Hike the flanks of the smouldering Mendeleev Volcano on Kunashir Island, one of the disputed Kuril Islands rarely visited by outsiders. Soak in wild coastal hot springs where boiling geothermal vents meet the cold Okhotsk surf.
What to expect
Zodiac inflatable craft deliver you ashore onto a beach rimmed with steaming fumaroles and lush sub-boreal forest. A volcanologist guide leads the ascent of Mendeleev's outer slopes, explaining the island's ferocious tectonic history while sulphurous steam vents hiss around you. Natural coastal onsen pools await at the shoreline — a surreal juxtaposition of near-boiling geothermal water and the frigid Okhotsk. Birdlife is extraordinary: white-tailed sea eagles, tufted puffins, and rare Blakiston's fish owls inhabit the island's interior.
Good to know
Accessible only via expedition cruise itinerary — landings are weather and sea-state dependent. Pack layered merino wool and a quality windproof shell. All-aboard is zodiac-dependent; the expedition team manages timing with precision. Permit requirements for the Kurils mean this destination is strictly itinerary-led.