One of the pearls of the Samarskaya Luka National Park, located in the Samara Region, is Mount Camel. The park itself is part of the Middle Volga Reserve - a special territory in which natural resources are under state protection.
The park is rich in natural and cultural monuments. These are Molodetsky Kurgan, Mount Popova, the landscape complex Stone Bowl and, of course, Camel Mountain.
Name history
One of the most recognizable and famous sights of the Samarskaya Luka National Park is Mount Camel. Almost every tourist who has been to the Samara region has a photo with this unique natural monument. It is located in the very north of the Zhiguli Mountains, not far from the village of Shiryaeva.
It will seem to an ignorant person, what does a camel have to do with it? After all, these animals have never been in these places. The secret lies in the figurative thinking of a person from the Russian hinterland. For many years, the majestic mountain reminded the locals of a steppe camel, so they decided to christen it.
Camel mountain got its name due to its shape. It resembles a camel stopped to rest, which lay down on the ground. True, intoday the shape of the mountain has undergone significant changes, so the outlines of the animal are guessed with great difficulty. The mountain was part of the Goat Horns rocks. However, in 1952 they were practically destroyed while being used for industrial purposes.
Tourist route
In order for everyone to visit this unique mountain, a separate excursion and tourist route has been organized in the national park. In addition to Mount Camel, you can see a historical site - the village of Shiryaevo, located at the mouth of the Shiryaevskaya Valley, as well as Monastyrskaya Mountain and Mount Popova.
It is worth talking about the village of Shiryaevo separately. This settlement carefully preserves the traces of history. It has many buildings built in the 19th century. The village itself appeared in 1647. At that time, it was first mentioned in the census. This means that the actual age of the settlement is even older.
Refuge of barge haulers
Any schoolboy knows Repin's famous painting "Barge Haulers on the Volga". This work of art was created in these places. In 1870, Repin lived near the village of Shiryaevo. Since ancient times, these places have served for a short rest for barge haulers.
Today, the Repin Museum is open in the village, where you can see the conditions in which the famous artist lived and worked, what the environment surrounded the painter during the creation of one of the most famous masterpieces.
Not far from here is the visitor center of the national park, where you can get all the necessary information, as well as the observation deck of the mountainPopova, which offers a majestic view of the Zhiguli Mountains and the memorial sign of the Volga Bulgaria. This is an ancient state that existed on this territory in past centuries.
Unique nature
These places are also famous for their special nature. The Zhiguli Mountains turn into a plateau that rises above the Volga at an altitude of about 40-50 meters. It is interspersed with ravines, rocks and hollows.
Mount Camel is becoming more and more popular among tourists. The Samara region attracts more and more visitors every year. To this day, railway tracks have been preserved, along which wheelbarrows with limestone were driven about 100 years ago.
Unique local attractions attract not only ordinary travelers. Camel Mountain has long been a favorite destination among professional climbers and speleologists. They are attracted by the unique natural landscape. Climbers develop a variety of routes. Both experienced athletes and beginners can cope with them. For lovers of extreme pastime, there is an opportunity to pass routes at night.
Animal world
Camel (mountain) is a great place to meet a wide variety of animals and even rare plant species. In the bowels of the underground galleries you will find salvation from the heat even on hot days. Nowadays, bats love to fly here, and in artificial caves, one of the largest colonies of bats even remains to winter.
May appearthe impression that you are in a fairy forest, the nature surrounding the tourist here is so unusual. Once here, you will want to come back again and again.
How to get there?
To get to this natural attraction, you need to go to the Samara region, on the right bank of the Volga. It is best to go on weekdays, as there are a lot of people on holidays and weekends, you will not be able to enjoy the beauties of nature.
If you do not travel by private car, then from Samara you can take bus number 1 or number 50. Get off at the "Electroshield" stop and head to the boat station. From there, you can get on the water to the mountain itself or first swim to the village of Gavrilova Polyana, and from there walk a little on foot.
If you decide to go on a trip, then positive impressions will certainly prevail. A favorite place for tourists is Camel Mountain. Samara will become a transit point to this unique natural monument.
However, it is worth remembering that this object is extremely popular among travelers, so do not be surprised if you come across mountains of garbage. There are also many who cannot resist leaving an autograph on one of the stones. All this, of course, does not adorn the unique natural landmark. The behavior and actions of such unfortunate tourists irritate many, especially because it is most often not possible to reason with them.
