Kuril Lake
Курильское озеро
A caldera lake in southern Kamchatka where hundreds of brown bears gather each summer and autumn to feed on migrating red salmon. It is a world-class bear-watching site.
Kuril Lake lies in the South Kamchatka Nature Reserve at the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula. It is a caldera lake formed by volcanic eruption, and the reflection of Ilyinsky Volcano can be seen in its waters. Each year from July to September, millions of red salmon migrate into the lake, drawing hundreds of brown bears to the shores and river mouths to fish. It is one of the places in the world with the highest density of bear sightings. Most visitors take a one-day helicopter tour from Yelizovo. The flight takes about 1 hour, and visitors watch from observation platforms and fenced boardwalks accompanied by reserve rangers. Multi-day tours with camping in the reserve are also available. Tours are expensive and have limited spots, so book several months in advance. They are heavily affected by the weather.
Opening hours
July–Sep (helicopter tours)
Nearby sights
- Khodutka Hot Springs
- Gorely Volcano
- Mutnovsky Volcano
- Vilyuchinsky Waterfall & Volcano
- Paratunka Hot Springs
- Starichkov Island
- Avacha Bay Cruise & Three Brothers Rocks
- Nikolskaya Sopka