What's on in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia through the year

Busy — Russian New Year holidays, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

• Hazard

  Volcanic ash and flight delays

  1 Jan – 31 DecVolcanic activityClosures

  Several volcanoes within sight of the city are active in any given year, and an ash cloud closes the airport or the trails around it at no notice. Aviation colour codes are published daily. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Russian New Year holidays

  1–8 JanNational holidayClosuresBook early

  The country stops for the first eight days of January: offices and agencies shut, tour desks run skeleton hours, and the flights in from Moscow are booked out either side of it. Source ↗

Still on: Interior closed by snow (15 Oct – 28 Feb)

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Festival

  Beringia sled dog race

  20 Feb – 5 Apr · usuallyMajor festival

  One of the longest sled dog races in the world, starting from villages in central Kamchatka such as Esso in late winter and running north for weeks across the peninsula. The start is a public day out; the rest is unreachable. Source ↗

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Interior closed by snow (15 Oct – 28 Feb)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Season

  Spring ski touring season

  1 Mar – 31 May · usuallySki season

  March to May is the settled window for skiing the volcanoes, sometimes down to the sea. The snowpack is deep into May and the daylight has come back, which is why the heli operators run then.

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Beringia sled dog race (20 Feb – 5 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Beringia sled dog race (20 Feb – 5 Apr (usually)), Spring ski touring season (1 Mar – 31 May (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Spring ski touring season (1 Mar – 31 May (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Rule

  Valley of Geysers permit flights

  1 Jun – 30 Sep · usuallyBook earlyClosures

  The valley sits inside Kronotsky reserve and is reachable only on a permitted helicopter day with a ranger. Flights go when the caldera weather allows, so operators tell you to hold a spare day. Source ↗

• Nature

  Salmon run

  15 Jun – 15 Sep · usuallyWildlife season

  Six species come up the rivers through the summer, in the largest run of wild Pacific salmon anywhere. Everything else on the peninsula, bears included, arranges itself around it.

• Hazard

  Mosquito season

  20 Jun – 31 Aug · usuallyInsect season

  The tundra and the river valleys are unusable without a head net and repellent for most of the summer. It is the one thing every trip report about the peninsula agrees on. Source ↗

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Season

  Volcano trekking season

  1 Jul – 20 Sep · usuallyTrail season

  The tracks out to Mutnovsky and Gorely only clear of snow in July, and are impassable again by late September. Avachinsky is the one climbable in a long day from the city.

• Nature

  Brown bears at Kuril Lake

  15 Jul – 20 Sep · usuallyWildlife seasonBook early

  Bears gather at the lake in the south reserve while the sockeye are spawning, and access is by helicopter with a permit and a ranger. Places are sold months ahead. Source ↗

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Valley of Geysers permit flights (1 Jun – 30 Sep (usually)), Salmon run (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)), Mosquito season (20 Jun – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Nature

  Berry and mushroom season

  1 Aug – 20 Sep · usuallyForaging season

  Crowberry, blueberry and cloudberry come on across the tundra in August and the mushrooms follow. Half the city drives out at weekends with buckets, which is why the tracks are busy.

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Valley of Geysers permit flights (1 Jun – 30 Sep (usually)), Salmon run (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)), Mosquito season (20 Jun – 31 Aug (usually)), Volcano trekking season (1 Jul – 20 Sep (usually)), Brown bears at Kuril Lake (15 Jul – 20 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Valley of Geysers permit flights (1 Jun – 30 Sep (usually)), Salmon run (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)), Volcano trekking season (1 Jul – 20 Sep (usually)), Brown bears at Kuril Lake (15 Jul – 20 Sep (usually)), Berry and mushroom season (1 Aug – 20 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Closure

  Interior closed by snow

  15 Oct – 28 Feb

  The unpaved roads into the interior are under snow from mid-October and everything beyond the city becomes a snowmobile or helicopter trip. The bay and the hot springs stay reachable. Source ↗

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Interior closed by snow (15 Oct – 28 Feb)

Quiet — school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Volcanic ash and flight delays (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Interior closed by snow (15 Oct – 28 Feb)