Taraktash

This is a mountain trail in the Crimea that leads from the Uchan-Su waterfall to the Yalta Yaila through the bizarre rocks of Taraktash. The name itself is Turkic and roughly means "stone crest" - the stones here really look like a giant crest.

The route is about 3.5 km with a height difference of almost 600 meters. Allow 3-4 hours for the ascent, 2-2.5 hours for the descent. That is, it is not a walk before dinner, but a full day hike.

The path was laid in the 19th century by members of the Yalta Mountain Club, and in the 1970s steep sections were equipped with stairs and handrails. So technically it is not difficult, but the legs will work honestly.

First oak forests and pine groves, then Taraktash rocks weathered to fantastic shapes. On the plateau itself, the landscape becomes a little alien, and for this reason, everything is started.

The classic start is from the Uchang-Su waterfall, from there the trail goes up to the mountain. It is also possible the other way around, from top to bottom, then the knees suffer more than the lungs.