Holidays in Sochi are a great opportunity to enjoy the Black Sea coast, well-groomed beaches and clear sea, exciting excursions to local attractions await tourists. So, after swimming in the sea and enjoying the night discos and clubs, it's time to visit the best natural attractions of the resort region, among which waterfalls occupy a special place.
We will tell you about several popular waterfalls in Sochi, which are very popular among Sochi residents and guests of the resort. Let's try to draw up understandable routes that will help tourists find themselves at the foot of the rushing streams of water, one glance at which can lead anyone to true delight!
Valley "33 waterfalls"
Let's start our review with a sight called "33 waterfalls". Anyone will be able to visit the valley who happened to be in Lazarevskoye by chance. To make it easier to navigate the terrain, we advise you to focus on the village of Bolshoy Kichmai, which is only 30 km from the resort.
As the name suggests, there are actually 33 waterfalls of various sizes and types in the valley. The only thing that unites them is that they originate from the Dzhegosh stream. The highest water flow originates at a height of 10 meters.
The falling water cascades look especially beautiful in spring, when the stream is saturated with melt water, throwing even more liquid at the feet of tourists. It is worth noting that all the conditions for a full-fledged excursion of tourists have been created here - observation platforms, bridges and stairs have been built, and guides conduct excursions, telling entertaining stories.
You can get to this amazing natural place by bus # 158, which runs on the route "Lazarevskoe - Bolshoi Kichmai". There is one unpleasant moment: from the bus stop to the point of interest, you will have to overcome a seven-kilometer distance.
Therefore, many tourists prefer to use the services of fellow travelers, hire taxis or trucks. But if you are not afraid of difficulties, you can walk to the waterfalls on foot, enjoying the amazing nature around.
Agursky waterfalls
Agursky waterfalls are no less popular, which, in addition to their beauty, are known for an interesting, but very sad legend. According to legend, the girl Agura brought water to her lover, who was chained to a rock.
When her fellow tribesmen found out about this, they threw her off a cliff. The girl crashed and turned into the river of the same name, which since then feeds several waterfalls. The easiest way to get to the attraction is to use the services of buses or fixed-route taxis №2,110,122,125.
Sit down at the Sputnik stop and follow the route to Mount Akhun, from where it will be easy to go down to the waterfalls.
If you decide to go by car, it is enough to enter the address of Kurortny Prospekt, 120, where the health resort "Green Grove" is located, into the navigator. Leaving your car, you need to walk about 1 km to the "Caucasian Aul" restaurant.
Here you will see the entrance leading to the natural masterpiece. An alternative route (for more prepared tourists) is a hike along the trail along the river, which will lead you to your cherished goal. Although this hiking route will be more grueling, you will be able to enjoy the picturesque scenery to its fullest. Remember: the three waterfalls are located at different levels and a path leads to each of them.
It's easier if you plot your route from the top source to the bottom one. You can also use the services of an experienced guide who will not only lead you to the sources, but also tell many interesting stories and legends about this place.
Achipsi waterfalls
Consider another route for lovers of natural wonders, which will lead us to the Achipsi waterfalls. The route runs along a forest path past alpine meadows. The starting point of the route is the Sochi National Park, from where you need to follow along the eastern slope of Mount Achishkho right to the source of the river of the same name with the waterfalls.
Since tourists have a long way to go, it is worth preparing for the hike thoroughly, not forgetting to take with you tents for the night, food and basic necessities.
It is recommended to plan such a hike only during the warm season - from mid-May to mid-October. After all, you have to spend the night in the open air. And one more tip: it is better to hit the road in the company of a whole group of tourists and an experienced guide.
Waterfall Azhek
Azhek can be considered one of the cleanest waterfalls in the Sochi region. It is located on the stream of the same name, 6.5 km from the nearest settlement - the village of Orekhovka. You can find this natural landmark by moving upstream of the Sochi River, bypassing an abandoned apiary. Having reached the last one, you can take a good rest before the final dash.
After all, from this place to the cherished goal there will be only 1 km of the way! With good physical preparation, you will find yourself at Azhek after 5-6 hours of a leisurely journey. You will have an amazing view of the 9.5-meter water jet, which meets at the bottom with the impressive size (about 7 meters in diameter) bowl of the natural pool.
It is worth noting that the waterfall is completely hidden from the sun's rays by dense foliage of trees. Accordingly, the water temperature here is not suitable for anyone for swimming, even in summer. Well, in the remoteness of the waterfall and inaccessibility for tourists, there are advantages, including the excellent sanitary condition of the natural object.
Waterfall aquarius
The walking route to this natural source starts from the bus stop "Settlement Tatyanovka". Buses from the village of Lazarevskoye, which run under the numbers 156 and 157, will deliver everyone to the starting point.
If you decide to get there on your own, we advise you to pay attention to the road signs. Drive along the Lazarevskoe - Tkhagapsh highway. On the territory of the forestry there will be an exit to the beginning of the trail, near which a ticket office is installed.
Almost the entire path will have to go through the dense Colchis forest, which seems to be copied from a movie about dinosaurs and the prehistoric era. A walk through this forest will not leave anyone indifferent, it will allow you to enjoy the rich variety of vegetation - lianas, moss, ferns. The road runs along the very bottom of the gorge (approximately 300-400 meters).
Tourists need to keep to the trail that runs along a small river, whose name either no one remembers, or it was not named at all.
To prevent the guests from getting lost, local tourist organizations and simply not indifferent people covered the path with rubble, made wooden flooring where it was necessary, and also threw small flooring and bridges over numerous streams.
Directly in front of the "Aquarius" waterfall, steps were carved, which will lead visitors to the very source of the water stream. In addition to the ten-meter waterfall, there are also smaller springs, against which you will get excellent photographs!
Waterfall "Maiden's Tears"
As you have already noticed, there are legends about almost all beautiful places. The waterfall with the original name "Maiden's Tears" was no exception. According to legend, the origin of the source is associated with the sad love story of a simple mortal daughter of a shepherd and a forest spirit who lived in these places.
The jealous and evil sorceress, by all means, decided to destroy the feelings between the person and the spirit, threw the girl into the gorge. Since then, a waterfall has appeared here, which personifies unhappy love, unfulfilled happiness and sadness for a beloved.
It is worth noting that the place turned out to be very romantic: thin streams of water, along with numerous droplets, flow down the gentle rocky ledges, which are very reminiscent of shed human tears. Perhaps the spirit itself dwells in these places and communicates with the soul of its beloved ...
There is an amazing attraction in the Krasnopolyanskoye forestry. To get to this place, it is worth following the Adler-Krasnaya Polyana highway and two kilometers before the beginning of the village, turn along the road towards the mountain.
In order not to get lost, use the village of Chvizhepse as a reference point, after passing it in 3-4 km the mentioned exit will be. After a short walk along the mountain path, you will find yourself near a spring, the water of which falls down from a 13-meter height, and, breaking, rushes to the Mzymta River.
On the way to the attraction, you can stop for a moment on the shores of Lake Ritsa, which was formed as a result of melt water from the alpine heights. Passing through a layer of limestone, filtered water enters the lake, therefore, many reservoirs of protected areas can envy the purity of the source.
Zmeikovsky waterfalls
This cascade of waterfalls is very similar to Agurskie, but, unlike them, it never dries up. And all thanks to the large number of springs that feed the unique natural attraction. You can find the attraction by the Zmeika River, which is the right tributary of the Matsesta.
The river owes its name to the unusual shape and color of the water shimmering in the sun. From afar, it seems that a giant snake with sparkling scales is crawling out of a dense forest. We advise you to pay special attention to the section from the first upper to the fifth lower waterfall.
The total length of this section reaches 600 meters. The first spring is represented by two tiers, on the first there is a small natural pool, in which everyone can swim.
It seems that the creators of the pools in the hotels, which are located at the very edge of the terrace near the cliff, drew their ideas from such natural phenomena.
Well, you can drink the purest spring water that feeds the waterfall from the spring located at the very top of the sheer cliff. We guarantee you have never tasted this kind of water! To get to the sights, tourists will need a car to get to Izmailovskaya Street.
The length of the route from Kurortny Prospect Sochi is 12 km, including, you have to overcome the bridge over Matsesta. If you go by bus, then you need to take minibus No. 120, which departs from the railway station and runs every 45 minutes. After disembarking, all you have to do is to overcome the 800 meters long walking path and you will find yourself near the first water stream.
As you can see, tourists who find themselves on the resort coast of Sochi will have something to diversify their vacation program. To make a fascinating trip to natural springs, see some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Russia, take memorable pictures and fall in love with the local beauty forever - this is the motto of those who decide on an exciting excursion!
