The Maly Semyachik volcano rises within a 10 kilometer diameter caldera, part of the larger Stena-Soboliny caldera dating back to the Middle Pleistocene. The youngest cone, the Tseno-Semyachik, hosts within it the Troitsky crater, formed about 400 years ago following a devastating explosive eruption.
Here, in the heart of the crater, lies the lake that owes its nickname to the lethal mix of chemistry and geology. With a depth of 145 meters and a constant temperature of around 40°C, the waters of Killer Lake are a deadly cocktail of acids and chemical compounds, with a pH of just 0.4. In practice, it is not a lake, but a gigantic cauldron of natural sulfuric acid.
Dangerous beauty
The first thing that strikes you is the color of the lake: a turquoise so vivid that it seems unreal, almost painted. A hypnotic effect due to the chemical compounds present in the water, which refract light in a unique way and hide a dangerous soul.
The water never freezes, not even when snow covers the entire surrounding landscape, and the sulfur vapours, constantly emitted from the lake, create an unbreathable atmosphere in the vicinity. Direct contact with water is lethal, and even simply getting too close could be risky.
Natural warning
If there is one lesson that Killer Lake offers us, it is to respect the power of nature. This is not a place to take a bath – unless you want to come off like a botched chemical lab experiment. Admiring it from afar, however, is an experience that remains engraved in the memory.
Personally, I was fascinated by the dichotomy of this place: a beauty that recalls the idea of paradise, but which hides an infernal soul. The name “Semyachik”, which in the Itelmen language (part of the Chukotko-Kamchatke languages) means “Land of Stone”, perfectly reflects the essence of the volcano and the lake.
A journey from afar
The Kamchatka Peninsula, where uncontaminated and wild nature reigns, is a destination that attracts only the most daring travellers, and Killer Lake is its deadliest gem. But if there is one thing that this land teaches us, it is that true beauty is not just made to be possessed: sometimes, it is enough to contemplate it, respecting its distance.