A protected area of lakes, forests and rivers. Tour to the Ivanovo region

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One of the most beautiful places in the Ivanovo region, Central Russian Karelia, is located in the vicinity of the city of Yuzha. An exciting journey through the picturesque lakes awaits you.

There are more than eighty of them here, and of a very different nature: glacial, karst, formed by the whimsical flow of the Klyazma River. The picturesqueness of the Yuzhsky lakes is also emphasized by the fact of full-scale filming in 1990 on the lakes of Kshara, Tonka, Nelsha of a feature film based on the novel by Fenimore Cooper "St. John's Wort".

We will drive our route in off-road vehicles. You will have a unique opportunity to visit the lakes, swim and enjoy the silence, clean air, and beautiful landscapes.

Location

Ivanovo region, Shuya

Tour highlights

Lake District

We will see a huge number of picturesque lakes of various origins

Off-road driving

Let's take a look at the untouched corners of nature, which can only be reached by cross-country transport

Swimming in the purest lakes

If desired, we will enjoy swimming and relaxing on the shore

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure to the Yuzhsky Krai by off-road vehicles
8:30 a.m. We leave for the Southern Territory by off-road vehicles (1 hour).
The route starts from Lake Ponykhar, whose name means "swamp water" in the Meryan language. The lake is of ancient karst origin with subsequent treatment of the reservoir bed with moraine glacial deposits. It is characterized by a sharp drop in depth from three to 17 meters.
Next, the route passes by Bolshye Rassokhy and Belskoye lakes to Tonki Lake.
The name Rassokhi translates as the confluence of rivers and streams. Indeed, this lake is connected by numerous channels with nearby reservoirs. The depth of the lake is small, it is a spawning ground for many species of fish that live in neighboring reservoirs and come to spawn from Klyazma.
Lake Belskoye, fed by springs, got its name for the purity of its water, it has a karst origin. The shores are mostly sandy. they fall steeply to the water, ruffs, rudd, tench, perch and pike, yazi, roach, bream live here.
The name of Lake Tonki translates as a fishing spot, a fishing ground, which speaks for itself. Individual episodes of the film "St. John's Wort" were filmed in the vicinity of these lakes.
Next, our road will take you past Glubokoe Lake to Nelsha Lake, which is a unique tourist attraction. This is one of the most picturesque lakes in the whole area. It has a horseshoe shape, perfectly fitting into the local landscape.
There were wigwams and the main filming of the movie "St. John's Wort" took place here. There was a house floating on this lake, which burns down at the end of the movie. It is said that the locals, collecting mushrooms, met "real" Indians in the forest.
Stop for a campfire lunch, rest, free time in nature (approximately 4 hours).
We are moving along the road to Lake Kshchara with a possible passage to lakes Bolshaya and Malaya Gorava.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel for an additional fee (500 RUB).
The total length of the route is about 100 km.

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Day 2 - Locks on the River Teuse
Breakfast. Room release.
10:00 Departure to the first gateway.
The first lock on Tez is located half a kilometer from the village of Sergeevo, located on the left bank. Near the first lock on the right bank there are picturesque lakes, called "Mermaid Lakes" by tourists. This is a traditional place for tourist gatherings.
The gateway was an entirely wooden structure, 4 meters wide and 4 meters deep and 10 meters long. Both the upper and lower gates were manually opened, and long handle stops were provided for these purposes. Below the lock on the left bank of the Teza, a dry cargo barge and a cargo boat found their last resting place. There was a caretaker's house on the hill. It was a truly functioning monument not only to technical thought, but also to Russian wooden architecture.
In 2020, the reconstruction of the Tezyansk lock system of 4 lock nodes was completed, they have been brought into line with modern requirements, now they are concrete. The fifth wooden waterworks is still in working condition and has been preserved as a unique cultural heritage site.
The Teza differs from other rivers in the region (not counting the Volga) in that for a long time there was navigation from the Shuya to the mouth, 89 km. This was facilitated by the rapid development of the textile industry in Shuya, which required sales routes, and the cheapest of them was the river.
It was unprofitable for Shuya merchants to carry paper yarn from Ples (from the Volga) to Shuya on horseback, which was imported from England.
In 1830 Teza became so shallow that Emperor Alexander the First, who visited Shuya, promoted the petition of Shuya manufacturers and merchants to build a gateway system on Teza at the expense of the state treasury.
In 1834, the construction of five wooden locks with dams and drainage channels, gatehouses, causeway bridges and office buildings was started on the river. The construction of the locks began simultaneously, five at once.
The second lock is located in the village of Polki with a water drop of 1.5 m, the third - in Khotimla, the fourth — in the village of Kholui, the fifth — almost at the mouth of the Teza, before its confluence with the Klyazma.
Today we will visit the first and second gateways. Beautiful landscapes and interesting facts await you on this day. The ancient villages of Sergeyevo and Krasnoarmeyskoye.
Lunch on the route in the vicinity of the archaeological complex Ivan-gorod.
17:30 The end of the program in Shuya.
Departure to Moscow on your own.

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Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Tour organizer's comments

This is a car and a walking route, we bring everything we need with us. Depending on the physical condition of the group and weather conditions, the instructor may make changes to the route.

Accommodation

Hotel

1 night

Comfort

Upscale

The tour provides accommodation in a hotel in Shuya.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB.:

Placement	Cost	The cost is additional. nights at the hotel
2-bed accommodation	20 300	3000
1-bed accommodation	22 800	5000

The Grand Shuya Hotel is a new 4-star business class hotel.

The hotel opened its doors in 2011 and has already won the love of guests and popularity among tourists staying in Ivanovo.

The hotel has 49 rooms ranging from Economy categories to Suites. The prices of the Shuya Grand Hotel will pleasantly surprise you, and the additional services provided will definitely please you.

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Tour conditions

Group

From 3 to 8 tourists

Minimum age

10 years old

Duration

2 days 1 night

Group meets at

Ivanovo region, Shuya

Included in price

transportation services according to the program;
Accommodation: 1 night in a hotel;
Meals: 1 breakfast, 2 lunches;
insurance;
registration of a trip to the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Paid extra

railway tickets to Shui and back;
meals not specified in the program, including dinners.

It's important to know

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

For guests who arrived in advance, free time to explore the city of Shuya.

An ancient Shuya awaits us.

During the division of Russia into principalities, Shuya first belonged to the Rostov Principality, and then to the Suzdal Principality. It is believed that the descendants of the princes of Suzdal, having received Shuya as their inheritance, began to be called the princes of Shuya. The attention of the reigning house to Shuya and its inhabitants has always been amazing.

You can take a walk through the historical center and admire the original architecture of the city, which was established back in the 19th century.

For those who wish to:

19:00 Evening sightseeing tour of Shuya, an ancient cozy Russian city above the river Teza, known since the beginning of the XVI century. Shuya is famous as the birthplace of the "elected tsar" Vasily Shuisky, merchant dynasties, holy icons, the wondrous beauty of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ and the tallest in Russia "candle" bell tower, whose height is 106 m.

The city has one of the tallest bell towers in Russia — the Bell Tower of the Resurrection Cathedral — 106 meters.

An additional fee is 500 rubles per person.

For tourists arriving in the morning:

A master class.

Under the guidance of a teacher, a painting, material (canvas on cardboard or canvas on a stretcher, acrylic, potal) is painted for the interior of the participant of the master class in the allotted time. The duration depends on the selected reference and the size of the canvas. The cost changes accordingly.

The work is designed for people of any level of training, and even if they took a brush for the first time, they will get a decent job.

The cost is 1,700 rubles per person.

The duration is 3-4 hours.

It is possible to reduce the format, and the time and cost will change accordingly.

Master class "Painting plate".

The white plates look good, simple and elegant. But if you put a little effort into painting them, they will become simply amazing! Since we are going to create an abstract drawing here, it will be possible for both amateurs and professionals.

Painting can be either dotted (the principle of art therapy is used), brushstroke abstract painting, elements of floral ornament, not a complex artistic composition.

The MK is designed for any level of training.

The cost is 1200 rubles per person.

Master class "Wool painting".

Paintings in the technique of "wool painting" or "wool watercolor" are created not by dry felting, but by layering dry wool on a felt background, then covered with glass.

Layers of wool appear under the weight of the glass, and the paintings turn out lively and colorful, looks voluminous and bright! So that you want to taste them, to feel the aroma of flowers, the taste of berries and fruits, to feel the subtle shades of the smells of mountain air, sea surf.

Each such picture is unique, as the participant carefully laying out, dancing each villi with his fingers, giving her the warmth of his soul, literally revives the dream, charging it with his energy.

Of course, after that, the picture sparkles with atmosphere, idea, emotion and speaks the language of the entire palette of sensations available to a person. Such living paintings made of wool will give joy, warmth to your home, a wonderful mood to your family and friends, will become an unusual and sincere gift for your loved ones for any holiday!

It is used as art therapy, suitable for any level of training.

The cost is 1000 rubles per person.

Independent dinner .

Reviews Leave a review

I
Irina

about provider

6 Nov, 2025

The tour was organized well.
PM
Polina Maslova

about provider

20 Oct, 2025

Comfortable, convenient, small group.