Tourist excursions are the most affordable way to get to know another city or country in a short time. As part of the trip, you can explore the main attractions that this or that place is famous for.
Excursions to the country with ancient history and amazing nature
Excursions "Golden Ring of Abkhazia" are carried out from all over the Black Sea coast. The most convenient way to travel from Adler and Sochi to the republic is therefore dozens of buses with tourists who have already heard about the amazing views of a hospitable country with a distinctive culture depart from these places.
Despite the fact that different companies carry the arrivals for new impressions of guests, the route of all the organizers of an unforgettable trip is the same. There is only one road to beautiful Abkhazia, and only the points of commercial stops differ where you can taste local products and have a bite to eat in a cafe after a long trip. Before you set off, check out the basic recommendations so that nothing spoils a fascinating journey.
Documents required for crossing the Russian-Abkhaz border
- To cross the border, on which there is a visa-free regime, a passport is required.
- Children under 14 years of age must have a birth certificate bearing a citizenship note. Those older than this age cross the border only with a passport.
- Travelers under the age of 18, traveling on their own, must be given parental consent to leave Russia for Abkhazia. Moreover, all documents must be in the original, with blue seals, and copies must be certified by a notary.
Recommendations for tourists
- Be prepared for a very early departure by bus and late return after the end of the Golden Ring of Abkhazia tour: the tour lasts about 16 hours.
- It is recommended to take bathing accessories, warm clothes for visiting the cave, comfortable and non-slip shoes with you.
- The cost of the tour does not include food expenses. The trip provides for stops at cafes and restaurants, but the prices are much higher than on the Black Sea coast, so please reserve cash in advance.
- Visits to local houses with wine, chacha, cheese and honey tastings take a lot of time, and the products offered are much more expensive than on the market. When drafting an agreement for the upcoming Golden Ring of Abkhazia excursion, renounce the services imposed by the operators and arrange the trip only on clearly agreed conditions.
- On a long trip, you should not take small children who can not stand the tiring journey.
Trip to the sunny republic
Excursion routes “The Golden Ring of Abkhazia” have several options, and we will consider the most popular tour, which includes visits to Pitsunda and Gagra, New Athos, Lake Ritsa. However, each tour operator has the right to add new places for exploring the sights of the fabulously beautiful republic.
First stop: Gagra
So, our journey called the “Golden Ring of Abkhazia” from Adler, bordering directly with the sunny country, begins, and the first stop after crossing the border is the beautiful resort of Gagra. A picturesque city cannot be imagined without the famous landmark, which is a symbol of all of Abkhazia.
The Gagra Colonnade is an arcade built in a semicircle, including eight arches. The construction that appeared in the postwar period is located on the square, where tourists will see the original fountain with a sculpture of a white dove - a symbol of peace. Many note the amazing harmony of the architectural ensemble, which looks incredibly majestic. Illuminated by lanterns, it is especially beautiful in the evening, and it is not for nothing that the square is always full of tourists taking memorable photos of a wonderful place.
Stop two: Pitsunda
The next planned stop is in the ancient Caucasian city with magnificent beaches and pine groves. But the main attraction of the resort, famous for its purest water, is, of course, the Pitsunda complex, located in the heart of the city. The historical and architectural reserve "Great Pitiunt" attracts a huge number of tourists.
The ancient city, which appeared on the site of a settlement founded by the inhabitants of Hellas, gave the name to the most visited reserve. Pitiunt was an important trading center of the Black Sea region, and the preserved monuments of architecture make up the main wealth of the cultural institution, founded in 1991.
Fortress wall
The huge complex, which is examined during the excursion “The Golden Ring of Abkhazia”, is of great interest to all tourists who spend several hours on the territory of the reserve. Here you can see the fortress stone wall, repeatedly rebuilt. Visitors will be surprised by uneven masonry and imperfectly shaped stones, and the guide will tell a curious legend that tells how the wall was erected in just one day.
When the Gentiles tried to destroy the main Christian temple, all the inhabitants of the city and its environs, united in a single rush, brought cobblestones for the construction of a high wall that protected the shrine.
What else to see in the reserve?
The majestic temple is not in vain considered a pearl of the reserve. Today, cross-domed cathedral hosts concerts of organ music that sounds powerful and expressive due to the beautiful acoustics of the building.
Tourists will spend a lot of time in the historical museum of Pitsunda, where large collections of exhibits telling about the life of the ancient inhabitants of these lands are presented.
Curious visitors will see the ruins of an ancient basilica and bell tower, a dilapidated aqueduct and a dolmen in which Abkhazians buried relatives. The artifact brought from the village of Escher is always successful, and it has become a tradition among all tourists to throw small coins on the tomb.
Third stop: the miracle of nature of Abkhazia
Tired after a walk through the historical reserve, tourists go to the most famous Abkhazian lake - Ritsa. Photos of this natural miracle resemble fabulous landscapes that came to life in reality. The bus passes along the edge of the gorge, and everyone freezes at the sight of a mountain serpentine. To get to a pond located high in the mountains, tourists are removed from the seashore.
Fascinating views of the lake amaze the imagination of everyone who first sees the miraculous monument. Those who do not tire of admiring the wonderful landscapes admit that Lake Ritsa, whose photo conveys its amazing beauty, is the place where you want to return again. The clear water of a natural masterpiece does not warm above 20 degrees, so only the bravest decide to swim.
Stop Four: New Athos
The final point of the trip is New Athos, which is not very long to go to. There are only two objects of interest to guests of Abkhazia - this is a famous monastery and caves hiding in the bowels of the Iverskaya Mountain.
Our route includes exploring the bizarre galleries of the underworld. An excursion to the New Athos cave for many tourists becomes the most memorable. In 1975, a railway was opened, along which visitors are taken to mysterious grottoes that keep centuries of silence. The delightful Apsny Hall in gray and brown colors is often associated with a huge giant sleeping for thousands of years.
Two underground lakes, the water surface of which is not touched even by the breeze, arouse a sense of admiration for the power of mother nature, who created a unique work. Colonies of transparent stalagmites, like fairy gnomes, lined up near limestone walls dotted with cracks. The stone extravaganza is the final stage of the travel that impresses tourists.
The Golden Ring of Abkhazia is an excursion that will be remembered for a long time. A rich program with a visit to the main attractions of a friendly country will give everyone the most vivid impressions and incomparable pleasure.