This report is about the tour: Orient Express
Where did the Orient Express go on June 20, 2010?
We always spend our holidays actively, not for the first time we have been gazing at the mountains, caves, waterfalls, ruined walls and other goodies and interesting things of Crimea. We went out on radials many times (with guides or on our own) and did not miss the chance to go on exciting excursions. We can say that we came to our first multi-day hike by evolutionary means. This trip to the eastern Crimea will be remembered forever - unforgettable sensations from the process itself and interesting little things at every step!
The path began from Perevalnoye, moving towards the Kizil-Koba tract. We had already been to the Red Cave a couple of years ago, but we were happy to go a second time. I was struck by the powerful flow of water from the Su-Uchkhan waterfall; these were not at all the same streams flowing from it last time. After having lunch at Tuffovaya Polyana, we began the climb to Dolgorukovskaya Yayla, and immediately felt the difference between climbing lightly and climbing with a backpack on our shoulders. The yayla is very picturesque, you must see such things with your own eyes, green meadows, tours visible in the distance...
On the way to the parking lot, there were often patches of wild strawberries, which we devoured with gusto! In the evening we set up camp, prepared dinner, ate, and sat by the fire. When we fell asleep, it started to rain... ... In the morning there was no more rain, only heavy dew and wet tents reminded of it. From the Mound of Glory we crossed the yayla and walked part of the canyon of the Burulcha River. We didn’t miss the chance to swim in the cold mountain water, which is perfectly invigorating on a hot afternoon. We crossed the small yayla Orta-Syrt and climbed the climb to Karabi.
At first it is not clear why this area is called a lunar landscape, but soon everything falls into place. Karabi... Mesmerizing landscapes... At the weather station (our overnight stay) there were many wanderers like us - on foot, on bicycles or in cars.
In the morning we woke up to the sound of the pioneer bugle! It was the guys from the tourist club standing nearby who woke up their friends and then sang the anthem of our formerly common country with a guitar. We examined the Buzluk-Koba cave, an irresistible desire appeared to go down into it in the future, we will strive for this. From the first day of the journey, we often saw how the neighboring peaks were “eaten up” by huge buoyant clouds, and we really wanted to get into the cloud.
And in the Chiginitra area we had such a chance, everything was covered in clouds, fog rose and a cold wind blew, we even managed to take a couple of photos.
Standing at the cliffs of Karabi, we had a view of the sea, and having walked a little further along the plateau, a herd of horses briskly lined up in front of us, believing that we were their owners. We stopped for the night in a place with an incredibly picturesque view; we pitched the tent a few meters from a small cliff. How do you like this view in the morning “from the window” (pictured)? We liked it too :)
Almost the entire next day we walked through a beech forest, and on a huge beech tree that had fallen across a stream we found oyster mushrooms, which we cut and stewed for dinner. Pasta with stewed meat and mushrooms - you'll lick your fingers! It rained and thunderstormed all night. In the morning it was our turn to be on duty in the kitchen. The firewood was naturally wet, but having halved half a tablet of dry alcohol, we completed the task, had breakfast, and hit the road. In the Panagia tract we swam under the streams of the Arpatsky waterfall. In the evening, in the rain, we reached Veselovskaya Bay, and it was very pleasant to plunge into the warm water under the cheerful drops of summer rain.
The final day we walked through Karaul-Oba and the Golitsin trail. Here I am basically silent and do not reveal secrets, I will only say that we have been to Novosvetsky bays for the 4th time, and I hope we will visit these beautiful places more than once.
P.S. Many thanks for the interesting time spent to all participants and especially to our guide Anton, the trip was a success!
Dear reader, if you like the impressions described in this strange diary, do not hesitate - you need to go to the mountains. You will like everything just as much as we do, no matter what.
Alexey Gorbenko