Zhiguli nature reserve

Zhiguli nature reserve I. I. Sprygin in the Samara region is located on the territory of Samara Luka National Park but is not part of it (Zhiguli Nature Reserve on the map. It covers an area of 23.1 thousand hectares, on which grows about 1000 species of higher plants, of which 30 are endemic. Of these, 5 species are narrow endemics of Zhiguli, which are not found anywhere else. About 50 species are considered relict, about 200 plants are under special protection, 14 species are listed in the Red Book. The wildlife of the Reserve is also rich and diverse: there are over 200 species of birds, 48 species of mammals. 10 species are included in the Red Book of Russia.

Official website: http://zhreserve.ru/

How to visit the Zhiguli Reserve

Do not confuse the visit to the Zhiguli Reserve and the Samara Luka National Park, as these are completely different institutions with different directorates and different vouchers (tickets) to visit. Almost the entire territory of the Reserve is a protected area and it is impossible to visit it, with the exception of two organized tourist routes: Strelnaya mountain and Kamennaya Chasha. Both tourist routes are short hikes lasting several hours, visited for a fee on their own or as part of an excursion. Visiting the stone bowl costs 50 rubles per person, schoolchildren and preschoolers are free, and Strelnaya Mountain is accessible only by car, the cost is 500 rubles per car with a capacity of up to 5 people. Payment is made at the entrance/entrance to the route, no permits are required from the Reserve administration. Visiting the territory outside the tourist routes is prohibited and punishable by a fine.

And we also advise you to see ready-made excursions around Samara and the region, with which it will be much more interesting to get acquainted with the region. You can find and Book Group or individual excursions in Samara on these trusted sites with reviews:

• 📷 search for excursions in Samara on Tripster.ru
• 📷 search for excursions in Samara on Sputnik8.com

And here is a description of tourist routes and attractions of the Zhiguli reserve, their opening hours, cost, and how to get there:

• Tourist route stone bowl and Nikolsky spring

  

  I call the stone bowl a tract not far from the village of Shiryaevo, where the holy spring of Nicholas the Wonderworker is located. It is part of the Zhiguli nature reserve and the Samara Luka National Park. This is one of the most popular tourist places in the Samara region, which is visited all year round. Especially many people come here during religious holidays, because it is popular not only among tourists, but also among believers, among pilgrims.

  The spring got its name because of the rounded cup-shaped extension of the Shiryaevsky ravine, which forms a kind of stone bowl in which the source is located. The very existence of a spring here is surprising, since local rocks consist exclusively of limestone, which absorbs precipitation and does not allow springs to form. The water of the spring is considered curative and consecrated, and nearby is the chapel and bathhouse of St. Nicholas. Learn more about the stone bowl here....

  🕐 Working hours: in summer from 8:00 to 20:00; in winter from 8:00 to 17:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: 50 rubles, preschoolers-free of charge. The fee is paid at the entrance to one of the tourist routes, or at the headquarters of the Reserve. After payment, a ticket/tour is issued.a ticket that must be stored before leaving the route.

  🚶 How to get there: The stone bowl and Nikolsky spring are located on the territory of the Zhiguli nature reserve and the Samara Luka National Park about 150 kilometers by road from Samara, and 75 from Togliatti (stone bowl on the map. You can visit both independently (by private transport, buses, riverboats) and with an excursion. Self-visit is not difficult, because there are signs everywhere. Directly to the bowl there are two routes: car from the village of Shiryaevo (available only for all-wheel drive SUVs), and two kilometers on foot from the village of Sunny Polyana. Read more at the link with the full description.

• Tourist route Mount Strelnaya

  

  Strelnaya Mountain is considered to be one of the most interesting natural attractions of Samara Luka and Zhiguli Reserve. This is the second highest mountain in the Samara Luka National Park, its height is 351 meters, while the highest point of the Zhiguli mountains, Mount Observer, has a height of 375 meters.

  You can visit the mountain yourself in the form of a tourist route for a fee, and only by car, on foot and even by bicycle do not miss. The road to the top is simple, takes 20 minutes. Along the way, you can get acquainted with the nature of the Reserve, and if you are lucky, you will see animals, but you should not count on much. At the very top, the trail turns into a pedestrian bridge connecting the observation decks, which offer wonderful views of the reserve, the Volga and part of Togliatti. Here is the Rocky "Devil's bridge". Along the route there are signs informing tourists about the sights, there is a toilet, everything is very comfortable and well equipped. This tourist route ends. Learn more about the route to Strelnaya mountain here....

  🕐 Working hours: in summer from 8:00 to 20:00; in winter from 8:00 to 17:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: payment is made for the car, not for the number of people in the car, paid at the checkpoint at the entrance to the route. Passenger car up to 5 people-500 rubles; minibus up to 14 people-1800 rubles; minibus up to 19 people-2400 rubles; bus up to 35 people-3000; bus over 35 people-4500 (Strelnaya mountain checkpoint on the map).

  🚶 How to get there: Strelnaya Mountain is located on the territory of the Zhiguli nature reserve in the Samara Luka National Park near the village of Zolnoye (Strelnaya mountain on the map. You can visit the route only by private or sightseeing car transport, access on foot or by bicycle is prohibited.

• Aviary "City of badgers"

  

  Three Badgers are kept in a small enclosure near the main administrative building of the Zhiguli Reserve. All of them were not caught in nature, but were born already in captivity. You can see them completely free of charge, but this also requires an element of luck, since most of the time they spend in their "apartments" in the center of the enclosure, and as a rule go out only in the evening and at night. And in winter they generally hibernate. To see them guaranteed, you need to come here with an excursion, during which they are lured to show visitors, and also talk about these animals.

  🕐 Working hours: around the clock, it is better to visit in summer.

  💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: free.

  🚶 How to get there: "City of badgers" is located in the village of Bakhilova Polyana at 1 Zhigulevskaya Street ("City of badgers" on the map. To find the aviary, you need to go a hundred along the path further behind the building of the administration of the Reserve.

• Museum "Sprygin Trail"

  

  This small museum is dedicated to the life and work of the founder of the reserve – a botanist who studied the nature of the Middle Volga Sprygin Ivan Ivanovich, and is made in the form of a researcher's Scientific office. The exhibition presents documents and photos, scientific instruments of the 50s of the last century. But the most interesting thing is that during the visit there is an entertaining lesson-quest for children and schoolchildren, during which they can not only look at the exhibits, but also learn in detail about the principles of their work and research activities, and even try the devices in business. Ukori are held by prior application.

  🕐 Working hours: visiting the museum and educational lessons-quests are held on weekdays and weekends by prior request, which can be left by phone 89397088396, 8(84862)37946.

  💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: admission is free, quest lessons from 500 rubles.

  🚶 How to get there: the museum is located in the village of Bakhilova Polyana at 1 Zhigulevskaya Street (Sprygin Museum on the map) near the administrative building of the Reserve.

• Museum of nature Zhiguli Reserve

  

  In this museum you can get acquainted with the living and inanimate nature, which they try to preserve on the territory of the Reserve. Among the exhibits are a collection of minerals and minerals, insects, animals, photographs. The visit is free, there are paid excursions conducted by employees of the Reserve.

  🕐 Working hours: only on weekdays 09:00-16:00, Saturday and Sunday-closed.

  💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: Admission is free, excursion (optional) - 300 rubles.

  🚶 How to get there: the museum is located in the village of Bakhilova Polyana at 1 Zhigulevskaya Street (Zhiguli nature reserve Museum on the map) directly in the administrative building.