Even if you manage to visit Kamchatka only in winter, the caviar you’ll find is much fresher than what you can get on the mainland (that’s how Kamchatka residents refer to the rest of Russia). This unexpected fact is initially perceived with incredulity, but it turns out to be true. Sixty miles per hour winds and sub-zero temperatures force us to break camp in the middle of a whiteout. They drink to honor the sacrifice this animal made. We first flew into Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Kamchatka’s small Soviet-style capital city surrounded by volcanoes. It was a challenging trip, but those are often the most rewarding anyway! The reindeer then begin to dig through the snow, munching away at the hidden grasses they prefer to eat. Exploring Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula Kamchatka, Russia. These factors, together with the geyser rivers and valleys, the volcanoes’ huge calderas and the perpetually changing landscapes after volcanic eruptions make Kamchatka one of the few places on earth where you can still feel like an explorer. Followed by a 6-hour bus ride to the small village of Esso, our jumping off point for the rest of the trip. Our hosts then proceed to shoot a reindeer, something they do every few weeks. To conquer the natural park “Volcanoes of Kamchatka” has become even easier! This land was discovered more than 300 years ago, but even today so little is known about it. Riding back through the snow to Esso after a long and cold week in the Russian wilderness, I reflect on what we’d seen and experienced. Part of the Pacific Ocean’s notorious Ring Of Fire, Kamchatka boasts 200 different volcanoes, 30 of them active. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Just traveling out to visit these reindeer herds was an adventure itself. Antlers are sold to China and ground into “medicines”. Take a group of adventure-lovers into the heart of this lesser-known wilderness to meet with nomadic Even reindeer herders who live there. In Esso we secured snowmobiles, food, and supplies. Most people only know it from the game of RISK. Back at camp, we fire up the stove and feast on tasty bowls of hearty reindeer stew before settling into our tents for the night. It’s warm and tastes of iron, with mystery chunks of flesh floating around. From the moment you arrive in Kamchatka you’ll be swept up by a Scandinavian-like atmosphere: Ascetic houses with a cool ocean in the background, long winters, hot water springs and geysers, snow scattered with volcanic ash and Erman’s birch trees. Kamchatka’s low population density and scarce human settlement ensures that the environment is clean and the water pure. This food-rich aquatic environment has created a fishing mecca. It’s offered to us as guests, and a few of us give it a try…. We’ve brought in supplies from the village to trade in exchange for a supply of fresh meat, which will sustain us for the rest of our voyage. The land has many similarities with Alaska, and was the perfect location for an adventure travel photography tour that I was co-leading with fellow travel photographer Matt Reichel. Some families live in a portable yurt, moving with the herd every few weeks. If you haven’t seen it before, watching an animal get slaughtered in front of you can be pretty jarring the first time. Full of rugged beauty, wildlife, and ancient culture. Kamchatka has many natural hot-springs due to all the geothermal activity too. Even well after the fall of the Soviet Union, Kamchatka is still home to many closed cities and military bases.This remote peninsula not only is the headquarters for Russia’s entire Pacific fleet but also has the country’s largest submarine base. We caught up with them after traveling by snowmobile. Sometimes you need to lean with your driver in order to navigate sharp turns, much like a motorcycle. But without all the crowds of some more popular travel destinations. Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. A helicopter trip to the geysers can cost up to 90,000 rubles (about $1,800), a liter of gasoline can cost 45 rubles or more (just under $1), and the average lunch bill in a local cafeteria begins at 1,000 rubles (about $20). Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox. See the 360° Aerial Panorama of Kamchatka bears at Lake Kurile by airpano.com. The Even have a long history of reindeer husbandry, making a living (and living off of) semi-domesticated herds of animals in Russia’s Far East and Siberian wilderness areas. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. I only hope the reindeer of Kamchatka continue to thrive, as there’s been a disturbing trend with global declines of reindeer and caribou populations partly due to climate change. Occasionally dodging tree branches and always prepared to jump-off in an emergency to avoid getting crushed by the sled. It really makes you appreciate where your meat comes from.