The Republic of Adygea is completely surrounded by the Krasnodar Territory. The capital is the city of Maikop. Mixed tourism prevails in the republic. People come here to hunt and admire the beauties of the North Caucasus region. On the territory of the republic there is a huge biosphere reserve and a national natural park, the most unique monuments of nature. Hiking, horse and mountain routes are very popular.
One of the most popular places is the Lago-Naki plateau, located at an altitude of 2 thousand meters above sea level. The territory of the plateau in the majority belongs to the Caucasian Reserve. And these are ecological routes and ski slopes, alpine fields. Relic forests and unique caves, grottoes, especially the mysterious Azish cave.
The plateau itself is located between Mount Messo and the Stone Sea. This is predominantly a calcareous stratum of the Jurassic period, cut through by streams and small rivers. In some places, there are deep, but very narrow canyons with banks up to 10meters.
A bit of history
Azish cave was found and explored only in 1910. The pioneers were local residents, about which they even published an article in the local newspaper. They managed to get inside the cave thanks to a failure, the discoverers created a staircase and went down. According to another version, the pioneers got into the cave while descending a log.
In 1973, the cave was already included in the list of natural objects that are of particular value. But the first visitors appeared here only in 1987. This year, the researchers tried to go further. But none of the attempts were successful. Until 1987, everyone got into the cave for free, but against this background, many karst deposits were destroyed or damaged, mostly with obscene inscriptions. After calculating the damage caused, it turned out that about 4 thousand stalactites were lost.
Today, the Big Azish Cave is fully equipped with convenient slopes with fences, albeit steep ones, and lighting has been provided around the entire perimeter.
Description
According to conservative estimates, the cave is 600 meters long. However, tourists can only walk along the route of 200 meters. It may seem like a short distance, but the whole path consists of multi-level descents (up to 37 meters) with many stalactites and stalagmites.
How things go
First, tourists enter the opening, strongly reminiscent of a well, which is hidden between fir and beechgroves. The descent into the cave is very steep. After that, a view of the huge Entrance Hall or "Royal" opens. There are natural pillars of extraordinary size. And the whole hall has chemogenic deposits of karst rock, that is, it is dotted with stalactites and stalagmites.
Followed by a corridor and the next room, where there are mainly stalagmites and it seems that these are majestic statues created by an unknown sculptor, but very similar to those that are installed in Catholic churches. There are also stalactites on the ceiling and walls. This room got its name from the very first visitors - "Altar".
On the lowest floor there is another hall - "Bogatyrsky". The shape of the room is like a cube. The floor in this room resembles catacombs, and the corridor leading to the river is very narrow. In the very depths of the Great Azish Cave there is a small stream Lozovushka. Its waters are believed to have healing properties. Further, only a waterfall ledge is visible, disappearing into the narrow passages of the cave.
You can get to the last, third, level only for a fee. The price includes uniforms in special clothes, the issuance of a helmet and a flashlight. This is a room called "Rocket". The room has a domed ceiling with rings of white and pink limestone. The main attraction of this hall is the Wishing Palm stalagmite. Locals and guides say that if you make your most cherished wish and touch the stone, it will surely come true.
Small Cave
Malaya is located not far from the Azish cave. According to speleologists, it is 66 meters long and 14 meters high. The vaults in it are much smaller than in the Bolshoi, but it is a whole complex. Inside they found two rooms and calcite dams, stalactites. However, this place is not equipped for tourists.
Features
Big Azish cave - the underground world of Adygea, for this reason many tourists come here. This natural object will surprise even the most sophisticated tourist with its landscapes. Karst formations several meters in size are majestic and formed mainly in the form of a chain. On the walls there are unique embossed streaks. It is believed that they formed when the cave was completely flooded, and the water at these sources was rich in calcium carbonate. Over time, under the influence of certain factors, the carbonate turned into a dense crust - sagging. Those slabs that broke away from the wall formed stalagmites.
Azish cave Lago-Naki is one of the top five largest caves on the European continent. And the air in it is healing, it is rich in the content of calcium, sodium and magnesium s alt ions. Inhalation of such air is beneficial for people with lung diseases. It is clear that in order to achieve a positive therapeutic effect, it will take not one procedure, but many hours of daily walks.
Environmental infrastructure and mode of operation
Today Azish cave is a wholecomplex located on a vast territory. In front of the entrance to the cave there are numerous shops with souvenirs, cafes and small catering facilities. In the warm season, additional entertainment is at the service of travelers: quad bike rides, rope runs between trees. Within walking distance is an observation deck with a magnificent view of the Caucasus Range.
However, for vacationers who want to enjoy the beauty of the cave almost in complete silence, it is better to come in the spring, that is, out of season. You can get to the object at any time of the year from 9 am to 17:15 pm. On average, the tour lasts about 45 minutes. However, it should be remembered that no matter what time of the year you arrive, it is always + 6.3 degrees Celsius inside, so you should take care of warm clothes. Shoes should be comfortable and flat, as the inside is quite slippery. Humidity inside the cave is very high, at the level of 97-98%.
Price of entrance to the cave - 400 rubles. Difficulty category - 2A.
How to get there
Finding this place is elementary, the Azish cave is located only 500 meters from the highway (Maikop-Lagonaki). There are signs everywhere, so you can't drive past. The object is located between two equally unique and interesting ones: the Kurdzhips and Belaya rivers.
If you leave Maykop, then you need to go in the direction of Guzeripl. As soon as the territory of the Dakhovskaya village ends, you should turn right and drive about 1.5 kilometers. In a place where you can see the ropepark, is located and the entrance to the cave. The road is asph alted. However, just before the entrance to the cave, you will have to leave the car, as the road is closed to cars.
You can also get there by public transport from Maikop, you should go towards Khamyshki (regular bus service is established in this direction). Drive approximately 2 hours. Also, an electric train goes here, go to the Hajokh stop, then transfer to the bus again.
Azish cave coordinates: N 44.1213, E 40.0288.
A little something interesting
Many travelers stay in these places for a long time, trying to heal from illnesses with the waters of the cave river. They periodically go down and replenish water supplies. There is an opinion that small crustaceans live in this river, which have never seen sunlight.
You can also hear the story that "caterpillars" live on stalactites, insects that feed on the remains of calcareous rock. They never crawl out to the surface, because if sunlight hits the "caterpillars", they immediately turn into stone.
An interesting fact: stalactites and stalagmites grow only 1 centimeter in 1 year and are practically "siblings", developing towards each other.
Azish cave is a miracle of Adygea, which, if possible, you should definitely visit and understand how beautiful the place is Lago-Naki, where you can see amazing mountains and a deep cave at the same time.
