Kronotsky Nature Reserve, Kamchatka, Russia VR 360

In the central part of the Kronotsky Reserve all natural riches of Kamchatka are concentrated: volcanoes with glacial caps, mountain rivers, crystal clear lakes, larch forests, tundras and the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The largest freshwater lake in Kamchatka, the Kronotsky Lake, is located here. Its area is 246 square kilometers, its maximum depth reaches 136 meters, and it was formed about 12,000 years ago as a result of volcanic activity of Kronotsky and Krasheninnikov volcanoes. The lava flows dammed the ancient Paleokronotsky River, creating a water barrier. About 30 rivers and streams flow into the lake, and the main flow is the Kronotsky River, which is 39 kilometers long and starts at the foot of the Kronotsky volcano and flows into the Pacific Ocean. The river banks abound in floodplain forests, where bears, mink, otters, lynxes and ermines live. In the upper reaches of the river one can meet Steller's sea eagle - the largest raptor, endemic of the Russian Far East. The Kronotskaya, like many other rivers in Kamchatka, serves as a spawning ground for pink salmon, chum salmon, jockey, East Siberian char, Dolly Varden trout, silver salmon and smelt.