One of the most beautiful tourist places in Crimea is Mount Ai-Petri. People come here to breathe fresh clean air, admire the beautiful landscapes opening from the top, and see the unique Crimean nature. The rest turns out to be unforgettable, filled with romance and strong emotions.
Description of Mount Ai-Petri
Once in ancient times, this part of the land was the depths of the sea, on the surface are visible thick coral limestones, up to 600 m thick. Large mountain teeth were formed as a result of weathering. In the west, where the Yalta highway goes to the plateau, not far from Mount Shishko, the nature of the rocks changes, they become layered.
Mount Ai-Petri gave its name to the entire mountain range, which stretches for a long distance, including several mountain peaks. Local plateaus used to be used by local residents for grazing livestock, now it is prohibited to do so. Ai-Petri is a part of the Yalta nature reserve; from the coast, its outlines look like a medieval castle with fortress walls.
History of the place, myths and legends
People inhabited the Ai-Petrinsky massif in primitive times. This is evidenced by archaeological finds - silicon tools of labor, stones with strange engraved patterns, remains of rough ceramics. A large camp of ancient people was found on the western slope of the Bedene-Kyr mountain. The harsh climate and the vagaries of the weather led people to descend from the hills to the valleys.
According to legend, in the Middle Ages on the mountain there was a monastery with a temple in honor of St. Peter. But today only the name Ai-Petri remains of the Orthodox monastery, which means “Saint Peter” in translation.
Thanks to the construction of a road in the 19th century, connecting Yalta with Simferopol, civilization returned to these places. The complex construction took 30 years and was completed in 1894. In places with a steep slope, sections of the track are cut into the mountain slope with a serpentine. Mount Shishko is named after the engineer who created the track.
After the construction of the road, a meteorological station appeared on Ai-Petri, the oldest in the territory of the post-Soviet space. White rounded domes are clearly visible from the top, reminiscent of space alien ships. They are called the observatory, although in fact it is a military base.
These places have been popular with tourists since pre-revolutionary times. A well-developed infrastructure already existed here. There was a hotel with a restaurant and a shopping arcade. Visitors climbed to the top on foot to enjoy the sunrise or sunset. In Soviet times, the cable car became the most remarkable object of construction on Ai-Petri.
Nature and climate
Mount Ai-Petri is the most unpredictable weather place in Crimea. For most of the year, the surroundings are covered with a haze. Another peculiarity of the local climate is a strong wind, its speed sometimes reaches 50 m / s. The wind can blow continuously for several months. In Soviet times, they tried to build wind generators here, but the idea did not take place due to incorrect calculations or lack of funding.
The air temperature at the altitude is about 7 ° C lower than on the plain. In July it is 17 ° C on average, it gets cold with strong gusts of wind. The drop in atmospheric pressure and temperature is especially noticeable during fast travel on the cable car.
When climbing the mountains, the altitudinal zonation of vegetation changes. Wild, reserved nature is amazingly beautiful. More than 600 plant species grow here. The best souvenir for tourists is a jar of fragrant honey or tea made from local herbs.
At the foot of the hills there is a belt of oak-juniper and pine forests. Oaks, junipers, pistachios, strawberry trees grow near the seashore. Higher on the slopes are visible Crimean pines, because the climate here is more humid and cool. There are limestone blocks among the pines. These are traces of ancient and modern landslides that occurred during earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The fauna includes 39 species of mammals. You can often find small, nimble lizards that slip right out from under your feet in the dense grass. Black vultures and griffon vultures soar in the sky. In ancient times, when civilization did not touch these places, there were more animals. But even now in the protected forests you can find deer, roe deer, badgers, mountain foxes, wild boars, squirrels, mouflons from the island of Corsica.
Sights of the Ai-Petri mountain
The beauty of the natural landscape, which opens from Mount Ai-Petri, can be appreciated by going up to the observation deck. Traders sell socks, hats, sweaters and scarves knitted from natural sheep's wool for the frozen tourists who thoughtlessly forgot to take warm clothes.
The local cuisine is worth mentioning. The cafe sells dolma (cabbage rolls in grape leaves), khashlama, shurpa, pilaf, shish kebab, baklava and other delicious dishes.
Leaving your car in the parking lot at the terminal station of the cable car, you can walk up to the Ai-Petri teeth. Thrill-seekers will find here not only a breathtaking landscape, but also an "attraction for adults" - a suspension bridge over which people walk over an abyss. The entrance is paid (500 rubles), the price includes the use of special equipment. The wind sways the wooden planks of the bridge, and a deep gorge opens up underfoot.
We advise you to look at the Ayu-Dag mountain.
For 1 thousand rubles. from the mountain you can go down on the zip-line. The flight from the summit on an iron cable will take no more than 2 minutes.
Karst caves
The Ai-Petrinsky massif is dotted with karst caves. On its territory there are interesting places for speleologists. Caves equipped for tourists:
The total depth of Trekhglazka is 38 m, there is no equipped route to the lowest point, you can go down only 25 m. The cave has been known to people for over 200 years, but it was equipped for visiting only in 1990. It's cold downstairs, and when you descend, they give you a jacket for free. In the middle of the underground hall rises a huge snowdrift of snow and ice. Ice blocks were taken from here even before the revolution to the palace of Count Vorontsov, therefore the second name of the cave is Vorontsovskaya.
Cable car
The distance from the center of Alupka to the place where the cable car to Ai-Petri is located is 2 km. You can get to the place from the city on foot or by bus. One-way cable car ticket price is 400 rubles.
The lower station of the cable car is located in Miskhor at an altitude of 86 m above sea level, the middle one is at an altitude of 300 m and the upper one is on Mount Ai-Petri. The total length of the cable car is about 3 thousand meters.
Locals sell souvenirs at the upper station. They offer horseback riding, quad biking or walking tours. At the foot of the mountain there is a protected forest and Crimean vineyards. Local wine is a tourist delicacy and a welcome souvenir.
You can walk to the top of Mount Ai-Petri at an altitude of 1234 m above sea level. From here you can clearly see the coast of Crimea - Semeiz, the cities of Alupka and Yalta. Here you can take beautiful photos for memory. The view from the mountain is mesmerizing - green forests stretch to the very horizon, the sea coast can be seen in the distance, and clouds float before your eyes, like whimsical white palaces.
Where there is no fence directly under your feet, you can see an abyss. Thrill seekers come to the very edge to take beautiful photos. From the top of the mountain, the Yalta road is clearly visible, along which you can reach Simferopol by car.
How to get there and where to stay
There are three ways to get to Mount Ai-Petri - by car or tourist bus, on foot and by cable car. The fastest way is to use the cable car. This way of lifting is inconvenient in the queues of tourists and the operating mode - the last wagons leave the mountain at 18 o'clock.
There is free parking on the mountain, so it is convenient to get here with your own transport. The path lies ahead, as it is sung in a children's song "on the road with clouds", the car now and then drives into a dense white cloud. On some sections of the road, the car rocks from side to side.
The most budgetary option for outdoor enthusiasts would be hiking uphill. On the way, you can admire nature and see all the local attractions up close. You can stay overnight at a local hotel. If the prices for tourists are too high, they will be allowed to spend the night in a teahouse.