Panagia is a mountain lake in the picturesque village of Zelenogorye. Arpat Canyon in the Panagia tract
It is rightfully considered one of the most amazing corners of the Crimean Peninsula. Thousands of tourists visit the tract every year and, nevertheless, this corner, even among local residents, is not very well known.
Geographical location of the Panagia tract on the map of Crimea GPS N 44.883786, E 34.709042
Today the Panagia tract open to guests of the Crimean peninsula all year round. There is no entrance fee. As such, there is no operating mode. But, since part of the route passes along mountain paths and hanging bridges, a visit at night can be very dangerous. On average, the duration of the route along the Panagia tract is about one hour, but there are very extreme routes with a fairly high difficulty of passing. The passage time will depend on the preparation of the tourist.
Tourist route along the Panagia tract
Tourist route along the Panagia tract starts from the village of Zelenogorye, located along the Alushta-Sudak highway, between the villages of Privetnoye and Morskoye. On the very outskirts of the village of Zelenoe, there is a parking lot and the entrance to the tract begins from there. The tourist trail, although marked with markers, is practically impossible to stray from the route. There are quite a few branches and they are very narrow and little trampled, and people ply along the tract all the time, at any time of the year. In about five minutes, after moving towards the tract, iron stairs will begin, which will gradually lift you higher and higher into the mountains.
After the ascent, small waterfalls, baths and water cascades begin. In fact, you have found yourself in a real mountain canyon and it is called Arpatsky, from the name of the river. Along the route you will encounter the most famous baths of Youth and Health, but you will not confuse the Bath of Love with anything else. Nature has created a bath of Love in the shape of a heart, and to get to it you will need to try a little. The descent to the Bath of Love is quite difficult and slippery, and if you think it is dangerous, then literally in 3-5 minutes above the Bath of Love there will be a small pool with mountain water, which you should definitely plunge into if you visit the tract in the summer.
History of the Panagia Tract
It began to form several tens of thousands of years ago, from a small mountain river of a seasonal nature. Over the years, the river seeped through the stones and small baths formed, flooding the underground voids. Gradually, the river went so deep under the stones that it turned out to be a real canyon. The formation of the canyon continues to this day. The name of the tract has come to us since the times of the ancient Greeks, who settled the entire Eastern and Western coast of Crimea. Panagia, from Greek, is literally translated as Holy. The ancient Greeks believed that in such an arid and extremely unfavorable area, only under the patronage of the Holy Mother of God could this amazing canyon with mountain water, which is so lacking on the entire Central and Eastern coast of Crimea, appear.
How to get to the Panagia tract
Get to the Panagia Tract The easiest way is along the Alushta - Sudak highway. Between the villages of Privetnoye and Morskoye there will be a sign - the Panagia tract and the village of Zelenogorye. We drive through the village, along the main road, to a large parking lot. We leave the car there and follow the signs to the entrance to the tract. There is also another, quite interesting, option to get to the Urochishche. We are going to the Belogorsky region of Crimea, to the village of Povorotnoye. From the village of Povorotnoye we follow the signs on foot to the Kok-Asan canyon, pass through it and after 20 minutes we find ourselves in the Arpatsky canyon or the Panagia tract. The duration of this route is on average 3-5 hours.
If you decide to visit the Crimean peninsula and love hiking, then you should definitely visit the Panagia tract. Of course, the most stunning route will be from the Kok-Asan canyon. But even if you go only from the village of Zelenogorye, your pleasure is 100% guaranteed. Also, when planning a trip, you should remember that along the route there is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Crimea - and the village of Novy Svet, with it.
Panagia tract on the map of CrimeaZelenogorye is a small village in Crimea with a population of 230 people, which is located in the valley of the Arpat River, where the left tributary Kushen-Uzen and the right tributary Pananyan-Uzen flow into. The village of Zelenogorye belongs to the Alushta district. The nearest village is Morskoye (Sudaksky district), located 15 km to the east. In general, Sudak is 2 times closer from the village of Zelenogorye (30 km) than to Alushta (70 km).
It is precisely these small mountain villages that have attracted the attention of rich people who come here to relax from everyone else and build luxurious houses. There is also not much work for local residents in Zelenogorye, when they do not need to plant and harvest grapes. The vineyards of the Massandra plant grow around, the work is seasonal, and the rest of the time local residents are left to sell everything they have to visiting tourists. And there is something to see here - the Panagia tract, a mountain lake and the Arpatsky waterfall.
Any product is used - pasties, figs, grapes, milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, jam, mountain tea, dogwood compote, juices. Don’t be surprised if you see a sign on your house saying “borscht”, “milkshake”, “manty” or “pilaf”. Or maybe all at once.
The old name of the village of Zelenogorye, Crimea is Arpat (meaning “ruin”). The same name was preserved by the mountain river and assigned to the waterfalls.
Each mountain has its own “folk name”, for example in the photo of Zelenogorye on the left there is camel mountain. The photo shows two large humps, like a camel's. There is also Falcon Mountain.
It is known that in the 2nd-3rd centuries Christians lived in Zelenogorye. There is no mention of Zelenogorye about the times of Byzantine rule, the Khazar Kaganate and the Horde, and archaeological excavations were not carried out.
In 1381, the village of Zelenogorye came under Genoese rule. Zelenogorye is 8 km away from the Choban-Kule tower, and during the time of the di Guasco brothers in the 15th century, who settled in the fortress, the village suffered greatly. Local residents had to pay huge taxes, giving away everything they had. To intimidate the residents in Privetnoye, pillory posts and gallows were built. But the Di Guascos did not rule for long, in 1475 the lands were conquered by the Ottoman Turks, Zelenogorye became part of the Sudak Kadylyk of the Kefin Sanjak. Zelenogorye (Arpat) was included in the Crimean Khanate in 1774, and in 1783 it joined Russia.
Now in Zelenogorye there is a school, a library, several shops and hotels. There is almost no infrastructure; this is not a developed resort on the seashore, but still a small village in the mountains.
Public transport runs rarely, not even every day, and only in the direction of Alushta. Travel time is 2.5 hours. And there is no schedule at the stop at all. I found directions for the flight at the bus station in Rybachye; the flight goes from Alushta via Generalskoye to Zelenogorye. Rybachye passes at 18.00.
Tourists are brought in by bus. And the first place they go is the Arpat waterfall.
Zelenogorye - Arpatsky waterfall
As soon as you arrive in Zelenogorye Crimea, you will immediately see a large sign on the mountain, Arpatsky waterfall, Panagia tract to the left, mountain lake to the right. Regarding “300 m”, this is apparently to prevent people from turning around and leaving. Walk 2 km to the waterfall, all the time uphill, overcoming various obstacles.
So, let's go left. At first there is a straight road along the houses of local residents, there are even benches for rest and a civilized path. And now the route to the Arpat waterfall begins. Looking ahead, I’ll say that I didn’t like the waterfall at all, and the most memorable thing was the path to it, which looked like an obstacle course at a relay race. You can't get to the waterfall with anything - only with your feet, only hardcore. 🙂 You need to walk all the time past the small mountain river Arpat, crossing to its different sides, and often on wet slippery stones.
So, the first obstacle is a vertical staircase in the rock.
From here count 2 km and you will see the Arpatsky Falls. We had a group of 15 people and a guide. If there was no guide, we might not have made it. Although you meet people along the way, you won’t be able to get lost, but you won’t be able to give up and go back. Not everyone in our group made it, it was especially difficult for children and elderly people - climbing stairs, walking along hanging bridges, holding on to handrails in the rocks (which fall off in places), going down huge steps on their heels, literally crawling along rocks on all fours, holding on to whatever you have to with your hands. The stones are so polished by the flow of tourists that some even shine.
I really liked! On the way back I saw people who were just splashing happily in these small puddles - apparently, they decided not to go further.
Here you will see the “Bath of Health” and the “Bath of Youth”. I have not checked how miraculous these reservoirs are.
Climbing 2 km uphill is difficult, especially in the heat. We walked for a long time, 2 or 3 hours, but it’s good that we left at 8 am, so we had time to catch the morning cool. We were accompanied the whole way by a dog who clearly knew this path. And by the way, she climbs stairs faster than a person.
The path is very picturesque. In Crimea, no matter the mountain, there is beauty. And Zelenogorye is no exception. It’s a pity that the photo of Zelenogorye doesn’t convey everything.
And so we arrived at the Arpat waterfall. He looks completely sad, and this is after it rained all night, we were promised a gigantic full-flowing waterfall, but something didn’t work out. Apparently, we need to go and look at the waterfall again in the spring. People immediately climbed to cool off under thin streams of cold water.
The path back to Zelenogorye was much easier, because it was downhill. Along the way, we met lonely tourists and everyone had one question: “How far is it to the waterfall?” Apparently, the climb up the mountain was difficult not only for me.
Zelenogorye: photo of a mountain lake
Having gone down to the very sign where it says that the mountain lake is to the right, we went there.
Fortunately, the lake is only 100 meters away, although it’s uphill again. The beautiful color of the water is greenish-turquoise. The best time to look at the mountain lake in Zelenogorye is in the spring, when it is full of water. I visited in early autumn and was not impressed. The lake was made artificially to collect rainwater for watering the vineyards. There are a lot of such lakes in the mountains of Crimea. Now the lake is used as an entertainment for tourists - there is a zip line stretched over it, very modest and slow. But a ride costs only 100 rubles.
This concludes our excursion to Zelenogorye Crimea. From everything we saw - the Arpatsky waterfall, a mountain lake, the Panagia tract, I liked the tract, the climb to the mountains, the local landscapes and the delicious Crimean air. In the photo Zelenogorye seems a little gloomy, in fact it is beautiful and fully lives up to its name, the mountains here are really green.
Holidays in Crimea have always been popular, and not only among Russians and Ukrainians. If we look at the statistics, the most visited is the southern coast of the peninsula. It is here that the village of Zelenogorye that interests us is located.
Crimea (see the photo of the unique landscape in the article) is famous not only for the sea, but also for the mountains. Unfortunately, this locality is not very popular among tourists, but for those who want to spend their holidays in a quiet place, it will be ideal.
Briefly about the village
Between Alushta and Sudak there is a unique place where you can enjoy both sea air and mountain air. All nature here is preserved in its original form. The village of Zelenogorye (Crimea) is very small. Its area is almost 0.7 square meters. km. The permanent population is slightly more than 230 people. The main area of income is tourism. The name we now know was officially assigned only in 1945; before that the village was called Arpat. The history of the settlement goes back to the distant 2nd-3rd centuries, but the exact date of its formation is unknown.
Currently s. Zelenogorye (Crimea), which has only positive reviews, is a mountain resort, although not very famous, but quite comfortable. The infrastructure is developed here. There are hotels, shops, cafes.
Holiday home "Zelenogorye"
The holiday home is located in a secluded area. The building has a capacity of 30 beds, with a total of 15 rooms. Here you can rent both double and triple rooms. The interior is modern. There is a wardrobe, beds, nightstands. The bathroom is separate. There is a sauna on site. A secluded, relaxing holiday awaits tourists here. And for those who want to see wild, untamed nature, excursions to the mountains with visits to a waterfall and lake are offered. In the summer season, you can engage in sports such as sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, motorcycling, and boat trips.
Recreation center "Pearl of Arpata"
In the village of Zelenogorye (Crimea) there is a recreation center “Pearl of Arpata”. Wooden houses are provided for vacationers. All services and conditions correspond to luxury class. The cost is about 5,000 rubles per day. While relaxing here, it is recommended to visit the mountain plateau, which is located above the village itself. There, tourists will have a unique view of the sea and picturesque mountain landscapes. The guides will lead you along paths where you can plunge into an area untouched by civilization. This is where you understand what wild nature is.
For entertainment, there are water attractions and sports grounds. They also offer horseback riding and yacht rides. There is a pharmacy, a shop and a first-aid post 500 m away. Everyone who has already visited the “Pearl of Arpat” was satisfied.
Advantages
After studying the reviews of tourists, you can make a list of the advantages of the village. Zelenogorye (Crimea). First of all, as vacationers note, this is an ideal climate. A pleasant coolness comes from the mountains, and a warm, humid breeze comes from the sea. Many also note the cleanliness. The entire territory of the village is constantly cleaned; you won’t find empty bottles or ice cream wrappers here. As for accommodation, various rooms and rooms of different price categories are offered all year round.
Attractions
The village of Zelenogorye (Crimea) will surprise visitors with its attractions.
- Panagia tract. There are several waterfalls on the territory. The name of this area translates as “holy.” That is why there is such a belief that if you swim at the foot of a waterfall, you can find health, youth and even happiness. The small lakes that formed in the hollows are locally called the “bath of love” (has the shape of a heart), “bath of youth”, “bath of health”.
- Kuracha-Kaya is a mountain that invites romance. It has another name - Date Rock. She received this name due to her shape, which resembles two lovers.
- The waterfall on the Arpat River is considered the highest in the region. Water falls in powerful jets from a ten-meter cliff. The nature here is pristine, and human influence is nowhere to be seen.
It is also recommended to visit Mount Muezzin. Next to it there is an amazing lake. For those who want to get a thrilling experience, there is a bungee stretched over the transparent water surface. The flight occurs at an altitude of about 10 meters.
Conclusion
To summarize, I would like to talk about how to get to these amazing places. Of course, routes will depend on your original location.
So, you decided to spend Zelenogorye (Crimea). How to get to this locality by public transport? When traveling from anywhere on the planet, it is better to first get to Simferopol. And already in this city you can use a regular bus that goes to Alushta or Sudak. From these settlements minibuses constantly travel towards the village. Zelenogorye. You can also get to the village. Sea, but buses run quite rarely.
Near the Crimean village of Zelenogorye (Alushta district) there is an amazing region, where among the mountain peaks there is the Panagia (Holy) tract, and mountain streams give rise to the Arpat River. The tract hides many waterfalls and a wonderfully beautiful lake of emerald green color - the heart of Panagia. This is a place for real tourists who prefer the romance of mountain trails to a civilized holiday.
Panagia tract in the photo:
A little history
Panagia is the western part of the Kushel tract, which means “land of birds.” Indeed, only birds can easily get to these places. For tourists, the journey begins from the village of Zelenogorye.
This ancient settlement once bore the name Arpat, like the river of the same name, in the valley of which the village itself is located.
The name Arpat has two meanings. Translated from the Turkic language, “arpa” means barley, another definition is “kidnapping.” The first population census was carried out at the beginning of the 16th century. This period is considered to be the beginning of the history of the village. According to census data, ten families lived in the village at that time. According to the notes of the famous traveler P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky at the beginning of the 20th century, the population of Arpat consisted of 836 people of Tatar origin.
Archaeological excavations have not yet been carried out in these places, so the discovery of the true history of the area is yet to come. It is known that Arpat belonged to the Crimean Khanate for nine years before joining Russia in 1783. A year later, by order of Catherine II, the former part of the Khanate was transformed into the Tauride region.
After the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1945, the village was renamed Zelenogorye. The area is currently protected by law as a nature reserve.
The tract and its treasures
The Panagia tract owes its name to the ruins of an Orthodox monastery, which was built during the ancient Middle Ages at the confluence of two rivers. Panagia is guarded by rocks with vertically formed layers, which is not quite common for mountain structures. The Arpat River, formed by two tributaries, flows along the bottom of the tract.
The Arpat differs from other mountain rivers in its warm waters, as it flows in areas heated by the sun. As it flows, the stream forms many different waterfalls and pits with life-giving moisture.
Emerald Lake
Behind the village of Zelenogorye, surrounded by mountains, there is a magical lake the color of a precious emerald. The deep-water lake Panagia is of glacial origin. Its water is clear and cold throughout the year. This is one of the famous Crimean “places of power”. Having plunged into the waters of the mirror surface of a fabulous pond, you feel a surge of strength and energy. The panorama of the lake in the mountain ring amazes with the purity and naturalness of its colors, and the air saturated with healing ions literally revives you. The main source of lake water is the Kushen-Uzen River.
A kind of “bungee cable car” passes over the lake. On a seat attached to a metal cable, you can ride to the other side or jump off and plunge into the magical waters of Lake Panagia. If you stay overnight and pitch a tent on the shore of the lake, there is a chance to see the holy image. This is a phenomenal game of nature. In certain weather, reflections reflected from the water surface give birth to the Holy Face on the slopes.
There is no need to worry too much about food supplies. The local population is very friendly and will offer you a taste of the local cuisine for a reasonable fee. The village also has a grocery store and a roadside cafe.
Note:
A little more than a kilometer from Lake Panagia there are 3 more mountain reservoirs, and after covering about six kilometers you will reach a lake with crystal-clear, azure-colored water. It is called "Blue".
Arpat waterfalls
The mountain river Pananyan-Uzen forms one and a half dozen cascading waterfalls. At its source flow the waters of a ten-meter waterfall, an amazing natural creation. Living in harmony with nature, the shallow waterfall plays with the sun's rays and creates an ideal world of beauty and holiness around itself. For a comfortable approach to the waterfall, ladders and steps are installed.
One of the cascades pours its waters into a huge heart-shaped bowl, the so-called “bath of love”. This is a natural jacuzzi protected by mighty rocks. Couples in love often come here to cement their feelings forever. According to legend, by plunging into the magical waters of the cup of love, lovers will soon be able to create a full-fledged family.
The path continues along a metal staircase, and ahead there are still waterfalls and stone Jacuzzis. There are ledges for relaxing on steep slopes. The waterfalls along the kilometer are low, 2-3 meters high, but almost every cascade creates a bowl of golden water. Tuffolites are light yellow in color, sunlight and shallow depth create the effect of “golden” water.
Video review:
Legends of the Panagia tract
Since ancient times, the road through the gorge was famous for its danger, and only the Amazons could overcome it. The serpentine path along the river bed was called the “Trail of the Amazons.” According to legend, a company of brave girls set out annually in search of a worthy husband. The chosen one was only the one who fearlessly stepped into the stormy waters of the Arpat and onto the steep rocky ledges after the Amazon. He must pass the test to the end, overcoming all the obstacles along the way and catching up with the brave girl. At the end of the test, both were treated to a bath in the “cup of love.”
How to get to the tract?
Before you get to the Panagia tract, you need to get to the village of Morskoye. During the holiday season, public transport runs in this direction from the Simferopol railway station. Travel time is two hours. From Sudak via the village. Morskoye buses go in the direction of Yalta, Alushta, Rybachy village and Privetny village. From Morskoye, the most convenient transport is a taxi, but it’s better to immediately take a taxi in Sudak and calmly get to the village of Zelenogorye. From there it is half a kilometer to the tract.
The most suitable transport leading to the gorge is a personal car. Zelenogorye is located:
- from Simferopol - 115 km;
- from Sudak - 30 km;
- from Alushta - 65 km.
The best time to visit the Panagia tract is spring and early summer. In the hot summer, the Arpat River becomes very scarce. All that remains is a thin stream of water. In spring, here you can completely immerse yourself in the enchanting beauty of the landscape, watching a bright extravaganza of water and sun rays. Autumn in these places is not only full of bright colors. At this time you can buy pears, grapes, figs, which are in abundance here and at very affordable prices.
Panagia Gorge is a special place. Having been there, you get the feeling of visiting shrines. Here you breathe and think differently. A unique temple of nature that bestows spirituality.
Panagia tract on the map of Crimea
GPS Coordinates: 44°52.612’N 34°42.930’E Latitude/Longitude
Arpat waterfalls are the hallmark of the village of Zelenogorye, which is located 35 km from Sudak. They were located on the Arpat River, which is one of the most beautiful Crimean rivers. It flows in the southeast of the peninsula along the Panyan-Uzen tract.
History of origin
This area arose through the formation of rocks of the Tauride period. They are softer than conglomerates and are easily eroded. Sharp corners will never form here. Therefore, the local river has a calm flow, and the valley itself bears the name Panagia, which translated from Greek means universal holiness. Many tourists claim that from the side of the road on these rocks the appearance of the Virgin Mary can be seen.
In ancient times, there was a monastic hermitage in the area of the waterfalls. There are walking paths here that lead from waterfall to waterfall. The ancient path runs either next to the river or along its bed.
It is here that tourists can get acquainted with the most ancient rocks of the Crimean mountains, which stretch from Alushta to Sudak.
Zelenogorye
On the South Coast they are also present, only under heavy and durable Upper Jurassic limestones. That’s why there are such contrasting differences here: steep mountains near the southern shores and gently sloping soft peaks of rocks beyond Alushta.
In some places of the Arpat waterfalls, travelers are surprised by the parallelism of the layers of the rock structure of the mountains. This is partly reminiscent of slate roofing. Here there are alternating layers of sandstones, shale and clayey rocks, which are called siltstones and belong to the earlier Triassic period.
The first mention of the village of Zelenogorye (at that time Arpat) was found in the historical treaty of 1381 between Genoa and Elias Bey of Solkhat. According to the document, the mountainous part of the South of Crimea with all the settlements and peoples represented by Christians passed into the possession of the Genoese.
In one of the references to the Crimean Tatar encyclopedia, in 1670, the Turkish Sultan refers to the village of Arpat as Greek.
It is also known that near the village the remains of an ancient church, built at the beginning of the 1st-3rd centuries, were found.
The video shows the beautiful places of the Panagia tract:
How to get there
There are several ways to get to a picturesque place. If you drive by car from Alushta along the highway to Sudak, you need to drive from. Hello, after a few minutes we will see a sign to the village and tract, on the left side of the road.
We drive through the village of Zelenogorye to the end and stop at a paid parking lot. On the right side of the parking lot there is a wide road leading to the lake. It is worth swimming in it after a route through the gorges, enjoying relaxation after difficult hiking along the slopes. If you walk past the trading floors, you can go straight to the path leading to the gorge. You will also find out how to get there and where the Jur Jur waterfall is located.
Lake in Zelenogorye
It will also be interesting to know about and how you can get there.
You need to cross the bridge over the river and walk a few hundred meters more to a shelter with a forester who collects the fee for entering the gorge.
Everyone pays a small amount here and it amounts to about 25-30 rubles. If the travel time falls during the non-summer season or is carried out in bad weather, then access to the waterfalls will be free.
Soon the Arpata waterfall will appear on the way, and above it - the Bath of Love and a reservoir.
However, in the winter of 2017, a rock collapse occurred near the lower waterfall and now the stone embankment hides the view of the Bath of Love.
Along the road you can find a small spring where you can collect water and drink to your heart's content. On the rock near it there is a sign “Spring”.
It's impossible to get lost in this place. And in the confluence of tributaries you must stay to the right. Moving forward in this way, you will soon see a waterfall 10 meters long. You can walk through the Arpat Canyon in 10 minutes, then you will be greeted by the sight of another waterfall, and it will take you half an hour to reach Panagia.
Map Arpatsky waterfall
By the way, most tourists only get to the upper 10-meter waterfall. But behind it there are more than 10 more flowing waterfalls, which are best visited during high water. They are not at all inferior in height to the lower ones. During high water, waterfalls flow directly from the rocks, and not just flow along the riverbed. But how to get to the Martian Lake in Crimea, and where it is located, this will help you understand
In the video - Arpatian waterfalls, Panagia tract, bath of love:
If you wish, you can simply find the small village of Arpat. Seven kilometers from the Alushta-Sudak highway between the villages of Morskoye and Rybachye. A picturesque valley with gentle mountain peaks and a beautiful lake at the foot attracts tourists from all over the peninsula. But most of all, travelers come here to see the amazing Arpatian waterfalls. And having climbed the rocks (for all lovers, you should pay attention to this information) above the waterfalls, a beautiful panorama opens up in front of you: the valley, Zelenogorye and the turquoise sea surface in the distance.
