Romantic collection

The group meets at the railway station of Simferopol, approximately at 11 am. We distribute food and equipment and leave for the starting point - the village of Sokolinoe (we go through Bakhchisarai). From here begins a short but steep climb to the Eagle Zalet rock. It’s worth being a little patient, because at the top we will have an overnight stay, a simply stunning view of the vastness of the Inner Crimea and delicious water from the lake in the Danilcha-Koba cave.

Through the Tea House cordon we will go out onto the old “road of miracles”. There will also be a platform overlooking the Canyon and Yusupov Lake, which feeds numerous cascades and waterfalls, and of course the Silver Streams waterfall. Further - more, we enter the Grand Canyon of Crimea. We walk along the bottom, swim in the Blue Lake or the Bath of Youth (your choice). Then we begin climbing the side of the canyon to look at it from above. We will stop for the night on the other side of the gorge, at the Boyka tourist site.

“Hard” and “easy” days alternate during the hike. Yesterday we were going down, today we are gaining altitude. We have to climb Ai-Petri. In fact, the road there is not difficult, just a little monotonous (get your player or a lot of jokes ready). But then the forest parted and we were on the Ai-Petri plateau. Directly opposite are the snow-white radar domes. And a few kilometers to the south is the edge of the plateau, where we will spend the night (with a view of Yalta at night). If in the evening we have some strength left, we will go to the ruins of the ancient “Long Walls” and look at the upper reaches of the quaint Tarak-tash (Stone Fence) tract.

In the first half of the day, we will take a quick look at the cable car and the oriental bazaar surrounding it, go to the battlements of Ai-Petri and, if possible, quickly leave these crowded places. A picturesque path running along the very edge of the plateau will lead us to the Besh-Tekne basin. This natural amphitheater is a great place to watch the sunset while listening to the friendly singing of mountain frogs.

Continuing our way to the west, we will walk along the same plateau as yesterday. But it looks completely different. The path winds through dense thickets of thorns and dogwoods, and a whole garden of wild apple and pear trees. The mountains are gradually becoming lower, and the endless sea is getting closer. The ancient path Shaitan-Merdven (Devil's Staircase) leads to the sea. The Romans walked along it, but we... won’t go. It's still too early for us to go to the sea :)

Along the famous battlements of the Foros-Kastropol wall (rock wall) we will approach the beautiful Foros Church. It’s not hard to guess that Foros is somewhere nearby.  And there he is, far below! And we're up again. Through the Baydar Gate pass we climb another mountain range.  Be patient a little. Behind it awaits us Laspi Bay and a well-deserved rest.

From the bay we will climb again into the mountains. This will be the Kush-Kaya rock - an ideal place to admire Laspi Bay and the surrounding mountain ranges. Somewhere behind them hides Foros and the southernmost point of Crimea - Cape Sarych. Just below us in the forest are the ruins of the ancient church of St. Elijah. And along the edge of the plateau there is an invisible path to the next peak of Kokiya-Kaya, where we will spend the night. There is no water here (it’s a 30-minute walk to the spring), but there is a stunning view of the sea, the distant lights of Sevastopol, and the Lost World under our feet. Even the ruins of the secret object “Sotka” at the top look picturesque and mysterious in their own way. In the light of the fire, the dilapidated bunkers are reminiscent of the royal burial mounds in Kerch and... the wild fantasy will not soon agree to go to sleep.

Having once again admired the distant waves crashing on the stones of the Lost World, we will hit the road. The road will lead to one of the few active military installations in these parts. Now it does not evoke sacred awe, but it reminds a lot of past heydays. There is a bunker hidden under every bush, and an antenna or observation tower on every rock. But it’s time for us to hurry, the long-awaited sea is ahead. For the night we will go down to the wild Fig beach.

Along the sea, through the Golden and Silver beaches, past the ominous Barrel of Death, we will approach the Genoese fortress of Chembalo, which controls the entrance to Balaklava Bay. There, on the embankment of Balaklava, our hike will end. From here you can get to Sevastopol in half an hour. Or you can take your time and go to the opposite shore of the bay for an excursion to the underground submarine base.