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RussiaWhat is Fisht Shelter and what to do here
Fisht campsite or tourist shelter is an officially authorized tourist campsite for camping and setting up tents in the Caucasus Nature Reserve in the Republic of Adygea. It is located at the foot of Fisht Mountain in the Caucasus Nature Reserve in a very picturesque place surrounded by alpine meadows, mountain streams, high-altitude forests, and, of course, with magnificent views of the mountain. True, the Fisht peak is not visible from the shelter itself, but on the way to the shelter it will have magnificent views, perhaps even the best that can be observed from the ground.
In addition to the Fisht shelter, there is another officially authorized place for camping with a tent in the reserve – this is the "Instructor's Gap or Armenian Booth". It is more easily accessible than Fisht shelter, from it they go to the top of Oshten and to Psenodakh Lake. In detail we told you about the Instructor's slot or the Armenian Booth here.
Sometimes they write on the Internet that Fisht shelter is interesting only for climbers and is used as a starting point for climbing. This is partly true, and this is really the best camp to start on Fisht along the classic route. But in fact, most of the tourists in the shelter are not climbers at all, but ordinary tourists. After all, this is a great place to relax in nature in the reserve, and especially they like to come here to rest for 1-2 days on weekends.
Of the organized entertainment on the Fisht troubaz, there is only horseback riding, but this does not mean that it will be boring here. The hiking route itself from the entrance to the reserve is already a small fascinating journey, during which stunning views will open up to you without exaggeration. And during your stay here you can walk around the neighborhood, walk part of the route along the climbing route to Fisht, or even walk to the glacier (snow lies even in summer). And, of course, if you have already conquered Oshten, it's worth trying to climb Fisht from here. Just keep in mind that the ascent to Oshten and Fisht cannot be compared in any case: the complexity of even the classic ascent route to Fisht is much higher, climbing equipment and skills are needed, so do not take it too lightly.
Facilities at Fisht Shelter
The shelter is well equipped for rest and overnight stays for several days. There are toilets; several summer showers (the water is heated by the sun); several gazebos for cooking; electricity for recharging smartphones. The territory is fenced to protect it from wild animals, and they are found here, including bears. There is drinking water in a mountain stream.
There are several cabins in the shelter that can be accommodated in consultation with the shelter administration for free, but they are usually busy, so most tourists come here right away with their bivouac equipment and products. There are wooden pallets for the installation of tents, but they are not always enough for everyone. Therefore, if upon arrival at the shelter you see an unoccupied pallet, immediately occupy it without hesitation. If there are no free people, the tent will have to be put on the ground.
All the amenities of the shelter are included in the price that you pay for entering the reserve at the checkpoint (we will tell you more about this below). But do not think that if you paid for the entrance, then you can go here light and you will be provided with everything, and even settled in a house. Fisht shelter or campsite is primarily a permitted and safe place to set up tents in the reserve, and you need to take care of organizing your life and accommodation in a tent yourself. Take with you at least a tent, travel mats or mattresses, sleeping bags and warm clothes for sleeping (the night temperature drops to + 5 in summer), dishes and a cooking burner, food, flashlights, etc., in general, everything that is usually collected for a camping trip. You don't need to take a lot of drinking water with you here: there are a lot of natural drinking sources along the way and in the camp.
How to get to Fisht Shelter
You can only get to Fisht Shelter on foot or by horse, there are no public roads here. There is also an option to get there by helicopter, but it is not available for tourists.
There are several hiking trails leading to the shelter, but the most basic one leads from Yavorovaya Polyana through the Uzurub checkpoint at the entrance to the Caucasian Reserve. Asphalt leads to Yavorovaya Polyana, there is a cafe and paid parking of 200 rubles / day.
From the glade further only on foot. First you need to get to the Uzurub checkpoint (Uzurub checkpoint on the map), where the entrance to the reserve is charged for each day of stay. Tickets for each day of stay cost 300 rubles per adult, 150 rubles for children from 7 to 14 years old, children under 7 years old are free. In general, read more about the Caucasian Reserve and the order of its visit, we have a detailed guide here....
The route from the Uzurub checkpoint to the Fisht shelter is 10 kilometers. Passes first through the forest, then alpine meadows, a pass, and again in the last section through the forest. Climb almost 500 meters, then the same amount down. It took us about 3.5 hours to complete the bivouac equipment at a fast pace, at a normal measured pace with stops to go 4-5 hours.
Upon arrival at the shelter, you must register with the administration. There is a reserve staff there (ask on the spot), you need to contact them, they will write you down in the journal and conduct an introductory briefing.
