There are many places in Russia that could become locations for filming science fiction films about space travel and parallel worlds. Surreal hills, thick fogs, red mountains, icy labyrinths, mystical remains of ancient civilizations – you just want to call these places unearthly. Paradoxically, it is precisely this diversity that makes our planet unique.
We talk about seven beautiful and unusual corners of Russia – as always, with prices and ways to get there.
Long Mountains, Orenburg Region
Some travelers describe the Long Mountains as the backbone of a dragon, others see the waves of an ancient sea, and for some the landscape resembles bubble wrap. At least, the anti-stress effect for tourists who get here is guaranteed: the gently sloping peaks flowing into one another blur the boundary between dream and reality in the imagination. Another name for the Long Mountains is the Karamuruntau ridge. Its length is 15 km, but the height of the peaks barely exceeds 400 m. At the end of spring, the chain of small hills is covered with lush young grass, and under the scorching summer sun the vegetation burns out. Then the slopes of the hills are painted in “Martian” red and orange colors.
How to get there: by plane to Orenburg, from there by bus or car along the M5 highway to 135 kilometers on the Orenburg – Orsk section, and then walk to Camel Mountain – the first point of the Long Mountains. You can only go back from the village of Donskoye. You can also get from Orenburg to Kondurovka station by train, and then walk 3-4 kilometers.
Where to stay: Hotel “Aura” in Orenburg. The cost of a double room is from 2,850 rubles per night*.
Kungur Ice Cave, Perm Region
There are many amazing caves in Russia that brave tourists can climb into, but the icy Kungur cave is special. This is an underground palace made of plaster with a suite of halls, each of which has its own elegant thematic name. For example, Mouth of the Dragon, Hermit’s House, Dante or Atlantis. In total there are 48 grottoes and about 70 lakes in the cave. The total length of the galleries is more than 8 kilometers, and two of them are equipped tourist routes! Along the way, visitors will see huge ice icicles and stalagmites – some of them connect the vaults and the floor like columns. The organizers of the excursions complemented the natural beauty with creative lighting, which emphasizes the harsh forms and creates a fantastic atmosphere in the tunnels. No, no, and there will be an association with the underground kingdom of Moria from the novel “The Lord of the Rings”. You can walk through the cave as part of a tour that takes place several times a day. The official website of this geological monument reports that tickets can be purchased at the ticket office at the entrance without prior reservation.
How to get there: by plane to Perm, from there by train, regular bus or car to Kungur, and then by another bus to the village of Filippovka.& ;nbsp;
Where to stay: Irene Hotel in Kungur. The cost of a double room is from 2,100 rubles per night*.
Cypress Lake Sukko, Krasnodar Territory
Tourist photographs taken in this place are mesmerizing. People in boats maneuver between the thick cones of cypress trees. Wicker trunks break the blue mirror surface and rush into the sky with green and red crowns. It’s hard to believe that this is an earthly landscape. It’s even harder to imagine that this grove is quite small, and the lake is an artificial pond in the village of Sukko between Anapa and Novorossiysk. The reservoir itself is used for fish farming, and the forest of several dozen trees is the “Swamp Cypress” natural monument. The best time to go looking for a good angle for photographs is in spring and summer: already in October the pond becomes shallow and the grove appears on the shore.
How to get there: by plane to Anapa, from there by bus to the village of Sukko (to the final stop), and then about half an hour on foot to the lake. You can get closer to the park by car or minibus.
Where to stay: Hotel “Democracy” in Sukko. The cost of a double room is from 11,000 rubles per night*.
Lotus Valley at the mouth of the Volga, Astrakhan region
Huge green leaves and pink flames of flowers that can hardly fit in your hands – when lotuses bloom, Astrakhan reservoirs turn into scenery for science fiction films. Delicate buds can be seen only two months a year – from mid-July to early September. Every year tourists from different regions of Russia come to Astrakhan to observe this unusual phenomenon for our country. The largest lotus fields are located in the Astrakhan State Nature Reserve, in the estuary coastal area of the Volga River. You can get there by motor boat, having previously rented it at the tourist centers, and this journey will take several hours. It’s cheaper and faster to visit locations closer to the shores, but there will be significantly fewer lotuses there.
How to get there: by plane to Astrakhan, and from there by bus to one of the tourist centers not far from the reserve, for example, in the Kamyzyaksky district. An easier way is to go to lotus plantations as part of excursions, which also start from Astrakhan.
Where to stay: Skazka Hotel in Astrakhan. The cost of a double room is from 1,900 rubles per night*.
Paramushir Island, Sakhalin Region
Fjords and waterfalls, craters with still water, black smooth stones on wet cold sand and mountains melting in the fog – in such landscapes one could shoot a film about uninhabited worlds. However, there is a whole city on the island: more than two thousand people live in Severo-Kurilsk. They are forced to adapt to the harsh climate: the snow lasts for a long time, the average annual temperature does not exceed +4 °C, and there is almost always drizzle in the air. Due to strong winds (the speed record is 230 km/h), trees do not grow on Paramushir. However, brown bears feel great in such conditions. To visit the Kuril Islands, tourists need to obtain permission to visit the border zone in advance.
How to get there: by plane to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and from there to Severo-Kurilsk on the regular motor ship “Gipanis” (runs according to schedule). The journey will take about 20 hours, and the ticket must be purchased 60 days before the expected date of travel. You can also fly from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky by helicopter. Tickets are sold only on site, the flight departs only when all seats have been purchased.
Where to stay: apart-hotel “Peak 3456” in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The cost of a double room is from 8,500 rubles per night*.
Safronovsky mound complex, Republic of Khakassia
The unusual landscape in the field not far from the Safronov aal is not a freak of nature, but the work of human hands. Some stone idols appeared here 2.5 thousand years ago. Their function is ritual. Some steles are laconic, others are distinguished by unusual shapes and abundant paintings depicting animals and mythical creatures. This is how the burial mounds of leaders and noble persons are marked. Despite the fact that the complex consists of almost 50 pillars, they look lonely against the backdrop of the endless plain. This contrast evokes associations with the last traces of ancient civilizations that heroes of science fiction films discover on other planets.
How to get there: by plane to Abakan, from there by car or bus along the highway to Askiz to the village of Poltakov, and then along a dirt road to car to the Safronov aal and then on foot to the mound complex.
Where to stay: Asia Hotel in Abakan. The cost of a double room is from 5,300 rubles per night*.
Kyzyl-China, Republic of Gorny Altai
Bloggers and journalists often include the colorful mountains of Kyzyl-Chin in their selections of the most beautiful places in Russia. In the rainbow tints of the weather-beaten desert topography, you can see shades of yellow, orange, green, and pink. The striking combination is the result of the special chemical composition of the rock. Paints are applied to the chopped slopes in layers, giving the area the appearance of a cut pie. Once upon a time, these mountains were the bowl of the ancient Chuya Lake, and pebbles with mollusk imprints can still be found here. The similarity of such an unusual landscape with unearthly views of the red planet is emphasized by the unofficial names of the geological zones of the Kyzyl-Chin tract – “Mars-1”, “Mars-2” and “Mars-3”. In one of them you can even see comic figures of Mars rovers and robots.
How to get there: by plane to Gorno-Altaisk, from there by car along the Chuysky tract to the village of Chagan-Uzun, and then along the dirt road to the tract Kyzyl-Chin, following the signs “Mars”. This journey will take approximately seven hours. Taking into account the likely rains, it is better to go by SUV.
Where to stay: hotel “Red Dog” in Gorno-Altaisk. The cost of a double room is from 3,500 rubles per night*.
*Prices valid at time of publication.
