Holidays in Sochi and its environs are 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 rivulets, ancient dolmens - these are the natural objects that tourists in the Krasnodar Territory want to see first of all. All this is available in the unique natural zone of the Mamedovo Gorge. There are three hiking trails in the nature reserve, which differ 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 Legend of Mammad
Where did the name Mamedovo Gorge come from? Lazarevskoye, like the surrounding settlements, is shrouded in many legends and folk traditions. This unique natural object is no exception. If you believe the stories of local residents, once from one village all the men went on holiday to a neighboring village. The Turkish robbers learned 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, and he remained to wait for the robbers. The bandits were very angry when they saw an empty village. They tortured Mamed for a long time and demanded to tell where the other people hid. The old man agreed and led the robbers along the edge of a steep cliff. When the bandits understood the deception, they walled up Mamed in a cave. And what happened to the bandits themselves is a story that is silent, but nobody has ever seen them alive again. Since then, the picturesque gorge has been called Mamedov.
Interesting places in Mammadov Gorge
At the entrance to the gorge, tourists pass through the so-called Stone Gate. Further, the trail passes three waterfalls with romantic names: "Happiness", "Youth", "Love". If you take a dip in each of them and make a wish related to the sphere of life, after which the waterfall is named, then everything you make will come true. After three water cascades, the Mamedovo Gorge turns into a narrow stone corridor. On a short stretch of path, the rocks literally close above the heads of those walking. After exiting the stone tunnel, the Wanderer opens to the White Hall - a large open space, the fifteen-meter walls of which are formed by natural limestone. Here you can see a ten-meter waterfall, which is called "Mamed Beard." At the foot of it is a stone bowl called the “Mamed Bath”. If you go further along the trail, you can see the ancient dolmens. These are cult stone structures, the exact purpose of which is still debated 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 the Walnut Glade.
Useful information for tourists
Entrance to the territory of the nature reserve is paid: 100 rubles per person. Guided tours are available only for organized groups at an additional cost. It is best to visit the Mamedovo Gorge in the dry period. After rains, the hiking trail is very wet and dirty. How enjoyable your trip will be depends to a large extent on the choice of shoes. The sole should adhere well to the surface and not slip. In one section of the gorge, the trail is laid right along the channel of a shallow mountain stream. Especially prudent travelers here prefer to change their shoes into bathing shoes, which is not a pity to soak in the whole.
How to get to Mammadov Gorge?
Where is the Mamedovo Gorge, how to get to it by personal transport? Getting lost on the way will be difficult even for tourists who do not know the terrain at all. The turn to the gorge is located between the villages of Ashe and Lazarevskoye. It is necessary to turn off the main road for 2 kilometers to Lazarevsky. Then continue following the signs, about 7 km, until the road “rests” on the “Stone Gate”. Mammadov Gorge can also be reached by public transport. Buses 68 and 162 run from Lazarevskaya station. You need to get off at the Yantar Sanatorium stop, then walk 2 kilometers. Some hiking enthusiasts prefer to get to the sights on foot from Lazarevsky. Be sure to visit the 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.