Mount Ai-Petri in Crimea: where is it located and what entertainment is there?

Only once having visited Mount Ai-Petri, which is located not far from Big Yalta on the Crimean peninsula, you understand that this is the place where you want to return to enjoy the feeling of peace that the mountains and the wind give to touch the clouds; to find yourself in beautiful caves, admire nature and breathe. Breathe the air of freedom and extreme, Crimean wine and real barbecue, admire the Black Sea, Yalta or the clouds.

More than 180 million years ago, on the site of this mountain complex, the sea raged, at the bottom of which volcanoes lived their lives. The sea has already receded, but the remains of those volcanoes can still be seen not far from Foros. And Ai-Petri turned into teeth of limestone, into which mollusks and algae, hiding in corals, have grown over millions of years. In 1947, these sharp mountain peaks were officially recognized as a natural monument.

Today the ridge of the Crimean mountains has several yayls - translated from the Turkish "plateau". This is the name of a plateau with fertile soil, which is located in a rocky area. Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla is a mountain range with an area of ​​more than 300 km2, stretching along the southern coast of Crimea. The limestone teeth of four large and several small peaks, blown by the winds, washed by sediments, destroyed by time, hide 218 caves and more than a thousand karst wells.

Thus, Ai-Petri is not a detached mountain, but the longest complex of hills with a vast plateau. The highest point in this yayla is Mount Roka - 1347 m.Bedene-Kyr (Quail Mountain) is the second highest, 1320 m. The height of Ai-Petri, by the name of which the entire complex is named, is 1234 m above sea level.

The history of the appearance of people in this area begins in primitive times.This is evidenced by the archaeological finds found on the western slope of the Quail Mountain. But the harsh climate, high humidity forced people to descend from the mountains. In the Middle Ages, the monastery of St. Peter appeared here (according to legend) - this is how "Ai-Petri" is translated into Russian from Greek. It is believed that the remains of this monastery are now preserved at the top.

But this is one of the theories about the origin of the name. There is another, more romantic and sad one, which makes you think about male selflessness (or recklessness) and female indecision (or rationality).

History is as old as the world, sung by Shakespeare: parents did not allow loving people to get married. And in protest, the young decided to throw themselves off the mountain top. But the path to death was too narrow, you could only go one by one. Peter, the hero of our story, took the first step and crashed far below. And the girl, whose name has not survived, could not decide on this last step in her life and only sat on the edge, wailing "Ay, Peter!"

For a long time, local residents grazed livestock on the plateau, but now Ai-Petri is part of the Yalta mountain-forest reserve, grazing is prohibited. If you look at the mountains from the sea in this place, it seems that these are not separate peaks, but a medieval castle surrounded by fortress walls.

In the 19th century, for 30 years, engineer, colonel of the Russian army S.I.Shishko supervised the construction work of the mountain serpentine, which eventually connected the mountain peak with Yalta, and the city with Simferopol. The work was completed in 1894. Evaluating the merits of the engineer, Emperor Alexander II, who oversaw the construction, ordered to name "the distinctive rock Shishko rock".

In 1895, a meteorological station was founded here. Later, two more stations were built: in the Ai-Dmitri and Besh-Tekne tracts. Now tourists, seeing in the distance silvery white domes, believe that these are the very meteorological stations, but this is not so. The property of the military, which is interpreted as an air defense object, falls into the field of view.

Even before the 1917 revolution, these places were popular with the wealthy population, including the imperial family. There was a hotel and trade. Those wishing to appreciate the beauty of the place climbed the mountain on foot.

In the second half of the 20th century, a cable car was built, which begins almost under Ai-Petri, in the village of Miskhor, and ends in the village of Okhotnichye. And this cable car attracts no less than the mountains themselves.

The cable car works all year round, but, naturally, there are a lot of people who want to use this transport in the summer. It should be borne in mind that organized excursion groups pass out of turn, and this is a huge plus. Tourists are invited to the closed wagons, where for 15 - 20 minutes of ascent you can stand to admire the Big Yalta, grape fields, sea and rocks.

There are 3 stops by the road: "Miskhor" at 86 m above sea level; at an altitude of 304 m at the Sosnovy Bor station, tourists move to other trailers. The distance between these two stations is 1310 m. And then the upper section of the road, 1670 meters long, to the Ai-Petri station.

The last meters of the road it seems that the cabins are accelerating sharply and striving to crash into the mountain. This is because at this moment the trailers are traveling at an angle of 46 degrees. For people who rarely have the opportunity to rush out adrenaline, this trip may seem extreme. In a strong wind, the wagons sway, the transition from one support to another is accompanied by sharp jolts and squeaks of metal, but you should not be afraid of this.

Of course, there are accidents on the cable car, but they are not associated with a cliff or other difficult situations: in emergency situations, passengers have to wait out the time, standing in the trailer (there are no seats in them). And in ordinary routes, a lot depends on the sightseers (it is important that there are no alarmists in the trailer) and the guide, who can reduce the degree of anxiety by being distracted by the beautiful nature and interesting stories.

Also, tourists can be advised to use aerocandy, sour candies during the ascent, and after leaving the booth to yawn widely to get rid of congestion in the ears. But having tuned in in advance and having made a supply of candies, know the main thing - an indescribable beauty awaits you. And it is she who will be the main emotion.

With the advent of the cable car, the flow of tourists made this plateau the most iconic place in Crimea. But there are also many who want to climb the mountain on foot or by car. See below for an overview of the cable car.

So, regardless of the method of climbing the plateau (by cable car, car, excursion transport or on foot), at the top you will find yourself in the area of ​​the Okhotnichye village, where all kinds of souvenirs, sheep wool products, cafes with the national cuisine of the Crimean Tatars and just delicious food await you. as well as wine. Speaking about this side of the excursion, it is worth noting that:

• after 2017, the number of outlets decreased significantly for reasons unrelated to tourism;
• if you got to the mountain with a tourist group, then the guide will purposefully take you to dine in a certain cafe, not advising you to go to the rest; this does not mean at all that there is danger in the rest, therefore it is up to you whether or not to go with the group;
• as a rule, wine tasting and their purchase will be offered here: if you are trying to get rid of extra money, you can buy both wine and woolen things here, but it is much cheaper to do it downstairs; and yet - no southerner will ever buy wine in a cardboard box, because it is wine powder, diluted with alcohol;
• unfortunately, the service in this place is very primitive, and the place is completely unattractive, so it is better to go to the viewing platforms away from the shopping arcade;
• even if the air temperature below is +30, then it is imperative to take warm clothes up the mountain and it is simply necessary (!) non-slip shoes - even if you are lucky with the weather and there is no fog or rain, it is very easy to slip on the stones; if you went up without warm clothes, then all this can be purchased here.

And you can overcome part of the zip line descent, but not in a trailer, but in the open air, fastened with a carabiner to a rope. See below for more details.

In the northeast, guests can admire the relict yew grove, where you can touch the millennial yew berry. There are several sites from which the entire coastline spreads in front of you: Yalta, Vorontsov Palace, Swallow's Nest. In especially clear weather, you can even see another famous mountain of Crimea - Ayu-Dag. The unusually beautiful views make some sightseers lose caution and get too close to the cliffs.

Of course, these places are created in order to capture them on a photo and video camera or smartphones. This is a necessary thing in such an excursion, but hats that are not attached to the head and umbrellas are useless things (too strong winds quickly deal with them). The most interesting photos are taken on the suspension bridge. Not everyone can dare to take a step into the sky (even with insurance), which is why this walk is valuable.

In the village, you will be offered to ride ATVs and jeeps, take a horse ride and even get acquainted with camels. Indeed, it is definitely worth appreciating the mountain landscape and getting to know better the flora and fauna of Ai-Petri. Indeed, among the trees and other plants in oak, juniper, beech-hornbeam, pine forests there are many endemics (growing only here): butcher's broom, strawberry tree, shrub jasmine, Crimean bindweed, Crimean pine, Yaylinsky Dubrovnik.

Mammals (37 species), birds (113 species), reptiles (11 species), and amphibians (4 species) are recorded on the territory of the reserve. The guides proudly say that the waters in the bowels of the massif supply a significant part of the Crimea.

Walking along the natural paths, you can see not only rare, but also unusual trees. For example, the famous drunken grove, consisting of pine trees of different species, is the result of landslides and endless winds on the mountainside. Also, during the excursion, you will definitely be shown a pine tree - an airplane, which spread its branches - wings.

Farther from human eyes, there are meadows that even make no sense to compare with the Alpine ones, because only on the Ai-Petrinskaya yayla you can find a delightful flower picture painted with lilies of the valley and violets, crocuses and snowdrops, peonies and orchids.

Those who climbed the mountain by cable car can go down on foot or by car. Having driven away from the top just a little bit, in 5 minutes you will see a pointer to the Silver Gazebo, which was built on the occasion of the completion of the construction of a horse-drawn road to the top of the mountain at the end of the 19th century. The gazebo is installed above the cliff, at the extreme point of the Pendikul Mountain. The view under your feet will once again confirm that you have come here for a reason. This is one of the best panoramic spots.

After 15-20 minutes of descent from Serebryanaya Besedka, right behind a large restaurant, another miracle of nature awaits you - the largest waterfall in Crimea and one of the largest in Europe - Uchan-Su. It is difficult to feel this in the summer, since at this time there is very little water in it. But in spring, the sound of falling water is heard for several kilometers. That is why the Turks named it Flying Water - Uchan-Su.

Indeed, water from a height of 99 meters cannot drain, it flies, makes noise, breaking against stones. In winter, water streams turn into long icicles and growths, and thin streams of living water make their way between them, sparkling in the sun.

This place is loved by amateur climbers. The waterfall has its own mascot - an eagle sculpture. This place has the cleanest air and amazing atmosphere, but not in summer, when Uchun-Su practically dries up.

Another stop is at Turtle Lake. Yes, red-eared turtles have their own home on Ai-Petri. It is small, but that makes it no less interesting. It takes 20-30 minutes to get around the lake and try to find the turtles. This is a very beautiful place, but the presence of people in it who do not know that used bottles and wrappers should be taken away with them is very felt.

For those who climbed the mountain for more than two hours, they will definitely like the Grand Canyon, which was created by nature itself in order to separate the Ai-Petrinskaya yayla from the Boyka mountain range. This is a 3.5 km long fault and an average depth of 320 m (but there are places up to 600 m). The width of the canyon is also impressive - 187 m at its widest point (3 m at its narrowest). The Auzun-Uzen River will be a tourist companion along the bottom of the canyon.

A special humid cool microclimate has developed here, which has created an amazingly diverse flora. This is where the orchids mentioned above are hiding.Tourists enjoy the most beautiful waterfalls and lakes, marble limestone masterpieces of nature and cold baths. Those who dare to enter the most famous Bath of youth can consider himself very healthy, because the temperature there does not rise above 11 degrees.

But no less connoisseurs of natural beauty are attracted by caves. Rock, Pearl, Cascade, Kristalnaya, Geophysical were declared local monuments. But only a few of them are open to the public. The most popular are Geofizicheskaya, Yalta and Trekhglazka, because only these caves are equipped for visiting inexperienced excursionists.

Geophysical was opened to speleologists only in 1971. Today it can be accessed via a vertical 28-meter staircase into a shaft - a well that turns into a 100-meter horizontal gallery. Complex wells of rare beauty, underground halls with stalactites, stalagmites and stalagnates. And in time immemorial, there was an underground stream bed here.

Yalta was opened quite recently - in 1997. After 10 years, an excursion route was created here so that you can safely enjoy the views of stalactites and stalagmites, incrustations and stone flowers. Tourists - nonspeleologists are allowed into only one hall. And below, through a 40-meter well, with special equipment, you can get into another hall.

The three-eye got its name from the 3 holes - the entrance. But this cave is also called "refrigerator" because the temperature here does not rise above 4 degrees Celsius. Thanks to this property, in ancient times, hunters kept their supplies here, and Count Vorontsov ordered ice blocks to be delivered to his palace to preserve their products. Three-eyed has been known for 200 years. Its total depth is 38 meters. But in 1990, a route was set up for visiting to a depth of 25 m. The cave entrance is 700 meters from the highest point of the cable car. Inside you can see a 6-meter snowy non-melting mountain, stalactites with stalagmites and a skating rink.

In winter, Ai-Petri also remains attractive to tourists. At the top you will find ski equipment rental points and 6 slopes. The 120-meter Paddling Pool - for beginner skiers, a baby lift for children, lifts, instructors who will help you master alpine skiing - all these are good attempts to make this mountain complex a ski resort. This is facilitated by the rest of the tracks of varying degrees of difficulty.

• Kichkine 320 m long - for beginners. There are lifts, experienced instructors and the opportunity to relax between descents.
• Laboratory differs not in length, but in complexity. The downside of this route is the work not on schedule, but by prior arrangement. And you can only get there by snowmobile. But this is a good place for professional training.
• Kilometer 26 Is a 600-meter track without lifts. Its length and relative safety make it popular.
• 27 kilometers loved by professionals for a kilometer length.
• Snowpark - a modern, well-equipped track with lifts, recreation areas and cafes.

The general disadvantage of recreation in Crimea is that the service is not of the highest level. But gradually the Crimeans will be able to overcome this problem, and on the spot, for example, of the Ai-Petrinsky mountain range, a real ski resort will grow, and beautiful places of trade, cafes, and sanitary zones will appear on the site of temporary outlets. This means that Mount Ai-Petri will continue to show its beauty.

When going to the mountains, you should always remember that it is always colder upstairs. For example, on Ai-Petri the difference with the coast is 7 degrees, in July the average air temperature there is 17 degrees. But the peculiarity of this complex is not this, but the wind. During the development of the mountain, they tried to install wind generators here twice, but they were blown away by the wind, and these are multi-ton structures.This place is also famous for the highest wind speed recorded in the world - 50 m / s.

But these are not just gusts of wind, this is a constant state of nature: in 1949, for 125 days, the wind blew here at a speed of 15 m / s, and similar records are frequent here. That is why, before planning the ascent on the cable car, find out if it works - because of strong winds it can be closed.

In addition, climbing Ai-Petri, we look forward to a wonderful panoramic view. But the guides themselves say that if this happened, then a miracle happened, because Fog is observed here 2/3 days a year, that is, you can see only the cap of the clouds. It also receives 1.5 times more precipitation than in Yalta - 1052 mm.

In winter, the weather can also be very different. It is a snowy place with raging blizzards. Experienced tourists recommend buying a balaclava (special forces cap) and ski goggles with tinted glasses.

The climate of Ai-Petri is so peculiar that in different years in the same months the average daily temperature can be very different.

The warmest month is July, sometimes August, very rarely June. On average, the temperature in the middle of summer is 15.6 degrees, the maximum indicator is fixed at around +32 degrees. And the coldest February is recognized with its average temperature of 3.8 degrees below zero.

Snow falls on the mountains in early October and melts in early May. But there were years when the snow fell in July, September or December.

The coordinates of the top point of the cable car (Okhotnichye village) on the map: 44.451652, 34.060232. It is here that not only the cable car goes, but also public transport. You can also get here by car. But not all year round. In winter, on the highway, the traffic service will politely but persistently turn you back, because not every experienced driver is able to take transport to the top of the mountain along the winter serpentine. The road is often covered with snow, but it is regularly cleaned for the free movement of Crimeans and guests - skiers.

Leaving Yalta in your car, you need to turn onto the South Coast Highway, which goes towards Sevastopol. At the Bakhchisarai turn there is a road sign to Ai-Petri. There is also information about whether the road is open. Next, you need to follow the signs at a low speed: this is a serpentine road with a huge number of sharp turns.

To get there by public transport, you can use one of the following options:

• go to the Yalta bus station, where to look for the place of departure of routes No. 102 or 107 to Miskhor;
• get to the Yalta clothing market, and there take bus number 132 towards the mountains; the trip will take about 40 minutes along the serpentine road to Miskhor;
• from the bus station, use private minibuses that will take you directly to the top of the mountain - they do not have a schedule, but they have a loud voice with which they invite to the mountain;
• many choose the sanatorium “Uzbekistan” as the beginning of the route (no need to go to the bus station), and there they already catch a ride up the mountain or regular buses to Miskhor.

Each way to get to the top has pros and cons. In an organized group, it is important to keep up with the transport and the guide, but here you will skip the line to the cable car. On a private car, the main thing is to park the car without entering into conflicts with local parking tycoons in Miskhor. It is easier to climb to the top in a private car, but then there will be no opportunity to test your nervous system on the cable car.Hiking is not available to everyone due to health and long ascent, but the real beauty can be seen just like that - slowly.

Ai-Petri is a magnet that again and again draws to itself, calls to see something else new and no less beautiful.

See the report on the ascent of Ai-Petri on foot below.