"The Kurils. Secrets of Volcanoes No. 5" — Cruise No. 18

The largest island in Russia. It is washed by the warm waters of the Sea of Japan to the south and west, while its eastern shores face the harsh Okhotsk Sea. Sakhalin is separated from mainland Asia by the Tatar Strait (which is only 7.3 km wide at its narrowest point—the Nevelskoy Strait—and freezes over in winter), and from the Japanese island of Hokkaido by the La Pérouse Strait.

The island changed hands several times between Japan and Russia, and you can still find examples of traditional Japanese architecture here.

The best time for a first trip to Sakhalin is between June and September, when the sun has warmed the land and rainfall is infrequent.

Photo: Lupus-sapiens. CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0)

Kunashir Island is home to four volcanoes: Tyatya, Ruruy, Mendeleev, and Golovnin. We’ll visit the latter to soak in natural thermal springs and marvel at fumaroles—vents near the volcano’s base where hot gases escape from the earth.

Another must-see is the remarkable Cape Stolbchaty. Its sheer cliffs are made up of tightly packed vertical basalt columns, formed thousands of years ago when lava cooled and solidified. The structure is so precise and geometric, it appears as if it were designed by an artist or engineer.

Photo: Ekaterina Vasyagina

The "Edge of the World" is a rocky cape located in the northeastern part of Shikotan Island, with stunning, steep coastal cliffs that stretch out into the ocean like a narrow strip of land. The nearest landmass to the west from here is the Hawaiian Islands—over 5,000 kilometers away. The shoreline along the Edge of the World is winding, dotted with small coves and inlets.

Before setting sail, we recommend watching the old Soviet film about Robinson Crusoe—these exact landscapes are beautifully featured in it.

Waters around Shikotan are rich in marine life. It’s common to spot numerous whales and orcas nearby, especially during the summer months.

Iturup is the largest island of the Kuril Archipelago. While the island is home to numerous volcanoes, what truly captures the imagination are the unique and unrepeatable White Cliffs. Stretching for nearly 30 kilometers along the coastline, they are perhaps the most fragile cliffs in the world.

These formations are actually made of volcanic pumice — a very soft rock. Rain, wind, storm-driven waves, and flowing streams have carved the cliffs into fantastical shapes, which continue to change over time. The vivid greenery crowning the cliffs, combined with the black volcanic sand of the shore, creates a surreal, almost otherworldly landscape. It’s a place where nature constantly rewrites its own masterpiece.

We’ll make landings at different locations on the island, while overnighting on the ship anchored near the shore. Our main destinations are the Zavaritsky Volcano and Brouton Bay.

Zavaritsky Volcano has formed not just one, but three nested calderas. We’ll hike up to the rim of the outermost — and largest — caldera, which stretches nearly 10 kilometers in diameter. From there, you’ll be captivated by a spectacular palette of colors: the turquoise waters of Lake Biryuza (its name means "Turquoise" in Russian and it perfectly matches the hue), crimson cliffs, green vegetation blanketing the island, and gray earth where the greenery fades away. It’s a breathtaking sight. And if the weather is clear, be sure to look around — the entire middle stretch of the Kuril chain is visible from this point.

Brouton Bay, located in the northern part of Simushir, is another flooded caldera — and the only natural harbor in the Kurils that offers full protection from ocean winds. It’s no wonder the Soviet Union once planned a major naval base here. In 1980, the bay’s entrance was expanded and deepened using explosives — the detonation resembled a volcanic eruption, and black rain fell over the island afterward. Unfortunately, the military settlement was short-lived; it was abandoned in the 1990s for political reasons. Now, a ghost town stands on the shores of Brouton Bay.

Brouton Bay is also a great spot for fishing — we’ll be able to cast lines from both the shore and from motorboats.

A typical Kuril phenomenon: the small island of Chirpoy (less than 10 square kilometers in area) is home to two active volcanoes — Chernogo and Snow. The first is named after a Cossack explorer who studied the Kuril Islands in the 18th century, and the second after an English maritime hunter active in the 19th century.

Despite its tiny size, Chirpoy hosts thousands of nesting seabirds. The most prominent among them are black-legged kittiwakes and thick-billed murres. Watching a bird rookery of this scale up close is a truly fascinating experience — the noise, the movement, and the sheer density of life make it one of the most memorable natural sights of the Kurils.

Ushishir is a group of islands located in the central part of the Greater Kuril Chain and administratively part of the Severo-Kurilsky Urban District in Sakhalin Oblast, Russia. The islands are currently uninhabited, although in the past they were permanently settled and utilized by the Ainu people for traditional subsistence activities.

The group consists of two main islands—Ryponkicha and Yankicha—along with several surrounding rocky islets. The total area is approximately 5.08 km². Yankicha Island is home to an active volcano, Ushishir, which rises to 388 meters above sea level. The island features fumaroles, hot springs (once considered sacred by the Ainu), and geysers.

Remains of Ainu dwellings have been found on the slopes of Yankicha Bay. Historically, Ainu from other regions would visit Ushishir during the summer. Before their conversion to Orthodox Christianity, the island was regarded as sacred, believed to be the dwelling place of the spirit of the thunder god—the Ainu counterpart to Perun.

The trek on Onekotan is one of the longest and most demanding of our journey — 15 kilometers round trip with an elevation gain of 600 meters. But the effort is well worth it: only by completing this hike can you witness Krenitsyn Volcano, considered one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world.

From a geological perspective, it’s a classic "volcano within a volcano", but here nature has achieved a kind of perfect symmetry. The massive outer caldera, 17 kilometers in diameter, is filled with water, forming Lake Koltsevoye. Rising from its center is the nearly perfectly symmetrical cone of Krenitsyn Volcano — a breathtaking sight.

An amazing fact: Lake Koltsevoye ranks among the five deepest lakes in Russia. Too bad we can’t explore its bottom!

The name Paramushir comes from the Ainu language, para mosir, meaning "broad island." On a 1745 Russian map, it appeared as Puremchin. In Japanese, it is known as 幌筵島 (Paramushiru-to).

Paramushir is part of the northern group of the Greater Kuril Chain, and at 2,053 km², it is the second-largest island in the Kuril Archipelago after Iturup. It stretches approximately 120 km in length and up to 30 km in width. One of its natural features is Lake Zerkalnoye.

The island has a volcanic origin, typical for the Kurils. During times of extreme ocean regression, it was connected to both Shumshu Island and the Kamchatka Peninsula, which influenced its unique flora and fauna.

Photo: NASA, Dave Pape. Public domain

Atlasov Island owes its record-breaking features to Alaid Volcano, which rises 2,285 meters above sea level. According to an ancient Ainu legend (the Ainu are the Indigenous people of Japan and the Kuril Islands), Alaid once stood on the Kamchatka Peninsula. However, it was either so tall it blocked the sunlight from reaching other mountains, or so beautiful it stirred their envy. Forced to leave Kamchatka, Alaid drifted into the sea — and in the place it once stood, a lake appeared (today known as Kuril Lake). On the lake lies a lone rock — the Heart of Alaid, which the volcano left behind in its homeland.

During our journey, we’ll approach two of Alaid’s flank craters — Taketomi and the Olympic Rift. The latter formed just fifty years ago, during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich — hence its name.

Shumshu stands out as the only non-volcanic island in the Kuril archipelago. From its northern cape, on a clear day, you can see the coast of Kamchatka — the mainland is just 11 kilometers away.

During World War II, Shumshu was Japan’s main stronghold in the region, with over 80,000 soldiers stationed there and equipped with the most advanced military technology of the time. The capture of Shumshu was a pivotal moment in the Kuril Islands operation — the final major battle of the Second World War.

Today, remnants of that era are still visible across the island: pillboxes, bunkers, military equipment, and ammunition serve as solemn reminders of its wartime past.

Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license

Narrow (almost 10 kilometers long and only 1.3 kilometers wide), deep, and surrounded by dramatic high cliffs, Russkaya Bay offers both shelter from the wind and breathtaking views that have enchanted travelers for centuries.

Here, we’ll enjoy not only the stunning landscape, but also visit the Steller sea lion rookeries, approaching them by motorboat for a closer look. With a bit of luck, we might also spot brown bears coming down to the shore to fish during the salmon run — a truly unforgettable sight.

Photo: Malupasic, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

The capital of Kamchatka is located on the shore of Avacha Bay — one of the largest bays in the world. This is where we begin or end our journey (depending on the direction of travel).