Walking to the End of the World –
Hiking on Shikotan Island

The ship's arrival at Shikotan Island marks the beginning of the hiking route.

We continue our sea voyage, arriving at the village of Malokurilskoye on Shikotan Island around midday. From the ship's vantage point, the island impresses with the beauty of its landscapes, with numerous capes, bays, green hills, and surrounding small islands. We disembark and immediately begin our hike.

This day we'll walk a short distance (about 3.5 km) and set up camp.

Mount Shikotan – Mayachnaya Bay

In the morning, we pack up our tents, leave our backpacks at the campsite, and head lightly to the island's highest peak, Mount Shikotan. At only 412 meters, the climb is easy. The mountain offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, the island's green hills, and rock formations. In good weather, the active Tyatya volcano on neighboring Kunashir Island can be seen from Mount Shikotan. Returning from the mountain to our campsite, we pick up our backpacks and continue on with our gear. Our goal for today is to reach Mayachnaya Bay, or Soldatskaya Bay (as the locals call it). Mayachnaya Bay is a cozy spot, protected from strong winds by hills. The bay is beautifully landscaped, with high cliffs cascading into the sea, and some cliffs are right in the water, forming small stone islands. We'll set up camp in this beautiful bay.

We'll hike 6 km light (350 m climb and descent) and 7 km with backpacks during the day.

Mys Krab (Spanberg Lighthouse) – Cape Kray Sveta – Bezymyannaya Bay

We won't be breaking camp today. In the morning, we'll make a radial excursion to Mys Krai Sveta and Mys Kray Sveta, and after lunch, we'll head lightly to Bezymyannaya Bay. Besides the picturesque views that are perhaps the hallmark of all the capes and bays of Shikotan Island, Mys Krab is famous for the Japanese lighthouse built on it. The lighthouse is named after the explorer and navigator Martyn Petrovich Shpanberg, who, while exploring the Kuril Islands, discovered about thirty islands, including Shikotan Island. The lighthouse, built in 1943, is the last lighthouse built by the Japanese on the Kuril Islands. It stands 19 meters tall, has a diameter of approximately 4 meters, and has walls 45 cm thick. In 1994, it withstood a magnitude 8 earthquake and remains operational.

Cape Kray Sveta is the southeasternmost point of Russia. It is a rocky promontory jutting into the Pacific Ocean. Cape Kray Sveta received its name in 1946. It was given to it by Soviet physical geographer Yuri Efremov, head of the Kuril Complex Expedition, which was exploring Shikotan Island. The scientist remarked that the place struck him with its natural beauty. After exploring the Shpanberg Lighthouse and Cape Kray Sveta, we return to camp, have lunch, and after lunch, head to Bezymyannaya Bay. This bay is located on the eastern side of Shikotan Island and is famous for the scattering of small islands within it. The observation deck at Bezymyannaya Bay offers a magnificent view of the endless Pacific Ocean. The area is also famous for being the location for the 1972 film "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe," which is why the bay is often called Robinson Bay. After exploring the beauty of Bezymyannaya Bay, we return to our camp at Mayachnaya Bay.

We'll cover 15 km in one day, lightly packed.

Mayachnaya Bay – Otradnaya Bay

We pack up camp and head to Otradnaya Bay. It's located between two settlements on Shikotan Island, Malokurilsky and Krabozavodsky. The bay is shallow, and at low tide, the muddy bottom is exposed, attracting numerous birds. According to one theory, Otradnaya Bay was named so because it was a solace for those seeking shelter during a storm.

We'll hike 13 km with backpacks in one day.

Krabozavodskoye Village - Krabovaya Bay

We continue our journey. Today we'll head to Krabovaya Bay. Our route will pass through the village of Krabozavodskoye, the second of two settlements on Shikotan. The center of the village is the Krabozavodsky Fish Processing Plant, built in the 1990s on the site of its Soviet predecessor. Krabovaya Bay, where we'll set up camp, got its name because it became an industrial center for crab fishing in the mid-20th century. According to locals, large numbers of crabs still periodically enter the bay today. After setting up camp, we'll take a light hike up the mountain, which offers a picturesque view of Krabovaya Bay and the surrounding area.

We'll hike 8 km with backpacks and 6 km with a 200-meter ascent and descent without backpacks.

Mount Gorobets – Tserkovnaya (Aivazovsky) Bay

We pack up camp and continue our journey. Today, our route will take us past Mount Gorobets, home to an abandoned tank firing company (RTOT), manned by IS-2 and IS-3 tanks. The firing point operated until 1994 and was fully combat-ready. Mount Gorobets also offers picturesque views of the bay of the same name. Descending from the mountain, we head to the other end of the island, to Tserkovnaya Bay, also known as Aivazovsky Bay. The bay is famous for its islands. Off the northeastern shore lies the rocky island of Devyaty Val, and off the southwestern shore lies Aivazovsky Island. These islands are separated from the shores of the bay by shallow straits.

We'll hike 11 km in one day with backpacks (200 m ascent and descent).

Tserkovnaya Bay - Snezhkova Bay

Today we'll have the longest backpacking trip of the entire hike, fortunately our backpacks will be significantly emptier due to the food we've eaten, as the hike is nearing its end. We'll cover 19 km and then transfer from Tserkovnaya Bay to Snezhkova Bay. Snezhkova Bay, considered by many to be the most beautiful bay on Shikotan Island, is off-limits to traffic and accessible only on foot. Along the way, we'll encounter several descents and ascents that add to the challenge, but the road is very picturesque; in good weather, you can see not only the entire island of Shikotan but also Tyatya Volcano on Kunashir.

We'll cover 19 km with backpacks in one day, with an elevation gain of 200 m.

Dimitrov Peninsula – Dimitrov Bay

After enjoying the beauty of Snezhkova Bay, we continue on. The Dimitrov Peninsula and the bay of the same name await us. The Dimitrov Peninsula is part of an island offering panoramic views of Dimitrov, Snezhkova, and Dyba bays, as well as Griga Island. Dimitrov Bay is known for its incredibly long sandy beach. The entrance capes and shores of the bay are high, steep, and fringed by rocks and stones. The bay is protected from northerly and westerly winds. We will set up camp in this beautiful spot.

We will hike 12 km with backpacks in one day.

Dimitrova Bay - Malokurilskoye

Our hike is coming to an end, and we're heading towards Malokurilskoye. We have about 10 km to go. We'll set up camp in a beautiful spot near the village. If the group wishes and there's room, we can also accommodate them at a hotel (for an additional fee).

Malokurilskoye – ship departure for Sakhalin

We'll stock up on groceries and everything we need for the 24-hour boat trip and set off for Sakhalin. Mesmerizing landscapes and the romance of sea travel await us once again.

Korsakov – Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

The ship arrives in Korsakov, Sakhalin. Transfer to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and check-in at the hotel.

Spare Days

Spare days in case of changes to the ship schedule or delays due to bad weather. The weather in the Kuril Islands is capricious, and delays for both water and air transport are common, so spare days are truly essential. If spare days aren't needed and we arrive in Sakhalin on time, we'll take a walk around Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, visit a museum, or, at the group's request, we can organize a guided tour of the island for an additional fee.

Flight home

Flight home from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Those who wish can continue exploring the Kuril Islands with us by going to a trip to Kunashir Island.

In the second half of August and early September, the weather in Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands is generally quite warm: around 17-23°C during the day and 10-16°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, don't skimp on warm clothing. Bring a fleece jacket, hat, gloves, thermal underwear, several pairs of warm socks, and an insulated down or synthetic sweater (this will definitely come in handy for the evenings). Make sure you have warm and comfortable sleepwear.
If you plan to swim in the sea, bring a swimsuit, a towel, and rubber slippers. Slippers can also be useful when fording rivers and streams that you may encounter along the route. Don't forget to bring your own utensils (bowl, cup, spoon), headlamp, hobu (sleeve cover), and a thermos or water bottle.
You may also need sunglasses, a cap (bandana), and insect repellent.
The optimal backpack size for this hike is 80-100 liters; you should also bring a small 25-30 liter backpack for longer hikes.

Equipment list:

• Backpack (80-100 l) with a rain cover;
• Sleeping bag (comfort temperature around 5 C or below),
• Mat (foam or inflatable);
• Seat cushion;
• Headlamp and spare batteries;
• Plastic water bottle and/or thermos;
• Personal utensils (mug, spoon, bowl, knife);
• Hat;
• Light headgear (cap/bandana);
• Personal hygiene products, personal first aid kit;
• Repellent;
• Sunscreen;
• 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;
• 25-30 liter backpack for radial hikes.

A border zone pass is required to participate. Foreign citizens and citizens of CIS countries must submit a pass application two months before the trip. 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 the required number of boat tickets 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 boat tickets between Sakhalin and Shikotan (approximately 10,000 rubles at 2026 prices).

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