11 days at geothermal springs in Adygea

08:00 Breakfast.

08:30 Departure for the route to the Guam Gorge, located between the villages of Mezmai and Guamka.

The Guam Gorge is a living page from the history of the Earth: 100 million years ago, 5 kilometers of narrow and deep gorge, walls up to 400 meters (this is higher than the Eiffel Tower) and surrounded by rocks, moss, ferns, cascades of waterfalls and waterfalls of the Kurjips River.

A narrow-gauge railway, cut directly into the rock, runs through the canyon. We take the sightseeing train.

Now we are no longer tourists, we are guests of the ancient world. It's easy to believe that you've entered another era, one where there were no telephones, roads, or rush, but only stone, water, and silence.

We will slowly drive 2 km along the steep cliffs while listening to the audio guide, admiring the views and wondering how nature can be so grandiose (about 20 minutes one way).

Then you will have a guided walking tour: about 1.5 km along the trail, where each turn opens up a new view. We return to the bus with a hundred new impressions.

On the way back, we will stop at a geothermal spring, where warm pools with healing water are waiting for you, 2 hours to relax, relax and just swim in the open air.

Don't forget: a swimsuit, a towel, slippers and a good mood!

The route is for the whole day. You will receive a lunch box at breakfast.

19:00 Dinner with the first course.

09:00 Breakfast.

10:00 We leave for the village. Victory on an excursion to St. Michael's Monastery. Here you will find not just an excursion, but an immersion in history and spiritual atmosphere.

You will hear a story about how the monastery was reborn from the ruins, visit the ancient Trinity Church and stroll through the well-kept grounds.

There is a legend that the treasures of the Byzantine monks are kept in the underground part of the monastery, most of the entrances to which were blocked in 1954.

You will have the opportunity to visit an accessible part of the underground monastery: a chapel and several cave cells.

Not far from the monastery, on the slope of Mount Physiabgo, there is a holy spring of the holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon. According to legend, the water here heals diseases of the body and soul.

You will have the opportunity to climb up to the spring along the trail (about 500 meters, smooth ascent) and collect some water: for memory and for health.

Visit to the paleontological collection "Museum of Stone". In the museum you will get acquainted with ammonites, fossils and other inhabitants of the ancient Tethys ocean, which covered these lands more than 100 million years ago.

14:00 Lunch.

In the afternoon we go to the geothermal spring.

19:00 Dinner. Rest.

08:00 We have breakfast.

09:00 We leave for the geothermal spring.

Pools with thermal water (about 37°C) are waiting for you. 2 hours to swim, relax your muscles and let your body rest.

14:00 Lunch at the base.

15:00 We leave for the gorge of the Mishoko River. This facility is located on the outskirts of the village of Kamennomostsky.

You will walk along the upper trail, where every step reveals new panoramas of the foothills — green waves of hills stretching into the distance, painted with the brush of nature itself.

You will be greeted by a gorge surrounded on both sides by cliffs up to 70 meters high — their bright yellow walls shimmer in the sunlight and have bizarre shapes.

Majestic beech trees and chestnuts rise along the steep slopes, and the Mishoko River flows and waterfalls flow below.

There are several versions of the origin of the name of this gorge, one of which connects it with the Adyghe word "myshekyo" — which literally means "bear gorge", reflecting the ancient connection of the earth with its natural inhabitants.

The walking tour will last 1.5 - 2 hours. There are no handrails, paved paths, or stairs on the route.

You can choose an equestrian route. Route duration: 1 hour in the saddle + 30 minutes to prepare.

Taking an equestrian route through the gorge is a rare opportunity not just to watch, but to ride along a mountain path, and experience the pleasure of communicating with this beautiful and strong animal.

Next, we are going to the unique private museum Belovodye, assembled with love and passion for history.

It houses a historical and paleontological collection: rare finds, ammonites and other fossils of the ancient Tethys Ocean, artifacts of everyday life and history of Adygea.

The museum tour takes 30-50 minutes. Not a lecture, but a fascinating conversation.

18:00-20:00 Dinner.

08:00 We have breakfast.

09:00 We set off on a journey through the picturesque valley of the Belaya River in the village. Guzeriple in the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve.

The reserve is the core of the Western Caucasus World Natural Heritage Site. Its territory has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Initially, the reserve was created with the aim of preserving the mountain bison.

Along the way, stops at the best viewing platforms: "Cossack Stone", "Big Granite Canyon", "Menhirs and Dolmens", "Confluence of the Kisha and Belaya rivers".

We will go to the territory of Europe's largest natural biosphere reserve, where there is a museum, a rope park and one of the most interesting mysterious megalithic structures of antiquity – the dolmen.

Let's take a look at the nature museum, get acquainted with the history of this place and see interesting artifacts. In the aviary complex we will look at the representatives of the local fauna.

Let's take a walk, admire the fir forest, the mountain river, and breathe in the purest mountain air. And, of course, the rope park — if you want to cheer yourself up a little by climbing to a height among the trees.

On this day we will walk from 1.5 to 2 km.

14:00-15:00 Lunch.

After lunch, the most pleasant thing is the geothermal spring.

Immerse yourself in the warm pools with natural mineral water. Two hours and you'll walk out of here as if reborn.

18:00-20:00 Dinner.

08:00 We have breakfast.

09:00 We leave for the mountains.

On the way, we make "panoramic stops", where the three-thousand-meter mountains will open up before you in all their grandeur. The air here is already different — fresh, cool, crystal, with the scent of pine needles and mountain grasses.

Your guide, a man who truly loves Adygea, will accompany you all day and share not only facts, but also stories, legends and what is not found in the guidebooks.

You can take a walk, take a photo, have a snack, and visit souvenir shops selling local sweets, soft, salty, and smoked Adyghe cheese, herbal teas and halyuzhs, and cute trinkets — as a keepsake or as a gift.

Next— visit the Bolshaya Azishskaya cave. The cave is equipped with lighting and safe paths. It's cool, humid and quiet inside — you immediately feel like you've entered another world.

The cave is more than 2 million years old, and it is one of the five largest in Europe. The main wealth of this underground kingdom is stalactites, stalagmites and stalagnates — stone "sculptures" that have been growing for centuries.

Many of them have received names: "Stone Waterfalls", "Angel Wings", "Apostles", "Buddha", "Pointing Finger", "Palm of Desires"

The play of shadows and light creates a vivid game of imagination — it makes them look like real figures. I wonder what you'll see?

The duration of the cave tour is about 30-40 minutes.

We will finish our route at the observation deck "Iron Rock" — at an altitude of about 2000 meters. From here you can see all the plateaus: alpine meadows, steep cliffs, snowfields, distant ridges and mountains.

It's good to stand in silence for a while, take a photo and just look around. And if you look closely at the stones under your feet, you can find a petrified shell. Yes, exactly the one that lived in the Tethys Ocean — 300 million years ago!

We return in the evening with a slight fatigue from the wind and fresh air, but satisfied and with hundreds of cool shots.

18:00 We will meet for dinner. Hot soup, barbecue cooked over an open fire and the opportunity to chat, share your impressions and just relax after a busy day.

The route is for the whole day. You will receive a lunch box at breakfast - the guide will choose a cozy place for a snack.

Suitable for anyone who wants to see the mountains, take their time walking, get some fresh air and spend a day without extreme sports.

08:00 Breakfast.

We start the day with a warm, fragrant breakfast and recharge our batteries for one of the most picturesque days of your trip.

09:00 Cable car ascent to the Una-Koz ridge.

With a comfortable cable car ride, you will find yourself at the top of the Una Koz ridge, a place where mountains become a panorama. A breathtaking view opens up from the first steps:

• The Lago Naka plateau is an endless mountain sea;
• the valley of the Belaya River, winding like a silver ribbon;
• Khadjokh Canyon, deep and mysterious;
• the grandiose cliffs of Azish-Tau and Una-Koz;
• and in the distance, the village of Dakhovskaya, nestled comfortably in the embrace of the mountains.

Let's go down to the cave of Desires, a small grotto with interesting windows. Next, we will walk along a well—marked trail for about 3 km - along the ridge of Una Koz.

The height difference on this route is about 100 meters. No sudden ascents or descents — just a gradual movement along the edge of the world.

The path goes to the very edge of the cliff, then goes into the forest, which is fragrant with all kinds of flowers and where birds sing.

And now — the "Damn Finger". This two-horned rock protruding from the ridge at an altitude of more than 1000 meters. It offers a breathtaking 360° panorama.:

• all the peaks of Adygea are in full view;
• forests stretching to the horizon;
• clearings, lakes, river bends;
• The mountain villages, like toys— are below, in silence.

This is not just an observation point. This is the moment when you stop being an observer and become part of the landscape. We walk back 3 kilometers.

14:00 Delicious homemade lunch to restore your strength.

15:00 Geothermal spring. After climbing, it's the perfect time to relax.Immerse yourself in warm pools with natural thermal water (about 37°C), where mountain springs provide warmth, relaxation and lightness.

Here, in the midst of nature, you will feel the tension go away.

18:00-20:00 Dinner at the base.

09:00 Today we are going to the Lago Naki plateau.

The beauty of the plateau — with its Alpine flowering meadows, sinkholes and snowfields — leaves no one indifferent.

After passing through the Lago-Naki checkpoint, we enter the territory of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve. Our route will start from the "Stone Sea" ridge, a bizarre jumble of boulders, like the frozen waves of an ancient ocean.

We walk 2 kilometers along a flat gravel road. We stop at the equipped observation decks with gazebos and benches, and enjoy the stunning views of the Oshten, Thach mountains and the panoramas of the Main Caucasian Ridge.

We go out onto the Lago Naki plateau itself. We walk 1 km through Alpine meadows, where snowfields are still preserved. From here, the snowfields on the slopes give rise to the Kurdzhips and Armenian rivers.

Along the trail, you can see rare endemic plants, including many species of blooming flowers unique to this region.

The path is easy, almost meditative. Smooth, unobtrusive ascent and descent along an equipped, marked trail leading through a fairy tale.

We will walk about 5 kilometers per day.

The route is designed for the whole day until 16:00. It is suitable for everyone who wants to see the mountains, take their time hiking, and spend a day without extreme sports.

A snack lunch box is provided at breakfast. The way back is also through the Lago-Naki checkpoint.

18:00-20:00 Dinner with the first course.

09:00 Guided tour of the Rufabgo Gorge.

Today we will go to one of the most picturesque places in the region — the Rufabgo gorge, a natural monument of regional importance.

Just 2 km from the village of Kamennomostsky, we will walk along the Bolshoy Rufabgo stream, which has created a whole gallery of waterfalls along the way.

We will cross the bridge over the Belaya River, climb the stairs to the clearing at the entrance to the trail — here we will be greeted by a cafe, a small market with local souvenirs and even a shooting range.

Next— visit the ethnographic museum "Adyghe farmstead" — a little immersion in culture. Learn about the traditions of the Adygs, see traditional buildings, household items and crafts — a living history in the open air.

The route is about 4 km (2 km there and 2 km back) through highly rugged terrain. The trail is well laid and equipped, but it requires attention: rocks, roots, stairs, height differences — just like in a real mountain hike.

There are four waterfalls along the way, each with its own character:

• "Noise" — 4 meters of powerful descending stream, fully justifies its name! You can hear him long before he comes into view.;
• The "second cascade" ("Kid") is light, multi—stage, like the play of water on rocks, falling in cascades of 1.5 meters.;
• The "Heart of Rufabgo" — hidden under the "stone heart", it seems to be secretly beating in the chest of the gorge;
• "Maiden's Braid" ("Shoelace") is a 15—meter waterfall that falls into a deep lagoon like a silver thread.

But even without waterfalls, the Rufabgo gorge is magic: the cool shade of a dense forest and the sun's glare through the foliage, the murmur of water everywhere — the threshold, the overflow, the stream at the very path, the purest air, light humidity, the scent of the earth.

This place is not just a route, but a real nature therapy. We walk slowly, carefully. We stop to take pictures and listen. The time on the route is 2-2.5 hours.

14:00 A delicious homemade lunch will restore your strength.

15:00 Drive to the geothermal spring.

After a walk, it's the perfect time to relax. Two hours in the warm pools.

18:00-20:00 Dinner.

09:00 Breakfast.

An easy start before diving into the centuries-old history of the Caucasus. Don't forget to bring your issued lunch box with you - it will come in handy on the way!

The capital of the Republic of Adygea is not just an administrative center, but an ancient settlement with a thousand—year history, which dates back to the Bronze Age.

It is a beautiful green city, its name translates as "the city at the mouth of the apple valley", and, indeed, both before and today it is surrounded by orchards.

Today's tour is a journey through the ages: from archaeological discoveries to the living traditions of the Adyghe people.

The National Museum of the Republic of Adygea. One of the most modern and informative museums in the Caucasus. They are harmoniously connected here:

• deep archaeology (including the famous Maikop culture, which gave its name to the entire epoch);
• the richest ethnography;
• history and nature of the region.

Special attention is paid to the exhibition "Culture and life of the Adygs": traditional clothes, weapons, jewelry, household items and home decoration — all this comes to life in the guide's story and reveals the spirit, dignity and wisdom of one of the oldest peoples of Eurasia.

The city market is a taste of Adygea. Here you will find authentic Adyghe cheese (from tender to smoked), aromatic spices, famous Adyghe salt, honey, nuts, jam, pickles and other goodies — an ideal gift for loved ones.

Don't miss the opportunity to taste fresh cheese right at the counter!

Lunch on the route. A lunch box is provided at breakfast — the guide will choose a convenient place to stop.

On the way back there is a geothermal spring.

We will end the eventful day with a natural SPA ritual in the warm waters of a geothermal spring. Two hours of free time to relieve tension, relax and "digest" the impressions of ancient Maikop.

18:00-20:00 Dinner with the first course.

Breakfast. Those leaving before 08:00 will be given a lunch box instead of breakfast.

Departure by transfer (for an additional fee) from 05:45 to 09:00 (time depends on the destination, for more information, see "Important to know").