The Kukhtuy river has its source at an elevation of in the
Suntar-Khayata range. It flows relatively straight southwards through a mountainous area. The
Yudoma Range rises on the right side and the
Kukhtuy Range on the left side of its valley and its course is roughly parallel to rivers
Okhota to the west and
Ulbeya to the east. South of the
61st parallel the river valley widens and the Kukhtuy
meanders across a widening
floodplain with many
bogs and small lakes. Finally it flows into the
Sea of Okhotsk on the northeastern side of the estuary of
Okhotsk town. The main tributary of the Kukhtuy is the long
Gusinka (Гусинка) that joins it from the left. The river freezes around late October and stays frozen until mid May. map showing the northern shore of the Sea of Okhotsk. ==Fauna==