UNDP/GEF
Conservation of Biodiversity on Kamchatka's 4 Protected Areas

Kronotsky State Biosphere Preserve

The Kronotsky State Biosphere Preserve has the highest designation of all the protected areas in the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Volcanoes of Kamchatka.”  It is also one of the most dynamic, geologically active protected areas in the world.  One of the oldest protected areas in Russia, Kronotsky is located in the southeastern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula, backed by the Vostochniy Mountain Range.  One of Russia’s largest preserves, Kronotsky is a multi-faceted jewel covering 1,007,134 hectares of land and a 3-mile zone of 152 miles of shoreline. 

What to see
The preserve’s fascinating landscape of snow-capped mountains, active and dormant volcanoes, multitude of glaciers, cascading rivers, unique islands and lakes, and wind-blown beaches and rugged shoreline form the basis for the preserve’s variety of ecosystems and remarkable biodiversity.

The protected area abounds with exotic wildlife, marine or terrestrial, that will astound even the most jaded traveler.  The preserve is home to about 850 Kamchatka brown bears, some of the largest brown bears in the world. Kamchatka’s last wild reindeer freely roam in the preserve while the magnificent Steller Sea Eagle, one of the most important bird species on Kamchatka, soar along the sky. 

Main attractions
Nestled in a pocket of the Kronotsky Preserve is the Valley of Geysers.  This 8-km long valley is located in such a remote area, that it only was discovered in 1941.  The valley is named for its multitude of geysers, situated between boiling mud pots, steam vents and warm to hot rivers.  While there are other important areas of the world that feature large geysers, such as Iceland and in Yellowstone National Park in the US, Kronotsky sets itself apart by its remoteness, true wilderness quality, and high concentration of geysers in one place.  The largest geyser, Velikan, shoots boiling water up to 30 meters and steam to 300 meters.  The valley’s beautiful landscape of multi-colored mineralized rock faces, summer’s verdant green shrubbery, and abundant wildflowers is a fascinating place to visit.  The biodiversity of the valley intertwines the area’s flora, fauna, and geology with adaptations to the unusual warm ground and mineral contents of soil and water.  Spring greens sprout early, providing nutrients for the first bears emerging from winter. 

Uzon Caldera
Gigantic volcanism 40,000 years ago formed this 5.6 mile x 7.5 mile caldera.  Imagine a giant volcanic bed with steaming warm lakes, teeming with geothermal activity. Uzon is bubbling with hot springs and steaming mud pots, an almost outlandish sight, painted with an amazing array of colors and textured by the minerals deposited in this geothermal wonderland.  In the caldera alone there are over 1,000 hot springs of different sizes and forms, bubbling up at temperatures from 45 to 98 degrees C. 

The Kronotsky State Biosphere Preserve status
Because Kronotsky is not a national park, its access to the general public is limited.  The special status of the preserve places the value of its wilderness and its preservation, and research as its highest priority, above public use.  The preserve has designated recreational zones allowing limited human use.  Tourism management is focused on using ecotourism practices.  It is required that one of the preserve’s inspectors accompanies each tourism group to point out important conservation efforts and to provide safety and security in bear country.

Of highest interest to the preserve’s management are joint scientific research as well as working with volunteers who have expertise in protected area management or in the area of the natural resources available in the preserve.

How to get there
Because of its remoteness, the preserve can only be reached by helicopter, mostly from Yelizovo.  It takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the preserve.  The routing itself, under clear weather conditions, is worth the trip as the helicopter passes a number of incredible volcanic sites that are one of a kind.

What to do
One-day helicopter excursions to the Uzon Caldera and Valley of Geysers are available. Visitors should take note that the Valley of Geysers is closed from mid-May to the beginning of July to prevent disturbances of wildlife during nesting and breeding periods. Overnight stays in the Valley of Geysers are not allowed.  You may contact our advertisers for more information.

The preserve offers exciting educational opportunities for visitors to observe and photograph its large brown bear population.  Organized trips are accompanied by one of the preserve’s inspectors providing insight into the behavior of bears and also about the preserve’s other natural resources.

Hiking routes open to backpackers concentrate in the area of Valley of Geysers.  A preserve inspector must accompany all groups.

For biologists, ecologists, and those with a deeper interest in nature, the preserve has developed several itineraries to showcase some of the most interested aspects of Kornotsky’s vast territory.

Visitor information
Information about the reserve is available at
Kronotsky Preserve Visitor Center and Museum
48 Ryabikov Street, Yelizovo
Kamchatka Region, Russia 684001
Telephone (415 31) 6-17-54
or 7-16-52, (415 2) 41-16-94
E-mail: zapoved@mail.kamchatka.ru