Markoth ridge or Markoth in Gelendzhik

What to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting

Markoth ridge or simply Markoth (also spelled Markhot) is a long mountain range of the Caucasus Mountains stretching along the Black Sea coast for 90 kilometers! Of course, when it comes to the Markotkh ridge in Gelendzhik, it means only a small part of it in the city area, which "covers" the resort from the northeast. Yes, this is exactly the long mountain that you can see from anywhere in Gelendzhik, and on the slopes of which there is a large inscription "Gelendzhik". The ridge consists of a series of mountain peaks, the highest of which is Mount Sovkhoznaya – 717 meters. In the Gelendzhik area, the highest point is 647 meters.

However, for tourists, Markoth is not at all interesting for its heights or peaks, because for mountaineering or rock climbing this place is not at all interesting. But this is a great place for one-day hiking or even multi-day hikes. Any tourist and vacationer can walk along the slopes and peaks, there is no need for special skills, you will only need a physical form not lower than average, and therefore people with children and even the elderly come here. But even if you are not a fan of walking to a height along mountain paths, Markoth will be available for you to visit by car (personal or with an excursion) or using one of two cable cars. But about the visit in more detail a little below, but first we'll tell you what interesting things you can see during a walk or trip along the Markotkh ridge:

What to see on the Markoth ridge in Gelendzhik

The main "business card" of Markoth is the magnificent views of Gelendzhik and the bay from one of several observation decks. Actually, at least for the sake of these species, it is already worth climbing here. And if you look on the other side of the ridge inland, you will see the beautiful green mountains of the northwestern massif of the Caucasus Mountains. Beautiful views open from many places on the mountain, but here are the most famous: the observation deck at the chapel-cross; the observation deck at the Olympus cable car; the observation deck at the altar; the Tea Shelf; the equipped observation deck.

• Equipped observation deck with a bench for rest and a place for photographing is one of the most popular places on the slopes of the ridge. Tourists are brought here during sightseeing tours and jeep rides around the resort. A small cafe can work here in the summer. You can even get to this observation deck by car, but only in good weather and with caution (observation deck on the map).

  

• Two viewing "Navel of the earth" and "Altar" are located a hundred meters from each other ("Navel of the earth" on the map and "Altar" on the map). On both lookouts there are large stones, to which esotericists attribute great power, and, they say, some rituals are even performed here. For most guests, it will be interesting to climb here just for the magnificent views of the resort and the bay. You can't get directly to the "Navel" and "Altar" by cable car or by car, but it won't be difficult to get there on foot. From the previous equipped observation deck, there is a steep but well-visible path leading here, it takes 5 minutes to walk. From the park "Olympus" here is almost 2.5 kilometers, but the road is relatively flat and wide.

  

  

• Tea shelf is our favorite viewing point on Markotha. It is not equipped, but it offers views not only of Gelendzhik Bay, but also on the other side of the ridge to the Caucasus Mountains. To climb it, you will have to deviate slightly from the dirt road along the path to the top ("Altar" on the map)

  

• Olymp Amusement Park is located at the top, there is a chairlift, which in itself is already entertainment. There is a Ferris wheel, an observation deck, a 3D planetarium, an extreme carousel. "Olympus" can be visited both as an independent place on the cable car, and during a general walk along the mountain. Read more about the amusement park "Olympus" here.

  

• The inscription "Gelendzhik" on the slope of a mountain that can be seen from anywhere in the city. We are talking about a new inscription made of large three-dimensional letters, and not the old flat one, of which there is nothing left today (new inscription on the map). The inscription can be reached from the Olymp Park along the path, but the best views of it open from the chapel-cross.

  

• The chapel-cross is really a chapel, you can even go inside and put a candle. The construction of the cross is made of metal and has a full height of 43 meters, which is more than 10 floors. The cross can be seen from anywhere in the city, it is located to the left of the inscription "Gelendzhik" (chasvonya-cross on the map). And when you are at the top, you will be able to walk to it or even get from Olymp Park by minibus, which constantly runs from the top station of the cable car and is available free of charge for those who bought tickets for the cable car.

  

• Safari Park Cable Car and Dinosaur Park is another place of entertainment upstairs. This is a separate cable car, not the same as the Olympus mentioned above. It starts at the foot of the mountain in the Safari Park and leads up 630 meters to the observation deck, where you will also visit the dinosaur park and see a replica of the dolmen. To be honest, we think that visiting this cable car separately just to get up to the observation deck is not very interesting. But visiting the Safari Park and at the same time climbing up will be much more exciting. Moreover, it is impossible to pay separately only for the cable car lift, but only together with a visit to the Safari Park. Read more about the Safari Park here.