A hike around Kunashir Island with an ascent to Tyatya Volcano

Golovnin Volcano Caldera

We'll have breakfast and head out on the first trekking route of our trip – to the Golovnin Volcano Caldera. We'll travel about 50 km by vehicle to the starting point of the trekking route. Golovnin Volcano is the oldest and southernmost volcano in the Kuril Islands; its caldera was formed by an eruption approximately 39,000 years ago. We'll reach an observation deck overlooking two mineralized lakes, Hot and Boiling. After enjoying the panoramic view, we'll descend to the lakes. You can swim in Hot Lake (it's not actually that hot). Boiling Lake truly lives up to its name. Gases and streams of boiling water emerge from cracks in the lake's bottom, and in some places the water appears to be boiling. The water temperature varies depending on the location, but swimming is dangerous—you could get scalded, so we won't risk it. We'll observe Boiling Lake from a distance. We'll see solfatara fields—areas of the caldera where thermal waters and gases vent—and climb the volcanic dome. After a snack, we'll head back, and at the end of the hike, we'll return to the hostel by transport.

The day's hike will be about 20 km without packing.

Cape Stolbchaty

Today we'll visit one of Kunashir Island's most famous landmarks – Cape Stolbchaty. The cape is a series of rocky hexagonal pillars formed by the contact of basaltic lava from the Mendeleev Volcano with the waters of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Walking along the cape is challenging, as in some places the cliffs reach right down to the sea. In some places, you'll have to climb up rocks like steps, and in others, along the cliffs along the sea. Fortunately, we'll be able to do these activities without heavy backpacks. Our efforts will be worthwhile: Cape Stolbchaty is a unique geological monument, unlike many others in the world, and the beauty of the local nature is breathtaking.

Day trip: 40 km by transport, 12 km on foot without heavy packs.

Climbing Mendeleev Volcano

A challenging, yet eventful and interesting day awaits us. We'll climb the 887-meter-high Mendeleev Volcano. Our route begins along a trail through a picturesque forest, then disappears into dense bamboo thickets. After about two hours of climbing, we'll emerge into a solfatara field, humming with powerful gas emissions from the earth's interior. Then, climbing a steep slope leads us to the summit of Mendeleev Volcano, which offers stunning views. The Japanese island of Hokkaido can be seen on the horizon in the distance.

During the day, we'll cover 40 km by vehicle, 9 km on foot, and gain 700 m in elevation.

Devil's Finger Kekur - Chaika Hot Springs

Today we'll begin the independent portion of our hike, so we'll leave the hostel with sleeping bags, tents, and other necessary gear and food. The supply vehicle will take us to the starting point of the hike (approximately 20 km from Yuzhno-Kurilsk). Along the way, we'll stop to see another Kunashir landmark – the Devil's Finger Kekur, a vertical, isolated cliff rising near the shore of the Pacific Ocean.

Today's hiking route will run along the Pacific Ocean shore and will be short, about 5 km. Afterward, we'll set up camp near the Chaika Hot Springs, cook our first camping dinner, and relax with a dip in the hot springs.

Chaika Hot Springs - Tyatina River

Today we have a fairly long hike ahead of us. First, we'll walk along the Pacific Ocean shore past Cape Medved, then our trail will head inland, where we'll have to cross a small ridge and descend from it. Near Cape Rogachev, we'll return to the shore and continue along it. Along the way, we'll have to cross several knee-deep fords, and we'll spend the night near the island's largest river, the Tyatina.

Tyatina River - Cape Mysovoy - Cape Rubezhny

In the morning, we cross the Tyatina River (the ford is about knee-deep). Our route then leads along a partly rocky, partly sandy shore. There are practically no trails, and we'll occasionally have to ford streams and channels. By evening, we arrive at Cape Rubezhny, where we set up camp.

We'll cover 16 km in one day.

Climbing Tyatya Volcano

Today we will climb Tyatya Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the Kuril Islands. At 1,819 meters, it is the highest point on Kunashir Island. Tyatya is deservedly considered one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world. Its summit is a perfect cone, with a new crater clearly visible peeking out from an older, larger crater. Tyatya is an active volcano; its last major eruption occurred in 1973, but it continues to emit heat today. In cold weather, steam can be seen rising from the ground. In addition to the main crater, Tyatya also has side craters, some of which occasionally emit toxic gases. On the southeastern slope is the Otvazhny Crater, from which lava erupted during the last eruption. Above, around the young cone, truly otherworldly landscapes have formed: bare earth covered only by sparse moss and lichen.

The ascent route begins at Cape Rubezhny, ascends the Rubezhny stream, and then through a cinder field. At an altitude of 650 meters lies the Otvazhny crater, and even higher up is a smaller crater known as Pogranichnik. The next section is a rather challenging climb to the ridge, from where an impressive view of the young cone opens up, followed by the final section to the main crater. We descend along the ascent route. We spend the night at the same location.

We will hike without backpacks – 22 km, an elevation gain of 1800 meters.

Cape Rubezhny – Cape Mysovoy – Tyatina River

We pack up camp and head back. Today, our goal is to reach the Tyatina River for an overnight stop.

We'll cover 16 km this day.

Tyatina River - Chaika Hot Springs

We continue our return journey to the Chaika Hot Springs. We rest at the springs after the challenging hike. The hike is 22 km.

End of the hike – Yuzhno-Kurilsk - Golovninsky Cliff

We have only a short distance left to walk, about 5 kilometers, to where we'll be picked up by vehicle and taken to a hostel in Yuzhno-Kurilsk. We'll check into the hostel and have lunch. In the afternoon, we'll take a guided tour to the waterfalls on Golovninsky Cliff.

Spare

Spare day in case of bad weather. If we don't need it, we'll spend it relaxing at the Chaika hot springs.

Yuzhno-Kurilsk - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Transfer to Yuzhno-Kurilsk airport and flight to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Backup

Backup day in case of flight delay. The weather in the Kuril Islands is capricious, and local airlines are highly dependent on the weather, so a backup day in case of flight delay is essential. It's best to book flights home from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk every other day.

If you don't need a backup day, you can spend time in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: stroll around the city, visit a museum, ride the cable car at the Gorny Vozdukh ski resort, or take a day tour of the surrounding area with local guides (for an additional fee).

Home

Flight home from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

In September, the weather in Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands is generally quite warm and dry: around 15-18°C during the day and 8-13°C at night. However, it can be changeable, with fog and rain possible, so be sure to pack a raincoat or waterproof jacket and pants. Wind protection is also useful; windproof jackets and pants are ideal. Pay special attention to footwear; it should be comfortable, well-worn, and waterproof. No matter how favorable the forecast is, don't skimp on warm clothes. Take a fleece jacket, hat, gloves, thermal underwear, several pairs of warm socks, an insulated down or synthetic jacket (it will definitely come in handy for the evening). Take warm and comfortable clothes for sleeping. For swimming in the sea and hot springs, take a swimsuit, a towel and rubber slippers. Slippers can also be useful when crossing fords along the route. Don't forget to take a personal set of utensils (bowl, cup, spoon), a headlamp, a hobu (a blanket), a thermos or a water bottle. You may also need sunglasses, a cap (bandana), and insect repellent. The optimal backpack size for this hike is 80-100 liters, and take a small backpack of 25-30 liters for radial exits. Take a sleeping bag for a comfortable temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius or lower, do not forget about foam or an inflatable mat under it.

Equipment list:

• backpack (80-100L) with rain cover;
• sleeping bag (comfort temperature around 5 degrees Celsius or lower);
• mat (foam or inflatable);
• seat cushion;
• headlamp and spare batteries;
• plastic water bottle and/or thermos;
• personal utensils (mug, spoon, bowl, knife);
• hat;
• lightweight headgear (cap/bandana);
• personal hygiene products, personal first aid kit;
• repellent (several bottles);
• sunscreen Cream;
• Mosquito net hat;
• Raincoat;
• Trekking poles;
• Trekking boots;
• Crocs or rubber sandals;
• Insulated jacket (for evenings);
• Membrane jacket;
• Gloves;
• Thermal underwear;
• Several pairs of synthetic trekking socks;
• Wool socks;
• Two pairs of walking pants;
• Fleece jacket;
• Several T-shirts, underwear.

A border zone pass is required to participate. Foreign citizens and citizens of CIS countries must submit a pass application two months before travel. Therefore, please book your trip well in advance!

Important! During the summer and fall seasons, there is increased demand for tickets between Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that we will have sufficient air tickets between Sakhalin and Kunashir for our dates. We will do everything possible to provide tickets to participants, but we are still not immune to overbookings, where tickets are sold out within the first hour of sale or are completely booked to accommodate the needs of local residents of the Kuril Islands. Due to the aforementioned difficulties in purchasing tickets, in addition to the standard advance payment to reserve a place in the group, you must be prepared to promptly and in advance pay the organizer a portion of the non-refundable cost for round-trip air tickets between Sakhalin and Kunashir (approximately 22,000 rubles at 2026 prices).

Internal transportation in the Kuril Islands is highly dependent on weather conditions. We have built sufficient extra days into the program, but we are still not immune to delays and related program changes, as well as missed connecting flights.

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.