All about Uzundzha canyon in Crimea

Crimea cannot be called a part of Colorado, but nevertheless there are crevices here. Of course, they are not the deepest on earth, but this does not detract from their beauty. Hiking trails along mountain rivers are very popular among tourists, as they allow you to take a break from the bustle of the city and the noise of the metropolis. An excellent place for such an excursion is the Uzundzha Canyon in Sevastopol.

From the Turkic language, the name of the Uzundzha canyon is translated as "long river". This surprises many tourists who find themselves in this picturesque place in the summer - the fact is that under the scorching rays of the sun, the water dries up. But in early spring or early autumn, the river appears in all its glory, turning into a real mountain beauty, full-flowing and swift. The total length of the canyon is 7.8 km, the width varies from 80 to 700 m. The highest point is about 560 m above sea level.

Conventionally, the Uzundzha canyon can be divided into two parts - one leads from the village of Rodnikovoye to the village farm Kolkhoznoye and has a relatively flat road so that a passenger car passes without any problems. The second route starts from Kolodnoye - this is a completely wild path, it is impossible to overcome it by car.

There are several interesting routes along the canyon. Crimea is still a relatively small peninsula, the canyon originates from the Ai-Petrinskaya yayla, and the well-known Suuk-Su spring is considered the source of the river. First, the river flows between the mountains along the basin, here is the settlement of Kolkhoznoye.

The gorge itself begins a little further, when the channel makes a sharp turn.

The river is surrounded by picturesque sheer cliffs that hang over it, rising for almost a kilometer. Over the millennia, the stones, under the influence of wind and water, have acquired the most intricate shapes and a rough surface - this is especially clearly visible at the bottom of the canyon in the summer, when the river dries up - at this time you can appreciate the amazing stone vases, bowls and baths, as if carved by water. The entire valley is literally strewn with light round pebbles that resemble ping-pong balls, only intended for giants.

If you go to the valley in spring or summer after a heavy rain, you can enjoy the beauty of gutters and various rifts - there are quite a few of them, although their height cannot be called a record one. The highest waterfall rises by 10 m, the water in them remains cool even in summer, but this does not stop mountain swimmers.

The massif is densely covered with vegetation - here you can find juniper bushes, fruit trees, as well as beech.

Among the sights of the canyon, several places can be distinguished.

Suuk-su Spring - translated from the Turkic, its name means "cold water", this spring is filled with sediments accumulating in the underground voids of the entire plateau.

Uzundzha cave - not far from the source, just above it, you can see a slit-like entrance to the cave, which is an extensive network of passages with a total length of 1.5 km.

No important historical finds have been made in this place.

Not far from the village of Rodnikovoye in the place where the canyon intersects with Baydar Valley, you can see giant stone blocks about 3 m high. It is believed that they appeared around the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC NS.

Skelsky spring - this is the second largest spring in Crimea, a distinctive feature of which is the strongest discharge of water, its flow rate is close to 1400 l / s. The water never dries up, and the locals believe that it is the spirit of Uzundzhi that gives the source of strength, as if it were the second breath of the mountains.

Skelskaya cave famous throughout Crimea - a majestic cave in the canyon, which is equipped for tourist excursions. The length of the passages in it is only 700 m. The vaults are quite high, empty, as if decorated with the most intricate incrustations in the form of wild animals - if you look closely, you can see the outlines of a gopher, a monkey, as well as dangerous dragons, a phoenix and other mythical creatures. Some even compare the pillars with the architectural structures of the Crimea - the Swallow's Nest and the Russian Fortress.

The canyon is famous for its waterfalls in the Uzundzhi river valley - Dry and dead... They look very impressive - the valley near them is literally strewn with flowers, which sparkle in the spray of water and shimmer with their juicy colors. In hot weather, the waterfalls are empty, and they can only be found by the thickets of moss that cover the stones. No less interesting is the waterfall Thorny dew.

The section of the canyon between these falls is often called By the dead gorge - the fact is that bones of dead animals are often found here, in addition, tourists note that in this place the general state of health sharply worsens, up to a complete loss of strength and even fainting. The most mysterious and mysterious legends circulate about the Dead Gorge, which chill the soul. However, none of them has any scientific or historical confirmation, but in any case, there are indeed energy anomalies in this place.

Tourists walking along the canyon should bear in mind that it will not be possible to overcome the route by car. Of course, in the upper reaches of the river there is a small road along which you can drive, but in this way you can only get to the middle of the gorge, and then you will have to leave the vehicle and walk further, overcoming blockages of stones, in places slippery and covered with water.

To every tourist who has chosen this route you should take care of comfortable shoes with thick anti-slip soles, a hiking suit, a supply of food and drinking water and, of course, a small first aid kit. But even in this case, the road will be fraught with many dangers, therefore, mainly people with special mountaineering training and appropriate equipment or accompanied by guides move along it to the canyon.

In the next video, you can observe the beauty of Uzundzhi Canyon from a bird's eye view.