How to get from Ai Petri. Independent trip to Ai-Petri from Gaspra. From the Wuchang-Su waterfall

Good day to all!

This summer we vacationed in Crimea, and one of our points was to visit Mount Ai-Petri, Mount St. Peter.

I want to say in advance that I walked through the Turkish, Krasnodar and Thai mountains, and they all certainly impressed me, so I can say with great confidence that the mountains of the Southern Coast of Crimea are no less impressive and cause great delight.

Let's start in order, my first acquaintance with the peak was on the serpentine road, when we were approaching the South Coast. Mount Ai-Petri impressed me, delighted me and scared me a little. It looked so majestic and dangerous that I had to overcome myself to decide to conquer it.

Preparation

Before climbing the mountain, we learned in advance how best to do it,

There are three ways to climb the mountain:

1. The most standard is the Lift. You need to go down to the Miskhor - Ai-Petri station, stand in line for about an hour or more often longer, pay 400 rubles for one adult and 250 for one child, and get tickets. Then take the lift up the mountain in 15 minutes. When ascending, as well as during descent, there is an intermediate station where you will be transferred from one cabin to another for further ascent.
2. Climb the mountain by car along the serpentine road, with guides. The price is the same as on the lift: 400 rubles. adults, 250 children. It is worth considering that this excursion will be conducted for you by private owners, and here you can think about safety: who will take you, what kind of driver will be, and what will your transport be like. I think all this is not checked anywhere and by anyone.
3. Conquering the mountain "on your own" on your own two feet! There are special groups, or you can do it on your own if you are an avid hiker, and real nature and dangerous paths, you are not afraid.

It is also necessary to remember that on the mountain, the temperature is slightly lower, so do not forget to take a cape and socks with you.

Another item is comfortable sports shoes, sneakers or specialized sports sandals.

Climb

We chose the second method of ascent. In order to climb the mountain with the help of private tourists, you don’t need to call anywhere and buy tickets in advance. Everyone who goes down to the Miskhor - Ai-Petri station meets along the way a “cluster of guys” who offer their services to climb the mountain.

We chose this method because we did not want to stand in line for a long time at the lift and also because we were promised a much more interesting and spectacular ascent by car.

To get up by car you also have to wait a little. Wait until there are people for the mini gazelle, and wait until the car itself arrives. We waited 15 minutes.

Excursion while climbing Ai-Petri

When climbing the mountain by car, an interesting excursion will be organized for you.

The tour guide was our driver, he drove and at the same time, without a microphone, shouted to us Interesting Facts from the history of Crimea.

Our first stop was the Yalta Sign. The famous photo background of all Soviet Crimean photo cards.

Yalta sign

We were given 10 minutes so that we could all take a photo in front of this sign.

The next point was the Uchan-su waterfall.

The day before our visit to Mount Ai-Petri, it rained all day, so we found a “working” waterfall. We were pleased that the waterfall had been dry for a couple of weeks, but by the time we arrived it had started working. Therefore, everyone should take note, it is best to go to our Russian waterfalls after rain.😁

The waterfall itself is very beautiful, noisy, impressive... But there is one drawback, this is a huge crowd of tourists like us. You won’t be able to unite with nature here; it’s good if you can stand in line and take a photo.

The third point was Mountain Lake with Turtles, where, according to the guide, the Soviet children's film Buratino was filmed. But not the whole film, of course, but specifically the moment with Turtle Tortilla on the lake.

The lake is surrounded by coniferous and deciduous trees. In the lake itself you can see turtles that come out to bask in the sun, as well as ducks. We walked around the entire perimeter of the lake, since it is not large, and it was not difficult. Walking along this lake you can imagine singing Tortilla and Pinocchio. I think children will find it very interesting there. Even those who have never seen the film Pinocchio will be interested in looking at the turtles in their natural environment a habitat.

Also not far from the lake there is a source of mountain spring water where you can replenish your water supplies. The water in the spring is really good and tasty.

Then we set off again, the road to Ai-Petri lay through a wooded area with huge century-old pine trees, and gave way to views of rocky and mountain cliffs. To be honest, I was afraid and delighted at the same time, all the way.

By the way, the driver did not drive at all, he drove slowly and carefully.

The next, fourth, point was the Silver Gazebo.

Favorite place rest and tea drinking for our emperors. The place is also very beautiful, the only negative is that the gazebo looks abandoned and unkempt. She could use some cosmetic work.

The gazebo offers an amazing view of Yalta and the entire South Coast. The city is in full view, and in the distance is the endless sea.

There are also a lot of people at the gazebo, and you have to stand in line. to take a photo, or just enjoy the beautiful view.

Nextand the last point on our excursion is the highest point of Ai-Petri.

Very impressive and a nice place where the mountains touch the clouds. And in front of you is the same endless sea. A place where you feel like a small point, a place where you seem to understand that everything is perishable, except for the mountains, sea and clouds...

It seems that you walk a little and you can catch a cloud by the tail, touch it, plunge into fog and see it from the inside.

It’s worth going to the mountain by car specifically for this point. It’s incredibly beautiful and picturesque there. And, what pleases me most, there are practically no tourists.

In the photo you can see the teeth of Ai-Petri, that’s where you’ll climb closer to them cable car, and unfortunately you won’t see all the beauty that we saw when we went up the serpentine road by car.

Peak of Ai-Petri

A car with a guide took us to the final point of our ascent, the peak of Ai-Petri. Then we were left to our own devices. At the very top it is no less interesting, there are cafes, shops and a very cheap market.

Speaking of the market. If you have the opportunity to shop there, do so. We drove all over Crimea, from east to west, and more favorable prices haven't found it anywhere else. A friend bought Crimean sweets and healthy teas there, no matter how much we later looked for the same favorable prices for them, we could not find them.

In July 2018, an exhibition of Retro cars was held on the mountain, both old rare cars and modern luxury cars were presented, well, where else can we see them, if not on Mount Ai-Petri.))

My husband, very joyful and no less admiring, walked among these masterpieces of automobile production and took photographs in front of almost every car.

Then my husband and I went to the famous teeth of Ai-Petri , and our friend stood in line at the cable car for the descent. It's not far to walk to the Zubtsa for 10-15 minutes at a calm pace. Having reached them, the husband decided that he should go along two suspension bridges.

This entertainment is for daredevils and it costs 500 rubles

Before entering the trail, we put on the belay and received a full briefing. My husband walked across the bridge, and I watched him with a sinking heart, and took photographs... and cried from excitement and worry.

The height of the bridge is 1234 meters.

Having reached one prong, he had to catch his breath and reposition the belay himself. The insurance was double. Having rested, he stepped onto the second bridge which was already leading him to me!

The entire transition took him 10 minutes.

Also, at the top of Ai-Petri you can ride, fly on a zipline, this already costs more than 1000 rubles.

After conquering the bridge, we walked back to the cable car, our friend stood in line all this time to buy tickets for the descent. We joined her and stood in line for another 15 minutes. A return ticket also cost 400 rubles per adult and 250 per child. And after that a very interesting and exciting descent awaited us.

We also bought delicious hot pies at Ai-Petri. Either they were very tasty or we were very hungry 😉, but I still remember their taste!!!

The view from the lift cabin is also incredibly beautiful; we took a seat at the window and enjoyed the view around us.

The only downside to this whole trip is the tiresome queue!

Our conquest of the Ai-Petri peak was very interesting. All four of us were incredibly delighted; we didn’t notice any downsides (besides the queue) or shortcomings, we just enjoyed and admired the view around us!

I think that we were not mistaken in choosing to go up by car, because without it it would not have been so interesting, and we would not have learned or seen much.

If you are looking good camping on the South Coast, then THIS review will be useful to you!

And if you, like us, go to Crimea by car, then I advise you to go to the western coast of Crimea.

You can read my detailed story about the car tour of the Crimean peninsula

Also, don’t forget about high-quality cosmetics from Crimea! You can read reviews of the masks I tried.

To get to a coral reef, you don’t have to travel to distant countries. Enough to visit Crimean mountain Ai-Petri, which, according to some scientists, is an ancient reef that rose from the bottom of the sea. This seemingly inaccessible jagged rock can be reached by car. Two roads lead to a 1.2-kilometer altitude: a serpentine road from Yalta and a mountainous, but flatter one from Bakhchisarai. After visiting the Khan's Palace, the Assumption Monastery and Chufut-Kale, Andrei Pripisnov and I chose the second route. By the way, there is also a third one - by air, by cable car from Miskhor.

Route: Bakhchisarai – Tankovoe – Kuibyshevo – Golubinka – Sokolinoe – Ai-Petri peak – Yalta

BELBEK GATE

On the plain it is sunny, but in the mountains there is fog and rain, the climate is different there

Having passed Bakhchisarai, behind the village of Zheleznodorozhnoe we turn left into the valley of the Belbek River, and find ourselves in a large canyon, the edges of which are marked by separate mountains with flat tops. This is the so-called Belbek Gate. These places were densely populated in ancient times. Here on that top on the right is the Byzantine Shuiren fortress, behind it cave city Mangup, the capital of the principality known in the Middle Ages, on the left is the cave monastery of Kachi-Kalyon and the ancient settlement of Kyz-Kermen...

The road we are traveling on was paved by Russian sappers in late XIX century under the leadership of engineer-Colonel Shishko, who so successfully fit it into the terrain that Soviet time it was only slightly expanded and covered with asphalt.

The local more temperate climate without constant southern coastal disasters and the abundance of water allow us to grow excellent harvests in the gardens we pass by. We stop at a grandmother who sells dogwoods to compare the taste of garden berries with wild ones. Yes, garden dogwood is twice as large, but the taste of the one growing in the forests of the South Coast is more tart and rich.

Behind Sokolin, a mountain serpentine begins, densely surrounded by beech forest - it’s difficult for two cars, not to mention buses, to pass each other at turns. On the left is the Grand Canyon - a narrow gorge 300 meters deep, behind which are the ruins of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, on the right is the Silver Waterfall.

Menacing rock walls facing the sea

We don't have time to rush to visit these attractions. This requires time, and we don’t have much of it - we need to get to the top of Ai-Petri before dark, and the weather at a thousand-meter altitude is too changeable, and it’s already starting to rain. By the way, in such weather, visiting the canyon is very dangerous due to rockfalls.

Finally, when the turns straightened slightly and the heads, having taken a vertical position, ceased to resemble Chinese bobbleheads, giant puffball mushrooms suddenly appeared in front of us. These are the white domes of the Simeiz Observatory, which means they are almost there.

HIGH MOUNTAIN TABOR

We turn to the cable car station and, before reaching it, we stop at the very edge of a 1.2-kilometer cliff. A panorama of the southern coast of Crimea unfolds before us, like a wide-screen film in an American drive-in theater. In the foreground is the beautiful Yalta, behind it is the silhouette of Bear Mountain protruding far into the sea.

Tabor on top of Ai-Petri. The white triangular building is the cable car station.

The jagged peak of Ai-Petri is very close, but to get to it you need to enter the small Las Vegas resort surrounded by a fence with entertainment venues, which, with its huge tent, resembles a mobile circus town and a gypsy camp at the same time.

They ask us five hryvnia for entry and parking. As a former local who climbed here for free in the “stagnant” years, this offends me a little (another paid entrance to Proval!), especially since it is not the Crimean Tatars who take tribute, but it seems like Chechens who came from God knows where.

Having met the checker with a black beard and his companion and finally feeling like we are in an oriental bazaar, we begin to bargain: “Okay, Abdurahman and Muhamed, we are journalists, we’ll write about you, give us a discount.” They consult with their “field commander” and let us in for free. Muhamed runs after him and, out of breath, asks to cross him out of the notebook. We're doing him a favor (he goes by a different name here). The guy sighs with relief. “You’ll have to watch the car for this!” - Having become completely impudent, we shout to him. He waves his hand in agreement.

From here a breathtaking panorama of the southern coast of Crimea opens, from Mount Ayu-Dag in the east to Mount Koshka (Simeiz) in the west.

We pass through a gauntlet of shops and eateries that look like props. The smell is like backstage at a circus, which is not surprising: there are dozens of horses, there are even camels. We refuse to ride on horseback to the Three-Eyes Cave. The guides immediately lose interest in us, but one of them, still trying to interest us, lays out his last trump card: “This is the writer’s favorite cave...”. The writer's name is carried away by the wind, we have no time to ask him again. But what! Abreks are abreks, even though now they are extras in a film about robbers or Basmachi, but they learned about the writer - the tourism business forced them.

Behind the fence the path to the top of Ai-Petri begins. It’s late and the booth at the next entrance to Proval is empty. Savings again - two hryvnias per brother. It's not a long walk, but it's not possible to go quickly - the path is slippery, its stones are polished to a mirror shine by thousands of tourist feet. Here is the famous jagged peak, reproduced on thousands of postcards since Tsarist times. From here you can see the missing West Side panoramas of the South Coast: Gaspra, Koreiz, Miskhor, Alupka, Simeiz, Blue Bay...

HUNDRED NIGHT TURNINGS

The peak of Ai-Petri is considered best place in Crimea to watch the sunrise. Which, however, can be argued - on the eastern side of Demerdzhi above the Khapkhal tract it is also not weak, and on Babugan Kush-Kai, Karabi-Yayla and Karadag...

But we were destined to see the sun set. Here it is as fast as on the entire Southern Coast: as if someone invisible turned off the light and left only a faint illumination in the Sevastopol area. And we, like an ant in a cartoon, have to get to our anthill, and, like in a cartoon, the anthill seems close, but we still have to run and run to get to it. So is Yalta, here it is, under your feet, directly to it no more than three kilometers, but to get down to it you need to drive twenty kilometers along a rather dangerous, unlit mountain serpentine at night, and even in the drizzling rain.

The very first 180-degree turn makes you respect this rally track (Antique Rallies were held here), and there are about a hundred such turns where cars pass each other end-to-end. It was hard to believe that here Sergei Malik reached speeds of up to 200 km/h in Formula 1600. True, on straight sections, but still.

We fly past the Uchan-Su waterfall and the “Lesnoy” and “Kara-Gol” restaurants, famous in the “stagnant” years, where people flew from Moscow by plane to spend a couple of days hanging out. And, finally, the Crimean pines parted, and like an inverted starry sky, the Southern Coast began to sparkle before us with myriads of lights. And for some reason I remembered Mayakovskoye - “Please give me a chervonets!” Yalta".

CREW. Andrey Pripisnov (car owner), Alexander Elchishchev.
AUTOMOBILE. Five-door hatchback VAZ-21140 2003.
ROUTE. Traveling around Crimea. Mountain road Bakhchisaray - Yalta with a stop at the top of Mount Ai-Petri (1234 m).

REFERENCE

ROAD BAKCHISARAI - YALTA

Distance 74 km. Having driven 5 km after the last houses of Bakhchisarai towards Sevastopol, you need to turn left at the fork after the village. Zheleznodorozhnoe, near the railway station Siren (Syuyren). The landmark is an obelisk in honor of the soldiers-liberators of Crimea. The road is replete with mountain serpentines, so before the trip you need to check the effectiveness of the brakes. It is advisable to have “foglights”. Remember: the climate in the mountains is different than on the plain.

AI-PETRI

Mount Ai-Petri, symbol Big Yalta, famous for its jagged peak (its height is 1234 m). Located above Yalta and Alupka. Translated from Greek - Saint Peter (most likely because of the temple located here, whose ruins were seen by travelers at the beginning of the 19th century). At the top there is a cable car station, a whole entertainment town with souvenir shops and restaurants. The cost of entering and parking a car is 5 hryvnia (1 hryvnia is equal to approximately 4 rubles). A visit to the top costs 2 hryvnia (prices have probably changed).

CABLE CAR

The top of Ai-Petri can be reached by a 3-kilometer cable car from Miskhor. Rise time - 20 minutes. People who are afraid of heights should keep in mind that the last, highest section, 1.7 km long, has no supports (it is the largest in Europe), and the trailer sways a lot.

CAVES

35 caves have been explored on the Ai-Petrinsky plateau (yayla). The deepest of them is Cascade (246 m), the most accessible is Trekhglazka. A half-hour horse route from the town at the top has been organized to the latter. Excursion hours are from 8.00 to 20.00 daily. The cost is 40 hryvnia (to be clarified, the price was given during our trip). There are enough horses for everyone - there are several dozen of them here.
© Alexander Elchishchev
Photo and route diagram by the author

Greetings! Not all drivers decide to climb the Ai-Petri plateau by car; there are also those for whom the trip becomes entertainment. Undoubtedly, the route is memorable and picturesque - the higher you climb, the more you admire the panorama of the southern coast of Crimea.

I receive many questions about the situation on Ai-Petri in the 2020 season. It seems that on Maslenitsa the Crimeans had such a good winter that it left the peninsula far and long and was noted only on a few mountain peaks. I decided to collect all available information in in social networks and add it to this article. We will talk about entertainment on the plateau, prices and road conditions.

Dear readers! The article was written a long time ago, but is still in demand, so I constantly update it and make changes up-to-date information. (Personal photographs and photos from social networks for 2020 were used). Updated 01/20/2020

Road to Ai-Petri

There are four ways to climb Ai-Petri: on foot, in your own car, by cable car or with carriers. Each option has its pros and cons, but you should definitely use at least one. For walking routes There are diagrams on the web.

In January 2019, the Ai-Petri plateau was the most popular place For active rest. Hundreds of tourists posted their pictures on social networks from the snow-covered mountain: some on sleds, some on skis, and some in a kilometer-long traffic jam. IN new year holidays the movement was paralyzed, there were weirdos who got up on summer tires (they had to be pulled out).

photo from the VK group “Weather on Ai-Petri”.

Dear, before traveling to winter time Check the weather conditions online! If you don't care about yourself, think about your children! Rescue services cannot reach some areas.

Count on capabilities of your car: 4x4, spikes or chains, full tank. Current information ingroup on VKontakte “Weather on Ai-Petri”.

The mountain serpentine leading to the plateau is the longest and most winding in Crimea. Depending on the weather conditions some sections or the entire road may be closed, as warned by a sign at the beginning of the path or by guards. There are landslides, landslides and avalanches here.

Since 2019, the road to Ai-Petri has been serviced by the Krymavtodor enterprise. For security traffic in winter, the road is cleared of snow and sprinkled with a sand-salt mixture.

On January 4, 2019, 6 avalanches occurred, the transport could not get out on its own, they called in heavy equipment and augers to break through to the stuck people. Avalanches covered many vehicles.

Previously, there was an unspoken rule for visiting Ai-Petri: ascent to the plateau along a narrow serpentine road before 12 noon, descent - after 12 noon. Now motorists ignore this rule and create problems for themselves, others and rescue services.

Road T 0117 leads to the Ai-Petri plateau, and then along the northern slope, through the Grand Canyon of Crimea, to the Bakhchisarai region. Second name - old Yalta route. There are springs along the route, interesting rocks and the most famous waterfalls Crimea: (on the southern slope) and Silver Streams (on the northern slope). From Bakhchisarai, from Sokolinoe, the road (January 2020) to Ai-Petri is much worse, there are many potholes.

We can say with all confidence that the road to Ai-Petri is one of the most dangerous roads Crimea, so tired drivers and beginners have nothing to do there!

You can climb Ai-Petri by cable car or by transport that provides transportation.The list of carriers on the Ai-Petri plateau is here:

Since August 2019, MUP "Yaltagortrans" has been providing transportation (during the warm season) from Miskhor and the Yalta bus station to the Ai-Petri plateau using a licensed taxi. The price of a one-way trip is 450 rubles. per person.

“Taxis will be dispatched as they are loaded from the points of sale of subscriptions. In the area of ​​the Ai-Petri plateau, dispatch and boarding of passengers will be carried out. In the future, the directions and types of transportation by licensed taxis will expand.”

For those who don’t know what the serpentine road on Ai-Petri looks like, a route map.

What to do on Ai-Petri in snowy weather

In January 2020, there is significantly less snow, but there are plenty of people willing to get into the winter atmosphere.

From January 20, 2020, the cable car will be closed for annual scheduled maintenance. Last day of work is January 19. It is planned that the cable car will resume operation in the spring.

For lovers walking routes Ascents are organized. For example, a 5 km route starts on the Koreiz trail (44.440463, 34.08323), past the Baba-Ali-Tekne spring (44.455722, 34.070383) with a transition to the Miskhor trail and ends at the upper cable car station. Along the picturesque trail you will go from autumn to winter and be impressed by the picturesque landscapes.

For extreme sports enthusiasts, the Ai-Petri tour company organizes individual jeep tours with a visit to the Forelevo trout farm (look for the official website on the Internet), where there is a Russian wood-fired bathhouse, there is the opportunity to fish and taste delicious dishes from freshly caught Crimean trout .

Map ski slopes on Ai-Petri.

Prices for ski lifts for 26 km in January 2020:

• for a small one - 500 rubles.
• for a large one - 1000 rubles.

• set of skis - from 500 rub.
• board - from 500 rub.
• large cheesecake (snow tube) - 600 rub.
• standard cheesecake - 500 rub.

They ask for a document as collateral. The lift starts operating at 10 am.

Important! Message from the State Public Institution of the Republic of Kazakhstan “CRIMEA-SPAS”:

DESPITE RESCUE WARNINGS, TOURISTS CONTINUE TO NEGLECT SAFETY RULES WHEN SNOW TUBING

The Minister of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Crimea, Sergei Shakhov, informed that tourists, contrary to the warnings of rescuers, continue to ignore safety rules when snowtubeing, receiving various injuries. Over the weekend, rescuers on patrol on the Ai-Petri plateau provided assistance to 4 tourists injured while snow tubing.

To the side of the ski lift, local chefs prepare pilaf, kebabs and shurpa for sale. You can bring your own food and have a picnic by renting a gazebo with barbecue. Rental cost - 1500 rubles. for a day.

The snow lasts the longest on northern slopes plateau, it usually persists until March-April.

View from the meteorological station. Silence and tranquility... The teeth of Ai-Petri are clearly visible in the distance, that’s where they are located top station cable car, the most high point 1234 m and Trekhglazka cave.

WITH observation deck A clear expanse opened up - a turquoise sky with glimpses of azure, immersed in the sea surface of the Black Sea. Evergreen shrubs and trees frame Alupka and Koreiz with their thickets.

There is neglect and chaos all around. Private houses, barns, cafes, shalmans, construction sites. After just 15 minutes you forget what kind of devil you came up here for.

The “highlanders” do not want to improve the territory because of unresolved land issues. Environmentalists are sounding the alarm and calling for an end to economic activity on the territory of Ai-Petri, limit throughput for the development of eco-tourism. But we realized it too late: many entrepreneurs have been working here for decades. The circle has closed and now all hope lies in the new government, which will make a rational decision so that “the wolves are fed and the sheep are safe”...

Due to the peculiarity of the relief, Ai-Petri is called yayla - summer pasture. Since ancient times, settlements have been built on the plateau, but the biggest “contribution” was made by homo sapiens.

Perhaps the only object that is in its place is the monument to the Crimean partisans of the Great Patriotic War who died in action in December 1941.

The road to Ai-Petri was important during the Second World War. It was along this route that the Nazis transferred troops and equipment towards Sevastopol. The partisans managed to blow up a section of the road and prevent the enemy’s plans from being realized, but they all died in an unequal battle.
At the cost of incredible efforts, the soldiers were able to protect their land; their memory should be passed on from generation to generation, and not disappear under scaffolding...

Approximately 35 km from the top of Ai-Petri, there is a parking lot and hiking trail in the Grand Canyon of Crimea. I have already talked about this route in my report.

What's happening on Ai-Petri in January 2020.

Between the “highlanders” and the owners of the cable car the road is coming competition for your client. Time will tell how events will develop. The article will be updated.
Thank you for your attention!

It is very difficult to describe Mount Ai-Petri in two sentences. Legends are made about this mountain. To learn about this mountain range, you need to talk to climbers, rock climbers, speleologists or tourists. But even if their story is put together, it will not be possible to get an idea of ​​Ai-Petri. The surest way is to visit her.

Having reached the top, you can see the sea horizon at a distance of 135 kilometers. From the panoramic platform you can see Cape Ai-Todor, and from.

Description and characteristics of the mountain: where is Ai-Petri located?

Mount Ai-Petri is the peak and mountain range. Its area is about 300 square meters. km. The top is a table mass, which is stretched along South Coast Crimea, and forms the main mountain range.

Ai-Petri is a popular attraction on the peninsula. The height of Ai-Petri is 1234 meters above sea level. The massif is covered with snow from the beginning of December and remains until the onset of spring. This place in Crimea is the windiest. In this place there is a wind power plant, which at the moment does not function.

Ai-Petri is famous for its rocks, which are called “white teeth”. They bring the line of the massif from Cape Ai-Todor to the sea. The Ai-Petri teeth are peaks of different heights. They were created by nature over many years, blowing the wind across reef limestones.

Weather on Ai-Petri. The climate on the mountain range is characterized by sharp contrast. In the long run winter season The temperature graph ranges from -20 to 11.5 degrees. The warmest month on Ai-Petri is July, when the thermometer rises to 15 degrees.

At the foot of the majestic Ai-Petri mountain there is a sanatorium of the same name, which is a unique healing place due to its climate, protected by mountains on one side and washed by the sea on the other. We talk about the Ai-Petri sanatorium in Crimea in our.

What is remarkable about the place

Since the mountain has an unusual shape, its teeth have become a real landmark of the massif. In summer they can be reached via the Ai-Petri suspension bridges to admire the southern panorama. In addition to its famous battlements, Mount Ai-Petri may be of interest to tourists for other attractions. The most famous among them are:

Caves. There are more than 300 of them. Of the total number, only three are equipped - Geofizicheskaya, Yalta and Trekhglazka. The last cave is known for the fact that there is always a snowdrift inside, which turns into ice. Caves tours are only available in summer;

Rocks Taraktash. These rocks are formed by weathering. You can get to them along the Taraktash trail, starting from the eastern slopes of the mountain and ending at , which originates on the southern slope of the massif;

Ski slopes. They are located on the northern slopes of the mountain, distinguished by their flatness;

Ropeway. It is considered the longest in Europe.

About this majestic mountain There are many legends. The most popular of them is the legend telling about a young couple in love.

In the old days, two families lived near the mountain. One family had a daughter, and the other had a son. The young people fell in love with each other, with such a bright and strong love that a person can experience only once in his life.

But the parents of the boy and girl were against the union. A rich groom has already been chosen for the girl, and an enviable bride has been selected for the young man. When the parents learned about the children’s feelings, they gave them an ultimatum: either the children remain under the roof of their father’s house, in prosperity and wealth, or they will face poverty and shame.

The young people despaired and made, in their opinion, the most correct decision - not to give in to their parents’ will, but not to renounce it either. The young people decided to commit suicide. So they wanted to stay together, even in the next world. The lovers held hands, overcame the climb to Ai-Petri and approached the edge of the cliff. There they swore their love to each other for the last time.

However, the rocky cliff was narrow enough for both of them to jump off. The guy decided to do it first, and the love of his life promised to follow him. Peter, that was the guy’s name, looked into the heavens and took his last step. He crashed against the rocks, and the depths of the sea carried his body to the bottom.

The girl got scared after her lover's jump. She changed her mind about jumping and shouted: “Ay, Peter.” The girl was depressed, her eyes went blank, she sat down on a stone, mourning her lover. With dawn, the girl stopped crying, the cliff no longer seemed scary to her, and the sea so ominous. The birds sang, the leaves rustled, the sun shone, and the young girl realized that she shouldn’t cry so much for her departed lover. She is young and attractive, and she will have many more fans, and she will meet her love. So she returned home.

From then on, the mountain began to be called Ai-Petri or St. Peter. Now, according to tradition, all the men let the women go first, and the picturesque view from the mountain reminds people of the bitter love story.

Look at all the photos of Mount Ai-Petri in Crimea:

The cable car to Ai-Petri can be called a miracle of engineering. It is one of the ten most impressive ski lifts in the world. The uniqueness of the “cable car” lies in the length of the unsupported span, which is 1670 meters. The elevation angle near the mountain itself is 46 degrees.

The Ai-Petri cable car consists of three stations:

1. Bottom - ;
2. Middle - Sosnovy Bor;
3. The top one is Ai-Petri.

Passengers are transported using four passenger cabins. A transfer is made at the middle station. During the entire ascent, passengers are accompanied by service personnel.

The road is designed according to the pendulum principle - the cabins rise and descend towards each other. The cabins are quite spacious and can accommodate up to thirty people. You can transport both bicycles and heavy tourist backpacks in the cabins.

The cable car was built back in Soviet times. The cable car operates almost all year round, and only in February is it stopped for technical repairs.

During the entire period of operation of the road, an accident occurred only once, in 2013. There were no injuries, and the cause of the accident was a power outage to the structure. For some time, tourists had to stay in stationary cabins, stuck at a decent height. Crimean rescuers evacuated them safely.

Cost of visit

The cable car is a real symbol of the peninsula, as it takes just 17 minutes to reach the panoramic plateau.

Cost of the Ai-Petri cable car one way:

• For adults - 300 rubles
• For children - 200 rubles

Children under 6 years old are transported free of charge. An additional fee applies when transporting bicycles and backpacks. The length of the cable car is 2980 meters.

How to get to Ai-Petri

You can get to Mount Ai-Petri in different ways:

• First— get to Miskhora station, where the lower cable car station is located, which will take you to the plateau;
• Second The way to get to Ai-Petri is by car. Serpentine starts in the area. The duration of the journey is 18 km;
• Third- on foot or by bike. It is quite difficult to get to the top of Ai-Petri in this way, and an unprepared person should not do this. The journey is long, with long and steep climbs. For lovers hiking pedestrian paths have been laid - Botkinskaya, Taraktashskaya, Miskhorskaya.

Before visiting Mount Ai-Petri, pay attention to the following recommendations:

• The air temperature on the plateau is 5-10 degrees lower than at the foot. In addition, the mountain is the windiest place on the peninsula, so you need to have warm clothes with you;
• It is not recommended to take photographs on the edge of a cliff, as you may step on slippery stones. And since this place is considered the windiest, there is a chance of breaking on the rocks from a strong gust of wind;
• Bring enough money with you for the excursion. Even an independent walk around observation deck- paid;
• At the lower station there are wild queues during the season. Be patient, as you can wait for your turn for hours;
• There is no drinking tap water on Ai-Petri, think about this before you order lunch at the restaurant;
• You can get to the cable car from the Yalta bus station by minibuses No. 27 or 32. They will take you directly to the lower station;
• You can go back from the mountain using an alternative method - a minibus;
• Fans of hiking and cycling tours are recommended to take the cable car up the mountain. Since the cabins can carry bicycles and backpacks, you can make the return descent yourself. The descent will be much more pleasant than the ascent.

We also invite you to watch the video of the Ai-Petri cable car:

Mount Ai-Petri, one of the most visited and famous attractions Crimean peninsula. The beauty of these mountain landscapes It's hard to describe in words. Is it possible for an artist with a brush in his hands to do this? Well, at worst, a good photographer. Better yet, come here and experience all the charm and breathtaking views for yourself.
The name of Mount Ai-Petri is translated as Saint Peter. Before the conquest of Crimea by the Tatars, the Christian Church of St. Peter was located on the mountain, and the mountain and plateau were named after him.

Tourists flocked here en masse at the end of the 19th century, after the section of the road connecting the village of Sokolinoe and Yalta, through Mount Ai-Petri, was completed. The road was completed in 1894 and connected southern and central Crimea. As a consequence - two major cities Yalta and Bakhchisaray received direct message. The construction of the stone road practically took about 30 years, and is still one of the most complex engineering projects in Crimea.

Sights of Mount Ai-Petri:

How to get to Ai-Petri by car

If you decide to get to Mount Ai-Petri by car, you should get to the Ai-Petri plateau, and from there to the Ai-Petri cable station. It is from here that the ascent to the very peak of the mountain begins - to its teeth.
Leads to the Ai-Petri battlements from the cable station walking road. The duration of the route is about 30 minutes, without large differences in altitude. The cost of walking up to the battlements is 100 rubles. Payment is at the entrance to the trail.

Peak of Ai-Petri

The top of Mount Ai-Petri It is the Prongs that are considered, their height from base to top is 1234 meters. In addition to the Zubtsov beautiful views, there are two extreme entertainments that can tickle your nerves, but are absolutely safe. All safety rules and almost every element are observed extreme entertainment has two levels of insurance.

The most interesting, to my taste, is the suspended road between the battlements. Walking through it really tickles your nerves; under your feet, through the cracks, you can see a huge gap, with sharp rocks and tree tops. After taking the cable car to Ai-Petri, you can safely add yourself to the category of extreme sports enthusiasts. The price of the walk is 500 rubles. The average duration of the transition is 10-15 minutes.
If you decide to go for a walk, it is best to do it in pairs, one walks along the path, the other takes photos and videos from the end point of the route, and then switches. This is how you will get more successful pictures as a memory.
Although this is a little longer in terms of time than going one after another, you can save a little time by taking the queue for the first person and immediately taking the queue for the second. In order for the first one to pass, and the second one to take a photo and get back in line in time, you should leave a gap of 6-7 people between people.

The second extreme route is a descent to the cable car station, on a suspended cable. The descent is very fast and fun, the cost of the descent is 1000 rubles. The safety of the route is also at the highest level. Both extreme attractions operate from April to September inclusive.

Having descended from the battlements, you find yourself on the busiest part of the plateau, the market and a large number of cafes, canteens and restaurants. The food on the plateau is mainly Tatar: pilaf, pasties, lagman, lamb shashlik, etc. Also, if you want, you can find European cuisine. Prices in catering establishments vary greatly. Therefore, if you take a walk and look around a little, you can choose a menu and price tag that is acceptable to you. Because of large quantity tourists - the food is almost always fresh and tasty, but quite greasy, although the choice of dishes is quite large and everyone can find something acceptable for themselves. Almost all cafes and restaurants offer wine tasting. Almost all wine is either homemade or purchased at Crimean wineries. In most establishments the wine is of rather low quality, with a large number dyes. Therefore, if you want a high-quality drink, ask that they bring you wine bottled at the factory, with an excise stamp. This option will be the best for your body.

A little below the gazebo of the winds is the Uchan-Su Waterfall, it is the highest Crimean waterfall and one of the most high waterfalls on the territory of Europe. Literally translated from Turkic, the name translates as “Flying water”. The height of Uchan-Su is about 99 meters, the maximum peak activity of the waterfall occurs in the spring, from early March to mid-April. In summer, Wuchang-Su turns into a relatively small stream, but this does not prevent it from looking graceful and attractive. More details

In addition to all the attractions of Ai-Petri described above, I should also point out one of the most beautiful mountain roads Shtangeevskaya trail. The trail originates just below the Uchan-Su waterfall, but the most convenient way is to go up to the waterfall, from there walk 120 meters up the road and you will see a large sign - the Shtangeevskaya trail, with a description of the route. The route of the Shtangeevskaya trail passes over the Uchan-Su waterfall (you can approach the waterfall) along the picturesque valleys of Ai-Petri and gradually the Shtangeevskaya trail turns into the Botkinskaya trail and smoothly descends through coniferous forests to Yalta, namely to the Fairy Tale Zoo. The average walking time along the Shtangeevskaya and Botkin trails is 4-6 hours. The entire route is marked with colored markers, making it very difficult to lose your way. You will meet people along the entire route; the trails are very popular and well-trodden by thousands of tourists.

Climbing the Ai-Petri plateau on a cable car, you have a choice of how to go back down. You can go down the same way you went up, but in the summer, the queues are very long and you can stand in them for several hours. Therefore, the options are to go down by bus or minibus. But it should be taken into account that the driver is directly interested in getting down quickly and getting up quickly. Their earnings directly depend on this. In general, this is also a kind of extreme walk. But despite this, all drivers make sure to stop at the Silver Arbor and the Wuchang-Su waterfall.

How to plan a visit to Ai-Petri

Planning a route to visit Ai-Petri by car - in my opinion, it is better to start with a visit to the Grand Canyon, the entrance fee is 100 rubles. You can also be offered a guide - from 1000 rubles. The guys are very funny, but essentially they are practically useless. It is very difficult to lose your way. There are only two paths along which people ply all the time, even in winter. The walk takes about 2-3 hours along with a swim in the Bath of Youth.

The Grand Canyon of Crimea is located at the very beginning of the ascent to Mount Ai-Petri, from the side of the city of Bakhchisarai. If you are eating with South Bank Crimea - you have several options: go around Ai-Petri, through Sevastopol, then turn onto Bakhchisarai, and before it go to Ai-Petri. Or climb through the Ai-Petri plateau to the top of Ai-Petri, cross the entire plateau and go down to the foot from Bakhchisarai. From Yalta to the Grand Canyon it takes about 2 hours, if you go around it it will be about the same

Next after the visit Grand Canyon you need to climb the plateau again, walk to the battlements, and go down to eat in a cafe. After the cafe, you can choose a horseback ride or a visit to the Three-Eyes Cave. On average, a horse ride costs from 800 rubles. per hour You will also be offered an ATV ride and other entertainment; the cost is approximately the same everywhere.

Descending from Ai-Petri towards Yalta. The first stop on your way will be the Silver Gazebo. Visit - 100 rubles. Then the waterfall is a little lower about 15-17 km, the Uchan-Su waterfall. Also 100 rubles.
The entire walk is designed with departure from Yalta at 9:00 for the whole day; if you follow the proposed route, then by 20:00-21:00 you will be back in Yalta again.

If you are planning to visit Ai-Petri, then you need to pay attention to comfortable shoes, sneakers or sneakers, take warm clothes, because the temperature difference between Yalta and Ai-Petri can be up to 10 -15 C and be sure to take water with you. If you get motion sickness along serpentine roads, you can take anti-motion sickness pills at the pharmacy. Their cost is very low, and the effect is quite good.

Winter on Ai-Petri life doesn't stop. In winter, the Ai-Petri cap is usually covered with snow from January to February. And on this basis they were born winter views sports: skiing, boarding and sledding. Almost all winter trails in Crimea are located on the Ai-Petrensky plateau. The most popular routes are 25,26, 27 kilometers, laboratory. All routes are located almost in the middle of the plateau; you can reach them along the Yalta-Bakhchisarai road. There is only one road and it is impossible to miss. Only in winter it is cleared of snow. In winter, the climb up the mountain is generally only open to vehicles with all-wheel drive and wearing winter tires. During snowfalls, the passage to Ai-Petri is partially closed for a short time from Yalta and Bakhchisarai.
If you are planning a vacation to Crimea, no matter what time of year, be sure to visit Mount Ai-Petri, it is one of the most beautiful.