Where to relax in the summer in Russia: 7 unusual places

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Here are some vacation ideas for all tastes.

1. Gorny Altai, Altai Territory and the Altai Republic

• How to get there: by plane to Gorno-Altaysk or Barnaul, from there by a tour operator's transfer, by car or by bus.

• Where to live: guest houses, recreation centers, tents.

An incredibly beautiful place, which is not easy to reach from the European part of Russia. But you will definitely not regret visiting it.

In Altai, lovers of unique natural objects can visit the foot of Belukha - the highest peak in Siberia - or explore the grottoes of one of the deepest caves in the country of Kyok-Tash.

And on the border of the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic there is a famous archaeological site of great scientific value. We are talking about Denisova cave, in which the remains of a mysterious extinct subspecies of people were discovered, significantly different from our ancestors - Cro-Magnons.

On the territory of Gorny Altai, there are more than a hundred tourist centers offering excursions of various levels of difficulty. It will be possible to choose an easy hike, go horseback riding or raft on an inflatable boat along the turbulent Katun.

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2. Astrakhan Biosphere Reserve, Astrakhan Region

• How to get there: by plane to Astrakhan, from there by transfer of the tour operator, by car or by bus to the reserve.

• Where to live: guest houses on the territory of the reserve.

For those who, in addition to impressions, like to bring picturesque photographs from vacation, we recommend going to the Volga delta. Here you can catch rare birds and animals and capture a fantastically beautiful sunset over the seaside or a field of flowering lotuses. The staff of the Astrakhan State Reserve will help to make these and other unique shots during a tour for photographers.

Here you can also book a walking tour along an equipped ecological path passing through four islands, or go by boat to the delta, the place where the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea.

Active visitors will love the idea of participating in an exciting quest tour. To earn points, players will have to kayak, compete in erudition and apply orienteering skills.

On the territory of the reserve there is a developed tourist infrastructure with excursion transport. Comfortable guest houses can be accommodated with a family or a large company.

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3. Dombay, Karachay-Cherkessia

• How to get there: by plane to Mineralnye Vody, from there by a tour operator's transfer, by car or by bus to the village.

• Where to live: guest houses, recreation centers, tents.

Usually they go to Dombai in winter to go skiing. However, it is possible to spend an exciting time in this resort village in summer. In addition to numerous waterfalls, lakes and picturesque gorges, there are two interesting man-made objects that are also worthy of attention.

One of them is the abandoned Amanauz hotel, the construction of which started in 1976 but was never completed. The 18-storey building with balconies resembling honeycombs looks rather unusual against the background of the Caucasian ridge and is very popular with tourists.

Another unique architectural monument, a must-see during your stay in Dombai, is the alpine hotel "Plate". It was designed by the Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in the 60s of the last century.

A light mobile building with porthole windows and a ladder instead of a ladder resembles an alien ship and will be an excellent decoration for a night photo shoot. And if you're lucky, you can even stay in the "Plate": the hotel accepts guests, but you need to book rooms in advance.

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4. National Park "Alania", North Ossetia

• How to get there: by plane to Vladikavkaz, from there by a tour operator's transfer, by car or by bus to the park.

• Where to live: guest houses, recreation centers, tents in the park.

During your summer vacation in the Ossetian mountains, you can refresh yourself at the foot of the second largest Caucasian glacier - the Karaugomsky glacier. Excursions from the nearest settlement or numerous tourist centers are conducted to the picturesque natural monument located on the territory of the Alania National Park.

Since the glacier is located in the border zone with Georgia, you need to get a pass to visit it. The registration procedure will take about half an hour.

There are many attractions on the territory of the park, for the inspection of which documents are not required. One of them is the Fatanta glade near the village of Dzinaga. This is a spacious flat terrace, on the surface of which huge granite blocks are scattered. The group of waterfalls "Three Sisters" is also popular among vacationers. A convenient walking path from the camp site is laid to them, where you can rent a house.

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5. National Park "Nizhnyaya Kama", Tatarstan

• How to get there: by plane to Kazan, from there by car or bus to Elabuga or to the park.

• Where to live: guest houses, recreation centers in Elabuga and in the park.

Coniferous and deciduous forests, emerald flooded meadows, river valleys - you can see all this by visiting the National Park "Lower Kama". The huge territory of 266 km² is located at the intersection of three natural and climatic subzones, which is the reason for the incredible diversity of the local flora and fauna. The park is home to 46 species of mammals, some of which are listed in the Red Book of Tatarstan.

If you are lucky, you will be able to observe roe deer, squirrels or beavers in their natural habitat. This sight will bring much more positive emotions than a visit to the zoo. If the forest dwellers still decide to remain unnoticed, you can devote a day to the study of the rich flora.

On the territory of "Nizhnyaya Kama" there are many tourist routes. You can easily get here from nearby Elabuga, or settle in one of the recreation centers right in the park.

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6. Taman, Krasnodar Territory

• How to get there: by plane to Anapa, from there by bus or car to Taman

• Where to live: guest houses, recreation centers, tents.

For those who are waiting for the onset of summer to go to the warm sea, but want to diversify their usual beach vacation, a trip to the Temryuk district of the Krasnodar Territory is suitable. People often come here to swim in two seas at once: the Azov and the Black seas.

This can be done on the Taman Peninsula, washed by the Temryuk Bay and the Kerch Strait. Taman also attracts fans of extreme recreation. Sailing schools and windsurfing clubs operate in many villages and towns, renting equipment and offering instructor services.

There are also interesting places for overland entertainment. The archaeological complex Hermonassa-Tmutarakan is located on the peninsula, where the ruins of an ancient city were discovered. It will be possible to spend exciting time on excursions around Atamani - a tourist complex in the open air. This is a life-sized Cossack village with huts-huts, a mill and a fairground.

The area has a developed tourist infrastructure, and finding housing will not leave you with difficulty. However, it is better to book it in advance.

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7. Zalavruga, Karelia

• How to get there: by plane to Petrozavodsk, from there by bus or car to Belomorsk.

• Where to live: guest houses, recreation centers, tents.

If you think that a seaside vacation must be accompanied by unbearable heat and the risk of sunburn, then you are wrong. To avoid these troubles, it is enough to choose a northern direction for travel and go, for example, to the White Sea.

After relaxing on local beaches, you won't be able to boast of a bronze tan, but you will be able to see with your own eyes rock paintings that are more than 5,000 years old. One of the groups of famous White Sea petroglyphs is located in the town of Zalavruga, equipped for visiting.

The pictures here are mainly devoted to hunting deer, bears and even a whale. Petroglyphs are scattered over a fairly large area, and you can stumble upon them just walking along the river bank. But in order not to miss the most interesting examples of ancient painting, it is better to come here accompanied by a guide.

The easiest way to get to Zalavruga is by car or regular bus from Belomorsk. A couple of kilometers at the end of the path will be necessary to walk along a forest road. Since the place is quite popular among tourists, there are many recreation centers and guest houses in this area. It will be convenient to rent an apartment in one of the hotels and hostels in Belomorsk.

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