Sakhalin Oblast is the only region of Russia that is entirely made up of islands, unique from both a natural and historical point of view. We invite you to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Russia's largest island, feel its special atmosphere, and be imbued with its history and unique features.
During our journey, we will see picturesque bays and rocky shores, sandy beaches and lagoon lakes, mountain ranges and plains - an amazing combination of diverse natural landscapes in a relatively small area.
The island's rich historical and cultural heritage is also unique and worthy of attention. Sakhalin preserves the memory of the times when it was a place of penal servitude and exile, and of the decades under the rule of the Japanese Empire - this period is recalled by the numerous buildings by Japanese architects that have survived here to this day. The culture of the indigenous peoples of the island is worth noting, as well as the unique Sakhalin cuisine, with an abundance of seafood and a significant influence of Korean cuisine.
The distant and mysterious island of Sakhalin is waiting for us to reveal its secrets and show the most protected corners. Real travelers, whom we invite on this tour, cannot miss the opportunity to get to know Sakhalin better!
Duration
10 days
Comfort
Group
up to 6 persons
Age
18+
Region
Sakhalin Island, Russia
Tour organizers and guides on the route:
VICTORIA SHATALOVA
Professional traveler, organizer of author's tours with 16 years of experience. Has visited 37 countries of the world and 82 regions of Russia. Organizer and participant of many car trips, hikes, rafting, climbing, including climbing the highest and most dangerous volcano in Eurasia - Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4850 m), skiing trips in the northern and polar Urals, Murmansk region and Kuznetsk Alatau... More
EVGENY ANDROSOV
Professional traveler, climber, mountain guide and tour instructor with 35 years of experience. Has been to all continents, 82 countries of the world and 70 regions of Russia. Organizer of hundreds of author's tours, expeditions, hikes, ascents, creator of many new, non-standard tourist routes... More
Itinerary day by day:
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Meeting at the airport of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. You need to arrive no later than 9.30 in the morning, so as not to miss anything interesting from the program. We will begin our acquaintance with the island from the capital of the region. We will walk around the central part of the city, we will definitely visit the Sakhalin State Regional Museum of Local History, which is interesting not only for its exhibits telling about the nature of the region, its history and traditions of indigenous peoples, but also for its architecture. The museum is one of the surviving Japanese buildings, built in 1937, it is made in the traditional Japanese architectural style of the "imperial crown".
After visiting the museum, we will go to the tourist complex "Mountain Air", where we will ride the cable car and admire the views of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and its environs. After exploring the city, it would be a good idea to try the local cuisine in one of the city restaurants. Of course, it is worth trying seafood, as well as Korean and Japanese cuisine, presented here in all its diversity.
We spend the night in a hotel in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
We are heading out to meet the natural beauty of the island. We will start our journey from two picturesque capes – Cape Ptichy and Cape Velikan, located in the southeast of the island, on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk. The distance between the capes is about a kilometer, and this kilometer of the coast is considered one of the most beautiful on Sakhalin. Along the high, steep coast there is a strip of beach, on which bizarre rocks are lined up: single kekurs and arches. We will walk along the coast and enjoy the beauty of these places, after which we will try to reach another cape of the southeastern coast of Sakhalin – Cape Evstafiya. A difficult section of the route awaits us: the road, which would be better called off-road, is often washed away by streams, which makes it difficult to pass, but we hope that we will be lucky and we will get to Cape Evstafiya without any problems. There we will climb to the 51-meter peak to see the panorama of the coast. From the highest point of Cape Evstafiya, you can see that it is connected to the coast by a thin isthmus, which looks very picturesque.
After resting, having a snack, and enjoying the views, we head to the Turquoise Lakes, which appeared on the site of deep coal quarries. When the enterprise closed, the voids were filled with groundwater and rainwater. Due to the presence of sulfites in the composition, the water in the lakes has a rich blue-green hue.
Today we spend the night in a tent camp, which we will set up near the lakes or on the seashore near the village of Novikovo.
We are going on a sea excursion to one of the most famous Sakhalin attractions - the Aniva Lighthouse. The unique lighthouse is located in a hard-to-reach place on Sakhalin on a small rock called Sivuchya, separated from the coast by the sea. It was built by the Japanese architect Miuru Shinobu in 1939, when South Sakhalin was under the control of Japan after the Russo-Japanese War. On the excursion we will see not only a unique lighthouse on an inaccessible rock, but also enjoy the beauty of the shores of the Tonino-Anivsky Peninsula, green ridges, waterfalls and the surface of the Aniva Bay, and may also be lucky enough to see dolphins, killer whales and seals.
After the excursion we will stop by to look at the Three Stones cape, and also visit the Busse lagoon, which is famous not only for its beautiful landscapes, but also for the abundance of mussels, oysters, crabs, sea urchins, scallops and other seafood, which can be seen right on the shore during low tide.
We will spend the night at a hotel in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and on the way we will stop in the city of Korsakov, where we will climb to an observation deck overlooking the bay, port, ships at anchor, coastal cliffs, hills and the city itself.
Cape Simau - Cape Ostry - Vzmor'e village - Tikhaya Bay
We will not linger in the city and early in the morning we will set off to explore new natural attractions. Two more beautiful capes await us: Cape Simau and Cape Ostry.
Cape Simau is sandy and good for swimming, and Cape Ostry is full of massive stone blocks.
After walking around the capes, we will continue our way past Lake Lebyazhye, which is essentially a lagoon connected by a channel to the Sea of Okhotsk. The lake is a nature reserve, as it is home to a large number of migrating waterfowl - the main attraction is the whooper swan.
Afterwards we will stop in the village of Vzmor'e, where we will see the preserved torii gates that preceded the entrance to the Japanese temple that was located here earlier. The seaside is known for its small spontaneous seafood market, perhaps we will be able to buy something tasty for dinner.
And our final goal for this day is Tikhaya Bay - an amazingly beautiful place where we will set up a tent camp and stay overnight. We will have time to walk, enjoy nature, those who wish can climb Smeliy Peak and admire the bay and surrounding area from above.
We leave Tikhaya Bay and continue moving to the north of the island. Today we will see two interesting natural attractions: Pugachevsky Mud Volcano and one of the highest waterfalls on the island - Klokovsky Waterfall. Part of our route will pass along the coast of Terpeniya Bay of the Sea of Okhotsk, we will stop in the town of Poronaysk, located on the coast, and then turn inland to end the day on its western side, in the city of Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky, located on the shore of the Tatar Strait. On the way we will pass through the village of Tymovskoye, where we will stop to look at the picturesque valley of the Tym River, which gave the village its name.
In Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky we will spend the night in a hotel or apartment, and the next day we will go to get acquainted with the sights of the city.
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky
Today we will dedicate to Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky - one of the oldest cities of Russian Sakhalin. A guard post was erected on its site in 1862, and the city was named in honor of Emperor Alexander II.
We will get to know this city, rich in interesting places, in detail. It was here that A.P. Chekhov spent most of his time during his trip to Sakhalin, which is why there are two monuments to the writer in the city, and one of the main attractions of the city is the Historical and Literary Museum "Chekhov and Sakhalin". This is the oldest museum on Sakhalin, it was built during the writer's lifetime in 1886, and four years later Chekhov visited this museum personally. We will visit it too.
The city of Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky is also known for the fact that one of the largest segments of the Sakhalin penal servitude was located here; in memory of this page of the city's history, a tunnel built by convicts in 1880-1882 has been preserved. The tunnel through a huge rock, 87 m long, which turned out to be crooked due to a calculation error, leads to the lighthouse on Cape Zhonkier. The lighthouse is currently abandoned, but it looks quite photogenic, and right in front of Cape Jonquier there is one of the most famous views of Sakhalin - the Three Brothers rocks standing in the sea (three stone cones, almost identical in shape, but different in size.
By the way, it was in Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky that the legendary criminal Sofia Blyuvshtein, known as Sonya the Golden Hand, served her sentence, she is buried in the local cemetery.
We will spend the night again in Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky, so that we can set off on our journey the next day.
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky - the coast of the Tatar Strait - Uglegorsk
Today will be almost entirely spent on the road, we need to cover about 600 km to the city of Uglegorsk. But our journey will not be boring. A significant part of the route will pass along the coast of the Tatar Strait and will delight you with beautiful views, we will definitely make stops in the places we like and large settlements, such as the village of Smirnykh, the village of Boshnyakovo, the village of Lesogorskoye. In Uglegorsk we will stay at a hotel for the night.
We will start the morning by getting to know the city of Uglegorsk. Previously, on the site of Uglegorsk there was an Ainu settlement Entuutoru, and after the Russo-Japanese War, when South Sakhalin was ceded to Japan, the settlement was named Esutoru. Today's Uglegorsk practically repeats the outlines of Esutoru. The history of the city is closely connected with coal mining, coal mining continues to this day. The city has preserved buildings and structures built by the Japanese during the period when the city's territory was under their jurisdiction. We will see the ruins of the Shinto Temple of the Sun with a surviving arch.
After examining the ruins of the temple, we will go to the coast of the Tatar Strait, where 45 km from Uglegorsk there are two picturesque capes: Cape Limanon and Cape Stukambis. Cape Limanon is a steep stone terrace, which offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Tatar Strait and its surroundings. The main attraction of the cape is the lighthouse, which was built by the Japanese in 1924. Cape Stukambis, formed by volcanic rocks, is located 4 km from Limanon. Here, the violent volcanic past is reflected in the appearance of the coast of the strait. Cape Stukambis with its forms resembles an ancient castle, which raised its towers to a height of 96 meters. Near the cape there is a small rocky island - kekur, which is commonly called the Dragon.
Having looked at these picturesque places, we leave the Uglegorsk region and go to the city of Tomari, where we will stop to look at the remains of a temple of Japanese construction, and then head to the city of Kholmsk, where we will stay at a hotel for the night.
Kholmsk - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
We get acquainted with the sights of the city of Kholmsk and its surroundings. Kholmsk is an important transport hub for Sakhalin, it is here that the crossing is located, from where ferries depart to the mainland - to the port of Vanino. Kholmsk is also famous for a significant number of surviving buildings from the Japanese period, among which there are many completely unique ones. For example, in Kholmsk you can see the so-called "storage of spiritual treasures". These buildings, where such relics as a portrait of the emperor and legal documents on education were stored, were erected next to each school, relics from them were taken out on holidays and served as an object of worship. After World War II, such buildings were destroyed in Japan, but on Sakhalin they have survived to this day. We will also see the remains of Japanese temple buildings and several Japanese lighthouses. Not far from Kholmsk, unique railway structures have also been preserved: tunnels and two bridges, which are called the Witch's and Devil's Bridges, we will also examine these structures. After getting to know Kholmsk, we will go to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
To home
Transfer to the airport and flight home. If your flight is not early in the morning, it is a good idea to visit the fish market and buy some tasty souvenirs.
Tour cost: € 1590
The tour price includes:
4x4 transportation all days of the tour, including gasoline and other expenses for its use;
hotel accommodation (6-7 nights), tent accommodation (2-3 nights);
Three meals a day - hot breakfasts and dinners, as well as snacks (dry rations) for lunch on days when there are no canteens or cafes along the way;
Information camping equipment (tents, burners, gas, drinking and technical water, cooking utensils, camping equipment), as well as a first aid kit;
entrance tickets to museums and other tourist attractions presented in the tour program;
registration of permits in park parking lots, entry tickets to reserves;
the work of drivers;
the work of tour organizers who accompany the group all days of the tour and resolve all issues that arise;
group and final photographs of each participant, taken during the entire hike using professional photography equipment and provided in electronic form.
The tour price does NOT include:
air tickets to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and back;
Accommodation before and after the tour start date;
Airport transfers before and after the tour start date;
meals in cafes and restaurants;
medical insurance;
visiting museums and attractions not listed in the tour program;
Participants' expenses related to force majeure circumstances - being late for a flight, due to vehicle breakdowns, etc.;
Participants' clothing and personal equipment;
Souvenirs and other personal expenses of participants;
other expenses not listed in the "included in the price" section.
The tour does not require any special skills or fitness from the participants and is suitable for anyone. However, it is very important to be ready for early rises and long journeys by car, including on bad roads and complete off-road conditions. Given the poor quality of the roads and the distance of the attractions from each other, sometimes the journeys will take up a significant part of the day.
The tour is largely expeditionary and does not imply a high level of comfort, you need to be prepared for changes in the route and delays along the way due to transport breakdowns or road conditions. A delay or cancellation of a boat trip due to adverse weather conditions is possible.
Bad weather and a change in time zone can add to the discomfort of the tour. There are several tent overnight stays on the route, you should also be prepared for this. There are not many large settlements on Sakhalin, we will often stop in small towns and villages where there is no wide choice of hotels, so the accommodation facilities can have a fairly basic level of comfort.
More
In August, Sakhalin is usually quite warm and sunny, the temperature is about +20+23 °C, but there are also cool days, so do not forget to take warm clothes. Rain and fog are not uncommon on the island. Despite the fact that we are going on a car tour, there are a significant proportion of natural attractions on our route that require fairly long walks. This means that you should approach the choice of clothing seriously. Warm clothes, waterproof shoes, protection from rain (a thick raincoat or membrane jacket) are a must. Be sure to take a fleece jacket or sweater, a windbreaker, an insulated jacket (for the evening), thick pants, a light hat and gloves, a set of thermal underwear and several pairs of socks will also not be superfluous. Shoes should be comfortable, allowing you to take long walks in nature, we will also walk off-road, stones and sand, so the ideal option for shoes is trekking boots.
There are several overnight stays in tents planned on the route, so you will need a sleeping bag (for a comfortable temperature of about 10 °C) and a mat (inflatable or foam), take care of clothes for sleeping (night temperatures at this time of year are usually 12-13 °C, but can drop below. Also take a headlamp, a seat (backrest), a set of personal utensils (bowl, cup, spoon), a small backpack (20-25 l), a thermos. Take care of protection from blood-sucking insects, there are some on the island, it is worth taking repellents. You may want to swim in the sea, take bathing suits for this purpose.
The tour is quite active and eventful, therefore it requires discipline and personal involvement in the process from the participants.
During the trip by car, delays and unforeseen circumstances are possible - car breakdowns, river floods, road and bridge repairs and, as a result, the route may be adjusted depending on the current situation. Changes are discussed with the participants, but the final decision is made by the tour organizers, since they are responsible for the program and the safety of the group.
Meals are provided by the participants at their own expense in cafes along the route and / or in stores where you can buy something for a snack, except for cases when there are no hotels, cafes on our way and we spend the night in tents - on these days the tour organizers prepare hot camping meals.
Arrival to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk / departure from it home earlier or later than the dates specified in the program is paid for by the participants themselves, including transfer to / from the airport, as well as accommodation in hotels / hostels on days outside the tour dates.
1. If you are interested in this tour, leave a request through the registration form on this page or write to us at WhatsApp, Telegram or by email, we will contact you and answer all your questions.
2. To reserve a place, you must make an advance payment of 30% of the tour cost. The advance payment is made through the website (section Payment) and is refundable 45 days or more before the start of the tour and non-refundable, unfortunately, less than 45 days before the start, if the refund is related to your refusal to participate (for any reason). If the tour does not take place due to our fault, due to the group not being formed, or due to force majeure, the advance payment will be guaranteed to be returned to you in any case.
3. The final payment is made on the first day of the tour. You can pay using the QR code that the tour organizer will provide you, in cash, or through the website.
Along with this tour, we offer you a road trip A big Road trip across the Far East:
from Blagoveshchensk to Sakhalin in SUVs. By purchasing a set of two tours, you will get a unique opportunity to visit the maximum number of interesting places in the Far East in the minimum time! And also get a 12% discount on both tours!
Along with this tour, we offer you a road trip A big Road trip across the Far East: from Blagoveshchensk to Sakhalin in SUVs. By purchasing a set of two tours, you will get a unique opportunity to visit the maximum number of interesting places in the Far East in the minimum time! And also get a 12% discount on both tours!
A long road trip through the Far East:
cosmodrome, lotuses, rock paintings, sea ferry...
6 - 15 August 2026Сложность: