Hike to the Imereti Lakes

In the Caucasus, on the border of the Krasnodar Territory and Karachay-Cherkessia is the valley of the Imeretinka River. This majestic gorge nature decorated with full-water waterfalls and stunning beauty lakes!
The Imereti Valley is far from civilization, so it is so nice to enjoy the peace and beauty of wildlife. In these places you can often meet the owners of these places - peacefully walking mountain tours.
The main treasures of Imeretinka are the lakes! The lakes are incredible, emerald, of the most extraordinary shape. Along the route, we will see the largest lake of the Caucasian Reserve - Lake Silence. It is like a magnet that attracts tourists and photographers every summer.

We recommend this route to those who want to try a real hiking trip with backpacks for the first time. The length of the route is small, in addition, a few days along the route we plan to walk lightly, without backpacks.
Therefore, the route to the Imereti Lakes is not only beautiful, spectacular, but also very comfortable for physical exertion.

Travel area: border of Karachay-Cherkessia and Krasnodar region, Zakan cordon.
Type of rest: hiking with backpacks.
Cost: 15,300 rubles.

Dates of travel in 2020: (7 days):
12-18 July
09-15 August

To pass along the tourist routes of this region, citizens of foreign countries (Ukraine, Belarus) need a pass to the border zone, which is issued within 45 days. After submitting an application for participation in the hike, we ask each tourist for passport data to issue a pass.
For citizens of the Russian Federation, registration of a pass is not required, while driving along the route it is enough to have an original passport.

The route thread: Armavir - Zakan Cordon, Imereti House • Big Imereti Lake • Lake of Geographers, Lake Riviera, Lake Bush, Lake China • Panoramic Pass • Bush Peak • Upper Imereti Falls, Lake Flowing and Lake Pacific • Zakan Cordon - Armavir.

Day 1

09:00 - group gathering at the railway station of Armavir (near the main entrance from the city side).

Transfer by minibus on the route of Armavir - Mostovskaya (1.5 hours).
Transfer by a cross-country vehicle (UAZ) to the Zakan cordon (travel time 2.5-3 hours).

Cordon Zakan - Imereti House.
After a lot of mountain transport, we finally put on our backpacks! Civilization is left behind, the path leads us into a dense, coniferous forest. With each step, we climb the forest path higher and higher, admiring the bright green moss and thickets of fern...
Because of the tops of the fir looks red mountain Zakan, and next to the trail hurly snake winds the mistress of these places - the river Imeretinka. We will cross this river over a bridge of trees and enter the realm of high alpine flowers!
Soon the forest will end and the magnificent Imereti Valley will open before us. Here we are waiting for a small obstacle - the crossing of the river Imeretinka ford. The water in the river is cold, but the river itself is shallow.
For the night we will stay near the Imeretinsky house.
The active part of the passage along the route: 6.4 km, the height difference of 1340-1780 m, the duration of the transition is 3-3.5 hours.

Day 2

Imereti House - Big Imereti Lake (Lake of Silence).
Morning! Sun! :) Delicious breakfast and the first morning photos of the Imereti Valley!
Having assembled the camp, we continue our way up. The trail leads through the alpine meadows, we will go under the noise of waterfalls flowing from both sides of our picturesque gorge. Along the way, we will see two stunning, full-flowing waterfalls that fall from a height of 45 and 65 meters. It's very spectacular!!
In the evening we will go to our parking lot to the lake of Silence, where we will spend the next three nights.

Of all the lakes of the reserve, the greatest interest among tourists is the Great Imeretinsky Lake, whose water surface area is 200,000 square meters. This is the largest lake in the Caucasian Reserve! It is also called “Lake of Silence”. Depending on the lighting, this beautiful lake can please us with azure blue and emerald colors.
The highlight of the lake is a small island, which immediately attracts the eye. Immediately there is a desire to swim to this island, but it is worth remembering that the water in the alpine lakes is always very invigorating!
The active part of the passage along the route: 7.9 km, the height difference of 1780-2550 m, the duration of the transition is 6-7 hours.

Day 3

Lake Geographers, Lake Riviera, Lake Bush, Lake China (light, without backpacks).
In recent days, we have already seen several picturesque waterfalls that are located on the territory of the Imeretinsky mountain junction. Every day these places continue to amaze and amaze us with their extraordinary, diverse beauty!
Today we will take vivid photos of Lake Geographers, Lake Riviera, admire the unusual shape of Lake Bush. After that, we will climb almost to the very sky, to the lake of the same name!
The active part of the route: 7.1 km, the height difference of 2550-2850 m, the duration of the route is 5-6 hours.

Day 4

Panoramic Pass (light, without backpacks).
Yeah, it's gonna be high today! Yeah, it's gonna be a little steep! What kind of view?)
From a bird's-eye view we will look at the lakes at the foot of which we were yesterday. You will see how picturesquely our favorite lakes lie on the mountain shelves. In the sun, they shine and delight us with their colorful colors.
From the Panoramny pass will open the valley of the river Imeretinka and part of our journey. Photographers, get ready, today will be very spectacular pictures!
The active part of the route: 3.2 km, the height difference of 2550-3100 m, the duration of the route is 4 hours.

Day 5

Day! :)
Bush Peak (light, no backpacks).
Today we relax, swim, play games in the camp and continue to enjoy the beauty of the Great Imereti Lake!
You can take a nice walk around the water. Imeretinskoe Lake is called “Big” for a reason, because it will take about an hour to completely bypass it!

Depending on the physical condition of the group, at the discretion of the instructor, on this day we walk to the peak of Bush. This is where the stunning views of Lake Bush and all-all of its incredible bays open up! This lake has an incomparable blue color, from a height it looks very picturesque!
The active part of the route to the peak of Bush: 8.1 km, the elevation difference of 2550-3120 m, the duration of the route is 5 hours.

Day 6

Great Imereti Lake is the upper Imereti waterfall.
We gather our camp and go down to the upper Imeretinsky waterfall. We'll stay here for the night.
The active part of the passage along the route with backpacks: 2.5 km, the height difference of 2550-2320 m, the duration of the transition is 1 hour.

Flowing Lake and Lake Quiet (light, without backpacks).
We go lightly to two sky-blue lakes, which are located in the folds of the Imeretinsky Range - this is the Plutochny Lake and the Pacific Lake.
In the flowing lake, the water is unusually transparent, like mountain crystal! The shores here are rocky and, when you look from a height, it seems that nature specially created a refined frame of granite stones around the Flowing Lake.
Higher up the valley, as if on the next mountain step, is the Quiet Lake. In clear weather, it has a rich, bright blue color. Sometimes light waves roll over the calm surface of the lake, on which bright glares of the Caucasian sun shine!
In this unusually beautiful place, we will arrange a lunch, a big stop and everyone will be able to swim in such inviting, blue waters of the Pacific Lake.
Important!! The whole way to the Pacific and Flowing Lakes passes through grass and stones. To walk to these lakes, appropriate trekking shoes are required. Shoes are not suitable for this route.
The active part of the passage along the route is light: 6.2 km, the height difference of 2320-2620 m, the duration of the route is 5-6 hours.

Day 7

Cordon Zakan.
It is time to leave the Caucasian reserve. We say goodbye to the magnificent Imereti Valley and go down to the Zakan cordon.
The active part of the passage along the route: 11.8 km, the height difference of 2320-1340 m, the duration of the transition is 5 hours.

16:00 - crossing by road: cordon Zakan - pos. Mostovskaya (travel time of 2.5-3 hours).
Transfer by bus from pos. Mostovskaya in Armavir.
21:00 – Arrival at Armavir railway station, departure home.

Depending on the weather conditions, the physical condition of the participants and other factors, the route of the hike may be changed.

• Ecological fees for visiting the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve
• Rental of group equipment (bonfire equipment, boilers, gas burners, group first aid kit).
• Registration of the group in the MOE
• Travel by minibus along the route
• Travel by mountain transport
• Three meals a day.
• Conductor-instructor services

The price does not include:

• Transportation costs to the beginning of the route and back (Armavir).
• Personal equipment (tent, backpack, sleeping bag, karemat).
• Insurance (optional)