The Great Valdai Trail is one of the most famous hiking trails in central Russia. The length of the trail is 59 kilometers, and it is estimated for a 5-day hiking trip with overnight stays in tents at equipped camp areas. Most of the route passes through the territory of the Valdai National Park.
The Great Valdai trail, as a route equipped with small camp areas, appeared in 2018. It has become the longest hiking route in the European part of Russia. During the hike, tourists can see different types of forests (deciduous, coniferous, mixed), there are many rivers, lakes and swamps.
After the formation of the Valdai National Park in 1990, tourism began to develop here, however, only in the format of amateur hikes over short distances or recreation and fishing on the lakes of the region. The Valdai trail has united the ecosystems of the region into a single whole, which tourists can see during one hike.
The Great Valdai Trail begins in the city of Valdai, which is located in the Novgorod region, approximately in the middle between St. Petersburg and Moscow. The distance from St. Petersburg to Valdai is 340 km, and from Moscow is 400 km. There is no height difference on the trail, which is typical for mountainous regions, so it is suitable for tourists with any level of training.
All 59 km of the Valdai trail are marked, it is impossible to get lost. You can get off the route in any village and go back to civilization. The most comfortable time to visit the trail is from May to October. In spring and autumn, many sections of the trail are washed away by rains.
There are 5 equipped camp areas throughout the trail where tourists can set up tents and stay overnight. Wooden decking has been built in all camps, bonfire zones have been equipped, and firewood has been stored. There are lakes or streams near all the camps where you can get water. There are toilets and eating areas everywhere. This allows tourists to feel comfortable during the hike and not pollute the ecology of the region. There is no Internet connection for almost the entire length of the trail, so you need to download offline maps on smartphones or have paper maps.
The trail begins directly on the M-10 highway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg, on the southeastern outskirts of Valdai. At first it stretches through the forest, and then you approach the shore of Lake Berezovo. It is very picturesque, however, like any lake in the Valdai National Park. Here you can see meadows with flowers typical of the Russian plain. On the western shore of the lake, the trail opens onto a autoroad, along which you need to walk 380 meters to the art object "Great Valdai Trail". Some tourists start hiking from this art object, shortening the route by 7 km.
Some distance from the art object, the trail goes along a wooden deck through a dense spruce forest. The soil is covered with moss, and ferns grow in many places. St. Paraskeva Patnitsa Chapel is 800 meters from the art object. It was built near the Holy Spring. Further 3 kilometers away is the shore of Lake Nakhodno and the first stop on the Great Valdai trail.
Lake Nakhodno is located in a specially protected area. This territory is a hydrological reserve within the Valdai National Park. The western shore of the lake is swampy, and the village of Glebovo is located on the eastern shore. The Sabi Club Valdai eco-hotel is located here, a well-known place for everyone who is interested in yoga. People from yoga clubs from both capitals come here to relax and work out in nature.
Then the trail goes for several tens of kilometers through the mixed forest and swampy areas of the park. The final point of the trail is located near the shore of Lake Velje near the village of Dunaevschina. This is one of the largest lakes of the Valdai upland, along with Lakes Seliger and Valdai. Near it there are attractions of the trail: the Bridge at the beaver dam and Mount Ryzhokha.
The height of Mount Ryzhokha is 296 meters above sea level. It is the highest point of the Novgorod region. It is quite difficult to call Ryzhokha a mountain. This is an upland in the area of a former glacier. After the creation of the Great Valdai Trail, a 25-meter tower was built on its top, which can be climbed. It rises above a dense forest and offers a beautiful view of the expanses of the national park.
