“There are a lot of resources to develop eco-tourism here. For the last two years Kamchatka Peninsula became deserted because people are leaving this land. They could stay if the touristic situation was better and more organized”, said Arkady Tishkov, the director of the Nature Reserve.

Today only small groups can attend the valley with 90 active geysers and lots of hot mineral springs and having a tour guide is obligatory. In the case of opening the Valley up to mass tourism, it could become similar to Yellowstone National Park, US.

Mr. Tishkov says, that some parts of the reserve still have to stay inaccesible for common tourists. This refers to the highest active volcano in Eurasia, which is located in Kronotsky Nature Reserve, and also to the habitat of kamchatsky brown bear, the largest bear in the world.

Unlimited access is the most serious threat to fragile environment. The Valley of Geysers can receive crowds of tourists if everything is organized in a proper way, but the rest of the nature reserve should be left to scientists.  

While the question of changing the status remains open, the management offers to take a virtual tour around the Valley of Geysers. This week such an option was opened at the website of Kronotsky Nature Reserve (kronoki.ru). From now on virtual tourist can see everything which can be seen from  vieweing points of Nature Reserve.

tourinfo.ru