Ecotourism is a non-standard holiday option for the June holiday weekend. It is suitable for those who are ready to walk along forest paths, admire river valleys, enjoy modern art and communicate with animals. If you strictly follow the timing, then the entire route from Moscow and back can be covered by car in three days. And for lovers of leisurely walks, it’s better to choose one or two places, because it’s easy to spend a whole day in each of them!
We recommend renting a car for your trip on OneTwoTrip. The price starts from 3300 rubles* per day.
Day one
Let’s take a trip around the world in miniature. It will be especially interesting for children.
Bird Park “Sparrows”
How to get there
We leave the capital along the Kaluga highway, and then turn onto the Warsaw highway and move to the Pobeda state farm (this is about 95 km).
Things to do
“Sparrows” is the largest bird park in Russia, the history of which began 30 years ago with a small private collection of parrots. Birds from all over the world live in aviaries and wonderful greenhouses: from the usual chickens to exotic toucans with “two beaks”. And if you look hard enough, you will find an ancient nightjar that looks like a dinosaur. Among the groves and glades you can meet sleepy camels, cute llamas, nimble weasels, mysterious reptiles and fish.
Entrance ticket on the weekend will cost 500 rubles per adult and 100 rubles per child*. Allow at least three hours for the visit.
Ethnomir Theme Park
Photo: Dance60/shutterstock.com
How to get there
From the “Sparrows” bird park we move along the country road to the Kyiv highway, after 500 meters we turn onto 50 Let Oktyabrya Street and after 16 km we turn left to “Ethnomir”. The entire road is approximately 40 km.
Things to do
We continue our trip around the world to ethnographic park-museum, which occupies 140 hectares. Here, in a large covered pavilion, stylized ethnic courtyards are organized, where guardians of cultures talk about the traditions, life, cuisine, and clothing of different countries. After learning more about the national characteristics of the peoples of the world, take part in craft master classes and quests. The park also has a forest labyrinth hovering in the treetops, a nursery for fluffy huskies, bicycle rentals, a large oven with pies and cozy paths for leisurely walks in the fresh air.
By the way, festivals and costume shows are often held here. You can plan your participation in advance by checking the schedule on the website.
Entrance ticket on the weekend will cost 700 rubles (for an adult) and 400 rubles for a child*. Allow at least five hours for the visit.
Where to stay
On the territory of the park there are 11 hotels completely different in style and cost (from Nepalese houses and Siberian yurts to an Indian palace).
Day two
We wander along eco-paths in search of hidden meanings and inner harmony.
Art Park “Nikola-Lenivets”
How to get there
From “Ethnomir” we move along the highway through Borovsk towards Maloyaroslavets, then we go onto the Varshavskoe highway and after 35 km we turn left. Further along the highway to the village of Ostrozhny, there we also turn left – to the village of Nikola-Lenivets. The park is accessed by a dirt road with many potholes, and the fields and parking area become impassable in the rain. For the trip, it is better to choose dry weather or high rubber boots. It is important to book bicycles and places to spend the night in advance, there are few of them.
Things to do
We wander in search of architectural metaphors through the fields and forests of Europe’s largest art park. We look at the surroundings from the observation deck of “Bobur”, run across the field to the multi-door “Rotunda”, listen to the silence in “Nikolin’s Ear”, take dizzying pictures on the steep bank of the Ugra against the backdrop of the “Mayak”, and then go deeper into the thicket in search of the “Universal Mind” on the way to the “Border of the Empire”. In total, on 650 hectares there are hundreds of installations and art objects created by artist Nikolai Polissky and his like-minded people from different countries. A leisurely, slightly mystical walk among objects of contemporary art evokes thoughts about new meanings of existence. For practical travelers, bicycle and canoe rentals are available. This territory of creative freedom often hosts large indoor festivals and exhibitions, so when planning a trip, it is better to check the schedule, make sure that the park is open and buy tickets in advance.
Entrance ticket on the weekend will cost 400 rubles*. Allow at least five hours for the visit.
Routes of the Ugra National Park
How to get there
From Nikola-Lenivets we return to the Varshavskoe highway and after 29 km towards the southwest we turn right onto the highway. The entry point depends on the route chosen. More details are indicated on the park map.
Things to do
We complete our monthly quota of steps along organized eco-trails, breathe in the forest, admire the picturesque bends of the river, ride bicycles and canoes. Include an interactive forestry museum in the cultural program. By appointment you can attend the excursion “Standing on the Ugra River” to the historical sites of the battle.
Important: special permission is required to visit the national park. It is easy to obtain at the directorate, visitor center, district forestry offices, and also through the website if ordered in advance. A passport is required to obtain permission.
A weekend ticket will cost 150 rubles*. Allow at least three hours for the visit.
Where to stay
We recommend Iceberg Ugry Hotel – from 1900 rubles per night per person.
Day three
We visit hard-to-reach places.
Devil’s Settlement
How to get there
From the Ugra National Park we move to Kozelsk, from there we turn following the sign to the city of Sosensky. The journey is approximately 180 km. In Sosensky we drive as close to the forest as possible, leave the car and walk along the forest path for about 5 km to the sign “Devil’s Settlement”.
Things to do
This is an ancient tract where prehistoric plants and traces of Stone Age people have been preserved. Here, narrow paths wind among red-book ferns, moss that glows in the dark grows in small caves, and spirits of the past probably still live near the cult stone. It’s not for nothing that many people consider this place anomalous and invent local legends.
Allow at least four hours for the visit.
Nature reserve “Kaluzhskie Zaseki”
How to get there
From Kozelsk we move 39 km along Medvedev Street in a south-west direction, and then turn right to the village of Ulyanovo. The administration of the reserve, where you must go and register before starting the route, is located at the address: st. B. Sovetskaya, 75.
Things to do
Walk along forest eco-paths among powerful centuries-old oak trees, meet amazing flowers, listen to birdsong, learn old Russian legends and even play eco-quests. Well, if you’re lucky, you’ll meet bison, moose, foxes, hares and beavers (in winter there are even special programs for observing animals). Some routes are equipped with gazebos with places for fireplaces, as well as paths to springs.
Important: a request for a visit should be left in advance on the website. Only organized walks along the trails are possible, to which the guide takes you in his own transport.
A walk in an excursion group of up to seven people costs a minimum of 1,100 rubles* for everyone. Allow about four hours for the visit.
Where to stay: We recommend the Snegir Hotel – from 4,000 rubles* per night per person.
*Prices valid at time of publication
Photo: unsplash.com/shutterstock. com
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