Yew-Boxwood Grove — a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site and the most easily accessible part of the Caucasus Reserve in Sochi. How to get to the Yew-boxwood grove and what grows in it? Map of hiking trails with descriptions and photos.
How to get to the Yew-Boxwood Grove
Yew-boxwood grove — this is a separate section of the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve. It is located in the Khostinsky district of Sochi, 2.5 km from the Black Sea coast.
- by buses 122, 105, 118, 125, 134 from Sochi or Adler to the stop «Khosta-Most», then walk 1.5 km ~ 18 minutes up Samshitovaya Street following the signs. Not all buses and minibuses stop at Khosta. Take the train to the station & # 171; Khosta & # 187;, then walk along the street. Oktyabrya and Samshitovaya ~ 30 min (2.3 km) by car or taxi you can drive directly to the entrance to the reserve, there is parking
Wonderful gorge of the Khosta River Admire the rich nature of Sochi, learn about its features and relax by the mountain river
Horse riding through the yew-boxwood grove Enjoy nature and make friends with horses near Sochi
Despite the fact that it is easy to get to the Yew-boxwood grove on your own, excursions are also popular. The routes include places nearby: the Devil's Gate gorge, the Vorontsov caves, the White Rocks canyon, the Navalishchenskoe gorge, tea plantations and wineries. You can go solo or join a small group.
- Yew and Boxwood Grove Tours
Tickets and Information
- The yew-boxwood grove is open year-round without breaks and weekends: from 09:00 to 18:00, from October 1 to March 14 — until 17:00 tickets: 300 rubles — adult, 150 rubles — children 7-14 years old, up to 7 years old free of charge hiking trails are equipped with places to rest, information boards, mobile communications are available throughout the territory site of the reserve
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You should dress like you would for a walk in the forest: comfortable sportswear and shoes, a hat. In the summer, bring SPF sunscreen, a swimsuit, and a small towel (if you want to swim). It is also better to have water and a snack with you, you can buy something only at the entrance and exit from the reserve.
If you want to walk alone, come to the opening. I lived in Khost and came to the box office at exactly 9 am. The weather in early July was favorable — without rain, and the dense shade from the trees protected from the active sun.
What grows in the Yew-Boxwood Grove
Yew-boxwood grove — this is a primeval tertiary-relict forest that covered Europe 18-20 million years ago. Its territory is a saving island for more than 500 species of plants that have been growing here since the pre-glacial period.
70 species of trees and shrubs — endemics and relics that are not found anywhere else in the world: 20 species of orchids, ferns, creepers, tropical flower mushrooms & # 8230; Already in January, Kos cyclamen blooms in the reserve.
The climate of the humid subtropics (abundant rainfall and protection from cold winds) contributes to the rapid and lush growth of vegetation. The most valuable among the flora of the grove are yew and boxwood, after which it is named.
Yew berry
Tees — coniferous tree 10-20 meters high, listed in the Red Book of Russia. Yew has been almost completely exterminated by man because of its durable wood, which has a strong bactericidal effect. In ancient Egypt, sarcophagi were made from yew, and in our time — furniture under «mahogany». The wood, bark and leaves of the yew tree are poisonous to humans. More than 2000 years old yew trees grow in the Yew-Boxwood Grove.
Fantastic plants of Sochi and where they live A boring acquaintance with the unique flora of the city and its environs
Boxwood Colchis
< p>Boxwood — evergreen tree of the Tertiary period, grows only 1 mm per year, reaching a maximum height of 15-18 meters by 400-500 years. Its wood is extremely durable. Unfortunately, there is no more boxwood in Yew-boxwood grove. This unique Red Book plant was destroyed by the pest — moth butterfly brought with seeds in preparation for the Olympic Games in Sochi. Now they are trying to restore it.
Forest-and-river-inhabitants
Despite the large number of tourists, the yew-boxwood grove is home to many species of wild animals and birds. Among them are such large animals as bear, roe deer, jackal, wild boar, fox and smaller animals: hares, squirrels, hedgehogs, otters, dormouse. Most often you can see lizards, birds and insects.
Black and song thrushes, woodpeckers, robins, chaffinch, tits, jays, nightingales live in the Yew-boxwood grove. If you don't see someone, be sure to hear. In the mountain river Khosta there are fish: verkhovka, bleak, Rodion goby, Caucasian chub, Colchis podust, trout. Fishing is prohibited in the reserve.
Hiking trails in the Yew-Boxwood Grove
The total area of the yew-boxwood grove is 302 hectares. Length from north to south — 2.5 km, from west to east — 1.8 km. There are three ecological and tourist routes in the reserve: the Big Ring, the Small Ring and the trail «Into the depths of centuries». The trails are conveniently transitioning into each other, the trails are marked, equipped with stairs and railings.
The central entrance to the reserve from Samshitovaya Street. There are ticket offices and the Visitor Center. Together with the ticket, a paper bracelet is issued, it can be put on a hand or a backpack. The entrance ticket is valid all day on all routes, keep it until the end of the walk.
You can buy a route map with a description or take a picture of a board with a map at the entrance and follow the signs. You can take the circular routes in any direction.
I did all 3 routes in the following order: Visit Center — Large ring top — trail “Into the depths of centuries” round-trip — Large ring bottom — Small ring — Visit Center. With stops for snacks and swimming, it took 6 hours.
Small-ring
- Length: 1.6 km
The beginning of the route of the Small and Big Rings coincide. This section of the path is the most impressive. I crossed a deep ravine along steep stairs and a bridge, passed through a narrow Stone labyrinth and ended up on the observation deck of the White Rocks. A river gleamed through the lush vegetation, mountains were visible in the distance.
After turning at the sign for the Small Ring, the road becomes very easy, benches are installed along it. The two main objects of inspection: the health bench and the giant yew.
The Giant Yew is surrounded by a wooden fence. Its age is over 1000 years, its trunk diameter is 1.5 meters.
Big-ring
- Length: 5 km
Walking along the route of the Big Ring, you should not rush, but carefully look under your feet and around. Rare trees and plants are labeled. The Colchis forest with moss and ivy trees is very similar to the 33 waterfalls in the Lazarevsky district.
In the middle of the route, turn to the Ancient Fortress. Khosta fortress VIII-X centuries. located on top of a rocky cliff. It consisted of three towers, a gate and a defensive wall, of which almost nothing remained.
The second part of the Big Ring passes over the Khosta River with access to the pebbly shore. Even in the middle of summer, the water in this place is very cold and I just got my feet wet.
On the way back towards the Visitor Center there will be a recreation area «Zub», a spring and a small cave. Unfortunately, I missed the spring and could not fill my bottle with water, but looked into the karst cave.
Trail «Deep-to-the-century»
- Length: 1.8 km
I entered this linear route from the middle of the Big Ring, but from this side there is another entrance to the Yew-Boxwood Grove — Checkpoint «Deep centuries». Here is the Devil's Gate canyon, part of which extends beyond the boundaries of the reserve.
Cliffs overgrown with trees hang over a narrow 350-meter canyon. You can walk along the stone bottom and swim in the mountain river. Right in the canyon there is a small lake with a diameter of 12-13 meters and a depth of 4.5 meters. I swam in a shallow trough upstream, the water was very pleasant in early July.
SUP-walk through the picturesque Sochi canyon It is a pleasure to swim on the board along the “Devil's Gate” and walk along the yew-boxwood grove
In the warm season, an excursion & #171;SUP-walk through the picturesque Sochi canyon». The guide-instructor will teach you how to communicate with the stand-up board, you will sail along the high cliffs of the Devil's Gate, stop for a picnic and walk along the reserved Yew-boxwood grove.
There is a recreation center, a cafe, a sauna near the Devil's Gate canyon , equipped picnic areas. I did not stop for lunch, otherwise I would not have had the strength to go back (I had a bite to eat on the site & # 171; Bukovaya Polyana & # 187; Big Ring). But here you can go to the village of Rassvet, take bus 127 and return to Khosta.
- Glamping Best Place near the Yew-boxwood grove opened recently and has already received a high rating. If you want to merge with nature — this is the right place. Accommodation in modern tent houses, restaurant, parking, sauna.
