Just imagine: a narrow ribbon of rails winds between high multi-colored rocks. In the crevices and on the peaks there is the greenery of relict trees, and below on the cliff of the road the milky blue stream of the Kurdzhips River rustles. Around every turn of the rocky wall, either a waterfall or a boulder lurked, like frozen fairy-tale giants. Just look, an elf on horseback will appear in the rays of the sun, or a seasoned troll will jump out of a cave that appears in the distance.
Even in the middle of summer, a refreshing coolness reigns here: the temperature in the shadow of the gorge rarely rises above 25 degrees. In spring, nature awakens already at the beginning of March: snowdrops and bluebells bloom in mountain meadows, wild garlic sprouts like a green fragrant carpet.
Is it any wonder that my nine-year-old son called this place the best place on the planet and suggested that he immediately and forever live here! Intrigued? It’s time to see the gorge with your own eyes.
How to get there
The Guam Gorge is located on the northern part of the Lago-Naki plateau: far enough from the sea and the usual ski resorts so as not to become a well-worn attraction. However, this place is known to true connoisseurs of natural beauty.
You can get into the gorge from two different sides, from the villages of Guamka and Mezmay. The first one is more convenient: a tourist train begins its journey here, leaving every hour from the ticket office.
The nearest airport is in Krasnodar (150 km from Guamka).
Ticket prices from Moscow start from 2500 rubles round trip*.
Next regular bus Krasnodar – Apsheronsk, then taxi or bus to the village of Guamka.
If you have a license, it is most convenient to rent a car right at the airport. Prices for cars in Krasnodar start from 3,700 rubles per day*. This way you can not only quickly get to Guamka, but also travel around the surrounding area in comfort.
Where to stay
Photo: eWilding/Shutterstock.com
In the villages closest to the gorge there are guest houses offering rooms for different budgets. You won’t find five-star hotels, but you can easily stay in comfortable rooms with all amenities. In Guamka there is car camping and even glamping for those looking for an opportunity to culturally merge with nature.
We offer several options:
Hotel Guamka – from 600 rubles per night per person*;
Guest house Kurshewel – from 4500 rubles per night per person*; Mezmay Hotel – from 2300 rubles per night per person*.
Interesting facts
Photo: eWilding/Shutterstock.com
The gorge stretches for 9 km from Guamka to Mezmay. For about 3 km along the river there are rocks that rise 400 meters above the water. Previously, the entire journey could be made by tourist train. But in 2011, part of the railway was destroyed by a landslide, and now you can only get along it to the stop “Cafe “1707”” – this is about a quarter of the entire journey. Then you can (and should!) walk through the pleasant-looking hills and groves along the river. If you have the strength, I recommend stocking up on provisions and walking all the way to Mezmay, and taking a taxi back. And if you want to take a walk from Guamka itself, choose for your hike either Tuesday, or early morning and late evening – at this time the train does not run, and during its operating hours no one will let you onto the active part of the rails. Indeed, in some narrow places between the train, the rock and the cliff, even the slenderest pedestrian will not fit.
The cost of a one-way train ticket is from 125 to 250 rubles*. Children under 7 years old are free. There is an audio guide in the trailers, so during the half-hour journey along the route you will hear a story about the history and biological features of this place.
It is best to walk along the gorge on a sunny afternoon: the rails and waters of Kurdzhips look especially impressive in the light of the rays breaking through the rocks. What you need for atmospheric photos in backlight!
Legends about the origin of the name of this place are saturated with quiet sadness. According to one of them, Guamka is the name of a beauty who once lived here. The cruel and treacherous Thunder fell in love with her. But the girl’s heart was already given to the noble Eagle. Growing angry, Thunder threw lightning at his rival as he sat with his lover on the top of a rock. The lightning struck the Eagle right in the heart and split the rock in half. And at its foot a river flowed from the tears of a Guam woman who had lost her beloved.
Another version is more prosaic, but not at all funnier: in the Adyghe language, “guama” means “unpleasant to the heart.” The ancient inhabitants were probably frightened by the shady gorge of the rocks.
Leisure
Cafe “1707”
That’s exactly how long – 1707 meters – the railway track stretches from the beginning of the tracks in Guamka to the cafe. Here they are ready to feed visitors quite inexpensively from 9:00 to 19:00.
Open-air climbing wall
Do you want to conquer steep cliffs with insurance under the supervision of an instructor? For only 300 rubles they will give you this opportunity, offering a choice of three difficulty levels*.
Trolls
And if your soul asks for real extreme sports, welcome to the trolls (provided that you are over 14 years old and lighter than 120 kg). The top one is longer, for 300 rubles*. Lower – in short, 200 rubles per person*.
Souvenir shops
Offering a classic selection of commemorative trinkets and magnets. And near the parking lot in Guamka you can get hold of excellent local products: smoked fish, honey, cheese (be sure to buy a couple of heads of Adyghe here).
Environs of the gorge
I recommend spending at least a couple of days on this wonderful place and exploring not only the gorge itself, but also its surroundings.
Thermal springs
Perfect for relaxing after a long walk in the mountains. The most popular baths with healing hot water are at the bases “Niagara”, “Aquarius”, “H2O” in the villages of Nizhny Novgorod and Krasny Dagestan. In addition to equipped paid swimming pools, there are also wild springs with hot water, but we do not recommend using them for swimming, since the temperature and composition of the water here can be unpredictable.
Musical Grotto
The cave with an unusual echo is located three hundred meters from the center of the village of Guamka. The path to it starts from the cafe at the “Nut Grove” tourist base. Not only the grotto itself, with its interesting acoustics, is noteworthy, but also the path to it – you have to go up through a relict boxwood grove. Unfortunately, there are now very few living boxwoods left: the tree population has been destroyed by an invasive species of caterpillars. So, sad as it is, perhaps now is the last chance to see ancient boxwoods in this area.
Monakhova Cave
You can get to it along the trail from Guamka. Don’t be afraid of the climb up: the walk is quite easy, you can take breaks along the way, admiring the views. According to legend, a monk lived next to this cave in the 16th century, healing people with water from a waterfall. Try to heal yourself too! And although there is no guarantee that all ailments will be cured, a walk through these beautiful places is guaranteed to give you peace and tranquility.
Main photo: eWilding/Shutterstock.com
