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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Via Ferrata is a route specially equipped with railings, ladders, cables and crossbars on the rocks for safe climbing in particularly difficult areas. Initially, the Via Ferrata sections were used exclusively in mountaineering to overcome difficult sections on the route, but now the Via Ferrata routes have already become an extreme tourist entertainment, usually paid.
Usually such tracks are equipped specifically on interesting and beautiful rocks and in compliance with all safety measures, so that for a fee, with the provision of special equipment and accompanied by an instructor, almost any tourist could tickle his nerves. But next to Foros there is a completely free via Ferrata, which anyone can visit. This route is part of the great Sevastopol BST trail, located on the slopes of Mount Ilyas-Kaya and leads to its top.
How to visit Via Ferrata on Ilyas-Kaya
To pass Via Ferrata, you need at least minimal climbing equipment: a waist gazebo (for adults) or a chest gazebo (recommended for children), a self-safety mustache with a pair of carabiners, a climbing helmet. This is the most necessary minimum to enter the route and pass it safely. Additionally, it is also advisable to take gloves, a small backpack, drinking water, a camera or camera, rock shoes, as well as a self-insurance mustache with a shock absorber. Of course, we understand that most tourists usually do not have such equipment, in which case you can rent it. There are no equipment rental points at the entrance to the route or in Foros, so you need to search in advance, for example, through bulletin boards.
We warn against any tourist with no experience at all going to the track unaccompanied by an instructor, or at least without prior theoretical training and practice of using equipment. If you have no idea at all what the equipment listed above is and have never held it in your hands, then we strongly advise you not to go on the Via Ferrata route at all, this is fraught with serious injuries. In this case, it is better to hire a private guide-instructor or buy ready-made tours. You can find them via the Internet and online bulletin boards. But to buy them just on the spot in travel agencies and distributors on the streets will not work, this is too specific entertainment. At least, we did not come across such a thing in Foros.
If you have experience and your own equipment, then be sure to take it with you on vacation in the Crimea, and go through the tracks here. It's worth it, especially for free!
Route description
There are several routes here, starting in two different places near the road between Foros and Laspi pass.
- The entrance to the easy route at point Z (point on the map). There is parking (free of charge), but before the start of Via Ferrata you will need to walk along the trail 500 meters, with a climb of more than 100 meters.
- The entrance to the easy route at point D (point on the map). We didn't start the passage here, so the coordinates are approximate. There is no parking space along the road in this place, the nearest one is 600 meters near point Z. From here, a difficult route immediately begins, so we strongly advise beginners not to walk from here without an instructor.
Both routes lead to the top of Ilyas-Kaya Mountain with a height of 682 meters. The length of the routes is from 850 meters to 3 kilometers, the travel time is up to 1.5 hours in one direction. All of them are of different complexity and connect at the very top and on the slopes. That is, you can start from one point and exit by another route to another. Here is the route diagram published on the stand in front of the entrances:
🕐 Working hours
Around the clock, but visit strictly during the daytime, in good weather. Keep an eye on the forecast, as rain, strong winds, precipitation and thunderstorms pose a serious danger.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge.
🚶 How to get there
Free via ferrata trails are located on the slopes of Mount Ilyas-Kaya near Foros (Free route via ferrata on the map). The entrance to the routes from the highway at two points:
- The entrance to the easy route at point Z (point on the map). There is parking (free of charge), but before the start of Via Ferrata you will need to walk along the trail 500 meters, with a climb of more than 100 meters.
- The entrance to the easy route at point D (point on the map). We didn't start the passage here, so the coordinates are approximate. There is no parking space along the road in this place, the nearest one is 600 meters near point Z. From here, a difficult route immediately begins, so we strongly advise beginners not to walk along this route without an instructor.
You can get here by your own transport, leave it in the parking lot at the entrance at point Z. You can also take a taxi or any passing bus from the cities of the southern coast of Crimea (YBK) towards Sevastopol or back. In principle, buses will allow you to easily arrive and pass the route during the day from Alushta, Yalta, Foros, Sevastopol, Balaklava, etc.
However, if you do not have your own equipment and at least minimal experience, we advise you to find an instructor guide or a ready-made tour via the Internet, bulletin boards or through distributors of excursions on the streets of resorts.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Foros with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: