The best souvenirs from all regions of the Russian Far East is authentic handicrafts of wood, birch, semi-precious stones and fur, skin and bones of reindeer and marine animals made by representatives of local aboriginal peoples but articles manufactured at local undertakings are also good). Your guide will suggest you the best places where you can purchase original, natural and qualitative local souvenirs.
Figurines of local deities made of traditional for Kamchatka aboriginals materials are very good authentic souvenirs. The most popular characters for such production in Kamchatka are Kutkh (spirit of Raven honoured by indigenous peoples of the Russian Far East and of the north-east part of North America as the creator of the Earth and the progenitor of the Mankind), Peliken (funny idol, traditional talisman of Chukchi, Koryaks, Eskimos) and Khantai (fish deity of Itelmens: half fish, half man). Such figurines might be made of different traditional for the Far East materials: fish, seal or reindeer skin beaded, fur, birch bark, wood (soft wood of the Kamchatka alder Alnus kamtschatica is the very popular local ornamental material), fish or sea animal bone.
Different herbal teas combined of local herbs and berries are very popular in Kamchatka and exported to Canada where this curative and very good beverages are known quite well. Good and healthy cedar honey is very popular in Kamchatka and other regions of Siberia and the Russian Far East but it is not known so well as traditional lime-tree honey. Friendly speaking the cedar is not bee plant and so called cedar honey is made on base of traditional nectariferous plants with addition of healthy cedar resin. We are sure that ecologic products made of local wild plants are very good souvenirs brought from Kamchatka.
Traditional clothing of Itelmens, Koryaks and other indigenous peoples populating Kamchatka made of reindeer skin and decorated with fur, bead and embroidery is very nice and original. Kuhlyanka (tight men’s and women’s clothing sewed in two layers of reindeer, dog or marine animals skin and worn directly on naked body), malakhai (Siberian and Far East variety of traditional fur hat of Mongol nomads), slippers, gloves or bags trimmed with fur is excellent souvenir for you.
Visiting Kamchatka you have a chance to taste traditional food of local native peoples: dried salted fish and dried salted reindeer meat. This is not possible to find such delights in the original vacuum packaging because it is produced by local individual businessmen selling their products at the market but usually they have special vacuum packers and can pack products purchased by you.
The main gastronomic brand of the Russian Far East is smoked salmon fish and salmon caviar (so called the red caviar). Kamchatka is also well-known for crabs. These products are known very well in the world and it doesn’t need special recommendations. From our side we can recommend you only to purchase all food-stuff in factory package at large groceries and to abstain from purchasing of local delight at markets.
Please check attentively customer regulations and regulations of food products import to your country if you decide to purchase gastronomic souvenirs. Smoked fish is to be vacuum-packed. Your local guide will recommend you places where you can purchase original authentic souvenirs and safe food products available for transport to your country.
The great virgin nature of the Kamchatka is its main tourist attraction. Visiting this wonderful region please remember that unique atmosphere of Kamchatka is caused with practically full lack of modern civilization signs at its vast expanses and you are to be ready to overnight at tents or at the camps without facilities to see its main places of interest. Individual travel to Kamchatka is quite expensive. That’s why the best way to visit the main local tourists attractions is to join an active or excursion multi-day fixed date tour accompanied by qualified and experienced local guides.
The main gastronomic brands of Kamchatka are smoked salmon fish, salmon (the red) caviar and crabs and of-course you will have a chance to taste these products staying in Kamchatka. We kindly pay your attention that excessively hearty albumen meal is not too good for your health. From our side we recommend you also to be acquainted with some dishes of local cuisine based on using of fresh (mainly salmon) fish. The most popular local dishes are fish cutlets made of salmon fish and potato stuffing with addition of other kinds of fish or squid meat, Kamchatka ukha (fresh fish soup made mainly of salmon fish), different varieties of salads made of salmon fish or reindeer meat with local berries, herbs and cedar nuts, yukola (dried salted salmon fish or reindeer meat traditionally used by the Far East aboriginal peoples as provision good for long keeping and transportation).
