Volcanoes, bays and the vast ocean

The Kuril Islands are islands of volcanic origin.

One of their Japanese names, Chishima retto, translates as “archipelago of a thousand islands,” but in fact they include only 56 land areas scattered in a convex arc on the border of the Sea of ​​​​Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean. Only four of them are inhabited, and the rest are untouched nature, kilometers of wild beaches, harsh cliffs, green slopes, thermal springs and, of course, numerous volcanoes. Some of the islands are, in fact, volcanoes. For example, the picturesque Atlasov Island is actually an active Alaid volcano, rising out of the water to a height of more than 2300 meters, and the incredibly exotic Yankich Island is formed by an ancient extinct volcano, the collapse of one of the walls of which created a quiet bay in the caldera. The Kuril Islands are full of natural wonders. Just look at the famous White Rocks of Iturup, the “volcano within a volcano” on Onekotan or the perfect cone-shaped Alaid! When you look at or walk on most of the islands, you feel as if you are inside an elegant Japanese print, and your heart skips a beat at the poetic and wild beauty of the local nature. Here in secluded bays you can meet killer whales and whales, thousands of seabirds nest on the shores and powerful sea lion seals rest.

Places of attraction

Iturup
The most famous of the Kuril Islands, a visit to which is often included in tours to Sakhalin. Lava plateaus, unusually shaped snow-white cliffs, black sand beaches, mud volcanoes and calm bays - the landscapes of Iturup amaze with their exoticism and diversity.

Paramushir
The largest island of the Northern ridge and the second largest in the entire Kuril archipelago. Here you will find idyllic mountain landscapes, five active volcanoes, of which Fussa and Ebeko are especially interesting, picturesque Lake Zerkalnoe and Krashennikov Bay, where killer whales and whales are often found.

Alaid Volcano
An active volcano, also known as Atlasov Island. It rises 2300 meters above sea level (and is therefore the highest island in our country). The regular cone-shaped volcano is active and erupts frequently, causing the island to gradually increase in size.

Yankich Island
The island was formed as a result of the destruction of an ancient volcano.

One of the walls of the caldera went under water, creating a round bay with two miniature islands in the center. Thermal springs boil on the shores and thousands of seabirds roar, and the bay is perfect for diving or relaxing boat rides. Onekotan
The main attraction of this rather large island is the “volcano within a volcano,” the two-tiered Krenitsyn volcano. It rises from a water-filled caldera formed after the collapse of the ancient Tao-Rusyr volcano. It is active, the last eruption was recorded in 1952.

Simushir
Belongs to the Middle group of the Great Ridge.

Previously, there was a military submarine base here, but now Simushir is uninhabited. Consists of six volcanoes, three of which are active. Wildlife, rich flora and fauna, plenty of greenery and magnificent views when climbing one of the volcanoes. Kunashir
A popular tourist location, an inhabited island in the south of the archipelago. Known for its basalt pillars, fumarole fields and mud springs, which are considered healing. The rocks and headlands of hexagonal prisms formed as a result of eruptions look completely alien.