The Ring of Fire presents active volcanoes, sculpted basalt sea cliffs, archways, tunnels, and lush vegetation – habitat for an astounding diversity of wildlife.

From Sakhalin Island to Kamchatka Peninsula, the Kuril Islands stretch like a shaman’s necklace across the rich Pacific waters north of Japan. Subtle remains of Ainu life hint at lost culture, fog adds mystery to abandoned Cold War listening posts, secret Soviet navy bases, Japanese bunkers and airfields. Steller’s sea lions call from rocky outcrops; otters float amongst fields of kelp; clouds of whiskered auklets, northern fulmars, tufted puffins and the mighty Steller’s sea eagle. We encounter brown bears and cubs, tundra rich with berries, reveling in blissful hot springs and rushing rivers filled with salmon. Our kayakers go where few have paddled before.

Arrive in Sakhalin Island’s southern port, to be warmly welcomed on board Akademik Shokalskiy, and settle in before a late afternoon departure. Sailing to where the Okhotsk Sea’s icy waters meet the warmer Pacific Ocean, we enter a world often wreathed in fog. As on all of our voyages, a flexible itinerary allows for changing weather and seas.

Megaherb forests, hot springs and geological wonders await us on enchanting southern Kuril Islands. View active volcanoes 1819 metres high, photograph magnificent basalt formations and trek through a forest of meadowsweet, cow parsnip and giant coltsfoot to soothing hot springs. Explore nature reserves, home to exquisite native orchids and brown bears feeding in the salmon-rich rivers. Cruise along numerous bays alive with largha seals, Steller’s sea lions and killer whales, stopping to admire sea cliffs festooned with slaty-backed gulls, tufted puffins and rhinoceros auklets. Spectacular cascades herald the Ptitchy River’s final drop to the sea.

Harbour seals forage in Zolotoy Bay at Iturup, Kuril’s largest island. Przhevalskya Point’s black lava sea cliffs host Japanese cormorants and tufted puffins. Cruise inside Lion’s Mouth Bay, caldera of an ancient shield volcano. At Kurilsk, the locals may welcome us with tours and performances. Along the way, watch for minke whales, harbour seals, pods of Dall’s porpoise and the Laysan albatross.

Urup offers 120km of stunning volcanoes, lush vegetation, lakes and rivers. Cruise the Twins, a geological wonderland of twisted basalt sea cliffs, hike to Japanese bunkers with spectacular views and tufted puffin nests. On the west coast, we may Zodiac through basalt tunnels of Petroskov Rocks.

Evocative mists often engulf Chirpoy islands’ volcanoes; roars herald the Steller’s sea lion colony on Brat Chirpoy, while thousands of northern fulmars, albatross and crested auklets float nearby. Broutona’s dramatic cliff lines are home to thousands of guillemots, kittiwakes and tufted puffins.

We explore the ghostly remains of a secret Soviet Navy base on Simushir or spectacular volcanic Ketoy, then aim for Yankicha’s emerald green caldera, where fumaroles steam and seabirds nest on steep cliffs. At dusk, thousands of whiskered auklets stream back from the sea.

Northern fur seals, Steller’s sea lions, auklets and petrels enliven the Lovushki Islands. Cruising Matua’s northwest coast, we see lava flows from Sarychev, which last erupted in 2009. Ashore are WWII remains of Japanese airfield and bunkers.

Ekarma offers sanctuary to many birds, including puffins, auklets, fulmars and cormorants. Sea otters swim just off the northeastern cape. Traces of Ainu culture await on Shiashkotan.

Of Paramushir’s 23 volcanoes, five are active. A birdwatcher’s delight, we look for Siberian ruby throats, rough legged buzzards, snow buntings and the exquisite harlequin duck. Hike across Onekotan’s tundra as it wakes to summer and through bonsai pine forests to Black Lake, watching for red foxes and remains of Ainu dwellings.

A peaceful river snakes through Shumshu’s grassy wetlands with remnant orchids and wild roses. On Atlasova, Soviet gulag remains and nesting cormorants rest in the shadow of a majestic 2,339-metre volcano, highest in the Kurils.

Lush valleys and snow-capped volcanoes welcome us to Kamchatka’s east coast, where brown bears feast on berries and salmon. We aim for Vestnik Bay and Utashud Island, a grand finale of shy otters, Steller’s sea lions, seabirds, seals and whales.

Cruise into spectacular Avacha Bay for our morning arrival in Petropavlovsk - Kamchatskiy, a busy port set against a dramatic backdrop of snow-clad volcanoes. Bid farewell to expedition staff and the ship’s crew for afternoon transfer to airport.