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RussiaGelendzhik is a great place not only to relax on the beaches and walk along the embankment, but also to get acquainted with interesting natural and man–made sights. Well, if you happen to be on vacation in Gelendzhik in your car or are ready to rent a car, then you will find a lot of fascinating places where you can go during the day on your own instead of crowding in a bus with a tour group. Most of these attractions can be reached by any car, but to get to the most inaccessible, you need an all-wheel drive car or at least a crossover with high ground clearance.
We have prepared a list and an overview of the best attractions that can be reached from Gelendzhik by car, and indicated for each of them the ways to get there and routes:
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The inscription "Gelendzhik" and observation decks
On the slope of the mountain near Gelendzhik there is a famous inscription with the name of the resort town, visible from anywhere in the city. Next to the inscription there is a chapel with a huge sparkling cross, and a 30-minute walk from them there are two observation decks of the Navel of the Earth and a Tea shelf, from where the best view of Gelendzhik Bay opens from a bird's-eye view. Most tourists get to the top of this mountain by the paid cable car of the Olympus amusement Park, but it will not be difficult to get there for free, although you will have to walk to do this. You can also drive almost to the park itself along a dirt road in your car, and then walk a little further. Read more about the Olympus Park, the inscription and the observation decks here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: around the clock, but keep an eye on the weather, because there is nothing to do upstairs in bad weather.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free of charge, cable car and other park entertainment for an additional fee.
🚶 How to get there: the inscription "Gelendzhik" and the observation decks are located on the mountain next to Gelendzhik near the Olymp Park on the top of this mountain (Olympus Park on the map). You can go up there on foot or drive part of the way by car, but it is very desirable to go with all-wheel drive. Read more at the link with the full description.
Safari park and cable car in Gelendzhik
Safari Park is a zoo and rehabilitation center where animals are kept in large open-air enclosures, not cramped cages. It also includes a cable car, along which, for an additional fee, you can get to the upper platform (upper park) at an altitude of 630 meters. There is a viewing platform on Gelendzhik Bay, a dinosaur park, a replica of a dolmen. Learn more about Gelendzhik Safari Park and cable car here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: from 9:00 to 16:00, seven days a week.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: ticket to the safari park for adults and children from 5 years – 1070 rubles (when paying by card) and 1250 rubles (when paying in cash). A ticket to the cable car and dinosaur Park for adults and children from 5 years – 510 rubles (when paying by card) and 600 rubles (when paying in cash). Children under 5 years old are free of charge.
🚶 How to get there: the safari park and the cable car are located on the outskirts of Gelendzhik, 12 kilometers from Divnomorskoye near the M4-Don highway (safari park and cable car on the map). From the village of Divnomorskoye from the stop "Energetik" on Kirov street/Free buses depart Gornaya (departure to 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 14:00,15:00,16:30, Back 12:30, 14:30,15:30, 17:00, 19:00). For private transport, there is a spacious free parking next to the park. For private transport, there is a spacious free parking next to the park. Just keep in mind that it is located across the street from the entrance to the park, i.e. to get on it, you need to move along the road from Novorossiysk. So carefully plan your route by car, otherwise if you miss the exit from the road to the parking lot, you will have to drive a few more kilometers to the nearest U-turn
The old park in Kabardnik
The Old Park is the most famous and iconic landmark, without visiting which of the Kabardinki cannot be left. However, the cost of visiting the park is quite high, and the price rises almost every year.
People come to see the architectural objects and landscape design of the park even from distant resorts. There are 40 architectural objects of different eras and cultures, more than 100 plant species from all over the world, two museums, the House of the Caucasus and the House of the East, and an art gallery. You can walk around the park on your own, but it's more interesting with a guided tour, which is included in the ticket price and starts every 3 minutes. To visit the park, you should plan a few hours, and preferably half a day for a leisurely and pleasant walk.
Practical Information
🌐 Website: https://stariypark.ru/
🕐 Working hours: in summer from 09:00 to 22:00, in winter 09:00 to 18:00. Free excursions start every 30 minutes.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: adults - 600 rubles, children 6-13 years - 300 rubles, up to 6 years – free of charge. Admission to museums is paid additionally – 50 rubles.
🚶 How to get there: the park is located on the outskirts of Kabardinka village on Chernomorskaya Street, 55 (old park on the map). It is very close to the center and the beach, easy to reach on foot. For private transport there is a spacious free parking, and this, by the way, is one of the few places in Kabardinka where you can park for free. From Gelendzhik you can get to the stop "Old Park" by bus number 31, or by any other bus to the bus station Kabardinka, and from there 20 minutes on foot. Also from Gelendzhik, the park can be visited with an excursion from 300 rubles + entrance to the park.
Roman Empire Theme Park
This is one of the attractions and entertainment for a family visit, which can be safely attributed to the must-see during a holiday in the resorts of Gelendzhik, especially if you are with children. A visit to the park provides viewing of a show program on the theme of ancient Rome with the participation of gladiators and free time for inspection. Moreover, it will not just be watching the spectacle from the spot, as in a movie theater, but an action with your participation at several thematic venues. After the show, you can stay in the park for as long as you like (but not longer than closing, of course) for taking photos, participating in master classes (for an additional fee), shooting in an ancient Roman shooting range, walking around the souvenir market and having lunch in a stylized cafe. More details about the theme park "Roman Empire" here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: Show programs are held several times a day according to the schedule. You can check the schedule on the official website of the park and book a visit there.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: adults - 1100 rubles, children (from 6 to 12 years) – 800 rubles. Promotions and discounts are held periodically, follow the information on the website. Archery, crossbow, guns and master classes are paid additionally from 300 rubles.
🚶 How to get there: The "Roman Empire" is located about halfway between Gelendzhik and Divnomorskoye, a few hundred meters from the federal highway M4-Don ("Roman Empire" on the map). There are several public transport stops nearby ("Divnomorskoye" and "Turn to Divnomorskoye"), which can be reached by commuter buses from Gelendzhik (from the old bus station in the center at 23 Sadovaya Street (bus station on the map), Divnomorsky, Dzhankhota, Praskoveyevka, Betty, Krinitsy, Pshady. Most often there are buses from Gelendzhik and Divnomorskoye, the rest are scheduled several times a day. Also, inexpensive excursions are offered from the resorts of Bolshoy Gelendzhik.
Dolmen complex in Pshada
Near the village of Pshada on the farm there are four large dolmens equipped for tourist visits: Maya and Khan, Tenderness, Tor. For this, hiking trails are equipped, there is a layout, other infrastructure is equipped: a cafe, an artificial mini waterfall, an entertainment shooting gallery. In the farm shop you can buy locally produced products. As for the dolmens themselves, as the owners of the farm say, they are original, i.e. not a replica and not a restoration. The exact purpose of the structures has not been established for certain, but according to various versions of the researchers, they could have been built as a place of worship, for burial, storage of crops, etc. Learn more about the Pshada dolmen complex here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: from 07:30 to 19:00, seven days a week.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: adults - 300 rubles, children 7-14 years – 100 rubles, up to 7 years – free of charge. Free admission to preferential categories.
🚶 How to get there: the dolmen complex is located on a farm three kilometers from the village of Pshada on the M4-Don highway (dolmens of Pshada on the map). From Gelendzhik it is 30 kilometers, from Arkhipo-Osipovka – 23 kilometers. It is best to get here by private car or with an excursion, but you can also get there by any passing bus from Gelendzhik towards Jubgi and Krasnodar, and from Arkhipo-Osipovka, respectively, towards Gelendzhik. You need to get off at the stop at the turn in the direction of the village of Betta.
Dolmen in a Wide gap
Dolmen in a Wide gap or dolmen of inspiration is one of the most accessible of Gelendzhik ancient structures of this kind, and free of charge. According to various estimates, its age ranges from 1000 to 2000 years, and its purpose is not known for certain. Specifically, this dolmen has the "folk" name "Procreation", but we could not find out what it is related to. Like other dolmens, this one is considered a place of power. Locals and guides tell us that there is a large rift under the ground here, from which the energy of the earth comes out, but this is more a matter of your faith or credulity. Souvenirs and homemade wine are sold next to the dolmen.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.
🚶 How to get there: the dolmen is located in the village of Shirokaya Schel, 10 kilometers from Gelendzhik, right in the center of the farm in the middle of residential development (dolmen in a Wide gap on the map). You can get here by taxi from 300 rubles, bus number 11 from the old bus station on Sadovaya street 23, private transport. Also, a visit to the domain is included in many excursions from Gelendzhik.
Dolmens Sunny and Moon on Mount Nexis
Two free dolmens, not very well known among tourists, are located a couple of kilometers from Gelendzhik on Mount Nexis (Bogatyrskaya) near a quarry for stone mining. In fact, these are the dolmens closest to the city, but it is more difficult to get to them than, for example, to a dolmen in a Wide Gap, since you will have to walk or drive an SUV on a very rocky and dusty primer. Like other similar ancient structures, they are considered a place of power.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.
🚶 How to get there: located eight kilometers from the center of Gelendzhik(Sunny Dolmen on the map, Dolmen Lunny on the map). You can only get there on foot or by SUV along a dirt road that starts in the village of Svetly on the outskirts of the city. In turn, the village can be reached by bus №11, 106, 107, 109, 112 and others from the new or old bus stations.
Dolmen of Health
One of the most visited and "promoted" dolmens in the vicinity of Gelendzhik, but in fact it does not represent anything interesting. Although it is under state protection, as stated by the information plate next to it, it is in fact dilapidated and covered with vandals. There is a cemetery nearby. Attention! In the descriptions and reviews about this dolmen on Google maps, it is indicated that there are several domains here and there is a paid entrance. In fact, this is not the case, but these reviews are erroneous and describe another place.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.
🚶 How to get there: located in the village of Vozrozhdenie near the M4-Don highway, 13 kilometers from the center of Gelendzhik (Dolmen of Health on the map). It is better to visit by driving your own car or with excursions, you should not go on purpose.
Rock "Sail"
This is a famous natural landmark, a high rock on the shore in the form of a sail. Moreover, it really has the shape of a thin sail, and not only looks like that from the outside. This is a unique natural formation on the entire Chernomorskoe coast, and almost all tourists vacationing on the shores of Greater Gelendzhik come to see it. It is usually visited with boat trips, but it is quite possible to come here by car. Read more about the Sail rock here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.
🚶 How to get there: the rock is located on the shore near the beach of the village Praskoveyevka 30 kilometers from Gelendzhik (Sail rock on the map). To get to the rock, you will have to walk 500 meters from the beach along the rocky shore, in some places on the water, which will take 30-60 minutes in one direction. In turn, Praskoveevka can be reached by buses No. 108 from the old Gelendzhik bus station, or with a sea excursion, which depart from Gelendzhik and Divnomorskoye marinas.
Battery No. 394 of Captain Zubkov
This battery of protective artillery guns is located on a coastal hill, from where the waters of Novorossiysk Bay are perfectly visible. Due to its favorable location, it played an important and heroic role in repelling the fascist attack from the sea during the Second World War. On the territory of this open-air museum, original naval guns, an anti-aircraft gun, a command post, weapon cellars, and a chemical protection post have been preserved. You can explore the museum yourself, but it is much more interesting with a guided tour, which can be purchased at the entrance to the ticket office. Read more about the Zubkov battery here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: from 09:00 to 18:00.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: adults – 150 rubles, children 6-14 years – 75 rubles. Payment is in cash only.
🚶 How to get there: the battery is located next to the M4-Don highway between Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk, 20 kilometers from Gelendzhik (Zubkov battery on the map). It is most convenient to get here by private transport (there is a large free parking lot), but you can also get there by buses departing from the new "upper" bus station to Novorossiysk at least every hour.
Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk is a hero city that earned this title during the Great Patriotic War due to its important strategic role and fierce battles to protect it. It has preserved many iconic and memorable sights of that period, so we recommend that you definitely visit Novorossiysk during your vacation in Gelendzhik. During a day trip to the city, you will be able to visit at least the embankment with memorable monuments, the cruiser museum, the historical and local history museum, as well as other thematic museums. On the way to the city from Gelendzhik, we also recommend making a stop at the open-air museum "Captain Zubkov's Battery" and at one of the observation decks on Tsemesskaya Bay. Learn more about the sights of Novorossiysk here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: see the opening hours of attractions in the list at the link.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: see the entrance fee in the list at the link.
🚶 How to get there: Novorossiysk is located 35 kilometers from Gelendzhik. The easiest way to visit it is with a one-day group sightseeing tour, which are sold on the streets of the resort from 650 rubles. During the day, you can take the buses that depart from the old and new bus stations on your own (see how to get to Gelendzhik by bus), by taxi or by private car.
Markoth ridge or Markoth
This 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". This is a great place for one-day hiking trips or even multi-day hikes. During a walk or trip along the Markotkhsky Ridge, you can see: the Cross Chapel; the Olympus amusement park; the Navel of the Earth, the Altar and the Tea Shelf viewing points; the equipped viewing room; the new inscription "Gelendzhik". Learn more about the Markotkhsky ridge and how to visit it here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: access to the Markotkh Ridge is not limited in time, but for safety reasons by car or on foot it is better to visit it strictly during daylight hours. Cable cars operate according to their own schedule, including at night (in the evening).
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free of charge on your own, cable car lift - from 1200 rubles.
🚶 How to get there: The Markoth ridge passes near Gelendzhik(Markotkhsky ridge on the map). You can visit it by cable car, jeep tour, private car or on foot. For more information, see the link with the full description.
Dolmens and waterfalls on the river Jean
This is a hiking tourist scenic route of medium difficulty along the river Jean. You can overcome it completely without hiking experience, you only need time and effort. On the route you will be able to see several waterfalls and water slides, several ancient dolmens. There are also many archaeological sites and burial mounds in this area, but there is not much to look at. As for waterfalls, they can be spectacular only during the rainy season in winter or spring, but in summer their appearance can disappoint. But in the pools at their foot you can swim, so do not forget the bathing suit. Learn more about waterfalls and dolmens on the river Jean here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: from 08:00 to 19:00, it is better to start the route in the morning and choose good weather to visit.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: access to the route from the main road through the entrance is paid, 400 rubles for adults, 250 for children under 15 years old, parking a car next to the entrance costs 300 rubles. You can also easily get here for free along one of the trails that start from the dirt road leading to the Thunder Gate. There is no entrance fee in low season
🚶 How to get there: the beginning of the route is located in the village of Vozrozhdenie next to the M4-Don highway, 15 kilometers from Gelendzhik (waterfalls on the river Jean on the map). Excursions from the resorts of Greater Gelendzhik are offered here, but you can visit yourself by any bus from the new Gelendzhik bus station towards Dzhubga, or by commuter buses No. 106, 107, 112, 117/1 from the old bus station (it's cheaper). For personal transport, there is a parking lot in front of the entrance that costs 300 rubles, or you can park your car for free on the side of the road before turning or on the streets of the village.
Pshad waterfalls
This is one of the most famous and picturesque natural attractions in the Greater Gelendzhik area, but at the same time one of the most inaccessible. The fact is that they are located on the Pshada River and its numerous tributaries, and they can only be reached by off-road vehicle during a group excursion or on foot during multi-day hikes. In total, there are about 100 waterfalls and water slides in the valley of the Pshada River. Most of them are small, no more than 1 meter in height. But there are also "giants" by local standards: Olyapkin or Bolshoy Pshadsky on the Red River tributary with a height of 9 to 18 meters, according to various estimates, and several more unnamed waterfalls up to 7 meters high. Learn more about the Pshad waterfalls and how to visit them here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: Around the clock, it is better to visit during the day. Waterfalls are full-flowing in spring and early summer.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: entrance to the most popular waterfalls on the Red River is 200 rubles, the rest of the waterfalls on the river and tributaries are free. Jeep tours - from 1200 rubles/person.
🚶 How to get there: The Pshada waterfalls are located on the Pshada River and its tributaries north of the village of Pshada (waterfalls on the map). The easiest way to visit them is a group excursion on off–road vehicles, which are offered at the resorts of Gelendzhik and Arkhipo-Osipovka from 1200 rubles / person.
Thunder Gate
Thunder Gate is the scenery left after the filming of the famous movie "Thunder Gate". They represent a stone fortress on Mount Abin with other decorations and attributes used in the filming of the film. Nearby there are stalls for the sale of souvenirs, photography with the form of paratroopers and with weapons is offered (for a fee). And one kilometer from here there is an abandoned cafe with a park of wooden sculptures "Valkyrie", but it can only be visited with an independent trip or with an individual guide, and group tours are not delivered there. Read more about the Thunder Gate here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.
🚶 How to get there: The Thunderstorm Gate is located in the vicinity of Gelendzhik, 20 kilometers away in the Markoth Nature Park (Thunder Gate on the map). The easiest way to visit the Thunder Gate with jeep tours, which are sold from distributors on the streets in Gelendzhik and at neighboring resorts, prices start from 1400 rubles / person, discounts for children. You can also drive your own car, but it is desirable that it be an SUV, because the road is very bad. For more information, follow the link with the full description.
The sunken ship "Rio"
This is a new attraction in Gelendzhik district, located on the shore next to Kabardinka. A multi-tonnage cargo ship ran aground on the shore in 2018 during a severe storm. No one was injured during the accident, but the ship remained in place, and most likely will remain here for a long time as a tourist attraction. It can be viewed from the outside for free, and for the most curious there are guided tours of the deck and part of the ship's premises for a fee. A ladder is equipped to climb to the deck. Read more about the sunken ship "Rio" here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: inspection outside around the clock, time of excursions by appointment.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: inspection of the ship from the outside – free of charge, a tour of the deck – 500 rubles, a tour of the deck and premises – 1000 rubles. Discounts for children.
🚶 How to get there: Rio is located on the shore a few kilometers from Kabardinka towards Gelendzhik (sunken ship on the map). It is about 5 kilometers from the center of Kabardinka. The easiest way to see RIO is to buy an excursion from local travel agencies, in which case you will be guided to the ship along safe trails or taken by boat, it depends on the excursion. It is easy to get there yourself by your own car, taxi or minibus No. 31, read more at the link with the full description.
Korolenko House Museum
The house-museum is located in an architectural monument built in 1901-1902. The writer created the drawings and plans for its construction himself, because he was a very versatile creative person. The museum has preserved the interior and exterior, exhibited the author's personal belongings, documents and photographs. The exposition of the first floor is dedicated to the writer, and the second floor tells about everyday life and country interiors at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. In the courtyard you can see a Lebanese cedar and a dolmen planted more than a hundred years ago.
Although V.I. Korolenko is not very well known to most modern tourists, this does not make the house museum any less interesting. Therefore, even if you are not familiar with his work, we still advise you to visit this museum, especially if you stop for a rest directly in Dzhankhot. It is better to visit the museum with an excursion, which is available for an additional fee when buying tickets. From the guide's story you will learn a lot of interesting facts not only about the life and work of the writer, but also about the way of life of that time.
Practical Information
🌐 Website: gelmusey.ru
🕐 Working hours: in summer from 10:00 to 19:00, in winter from 9:00 to 18:00.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: adults – 200 rubles; children 6-14 years – 100 rubles. Excursion service is an additional 100 rubles to the ticket price. Photography – 50 rubles, video – 100. You can also purchase a comprehensive ticket to visit the Gelendzhik Museum of Local Lore and the Korolenko Museum for 300/150 rubles, or 500/300 with excursion service.
🚶 How to get there: located in Dzhankhot on Korolenko St. (museum on the map).
Viewing platforms on Tsemesskaya Bay
On the way from Gelendzhik towards Novorossiysk there are several viewing platforms and monuments dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War. Near them you can make a stop during a road trip to admire the views of the sea and the bay, and honor the memory of the heroes of the Second World War. Tourist buses with excursion groups also stop here.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.
🚶 How to get there: the observation points are located on the road from Gelendzhik to Novorossiysk along the M4-Don highway (viewpoints on the map). Near each of the observation decks there are thickenings of the carriageway and wide verges for parking. There is even an equipped underpass to cross to the other side of the road.
Pump room of Shebsky mineral water
This is not something worth visiting, but if you are traveling by car and decide to take a ride to the sights in the vicinity of Gelendzhik, for example, to the dolmen of inspiration in a Wide Gap, then we advise you to make a stop near the pump room. Here, for a nominal fee of 4 rubles / liter, you can collect fresh Gelendzhik mineral water from the Shebskaya well with a depth of 400 meters. This mineral water is useful for diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, diabetes, as well as for the prevention of health. Water is considered very tasty, it can be stored for a long time (preferably in a dark and cool room). Locals use it in large quantities as drinking water, and even for cooking.
Practical Information
🕐 Working hours: from 09:00 to 18:00, without breaks and weekends.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: mineral water is paid: 4 rubles / liter, and 3 rubles / liter for beneficiaries.
🚶 How to get there: the pump room is located 10 kilometers from the center on the road to the farm Shirokaya Schel (pump room on the map). Theoretically, you can get here by bus No. 11 from the old bus station at 23 Sadovaya Street, but it's better to come here by private car to get more mineral water.
Just in case, we remind you once again that the best way to get acquainted with interesting places in the resort is excursions. And even better if they are held by local residents who know and love their city well. You can find and book group or individual excursions with reviews on these trusted sites: