Kamchatka Wilderness Camping
Kamchatka, Russia
While hiking and kayaking in Kamchatka, we camp in spacious 3-person German-made Vaude tents. After initial instruction, all trip participants will be responsible for erecting and maintaining their own tents with their tentmate's assistance. All trip participants must provide their own sleeping bags and pads.
On the river portion of the trip, we are accompanied by two rafts that carry a spacious mess tent equipped with table and chairs for meals and lounging. It will also provide a haven should we encounter inclement weather. On our hiking days from Karimsky to the river put-in point, we must carry everything ourselves, including food and tents. During this hike we will minimize our personal gear while our cook and guide will carry more than their share of the group's collective burden. But each participant should expect to carry about 35 pounds in your backpack for this 2-3 day hike.
On occasion we will provide a small amount of hot water for bathing. It works well to place the water in a large Zip-Loc bag and use a washcloth for sponge baths. We may also opt for a refreshing cleanse in the river or mountain streams, to rinse off the grime from the day’s activities.
For toilet needs, we will typically be “stepping aside in nature,” either in the trees or "bidet-style" in a side creek downstream from our camp. Participants should be prepared to burn toilet paper or carry it out in a Zip-Loc plastic bag to dispose of at the end of the trip.
Our cook and the cook’s assistant will prepare meals unless trip members particularly wish to be involved. Camp chores such as washing dishes and collecting firewood are tasks voluntarily shared by the whole group. We take special care in preparing nutritious and tasty meals, principally utilizing whole foods that we pre-package into hearty combinations. Feel free to bring your own supply of any favorite snack items, and please advise us of any specific dietary requirements and/or food allergies upon booking.