Sochi National Park occupies a large area south of the Caucasian Ridge from the city of Tuapse to Krasnaya Polyana. On the territory to the north of the Main Caucasian Ridge there is a Caucasian Nature Reserve, there is a very strict nature protection regime, and you need to get a permit to enter the territory. The sights of the Sochi National Park are open for access.
Sochi National Park was established in 1983. It became one of the first national parks in Russia. This is not yet a nature reserve, but the main natural attractions are monitored for visits and nature protection. Considering that the city of Sochi is the most popular resort in Russia, Sochi National Park is the most visited park in Russia. In the summer season, hundreds and even thousands of people come to go to all the most interesting sights.
There are about 50 attractions on the territory of the Sochi National Park. These are mountain ranges and separate mounts, waterfalls, gorges and canyons, caves, lakes and rivers. There are also several archaeological sites: dolmens, ruins of fortresses and temples, caves where ancient people lived. Some attractions of the park are difficult to access, for example, the Fisht or Oshten mountains. However, most of the interesting places of the Sochi National Park are located near the roads, and you can even come to them by public transport.
In this review, you can read about the most popular sights of Sochi National Park and choose what you are interested in. You can also plan routes, as many places are in close proximity to each other:
Yew-Boxwood grove
The Yew-Boxwood grove is the only natural object that is actually located on the territory of the Sochi National Park, but it was decided to include it in the Caucasian Reserve, with a stricter environmental regime.
Yew-boxwood grove in Khost is located on the slope of Mount Akhun. This is what the forest looked like in the pre-glacial period (about 20-30 million years ago), when most of the earth had a subtropical climate. Tree trunks and branches are covered with a dense layer of moss, vines hang around. Because of the moss on the trees, the crowns close so tightly that in such forests there is always twilight.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Devil`s Gate Canyon, Navalishchensky Gorge, Vorontsovskaya Cave.
Devil`s Gate Canyon
Devil`s Gate Canyon is located on the Khosta River on the north side of the famous Yew-Boxwood Grove. Most visitors come here after a walk through the Yew-Boxwood grove, but it is also possible to come by car to the village of Rassvet and from there go straight to the canyon.
The Devil`s Gate Canyon is the deepest canyon in the Sochi National park. In most other canyons, swimming is possible only in single backwaters, and here for more than three hundred meters the Canyon is very full-flowing. Many people come here to swim, as well as jump from the rocks into the water.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Devil`s Gate Canyon, Navalishchensky Gorge, Vorontsovskaya Cave.
Navalishensky Gorge
Navalishensky gorge can be recognized as one of the most interesting places in Sochi, where you can visit the primeval relic forest. In the yew-boxwood groves there is always twilight and the atmosphere of the tropics is felt.
From the entrance to the gorge, go down to the bottom of the canyon to the White Rocks. Here you will see a narrow canyon with a picturesque waterfall. Boxwood trees rise above the white cliffs. After that, take a walk downstream to the place where the Khosta River exits the canyon. Here you will see a large flowing lake, which is called the "Holy Font". You can swim in it. After that, go up the gorge. There you will see the places of the relic forest, where not only trees, but also stones and earth are covered with moss.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Devil`s Gate Canyon, Yew-Boxwood Grove, Vorontsov Cave.
Vorontsovskaya cave
A path to the Vorontsovskaya cave goes through a relic forest, so this walk will be a pleasant one. At the entrance of the cave you can see the idols of pagan gods, and at the spring on the eminence near the cave – the figure of the Mother Earth. At the bottom you can see the hole of the Vorontsovskaya cave.
When you enter the cave, you get in the Prometheus Grotto. It reaches the length of 120 meters. At the bottom the visitors can see the two most beautiful halls: musical (it was called so because of a platform looking like a concert stage) and mystic (on the ceiling of this hall there are stalactites resembling an eagle, the devil and some other mystic figures). There is also the Pantheon Grotto with a giant stalagmite of several million years.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Navalishchen Gorge, Devil`s Gate Canyon, Yew-Boxwood Grove.
Waterfall Dragon`s Mouth
The Dragon`s Mouth Waterfall is located in the middle between the coastal areas of Sochi and the ski resorts of Krasnaya Polyana. Its height reaches 40 meters, so it is one of the highest waterfalls in the Sochi National Park. Sometimes the waterfall is called Deep Yar, after the river that falls from a high rocky cliff into the gorge.
The Deep Yar River has two channels. Both channels fall into the bowl of the gorge with high waterfalls. A secondary channel flows along the surface of the rock and falls down a waterfall of 40 meters. If you go deep into the stone bowl, you will see a cave with dark blue water. All the stones at the edges of the cave are covered with green moss. This is the Dragon`s Mouth. The noise of another waterfall is heard inside the cave. There is information that its approximate height is 18 meters.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Wet canyon of the Psakho River, Dry Canyon of the Psakho River, Akhshtyr cave, Skypark.
Wet canyon of the Psakho River
The Wet Canyon of the Psakho River is located between the coastal areas of Sochi and Red Polyana. This is one of the most beautiful gorges of the Sochi National Park. You have to plan several hours for this visit. The Dry Canyon of the Psakho River is 2 kilometers away.
A significant part of tourists visits only the Recreational area of the Psakho River Canyon, where wooden decking is laid for walking. You can walk along them over the white cliffs of a deep canyon. 1 hour is enough to visit the recreational area of the Wet Psakho Canyon, however, the real beauties are in the depths of the canyon. The Canyon of the Psakho River is quite wide. The rocks are up to 50 meters high, but they are far from the riverbed. Branches of box trees covered with mosses hang over the river.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Dry canyon of the Psakho River, Dragon`s Mouth Waterfall, Skypark, Akhshtyr cave.
Dry Canyon of the Psakho River
The Dry Canyon of the Psakho River runs along the old riverbed. It is located 2 kilometers from the Wet Canyon of the Psakho River, where the river currently flows. The Dry Canyon is a narrow cleft between rocks. Its height reaches several tens of meters.
In the Dry Canyon, you can see relict trees that grow directly from the rocks. Their roots are in the cracks. Many stones and rock slopes are covered with moss due to the warm microclimate in the narrow cleft of the canyon. The Dry Canyon is almost always in semi-darkness, even in sunny weather.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: The Wet canyon of the Psakho River, the Dragon`s Mouth Waterfall, Skypark, Akhshtyr Cave.
Svir Gorge
The Svir Gorge is located in the west of the village of Lazorevsky, 1.3 kilometers from the Sochi highway, where urban transport runs. According to accessibility for individual excursions, the location of the Svir gorge is one of the most convenient. It can also be recognized as one of the most beautiful gorges of the Sochi National Park.
In almost all gorges in the Sochi area, you can see the layered structure of marl slabs. However, there are places in the Svir Gorge where the layered slabs look absolutely incredible. One of the waterfalls from the top looks like the mouth of a fantastic animal. From the lower point, it is impossible to see it, as the water falls into a narrow canyon. Layers of marble slabs close into a hemisphere above it.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Crab Gorge, Mammadovo Gorge, Miracle Beauty Waterfall, Legends of Mammad, Berendeyevo Kingdom.
Crab Gorge
Crab Gorge is located in the Lazarevsky district of Sochi. This is a small gorge among marl rocks with crystal clear water and picturesque waterfalls. Crab Gorge got its name due to the small freshwater crabs that are found in its waters. In 1983, it was incorporated into the Sochi National Park.
The first from the entrance is the Font of Mermaids, then the Font of Adam. After these two fonts, the trail crosses a stream. This place is the most beautiful part of the Crab Gorge. First, you need to go down to him from below. Here visitors can see a very narrow canyon between marl rocks and a low waterfall in the distance. The photo of this canyon is usually used by travel agencies for their guidebooks.
Other sights of Sochi National Park nearby: Svir Gorge, Mammadovo Gorge, Miracle Beauty Waterfall, Legends of Mammad, Berendeyevo Kingdom.
Agur Waterfalls
Agur waterfalls are located in Old Matsesta. Here you can see cascades of high waterfalls among picturesque rocks. In some places, there are natural baths where people bathe. Agur Waterfalls are located on the territory of the Sochi National Park.
At first, the trail goes along with a small climb. 430 meters from the entrance is the Devil`s Bath. After swimming in the Devil`s Bath, go further along the Agur gorge 1.4 kilometers to the waterfalls. Soon you will go out to a small lake and see the Lower Agur waterfall. It has two cascades with a height of 18 and 12 meters. The height of the two cascades of the Lower Agur Waterfall is 30 meters, and the height of the Upper Agur Waterfall is 21 meters. The Agur waterfalls can be called one of the highest in the Sochi National Park.
Other sights of Sochi National Park nearby: Eagle Rocks, Matsesta Hospital, Stalin`s Dacha, Akhun Mountain.
Eagle Rocks
Eagle Rocks of white limestone rise above the right bank of the Agura River in the Sochi National park. According to local legends, Prometheus was chained here on a rocky cliff when Zeus decided to punish him for stealing fire from the god Hephaestus and giving it to people. A sculpture of Prometheus was installed on the top of the Eagle Rocks in 1998.
The Eagle Rocks in Matsesta are a mountain range with an absolutely vertical cliff. The height of this cliff is 125 meters. The height of the Eagle Rocks above sea level is 379 meters. It is impossible to call them mountains, it is more correct to call them "rocky cliff". During the ascent from the Agur Gorge, the trail goes along this cliff.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Agur Waterfalls, Matsesta Water Hospital, Stalin`s Dacha, Akhun Mountain.
Mammadovo Gorge
The sights of the Mammadov Gorge begin at three waterfalls, which one after another flow down the mountain slope. The height of these waterfalls in the Mammadov Gorge reaches 10-12 meters. The waterfalls of the Mammadov Gorge have sonorous names: Happiness, Youth and Love.
The narrow canyon near the Mammad`s Moustache Waterfall is the most beautiful place in the Mammad Gorge. Here you will see layered white rocks that rise above the river in a beautiful semicircle. This place is called the White Hall. In the White Hall. Take a walk along the gorge for at least a hundred meters. Behind each turn of the rocks you will see very beautiful bends of the river between layered rocks.
Other attractions of the Sochi National Park nearby: The Legends of Mammad, the Berendeyevo Kingdom, the Svir Gorge, the Miracle Beauty Waterfall.
The route of the Legend of Mammad
The route to the Mammad’s Tears Waterfall and the Dolmen-Healer in Sochi National park is called the Legends of Mammad. "Legends of Mammad" is located 1 kilometer closer to the Sochi highway than the entrance to the Mammadov Gorge. Here you can see a beautiful waterfall, a pyramidal dolmen and a stone blockage.
Here is one of the most beautiful dolmens on the Black Sea coast. The shape of the dolmen on the route of the Legend of Mammad is unique. It does not consist of stacked slabs, like most other dolmens, but is carved into a huge stone in the form of a pyramid.
Other attractions of Sochi National Park nearby: Mammadovo Gorge, Berendeevo Kingdom, Svir gorge, Miracle Beauty Waterfall.
Berendeyevo Kingdom Route
The Berendeyevo Kingdom route runs along the bed of a small stream Lel, which flows into Kuapse. The Berendeyevo Kingdom Gorge formed along the streambed from east to west. Thus, it is protected from cold winds. Thanks to this, a special subtropical microclimate with lush vegetation has been formed here.
On the path that goes along the Lel stream, you will see several waterfalls: Nameless, Kupava, Snow Maiden, Cup of Love, Tears of the Snow Maiden, Emerald. The gorge ends with a high wall, where the cascading waterfall Beard of Berendey flows in thin streams. Its height reaches 27 meters.
Other attractions of the Sochi National Park nearby: Mammadovo Gorge, the route of the Legend of Mammad, Svir gorge, Miracle Beauty Waterfall.
Waterfall Miracle-Beauty
The Miracle-Beauty waterfalls is located in a small gorge between the villages of Volkonka and Soloniki, 6.5 kilometers from Lazarevskoye. Parking and ticket office in front of the entrance to the gorge are located directly on the highway that runs along the Black Sea coast. The waterfalls are located on the territory of the Sochi National Park.
The path to the waterfalls of the Miracle Beauty is very picturesque. Along the way you will see boxwood trees. The first on the trail is the Miracle-Beauty Waterfall. Its height is 12 meters. The Chilly waterfall is located upstream and has two cascades, but they are not high, about 5-6 meters. Also, from the natural bath of the Chilly Waterfall, you can look at the Miracle-Beauty Waterfall from above.
Other sights of Sochi National Park nearby: Svir Gorge, Mammadovo Gorge, Legends of Mammad, Berendeyevo Kingdom.
