The Valley of Geysers: a post-scriptum review.

You’ve had my report on our six-day Uzon trek, but I hardly told you anything about where we ended up on the last day of the trek – the Valley of Geysers. Now, with a bit more time on my hands, I can collect up my thoughts and impressions thereupon, and share them with you at a gentler, more meditative tempo…

First – a few photos. Bubbling, hissing, spurting, steaming, pouring – all present and correct, sir:

Here’s the tourist-accessible section of the Valley of Geysers; a walk round it takes about two hours ->

You start out here:

Here you’re shown where else in the world geysers can be found ->

…and what they’re all about…

The tourist section on the map:

Off we pop…

The elevated platform-paths are a nice touch:

Now, normally I bemoan the weather (too) often being overcast here in Kamchatka. Not today! Its being overcast was only welcomed on this day. Why? Because it meant the helicopters with their tourists couldn’t fly – meaning we (who’d walked here) were the only tourists there!

Bolshoi (Big) Geyser – which emits a stream of hot water some 10 meters high every hour or so ->

The Bolshoi from the drone:

This Bolshoi viewing platform is normally crammed with tourists; not today! ->

More and more steam – you guessed it: an eruption is approaching… ->

She’s ready to blow!… Boom!->

There used to be a bridge across the river, but it was destroyed in the landslide, and tourists aren’t allowed over the river any more. But that didn’t stop our drone having a look! ->

Normally drones aren’t allowed – deemed too hazardous given the busy helicoptering in and out of the Valley. Today – they made an exception to the rule )…

Mud pools:

One of my fave geysers:

These “eyes” are affectionately referred to as “the toilet”, since the final stages of an emission remind of both the sound and look of one being flushed! ->

Devil’s Gate aka the Dragon’s Nostrils, or Devil’s Eyes ->

Piping hot water ->

The Valley of Geysers was discovered in 1941 by Soviet geologist Tatiana Ustinova. And “discovered” really was the case (not like, e.g., the New World was “discovered” by Europeans) – for even the local Itelmen knew nothing of the valley beforehand – so remote is it.

After her death, as per her wish, Tatiana’s ashes were buried in the Valley – clearly so dear the place was to her heart.

A few more pics…

The Shumny river valley ->

Remains of the landslide in 2007; on the horizon – the Pacific:

Geyzerny river canyon; Kikhpinych volcano, to its left – Krasheninnikov, to its right – Kronotsky:

And now for a few words about the Valley of Geysers Kordon (what they refer to hotels, guest houses, camps and other lodgings in this part of the world). Inspectors board here, curious volunteers dine here, and of course tourists – like us – stay here. Several buildings make up the whole complex, and there are a full seven helipads on the territory!

It’s neatly kitted out – including with these here platforms. Just be careful not to drop your phone – getting it back is a military operation (we found out the hard way:) ->

Inspectors and volunteers stay in cottages like this:

For pushy, high-maintenance tourists there’s a large guest house where they serve delicious food and from where the views are extra special – particularly on a sunny morning ->

That night, a big surprise was in store for us…

We’d all turned in for the night when all of a sudden the whole house gave a frightful jolt. How can I describe it? I guess… yes – the jolt was like driving over a speed bump at 80km/h! You can imagine our shock – almost horror! But at least it was just the once. And within seconds we realized it was what happens quite regularly here: it was a tremor – a mini-earthquake!

The following morning – a gorgeous day; which meant lots of tourist arriving in choppers; which meant it was time we were off!…

The rest of the photos from our Kamchatka-2024 trip are here.