Ebeko Volcano

Ebeko rises to 1,156 metres at the northern end of Paramushir, six kilometres from Severo-Kurilsk, and it is among the most consistently active volcanoes in the chain - explosions throwing ash several kilometres up occur in bursts lasting months, and the town is dusted regularly; eleven eruptions were recorded between 1793 and 1991, and ash rose 2.5 kilometres in August 2024. It is also unusually accessible for an active volcano: a walk or a short off-road drive from town leads to a crater complex with several vents, fumarole fields, sulphur deposits and acid lakes coloured yellow-green and turquoise by dissolved minerals. That combination - easy access and genuine activity - is exactly the risk, since ash bursts happen without warning and the fumarole gas is dangerous in still air. Paramushir sits in a border zone requiring permits, reached by helicopter or ship from Kamchatka, both weather-dependent.

What's there

• The crater complex - several vents with fumarole fields and sulphur deposits.
• The acid lakes - yellow-green and turquoise water coloured by dissolved minerals.
• The activity - ash explosions occurring in bursts, dusting the town below.
• The access - a walk or short drive from Severo-Kurilsk to an active volcano.

When to go

July to September. A day from Severo-Kurilsk. Check the volcano's alert status - it closes during eruptive episodes.

Good to know

Ash explosions occur without warning and the mountain is closed at times - check the status rather than assuming. Volcanic gas in the crater is genuinely hazardous in still conditions. Getting to Paramushir needs border permits and weather-dependent transport from Kamchatka.

Nearby

Severo-Kurilsk is the only town; Onekotan and Krenitsyn are south.

Key facts