Iturup is the southern island of the Kuril Islands archipelago, attracting tourists with the beauty of pristine nature. This is a unique place with powerful energy. Here you can relax from the hustle and bustle of the city, enjoy the raging ocean, the tranquility of lakes and mountain ranges with frozen lava. A vacation on the island of Iturup is an unforgettable journey that you can go directly from Moscow.

What is attractive about the Kuril Islands

The Kuril Islands are a chain of 56 islands separating the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. The local Ainu people are a real mystery to scientists. It has not been established for certain where this people came from. The local flora, fauna, and geography are amazing. Each of the islands is unique in its own way.

Rare birds nest on Kunashir — the piebald kingfisher. They are not found anywhere else in Russia. The oldest tree, the yew tree "Sage", is also located here. Its age exceeds 1,000 years, and the diameter of the trunk reaches 130 centimeters.

The most active volcano in the Kuril Islands, Sarycheva, is located on Matua Island. It last erupted in 2009. The lava reached the sea, eventually increasing the island's area by 1.5 square kilometers.

The largest island in terms of area is Iturup. The name translates from the local language as "medusa". Its territory is 3,200 square kilometers. The island is home to the city of Kurilsk with 2,600 inhabitants. The nature is contrasting, harsh and beautiful, it is she who is the main attraction of the island.

Main sights of Iturup

Flora. Spruce and fir forests grow on the island, they are combined with thickets of bamboo and elfin. They create amazing landscapes, a peaceful environment for full relaxation and active recreation. Hiking, overnight stays in tents, jeep tours, and bathing in thermal springs are popular here. Wildlife is combined with comfortable hotels "Ostrov", "Camellia" and "Zhemchuzhina".

Volcanoes. There are 20 volcanoes on the island, 9 are active. The tallest of them is the Stockup stratovolcano with several craters, reaching a height of 1,634 meters. The most popular tourist route will take you to the Baransky volcano (height 1,134 m). On the way to it there are a large number of hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles.

Lakes. There are more than 30 lakes with hot and mineral springs on the island. The most amazing of them is located at the foot of the Baransky volcano. These are two connecting lakes under the common name "Beautiful". They look really great. The water is clear, amazingly turquoise in color. However, you cannot swim in it. The water temperature in some places can reach +100 ° C. Despite this, there are fish in the lake — the largest breed of sockeye salmon that comes along the river from the sea to spawn.

There are thermal springs nearby, so they are suitable for swimming. The water is comfortable, up to +40 °C. Steam rises from the springs, and a volcano is visible in the background. A great place for a photo shoot!

Bays. The Lion's Mouth Bay is unique in that it is an underwater crater of a volcano. Its depth exceeds 500 meters. Killer Whale Bay is one of the most popular locations in the south of the island. There are remnants of Japanese fortifications, hot springs, a recreation area with a swimming pool filled with thermal water.

Waterfall. A vacation on the island of Iturup cannot do without visiting one of the highest waterfalls in Russia — Ilya Muromets. The height is 141 meters, for comparison it is like a house of 40 floors. The place where the waterfall flows into the ocean is worth a visit because gray whales come there.

There are many beautiful and unique places on the largest island of the archipelago. There are so many of them that it is impossible to list them in one article. Moreover, if you go on vacation in the Kuril Islands, you will definitely visit other islands and no less stunning sights on the mainland. This will be your most unforgettable trip!

How much does a vacation on Iturup cost?

The cost of the tour depends on the number of days, the attractions you will visit, the hotel accommodation option and other nuances. On average, a week's vacation with departure from Moscow costs 160-200 thousand rubles per person*. There is always an opportunity to save money and to blow it. Find out how much your vacation on Iturup Island will cost you on the website sakhtravel.com .

*prices are based on the cost of vouchers at the time of writing from popular tour operators, freely available on the Internet.