Cape Tarkhankut is the westernmost point of the Crimean Peninsula. There are no subtropical forests and mountains here. In these places, the nature of the Crimea is an arid steppe. However, the rocky shore of Cape Tarkhankut can be called one of the most remarkable natural attractions of the Crimea. In addition, there are magnificent sandy beaches near the village of Olenevka, as well as on the Spit of Belyaus, which are called "Crimean Maldives".
In 2014, the Tarkhankut National Nature Park was created here. Its area is 10 thousand hectares. The two most visited places on Cape Tarkhankut are the Atlesh Landscape Park (on the southern shore of Tarkhankut) and the Jangul landslide coast (on the northern shore of Tarkhankut). Between them, on the very edge of the cape, is the resort village of Olenevka, where you can swim on the sandy beaches of Miami and Sunset.
The height of the rocky shore at Cape Tarkhankut in some places exceeds 60 meters. In summer, tourists come here to spend their holidays in tents on the seashore. Tarkhankut is located far from the major resorts of the Crimea, so the water here is very clean. Tarkhankut is also one of the best diving spots in Crimea.
There are many dirt roads on Cape Tarkhankut, which are accessible to all cars in the dry summer, although some rocky areas on the slopes are difficult for cars with low suspension. In rainy weather, these roads are passable only for off-road cars. The only asphalt road is laid from the Olenevka resort to the Fisherman`s Shelter hotel on Cape Big Atlesh. There is a small parking lot in front of the closed territory of the hotel. If there are no places in this parking lot, then for a small fee the car can be left on the territory of the hotel.
Most tourists on Cape Tarkhankut visit the Atlesh Landscape Park. It consists of two small capes Big Atlesh and Small Atlesh. There is also a beautiful Crocodile Rock, as well as the famous Cup of Love. The length of the ecological trail from Cape Big Atlesh to the Cup of Love is 2.2 kilometers. You have to go to the east.
During these two kilometers, the sheer cliffs descend directly into the sea. Their height is 40-50 meters. At the Cup of Love, the height of the rocks decreases sharply. Near the edge of the surf, among the large stones, there is a natural font with a diameter of 20 meters. It is filled with azure sea water. Traditionally, couples in love should join hands and jump into the Cup of Love. If they do not unclench their hands during the jump, then after bathing in the cup they will love each other for a long time and nothing will be able to separate them.
From Cape Big Atlesh, you can also head west. Here the height of the Tarkhankut rocks is about 50-60 meters, and there is no descent to the water anywhere. Tourists come here only with excursions, as it is impossible to swim in these places. 1.7 kilometers from the Big Atlesh is the Lost World Rock, and 3 kilometers away you can see another beautiful White Nose rock. At its foot is the Bay of Yogis. The sculpture composition "Thinker" was installed on the top of the cliff in 2010. It is also called the "Heart of Tarkhankut". If you go further, you can walk to the Tarkhankut lighthouse. The lighthouse is 5 km from Big Atlesh.
The Tarkhankut lighthouse was built in 1816 on the westernmost point of the cape. A lighthouse on this cape is necessary, as there are strong undercurrents in these places. Since the Greek colonization of the Crimea in the 6th century BC, shipwrecks have often occurred on Tarkhankut. The last shipwreck occurred near the lighthouse in 2010. The cargo ship Ibrahim-Yakim ran aground and was in a semi-submerged position for a long time, becoming one of the favorite spots for diving. A few years later, storms broke the ship, and it sank completely. Local divers like to explore the seabed near Cape Tarkhankut in search of ancient sunken ships.
The landslide coast of Dzhangul is located on the northern shore of Cape Tarkhankut. The distance from Olenevka to Dzhangul is 7 kilometers along a dirt road. Unlike Atlesh, where the rocks descend to the edge of the surf with a sheer wall, on the Dzhangul coast, the rocky shore "slides" into the sea. The most impressive is the landslide array near the Thorn Beam. The height of the rocks in some places exceeds 100 meters. There are descents to the sea on the coast of Dzhangul, but it is not comfortable to swim here because of the rocky bottom. Swimming is possible in the small Ocheretai Bay, which is located to the west of the Dzhangul coast.
