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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Monk's cave and waterfall they are located in the Guam Gorge, but during the standard tourist Walk of a train trip you will not see them. To get to them, you will first have to cross the Kurdzhips River (this is the main river in the gorge), and then climb the mountain path up a steep climb of 200 meters, but in general this is not a very difficult route that tourists can overcome even without climbing experience, but caution will definitely not be superfluous. There is also a longer but safer trail route immediately from Guamka Township.
The monk's cave is interesting because in the 16th century there lived a monk who was engaged in healing people with the help of water from a waterfall. Rather, he did not live in the cave itself, but in the trots next to it, since it itself is inaccessible to a person in it because of the water. At least, that's what the legend says, and whether it's true or not is up to everyone. On the way up, you can make a stop at one of several viewing points with views of the Guam Gorge and the railway, but you will not see anything special: the view is blocked by trees and the gorge itself. Then you will get to the "thin" but high waterfall, and a little higher to the cave itself. Do not confuse the grotto at the base of the waterfall with this cave, the real cave is located above. And the waterfall itself is formed by a stream that flows out of the cave. Because of this stream, it will not be possible to examine the cave from the inside. Even if you go a little inside, you still can not go further, you only have to dive, but what is further in the cave, no one knows.
🕐 Working hours
round the clock and all year round, but it is best to visit in the summer during the daytime.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
free of charge, for travel by train from Guamka to the station "1707" (if necessary) you need to pay in a closed car 500 rubles adults / 250 children 7-13 years old; in an open car 600 rubles adults / 300 children 7-13 years old. A one-way ticket is half the price.
🚶 How to get there
Monk's cave is located in the Guam Gorge a little more than a kilometer from Guamka (cave on the map), but to get to it, you will have to overcome a considerable way. It leads to two routes, the most famous of which is through the Guam gorge. You need to walk or take a tourist train to the station and cafe "1707" (see read more about the tourist train and the Guam gorge here...), and then Wade (free of charge) or on a cable car (200 rubles in both directions) to move to the other side of the river. You can ford a little upstream from the crossing, but at high water it is impossible and dangerous to do this, because it can simply be carried away by the stream. When you move to the other side, you will need to climb a poorly discernible path up to 200 meters and 460 meters of the path, which will take about 1 hour. You can go back the same way, or another route, which is further discussed.
Another path to The Monk's cave begins in the village from the hotel "Guamka", which is very close to the railway station of the tourist train. Behind the hotel there is a pedestrian bridge, from where a trail of 3.3 kilometers leads to the cave and with height differences of almost 500 meters. This is a more gentle and safe trail, so in order not to get lost, it is better to use the help of local guides/guides, or at least follow the navigator with marked trails. For example, in OSM Maps applications, or Organic Maps these trails are drawn. On the way you will pass the observation deck in the Glade of Kolyadikhin.
There is another route available only with local guides on off-road vehicles: a dirt road will take you to the Glade of Kolyadikhin, from where the cave is only 8000 meters and 200 meters on the descent.