In the Adler district there is a village called Krasnaya Polyana. On the eve of the Sochi XXII Olympic Games, such sports facilities as the Russian Roller Coaster, Sanki, Laura and Rosa Khutor opened their doors here for guests. On the territory of the last two complexes, biathlon, freestyle, snowboard, and cross-country and alpine skiing competitions were held. Skeleton, toboggan and bobsledders held competitions in Sanki. The Mountain Carousel has taken ski jumpers. Regarding the estimates of sports tourism analysts, everyone agreed that it is Krasnaya Polyana resorts that are leaders among domestic high-class ski resorts.
Near the village rises the Main Caucasian Range. The Mzymta River Valley, located 39 kilometers from the Black Sea coast, awaits numerous tourists. This ski and balneoclimatic area is suitable for an excellent holiday with the whole family both in summer and in winter. The development of tourism infrastructure only complemented the numerous mineral springs and subtropical forests of the mountains.
Historical reference
In the 19th century, in the place where the Abkhaz aul was previously abandoned during the Caucasian wars, Greeks appeared who began to rapidly develop this small piece of land. A hundred years ago, guests came here to enjoy the wonderful air, hunting and untouched nature. There is information that the emperor’s family even stayed here.
As for the Soviet era, this area was not very popular, since skiing was still in its infancy, and mainly amateurs came here. Seriously interested in this territory only in the 90s, when they began to build a cable car and sports complex "Alpika-Service."
The first resort was acquired by Gazprom in 2008 and immediately set about reconstruction. Now, the erected objects can receive tourists from all countries all year round. Snowboarders and skiers try to get here in winter, and in summer you can meet mountain bikers. Many tracks are served by special snow cannons that can provide the necessary cover even when there is no rain at all.
Despite the fact that Krasnaya Polyana is considered an expensive resort, social projects are also supported here. For example, ski passes (tickets for lifts) are offered for students and schoolchildren, as well as for parents with children at preferential rates. However, this offer does not apply to the Gazprom mountain-tourist center - only the elite can get here.
"Rosa Khutor"
If you have planned a ski vacation in Krasnaya Polyana, we recommend that you pay attention to the extreme park "Rosa Khutor" located in the village of Esto-Sadok. Here guests are greeted by 16 tracks with a total length of 72 kilometers, 13 of these kilometers are used for international competitions. You can also use 10 chair, gondola and conveyor lifts.
An adult ticket costs 2350 rubles on weekdays, in the high season from February to March, as well as on weekends, the price will be more - 2650 rubles. Children can use the lift for 1900 and 2100 rubles. respectively. Tickets for school groups and families with many children are sold at a 20% discount. If you plan to stay at the resort, the cost of a ski pass will decrease. You can stay in one of the six hotel buildings (3-5 stars). There are also restaurants and bars. From here you can go on a tour of the sights of Krasnaya Polyana.
Gorky Gorod (Sochi)
This complex operates year-round and offers the following services:
- winter skiing;
- yoga;
- horseback riding;
- rope park;
- water park with a sandy beach;
- mountain eco-routes.
Not far from the Gornaya Karusel sports and tourist base, there are fashionable hotels with restaurants and spa centers, as well as the Gorky Gorod Mall. Compared with the "Rose Farm", it is not so spacious here - only 4 lifts and 30 kilometers of tracks. Prices are almost the same, but preferential ski passes are even more attractive for tourists: 1500-2450 rubles for adults and 900-1750 for children. All the necessary equipment can be rented by presenting a paid ticket and passport. In the complex "Gorki Gorod" in Sochi, you can order group or individual training in snowboarding and skiing with a professional instructor.
"Gazprom"
The tourist center stands out from other elite resorts in the area. Here you can select 15 tracks, of which 5 are open even at night. Psekhako ridge is quite gentle, so there is a real paradise for those who wish to ski and dog sledding. The Laura complex offers the following:
- cable cars;
- tracks;
- "Grand Hotel Polyana";
- biathlon and ski stadiums;
- Galaxy Center;
- artificial lake;
- Olympic village.
Not everyone can afford the services that Gazprom offers in Sochi (Krasnaya Polyana). The water park, as well as the intelligence centers "Unicum" and "Cosmodrome", fortunately, will cost the tourist not so expensive. In addition, you can order budget sightseeing tours that will allow you to conquer Mount Psekhako and take a walk through the fir forest. Such an excursion fare allows you to use the cable car without special equipment.
Natural attractions
Krasnaya Polyana on its lands was sheltered by the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve. Pure oxygen, which this area is famous for, is produced by vast forests. Nearby areas receive drinking water from mountain rivers. Where to go in Krasnaya Polyana?
- One of the natural attractions is the Brothers Falls. The trip to it lasts about 4 hours with a vertical drop of 600 meters. You can even go here with your children, because there is cellular communication everywhere, so if something happens, they will come to help tourists very quickly.
- Many guests are happy to go to the aviary complex, located next to the base "Laura". Caucasian wild animals live here: deer, bison, raccoons, owls and many others. Of these, 25 species are listed in the Red Book. The cost of admission is 300 rubles.
- What to see on your own in Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi)? You can visit the "Khostinsky yew-boxwood grove" - another reserve with the oldest relic forest of the preglacial period. You can also get an unforgettable experience by going to the Devil's Gate Canyon, which will meet you with sheer slopes 50 meters high. Here you can admire the many tropical plants, which are also preserved from the ice age.
Climate Krasnaya Polyana
Not everyone knows what things are worth taking with you, going to this resort in Krasnaya Polyana. The temperature in the mountains differs from Sochi by 10-12 ° C, which is why it is cool here in the summer. The average annual temperature is 11.5 degrees, and the rainfall is 1236 millimeters.
Be sure to bring a warm jacket with you, while remember to grab a hat and sunglasses. If you plan to stay overnight in the mountains, insulate yourself even better.
Behavior rules
If a tourist wants to take a walk in the mountains, that is, leave the territory of the resort for a while, he must get a special pass that will allow him to walk around the reserve. The document should indicate the intended route. Despite the fact that many Krasnaya Polyana hotels accept guests with pets, it is forbidden to take them outside the resort. Also, you should not hunt wild animals, fish, tear plants and make bonfires.
Krasnaya Polyana Hotels
All hotels here have a single style. It offers clubs, restaurants, saunas, saunas and spas. The cost of living is directly dependent on the stardom and distance from the hotel's tracks. It is recommended to book rooms in advance. If you come for a short time, you can stay in more budget guest houses. It is worth noting that in summer the cost of a room in a five-star hotel is reduced.
The most popular hotels:
- Alm Hotel 4 * - from 3800 rubles.
- Peak Hotel 4 * - from 3 600 rubles.
- Hotel "Olympia" 3 * - from 1869 rubles
- "Grace Project Hotel" 3 * - from 1790 rubles.
- "Oplot Hotel" 3 * - from 2850 rubles.
- Alania Hotel 2 * - from 1900 rub.
- Deja Vu 2 * - from 5700 rub.
- Villa "Cozy" 1 * - from 2250 rubles.
How to get there
- By car you have to drive from Moscow, for example, 1700 kilometers. The path runs along toll roads and serpentines on the Krasnodar coast. You will encounter traffic jams at Dzhubga, meet traffic police officers in the south. If you are going from St. Petersburg, add another 10 hours on the road.
- Express "Swallow" goes to Krasnaya Polyana six times a day. You will get from Sochi in 1 hour 20 minutes, and from Adler - twice as fast. Ticket price is 119 rubles.
- Sochi Airport receives aircraft from 60 cities of our vast Motherland. From Moscow, for example, you can fly in 2.5 hours.
- Taxi is, of course, a little expensive, but if there are no traffic jams, it will take you half an hour from Sochi. The cost of such a trip will be from 1200 to 1600 rubles, in the summer you can get twice as cheap. During the season, private carriers can generally request 3 thousand, so seasoned tourists are advised to book a transfer in advance through the dispatch service. For example, from the railway station you will have to pay only 1700 rubles.
Restaurants and cafes on Krasnaya Polyana in Sochi
- "Height 2320" - a restaurant based on the "Rose Farm". Lunch here will cost from 1200 to 1500 rubles.
- Follow Me Cafe - a metropolitan project offers to try "Tom Yam with Shrimp" worth 430 rubles.
- Layali Oriental Lounge - a Lebanese restaurant based on Gorki Gorod, offering oriental cuisine. The average bill is 1700 rubles.
- Bar "Victory" - the lower station of the cable cars of the complex "Alpika Service".
- Fast food dining room "Meadow".
- Food courts in the mall.
- Screen bars on the slopes of the mountains.
Endemic Brewery
Endemic Brewery (Krasnaya Polyana) is located in the mountains, 700 meters above the sea, near the national reserve. Address: Sochi, Krasnopolyansky district, s. Medoveevka, st. Medoveevskaya, 17. For the production of products, local brewing traditions are observed. The basis of drinks includes: pure water, plants, berries and fruits.
Do not know where to go in Krasnaya Polyana? Everyone is invited to an excursion to the brewery with a tasting of products and snacks. A round-trip shuttle service is also provided.
Things to do in Krasnaya Polyana
So, you arrived at Krasnaya Polyana. Where to go, because it’s not just snowboarding and skiing to do here? Here are the places that will be of interest to guests of the resort:
- Rosa Hall is a concert complex with a modern venue and all the necessary equipment with an area of more than 10 thousand square meters. It accommodates about 2.5 thousand people at a time; 2000 spectators will fit in a small hall. Here you will be offered to use VIP-boxes (7 pcs.), An art cafe and the BACKSTAGE restaurant. Rosa Hall (Krasnaya Polyana) is a place where you can have a great time.
- The cultural center "My Russia" consists of eleven thematic pavilions. Here you will be told about the culture, architecture, traditions of the regions of our country. It will be interesting for school-age children, as the center not only interestingly tells, but also treats with dishes of different nations.
- A skypark called AJ Hackett Sochi is an adventure cable car. It is located in the Akhtyrsky Gorge. The maximum height for the jump is 207 meters, the minimum is 69. You can also fly on the Sochi Swing, take a walk on the suspension bridge, recognized as the longest in the world (439 m).
- Children will really like the Husky Center (Krasnaya Polyana, Sochi). Here they can make friends with Siberian huskies. You will learn about the traditions and culture of the peoples of the North, about how dogs come to their aid. In winter, you can ride a dog sled - a wonderful mood for your children is guaranteed. An excursion here costs 300 rubles for children and 500 for adults. Kids will be able to play with animals, take pictures with them and run on a specially equipped playground. If you also want to eat or ride a team (1 round), you will have to pay 500 rubles for each. Children under 4 years old are admitted free of charge, from 5 to 14 years old - children's tariff, disabled people of I-III groups - 50% discount. Address: Upper Gorky Gorod, 960.
- Sochi Park in Adler - this place will appeal to both children and adults. If you are already fed up with the snowy slopes, warm overalls and skis - go for a ride on the rides. To do this, you should buy a single entrance ticket, which makes it possible to ride on any carousel for at least a whole day. In addition, the park hosts various shows, which your children certainly will not pass by.
- If you do not know what to see on your own in Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi), we suggest taking a walk in the mountains. You can go on foot, or you can rent a bike. You will see many interesting things: lakes, canyons, groves and other local attractions. If you take an excursion, it can take up to two days, it all depends on the level of training, and, of course, on the cost.
- A great solution would be to visit the Museum of Flora, Fauna and Mineralogy. You will learn about unusual animals and plants of the Caucasian reserve, you will see interesting finds. Do not forget to bring your child with him, he will be extremely interested.
- Do not know where to go in the evening? Krasnaya Polyana is equipped with special viewing platforms, which offer incredible views of the world.
Tourists reviews
What feedback do guests of Krasnaya Polyana leave? Let's look at the advantages of such a vacation:
- The presence of three excellent resorts within walking distance of one from another.
- In the high season (December-April) there is the opportunity to ski, snowboard. Also practiced in Krasnaya Polyana tubing.
- Guests of the resort really like hiking in the baths, where they can warm up, relax and unwind.
- There are budget cafes where you can have a tasty and inexpensive meal.
- In summer you can go down to the sea, take a short trip on a yacht.
- Children really enjoy riding horses, chatting with friendly huskies and meeting new animals living in the conservation area.
- Do not know where to go in Krasnaya Polyana? Then contact any tour desk - there you will quickly pick up an interesting route that will be remembered for a long time.
- Many enjoyed a walk in the mountains, where you can watch the flowering of rhododendrons and black tulips.
- And the most daring did not leave indifferent flying on paragliders and riding on ATVs.
- The most extreme tourists are just delighted with the rope park, where you can prettyly tickle your nerves.
- And what a gorgeous selfie you get against the backdrop of mighty waterfalls!
- Tourists are also pleased that the tracks have different heights and levels of training. This allows you to ride both professionals and beginners.
What are the cons noticed by vacationers:
- Some tourists say that the resort is poorly cleaned area in front of the ski lifts.
- Also, many pointed to exorbitant prices in cafes and huge lines at the box office.
- For some guests, the tracks seemed short and not as wide as we would like.
- Also in the reviews note that on the slopes there are a lot of drunk people who behave uncivilized and boorish.
- The skating rink on Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi) is constantly crammed with people, so you won’t be able to ride in plenty.
- There were cases of unacceptable behavior of managers in relation to customers.
- Some vacationers are disappointed with worn out equipment and equipment, which you have to rent and give a considerable amount for it. But this is fraught with increased injuries and accidents.
- Skiers point out that some lifts or slopes can suddenly close, although ski passes have to pay a lot.
- In addition, it is difficult to find signs in the resort, and to ride, you have to open many different doors, which is not very convenient when you have skis in your hands.
In general, to come here or not is up to you. Perhaps the resort management will heed the opinions of its guests and will soon eliminate all the shortcomings. Have a nice rest!