Camel Mountain (Verblyud)
Верблюд
A twin-peaked volcanic rock formation on the Avacha Pass, rising 200 to 300 m above its surroundings. It is Kamchatka's most common introductory hike.
Camel Mountain (Верблюд, Verblyud, meaning 'camel') is a lava dome on the Avacha Pass between the Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes. It rises to about 1,200 m, and its two sharp peaks resemble a camel's humps, which is why it is also called the Twin-Peaked Rock. The base is about a 30-minute walk from the Avacha volcano base camp at roughly 850 m. The round trip covers about 7 km with a climb of about 300 m and takes around 3 hours. It is an easy hike and is often scheduled as an acclimatization walk the day before climbing Avachinsky. From the top you can see Avacha Bay, the Viluchinsky volcano and close-up views of the two big volcanoes, and Arctic ground squirrels are common around the base camp. From Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, you travel by off-road vehicle or converted truck, about 2 hours along a gravel riverbed track, so most people go on a group tour and independent travelers will find it hard to drive themselves. The slopes are loose, the weather changes quickly, so wear hiking boots and bring windproof, warm layers. Do not feed the ground squirrels.
Opening hours
Jun–Oct; join a day tour or spend the night at base camp
Nearby sights
- Avachinsky Volcano
- Petropavlovsk Fish Market
- Mishennaya Sopka
- Vulkanarium Volcano Museum
- Nikolskaya Sopka
- Kamchatka Regional Museum
- Khalaktyrsky Beach
- Avacha Bay Cruise & Three Brothers Rocks