URAL
“The Urals is a region that inspires travel and exploits.”
The Urals are located between Europe and Asia. It is the border between parts of the world. The “stone belt” of the Urals extends from the shores of the Arctic Ocean to the desert regions of Kazakhstan. for more than 2,500 kilometers they separate the East European and West Siberian borders.
The North Ural
Let's start with the territory of the Northern Urals, namely with the Komi Republic.
Komi Republic.
1. Yugyd Va National Park in the Komi Republic is one of the largest national parks in Russia. It is located on the western slope of the Northern and Subpolar Urals, in its highest part, and stretches from north to south along the Ural ridge for 300 km.
Some attractions of the park:
Lower Gate on the Shchugor River. Picturesque outcrops of limestone cliffs up to 40 m high on both banks of the river in the form of wings, forming a small canyon. There are 7 caves in the cliffs, the largest is 20 m long.
A waterfall on the Veldor-Kyrta-yol stream is about 15 m high. It is located in the cliffs of the right bank of the Shchugor River.
The stone remnant "Stone Woman" on the Kozhim River. From afar, it resembles a woman's figure. In the Paleolithic era, the stone idol served as a place of sacrifice.
Mount Manaraga. The symbol of the park, has six peaks, the highest of which is 1,662 meters.
About the polar lights in the region:
In the Komi Republic, the polar lights are not uncommon. Sometimes they can be seen even in Syktyvkar in August. To increase your chances, it is better to go further north, to Vorkuta.
In the Izhemsky District and further north, the polar lights can be observed from about mid-August to the end of April. They are usually clearly visible in clear weather.

Perm Krai
1. Parma is picturesque due to its nature: these are taiga Ural forests that spread out in the foothill lowlands and river valleys. Siberian spruce, fir, larch and Siberian cedar grow in the virgin forests. In October, everything in Parma is usually red from rowan.
The appeal of Parma for tourists lies in its unique nature and diversity of wildlife. There are about 50 species of animals and more than 250 species of birds. The largest animals of Parma are the elk, brown bear, wild boar, wolf, wolverine and lynx. And the largest birds are the whooper swan, golden eagle, eagle owl and great grey owl.
2. Usvinskye Pillars are the calling card of the Perm Territory, the most famous rock massif and a popular tourist route. At the top, the Stolbovoy Grotto has been preserved, where fire pits, remains of weapons and tools of ancient man were found. One of the main attractions is the 70-meter cliff Devil's Finger.
Usvinskye Pillars attract with unique views from the top. From the height, you can see the bend of the river, stretching into the distance, with endless Perm forests along the banks.
3. Stone City is one of the most popular natural attractions of the Perm Territory. Wind and precipitation have carved streets, alleys, squares, stairs and houses in the mountains. If you climb onto the "roofs", you will be able to look at the endless taiga and the streets of the "city".
The Stone City is attractive for its natural attractions. There are stones here that are millions of years old, which were once the bottom of a river that flowed into the Perm Sea.
4. Cherdyn is one of the oldest cities in the Urals, the center of the ancient Great Perm principality. It is located on 7 hills along the Kolva River, with a picturesque view of the surrounding area. The city has preserved mainly stone buildings from the 19th century.
Cherdyn attracts with its ancient history and atmosphere of the past. The city has preserved mainly stone buildings from the 19th century, which allows you to feel like you are in the center of the ancient Great Perm principality.
5. Kyn-Zavod is an ancient and distinctive village in the Perm region, which arose on the left bank of the Chusovaya River during the construction of the Kynovsky Ironworks in 1759.
The place is attractive to tourists for its historical sights and preserved architectural complexes. There are houses of workers and peasants (log, mostly one-story buildings with gable or hipped roofs), as well as the building of the Holy Trinity Church. In 2020, Kyn was awarded the status of a historical settlement - it became the first settlement in the region to receive such a title.
Another reason to visit Kyn-Zavod is its natural beauty. In the vicinity there are rocks: Velikan (the highest of the Chusovsky rocks), Pechka (with a grotto in the folds of the rocks), Denezhny, Stenovoy and Multyk. These are not just picturesque sk als, but also geological monuments of nature.
6. Polyud and Vetlan are located in the Krasnovishersk region in the north of the Kama region. Vetlan is an almost vertical cliff, stretching for 1.7 km in length and rising above the river by about 100 m. Previously, a wooden staircase led to it, but it was dismantled due to an accident. From the observation deck at the top, you can see the beauty of Vishera and man-made islands created by repressed people to manage timber rafting along the river. Mount Polyud reaches a height of more than 520 m above sea level, from its top you can see Vetlan. To climb it, you need to cross the river.

The middle Ural
Chelyabinsk region.
1. Lake Turgoyak attracts with its pristine beauty, magnificent landscapes and various options for a comfortable or wild, secluded holiday. People come here to swim in a crystal clear lake fed by radon springs, to see the panorama of the South Ural Mountains, to feel the pine aroma of the coast and the energy of Vera Island.
2. The Sokhatka Elk Farm is a rehabilitation center for elks in the Zyuratkul National Park in the Chelyabinsk Region. Here they help animals that have suffered at the hands of poachers.

The place is attractive to tourists because here you can learn more about elks and see them in real life. Visitors can watch elks in an enclosure next to the cordon "At Three Peaks" and take pictures of them.
Sverdlovsk Region.
1. One of the oldest reserves in our country is Visimsky. It received the status of a UNESCO biosphere reserve. More than 160 square kilometers of the protected area are occupied by majestic primary taiga forests. Many species of animals and birds live here, some of which are listed in the International Red Book. The staff monitors the population of Ural owls and Siberian woodpeckers, for whom the Visimsky Reserve has become a home.

The Visimsky Reserve offers visitors an eventful holiday, not only to relax away from the bustle of the city, but also to listen to fascinating lectures and seminars about representatives of flora and fauna. The nature museum contains stuffed animals that live in the taiga forests. Fans of active recreation can safely go on one of four routes. The longest (55 km) goes along the Sulyom River. The reserve staff conducts thematic excursions in the protected area.
2. Bazhovsky Places Nature Park and Talkov Kamen Quarry is located in a pine forest on the spurs of the Chernovsky Uval west of the city of Sysert (Sverdlovsk Region). It is attractive to tourists for its picturesque landscapes: a flooded quarry is surrounded by a light pine forest, the sides of the quarry are made up of whitish-green talc shale and drop to the water surface in steep ledges up to three dozen meters high. The water in the quarry has a greenish tint and amazes with its purity - its transparency is several meters. The depth of the artificial lake reaches 32 meters. In summer, you can swim in the quarry lake.
3. Chertovo Gorodishche is a 70-meter granite ridge that stretches from the southeast to the northwest. It is of volcanic origin and was formed about 300 million years ago. The height of the stone "towers" reaches 34 meters. You can climb to the top by installing a wooden staircase. An impressive panorama opens up from above.
Since the end of the 19th century, this rock massif has been popular with tourists and climbers. You can climb to the top by a wooden staircase, from above there is a view of the mountains, forests and lakes.
4. The Olenyi Ruchyi Nature Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Middle Urals, where people come for the stunning landscapes of the ancient river valley, which has a variety of natural and historical sites. Among them, numerous karst formations stand out, including the Druzhba Cave, which is more than 500 meters long, and the Big Karst Failure.
5. The Chusovaya River is a tributary of the Kama River, flowing from the Asian part of Russia to the European part, overcoming the Ural Range. Its length is 592 kilometers, of which 20 kilometers pass through the Chelyabinsk region, 377 kilometers through the expanses of the Sverdlovsk region, and the rest is on the land of the Perm Territory.
Rafting on the Chusovaya River in the Middle Urals is an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the coastal cliffs, which are not found on any other river in the Urals. The length of the routes is from 34 to 230 kilometers (depending on the duration of the rafting - from three to twelve days).
The choice of season for rafting is either spring, on May holidays with large and fairly fast water, or summer, with the opportunity to sunbathe on the water and swim directly from the catamarans.

The southern Ural
Bashkiria
1. Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve is a state nature reserve in Bashkortostan, located in the western foothills of the Southern Urals. On the territory of the reserve there is a unique karst Kapova Cave (Shulgan-Tash). The length of all the cave passages is more than 2.9 km. The cave has three tiers, inside it flows the Podzemny Shulgan River, which formed this cave.
The Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve and Kapova Cave attract are interesting for tourists for their rock paintings from the Paleolithic era. About 14 thousand years ago, the people who lived here used ocher and charcoal to draw a message to their descendants on the walls in the form of animals, human figures and unsolved signs. The size of these drawings is impressive: from half a meter to almost one and a half.
2. Inzerskie zubchatki is a mountain range in the Southern Urals. It is located in the Beloretsk district of Bashkortostan. The length of the ridge is 10 km, the width is about 3 km, the absolute height is 1161 m. The main attraction of the ridge is the teeth or rock cirque in the northern part of the ridge.
Inzerskie zubchatki are attractive to tourists for their diversity and beauty. Along the ridge there are impressive rock formations resembling figures of people and animals. The high peaks and teeth of the ridge become a magnet for climbers and tourists.
3. Aisky cliffs are a steep rock wall up to 100 meters high, which stretches for almost a kilometer along the left bank of the Ai River. Here you can admire the views from the observation decks, and for lovers of extreme entertainment there are suspension bridges, swings over the cliff and bungee jumping. You can also go down to the river by stairs, which have more than 400 steps. In some places you can see caves, such as the "Youth" grotto and the First and Second Kuluarnye.
Aisky cliffs are attractive to tourists due to their beauty and easy access. The place is popular, apparently due to its easy accessibility, is located about 250 km from Ufa.
Dry waterfalls are one of the most interesting sights of the Ai River. This place is also called "Alekseevsky log" due to the proximity of the village of the same name Alekseyevka. Dry waterfalls have many cascades from 3 to 8 meters high and a large number of steps from a few centimeters to half a meter. In the spring, a stream of water falls here from a height of 16.5 meters. In the summer, the water is stored only in a small lake, which is located at the foot.
Orenburg Region
1. Dolgie Mountains is a ridge in the Orenburg Region, stretching from north to south from the Ural River to Sakmara.
The Karamuruntau Ridge is a sleeping dragon, a chain of ridges and hills stretching along the plain of the Sakmara River from the village of Isyangulovo to Kondurovka. The name of the ridge is translated as "Black Nose Mountain". One of the peaks is called "Nose" (385 m) - it got its name because at its southern end one of the limestone layers forms a cornice similar to a human nose. The highest point of the ridge reaches 421 meters. The summit offers a view of Bashkiria, cut by mountains and hills.
The reasons why the Dolgie Mountains and the Karamuruntau Ridge attract tourists are the surreal landscape, panoramic views, the opportunity to go paragliding and comfortable climbing.
2. The Orenburg Reserve was organized with the aim of preserving and studying the natural course of natural processes and phenomena, the genetic fund of flora and fauna. The area of ​​the reserve is 38,191 hectares, it consists of 5 isolated areas: Talovskaya, Burtinskaya, Aituarskaya, Ashchisaiskaya, Pre-Ural steppes.
The main pride of the reserve is the population of Przewalski's horses. In 2015, the first program in Russia to create a semi-free population of these animals was launched here. For this purpose, an isolated area of ​​​​the "Pre-Ural Steppe" with an area of ​​​​165 square kilometers was allocated, which previously served as a military training ground. Thanks to this, the steppe here has never been plowed and has been preserved almost in its original form. The area is now home to the Przewalski Horse Reintroduction Center and the Breath of the Steppe Ecological Trail. Visitors to this trail can see a group of wild horses up close.

Let's talk gear.
For a trip to the Urals in winter, spring, summer or fall for trekking, rafting on the Chusovaya River and hiking, we recommend bringing the following:
Clothing. Base layer - a set of thermal underwear. Fleece sweatshirt, down jackets (light and warm winter), warm hiking or ski pants, preferably with ventilation. Trekking boots with thick and non-slip soles, wool or trekking socks, a warm hat, scarf and/or buff, double-layer gloves or mittens are also suitable.
Backpack. The volume should be selected depending on the duration of the hike. The design should be ergonomic - with a rigid back and adjustable straps. It is good if the kit includes a protective cover from rain and snow.
Additional equipment. Trekking poles, a foam seat with a membrane surface, a cooking set (gas burner, dishes), fire starting equipment, a supply of food and water, a compass and a map of the area, a first aid kit, a flashlight and spare batteries, a multi- tool or knife.

Food. Dry rations, snacks or a full set of products for eating, depending on the conditions of the hike. In any case, it should be filling, high-calorie, preferably small-sized.

So take your gear and get ready for adventures in the Urals, where every corner offers a breathtaking view, and every hike is an opportunity to experience new sensations and enjoy active recreation.
The Urals are not merely a geographical space; they embody a state of the soul, offering an opportunity to reconnect with nature and restore ties to the roots of life. The nature of this land is imbued with tranquility and beauty, waiting for its explorers. Every morning spent in the outdoors here represents a new perspective on the world and revelations yet to be discovered—be it the delicate trills of forest birds, the whistle of the wind in the treetops, or the sparkle of morning dew. The Urals are ready to unveil their secrets and bestow unforgettable impressions filled with inspiration and joy.
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