Our Camps are totally mobile. With helicopters, our float trips take you to the best fishing river during your trip. We have a staff of 6 who do the work while you fish and relax. You don't have to set up camp. Ouzel remains committed to first class quality service after 30 years.
Our large dining tent affords us shade and shelter. Folding director chairs double as seats in the rafts and around our large dining table. We camp right at great fishing holes. It's a wonderful way to see the country & wildlife as we fish and enjoy the wilderness. You have lots of time for fishing, you're on the river the whole time. We even have hot showers.
Guides: Our Russian guides have worked for us for the past 18 years. They are expert oarsmen, fishermen, expert woodsmen and great people to be around! They have been fly fishing for years! We have one of our Alaskan fishing guides on each trip.
Guide to Client Ratio: Six staff to eight or 9 clients. We have a highly trained Russian Interpreter and a Russian cook on each trip.
Daily Schedule: Coffee at 7, breakfast at 8. We're floating by 9:30 or so, lunch at 1:00. By 5 or 6 we're in a new camp, dinner is around 7. We camp at the best holes. Early and late you relax in camp or wade fish the holes. We float about 10 miles a day often less. Stopping all day to wade and fish the hot spots. Some evenings around the camp fire our Russian guides play guitar and sing folk songs. The trip is unusual & memorable. Clients are overwhelmed by the total experience.
Meals: On the river we have excellent traditional Russian meals. We have three hot meals each day. The soups and main courses are hearty and heart healthy. The food has less meat and more fresh vegetables than most Americans eat at home. They're delicious, good for you and are cooked over wood fires and propane stoves. Many guests want to take our cooks home with them to open a Russian restaurant! In town we go to wonderful restaurants and the meals are excellent there too. Our menu has really improved over the 18 years we've been taking guests to Kamchatka. Vodka and Beer are provided on the river in limited amounts.
Rafts: Our SOTAR rafts are American made in 16 and 18 foot lengths, the same fine brand we use in Alaska. SOTAR rafts are the most expensive professional quality river rafts available in the world today. Our rafts have metal rowing frames specially designed for fly fishing. One fly fisher rides in the front and one in the back. You have the needed room to cast from the boat as we drift through beautiful pools and runs.
Toilet facilities: Each night we set up an outhouse in a private location. Group Size Our normal group size is 6 to 8 guests in 3 or 4 rafts. We can accommodate groups of up to 10 guests if needed. Private trips are arranged when smaller group sizes or different arrangements are desired.
Trip information
Wilderness Rafting & Fishing at it's best! Our trips are on WORLD CLASS WILDERNESS RIVERS where there are NO roads or cities! We float during the day stopping and fishing the holes along the way. We float about 10 miles a day. This allows lots of drift fishing from the raft and wade fishing the hot spots from shore. Camp chores, cooking, etcetera. are taken care of by our staff.
Weather: The weather in Kamchatka is temperate and coastal. It gets a lot of snow in winter and spring runoff can be high and muddy in June. It's weather is a lot like that in the Rockies, July and August temperatures can be from the 50's to the high 90's, cool nights, hot days. It's warmer and a little rainy than Western Alaska. September can be in the 70's or cooler and it can frost at night. October can be in the low 60's or it can snow and freeze at night. Kamchatka is near the ocean so storms do come in. You will need good rain gear and waders.
Includes: Pretty much everything. Helicopter flights, highly experienced guides, complete camps, all transportation in Kamchatka, full time interpreter, fully guided fishing.
Interpreters: A highly trained Russian interpreter accompanies each Ouzel group in town and on the river.
Meals & Lodging: While on the river Ouzel Expeditions has expert Russian cooks. Our traditional Russian meals are plentiful and delicious! One nights hotel and meals at trips end in Petropavlovsk are included in the trips package price should we need them.
We provide American equipment: The best there is: SOTAR rafts, waterproof gear bags and camera bags, a large kitchen tent, North Face sleeping tents.
On the river, Russian guides, cooks and one American guide accompany each trip.
City Tour Included: Your trip to Russia wouldn't be complete without a tour of Petropavlovsk. The cultural aspect of our trips will not be forgotten. All our fly fishers have said it was a real highlight.
Credit cards: We accept Master Card or Visa. We must include an additional 3.5% for service fees.
Not included: Flights to Russia, fishing license, gratuities, sleeping bag, personal gear and liquor supply. Hotel stays & meals in Petropavlovsk are not included but are arranged for you and cost about $200 per day, you pay for these in Kamchatka.
Visa invitation costs $150.
Fishing license - $100-$150
There are no other costs. Not for mandatory donations to our scientific Trout studies. We do however highly suggest trip insurance because it covers evacuation and medical insurance.
Pre-Trip Information: After we receive your deposit you will receive a complete packet of information which includes: Russian Visa Application, instructions, clothing list, cultural and travel information, and fishing information.
Travel Documents: You need a current passport that doesn't expire till 3 months after your return from Russia. Send us a photocopy of your passport for processing your visa invitation.
Trip Schedule: We operate late June through early October. Trips are booked on a first come first served basis.
Trips require 11 days including travel running monday through the following Thursday. Prices and schedules are subject to change. For more information please call or email us.
We have plenty of past clients you can call as references. We would be happy to discuss what our trips are like and when the ideal time for your trip would be.
KAMCHATKA RIVERS' ECOLOGICAL MONITORING FOUNDATION.
Fishing for Science
Ouzel Expeditions, Inc. is working with the Kamchatka Rivers Ecological Monitoring Foundation and Kamchatka Fish & Game to document & monitor Kamchatka's wild Rainbow Trout population. The goal is to help save this precious resource.
Goals, Methods & Activities:
1. Ouzel Expeditions and the Foundation organize scientific expeditions which include Kamchatka Fish & Game representatives and Fishery Research Institute scientists.
2. The following scientific information and statistics will be
gathered: - fish weights and measurements - fish scales and biological samples will be taken - fish will be tagged - numbers of fish caught in different bodies of water will be documented - number of fishermen visiting the particular fisheries will be documented
- definition of the fishing grounds' areas in Kamchatka and their evaluation
3. Funding: Sponsors' Donations. Ouzel Expeditions, Inc. is helping sponsor these scientific studies. A portion of the money each client pays Ouzel Expeditions goes toward supporting this scientific foundation. The costs for these scientific studies are included in the cost of your trip with Ouzel Expeditions, Inc.
4. Information from these scientific studies will be used to determine the maximum permissible fishing pressure on water bodies and the development of recreational fishing regulations for Kamchatka.
Ouzel's on going studies with Kamchatka Fish & Game have discovered Kamchatka's "special" sea run Rainbow Trout populations. These Rainbows go out to sea at age 2 or 3 remain there for 3, 4 or 5 years then return to fresh water for the rest of their lives. Many of the big fish are 7 to 9 year old. The biggest sea run Rainbows were 10 years old! These fish remain in freshwater for many years so they are not Steelhead. In Alaska and the lower 48 most Rainbows die of old age at 6 or 7 years. These Coastal Rainbow Trout run from 5 to 15 lbs & enter the river from spring on.
I just wanted to write this letter saying thank you yet again. It was a trip that not just exceeded my every expectation, but that was truly magical. Paul was absolutely right, Russia was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Gregory A. Miller
Anchorage, Alaska
Just back from another fishing trip and wanted to let you know how much our group enjoyed Kamchatka before any more time goes by. The fishing was as advertised. The guides were knowledgeable and enjoyable. The food was delicious to the point that I wanted to bring "Lena" home with me. The weather was perfect, the bugs were big and the bears were bigger, and the vodka was as strong. Sign me up for a trip next summer with the same crew, sans vodka.
Sincerely, John Brager
Lincoln Nebraska
I was on your recent Kamchatka, Russia fishing trip. I do not exaggerate in saying that everything was exceptional----the fishing, people, food, weather, arrangements, etc. What a great time and my thanks to your entire organization.
Don Sundeen
Ryle, Washington
I would like to thank you one again for affording me the wonderful opportunity to experience Kamchatka, Russia. The trout fishing and city tour was outstanding; I look forward to doing it again.
John Blower
Severn, Maryland
At last I have a happy died-in-the-wool fisherman husband for he has found a place where he can catch a 30 inch plus rainbow on a fly rod in sparkling clear waters where there is no one around for miles. You can't imagine my amazement when I heard my husband tell friends that he enjoyed the cultural aspect of our Russian adventure as well as the fishing for he has never been a "Tourist" and traveling to him has always meant fishing. It was a fabulous trip.
Lorraine Elliott
Newaygo, Michigan
Perfect weather, a beautiful river, breathtaking scenery and outstanding fishing - even hot springs for a bath - what more could you ask for. With all the rainbows we caught I remember it was several days before we caught one less than eighteen inches long. One afternoon I had three from twenty-six to twenty-nine inches, and I've never done that any where else. I rather hated to see the helicopter come back for us when it was time to go.
Arthur Clark
Durham, North Carolina
Ouzel Expeditions Orvis - Endorsed Guides accompany all Russian 
fishing trips for many reasons. First and foremost they are accomplished, qualified full time fishing guides. They are expert adept fishermen. Dealing with situations that may arise in Russia or at the airport is what your American guide is accustomed to.
Your American guide is with you from the minute you board the plane to Russia until your return to America. The guide is constantly abreast and alert to any explanations that may be needed at: the hotel, airport, helicopter flights, on the river and traveling.
As was stated, we have a wonderful expert interpreter. However the American guide is a go between to further expound and clarify wishes of clients or further decode any inconveniences.