Recreation in Sochi and its surroundings is not only accommodation in comfortable hotels and modern entertainment for tourists for every taste, but also the opportunity to visit unique natural areas. One of them is the Mamedovo Gorge, a landmark located just 3 kilometers from the village of Lazarevskoye.
General description of the attraction
Waterfalls, mountain streams and streams, ancient dolmens - these are the natural objects tourists want to see in the Krasnodar Territory in the first place. All this is available in the unique natural area Mamedovo Gorge. There are three hiking trails in the nature reserve, differing in their length and complexity. During the walk, you can enjoy amazing landscapes, see numerous waterfalls and dolmens, comparable in age to the Egyptian pyramids. Each object here has its own mystical story, and many stones and water cascades here are able to fulfill the most secret desires.
The Tale of Mamed
Where did the name Mamedovo Gorge come from? Lazarevskoye, alsolike the surrounding settlements, it is shrouded in many legends and folk tales. This unique natural object is no exception. If you believe the stories of local residents, one day all the men from one village went to a neighboring village for a holiday. Turkish robbers found out about this and decided to attack the village, where only children, women and old people remained. Old man Mamed came up with a trick. He ordered all the inhabitants of the village to hide in the mountains, while he himself remained to wait for the robbers. The bandits got very angry when they saw the empty village. They tortured Mamed for a long time and demanded to know where the rest of the people had hidden. The old man agreed and led the robbers along the edge of a sheer cliff. When the bandits realized the deception, they walled Mamed up in a cave. And what happened to the robbers themselves, history is silent, but no one has ever seen them alive again. Since then, the picturesque gorge has been called Mammadov.
Interesting objects in the Mammad gorge
At the entrance to the gorge, tourists pass through the so-called Stone Gate. Further, the trail passes by three waterfalls with romantic names: "Happiness", "Youth", "Love". If you swim in each of them and make a wish related to the sphere of life, after which the waterfall is named, then everything made will come true. After three water cascades Mamedovo Gorge turns into a narrow stone corridor. On a short stretch of the path, the rocks literally close over the heads of those walking. After leaving the stone tunnel, the wanderer's gaze opens up to the "White Hall" - a large open space, the fifteen-meter walls of which are formed by natural limestone. Hereyou can also see a ten-meter waterfall called "Mamed's Beard". At its foot is a stone bowl, which is called "Mamed's Bath". If you go further along the path, you can see the ancient dolmens. These are cult stone structures, the exact purpose of which is still disputed by experts. An excursion to the Mamedovo Gorge (Lazarevskoye) can be combined with a tasting of mountain honey. This product, as well as other treats and souvenirs, are sold at Orekhovaya Polyana.
Useful information for tourists
Entrance to the territory of the nature reserve is paid: 100 rubles per person. Excursion service is available only for organized groups for an additional fee. It is best to visit the Mamedovo Gorge during the dry period. After the rains, the hiking trail is very wet and muddy. How enjoyable your trip will be depends largely on the choice of shoes. The sole should adhere well to the surface and not slip. In one section of the gorge, the path is laid directly along the bed of a small mountain stream. Especially prudent travelers prefer to change their shoes here for swimming shoes, which are not a pity to get wet.
How to get to Mamedov Gorge?
Where is the Mamedovo Gorge, how to get to it by private transport? It will be difficult to get lost along the way even for tourists who do not know the area at all. The turn to the gorge is located between the villages of Ashe and Lazarevskoye. You need to turn off the main road in 2kilometers to Lazarevsky. Then continue following the signs, about 7 km, until the road "runs" against the "Stone Gate". The Mammadov Gorge can also be reached by public transport. Buses No. 68 and 162 run from the Lazarevskaya station. You need to get off at the Yantar Sanatorium stop, then walk 2 kilometers. Some hikers prefer to get to the sights on foot from Lazarevsky. Be sure to visit Mamedovo Gorge. Sochi is famous for its natural attractions, but this place is one of the most beautiful and interesting. At the same time, visiting the gorge is quite inexpensive, and its hiking trail is considered relatively easy and anyone can master it.
