Tickets
Hotels
Tours
Insurance
Trains
Russia
Shaitan Merdven mountain pass means Devil's Ladder in translation, its height is 578 m above sea level. This is one of the interesting natural attractions located 20 kilometers from the center of Foros. It is located between the two peaks of Merdven-kaya (580) - in the west and Balchik-kaya (856) - in the east. A rocky path runs along the gorge of these peaks, sometimes resembling a staircase, which is part of an interesting one-day route for tourists. Surprisingly, this staircase is not man-made, but the creation of Mother nature.
In the past, the road to the southern coast passed through the pass, and during the Great Patriotic War, partisan detachments were hiding. Therefore, in places the remains of fortifications created by people are visible. Memorials have been erected in memory of the partisans. Climbing up, you can admire the picturesque views of the surrounding area.
The length of the route along the Damn stairs is no more than 1 kilometer. The route is simple, but comfortable shoes will not hurt. The trail is equipped with benches, signs, steps.
At the exit from the trail, if you walk east of 250 meters towards the top of Isar-Kai, you can find the destroyed masonry of the medieval fortress of Isar-Kai (Merdven-Isar), however, it looks like a pile of scattered stones.
🕐 Working hours: around the clock, it is better to visit during the day in clear weather.
💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: free of charge.
🚶 How to get there: The Devil's Ladder or Shaitan-Merdven is located near the village of Oliva in Bolshaya Yalta (Devil's Ladder or Shaitan-Merdwen on the map). You can visit it during the day both from the center of Yalta and from any other resort in Bolshaya Yalta, the closest to Shaitan-Merdven of which is Foros (8 kilometers), and the resort of Ponizovka (12 kilometers) is also nearby.
Unfortunately, you can't get to the Damn Stairs by bus right before the start of the route, you'll have to walk part of the way. First you need to first get to the stop "Oliva" or "Mukhalatka" on the Yuzhnoberezhnoye Highway (Sevastopol-Yalta highway). Bus No. 128 runs here from Yalta bus station to Foros bus station, and you can also take it on the way to all resorts on this site, in particular from Simeiz, Gaspra, Alupka, Katsiveli, etc. Bus No. 128 does not run often, about 1 time per hour, so it makes sense to check the schedule in advance, which you can make at the stops or ask the locals. And also note that No. 128 goes strictly along the highway without entering the villages (route #128 on the map), so you need first you will have to get from these villages to the nearest stop on the highway, which in most cases can be done on foot. Also, all intercity buses from Alushta to Sevastopol and back go through Oliva. From the stop, guided by the signs, you need to go through the village of Oliva past the boarding house to the Old Road to Yalta 3 kilometers before the start of the route, from where the ascent begins.
If you have your own transport, then you can easily get right to the beginning of the trail. A passable "old road" leads here, and there are free parking spaces near the entrance.
💥 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: