Kemerovo Oblast: Nature, Rock Art and Culture

Kemerovo Oblast brings together very different travel interests: in Shorsky National Park, mountain rivers and eco-trails beckon, while in Sheregesh, ski slopes meet nature trails. You can experience culture and history at places including Tomskaya Pisanitsa and Kuznetsk Fortress. When planning your trip, first consider which of these highlights matters most to you.

Rivers and trails in Shorsky National Park

In the south of the oblast, visitors can raft on mountain rivers, take motorboat trips and hike along eco-trails in Shorsky National Park. The “Srednyaya Mrassu” rafting route runs from Ust-Kabyrza to Ust-Anzas. Depending on the weather, it takes at least three days; it is rated Category I and is accessible to all age groups. Check the park’s current rules and route conditions before setting off.

The “Verkhnyaya Mrassu” route includes small rapids and riffles rated Categories I and II. Here, water conditions and trip duration depend on participants’ preparation and the water level. This means different planning considerations come to the fore: the “Srednyaya Mrassu” has a weather-dependent minimum duration and is accessible to all age groups, while conditions on the river and participants’ preparation are important for the “Verkhnyaya Mrassu”.

Visitor facilities in the park include more than 30 tourist rest and picnic areas, as well as three equipped bases with a total capacity of up to 54 people. The visitor facilities at “Mednaya”, “Karchit” and “Kabuk” offer tourist accommodation and glamping sites for groups of three to fourteen people, bathhouses, gazebos and cooking fire pits. Check the current availability of these facilities before your trip.

Sheregesh: ski slopes and eco-trails

In Sheregesh, ski slopes range in length from 350 to 3,800 metres. As the resort infrastructure may change, check for current information before your trip. The eco-trails offer a different perspective on the landscape: along the routes are three land-art installations, a dancing forest, “living stones”, block fields and the ancient “Verbljudy” rocks. These rock spires are located on the slope of Mount “Kurgan”.

According to the resort administration, informational video guides featuring interviews with Professor Nikolai Skalon have been installed along the route; in them, he talks about the sights. When planning with children, shared interests can offer a practical guide: the eco-trails lead to distinctive landforms and art installations, while the ski slopes, with their varying lengths, offer another focus. Check local conditions before setting out.

Discover rock art and history

The Tomskaya Pisanitsa Museum-Reserve covers 156 hectares of pine forest on the scenic banks of the Tom River. It is a cultural heritage site of federal significance and is one of the best-known and most important rock-art sites in Western Siberia. Some 300 rock images were left at sites considered sacred; the oldest depictions are 4,000 years old. Since its early years, the reserve has also hosted historical, ethnographic and folklore events and festivals.

At the “Shorsky ulus Kezek” complex near Tomskaya Pisanitsa, the homestead of a wealthy Shor has been reconstructed. The buildings are original structures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At the “Selsky dvorik” petting zoo, visitors can feed domestic goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens, geese and ducks. A visit to Tomskaya Pisanitsa therefore combines rock art with insights into ethnographic themes and encounters with farm animals.

Kuznetsk Fortress in Novokuznetsk is a federal monument of history, military engineering and architecture. Its permanent archaeological exhibition is devoted to the region’s early history; there are also halls for temporary exhibitions. Check the current visitor rules before your visit. Excursion and tourism activities in the Kuznetsky Alatau Nature Reserve are based at the eco-centre, described as the information and education centre of Kuzbass.

Choose a focus for your accommodation search

When searching for a holiday apartment or house, it helps to decide first what kind of trip you want: river routes and park activities, ski slopes and eco-trails, or rock art and history. Choose an area based on the places you most want to visit. If you are travelling with children, you could consider specific interests such as the “Srednyaya Mrassu” route, which is accessible to all age groups, and feeding the animals at the petting zoo.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Novokuznetsk, Sheregesh, Kemerovo, Sosnovka, Novokuznetsk, Tashtagolsky District, Prigorodnyy, Promyshlennovsky District, Zhuravlevo, Yurga, Prokopyevsk, Tashtagol, Myski, Mezhdurechensk, Andreevka, Denisovo, Osinniki, Silino, Novorossiyska, Belovo, Kalinkino, Bedarevo, Kemerovo District, Belovo District, Promyshlennovsky District, Novokuznetsk District, Leninsk-Kuznetsky, Tashtagol District, Anzhero-Sudzhensk, Yashkinsky District, Yaysky District.

For the main travel overview: Russia.