About 15 km southeast of the village of Apacha, the Apachinsky mineral thermal springs lie in the valley of the Shikovaia River. On the left bank, the hot springs form four depressions at their outlets, each 2–4 m in diameter and 1–2 m deep. Two or three streams of hot water, with temperatures of 56–72 °C, emerge from the bottom of each. The clearly defined depressions and hot spring outlets make the area a distinctive natural feature of the surrounding landscape. Keep the 15 km distance in mind when including the springs in your travel plans.
Spring Landscape and History
The high water temperature and elevated air temperature have created a distinctive natural complex around the springs. The Apachinsky Thermal Springs are a habitat for the rare plant Oreorchis patens and other protected vascular plants found at thermal sites in Kamchatka. Here, geothermal features meet plant life associated with warm habitats.
The history of the springs can also be dated: their first mention dates to 1879 and is attributed to the exiled physician Benedikt Ivanovich Dybowski. The area around Apacha thus brings together a clearly dated historical trace and a natural feature whose distinctive character is evident in its specific formations, temperatures, and plants.
Thermal Nature in the Kamchatka Region
In the broader destination of the Kamchatka Region, Nalychevo Nature Park offers a wider perspective on thermal springs. The park has around 200 springs, forming groups with different hydrochemical, temperature, and balneological characteristics. Hot and cold mineral springs are located in the central part of the park. Their waters contain carbon dioxide, arsenic, and boron, and are enriched with mineral trace elements. Compared with the spring area near Apacha, Nalychevo thus features a variety of different spring groups.
Seven tourist routes pass through the nature park and are accessible at different times of the year. Before making specific plans, check locally which routes are available; their number and accessibility may change. The Nalychevo Valley is surrounded by the Zhupanovsky, Avachinsky, Kozelsky, Koryaksky, and Dzenzur volcanoes. Together with two federal protected areas, the Nalychevo, South Kamchatka, Bystrinsky, and Klyuchevskoy Nature Parks are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Volcanoes of Kamchatka.”
Other regional examples show the variety of Kamchatka’s thermal areas. The Verkhnekoshelevskoye Thermal Field lies in the crater of Valentin Volcano at an elevation of 1,250 to 1,400 m above sea level. The Lower-Koshelevskoye Thermal Field, by contrast, is located on the slope of the caldera of the West Koshelevsky Volcano at an elevation of 750 to 800 m. There are boiling pools, mud pots, warm small lakes, and steam vents. The South Kamchatka Nature Reserve also contains several thermal areas and springs.
Apacha as a Starting Point for Your Travel Plans
If you are looking for a vacation rental for a stay in Apacha, it helps to distinguish the nearby spring area from other examples in the Kamchatka Region. The Apachinsky Thermal Springs are 15 km southeast of the village; Nalychevo and the Koshelevsky thermal fields are part of a broader regional natural landscape. Shape your trip around the topics that matter to you, and if you plan to visit Nalychevo, check the seasonal availability of the routes.
Discover more destinations: Sedanka, Ust-Bolsheretsk, Palana, Esso, Paratunka, Yelizovo, Nachiki, Vilyuchinsk
Return to the regional travel overview: Kamchatka Region.
