10 most beautiful hiking trails in Russia

1. Great Valdai trail - Novgorod region

A great option for those who are just getting acquainted with trekking. This the longest equipped tourist route in the European part of the country. It is laid on the territory of the Valdaisky National Park. To get there, you need to buy a ticketwhich costs 250 rubles. Additional services are paid separately.

You can go hiking not only as part of an organized group, but also on one's own. And on the way to visit different ecological natural systems. See spruce and forest, broad-leaved forest and clean lakes, rivers with dams built by local beavers, marsh flora and fauna. Interactive stands with additional information are available to tourists on the territory of the national park.

There are places to rest and rejuvenate along the route. Tourists have access to five overnight stays, with fire pits, toilets and washbasins. And between them there are gazebos where you can arrange a halt.

The length of the route is 59 kilometers, the duration of the trip is 5 days. The trail is accessible from May to November, but it is best to travel until the end of September. You can get to the starting point by car from MoscowPetersburg or Veliky Novgorod.

2. Great Baikal trail - Irkutsk region

Another route that does not require serious trekking experience. Several hiking trails have been laid along the coast of Lake Baikal. They are fortified and comfortable for tourists with a variety of levels of training. Especially popular route "Listvyanka - Bolshiye Koty - Bolshoye Goloustnoye".

During the hike you can see picturesque forests, look at Baikal from a height of about 800 meters, relax on rocky beaches and swim in clear lake water.

There are routes that pass through the territory of the Pribaikalsky National Park. This natural area made on the UNESCO World Heritage List. To go hiking through the park, you need to apply for a permit. This can be done online at official website parka. A pass, depending on the zone, will cost up to 500 rubles.

All trips to the outskirts of Lake Baikal start from Irkutsk. The length of the routes is up to 60 kilometers, the duration of the hikes is up to 5–7 days. The best time is from June to September.

3. Kodori Gorge - Caucasus, Abkhazia

Here, too, there are routes for tourists without experience, on which there will be no high peaks and difficult passes.

The gorge is located in the Caucasus, in the upper reaches of the mountain river Kodor. In the vicinity you can see wonderful lakes where trout is found, as well as boxwood groves, beautiful waterfalls, mysterious caves. In addition, everyone can take a dip in the thermal springs of Kyndyg, as well as in the Black Sea, weather permitting.

The route starts in Adler. The final point is New Athos or Psou. Length - up to 90 kilometers, duration - up to 9 days. You can plan a trip from May to September.

4. The route "through the mountains to the sea" - the Caucasus, Adygea, Krasnodar Territory

This is one of the oldest routes - it appeared in the days of the USSR. It is called "through the mountains to the sea", as well as "thirty" - route number 30. The length of the path is about 70 km, the duration of the trip is 7–8 days. Every day, tourists walk up to 10 kilometers and stop for rest.

This is a unique route: only here you can walk through all the landscape zones of the country. It starts at Sochi or Krasnodar. Participants move through the Kuban steppes, go through coniferous and broad-leaved forests, climb mountain plateaus, where alpine and subalpine meadows are located, and then they get the opportunity to see the eternal snows and glaciers on the mountain slope.

Then tourists descend along the southern part of the Main Caucasian ridge and find themselves on the coast among subtropical vegetation. Then they move along the Shakhe river basin, and the final point of the route can be Babuk-Aul, Solokhaul or Dagomys.

Groups go through the high-altitude plateau of Lago-Naki, pass the Fisht-Oshtensky mountain range. Some organizers of trekking routes offer to climb Mount Fisht or Oshten. But for beginners and those who are not very confident in their abilities, you can choose a hike without climbing.

The route was laid through the Caucasian Biosphere reserve. Tourists in organized groups before the start of the hike draw up access to the protected area. The best time to hike is from June to September.

5. Trekking to the foot of Belukha – Altai

This is one of the most popular routes in Altai. Tourists go to the Kara-Turek Pass, pass through the Valley of Seven Lakes, stop at the Lake of Mountain Spirits, watch glaciers, rivers and waterfalls shining in the sun. And finally they come to the foot of Belukha, which is considered the main peak of Altai.

Crossing the pass requires stamina and good physical condition, and it is better for beginners to choose a different route. But for those who can overcome everything obstacles, the most beautiful mountain landscapes, beautiful valleys and pristine lakes open up.

The starting and ending point of the hike is the village of Tungur. Those who want to see the peaks of Altai usually come to Barnaul or Gorno-Altaisk - this is where organized groups gather. Some organizers offer not only hiking, but also rafting. Before leaving, each group is registered with the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Altai.

The length of the route is about 120 kilometers, the duration is 10 days. The best time is from mid-June to the end of August.

6. Trekking to Shavlinsky lakes – Altai

This route allows tourists to overcome the passes of the North Chuya Range and see the Lower and Upper Shavlinsky Lakes. They are located at an altitude of 2 kilometers surrounded by mountain peakscovered with snow. Three peaks that are reflected in the lakes have romantic names: Dream, Fairy Tale and Beauty.

On the way to the reservoirs, tourists are waiting for mountain passes and plateaus. The complexity of the route is slightly above average, for a hike you need a good physical shape. Endurance and the ability to walk up to 10–16 kilometers a day will come in handy.

It is worth going on a hike as part of an organized group; before going out, it is registered with the Ministry of Emergencies. The length of the route is about 100 kilometers, the duration of the trip is 9-10 days. Start and finish in Barnaul or Gorno-Altaisk. The best time is from the second half of June to the end of August.

7. Trekking to the Putorana Plateau – Krasnoyarsk Territory

Known to many from the film "Territory", the plateau is located in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. It entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a huge mass of solidified lava. A giant flat hill rises above the landscape to a height of up to 800 meters. The borders of the plateau are flat rocky ledges.

There is no human habitation nearby. But there are many rivers, waterfalls and mountain lakes. Some of the most beautiful lakes are Keta, Lama and Vivi. In them, as in other local reservoirs, surprisingly clean and transparent water.

On the plateau and next to it, you can see vegetation characteristic of the tundra and taiga. And having risen to a hill, you will find yourself in the Arctic desert.

The starting point for organized groups is Norilsk. Tourists must be in good physical shape, but you can do without special mountaineering training. The length of the route is about 100 kilometers, the duration is 10-15 days. The best time for a hike is from the second half of June to the end of August.

8. Trekking from Taganay to Lake Turgoyak – South Ural

This is an easy route that is suitable for tourists without serious experience. But a good physical shape is very useful, because there you will find mountain ranges, hills and rocks. Tourists start their hike at the main estate of the National Park Taganay, which is located near the city of Zlatoust. Here you can buy entrance tickets to the park.

On the way you can see the most beautiful hills and mountain peaks, rocks and stone pillars. As well as areas of coniferous and pine-birch forests, fir and spruce groves. At the halt, you can pick berries and mushrooms.

The main feature of the Southern Urals is a huge variety of rocks that were formed in different geological epochs. In the crevices of the ridge see multi-colored stones of different sizes: pieces of aventurine and rose quartz, marble, copper ore.

The hike lasts 5-6 days, the length of the route is about 70 kilometers. It ends on the shore of Lake Turgoyak. Tourists with pleasure bathe in clean and cool lake water. The final point of the route is Zlatoust or Chelyabinsk. The best time to hike is from June to September.

9. Ergaki, Western Sayan - Krasnoyarsk Territory

As with any hiking route, part of which passes through the mountains, hikers will need good preparation.

The Western Sayans are a mountain system located in Siberia. Ergaki is a ridge that welcomes tourists with beautiful mountain peaks and unusual landscapes formed by glaciers. Here you can see sharp granite peaks, rocks and stone pillars of bizarre shapes. As well as the pristine taiga, the purest lakes and mighty waterfalls.

This is a protected natural area. A natural park has been created on the territory of the Western Sayan Ergaki. There are equipped tourist parking lots, excursions are conducted, and for beginner trackers organized weekend hikes.

You can start in Abakan. The length of the route is about 60 kilometers, the duration of the trip is up to 7 days. The best time is June-August.

10. Khibiny - Kola Peninsula, Murmansk region

It is better to go here for tourists with experience. For those who are just starting to get acquainted with trekking, the trip may seem difficult.

Khibiny - northern mountains. This is the largest mountain range of the Kola Peninsula. Tourists are waiting for peaks and passes, as well as beautiful gorges, mountain rivers and waterfalls, stone pillars and rocks. Many seek to see the Aku-Aku and Yumyekorr gorges, the South Rischorr pass, the Yudychvumchorr peak. During the hike, you can admire the harsh nature of the tundra, wander through resilient mosses, and pick delicious blueberries.

There is no single tourist trail here - many routes have been laid along the Khibiny. Usually they are calculated for 10-14 days. During this time, tourists walk from 90 to 130 kilometers, depending on their preparation and the complexity of the route.

The starting point is Murmansk, from where you can get to the Apatity station or the city of Kirovsk. It is better to go on a hike as part of an organized group. The most suitable time is July-August.