Crimea is like a mecca for a tourist-hiker. Some of its paths are ready to take even children into their hospitable embrace, but the younger generation should get used to the beautiful. And some routes require considerable skill, endurance, experience. Babugan Yayla is just such a place. Campaigns there are considered difficult, you need to carefully prepare for them, choosing the right shoes and clothes, paying attention to the weight distribution of the backpack and stocking up everything you need in advance.
origin of name
As you might guess, the colorful name has Tatar roots, however, like many Crimean place names. Linguists say that the word "babugan" translates as "wolf berry." Well, yayla means that it’s not about one mountain, but about the whole massif, about a huge plateau. By and large, the egg can be characterized as a steppe at high altitude.
Location
Babugan Yaila is the most western massif of the Main ridge of the mountains of the Crimean peninsula. Nearby are other massifs bordering each other through passes. For example, Babugan is separated from the Gurzuf Yaila by the Gurzuf saddle pass, the Kibitsky pass is separated from the Chatyr-Dag massif, and the Chuchelsky pass connects Babugan with the Sinap-Dag ridge.
Record numbers
Babugan Yaila (Crimea) is famous for its “1,500-meter peaks” - peaks whose height exceeds one and a half kilometers. The highest of them is Mount Roman-Kosh, whose peak reaches a mark of 1545 m above sea level. This makes it not only the highest mountain of the massif, but also on the entire peninsula.
Other famous peaks are no less attractive for mountain lovers: Zeytin-Kosh, Tas-Tepe, Uchurum-Kaya, Dam-Kosh. In the east of the massif there are more modest peaks: Kush-Kaya (1335 m) and Cherkez-Kosh (1395 m). 8 out of 11 Crimean mountains belong to the Babugan Yaila massif.
Nature and climate
The unique nature preserves the steppe charm. If you are told that the breath of epochs is felt in these places, be sure that this is true. The steppe is beautiful and pure, as it was hundreds of years ago.
The flat plateau at the top of the yayla is covered with vegetation typical of the steppe: grasses and shrubs. And the slopes are overgrown with trees, many of which reach impressive sizes. When preparing for the trip, do not forget that at high altitude it is always colder. Even if the column on the coast exceeds +30, the mountains will be quite cool.
Amazing fauna
Do you think that herds of light-footed gazelles or real deer can only be seen on TV? And here it is, the unique nature of Babugan Yayly has become a haven for a huge number of animals and birds. You can admire them - of course, from a distance. Many tourists are attracted by the fauna, which is famous for Babugan Yaila.
Photos of this place are similar to pictures from an adventure novel. Do not be surprised that all kinds of adventures can overtake you here. For example, experienced tourists know that in addition to beauty, the nature of the yayla can also be fraught with danger. Beware of snakes and large spiders, which are found in these parts in abundance. You should not go to Babugan in open shoes, it is inconvenient and unsafe. However, there is no reason to panic, because the small animals are afraid of the person and will not attack first. Do not disturb in vain the inhabitants of Yayla, especially since many of them are listed in the Red Book.
Inaccessible peak
Many tourists who walked Crimean paths up and down call Babugan Yailu the most mysterious and inaccessible place. The point is not the steepness of the blocking rocks, not the water barriers and any other reasons of a natural nature. Just these places are part of the reserve, which is under state protection. What would happen to careless roe deer or rare birds if everyone had access to such a unique place as Babugan Yayla?
Not even every Crimean knows how to get to these parts. Babugan cannot be called too popular. Although it is located not far from Alushta and Yalta, it will not be transported here, it will need to be left far below and most of the way will be covered on foot. There are no excursions, inns and souvenir shops here, which means there is no advertising ...
However, the incredible view of the sea merging with the sky, the peak of the Crimea Roman-Kosh and the unique nature still attract the most desperate daredevils to these places. If you decide to get here on the road from Gurzuf or from the Yalta side, you will not succeed - you simply will not be let in. Only animal tracks and the ridge of the Horse remain. There is another way, longer and more difficult. It starts in Alushta and runs near the village of Nizhnyaya Kutuzovka. On the way, you will overtake the Alushta reservoir and approach Yale through the Garden cordon. Here begins the conservation area.
When planning a route, expect one day. It is forbidden to spend the night in the reserve, let alone make bonfires. You will also have nowhere to get water and buy food. And what is the need to admire the beauty of Crimea in the middle of the night? Illuminated by the rays of Babugan Yayla is simply amazing in its beauty.