Children's hike

Group gathering in Simferopol at the station (approximately at 11:00). We distribute food and equipment (we have rentals). Next we take a minibus or trolleybus to the Angarsk Pass (about 1 hour on the road). We disembark, put on our backpacks, spray the kids with mosquito repellent and dive into the forest - the children's hike has begun. We walk along a wide dirt road along the Elkh-Kaya ridge overgrown with beech forest. We will meet the first source in about 2 hours after the start, so in Simferopol do not forget to replenish your water supplies. At first it’s hard for adults to walk, and easy for children, but soon everything will change :)

After another 30-40 minutes we go out to an open viewing area. This is Funa Pass. Below us is the MAN clearing, ahead is a gorgeous view of Demerdzhi, the sea and Alushta. We set up camp in one of the clearings in the immediate vicinity of pass. We set up our tents and had a little snack (the children had a snack all the way from the minibus). After this, if you wish, you can go to the MAN cave lightly (don’t forget your flashlights). This walk will take approximately an hour and a half and will allow you to get a little used to the mountain trails. Well, the cave itself will not leave children indifferent - we will not go far and visit only the first horizontal hall, where rays of light still break through.

We return to the camp, have dinner, the first night in tents.
Distance 8 km. Elevation gain: 300m.

Breakfast, pack up camp and continue on our way. Don't forget to replenish your water supplies - the next source will only be available in the evening! Immediately from the pass you are already familiar with, the ascent to a wide rocky ledge begins - Kozyrek or Crown Demerdzhi. The road along its cliffs is incredibly picturesque, but for safety reasons it is better to hold children's hands. Coming out to the opposite side of the Visor, we will make a short stop to take photographs and discuss an important question. There are two roads leading to our goal - the top of Northern Demerdzhi: a short one (which is also spectacular) and a long one (wider and safer). You'll have to choose what attracts you more :)

The top of Northern Demerdzhi is a wide and long ridge covered with herbs and flowers. In the West you can see the cliffs of the neighboring plateau - Chatyrdag, in the East - the endless expanses of our “own” plateau - Demerdzhi. After taking photos against the backdrop of exotic radio reflectors at the top, we will go down to the neighboring grove and have lunch there.

After lunch we continue our descent. Although we will be walking along a good, well-trodden path, I am sure that due to the unusual slope, the first half of the descent will seem more difficult to many than all the previous ascents. Don’t worry, it will only take 15-20 minutes, and then the trail will level out again, and soon it will completely turn into a wide road.

We are approaching the Dzhurla tract - a picturesque gorge with rocky sides and nostalgic birch trees on the slopes. There is a lake, a spring and many convenient clearings for camping. We occupy one of them. If we have any strength left, we can go (20 minutes one way) to the small waterfall Dzhurla is nothing special, but the children will probably enjoy it. If you wish, you can swim either in the baths under the waterfall or in the lake.
Distance 7 km. Elevation gain: 450m.

Today we again have a choice - to follow the spectacular but difficult path through the Valley of Ghosts, or to prefer a calmer, gentle path through the forest, and admire the Valley of Ghosts from the side, which, believe me, too not a little at all. If you have the slightest doubt about your cross-country ability, then you need to choose the easy option - after all, this is a children's hike. In case of such a choice, the most active will have the opportunity to satisfy your passion for knowledge by running (for an hour and a half) to the top of South Demerdzhi before breakfast. The views there are gorgeous, which especially contributes to good digestion :)

At the end of our walks and breakfast, we pack up our tents, pack our backpacks and take a roundabout path through the forest. The descent will take at least 2 hours, after which we will find ourselves at the foot of South Demerdzhi. A spectacle, I must say, impressive - you simply won’t believe that you were somewhere up there. The stone pillars of the Valley of Ghosts rise to the sky, eagles soar over the red rocks, and horsemen rush across the scorched prairie - a real Western! By the way, it was here, in Crimea, near Demerdzhi that “Hearts of Three”, “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, “Sportloto-82” and many other films were filmed.

If time permits, we will settle down for lunch so that we can admire the beautiful Demerdzhi for an extra half hour. After that, we’ll collect the trash (we don’t litter while hiking) and head to the village of Luchistoye. From here we can be picked up by a registered minibus, or if you want to save money, you can take a transfer bus to the Alushta-Simferopol highway and take a trolleybus there. Return tickets from Simferopol must be taken for trains departing no earlier than 18:30.
Distance 10 km. Elevation gain: 200m.