The largest state on the planet - Russia, has on its territory about 50 operating national parks. Most of them are located on the European territory of the country. One of the richest natural places of our state is the Mari Chodra National Park, the sights of which will be discussed in the article.
General information about the park
National Park "Mari Chodra" is located in the areas of Morkinsky, Zvenigovsky and Volzhsky in the Republic of Mari El, which is a subject of the Russian Federation. The area of the park is 366 square kilometers. It was created in 1985 in order to protect against the extinction of rare plant species, of which there are more than 100. Photos of the Mari Chodra National Park can be seen in the article.
There are about 15 tourist routes in the park. The main attractions of the Mari Chodra National Park are lakes, for example, Yalchik, Glukhoye, Kichier, as well as the Ilet and Yushut rivers. One of the places most visited by tourists can be called Pugachev Oak. Tourism in the park plays an important economic role for the republics of Mari-El, Tatarstan and Chuvashia.
The state organization of the Mari Chodra National Park monitors and carries out tourist and security activities in the park. The property of this organization is a number of natural objects and complexes located in the Middle Volga region.
Lake Yalchik
Perhaps this is one of the favorite places for tourists who come to rest on the territory of the Mari Chodra National Park. There are several recreation centers on the shores of the lake that provide rental services for boats, bicycles and other equipment. According to tourists' reviews, there is a beautiful sand beach with magnificent views of the shores of the lake, and the recreation centers are quite well-groomed, there are shops. Tourists also respond positively to food, which is varied and tasty.
Yalchik Lake is one of the largest natural reservoirs in the park. It consists of two small lakes connected by a jumper. In the summer, when the region is hot, this jumper often dries up, completely separating one lake from another. In the waters of Yalchik there are perch, pike and other types of fish, so for fishing enthusiasts a visit to one of the recreation centers on the banks of Yalchik will be a good choice.
Ilet River
This is one of the popular tourist spots of the Mari Chodra National Park. The river has a length of more than 200 km, most of it is located in the park. The river itself is not wide (several tens of meters), the banks of the upper Ileti are steep, and the banks of the middle course and lower reaches are gentle, sandy beaches are often found on them. Beautiful mixed forests surround the river .
The Ilet River is famous for the fact that lovers of outdoor activities come to it with the aim of rafting along it, mainly by kayaking and catamarans. The river flow is calm at a speed of 3-6 km / h, so it is well suited for beginners kayaking enthusiasts. There are several routes for rafting along the river, their length ranges from 20 to 90 km.
Pugachev Oak
Perhaps, rest in the Mari Chodra park is impossible to imagine without excursions to Maple Mountain, where Pugachev's Oak grows . A feature of the oak is its size and age, for example, the diameter and height of the tree are 1.59 m and 26 m, respectively, and the age, according to modern estimates, is more than 400 years. A stone has been placed near this giant, on which there is an inscription testifying to the events that occurred in the second half of the 18th century on Maple Mountain.
According to one legend, Emelyan Pugachev climbed onto this oak tree before making a trip to Kazan. According to another legend, the leader of the uprising climbed the tree after the defeat near Kazan to see how it burns in the fire. In any case, it is reliably known that Pugachev’s detachments were in the summer of 1774 in the forests near the Maple Mountain.
As for Oak Pugachev himself, he could be a witness to the uprising, but Pugachev could not climb on it, because at that time the tree was still too small. It is believed that Emelyan Pugachev, if he climbed a tree, it was another oak tree, which was even larger than the existing one. It withered for a long time and was cut in the 40s of the XX century.
Currently, excursions to Pugachev Oak are carried out both in the summer on bicycles and cars, and in the winter - on skis.