Apsheronskiy District: Gorges, Rocks and Nature

The landscape of Apsheronskiy District ranges from narrow gorges and steep rock faces to forests, springs and caves. The natural attractions differ not only in what they offer, but also in scale. When choosing a holiday apartment in the district, the landscapes that interest you most can provide a helpful starting point.

Comparing Gorge Sizes

The natural monument “Guamskoye Ushchelye” is 3 km long and about 400 m deep. In its lower reaches, the gorge is 15–30 m wide; in its upper reaches, it is 100–200 m wide. The walls are steep and, in places, vertical. The Kurdzhips River rushes through the valley over rapids and small waterfalls. The amplitude within the gorge is 95 m. Comparing the narrow lower reaches with the wider upper reaches shows just how much the perspective changes within the gorge.

A rail vehicle ride through the natural monument “Guamskoye Ushchelye” is currently offered daily. Check the schedule before planning your visit, as times may change. There are railings and waste bins in the gorge. On particularly dangerous steep slopes, fixed metal nets hold back mudflows and rockfalls. Their maintenance condition may change, so it is advisable to check before visiting.

Limestone Formations and Forest Landscape

The natural monument “Volchi Vorota” is a limestone ridge divided by the Pshekha River. It is 50 m long and 60–70 m deep, with steep and, in places, vertical walls. A narrow-gauge railway runs through the monument, connecting Chernigovskoye and Otdalennyy; trains run regularly on this route. Memorials to those who fell in the Great Patriotic War stand at both entrances.

The protected area “Kamyshanova Polyana” includes clearings, beech, fir-beech and aspen forests, waterfalls, Vauclusian springs, the Mezmay River and its tributaries, as well as caves. From Mezmay, access is via a rough gravel road that requires an off-road vehicle. Road conditions may change, so check the route before setting out. This is especially important when planning your accommodation and visits to natural attractions together.

Lakes and rock massifs also lend the landscape their own character. “Samurskoye Ozero” is a karst-tectonic lake at an elevation of 328 m, located in the “Pastbishchny Khrebet” range at the watershed between the Kurdzhips and Belaya rivers. It is considered the largest lake in the low- to mid-mountain zone on the northern slope of the Northwestern Caucasus. The “Chernogorye” landscape reserve is a mountain massif in the “Lagonakskoye Nagorye” system, between the Pshekha and Serebryachka rivers; the karst lake Cheshe is located there.

Rock Massif, Plants and Waterfall

The “Skala Sobor” rock massif reaches 1,205 m above sea level at its summit. It extends for 1.3 km, is 150–200 m wide and has southern walls up to 300–350 m high. Five plant species protected by the state grow in the “Guamskoye Ushchelye” gorge: “tis yagodnyy,” “samshit kolkhidskiy,” “klekachka peristaya,” “klekachka kolkhidskaya” and “petrokoma Geffta.” The “Universitetskiy” waterfall is 46 m high, and its stream is 4–6.5 m wide.

In terms of size, the natural monument “Guamskoye Ushchelye,” at 3 km long and about 400 m deep, contrasts with the natural monument “Volchi Vorota,” at 50 m long and 60–70 m deep. This comparison can help you match your search for a holiday apartment with the landscape experience you want to make the focus of your stay in Apsheronskiy District.

Towns and Other Destinations

Also explore the towns of Apsheronsk, Lesogorskaya, Otdalennyy and Kalinina.

Discover more destinations: Seversky District, Armavir, Novorossiysk, Gulkevichsky District.

Back to the regional travel overview: Krasnodar Region.