A trip to the Krasnodar region is primarily associated with relaxing on the beach and all kinds of entertainment, but there are also many natural attractions here. One of the most picturesque villages where you can find a lot of interesting places is Mezmay. The Eagle Regiment is his business card, which annually attracts thousands of lovers to contemplate the beauty of Mother Nature.

Where is the Eagle Regiment located on the map of Mezmay?

It is located slightly northwest of the village of Mezmay, and is part of the Guam ridge. Nearby you will find other monuments - the Kurdzhips River, Monakhova Cave in the gorge of the same name, Sukhaya Balka and Pyramid.

What is a natural object?

- one of the most picturesque settlements in Kuban. It is surrounded by three mountain ranges - Azish, Guam and Lagonaki.

Here, among the dense forest, they hide noisy waterfalls, spectacular cliffs, canyons and caves. Its name comes from the Adyghe “mez” - forest, “my” - apple. Indeed, these fruit trees are not difficult to find both outside the settlement and on its streets: the local climate is favorable for their growth. Many people associate the appearance of the name of the village with the legend that tells how the brave highlander Khadzhokh saved his native village from the cruel giant Rufabgo. Dzhigit was then helped by a kind, skilled wizard named Mezmay.

The town is positioned as a center mountain tourism, so you won’t find modern nightclubs here shopping centers and other entertainment, but there are countless incredible natural monuments in Mezmay. The Eagle Regiment stands in a special place among all, as it is extremely visited and popular among lovers of wanderings. It is a natural rock ledge, the width of which reaches 5 m, and the rise is 3 m.


A stone canopy hangs over the “Shelf” - as the locals affectionately call it. It is located at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level, and 300 m above Mezmay, so it offers a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area. The shelf is called the Eagle Shelf because above it there is a nesting site for predatory bearded vultures and vultures - they are often confused with eagles by visitors ignorant of ornithology.

The “shelf” was built on the mountain named after Lenin. Some eagle-eyed tourists note that if you look closely at the outlines of the latter, you can see the distinct profile of the leader of the world proletariat.

Rest and routes to the Eagle Shelf

A trip to the Eagle Shelf is a pleasure. The rock is surrounded by a bright, dense forest, where it is easy to see many plants listed in the Red Book, for example, a number of varieties of ferns. The journey cannot be called difficult, but you need to be prepared for a long walk along a winding mountain path. There are several routes leading to the attraction:

1) The most difficult. Its length is 2.5 km. It starts from the square where the monument in Mezmay is located. The path will lead steeply uphill - the elevation gain is 300 m, so this option is not suitable for unprepared travelers. In rainy weather and winter, the trail becomes simply impassable. But its main advantage is this beautiful view will not open from any other road.

2) Bypassing the steep climb. This path is longer than the first by about 100 m, but allows you to get around the most difficult section roads. It originates from Podgornaya Street.

3) Simplest. This road is for those who do not like sharp descents and ascents, since its slope is only 120 m. The total length of the route is 2.7 km. It starts 5 km from Mezmay, so you don’t have to go into the village.

During the journey, travelers will definitely come across a spacious clearing called “Bald”. There are several logs stacked here, where you can catch your breath after a long climb. From here there is a wonderful view of the village in the distance and the dense forest surrounding it. A little lower and to the right of the famous “Shelf” there is another similar reminder - the same rocky ledge, only slightly narrower. From here Mezmay and nearby ridges are also clearly visible. When going here, you need to be very careful - it is impossible to see this place from the path.

Paradise views for tourists

Having finally reached the “Shelf”, it is difficult to contain your emotions. From the steep cliff you can see the majestic Lagonaki plateau, the Zauda and Mezmay mountains, and, naturally, the village of the same name. If on the day of ascent the weather is clear and cloudless, then from the top you can see the outlines of Caucasus Mountains and the Azish-Tau massif.

The undeniable advantage of traveling is the opportunity to take stunning photos. The eagle shelf at a breathtaking height looks very unusual. The limestone rocks here are layered, decorated with emerald hornbeam-beech and fir massifs. It is simply impossible to remain indifferent to such a landscape!

It is better to go sightseeing early in the morning, when excursion groups We still managed to climb to the Eagle Regiment. Although the floor here is mostly wide - about 5 m, you still need to be extremely careful: in some places it does not even reach 1.5 m, which can be dangerous if there are a lot of vacationers here. The edge of the cliff is not equipped with railings - be careful.

How to get there (drive)?

We have analyzed the routes, but here we would like to offer an illustration of a map with possible option hike:

route to the Eagle Shelf

www.openstreetmap.org

Note to tourists

  • Address: Mezmay village, Apsheronsky district, Krasnodar region, Russia.
  • GPS coordinates: 44.210277, 39.935403.
  • Website on the Internet:

Hospitable Mezmay awaits all lovers of exciting hiking and connoisseurs of natural beauty. The Eagle Shelf is the main decoration of the town, which should definitely be included in your travel itinerary. In conclusion, we offer a video description tourist site, Enjoy watching!

The region does not necessarily mean living on the coast, in large resort towns like Sochi and Gelendzhik. A lot of interesting things this region can offer tourists seeking unity with nature and knowledge of its pristine beauty. One of these places is the village of Mezmay, the attractions of which are not modern water parks and man-made sculptures, but mountain rivers, stormy waterfalls and mountains.

Mezmay - the pearl of the Caucasus!

It's hard to believe that in Krasnodar region, which has been popular among tourists for decades, there are still protected areas cut off from civilization. It will be useful to know if you are planning a vacation: Mezmay is not a city of entertainment and nightlife. There are no ultra-modern hotels or large shops here. However, it is here, among the mountains and forests, that you will see rare plants, hundred-year-old trees and enjoy the incredible atmosphere of the natural and calm life that people live local residents. Do not think that such a vacation will be boring, there is still entertainment for tourists here, and the abundance of natural attractions will delight even the most demanding guest.

Geographical location

Literally translated from Adyghe “Mezmay” is “apple garden”. Indeed, there are a lot of fruit-bearing trees here. At the same time, delicious apples can be collected not only in the yards of local residents or gardens, but also in the forest or just on the street. A warm climate promotes the growth of all plants. In the summer, medicinal herbs and berries are harvested in these places, and in the fall a rich harvest of vegetables and fruits is harvested. It is curious that local residents often call their village Bear's Corner. And indeed, in the surrounding forests even today you can easily see a bear. However, wild animals rarely visit the settlement itself, but it is better to go for a walk in its surroundings with a guide as part of a tourist group. How to find a unique village? It's simple: your goal is the Absheron region. Mezmay is located in a river valley called Kurdzhips, surrounded by three mountain gorges.

History of the settlement and our days

At the beginning of the 20th century, at the confluence of Mezmay and Mezmay, a settlement was organized for workers involved in logging. There was also a camp for prison inmates working in correctional labor. Around the same time, a narrow single track was built Railway. Today, only memories remain of those times, but despite this, the distinctive feature of the settlement is its predominantly wooden buildings. It’s easy to count the stone buildings in the entire village on one hand. Local residents are engaged in agriculture - growing crops and raising animals. Despite such a short and prosaic history, Guamka, Mezmay and all neighboring points on the map have the reputation of special energy zones. Very often the village is even called “Russian Shambhala”. Mezmay is surrounded by three gorges: Guamsky, Verkhne-Kurdzhipsky and Mezmaysky, each of them is characterized by incredible beauty and an abundance of natural attractions.

Horseback riding and hiking

What to do on vacation if you choose the village of Mezmay as your place of residence? First of all, enjoy the silence, abundance of greenery and incredibly clean and fresh air. Agree, all this is very much missed by all residents of megacities. Stroll through the quiet streets, take souvenir photos, and chat with the locals, whose hospitality is legendary. The best way to get to know the nature of the surrounding area is to go for a walk as part of a tourist group, on foot or on horseback. These are the most popular excursions for tourists, which you can learn about without leaving the village of Mezmay. The routes will delight you with their variety; choose the views that are most interesting to you - mountain gorges, forests, or There is everything here. If you don’t know how to stay in the saddle, rest in the village of Mezmay - best time in order to learn. There is no organized riding school here, but horses are still one of the main means of transportation. And almost any resident of the village is ready to give riding lessons to tourists.

Mezmay: sights of cosmic significance

The surrounding area of ​​the village is considered one of the most interesting places here it is a “cosmodrome”. This is a gigantic funnel that gradually grows and continues to draw trees and large fragments of rocks into its center. Not far from this mysterious place there are two large caves. There is also a “cosmonaut house”, and next to it there is unique cave, from which a turbulent stream flows, dividing into two cascades. On highest point A television repeater has been installed in the Guam mountain range. It would seem that this is a miracle of engineering, and not a mysterious landmark. However, village residents claim that church holidays and the full moon around this object you can notice an unusual glow with the naked eye.

Prehistoric world

Do you want to see what this area looked like at the dawn of civilizations? Mezmay has a variety of attractions, some of which are very ancient. Go to southern part village, this is where the relict yew boxwood grove begins. Move up along the Kurdzhips river. Scientists have confirmed that some of the trees growing here are more than 2 thousand years old. The route laid out passes by a spring with silver-purified water. Here you can see a picturesque waterfall, which has no less beautiful name Mouth of the Dragon. And very soon you will see the most interesting thing - the site of ancient people, and if you climb the rocks, you can appreciate the picturesque view of the valley from a small observation deck. In the vicinity of Mezmay there are also dolmens, ancient stone blocks of ritual significance, whose age is about 5 thousand years.

Other attractions and interesting places

No other excursions on Krasnodar region will not give you as many impressions as exploring the area around a village like Mezmay. Nature delights here with its picturesqueness and diversity. Natural caves can be considered its real miracle; many of them can be accessed as part of organized groups. The underground halls are amazingly beautiful. In many of them you can see underground lakes and streams. The most famous are the N. Isichenko Cave and the Monk Cave. If you are vacationing in such a wonderful place as Mezmay, waterfalls are a must among other excursions. The settlement is surrounded by mountain rivers and streams, and there are a great many water cascades here. Among them there are stepped waterfalls, water baths, and other hydrological attractions.

Features of recreation in the village

The Absheron region is a real land of miracles, where different eras and cultures are intertwined into a single ball. How to get on vacation in Mezmay? In fact, the biggest difficulty is getting to the village. There are no hotels here, but the locals are very hospitable and are happy to host tourists and, for a nominal fee, organize nutritious meals in the best traditions of national cuisine.

There are a variety of attractions surrounding Mezmay, but take into account the specifics of this area when planning your trip. If you are physically weak, cannot live without a high level of comfort, or do not like active recreation, consider choosing another option. It is not recommended to choose this village as a holiday destination for elderly people or families with small children. But for the fans active rest You'll definitely like it here. Speleology, mountaineering, hiking, hunting, fishing, picking berries, mushrooms and medicinal herbs - choose entertainment to suit your taste. In addition, not far from the village there are two hermitages of Orthodox monasteries, and many come here in order to personally touch the shrines. This area also attracts creative people in the surrounding area settlement Festivals of music and literature are held annually.

How to get to the lost world?

Don't be surprised if employees travel agencies your city have never heard of the village of Mezmay. The sights of this area are not always included in standard excursions around the Krasnodar Territory. The most convenient way is to go by private car or arrange a transfer. Today there are two roads. One of them, more comfortable, starts from the village of Nizhny Novgorod, the landmark is a monument to the founding Cossacks. The road is covered with gravel, but despite this, good weather You can drive here in almost any car.

Another option is to exit from the Dakhovskaya - Lago-Naki highway. However, this road is in the worst condition (the length of the emergency section is about 12 kilometers), and it is better to go along it only if you are completely confident in your own car.

You can also get to the village of Mezmay by single-track railway. However, the possibility of such a trip should be clarified upon arrival, since passenger trains sometimes run along the rails to the “cosmonauts’ house”.

Russia is a huge country where you can travel with pleasure and enjoy the beauty of nature and the sights of cities. Of particular interest to every tourist is the Krasnodar region, which, thanks to its location, has absorbed all the best: the presence of mountains and forests, fresh, clean air, and seas.

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One of the places that you should definitely visit while in the Krasnodar region is the mountain village of Mezmay, it is also called the pearl of the Caucasus.

Where is Mezmay

Mezmay or Russian Shambhala- a village located in the valley of the river. Kurdzhips in the Absheronsky district, just 170 km from Krasnodar. You can only get here by bus from the regional capital or by personal transport. Of course, previously it was possible to get here by train from Apsheronsk, but unfortunately, after the collapse, part of the narrow-gauge railway was destroyed.

An interesting fact is that the population of the village is no more than a thousand people, but at the same time, thanks to the constant flow of tourists, there are a considerable number of mini-hotels and hotels of different levels of service.

Mezmay is located 600 km above sea level and is surrounded on all sides by rocks and mountains - it is this feature that gives it a unique look (just imagine what photos Mezmay can give as a souvenir to each of its visitors) and quite strongly attracts lovers of active recreation.

Rest Mezmay

Every vacationer in this beautiful place will be able to find something to their liking or look at the sights of Mezmay, of which, by the way, there are many.

It is worth noting that It is extraordinary people who really like to visit Mezmay:

  • writers and poets;
  • scientists;
  • artists and musicians;
  • mystics and esotericists.

All this is explained not only by the magical beauty of the village, but also by the fact that a holiday in Mezmay helps to fully reveal abilities that were not previously realized. The atmosphere here also helps restore health and gain strength and energy.

Mezmaya routes for tourists

If you look at Mezmay The tourist map will necessarily include the following routes:

Where is the best place to stay?

As stated earlier, there are a considerable number of mini-hotels and hotels in Mezmay. But, among other things, there are a considerable number of recreation centers that provide their visitors with an excellent accommodation program. It's up to you to decide what's best for you. In any case, wherever you stay, Mezmay will give only the most best impressions and the desire to come back here again and again. After all, this place is truly unique - in addition to picturesque landscapes, has incredibly strong energy.








Basic moments

The crystal air and beauty of nature attract many travelers, artists and parapsychologists to Mezmay. Fans come here extreme species sports, environmentalists and those who like to spend their holidays in the mountains. Mezmay is located historical monument- a burial ground created during the times of Ancient Rome. And in the vicinity of the village on the Lako-Naki plateau you can see cascading waterfalls, clear rivers, alpine meadows overgrown with flowers, thickets of boxwood and yew, picturesque caves and canyons. Due to its remoteness and inaccessibility, the mountain village is often called “bear corner”.

Archaeologists have discovered many interesting finds in the Mezmay Basin, which allow us to conclude that people inhabited these places several thousand years BC. Once upon a time, here was the refuge of the leader of the Circassians Muhammad-Amin, from where detachments of mountaineers gathered for wars with the Turks and Russians. Then the Kuban Cossack army began to settle in the surrounding lands.

The settlement of Mezmay was founded in 1868, and its first inhabitants were gold miners and lumberjacks. During the years of Soviet power, a railway was built from the village through the Guam Gorge to Apsheronsk, with the help of which valuable wood species were exported from the Lagonaki Plateau.

IN last years the village is actively developing as a center of mountain and ecological tourism. Several tourist centers and guest houses, hotels and private estates where travelers can stay at any time of the year. Mezmay also has several shops, a post office and a pharmacy. And in Zavadova Polyana, on the outskirts of the village, every summer the popular festival of bard songs “Clear Sky” takes place.

In summer, travelers prefer to travel around Mezmay hiking. Tourists who come here go rock climbing and rafting. mountain rivers, and snowmobiling is popular in winter.

People also go to Mezmay to restore their health. The village is located far from the noise of big cities and highways. Clean forest air and healing minerals help to heal and gain strength. thermal springs, located 18 km from the village, in the village of Nizhny Novgorod.

Climatic features

Mezmay is located in the temperate climate zone. The mountains and the proximity of the Black Sea have a strong influence on the weather in the village. Winters here are not severe, and the temperature stays at +1...+3°C, rarely falling below zero. There is a lot of rainfall throughout the year. In winter, the slopes are covered with heavy snow, and in summer, especially in June, it can be rainy.

The summer season in Mezmay is not hot. From June to August the thermometer rises to +22...+25°C. Such conditions are most favorable for those who cannot tolerate heat.

Natural monuments

The village is located in the valley of the Kurdzhips River, near the confluence of the Mezmay River, at an altitude of 666 meters above sea level. In the Adyghe language, “Kurdzhips” means pear water. The river got its name because pear trees grow everywhere in its valley.

A few tens of meters from the outermost houses of Mezmay, the most beautiful Upper Kurdzhipskoe gorge begins, in which many Red Book plant species grow. First of all, these are relict yew berry and Colchian boxwood. Unfortunately, the gorge does not yet have environmental protection status, and therefore industrial logging is carried out in it. Yew and boxwood groves are cut in many places by tracks from timber trucks. By goes according to plan Only beech and fir trees are cut down, however, yew trees suffer from fallen trunks and are damaged under the tracks of skidders.

Another picturesque gorge - Guamskoye - is located between Mezmay and the village of Guamka. There is a narrow-gauge railway along it, but it is not operational these days. The Guam Gorge is a real open-air ecological and botanical museum.

When the Ice Age ended, a deep hole formed in the northwest of the canyon. Mountain Lake, which occupied a large karst sinkhole. The Kurdzhips River, flowing from this natural reservoir, carved out a deep Guam canyon over several thousand years.

The rocky slopes rise 600 m above the river, and beautiful cascading waterfalls quickly fall down from them. The gorge is overgrown with boxwood, fir, beech, ash and alpine maples, and the undergrowth is occupied by thickets of juniper, hawthorn, dogwood, azalea and rose hips. The mountain slopes are home to bears, wild boars and martens, and eagles can often be seen soaring above the cliffs.

South of the village of Mezmay, the Kurdzhips River flows in a narrow picturesque canyon, above which there are several more natural attractions. A few hundred meters from the last houses, on the right bank of the river, near the mouth of its right tributary, there is Palm Waterfall. It has a height of about 7 meters. In August and late autumn it dries out completely.

If you go even higher, you can see Isichenko Cave. The huge karst cavity stretches for more than 1600 m, but its lower passages are separated by a siphon, which is a serious obstacle for researchers. Near the entrance to the cave, three waterfalls flow down the slope, and the largest of them is known as the Isichenko waterfall. Both natural object named after Yuri Isichenko, the leader of a student group from Dnepropetrovsk, whose members were the first to visit the cave in 1973.

Mezmayskaya cave

To see the Mezmayskaya cave, you need to go to the Glubokaya gully, which lies between the peaks of Mezmay and Uriel. The entrance to the cave is on a steep cliff. The karst cavity is 26 m deep and more than 210 m long.

Members of the North Caucasus Paleolithic detachment discovered the Mezmay Cave in 1987. Five years later, the remains of a 2-month-old Neanderthal baby were found in it. They are much better preserved than similar skeletons discovered in Europe.

After some time, scientists were waiting for a new sensational discovery. They found fragments of the skull of another Neanderthal child in the cave, who was 2 years old. Neanderthals lived in these places 70-40 thousand years BC, even before the appearance of Homo sapiens. The unique finds in Mezmay are known to all researchers around the world.

In addition to human remains, in the Mezmayskaya cave was found volcanic ash, formed during the Kazbek eruption. About 40 thousand years ago, together with Kazbek, volcanoes in the Apennines region and the St. Anna volcano in the Southern Carpathians became active. The apocalypse led to the onset of a “volcanic winter” on the planet.

Paleontologists discovered bison bones in the cave. After the research, it became known that during the Late and Middle Paleolithic period, four species of these animals lived in the vicinity of Mezmay.

Archaeological sites

Mezmay is the site of famous archaeological finds. Once upon a time, the Great Silk Road passed through the mountain spurs of Lagonaki. Caravans transported goods from China to Byzantium along it, and Sarmatian warriors guarded the road.

On the northwestern outskirts of the village there is a monument of federal significance - a soil necropolis, which appeared here during the times of the Romans. Recently, in the Mezmai burial ground, scientists discovered an unlooted burial of a warrior 2.2 thousand years old. The burial contained two bronze helmets, a long and short iron sword, the remains of three horses, a wild boar and a cow.

On the steep slopes of the Upper Kurdzhip Canyon, the ruins of the Tmutarakan defensive rampart have been preserved. The ancient defensive structure was erected in the place where caravan trails could cross the canyon from one slope to another. Over many centuries, the ancient shaft has grown into the ground and become covered with vegetation. These days it represents interesting object for research, and there is a hiking trail along the shaft.

On the southern slope of the Guam Ridge you can see the ruins of ancient megaliths - dolmens.

Museum "Blacksmithing of Kuban"

In the south-eastern part of the village of Mezmaya there is a museum telling about the formation and traditions of blacksmithing. The central place in it is given to the blacksmith's workshop, recreated on the model of the forges of the late 19th century. The exhibition includes works by craftsmen with personal marks, blacksmith tools and rare archival photographs. In addition, in the Mezmay Museum, visitors are introduced to carpentry, cooperage and wheel crafts.

Bard Song Festival

Every year on the first weekend of August, many guests come to Mezmay for the “Clear Sky” musical festival. The bard song festival is often called “Podgrushinsky” and is held in a large clearing, not far from the western outskirts of the village.

Mezmay welcomes singer-songwriters and lovers of bard songs from different parts of the country, and guests are accommodated in tents or wooden houses in the Zavadova Polyana mountain camp. 200 m from the Bardovskaya clearing there is a well with clean spring water.

How to get there

The village of Mezmay is remote from district center– the city of Apsheronsk – 60 km. To get here by car, you need to travel 180 km from Krasnodar or 80 km from Maykop.

For motorists, there are two options for getting to Mezmay. The first is through Maykop and the village of Kamennomostsky. From there you need to go towards the village. Guzeripl, and, before reaching the village of Dakhovskaya, turn right, across the road bridge laid over the Belaya River. 2 km after TC Cave “Nezhnaya” turn right again. From here to Mezmay there are 12 km of dirt road, which can only be driven by off-road vehicles.

The second route option runs from Apsheronsk through the village of Nizhny Novgorod. Previously, the asphalt road went only to the village. Now the asphalt has been laid almost all the way to Mezmay, so this route option is accessible to any type of transport.

From Apsheronsk to the village of Guamka you can get by regular buses, which depart at 6.00 and 12.00 on all days except Monday, at 15.00 daily and at 14.00 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The rest of the way to Mezmay (9 km) is walked along the Guam Gorge, along the old narrow-gauge road.

There are also direct rotations on Kamaz trucks from Apsheronsk to Mezmay. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays they depart at 14.00, and on Saturdays at 13.00. You can take a taxi from the bus station in Apsheronsk to Mezmay. For a group of several tourists, this option will not be very expensive.