccio, lamb cutlets in a curry and coconut sauce, and roasted king crab with hollandaise.

Pak DegamKOREAN$$$

(Пак дэгам MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-241 080; www.pakdegam.ru; Kommunistichesky pr 31-6/1; barbecue sets R700-2600; hnoon-11pm; W)

This big and bustling Korean barbecue joint serves marinated meats in sets to be cooked at your table, though there's a full pictorial English menu for nonbarbecue dishes if you're not feeling like playing chef. It's in an attractively furnished basement with lots of wood and comfortable booths, but also loud and invasive Russian pop.

Bar 133INTERNATIONAL$$$

(Бар 133 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Komsomolskaya 133; mains R600-2100; h6pm-1am; W)

This friendly and cosy bar serves up some excellent food, and is popular with business travellers for whom the steep prices are of little concern. While it's perfectly possible to eat for a reasonable amount here, the best dishes, such as their rib-eye steak, filet mignon or lamb chops, are entirely worth the money.

MooseheadPUB

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Militseyskaya 8b; h5pm-late Mon-Fri, from noon Sat, from 3pm Sun)

Expats in the know head to this big dark-wood bar for cold beer and pub grub (mains R300 to R1000), famous seafood chowder and themed party nights.

8Information

Tourist Information Centre (Туристско-информационный центр GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-306 080; www.gosakhalin.info; Kommunistichesky pr 18; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri) This very helpful and friendly tourist information centre is one of the best in the Far East, with excellent free maps available and all sorts of excursions on sale, though sadly no English.

8Getting There & Away

Air

The airport (Аэропорт Южно-Сахалинск GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-788 311; www.airportus.ru; Khomutovo) is 8km south of the centre. Several airlines, including Aeroflot, Aurora and S7, fly regularly to Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Moscow, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Blagoveshchensk.

Aeroflot (%toll free within Russia 8-800-444 5555; www.aeroflot.ru), Asiana and S7 (%toll free within Russia 8-800-700 0707; www.s7.ru) have three flights a week to Seoul, while Aurora (%toll free within Russia 8-800-250 4988; www.flyaurora.ru) has flights to Tokyo and Sapporo (two weekly). Aurora also has a weekly flight to Harbin.

Boat

From June to September, once- or twice-weekly ferries run from Korsakov, 40km south of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, to Wakkanai on Hokkaido (from R8875, four hours). Book tickets at Bi-Tomo (Би-томо MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-726 889; www.bitomo.ru; ul Sakhalinskaya 1/1; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) or Omega Plus.

Boats also run to the Kuril Islands and from the southern Sakhalin port of Kholmsk to Vanino on the mainland.

Bus

From the main bus stop ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) outside the train station you can catch bus 56 for Kholmsk (R300, about 45 minutes) hourly from 8.45am to 9pm, bus 115 to Korsakov (R140, one hour) half-hourly or bus 111 to Aniva (about one hour).

Train

From the train station ( GOOGLE MAP ), facing pl Lenina, the fastest train is the 1, which heads north at 10.42pm daily, stopping at Tiemovsk (kupe R3700, 9½ hours) and the end of the line, Nogliki (kupe R4400, 12 hours). The 2 train runs daily in the opposite direction. Elektrichki go to Bykov (daily, 1¾ hours) and Novoderevenskya (two daily, 30 minutes).

8Getting Around

Bus 63 leaves for the airport, going east, from the bus stop ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) on Kommunistichesky pr near ul Amurskaya (R20, 30 minutes). A taxi to/from the airport costs about R350.

WORTH A TRIP

THE KURILS

Spreading northeast of Japan, like stepping stones to Kamchatka, this gorgeous and rugged 56-island chain of 49 active volcanoes, azure-blue lagoons, steaming rivers and boiling lakes is one of the world’s great adventures. The Kurils are part of the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ – the islands being the visible tips of an underwater volcanic mountain range. The rare visitors here are treated to dramatic landscapes, isolated coastal communities a world apart from the rest of Russia, and seas and skies brimming with marine and birdlife.

The three most populous islands, accessible by public boat and/or plane, are Kunashir, Iturup and Shikotan. You can attempt to visit these islands on your own, but secure permits first well in advance through a travel agent or from the border control office in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Permits have become increasingly hard to get in recent years and you should begin planning your trip at least three months before you want to travel. Be prepared to get stuck for a few days because of storms and heavy fog. Late summer and early autumn provide the best chance of stable weather.

Aurora flies to Yuzhno-Kurilsk on Kunashir Island five times a week, and to Buravestnik, Iturup, four times per week. On the seas, Sakhalin-Kurily (Сахалин-Курилы MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4242-762 524; ‘Fregat’ office, 3rd fl, ul Kommunistichesky 21, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk; h10am-4pm) has a ferry that departs twice a week from Sakhalin to Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup and back to Sakhalin. The entire loop takes up to two days. Omega Plus in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk offers groups of four or more a seven-/eight-day tour to Kunashir or Iturup Island for R50,000 to R80,000 per person, including visa support. Transport is by public boat. Individuals can piggyback on these trips.

More northern islands, many of them uninhabited, can only be visited by private sea craft or on upmarket expeditions such as several 12- to 13-day cruises by Heritage Expeditions (www.heritage-expeditions.com). They offer a trip between Kamchatka and Sakhalin, and another from Sakhalin Island to Magadan; these typically happen in May and June (from US$8500 per person).

Kamchatka Камчатка

There are few places in the world that can enthral quite like Kamchatka, easily Russia's most scenically dramatic region. A vast volcanic peninsula that is almost entirely wilderness, Kamchatka is a place of extraordinary primal beauty, rushing rivers, hot springs and snow-capped peaks. Getting here takes time and effort, and exploring the region even more so, but few visitors leave anything other than awestruck.

Visitors to Kamchatka have traditionally been an intriguing mix of outdoorsy types and package tourists, both with deep pockets. Yet against all odds, Kamchatka has recently become viable for independent, relatively budget-conscious travellers.

The capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, may be gritty, but it enjoys an incredible setting and has its share of easily accessible activities, including lift skiing into late May and some very doable volcano climbs. Kamchatka may not be a budget destination yet, but no longer is it strictly the domain of tycoons.

History

The man credited with the discovery of Kamchatka, in 1696, was the half-Cossack, half-Yakut adventurer Vladimir Atlasov, who, like most explorers of the time, was out to find new lands to plunder. He established two forts on the Kamchatka River that became bases for the Russian traders who followed.

The native Koryaks, Chukchi and Itelmeni warred with their new self-appointed overlords, but fared badly and their numbers were greatly diminished. Today, the remnants of the Chukchi nation inhabit the isolated northeast of Kamchatka, while the Koryaks live on the west coast of the peninsula with their territorial capital at Palana.

Kamchatka was long regarded as the least hospitable and remote place in the Russian Empire. In the 19th century, the peninsula became a useful base for exploring Alaska. When Alaska was sold off in 1867, Kamchatka might also have been up for grabs if the Americans had shown enough interest.

During the Cold War, Kamchatka was closed to all outsiders (Russians too) and took on a new strategic importance; foreign interest was definitely no longer welcome. It became a base for military airfields and early-warning radar systems, while the coastline sheltered parts of the Soviet Pacific Fleet.

HOW TO SEE KAMCHATKA

While it’s getting easier than ever to visit Kamchatka on your own, limited infrastructure, permit requirements and risks like bear attacks and avalanches make preplanned tours mandatory for many places and highly advisable for others.

Tours

Many of Kamchatka’s most famous sights, such as the Valley of the Geysers and Lake Kurilskoe, are only available by organised tour due to the need to charter a helicopter for the journey.

Plan ahead, especially in the months of July and August, otherwise days can be wasted scrambling for a guide to return from a trip or transport to be arranged from Petropavlovsk. Tours usually include everything – guides, transport, permits, hotels or tents to sleep in, sleeping bags and food. Most of the high-profile tours involve helicopter rides or 6WD/4WD transport.

Prices for the big day trips – Valley of the Geysers, Lake Kurilskoe and Mt Mutnovskaya – are set by the helicopter companies and tend to cost the same no matter which travel agency you use. Travel agencies pool clients for these tours. A day trip to the Valley of the Geysers costs R37,000 per person, including a one-hour helicopter ride each way, lunch and stops at Uzon Caldera and Zhupanova River.

Prices for longer tours cost anything from €2500 to €3500 depending on their length and how much time is spent in helicopters.

DIY with Guides

If you’re wanting to get more ‘out there’ than Nalychevo or Esso, another option is simply hiring a local guide and going on a week-long or longer trek. Some travellers have done so to explore huge pockets of wilderness not featured here. The Visitor Centre or the Volcanoes of Kamchatka Park Office in Yelizovo are the best places to get a freelance guide.

DIY Without Guides

DIY travel is more difficult and comes with serious risks – especially if if you’re looking to venture into the backcountry, where any misstep can be dangerous and you’re best off having an experienced guide. A couple of local geologists were eaten by bears in 2008, by no means the first bear mauling in these parts. Winter travel eliminates the risk of bear attacks but creates new risks, such as days-long white-outs.

With those caveats established, the easiest fully DIY trips around Petropavlovsk include the hike up Mt Avachinskaya and trekking along the well-marked trails from Mt Avachinskaya to Nalychevo Valley. Another option is to head up to Esso, 10 hours north of Petropavlovsk by bus, where Bystrinsky Nature Park has an extensive network of well-marked and well-mapped trails.

Permits

As both a border region and a highly militarised zone, travel around Kamchatka involves a lot of permits; check on the latest rules before heading anywhere outside Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Yelizovo. This is another reason why working with a travel agency is a good idea, as they'll be able to inform the local FSB office of your travel plans and ensure you won't get stopped from reaching your destination or get turned away once you arrive. Officially, you still need to register your intention to visit Esso even if you do nothing more than take the bus there and do a couple of small hikes. Although checks are infrequent, it's always much easier in Russia to follow the rules than break them. If you're on any form of guided tour, the travel agency will handle all of these permits for you.

8Getting Around

Locals are fond of repeating that on Kamchatka ‘there are no roads, only directions’. You will have a hard time getting ‘out there’, where the bulk of Kamchatka’s glory is (volcano bases, rivers, geysers), without an arranged 6WD truck or helicopter (or multiday hike). Regular bus connections go as far north as Esso and Ust-Kamchatsk. The cold months see winter roads (zimniki) open up that go further still, but of course the winter brings all kinds of other difficulties such as white-outs and freezing temperatures.

The real workhorses of Kamchatka are its fleet of ageing helicopters, Mi-2 (capacity: six or eight people) and Mi-8 (capacity: 20 people), based at Yelizovo Airport. Used by volcanologists and travellers alike, the helicopters charge by time travelled in the air, and the fares are not cheap, necessitating group travel for most. Rides are exciting (and loud), with unbelievable views, windows you can open and room to roam about.

Kamchatka also has its own airline, Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky Air Enterprise ( GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-300 660; http://aokap.ru; Yelizovo Airport), which does both scheduled and chartered forays to remote hamlets in the north part of the peninsula, such as Ossora, Palana and Tilichiki on the peninsula, and to Nikolskoye in the Commander Islands, known for its abundant wildlife and seal rookeries. Download the schedule from the website.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Петропавловск-Камчатский

%4152 / Pop 181,000 / Time Moscow +8hr

Anyone coming to experience the magical scenery and rugged beauty of Kamchatka will have to spend some time in the peninsula's sprawling capital, Petropavlovsk, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Compared to the active volcanoes and geysers that bring travellers to Kamchatka, it's true that Petropavlovsk is a fairly workaday and architecturally uninteresting place. However it does have a magnificent setting on Avacha Bay and is overlooked by two giant volcanoes and surrounded by a long line of snow-capped mountains.

Though one of the oldest towns in the Far East, Petropavlovsk’s seemingly endless main avenue is lined with mostly grim Soviet block housing, and there are just a smattering of historic buildings in the old town along the seafront. That said, locals are friendly and the glorious volcanoes are just a short drive, hike or helicopter journey away.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

1Sights

1Alexander Nevsky ChapelC6

2BeachC5

3Kamchatka Regional MuseumD7

4Lenin StatueC6

5Mishennaya HillC4

6Nikolskaya HillC6

7Trinity CathedralC3

8VulkanariumC5

2Activities, Courses & Tours

KamchatintourD4

4Sleeping

9Baza Po Priyomu TuristovC6

10Hostel 24C6

11Hotel AvachaD4

12Hotel EdelveisA1

13Hotel GeyserB2

14Nachalnik Kamchatki Mini HotelC5

5Eating

15BistroC6

16Da VinciC2

17Korea HouseD7

18KyotoC7

19MarketC2

20Milk CaféD4

21San MarinoB1

22YamatoC2

6Drinking & Nightlife

BarakaC2

23Harat's Irish PubD4

24KofeykoD4

7Shopping

25AlpindustriyaC3

8Information

26AS Lukashevskogo HospitalD4

27Hotel Petropavlovsk Medical CentreB1

Planeta Shopping CentreC2

28Tourist OfficeC6

Transport

294km Bus StationD4

1Sights

Petropavolvsk is a large, sprawling city that can't really be explored comfortably on foot, so get to know the buses, which plough the main drag from the bus station down to the old town. Locals talk about the various parts of town in terms of how far they are from the seafront, so the Avacha Hotel area is called 4km, the busy stretch of restaurants where ul Lukashevskogo meets pr 50 let Oktyabrya is called 6km and the area around the bus station is called 10km.

Trinity CathedralCHURCH

(Кафедральный Собор Святой Живоначальной Троицы MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Vladivostokskaya 18)

Petropavlovsk's largest and most impressive church is this golden-domed stunner, which sits on an outcrop from where it is visible from all over the city. Despite looking ancient, the church was built in the early 21st century, and still isn't complete as funds have dwindled. Still, from here there are great views of the bay.

VulkanariumMUSEUM

(Вулканариум MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %8-963-832 0202; ul Klyuchevskaya 34; h10am-8pm)

This new museum was just about to open during our last visit to Kamchatka, and a quick peek inside as they were putting up the display revealed an impressive series of rooms with panels in English about the local volcanic clusters and their extraordinary, awesome powers. Definitely a good place to go before climbing one of the nearby giants.

Kamchatka Regional MuseumMUSEUM

(Камчатский краевой объединенный музей MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Leninskaya 20; R120; h10.30am-6pm Wed-Sun)

Housed in an attractive half-timbered building overlooking the bay, this museum features an imaginative mix of relics and murals that outline Kamchatka’s history, including a wide range of prehistoric weapons and tools, taxidermied animals, dioramas of nomadic herders, old cannonballs, weapons and flags. There's no signage in English, however, and so a visit without a guide can be frustrating.

Nikolskaya HillHILL

(Никольская сопка MAP GOOGLE MAP )

Petropavlovsk's most charming spot for a walk, this thickly wooded hill is in the centre of the city between the harbour and the lake. There are numerous winding paths through the trees and some splendid views of Avacha Bay.

Lenin StatueMONUMENT

(Памятник Ленина MAP GOOGLE MAP ; pl Lenina)

As Lenin statues go (and there are still around 1800 in Russia still standing), this is an impressive one, with the revolutionary leader in a dramatic pose with his billowing coat tails flared dramatically to each side.

Mishennaya HillHILL

(Мишенная сопка MAP GOOGLE MAP )

Looming over the downtown area is wooded Mt Mishennaya (382m), an easy ascent with excellent views of town and Avacha Bay.

BeachBEACH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP )

Yes, there are beaches in Kamchatka too, and this one has gorgeous views of the bay and the distant snow-covered mountains, though it's unlikely you'll want to take a dip. There's a paved promenade and several benches for recumbent contemplation of the scene.

Alexander Nevsky ChapelCHURCH

(Храм Александра Невского MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Krasintsev)

Originally built in 1857 to commemorate the victory over the British and the French in the Battle of Petropavlovsk, this wooden chapel was destroyed in 1937 during the antireligious campaigns under Stalin. It was rebuilt in 2007, and is now dwarfed by a newer and far larger church being built beside it.

2Activities & Tours

Petropavlovsk has dozens of tour companies, so by all means shop around, but highly recommended agencies Explore Kamchatka, Kamchatintour and Lost World are all used to foreigners, speak English and reply promptly to email enquiries. As well as offering everything from one-day to three-week tours, they all offer visa support and can help you charter helicopters, planes or 6WD vehicles. They are all run out of Petropavlovsk or nearby Yelizovo, where the helicopter pad and airport are both located.

Other popular tour activities include rafting, fishing trips, horse riding, dog sledding, snowmobiling, diving, surfing and heliskiing.

KamchatintourTOURS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-201 010; www.kamchatintour.ru; 4th fl, Hotel Avacha, ul Leningradskaya 61; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, daily Jul & Aug)

This is the most helpful Petropavlovsk agency we’ve found in terms of preplanning help and responsiveness. It can get you to its camp at Mt Avachinskaya on short notice, as well as organise a raft of other climbing, hiking and helicopter excursions.

Lost WorldOUTDOORS

( GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-306 009, 24hr 8-622-810 177; www.travelkamchatka.com; ul Stellera 13a; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, daily in summer)

This long-running operation has experienced guides (including outdoorsy volcanologists) who specialise in somewhat smaller groups and offer a range of tours focusing on bears, volcanoes, skiing, fishing, wilderness trekking and even dog sledding.

Krasnaya SopkaSKIING

(Красная Сопка hNov-May)

One of several ski areas within the city limits, this one is noteworthy for incredible views of Avacha Bay. T-bars take you up for R60 per run.

Avacha Bay CruisesCRUISE

Petropavlovsk’s stunningly beautiful bay, with volcanic Mt Vilyuchinsky (2173m) visible across the way on most days, is best appreciated on an Avacha Bay cruise. Standard three-hour cruises (per person R2200) take place most days in summer; book through any travel agency. Better are the more sporadic six-hour tours that reach Starichkov Island, a haven for birdlife (from R4000 per person).

Snowave Surfschool KamchatkaSURFING

( GOOGLE MAP ; %8-924-792 5953; www.snowave-kamchatka.com)

Since 2010 this intrepid gang of Russian surfers have been slowly promoting Kamchatka's world-class surf; they now run a well-attended annual surf camp on Khalaktirsky beach near Petropavlovsk during the brief surf season (June to October). In the winter months they swap surfing for snowboarding and head to the mountains.

4Sleeping

Hostel 24HOSTEL$

(Хостел 24 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-420 001; www.hostel24-kamchatka.ru; ul Sovetskaya 48; dm/tw R900/2900; W)

Right in the centre of the city, Hostel 24 has clean dorms with wood floors and simple colour schemes, with four to 12 beds in each. A private twin is also available, as are laundry and a guest kitchen. It lacks atmosphere, but it's a great deal.

Hotel AvachaHOTEL$

(Гостиница Авача MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-427 331; www.avachahotel.ru; ul Leningradskaya 61; dm R1800, s/d incl breakfast from R5400/7350; iW)

The rooms at Petropavlovsk's main business hotel are attractive enough but retain Soviet dimensions, especially the bathrooms. Budget travellers will be interested to know that there's a newly opened, surprisingly excellent hostel on the ground floor. There are two multibunk dorms, one for men and one for women, as well as a shared kitchen.

oNachalnik Kamchatki Mini HotelHOTEL$$

(Мини-отель Начальник Камчатки MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-346 500; www.nk-hotel.ru; ul Leningradskaya 14a; s/tw/d/ste/cottage R3000/3500/4000/6000/12,500; W)

A much-needed new midrange hotel, the 'Chief of Kamchatka' occupies a cute collection of buildings in the city centre, just a short stroll from the beach. Its nine rooms are well appointed and have folksy touches including a twin room designed as a Kamchatka-style wood cabin. The apartments on the top floor are excellent, with stylish bathrooms and city views.

Baza Po Priyomu TuristovPENSION$$

(База по приёму туристов MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-420 591; ul Krasintsev 1; s/d R2250/2600)

With a view of the city's decaying docks, this place where sailors often put up offers much better value than most of Petropavlovsk’s hotels. Rooms are small but clean, cosy and adequately furnished with rugs, TV and mini-fridge (although some bathrooms lack sinks, so you must brush your teeth in the shower). There's an 11pm curfew.

Hotel EdelveisHOTEL$$

(Гостиница Эдельвейс MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-295 000; www.idelveis.com; pr Pobedy 27; s/d without bathroom R3300/4400, with bathroom R3900/5600; W)

Although the bus station location isn't ideal, Edelveis deserves high marks for friendliness (some staff speak English) and its old-fashioned but comfy economy rooms and slicker standard rooms.

Hotel GeyserHOTEL$$$

(Гостиница Гейзер MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-419 570; www.geyser-hotel.ru; ul Toporkova 10; s/d incl breakfast from R4500/6500; iW)

Rooms here have great views of Avacha Bay and are decently outfitted with flat-screen TV, desk and fridge. The fact that this is a Soviet-era hotel is well hidden, though some of the colour schemes might make you queasy. Aimed at groups travelling by bus, it's inconveniently located.

5Eating

BistroCAFETERIA$

(Бистро MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Sovetskaya 49; meals R150-250; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun; W)

This simple cafeteria in the centre of the city is a great option for a cheap meal while wandering around the old town. There's lots of choice and you don't have to worry about navigating a Russian menu.

MarketRUSSIAN$

(Рынок MAP GOOGLE MAP ; pr 50 let Oktyabrya 16; h9am-8pm)

This sprawling indoor market is a great spot for smoked fish, bread, cheese, vegetables and other fare, including lots of nonfood items. It's a good place to stock up before a big trip into the wilderness.

oSan MarinoRUSSIAN$$

(Сан Марино MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-252 481; pr Karla Marksa 29/1; mains R400-800; hnoon-1am; W)

When you're just back from a hard trek, San Marino is Petropavlovsk’s best splash for an excellent, exotic meal of Kamchatka crab, scallops, halibut and other delicacies. The entire place is lacy and flouncy, but don't let its severe uncoolness put you off. If you want to keep things economical, try the excellent-value business lunch (R400, noon to 4pm).

oDa VinciITALIAN$$

(Да Винчи MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-230 438; 4th fl, Parus Shopping Centre, pr 50 let Oktyabrya 16/1; mains R400-1000; hnoon-midnight; Wv)

Considered to have the best food in town by many locals, Da Vinci offers a full menu of Italian delicacies, including sumptuous risottos, crab ravioli, osso bucco and vitello tonnato (sliced veal in a creamy tuna sauce). The best wine list in town and attentive service from English-speaking waitstaff puts it over the edge.

KyotoJAPANESE$$

(Киото MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-337 722; ul Leninskaya 32; mains R300-600; hnoon-midnight; Wv)

Serving up good sushi, sashimi, ramen and other Japanese delights, this multiroom restaurant is friendly, fast and welcoming, with a picture menu and a kitchen that stays open later than most of the others down on Petropavlovsk's seafront.

Korea HouseKOREAN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-421 193; ul Leninskaya 26; meals R400-1000; h11am-10pm)

On the hillside overlooking Avacha Bay just beyond the old town, this upscale Korean barbecue allows you to cook up your own meats tableside, as well as order soups and noodle dishes from the kitchen. Its seafood is also excellent and reservations are a good idea at the weekend.

YamatoJAPANESE$$

(Ямато MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-267 700; ul Lukashevskogo 5; meals R400-800; hnoon-midnight, until 3am Fri & Sat; W)

Inside the Planeta Shopping Centre, Yamato serves delicious sushi in a low-lit setting with a dash of style (and a long fish-filled aquarium). It's rather dark, but service is friendly and fast; be aware that there's no sign visible from the street.

Milk CaféCAFE$$

(Милк Кафе MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 3rd fl, Galant City Mall, ul Leningradskaya; mains R280-650; h11am-8pm; Wv)

The town’s best pizzas are at this bright cafe, which also has some healthy soups, salads and fondue, plus a fine coffee selection and a range of breakfasts. The menu has pictures in lieu of English.

6Drinking & Nightlife

oKofeykoCOFFEE

(Кофейко MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.kofeiko.ru; Galant Plaza, ul Pogranichnaya 1/1; h9am-8pm Mon-Sat, until 7pm Sun)

Friendly barista Maksim, one of apparently just three trained coffee professionals on the Kamchatka Peninsula, runs this tiny little stand and shop, where he grinds one of over a dozen coffee types from around the world, and will craft you the perfect flat white or double espresso. It's on the ground floor right ahead as you enter from ul Pogranichnaya.

Harat's Irish PubIRISH PUB

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.harats.ru; ul Pogranichnaya 17; hnoon-2am, until 4am Fri & Sat)

There are a number of Harat's pubs in Russia, and we imagine that this one has comforted many a homesick traveller. There's a terrific range of brews on tap including Guinness, Magner's, London Porter and Oyster Stout. There's also a good photo menu of meaty pub food, including pork baked in Guinness, mussels in cream sauce and huge steaks (mains R350 to R1150).

BarakaLOUNGE

(Барака MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 4th fl, Parus Shopping Centre, pr 50 let Oktyabrya 16/1; hnoon-5am; W)

This swanky rooftop lounge has good views of the city, excellent cocktails and sushi, and is generally considered the best place in town to go dancing, with a large dance floor that gets packed at weekends.

7Shopping

AlpindustriyaSPORTS & OUTDOORS

(Альпиндустрия MAP GOOGLE MAP ; pr 50 let Oktyabrya 9/1; h9am-9pm)

This is a one-stop shop for all your outdoor gear and the perfect spot to pick up anything you may have forgotten before setting out into the wilderness. Prices are high, but they have pretty much anything you'll need.

8Information

You can find ATMs fairly easily throughout the city, including in most hotels and shopping centres, such as Planeta Shopping Centre ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Lukashevskogo 5), Parus and Galant City.

AS Lukashevskogo Hospital (Больница им. А.С. Лукашевского MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-120 610; www.kam-hospital.ru; ul Leningradskaya 114)

Hotel Petropavlovsk Medical Centre ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-252 075; 2nd fl, pr Karla Marksa 31a; h9am-8pm Mon-Fri)

Rescue Service (МЧС России GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-410 395; Khalaktyrskoye shosse 5; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) If you're travelling anywhere outside Petropavlovsk without the support of a travel agency, it's a very good idea to register your trip with the Emergency Situations Ministry. Should you have an accident or go missing, the ministry will have a head start in finding you.

Main Post Office (Главпочтамт GOOGLE MAP ; ul Leninskaya 60; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat, to 4pm Sun)

Tourist Office (Туристический информационный центр MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-307 330; www.visitkamchatka.ru; ul Leninskaya 62; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) You may not be lucky enough to catch the one English-speaking member of staff here, but this central office is a sign that Kamchatka is at least mildly interested in promoting tourism, and you'll be given a city map and a copy of the Kamchatka Explorer magazine.

8Getting There & Away

The only practical way to reach Petropavlovsk is by air. From the airport in Yelizovo, 30km northwest, there are at least daily flights to the following destinations:

AKhabarovsk from R11,000, three hours

AMoscow from R12,000, 8½ hours

AVladivostok from R10,500, 3½ hours

Be aware that flights during the peak July and August period can sell out, so it's a good idea to book ahead.

In the all-too-brief summer, Yakutia Airlines (%in Yakutsk 4112-491 299; www.yakutia.aero) flies between Petropavlovsk and Anchorage, Alaska. The 4½-hour flight runs on Saturdays between mid-July to mid-September. There are also connections to Novosibirsk, Magadan, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Tokyo.

From the 10km bus station (Автостанция 10км GOOGLE MAP ; pr Pobedy 28), buses depart daily at 9am to Esso (R1920, nine to 10 hours), and at 8am to Ust-Kamchatsk (R2440, 13 hours) via Klyuchi (R2100, 11 hours).

8Getting Around

Petropavlovsk’s 25km central avenue enters the city limits near the 10km bus station as pr Pobedy and changes its name 11 times as it snakes around bayside hills. Dozens of buses (R25) and marshrutky (R40) run along its length.

The 104 bus for the airport (R60, 35 minutes) departs from the centre of Petropavlovsk at the 4km bus station (Старый рынок (КП) MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Pogranichnaya), which is also known as Старый рынок (КП). These buses then follow the main road out of town, stopping at each stop along the way, including the 10km bus station, before continuing to the airport and then Yelizovo's town centre. From the airport, take any bus signboarded ‘10km’ from the Petropavlovsk stop across from the terminal. Taxis begin at around R700 depending on your negotiating skills.

Call 4152-460 160 for the best taxi rates around town or to Yelizovo and Paratunka.

Around Petropavlovsky-Kamchatsky

Mt Avachinskaya & Mt Koryakskaya

Two volcanoes near Petropavlovsk stand side by side 20km north of town (about 35km by road). The bigger and more forbidding one is Mt Koryakskaya (3456m), which takes experienced climbers two days to climb. The smaller one on the east is Mt Avachinskaya, generally included on tours and one of Kamchatka’s ‘easier’ volcanoes to summit (about four to six hours up). Avachinskaya last erupted in 1991, but you can see it smoking daily.

A base-camp complex serves both volcanoes and sees a lot of action, including skiers and snowmobiles into early July; it gets quieter as you climb up. Just below Avachinskaya, the aptly named Camel Mountain is an easy one-hour climb, with lots of Siberian marmots on top and great views of Mt Koryakskaya.

Getting here is problematic. Snow blocks the final few kilometres of the rough access road through mid-July, which means you’ll have to walk (or better yet, cross-country ski) the last bit, or hire Kamchatintour’s snowcat. After mid-July you can get all the way to the base camp in a 4WD. The Visitor Centre in Yelizovo is the best place to find a driver. Freelance drivers charge R3000 to R4000 per car one way (R5000 to R6000 for round trip with wait time) to the base camp from Yelizovo; some can guide you up the mountain for an extra R2500 per group. Travel agencies might charge R6000 per car.

Kamchatintour has its own camp at the foot of Avachinskaya and offers a day trip out here for R5000 per person including lunch and snacks at the camp and a guide.

No permits are required to hike up Avachinskaya.

Nalychevo Nature Park

One of Kamchatka’s most accessible attractions for hearty independent travellers is this nature park encompassing lovely Nalychevo Valley and the 12 volcanoes (four active) that surround it. A trail extends about 40km north from Mt Avachinskaya to the park’s main base area, where there are many huts, camping spots, an information centre and, in summer, a handful of rangers who can point out hiking trails leading to hidden hot springs.

Camping is in designated areas or huts that vary wildly in quality. Before heading out, secure a park permit (R600), pick up a crude trail map and reserve a hut (per person R200 to R1000) at the park office in Yelizovo. GPS coordinates are also available. You might encounter foraging bears from June to September; the park office can brief you on proper precautions.

To get here, follow the instructions to Mt Avachinskaya, then walk. It’s about a two-day hike from the Avachinskaya base camp to the park’s main base area. You can exit the park via Pinachevo on the park’s western boundary, but arrange to be picked up beforehand.

Yelizovo Елизово

%41531 / Pop 39,500 / Time Moscow +8hr

A good alternative base to Petropavlovsk, Yelizovo has some charm and the advantage of being right next to both the airport and the helipad, saving travellers hours of transit time if multiple forays into Kamchatka's wilderness are planned. There's a good visitor centre, some very pleasant accommodation and eating options, and the hot springs of nearby Paratunka to seal the deal.

The Visitor Centre (Туристский визит-центр GOOGLE MAP ; %8-900-444 0857, 8-962-472-110; 2nd fl, ul Ryabikov 1a; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm Mon-Thu, 9am-1pm Fri), on the 2nd floor of the bus station, can point you in the direction of good hikes in the area, find you a trekking guide or help you join an organised tour. Likewise, visit the Volcanoes of Kamchatka Park Office (Природный парк Вуканы Камчатки GOOGLE MAP ; %41531-73 941, 41531-72 400; ul Zavoyko 33; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm Mon-Fri) to get help planning and organising a visit to one of the four natural parks of Kamchatka administered under this umbrella organisation.

Yelizovo’s small Regional Museum (Краеведческий Музей GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-64 161; ul Kruchiny 13; R50; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat) has ethnographic exhibits, Russian weavings, local art and the requisite stuffed sables and marmots. Golubaya Laguna (Голубая Лагуна GOOGLE MAP ; ul Nevelskogo 6; R500; h10am-midnight) is a large thermal pool with a restaurant and bar and plenty of space to relax.

Explore KamchatkaTOURS

( GOOGLE MAP ; %8-962-280 7840; www.explorekamchatka.com; ul Bolshokova 41)

This agency is run by an Alaskan who promotes alternative destinations and frequently helps visitors with unique requests (eg film crews seeking unique surfing spots). She’s a mine of information for independent travellers and runs a great little B&B ( GOOGLE MAP ; %8-984-163 9868; www.explorekamchatka.com; 41 Bolshakova ul; r incl breakfast per person R3450; W).

4Sleeping & Eating

Kamchatsky Stil' HostelHOSTEL$

(Хостел Камчатский Стиль GOOGLE MAP ; %8-951-290 6742, 8-962-281 8278; www.kamchatka-hostel.ru; ul Beringa 26; s/d/tr/q R1000/2300/3600/6800; W)

Run by the friendly Dima and Olga, this thoroughly local-style hostel inside a wooden house makes for a great introduction to Kamchatka, with cosy rooms and a shared kitchen.

Art HotelHOTEL$$

(Арт Отель Гостиница GOOGLE MAP ; %41531-71 443; www.arthotel-kamchatka.ru; ul Kruchiniy 3; s/d R4650/6000; W)

The Art Hotel is a cheerful though rather pricey place in the centre of town; some rooms have a private sauna and all are comfortable and spacious. There's a popular fish restaurant in the hotel, Fishery, which is also open to nonguests.

Stary ZamokRUSSIAN$$

(Старый Замок GOOGLE MAP ; ul Zavoyko 123; mains R400-800; hnoon-midnight Sun-Thu, noon-2am Fri & Sat)

This rather old-school place is done out rather joylessly like a castle, but it has a full menu of calorific and meaty Russian dishes to warm up anyone after a day's hiking. It's south of the town centre; take bus 7 from the bus station and ask the driver to let you off at Stary Zamok.

ExcellenceINTERNATIONAL$$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; Meridian Trade Centre, ul Lenina 5a; mains R550-1000; h11am-10pm, until midnight Fri & Sat; W)

Despite its rather uptight and precious appearance, Excellence boasts the most interesting menu in Yelizovo, serving everything from soups, potato pancakes and risotto to snails, which are accommodated under the heading 'unusual cuisine' on the menu. A good range of tasty breakfasts is served until noon each day.

8Getting There & Around

Yelizovo Airport (Аэропорт Елизово GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-431 729; www.airport-pkc.ru) The peninsula's air traffic hub, with good domestic connections and flights to Japan and Korea. The 104 bus runs between Yelizovo's bus station, via the airport, to Petropavlovsk (R60, 40 minutes).

Avachinsky Heliport (Вертодром Авачинский GOOGLE MAP ; pr Izluchina) The helicopter hub for Kamchatka, this is where charter groups leave from on day trips to various volcanoes and the Valley of the Geysers.

Frequent buses link Yelizovo’s bus station (автостанция GOOGLE MAP ; ul Ryabikov 1a) with the airport (R23). Bus 7 connects the town centre to the south of town (R23), while bus 111 connects Yelizovo to Paratunka (R23).

Paratunka Паратунка

Sprawled-out Paratunka, a hot-springs resort 25km south of Yelizovo, is a leafy and quiet place where locals love to come to relax in the various spas set up around hot-spring-fed swimming pools. It's bliss in the freezing winter months and a treat in summer as well. One of many, Lesnaya (Лесная GOOGLE MAP ; %4152-469 081; Paratunskoye shosse 25km; R1000; h10am-midnight) is surrounded by woods and has a sizable pool and a decent but pricey restaurant. It's on the left before reaching Paratunka (inform the bus driver where you're going). Another excellent option is Golubaya Laguna, where there's a comfortable hotel and a restaurant and bar.

Paratunka is served by bus 111 from Petropavlovsk or 110 from Yelizovo (R45 to R60).

Elsewhere in Kamchatka

Valley of the Geysers Долина Гейзеров

Kamchatka’s most famous attractions lie 200km northeast of Petropavlovsk in the spectacular Valley of the Geysers (Dolina Geyzerov). Discovered in 1941, the 8km-long valley of a few dozen geysers cut through by the Geysernaya River is part of the protected Kronotsky Biosphere State Reserve.

Around 200 geothermal pressure valves sporadically blast steam, mud and water heavenward. The setting is exquisite and walking tours along a boardwalk take you past some of the more colourful and active geysers.

To get there you must travel by helicopter with a group on a day trip. Arrange through any travel agent: the price changes annually depending on fuel costs, but in 2017 it was R34,000 per person.

For an extra R3000 per person, the four- or five-hour trip can be extended with stops at Zhupanova River and Uzon Caldera, the remains of a 40,000-year-old volcano, now a 10km crater with steamy lakes.

Lake Kurilskoe Озеро Курильское

Kamchatka’s ‘bear lake’ – reached by helicopter – is so popular with the area’s bears that, in August and September (when up to three million red salmon come to spawn), visitors can almost get tired of looking at them. The huge lake, formed by an eruption nearly 9000 years ago, is rimmed by volcanoes and home to a couple of lodges. The only trails in the area are bear trails. Don’t wander alone: a Japanese photographer was eaten by a bear here in 2000.

Travel agents can set you up with a group flying out here on a day trip for R36,000 per person. Longer trips here are possible too; a 10-day bear/volcano odyssey that includes a few days around Lake Kurilskoe and a few days around Mt Mutnovskaya sells for around €3500 per person.

Mt Mutnovskaya Гора Мутновская

Walking down into an active 4km-wide cone, past boiling mud pools and ice crevices cut by hot vapours of volcanic fumes, is like Frodo and Sam’s last trek in The Lord of the Rings. Kamchatka volcanologists, who love all of Kamchatka’s volcanoes, seem to hold Mt Mutnovskaya (2322m) in special regard – for studying, climbing or simply observing.

A wild road – handled by 6WD or good 4WD vehicles – reaches the base, but only after snows melt in mid-August (when some Petropavlovsk agencies offer day trips here). Otherwise, it’s an expensive helicopter ride or an 8km to 15km hike (up to four hours one way, though not a difficult climb), depending on accessibility, to reach the cone, where you can hike (or ski) down past boiling mud pools.

It’s particularly important to have a guide here. Weather can turn suddenly, and it’s easy to get lost. Many tours climb the oval-shaped caldera of nearby Gorely (1829m). Base camps here are tent only.

HELISKIING & BACKCOUNTRY SKIING

Heliskiing tours of the mountains and volcanoes that make an arc around Petropavlovsk include unreal experiences such as skiing onto Pacific beaches or into Mt Mutnovskaya’s fuming crater. Sky-high prices, however, deter most travellers.

Tours typically guarantee four days of skiing in a 10-day period to allow for weather inconsistencies – any wind or fog will ground you for the day. If the weather cooperates, you can pay (a lot) for extra days of heliskiing. Otherwise, the buffer days are spent snowcat skiing at the base of Mt Avachinskaya or at one of several small ski areas around town, trying out the hot springs, cruising around Avacha Bay or touring wild Pacific beaches. Conditions are most reliable in February and March.

The three main operators are Vertikalny Mir ( GOOGLE MAP ; %8-903-740 0317; www.vertikalny-mir.com; Hotel Antarius, Paratunka), Russian Heliboarding Club (%495-708 1555; www.helipro.ru) and Explore Kamchatka. Keep in mind that a massive avalanche swept away a helicopter and killed 10 people on a trip in 2010.

Backcountry skiing, such as trips into Nalychevo Valley, where there are also hot springs to splash in, is a cheaper alternative.

Esso Эссо

%41542 / Pop 2200 / Time Moscow +8hr

The best destination for independent travellers in Kamchatka, Esso is set snug in a valley of green mountains, with a network of well-mapped hiking trails extending into the surrounding Bystrinsky Nature Park, plus hot-spring pools in town and rafting and horse-riding options nearby. It’s a quiet, lovely place with the scent of pine, and locals who live in picturesque wooden cottages. Indeed, hardened Russia hands might find it hard to believe they're in Russia at all: it's all so clean, friendly and well cared for.

Evenki people migrated here 150 years ago from what is now the Sakha Republic, becoming the distinct Even people in the process. Here they met the local Itelmeni and Koryak people as well as Russians. Although Esso remains a mixed community, the nearby village of Anavgay is mostly Even.

1Sights

Ikar LakeLAKE

(Озеро Икар GOOGLE MAP )

A pleasant and easy hike along the Bystraya River and through some thick woods (where you may encounter bears: be sure to bring flares to keep safe) will take you to this pristine lake surrounded by hills and with snow-capped mountains in the distance. It's 9km from Esso to the lake, and it's well signed along the way.

Pioneer HillMOUNTAIN

(Пионерская сопка GOOGLE MAP )

The giant hillside towering over Esso makes for a rather tough and sometimes inelegant scramble through the trees, but the views from the top over the valley are spectacular. The pathway begins near the Paramushir Tur, and even though it's just 2km, it's quite an exhausting hike.

Ethnographic MuseumMUSEUM

(Этнографический музей GOOGLE MAP ; ul Naberezhnaya 14a; R130; h10am-1pm & 2-6pm Wed-Sun)

You can find out much about the history of the area’s peoples in this well-kept museum in a charming Cossack-style izba (wooden house) set beside the rushing river that flows through Esso. The museum contains some truly memorable old photos. There’s a souvenir shop in a separate building.

2Activities

You can hire mountain bikes at Altai guesthouse (per hour/day R200/600).

Most guesthouses can organise rafting Bystraya River (its name means ‘fast’, though don't expect white water). Most people just go for the day, but it's possible to do week-long trips with camping and salmon fishing. The price is R3000 per person per day, including all equipment. July to September is the best time to go.

A few reindeer herds of 1000 to 2000 heads, managed by nomadic Evens, can be tracked down around Esso and Anavgay. They are reachable by helicopter in the warm months, and possibly by snowmobile during winter. An hour in a helicopter costs R150,000 in these parts. Every late November there’s a zaboy (slaughter) about 15km from Esso that’s easier to reach.

Bystrinsky Nature ParkHIKING

(Природный парк Быстринский GOOGLE MAP ; www.bystrinsky-park.com)

Bystrinsky, the regional nature park that surrounds Esso, is a shining exception to the rule of neglected regional and national parks in Russia, and has well-marked trails, helpful staff and good facilities. Head to the Esso Visitor Centre to get information on 11 spectacular hikes ranging from 2km to 42km in length.

Public PoolHOT SPRINGS

( GOOGLE MAP ; hdawn-dusk)F

Esso is so proud of its hot istochniki (springs) that in the 1950s a large public pool was built in the centre of the village for generations of locals to enjoy.

zFestivals & Events

Neighbouring village Anavgay, located between Esso and the main road, holds a rollicking Even New Year festival during summer solstice in June, with plenty of dancing and singing into the wee hours.

4Sleeping & Eating

GrushankaGUESTHOUSE$

(Грушанка GOOGLE MAP ; %8-909-831 7813, 8-962-281 0101; Medvezhiy Ugol 5, Грушанка r per person incl breakfast R950)

Run by a friendly older couple, Grushanka gives a warm welcome. All-wood rooms have a cabin-like feel with pretty views of the countryside. There's a small hot pool facing the mountains in back.

Tri MedvedyaLODGE$

(Три Медведя GOOGLE MAP ; %8-902-461 5563; ul Zelenaya 19; r per person R1250)

This two-storey wooden house has a mountain-lodge feel, with a fireplace, bearskin rugs and cocoon-like beds.

AltaiGUESTHOUSE$

(Алтай GOOGLE MAP ; %8-914-622 5454, 8-914-622 5455; ul Mostovaya 12a; s/d/tr from R1000/2000/3000; s)

Near the bus stop, Altai is a gingerbread-like house with cosy but rather worn rooms that share a bathroom and a tiny hot pool. Many excursions offered including rafting trips, ski tours and visits to reindeer camps. Bicycle hire is available.

SycheyGUESTHOUSE$

(Отель Домик Сычей GOOGLE MAP ; %8-914-622 9682; www.domikesso.ru; Naberezhnaya 5a; r per person R1000)

Friendly Natalya runs this appealing little guesthouse on the well-manicured grounds of her green wooden house. There are two twin rooms downstairs and a large family room with four single beds upstairs. Each room has its own bathroom and kitchen, and both the decor and the atmosphere are thoroughly Russian.

oParamushir TurHOTEL$$

(Парамушир Тур GOOGLE MAP ; %8-914 782 6008, 41542-21 442; www.paramushir.ru; ul 40 Let Pobedy 11; s/d/cabin incl breakfast R4500/5600/7000; Ws)

The only real hotel in town, the Paramushir Tur has spotlessly clean, comfortable rooms, helpful staff and is set in rather cutesy grounds at the base of Pioneer Hill. There's a great pool, sauna and barbecue area popular with weekenders, and the poolside cabins sleep three people. Pricey wi-fi is available.

ZaryaSUPERMARKET$

(Заря GOOGLE MAP ; ul Sovetskaya; h9am-10pm)

This is the best-stocked supermarket in town and the best place to get supplies for hikes. Fresh pies and rolls with fillings including meat, cabbage and egg make for good lunch fare.

Paramushir Tur RestaurantRUSSIAN$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; mains R400-850; h8am-10pm)

Inside the smartest hotel in town is also Esso's only real restaurant. There's a big menu of traditional Russian cooking, including some particularly good meat and fish dishes. As a hotel restaurant, however, the atmosphere is rather lacking and you may well find yourself dining alone.

8Information

There’s an ATM at Sberbank ( GOOGLE MAP ; ul Sovetskaya 8; h9.30am-4pm Mon-Fri), but as it's inside the bank itself, it can only be used during working hours.

Esso Visitor Centre ( GOOGLE MAP ; %41542-21 461; www.bystrinsky-park.com; ul Lenina 8; h8.30am-12.30pm & 2-6pm Mon-Fri) This super helpful visitor centre in the middle of Esso can arrange park guides as well as 6WD charters. It offers extensive trail maps and has helpful English-speaking staff. Before you set off anywhere on your own, have the staff brief you on bear precautions and keep them apprised of your itinerary. Attached to the visitor centre is a small museum (admission R50), where you can learn about the locally famous Beringia dogsled race. The centre also has info about traditional crafts in the area, and workshops where you can visit the artists.

8Getting There & Away

The daily bus to Petropavlovsk (R1920, 10 hours) departs at 8am from the bus station (автостанция GOOGLE MAP ) in front of the green plank-wood ticket office.