Sochi National Park is the second oldest park in the Russian Federation. It is located near the resort city of Sochi. Its area is almost 200 thousand hectares. The Mzymta River flows through the park, which has long been noticed by rafting enthusiasts from all over the world. A diverse landscape, many species of exotic animals and unforgettable views made it the pearl of this region.
Building a park
The history of the park dates back to 1983. The main purpose of creating this reserve was to preserve the unique flora and fauna of the Greater Caucasus. Thanks to the joint efforts of scientists from various fields, it was possible not only to preserve the region, which has a high ecological and recreational value, but also to restore many destroyed natural objects. Environmental education also plays an important role. Park employees are constantly opening new museum expositions that work on the territory of forestries.
Sochi National Park is not only a monument to a unique landscape. Its employees laid comfortable forest paths and bridges along which guestspark can walk. In addition, almost fifty natural objects were opened for guests, which surprise with their pristine beauty. These are unique caves, waterfalls and canyons, and most importantly, charming forest park areas with a picturesque landscape.
Park Landscape
A feature is the abundance of rivers and streams that create a huge number of canyons and waterfalls. The Sochi National Park is also famous for its unique caves, such as the Vorontsov and Akhun caves. In addition, there are unique waterfalls on the territory, the beauty of which is annually visited by thousands of tourists.
The Sochi park also contains such important geological monuments as underground rivers, limestone massifs with deep caves, and unique karst cavities.
Park plants
Beech forests here are up to 50 meters high. In addition, a quarter of all the trees in the reserve are oaks that grow on the slopes of the mountains. In addition, only in this park you can find a unique European chestnut, which is a relic species. And thick moss gives the landscapes a charming look of a magical forest.
The most favorite place for tourists is the Riviera Park, which is covered with unique types of flowers, greenery and rare species of trees. The park in Sochi has a huge number of rare species of roses, from which the masters of the reserve create a new beautiful composition every year.
In summer, the park provides an opportunity for vacationers to hide fromscorching sun in the shade of tall chestnut and pine trees. And in winter you can enjoy the aroma of blooming magnolias and fragrant pine needles. Magnolia blooms in late autumn or even early winter. Even the snow won't stop it. The flowers are very fragrant, and first of all, because Sochi has high humidity, which contributes to the spread of the aroma.
Animal world
Sochi National Park is a unique place for ecotourism, due to the presence on the territory of a huge number of unique biological species. Many species of animals that can be found in the Sochi nature reserve are listed in the Red Book.
The reserve is home to more than 120 species of birds, some of which you will not find anywhere else. If we talk about animals, there are almost 80 different species in the park. Among them, one should single out a deer, a brown bear, an otter, a European roe deer, a marten and many others, which are practically not found in the forests of our homeland.
Besides, the rivers rich in Sochi National Park abound with rare species of fish. In addition, you can meet rare species of reptiles (there are almost 20 of them in the park).
Thanks to the collective work of employees, there is an active dissemination of information about the endangered species of animals that live here. Volunteers are constantly involved in the work to disseminate information (including online).
Rest in the park
Each year, ecotourism onlygain popularity. Nowadays, it is fashionable and prestigious to engage in outdoor activities, stay overnight in tents, and visit national reserves and parks. Sochi National Park has become a favorite place for tourists from Russia and neighboring countries. Its map allows you to perfectly plan the route. And the huge areas capture the spirit of the tourist with their magnificent reliefs, unique flora and fauna.
You can visit the park as part of an excursion, as well as on your own. For extreme tourists, rafting on mountain rivers, horseback riding and orienteering are offered. More relaxed travelers can visit one of the excursion routes suggested by the guide, just take a walk with the family and relax in the coolness of the dense forest.
