Mount Ayu-Dag (Gurzufe, Russia)

Visit Mount Ayu-Dag in Crimea

Visiting Mount Ayu-Dag in Crimea is going on adventures. What to see on Mount Ayu-Dag in Crimea we tell you here. Hiking in the Crimean Bear Mountain is a fantastic experience.

The mountain received its name due to its obvious resemblance to a bear, which, as if inclined, drinks water from the sea. This similarity gave rise to legends that local residents will not stop telling all tourists. The once huge bear roamed the mountains and forests for a long time, leaving wounds on the ground along the way: deep valleys, potholes and ravines. Under the weight of a giant bear, the earth crawled along the slopes of the mountains to the sea, exposing the rocks. When the bear reached the flourishing Valle del Partenit, he decided to stay here forever. After long walks, the bear leaned toward the sea to drink refreshing water. He drank so much time that he froze, petrified. Another legend says that the old bear was petrified, yearning for the beautiful girl he loved.

Most scientists are inclined to believe that Bear Mountain is a lacolito, that is, a “failed” volcano, formed about 150 million years ago, in the age of dinosaurs. The power of the volcano was small, and its lava, which barely reached the surface of the earth, froze with a kind of dome, creating an unusual mountain.

Travel to Crimea

On the coast of southern Crimea; between the Great Alushta and the Great Yalta rises the powerful Ayu-Dag or the mountain of the bear. This is truly an incredible natural heritage The mountain; in geological terms, it is composed of deep magmatic rocks; which itself is unusual in the mountains of Crimea. The picturesque “bassist” outlines Ayu-Dag explains the geological origins.

The data associated with the early history of the surroundings of the mountain are fragmented. During the excavations flint artifacts were found; These are related to the Neolithic and were found in the 30th and 10th centuries BC. From the bronze age near Ayu-Dag, the Tauri settlement built between the 5th and 1st centuries before Christ is traced.

More reliable information is about the period of the Middle Ages. From the eighth century here there was a monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul; It was the main basilica of the place. The ruins of the house of San Pedro and San Pablo can still be seen in the sanatorium complex of the Partenit people.

Around the monastery on the slopes of the mountains there are small settlements, but they all deteriorated at the end of the 15th century. One of the reasons for this is due to the Ottoman conquest; and another for the effects of a major earthquake in 1468; which resulted in the loss of fresh water in the mountain area.

The top of the mountain is occupied by albar oak forests; Many plants have reached the age between 500 to 800 years. Near the “bear head” and the promontory convent, there are wild pistachio trees with ages up to 700 years.

What to see on Mount Ayu-Dag in Crimea – The legend

There are also romantic legends that describe the origins of the famous Crimean mountains. He tells that there was once, where now the formidable mountain of Ayu-Dag rises; A whole pack of wild bears lived with a great old leader bear. After a shipwreck on the coast, the bear found a baby; sorry he took her under his care and upbringing Years passed, the girl was growing up, and she fell in love with a charming young man, and he, as usual, responded in return. Then, the lovers decide to leave the region and go one day to sail across the sea.

When the old bear returned and did not find the girl in the usual place; the leader of the pack enraged; and with the other bears he opened his mouth to get the water out of the sea. To escape the angry beast, the girl sang sweetly, the whole flock was fascinated by her song and they looked up from the water; Only the leader was so determined that he remained on the shore until he weakened. And so it was when his body became a huge stone with cliffs, at the site of the head a sharp rock rose; and the skin became a dense forest. It was there when the mountain of the terrible bear was created.

Flora and fauna of Ayu-Dag mountain

The length of the mountain in the northwest direction is approximately 2400 meters, the area is approximately 4 square kilometers. Ayu-Dag is mainly covered by a spongy rocky oak forest with tall juniper fragments.

There are also relic plants: strawberry, small fruits, tall spiny juniper, pistachio vulgaris, pontic needle, jasmine bush, Crimea cistus and others, total – 577 species. The botanical attraction of Ayu-Dag is a pistachio forest located in the area of ​​Cape Monastyrsky and Panair Bay. There are no analogues of such a grove in Crimea. His age is big enough. In any case, at the beginning of the century it was well known to Russian botanists who conducted investigations in Crimea.

Mountain wildlife is also diverse. Here you can find foxes, badgers, stone marten, hares, squirrels, seagulls and cormorants that nest on the slopes of the mountains, pigeons, owls, woodpeckers, jays, blackbirds live in the forest. Of the animals that live in Ayu-Dag, 16 species are listed in the Red Book.

What to see on Mount Ayu-Dag in Crimea

Traditionally the excursion to the mountain of the bear of Partenit begins with a tour of the memorial complex of the tomb Ioanna Gotskogo; which is located in the territory of the sanatorium “Crimea”. From here originates the path to walk to the old road that existed in the days of medieval settlements in Ayu-Dag. The road leads first to the observation deck, and then you have to go down again to the secluded beach. Enough to enjoy the Crimean sun. Apart from that, care must be taken to go on the road. Trip waiting for cliffs and boulders very risky, impenetrable thickets, breaking through tourists who are not prepared will be problematic. At the same time, as well as Artek trails which were used for generations of Soviet pioneers.

Schematic maps of the walking routes are sold at the foot of Ayu-Dag, which will help to better focus on the area and not miss some of the attractions.

Visit Mount Ayu-Dag in Crimea and more places with GuiaRus. Hiking in the Crimean Bear Mountain with our guides in Spanish is an amazing experience.