Tourists who come to the Crimean peninsula to explore its natural attractions always leave time to visit the Grand Canyon of Crimea. Locals they lovingly call it the eighth wonder of the world, since the nature of this reserve is truly extremely beautiful and unusual.
Grand Canyon- the most visited of all the canyons of Crimea. One has only to say that the cost of excursions for visitors is comparable to visiting the famous Livadia Palace or Nikitsky Botanical Garden.
Travel companies and excursion kiosks open in almost all major cities Crimean peninsula, create bus tours with visits to the Grand Canyon. For those who travel around Crimea by personal vehicle, there are several options , how to get to the Grand Canyon by car.
Geographical position
Historians and local historians say that the Grand Canyon of Crimea in ancient times was part of the ocean floor. Today this natural landmark has several main geographical landmarks:
- Geographically, the reserve belongs to the Ai-Petrinsky mountain range;
- The canyon starts from the village of Sokolinoe, Bakhchisaray district (distance from the village - 3 km);
- The Auzun-Uzen River flows along the bottom of the canyon.
As a result of centuries-old exposure to water on rocks and the movement of tectonic rocks, the walls of the gorge sank to a depth of 32 m, forming a slope of 75-90 0. The bottom of the canyon is a pile of stone blocks and boulders, numerous rapids and waterfalls. This place is considered the largest canyon in the Crimea peninsula. The first researcher to descend to the bottom of the canyon was Doctor of Historical Sciences - Professor I.I. Puzanov.
Excursion program
The first thing that strikes tourists who come to the Grand Canyon of Crimea on an excursion is:
- The splendor of nature is unusual for these places;
- Scenic trails on the plateau and along the rubble of boulders;
- Numerous waterfalls and springs with drinking water;
- Cool and fresh air.
When signing up for a tour, be sure to check what the last point will be walking route. It is advisable that the hiking trail extend beyond the Baths of Youth and reach the narrowest point of the gorge.
Experienced guides lead the group along the most interesting impassable stone paths, so that tourists get the full experience. Having overcome stone blockages and dangerous areas, you will be able to approach a picturesque mountain spring - a spring flowing out of the mountain along a stone chute.
How to get to the canyon?
If you are vacationing in Yalta or its suburbs, and decide to drive to the Grand Canyon of Crimea by car, you should choose the route leading towards Bakhchisarai. Along it, having reached the Ai-Petri pass, you will need to overcome the path along a descending mountain serpentine road.
Along the route you can see the sign “Grand Canyon” and turn along it. Visiting this natural attraction is difficult because there are no regular buses or minibuses. Therefore, you can only get to the Grand Canyon by private car or by booking a tour in advance.
If you came to the canyon by car and decided to spend time using the services of a private guide, remember that these people, as a rule, do not have a license to conduct excursions, and in the event of an unusual situation they will not bear any responsibility!
If you are driving from the direction of Sevastopol, follow the following route:
- Along the Sevastopol highway you get to Bakhchisarai;
- Then use the navigator or map to select the route leading towards the Ai-Petri pass;
- When passing the village of Sokolinoe, be extremely careful; 3 kilometers from it along the road you will see the “entrance gate to the Grand Canyon.” This will be the end point of your route.
Near the entrance to nature reserve There is a guarded parking lot. The car will have to be left there, since the movement of tourists in the canyon is only allowed on foot.
If you decide to get to the canyon by minibus or regular bus, you will have to get off near the village of Sokolinoe. Further passage of bus transport is prohibited. Many tourists make the trek on foot to the entrance to the canyon, but at the stop in Sokolin there are always many motorists and taxi drivers offering to take you to the reserve for a nominal fee.
From the article you will learn everything about the Grand Canyon of Crimea: why it is interesting, how long the excursion lasts, what attractions are included in the route.
The Grand Canyon occupies a special place among the natural monuments of the Crimean Peninsula. The huge majestic gorge is located about four kilometers from the village of Sokolinoe - on the northern slope of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains. The height of the canyon bed ranges from 500 to 600 m above sea level. The mighty cliffs of the gorge rise 300-350 m above the sea.
The depth of the Grand Canyon of Crimea is also impressive - it reaches 320 meters. The length of the gorge is about 3,500 meters.
What is famous about the Grand Canyon in Crimea?
The Grand Canyon took thousands of years to form. It was washed by the waters of the mountain river Auzun-Uzen, which still flows between Yayla Ai-Petri and mountain range Boyka. The flora in these places is diverse. The rocky slopes are overgrown with Crimean pines. In the lowlands, trees form dense thickets. Here you can find birch, hornbeam, ash, beech, etc. There are also relict yew trees in the gorge. Rare species of ferns, relict butcher's broom and saxifrage - one of the endemics of Crimea - also grow here. Evergreen ivy is found almost everywhere.
The Grand Canyon in Crimea is famous for its picturesque waterfalls, rapids and monumental stone chaos formed by masses of marble-like limestone. The waters of a mountain river have been moving stone blocks downstream for thousands of years. It was they who “drilled” gorges and basins into the softer limestone bed.
Grand Canyon of Crimea - how to get there
- Independent tourists. As a rule, those who go on a hiking trip to the canyon are prepared for difficulties and know that with public transport It’s tight at this point in Crimea. The easiest way to get to the Grand Canyon is to take a taxi in the village of Sokolin. The locals have been driving for a long time and, most likely, will spot you from afar and offer you a ride to the beginning of the route. All that’s left to do is get to Sokolinoe itself;
- Independent travelers with a car. By car it is easy to get to Sokolinoe from (a little closer) and (a little further). Then climb up to Ai-Petri, following the signs. There is only one road there, so there shouldn’t be any discrepancies. The second option is, on the contrary, to go down from the Ai-Petri plateau. A little below the halfway point you will find a sign “Grand Canyon”;
- Group tourists (with excursion). Most best option. They will pick you up and take you in comfort, and during the walk they will tell you and show you everything.
The Grand Canyon is a landmark that is difficult to reach by public transport. But it's worth a visit. Therefore the order organized excursion seems to us the most profitable solution.
Where to Stay in the Grand Canyon Area
For those with their own car, we have an even better idea than a day trip to the Grand Canyon. Sevastopol residents and guests of the hero city will especially like it. In the village of Sokolino there are two camp sites where you can spend a luxurious weekend. So to speak, at the foot of Ai-Petri, half an hour’s drive from the reserve.
We like both, which one is better - choose for yourself.
#1. Kutler Estate
Landscapes of the Belbek Valley (Kutler Estate)
Family guest house in the Belbek valley, where different time either poppies are blooming, or alpine grasses. At the Kutler estate, the rooms are decorated in a chalet style, have air conditioning, panoramic breakfast terraces, a sauna and well-groomed grounds.
#2. Fisherman's Farm Chalet
A new camp site with nice, cozy rooms, which few people know about. In addition to standard amenities (bathroom, air conditioning, wi-fi), microwave ovens and electric kettles are available. The territory has a well-kept garden and mountain views.
Grand Canyon - full tour route
The excursion route along the Grand Canyon begins behind the village of Sokolinoe. After about 5 km the trail comes out to the gorge. It leads through a beech forest to a small picturesque clearing where stands the Post Oak - one of the most famous trees - about 350 years old. The oak is famous for the fact that since the middle of the last century, a tradition has emerged of leaving notes with wishes in the hollow of a century-old tree. If you make a wish from your heart, it will certainly come true.
In the early 80s. 20th century oak burned down. The dry, burnt out giant is gradually turning into dust, but still continues to stand at the entrance to the Grand Canyon.
Stop #1. Blue Lake
Waterfall "Silver Streams"
If you go from the Postal Oak along the path to the right, you will soon see Blue Lake And Waterfall Silver Streams- two amazingly beautiful . Blue Lake is the widest erosion basin in the gorge. It is filled with unusually clean and transparent water with a delicate blue tint. The water temperature in the lake does not rise above 12 degrees even during the summer heat season. Swimming in a shallow, cool bath gives tourists strength to continue their journey.
At a two-meter height above the basin there is a picturesque Silver Streams waterfall. It fully lives up to its name. A green cap of moss hangs above it, and water flows down over the stones, dividing into streams that shimmer in the sun, like threads of silver.
Stop #2. Apple Ford
Apple ford - one of the stages of the canyon excursion
After descending from the Sentinel Cliff, tourists will find another one of the natural beauties of the Canyon - Apple Ford. Here, upstream the river, wild apple trees grow in large numbers. With the arrival of autumn, their fruits and leaves fall into the water. The current brings them to the ford opposite the mouth of the Almachuk - a tributary of the Auzun-Uzen, the name of which is translated into Russian - “apple”.
Stop #3. Pania Source
Pania Spring (Grand Canyon)
Beyond the ford the river valley becomes deeper. Not far from it is the Paniya spring. Its name is a simplified form of the word "Panagia" ("All-Holy"). There are many holy springs in Crimea, discovered in the Middle Ages. Most likely, Pania is one of them too. This is one of the largest sources fresh water on the peninsula. In an hour, up to 1400 m3 of water comes out of it. Next to the spring there is a flooded cave of the same name.
Stop #4. Bath of youth
The end point of the route is “Bath of Youth”
The tour ends at the Bath of Youth - one of the main attractions of the Grand Canyon of Crimea. This is the deepest cauldron (5 m) along the Auzun-Uzen stream. A waterfall falls into the basin from above. This is the most famous “bath of youth” on the Crimean peninsula. It is filled with cold, clear water, which does not warm up above 11 degrees even in forty-degree heat. Swimming in the basin strengthens and invigorates. By tradition, most tourists plunge into it.
Viewpoints of the Grand Canyon
Panorama of the canyon from the observation deck
There are several viewing platforms in the gorge. The most popular of them is the top of Sentinel Rock, from which a magnificent panorama of the canyon is visible. Good review the tract also opens from the Fifth Cliff. From this observation deck you can clearly see the Grand Canyon along almost its entire length.
What to take with you on an excursion
A walk through the Grand Canyon takes about 2.5-3 hours. The difficulty of the route is below average. However, it can be compared to hiking in the mountains. You have to walk through the forest, jump over ravines, rivers, and overcome obstacles. So note that On an excursion to the Grand Canyon of Crimea you need to wear comfortable shoes. Girls climbing through forest potholes in open sandals, sometimes even heels, evoke not only a smile, but also sympathy. Take care of yourself!
And don't forget to bring a liter bottle of water per person. The excursion is long, there will be nowhere to buy things along the route.
A route map that will accompany you along the way
Ticket prices to the Grand Canyon 2020
The Grand Canyon is a nature reserve, but they charge an entrance fee. Ticket price for adults is 100 rubles. The condition of the route is excellent. There are railings and steps along the trails, and you will see signs and maps along the way.
Where to stay.
Photo tour of the Grand Canyon. Enjoy nature, forest, clear water in springs and, of course, a bath of youth!
Without exaggeration, we can say that the entire Crimean peninsula is one large natural reserve, every corner of which must not only be visited, but also experienced in its beauty and mood. The Grand Canyon was no exception. Just looking at it takes your breath away and you just want to silently look around and listen to the breath of nature.
This huge fault in the Crimean mountains stretches for many kilometers. The canyon is located in the south of the peninsula, not far from Yalta and Alupka. It is located on the northern slope of the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains, in the Bakhchisarai region and runs between the two massifs Ai-Petrinsky and Boyka.
Nearest locality to the big canyon - the village of Sokolinoe, which is located 5 km from it.
The Grand Canyon is the deepest and most impressive gorge on the peninsula. It was formed approximately 2,000,000 years ago as a result of tectonic activity accompanied by earthquakes and plate shifts. It still continues its formation under the influence environment, landslides, weathering and water erosion.
Baths of the Grand Canyon of Crimea
Description
- To date it length is 3.5 km;
- depth on average 320 m, but in some places reaches 600 meters;
- width just as the depth ranges from 3 to 187 meters, sometimes narrowing and sometimes expanding throughout.
The river adds beauty to the canyon Auzun-Uzen flowing along its bottom. It is thanks to the water that has worked to create the landscape for many millennia that there are many rapids, waterfalls, boilers and baths. There are more than 150 of them here. There are many more attractions on the peninsula, and one of them is the Jur Jur waterfall, but this will help you understand how to get to it by car
How to get there
There are several ways to get to the reserve:
By car
If you drive from Yalta or its suburbs, then it is best to choose the highway leading to Bakhchisarai. At the Ai-Petri pass you will have to overcome the mountain serpentine. There is a "Grand Canyon" sign on the route leading to the right place.
If you move from the direction of Simferopol, you need to choose the Sevastopol highway and move along it to Bakhchisarai, then turn onto the road that leads to the Ai-Petri pass, you need to pass the village of Sokolinoe, 3 km from it, there will be the “entrance gate to the Grand Canyon”.
Video shows how to get there by car:
Near the entrance to the reserve there is a guarded parking lot, where you need to leave your car and continue on foot. You will also find out where the Marsian Lake is located, and how you can get there by car and on foot.
Public transport
All public transport goes only to the village of Sokolinoe, since buses and minibus taxis prohibited, so you will have to walk to your destination or use the services of a private cab. There will definitely not be any problems with this, since in Sokolin there are always enough people willing to take tourists to the famous Crimean landmark, for a small fee.
Excursion tour
On the video - how to get to the Grand Canyon of Crimea:
This excursion includes not only a hike through the most beautiful and largest canyon of Crimea, with a visit to its natural attractions such as:
- Blue Lakes;
- Pania Spring;
- Apple Ford;
- Yew Falls;
- The bath of youth and the Silver Streams waterfall, but also lunch in a cafe of Tatar cuisine. Every traveler will be interested to learn about how to get to the Taigan safari park in Crimea, as well as to see
To the starting point of the excursion tourists are transported by buses that follow very picturesque roads, however, all buses stop at a parking lot and you must explore the canyon on foot. Experienced guides lead groups along the most interesting impassable stone paths that will not leave anyone indifferent; you will have to walk a lot along rocky paths, so comfortable shoes are a must.
Video of the walking tour:
In addition to the stunning nature and views, there are many places in the canyon where you can swim, so be sure to take swimsuits with you.
No matter how difficult it is to get to the Great Crimean Canyon, it is a must-visit. This unique place, where rare species of plants and animals are found, in addition, it is simply very beautiful here. Everyone knows that the nature of the Crimean peninsula is unique and its natural attractions are in no way inferior to architectural ones. Any tourist would also like to know about such a wonderful place as New World, as well as what beaches there are.
The Crimean Peninsula is an absolutely amazing and unusual area that can surprise even the most experienced travelers. There are many unique attractions here that delight the eye and excite the imagination. Natural attractions are especially popular, because they give tourists unforgettable experience. One of the most famous places on the peninsula is the Grand Canyon of Crimea. It is his photos that often adorn souvenirs and travel websites.
The Great Crimean Canyon impresses with its primeval beauty and rich nature. It is rightly called the heart of the local mountains. It allows you to touch the real world wildlife and get a lot of bright emotions. When visiting Crimea, you should definitely spend time on such a picturesque natural object, like the local Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon of Crimea: features of the territory
The history of this object goes back more than one thousand years, because it was formed with the help of water erosion at the site of a tectonic crack. That is why currently this deep depression It has smooth walls, boulders at the bottom, and sparkling waterfalls. The gorge has its own microclimate and unique nature, which creates breathtaking views.
The main feature of the Grand Canyon of Crimea, the photos of which amaze with their unusual panorama, is the presence of rare plants. Specific microclimates, characterized by higher humidity and cooler temperatures, have become the main factor for the successful growth of certain plants. There are many species of trees, flowers and shrubs found here. Many of them are endemic and very rare.
On the territory of the depression there are such familiar Crimean trees as beech, pine, rowan, linden, ash, hornbeam, maple, etc. From rare species there is an amazing yew grove in which berry yews grow. They are very ancient and their girth can reach 1.5 meters. Also found here unique species ferns and Crimean orchids, including the unusual variety “Venus’s slipper”.
In addition to the rich flora, there is also an interesting fauna present here. Tourists may encounter various rodents, hedgehogs, lizards, badgers, and roe deer. In addition, brook trout can be observed in the water. Also, travelers can expect an abundance of waterfalls, lakes, rock pools, and caves. There are also observation decks, which allow you to enjoy the splendor of wild nature.
How to get to the Grand Canyon of Crimea?
A fascinating attraction is located in the Bakhchisaray district, namely 5 km from the village. Sokolinoe. It practically runs under Mount Ai-Petri. There are several ways to get to the canyon:
- Use public transport. Tourists should take the Bakhchisaray-Yalta bus to the Grand Canyon of Crimea stop. Then you will have to walk about 5 km more.
- Get to the Great Crimean Canyon by car. You can do this from Yalta or Sevastopol - overcome the climb up Ai-Petri, cross the plateau, and go down to the reserve. There are clear signs along the route.
- Take advantage of hiking trails.
- Join a group of tourists who go to the canyon with a guide. This option is the most optimal for those visiting the site for the first time. The cost of such excursions includes a comfortable round trip, as well as an interesting presentation of facts and information by an experienced guide.
Vivid impressions, luxurious views and amazing nature are worth the effort. Visiting the canyon is free.
Grand Canyon of Crimea: routes
Tourist routes have been laid to the Great Crimean Canyon for quite a long time, which allow you to explore the beauty of the territory. On such routes, handrails, bridges, signs, information boards, paths and steps are installed. Therefore, a trip to the Grand Canyon of Crimea will be as safe as possible, but not entirely easy. To feel more confident, you can purchase an excursion to the Crimean canyon and walk the path with professionals.
Tourist routes run both along the bottom of the gorge and along its right edge. Both options are significantly different from each other, which allows tourists to choose their ideal path. The route, which runs along the right slope, is absolutely safe and allows you to go at any time of the year. There are wide paths and convenient viewing platforms. However, it is less picturesque, although it also has its own charm. The path that runs along the bottom is quite difficult and will require much more effort from travelers. During the rainy season it is even dangerous.
Any of these routes starts from the village of Sokolinoe. About 5 km from here the road will turn towards the gorge. If tourists want to explore the bottom of the canyon, the excursion trail will pass through beech forests and lead to a clearing with the Postal Oak. Here tourists often leave letters with wishes or parting words. Then you need to turn right onto the path, which will lead to the Blue Lake. It is quite small, but very transparent and clean. The water in it is always cold – 9-11 degrees.
A little higher is the Silver Streams waterfall, to which wooden paths lead. Then travelers will have to walk along the amazing Apple Ford, the path from which will lead to the holy spring of Pania. The next stop will be the famous Bath of Youth, which will complete the tour. Those who wish will be able to swim in a pit of cold water and experience the power of the life-giving spring. The entire journey will take from 2 to 4 hours.
Where to relax after a walk along the Grand Crimean Canyon?
A hike through a rocky gorge requires a considerable expenditure of energy, so after visiting the attraction you need a good rest. Hotel Villa Elena will be an impeccable place for a perfect holiday in a pleasant atmosphere of hospitality. Guests can expect 24/7 service, the opportunity to enjoy original local cuisine, visit the spa center, and relax in the heated pool. You can relax actively on the tennis courts. Villa Elena also provides exclusive leisure facilities that include gastronomic tours, culinary master classes, personal catering.
