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For our parents, children and grandmothers, Sochi has always been a popular destination for a July-August beach holiday. For my peers, Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana are the place where the Winter Olympics took place in 2014. For me, it is, first of all, the crazy beauty of nature and mountains. So beautiful that a few years ago my wife and I left Moscow and now live in Sochi. In the five years since the move, I have already made more than 70 hikes in the Caucasus and decided that I have the moral right to make something like a "Guide" to this fantastic region for any tourist and outdoorsman! On this large page (stock up on attention and patience), I have collected all the basic information for planning and organizing an independent trip around Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana.
To begin with, what attracted us personally to this place so much that we moved here to live?
Why Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana?
- Mild climate and super ecology. Despite the fact that in the winter months it often rains on the coast, and snowfalls in the mountains, the climate here is, of course, many times more comfortable for life than in my native Siberia, or in the Urals, or even in central Russia. There is no need to talk about ecology. There are no large industrial enterprises in Sochi, and daily morning sea and evening mountain breezes purify the city's air from exhaust gases.
- Long hiking season. The climate of these places allows you to go to the mountains for six months - from June to November!! And if you pay attention not only to the mountains, but also to the coast with its numerous waterfalls and gorges, then the hiking season becomes year-round!
- Huge opportunities for multi-sports. Those who love sports and mountains can find entertainment for every taste: classic hiking and mountain hiking, mountain biking, via feratta routes, rafting, canyoning and even bungee jumping with a rope!
- Excellent infrastructure. The new railway from the airport and railway station in Adler or Sochi will take you to Krasnaya Polyana in an hour, and excellent trails and even the presence of mountain shelters and campgrounds allow you to walk in the mountains in comfort and even with small children and at the same time enjoy the beauty of nature. A plane from Moscow is also inexpensive compared to flights abroad (just buy in advance!).
- Safety. Forgive me, tolerists and cosmopolitans, Sochi and its environs are fundamentally different from other regions of the Caucasus. You can be sure that you will not have any clashes with the locals. The settlement of Krasnaya Polyana is historically generally inhabited by ethnic Greeks and Estonians, and Sochi - by Armenians, who, as they know, do not profess Islam, but Christianity. The proportion of the Russian population here, in my opinion, is even greater in Moscow.
Minuses? From the point of view of "sports" tourism and mountaineering, the only disadvantage of the Krasnaya Polyana mountains is their low height. There are practically no serious glaciers and long vertical walls. Also, many are annoyed by the fact that most of the mountains of Krasnaya Polyana are located on the territory of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, which imposes certain difficulties with organizing hikes (more on them below), but in my opinion the presence of a reserve is not a minus, but a plus. It is terrible to imagine what would happen to these beautiful mountains if they were not protected by law! As for the disadvantages of the city of Sochi in terms of a place to live - I personally want more direct flights not only to Moscow, but also abroad. And a couple - three embassies of European countries. Do not need anything else! But back to hiking, after all, this is an outdoor guide!
5 day trip ideas all year round
Everyone who comes to Sochi for only a few days wants to see all the most interesting things. But how to do that? After all, only the length of Sochi along the Black Sea coastline is more than 100 kilometers! (by the way, one of the longest cities in the world), and if we add to this the gorge of the Mzymta River, in the upper reaches of which the village of Krasnaya Polyana is located with the new ski resorts Rosa Khutor, Gornaya Karusel and Gazprom-Laura "... And if we add to this the neighboring "friendly" Abkhazia .. How to do everything in time?
To begin with, I will share a list of the TOP 5 easy and one-day routes that are available all year round - both in winter and in summer.
(1)
Walk through the relict forest along a beautiful equipped trail. Both routes are accessible to absolutely everyone, regardless of the level of training. Just wear sports shoes. Must have for exploring the nature of the "seaside climatic zone". On hot summer days, you can even swim in the canyon of the Khosta River!!
Getting there: 15 minutes from the Sputnik bus stop in Khost.
Two circular routes - "Small Ring" (the walk takes about 1 hour) and "Big Ring" (from 2 to 4 hours).
(2)
Zmeykovskiye waterfalls are unique in that even in the hottest summer months, the water in the Dikarka River is enough for you to admire their unusual five (!), albeit small, waterfalls. Lovers of delicious food in nature will like a cozy restaurant near the lower waterfall.
How to get there: 10 minutes walk from the stop of the minibus or bus number 120.
A walk through all five waterfalls and back will take from one and a half to three hours.
(3)
Walking towards the Orekhovsky waterfall is my favorite option for a hike when you want to breathe fresh air and take a break from the city. The route is not difficult - ordinary sneakers are enough from the equipment and a short one - a couple of hours can be enough for a walk to the waterfall and back! In addition, the Orekhovsky waterfall is one of the highest waterfalls in Sochi.
From the center of Sochi and back - from 3 to 5 hours.
How to get there: by taxi or half an hour on foot from the final stop of the city bus.
(4)
A cascade of three waterfalls in the picturesque canyon of the Agura River is one of the most popular places of pilgrimage for summer tourists, but these waterfalls are most beautiful in autumn and spring, when there is more water and fewer tourists!
How to get there: 20 minutes walk from the Sputnik stop (any minibus in the direction of Sochi - Adler)
The walk to the first large waterfall and back will take about 1.5 hours, if you go further with the ascent to the rocks of Prometheus for at least 2.5 - 3 hours.
(5)
By some miracle, not included in all sorts of Sochi tourist guides, the waterfalls on the Svanidze stream are not at all big, but amazing. The trail to the upper waterfall constantly winds from one side of the Svanidze stream to the other, in some places dangerously approaching the cliff. If you go out early, you can manage to reach further, to the Azhek waterfalls!
Start of the route: final stop of bus #102.
From the final stop to the waterfalls and back - 4 hours.
ONE-DAY TRIPS TO THE MOUNTAINS OF KRASNAYA POLANA
Mountain hiking season in the vicinity of Krasnaya Polyana begins no earlier than mid-June when, after the snow melts in the mountains, the reserve opens routes. The best time for hiking is July-August, the period of the most stable and warm weather. After the occurrence of snow cover, the routes are closed again. It usually happens mid October.
(1)
The ascent to the top of the Stone Pillar is the most accessible mountain walk in the vicinity of Krasnaya Polyana. From the top, a majestic all-round panorama of the mountains of the Western Caucasus opens up, and if you're lucky, you can even see the Black Sea. Absolutely anyone can climb the Stone Pillar, since an excellent path (in fact, a dirt road) leads from the cable car station to the top, marked with signs. It's impossible to get lost.
Start of the route: the upper station of the Roza-Khutor cable car.
The walk from the top station of the cable car takes about 1.5 to 3 hours.
(2)
Thanks to a specially equipped trail and a relatively small elevation difference for mountains, today this is perhaps the only alternative to the route to the top of the "Stone Pillar" among the easy walking routes in the mountains of Krasnaya Polyana available to everyone.
How to get there: by cableway "Gornaya Karusel" from Estosad (Krasnaya Polyana).
Timing: the trip itself is from one and a half to three hours, plus another half hour for the ascent and descent on the cable car.
(3) Khmelevsky lakes - Achipsinsky waterfalls
A walk from the Khmelevsky lakes to the Achipsinsky waterfalls is a great option for a mountain walk for the whole day. To gain time and save energy, you can go up to the Khmelevsky Lakes in jeeps (from 4,000 rubles per car, you can arrange a pick-up right at the Rosa Khutor station square).
Timing: from the end of the road to the nearby lakes and back - an hour and a half, to Mirror Lake and back - 4 hours, to Achipsinsky waterfalls - at least 5-6 hours round trip.
(4) Bzerpinsky cornice
Hiking on the Bzerpissky cornice is my favorite hike in the mountains for the weekend. I even wrote a small guidebook! You can climb to a height of 1600 meters on a cable car, and in just two hours (permanent climb uphill) you will be in the zone of alpine meadows. Views of the surrounding peaks, blooming rhododendron and the Krasnaya Polyana gorge right under your feet are guaranteed!
How to get there: Pikhtovaya Polyana station of the Laura-Gazprom cable car on Rosa Khutor (Krasnaya Polyana)
From the upper station of the cable car and back - from 6 to 9 hours at a sports pace.
(5) Mount Achishkho
Achishkho is one of my favorite peaks in Krasnaya Polyana. I am also writing a hotel guide for this mountain. From the top there is a panorama of the Black Sea coast and a view of the Greater Caucasus.
To go to the top and back in one day, you need either excellent physical training (a climb of almost 2000 vertical meters, and then the same amount of descent, a task not for the weak in body) or not cheap, from 5,000 rubles for a car transfer to Khmelevsky lakes!
MULTI-DAY HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS
Multi-day camping trips with an overnight stay in a tent are timeless classics. Only in this format you can truly take a break from the pressure of modern civilization and chat with friends live while sitting by the evening fire, and not through instant messengers and social networks, because there is practically no connection on such routes :)
If you are not ready to plan a route on your own, are not sure that you can correctly determine the path, or simply do not have your own tourist equipment, in the mountains of Krasnaya Polyana there is a unique opportunity for our country - to spend the night in the mountains in pre-installed tents of the Krasnaya Polyana Mountain Club or go with children on unique trips combined with tourism skills training! And if you want, you can also rent equipment from them and go on your own.
Hikes are listed in ascending order of duration and complexity, starting with the easiest.
(1) Bzerpinsky cornice - Kholodny camp
If you only dream of starting hiking and the mountains in particular, hiking on the Bzerpinsky cornice is the best option for you. The equipped trail, the availability of places to rest, the presence of cellular communication make this route as safe as possible for such an experience. And the views all around - you will rock. Just dress warmly, it's cold in the mountains at night!
Start of the route: upper station of the cable car "Gazprom"
Duration: 2 to 4 days.
(2)
Super popular place. Especially in autumn, when all local photographers aspire to come here. If you want to see something else besides the lake (climb the neighboring peaks) - book more days!
Start of the route: the village of Rosa-Khutor or Engelmanov Polyany
The lake is located simultaneously on the territory of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve and in the border zone. So you have to take care of passes in advance.
Duration: 4 to 8 days.
(5) Abkhazia
Recently, Abkhazia is my favorite region for multi-day trips. At the height of summer, when the surroundings of Krasnaya Polyana are full of tourists, there is absolute silence here, no problems with passes and border guards. Maximum scope for creativity in the field of building multi-day routes!
Start of the route: Lake Ritsa or Gegsky waterfall
Duration: 3 to 7 days.
IMPORTANT! Since 2/3 of the mountains surrounding Krasnaya Polyana and Sochi are located on the territory of the Caucasian State Biosphere Reserve and in close proximity to the state border with Abkhazia, for most multi-day hikes you will need to issue two passes - from the reserve (done on the spot) and from the border guards ( Documents must be submitted at least one month in advance. In addition, you need to understand that you can only walk in the reserve along permitted routes (this is important!) And not at any time of the year (at the beginning of summer and autumn, the reserve is closed for registration. Scientists observe the animals and make their calculation. All routes listed above are part of the list of allowed routes.More about passes below.
Map of outdoor attractions of Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana
The city of Sochi is well known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. Picturesque places not spoiled by industrial enterprises, the unique proximity of the sea and mountains make it the best place not only for recreation, but also for practicing sports such as mountaineering, skiing, diving, freestyle and others.
(Krasnaya Polyana is their pearl) - this is, first of all, nature, and only then museums, an arboretum, architecture and other objects of historical value.
Krasnopolyansky District
The Krasnopolyansky district, located in the Adler region, includes several villages located nearby. More than 5,000 people live in this territory, most of which are Russians, Greeks and Estonians.
The district includes various villages.
- Esto-Sadok - a population of about 900 people.
- Medoveevka, where only 118 people live.
- The village of Kepsha with a population of 316 people.
- Chvizhepse is the smallest settlement in the district - only 60 people.
- Krasnaya Polyana is inhabited by more than 4,500 people.
The village of Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi), whose sights are associated with the tourism business, became the venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The virgin nature of this district attracts not only athletes, but also ecotourists. The main activity of the residents of the village and nearby villages is serving tourists and athletes.
Hotels in Krasnaya Polyana
A fertile place for tourism is Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi). Attractions (reviews from travelers confirm this) of this district will leave satisfied the most demanding and experienced tourists. It has everything for a good holiday: the sea, mountains, clean air, excellent service, cozy hotels and recreation centers.
The settlement arose on the site of the old Abkhaz settlements in 1869, and in 1878 more than 30 Greek families who fled from the Turkish invaders moved into it. Today it is a tourist center where people from all over the world have a rest.
Hotels are also peculiar sights of Sochi. Krasnaya Polyana is no exception. Here you can find accommodation for every taste, whim and wallet. For example, the Grand Hotel Polyana, the recreation complex Belarus, the Peak Hotel and other bases offer excellent service, comfortable rooms, Turkish baths and saunas, professional massage, billiards, swimming pools and many other entertainments.
Many tourist bases are located in nearby villages, for example, in Esto-Sadok, which is part of the Krasnaya Polyana district (Sochi). Sights (photos show this) include not only ski slopes, restaurants and bars, but also the ruins of the ancient Achipse fortress (7th century), the largest apiary in the area, Mountain Garden, where you can taste fresh honey, and a smaller copy of the Cheops pyramid. Made of wood, this pyramid is a tool to study the effect of its shape on water, people and metals. Anyone can freely enter it and become part of the experiment.
Trinity-Georgievsky Monastery
The Trinity-Georgievsky Convent belongs to the category of "new sights of Sochi". Krasnaya Polyana can be proud of its appearance on its land, since there are only 3 churches where you can pray for dead suicides and unbaptized people in Russia.
The monastery was built surrounded by mountains in a very picturesque place on the territory of a closed recreation center. In a clearing around a small pond, there are 4 temples of amazing beauty and residential buildings for nuns and pilgrims.
Monastic churches protect the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and particles of the saints of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and St. Panteleimon, sealed in special capsules.
The Trinity-Georgievsky Monastery was built exclusively with money from donations, and today it accepts all the sick and suffering.
Reservoirs in Krasnaya Polyana
Reservoirs are another attraction of Sochi. Krasnaya Polyana has several unique water sources at once, which are widely known outside the Krasnodar Territory.
Khmelevsky lakes, located at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, are part of the Sochi National Park. Since 2012, convenient walking paths and steps have been equipped on their territory, and thrill-seekers are offered a jeep ride along a serpentine road.
The most beautiful view, convenient places for tourist parking have made Khmielewskie lakes a popular place for ecotourism.
Among the water attractions that the village of Krasnaya Polyana is rich in, mineral springs are especially popular. They are visited by people suffering from infertility and diseases of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and nervous systems.
Multiple cases of healing, especially by the waters flowing near the villages of Matsesta and Kudepsta, attract those who want to improve their health all year round.
The Brothers waterfall usually has a mesmerizing effect on tourists. Two powerful streams from which it is formed fall from the height of Mount Achishkho, 2000 meters above sea level.
If Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi) is chosen for ecotourism, the attractions in summer in this region are its lakes and springs. For lovers of hiking, hiking trips are organized, during which you can enjoy both beautiful views and the cleanest air, as well as the flora and fauna of these places.
Ski resorts
The pride of Krasnaya Polyana is its ski slopes of international level and hotels with high-level service.
The bases serving tourists are divided into categories, so each client can choose a place to stay in economy, standard or VIP class in advance. The ski slopes meet all world-class standards, which puts them on a par with the famous ski resorts of European countries.
Alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh and freestyle competitions are held here, but this does not deter those who decide to ski for the first time. Experienced instructors will teach you how to confidently walk and descend from the mountains. The famous Olympic ski slopes - that's what Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi) can boast of. Attractions in winter are, among other things, paths of various levels of difficulty, which attracts winter sports enthusiasts from all over the country and from abroad.
Dolmens
Not far from the village of Krasnaya Polyana there are mysterious ancient dolmens, the true purpose of which is still unknown to scientists. These stone structures made of heavy monolithic slabs are over 4,000 years old and today they are considered the best preserved in the country.
Krasnopolyansk dolmens have ground-level entrances, they are small in size and more like tombs. Since dolmens were found at the foot, scientists suggest that there are many more of them, just other objects are still covered with earth and stones due to mountain landslides.
You can get to these places either by jeep or on foot (about an hour).
Rybino
For lovers of fishing and delicious healthy food, the Rybino complex was built about 20 years ago, located in a remote place among 3 lakes. To get to this fish paradise, you should either travel on off-road vehicles yourself, or call them from the complex.
Your efforts will not seem in vain. Excellent fishing for carp and carp makes even a beginner feel like an experienced fisherman. From the caught fish, local chefs will immediately prepare a delicious dinner, and while it is being prepared, customers can relax and take a steam bath in a real Russian bath.
For children, a visit to the local small zoo will be a real adventure, where you can pet and feed the animals.
Holidays in Krasnaya Polyana can be so varied that even "experienced" travelers speak of this area as a place where dreams of the most exciting adventures come true. For this, Krasnaya Polyana has everything you need.
cable car
What other sights does Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi) represent? reveals a lot of interesting things. On it you can climb up to 2100 meters.
It is a link between the Alpika Service, Rosa Khutor complexes and the Gornaya Karusel ski resort. The new cable car branches, built recently, will be able to deliver skiers to the peak of the Black Pyramid.
In order for the resort to function year-round, a factory was built that produces ice for mountain slopes.
Krasnaya Polyana after the Olympic Games
Today, Krasnaya Polyana is a ski resort well advertised thanks to the Olympics, which attracts winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. A large number of attractions, both natural and man-made, will impress any traveler. Everything is here for a great holiday: the sea, mountains, lakes, rivers, healing springs, clean air, favorable climate and excellent service.
This area has every reason to become a world-class resort.
Updated: 2019-4-6
Oleg Lazhechnikov
9For readers who have already visited Krasnaya Polyana, this article is nothing new. But if you have just begun to be interested in Russian Courchevel, then most likely your head is spinning. Diving into all these names, you can’t figure out what’s what with a running start. Krasnaya Polyana, Estosadok, Rosa Khutor, Gorki Gorod, Gazprom, Alpika-Service - what the hell is this? Are they resorts or villages? Are these areas of one village or independent settlements? Why do they write everywhere that they belong to a mountain cluster? And what the hell is this mountain cluster anyway? And what side is the Olympic village and the Mountain Carousel?
Krasnaya Polyana is a settlement that everyone considers the largest Russian ski resort. In fact, Krasnaya Polyana is an ordinary urban-type settlement, next to which there is a smaller village - Estosadok. And now Estosadok already includes all the ski resorts whose names you might have seen: Rosa Khutor, Gorki Gorod, Gazprom, Alpika-Service and Gornaya Karusel.
Everything is not so difficult if you know a little history of this location. Krasnaya Polyana was the first to appear here, or rather the village of a mountainous Abkhazian tribe, the first mention of which occurs in 1835. In 1864, the end of the Caucasian War was celebrated here, and the village was named Romanovsk. In 1878, the Greeks moved here and called the place Krasnaya Polyana. In 1950, Krasnaya Polyana received the status of an urban-type settlement. Remember? Krasnaya Polyana is a village, and it is also the administrative center of the Krasnaya Polyana settlement district. What else is included in this village district? The villages of Estosadok, Medoveevka, Kepsha and Chvizhepse.
Estosadok was founded by 36 Estonian families in 1886, who came to Krasnaya Polyana, agreed with the Greek elders to live together on neighboring lands and moved to the terrace, upstream of the Mzymta River. Before the Estonians, Ubykhs and Sadzes used to live here, representatives of the ancient mountain peoples who were forcibly evicted to the Ottoman Empire. Estonians brought with them the culture of agriculture and apple seedlings, thanks to which the village turned into a garden every spring, and it was the apple orchards that gave rise to the solemn name of the village Esto Sadkom in 1912. Remember? The village of Estosadok is a settlement that is part of the Krasnopolyansky settlement district.
In total, on the territory of the Krasnopolyansky settlement district, we have: the urban settlement of Krasnaya Polyana, the village of Estosadok and three other small villages that are not relevant to the case. Okay, you say, but what is Rosa Khutor, Gorki Gorod, Gazprom, Alpika-Service? After all, it is there that the main ski and snowboard party of the Russian Federation is located, it is there that people tend to get in the winter. Where is all this? You guys will be surprised now, but all this is Estosadok. Rosa, Gorki, Gazprom (aka Laura) and Alpika are the infrastructure facilities of Estosad. Do not believe me - Yandex Maps will help you. Write "Estosadok" in the search and enjoy the outline of the village on the map, while I will describe these locations in a little more detail.
Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana is a large village on a terrace under Mount Achishkho. In the southeast, the village rests on the Mzymta River, behind which a railway was built, and further on - the Aibga Range. Krasnaya Polyana has the appearance of a not very even triangle, the base of which we consider the street of the Defenders of the Caucasus, and the height - Zapovednaya street. Krasnaya Polyana is not a resort area and not a party center, but an ordinary village with the infrastructure of an ordinary village, of which there are thousands in the vastness of the Russian Federation. A church, a cemetery, a couple of large supermarkets, a conditional center where the density of shops and cafes is especially high, but otherwise it’s just an array of residential buildings. Somewhere richer, somewhere poorer, well, in some places multi-storey hotels were built.
Krasnaya Polyana does not have lifts to the mountains, but you can easily find here a number of mountain tourism offers in winter and summer, as well as equipment rentals along the road. By the way, the prices for the equipment here are much lower than at the rentals near the Gorka Gorod or Roza ski lifts, although it’s a bit far to drag them around later. Krasnaya Polyana is chosen as a quiet place to stay on vacation, especially in summer, because in comparison with Adler and Sochi, there are adequate prices for hotels, houses and apartments. It is about 38 km from Krasnaya Polyana to the sea, which is about half an hour by car along a drop dead flat highway.
Estosadok
It is already more difficult to deal with Estosadok, but I will try to explain everything on my fingers. Estosadok itself is a very green, pretty residential area, which is located between Estonskaya Street and a steep mountainside. Low-rise houses (although high-rise buildings have already begun to be built in some places), narrow streets, private houses with fences, bullshit dogs, Pyaterochka-Magnits and other paraphernalia of an ordinary village, with a slight emphasis on involvement in the resort area. It is pleasant to walk here, there is even some kind of sidewalks, it is very quiet, and the back street under the mountain is often not cleaned. In some places there are wastelands fenced off for construction, and most likely, over time, there will be a continuation of Gorka Gorod.
New elements were added to the infrastructure of the historic village of Estosadok in different years:
- Gorki Gorod - all-season resort town and gambling zone
- Gornaya Karusel - ski complex
- Russkiye Gorki - a complex for ski jumping
- Gazprom is a mountain and tourist center, popularly known as "Laura"
- Alpika-Service - ski complex
- Rosa Khutor - ski resort
Mountain Carousel and Russian Hills
The Gornaya Karusel ski complex was built by 2008 - long before the Olympic Games came here. The objects of the complex are located on four levels of the northern slope of the Aibga ridge from a height of 570 m above sea level to the Black Pyramid at an altitude of 2,375 m. and the first lifts. Next, you will find a network of cable cars, edalni, rental points, and a fairly large town at an altitude of 960 meters.
The Russian Hills ski jumping complex is located at the very beginning of the village of Estosadok (if you drive from Sochi) near the Esto-Sadok railway station of the same name. Despite the fact that in fact this complex stands on its own, separate from the main cluster of objects of the Gornaya Karusel, Russkiye Gorki is part of the Gornaya Karusel ski complex. There are two ski jumps and a Nordic track, whatever that means. I didn’t get to this location myself, so I don’t have any pictures from there.
Gorki City
Gorki The city is located on the opposite side of Estonskaya street from Estosad. If you arrive in Estosadok along the New Krasnopolyanskoye Highway, then an interesting picture awaits you at the entrance. The main road goes a little to the left, and further from it you can only turn left, into the residential area. And with your car, you can enter the territory of the resort city only through gates with turnstiles. The movement of pedestrians between the village and the resort town is not limited by anything, except for a small number of pedestrian crossings: only three. With local traffic and the width of the roadway, I would say that this is very insufficient.
Built in 2010 on the territory of the Gornaya Karusel ski complex, Gorki Gorod has become something like a local Arbat. In fact, this is just one street, stretching parallel to the Mzymta River, around which beautiful multi-storey buildings, huge squares with alleys and fountains, a casino, several large hotels, including the Sochi Marriott Krasnaya Polyana, are built. A lot of cafes and restaurants of different price levels, a local bazaar, a large shopping and entertainment center Gorky Gorod Mall and a lot of parking space, both ground and underground. Here, as well as at the entrance to each ski complex, there is a large sign with the designation of free parking spaces.
Alpika-Service
Alpika-Service was the very first large-scale construction project, since the times of the Soviet Union, aimed at the development of a ski resort. They were built for a long time: they laid an antediluvian double cable car from 1993 to 2001, and in 2005 they opened a modern four-seater cable car. Then, as happens in the Russian Federation, a debate suddenly began between the private owners of Alpika and the state, represented by the governor of the Krasnodar Territory. From 2006 to 2007, the complex was opened and closed, and the war ended with the fact that in 2008 Gazprom bought it for a ridiculous $15 million.
Gazprom
The mountain-tourist center of JSC "Gazprom" begins at the foot of the Psekhako ridge. From 2000 to 2013, lifts, parking lots, bus stops, a walking area, outdoor pools, a cinema and a huge Galaktika shopping center with a water park inside appeared here. The lifts can take you to the Laura ski and biathlon complex (1,430 m) and the hotels of the former Olympic Village. It was built specifically for the Olympics, for the accommodation of athletes, in addition to the same Olympic village on the neighboring slope, but this is a story about Rosa Khutor. That is why Gazprom is often called Laura - these are two objects in one location.
Rosa Khutor
The Rosa Khutor ski complex is considered the largest ski resort in the Russian Federation. The Roza objects are located on the slopes of the Aibga ridge from the very bottom (570 m above sea level) to Roza Peak at an altitude of 2,320 m and Kamenny Pillar at an altitude of 2,509 m. The complex began to work in 2010. The lower part of Rosa Khutor is a puppet town with neat beautiful buildings, which at the same time resembles both Amsterdam and the old center of Moscow. According to the developer, when creating the town, many nuances were taken into account and a “green”, ecological approach to construction was applied: trees were planted to replace the cut ones, some rare lizards and butterflies were relocated, and even the population of some special cheetahs was revived.
I don’t know which of this is true, but as far as I understand, after the Olympics, all this infrastructure was not transferred to the jurisdiction of the Caucasian Reserve (and the construction site belongs precisely to its area of responsibility). Bablo conquers everything. But let's not talk about sad things - the town turned out to be extremely nice and atmospheric. Mzymta was shackled in concrete and tiles, four bridges were thrown across the river, one of which leaves exactly near the Krasnaya Polyana railway station. The name of the station, I believe, also contributed to the general confusion with the names and disorientated many newcomers to the resort. The buildings along the waterfront house hotels, restaurants and boutiques. The walk along both sides of the river is short, but full of impressions and pictures.
Rosa Khutor also includes the cultural and ethnographic center "My Russia", which was built a little upstream of the Mzymta, immediately after the huge mourning array of Rosa Hall - a concert hall performed extremely dumb. At an altitude of 960 meters, the Rosa Khutor ski resort has its own Olympic Village - a large hotel complex located in several tiers. Hotels, shops, entertainment infrastructure, rentals and lifts, as well as large areas for car parking. Yes, you can drive your car here, although the road has become very bumpy in places, and you also need to take into account that the Alpine Highway is a concrete serpentine.
Rosa Khutor Valley
At an altitude of 500 meters above sea level and at a distance of about 40 km from the Black Sea coast
In the vicinity of Krasnaya Polyana there are 4 ski resorts, which call themselves resorts. They are each other's competitors and therefore each resort has its own separate site.
Each complex has its own ski pass and its own lift.
In the future, there are plans to merge them, but for now they all operate autonomously from each other.
Krasnaya Polyana is practically two merged small villages, Krasnaya Polyana and Esto Sadok. Both villages are located on the banks of the Mzyta River, both villages are reached by railway and motor roads.
A little confusion may arise with the names of railway stations. There are two stations in the common resort Krasnaya Polyana - Esto Sadok.
The first station is located between the village of Krasnaya Polyana and Esto-Sadok. And it's called Esto Sadok. And the second station on many maps is designated as Krasnaya Polyana, but its full name is Rosa Khutor (Krasnaya Polyana) and it is located outside the village of Krasnaya Polyana close to all the main ski lifts and the village of Esto Sadok.
Location map of ski centers
In order to get to Krasnaya Polyana from Sochi or Adler, it is enough to take a comfortable Swallow train. Travel time from Sochi - 1 hour 20 - 1 hour 30 minutes, from Adler 45 minutes. You can travel by bus and by your own or rented car. Travel time from Adler airport is 30 minutes.
All lifts are located closer to Esto Sadok village. However, Krasnaya Polyana has a livelier evening life, more shops and restaurants. You can stay both in hotels and apartments located in Krasnaya Polyana and Esto Sadka, and in hotels belonging directly to mountain resorts, from which it is easier to get to the ski lifts.
Four ski resorts are located as follows: on the right side of the railway, if you drive from Adler or Sochi, there are three resorts. The first - Gorki-Gorod (Gornaya Karusel lifts), the second Alpika-Service, the third Rosa Khutor. All these three resorts are located on the slopes of Mount Aigba.
On the other side is the resort of Gazprom. It occupies the slope of Mount Psekhako.
Ski resort Alpika-Service
Alpika-Service is the oldest complex, which opened back in 1993, and when you saw the president and prime minister of our country skiing in Sochi before the Olympics at the beginning of the century, these were the tracks of Alpika-Service. But before the Olympics, this complex was closed for reconstruction and has not yet been opened. However, it is planned to launch the first stage of the resort and new cable cars by the 2015-2016 season.
Ski resort Gorki-Gorod
The mountain resort Gorki Gorod is a ski complex Gornaya Karusel, hotels located on two levels, as well as a spa complex, restaurants, a shopping and entertainment center, nightclubs.
At the level of 540 meters there are hotels, apartments, a shopping and entertainment center with a water park, boutiques, parking, nightclubs.
The upper level of 960 meters is high-class hotels, restaurants, and spas, with excellent panoramic views. Top-tier hotels have their own exits to the cable car stations.
The lower and upper levels are connected by roads and a cable car.
GTZ (Mining Tourist Center) Gazprom
By the name of the river Laura and the biathlon center Laura, GTZ Gazprom is often called Laura. The center was opened in 2008. It enjoys well-deserved popularity for good service, comfortable tracks that are suitable for skiing the whole family. Gazprom has both serious black and red tracks.
Gondola lifts go up to the Psekhako plateau, and then chair and tow lifts lead directly to the beginnings of the slopes.
Accommodation is offered in a luxurious five-star Grand Hotel Polyana, a whole complex located on the banks of the Laura River. The complex includes a hotel, individual villas, and a wellness center.
Also, Gazprom offers accommodation in the 4 * hotel "Peak Hotel", it also has the opportunity to stay in separate chalets, there is a beauty and health center. Located at around 680 m
The third hotel "Polyana 1389 Hotel and Spa", respectively, is located at around 1389. It also has a Spa Center, the possibility of staying in a hotel and in cottages
Ski resort Rosa Khutor
Rosa Khutor is a new ski center that appeared for the 2014 Olympics.
Differs in special comfort, very high level of service, fine equipment.
Hotels and apartments are located on two levels. Rosa Khutor Valley and Rosa Khutor 1170 meters, where the Mountain Olympic Village was located.
The lower level hotels are 3 and 4 stars, restaurants and bars, at the top there are hotels of a budget level.
