Plizio Visual Lab
Esso
Esso is a unique village in the heart of Kamchatka, known for its geothermal activity. Almost every house here is heated with natural thermal water, and in the center is a large outdoor pool that steams year-round. Surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Bystrinsky Nature Park, Esso features an Alpine-like setting, earning it the nickname 'Switzerland of Kamchatka'. The place is a cultural center for the indigenous Even and Koryak peoples. Visitors can visit the ethnographic museum or take tours to reindeer herder camps in the surrounding wilderness. Esso is also the starting point for the famous 'Beringia', the world's toughest dogsled race. Nature gives endless possibilities for hiking, horseback riding, and helicopter flights to active volcanoes. Getting there is an adventure in itself, taking about 8-10 hours by bus from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky via unpaved roads. The best time to travel is summer for trekking or March for the Beringia race and winter activities. In Esso, you can experience Kamchatka's authentic wilderness while relaxing in healing hot springs in the evening.
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A postcard from Esso
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Create a postcard- Location: Russia
- Population: ~1.965
Geography
Facts
- Heated by geothermal energy
- Center of Bystrinsky Park
- Starting point of Beringia race
- Home to Even culture
- Year-round thermal outdoor pool
- Located on the Bystraya River
- Surrounded by 5 volcanoes
- Excellent local museums
Route planner — Car & Motorhome
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© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService
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