Bus from Yalta to Ai-Petri. On the cable car. Walk to Ai-Petri - an excursion with character

Extreme Report winter holidays– pack a trunk full of accessories, put on snow chains and send them to the top of Ai-Petri for the children to go sledding.

Preface

The winter of 2016-2017 turned out to be surprisingly snowy for Crimea. The serpentine road to Mount Ai-Petri was constantly covered with either a meter-thick layer of snow or small avalanches. At the beginning of December 2016, according to the order of the Ministry of Transport of Crimea, travel on the Yalta-Bakhchisarai road through Mount Ai-Petri was allowed only to vehicles of the M1 category, that is, all-terrain vehicles. Which we did not fail to take advantage of.

Attention! From January 26, 2017, travel through Mount Ai-Petri was generally closed for all categories Vehicle except for special equipment. The ban is valid until April 1, 2017. The road situation is really difficult, snow removal equipment cannot cope.

Route selection and preparation

We decided to go up traditional way- from Yalta. This road is periodically cleaned, a military unit is located on the plateau, the serpentine is the only connection with the mainland.

Previously, this was the only road connecting Yalta with Bakhchisaray

Remembering the January climb on all-season tires (or rather the intense descent on ice), we decided not to risk it this time. We used chains. 2010 Ford Explorer with BF Goodrich Rugged Trail T/A tires. In addition to the chains, the car contains a strong cable, two jacks, a shovel, an ax and some other accessories.

We checked the weather on the website, snowfall is not expected. Yesterday's photos have already been posted on the forum, there is enough snow. Judging by the number of cars on the Ai-Petri plateau, they are allowed up. Well, let's go!

Ascent along the serpentine

The weather from Yalta is sunny, we reach the turn to Bakhchisarai (the beginning of the serpentine), we see the traditional inscription: “The road to Bakhchisarai via Ai-Petri is closed.” This means that the right of passage will be determined by the traffic police post located immediately after the resting place: “Uchan-Su waterfall”.

You can drive on this road with all-season tires.

We passed the traffic police post. The employees stopped the car, examined the wheels and said that they wouldn’t let me through without chains. I showed a set of chains in the trunk, and we drove on. The road had pretty much melted (overboard +1°C), and in some places the asphalt was visible.

The sun melted some of the snow

The sun disappeared under a continuous layer of clouds. After a couple of kilometers, the temperature dropped to -3°C, and a crust of ice appeared on the asphalt. It's time to put on the chains.

The chains were put on easily, according to the instructions for the car; only the rear axle is used for them. My front-wheel drive is connected either automatically or hard.

Rear wheel locking

Literally after a couple of turns there is solid frozen snow, and on the chains the Explorer rows like a tank. The ride is comfortable, there is a constant feeling of security.

Chains are our everything!

Suddenly the sun broke through, but the temperature did not change. The thermometer showed -6°C (altitude according to the navigator was 900 m). Ahead is a small mess of a skidding crossover and an oncoming car. They were about to help with a tow rope, but the guys managed it on their own.

It's hard to climb on simple tires

Broke through the cloud cover - clear blue sky - beauty!

Frost and sun, wonderful day

Behind the stone barrier there is a magnificent view, like from an airplane window. An even blanket of clouds, a feeling of the Crimean summer. The temperature outside is -10°C.

Altitude 1000 m, normal flight!

The last straight section before the summit. The snow is dense, the car goes smoothly, without skidding.

Rolled snow 10 cm thick

Peak of Ai-Petri

As soon as we reached the plateau, a snowmobile rushed past. They don’t go out on the road, they rush through the virgin lands.

Hey comrade! Overtaking is prohibited in this area!

The beauty is breathtaking. Bright sun, temperature -11°C.

The southern coast of Crimea may be like this

We stop for a photo shoot. The landscapes are unreal; previously such views were only seen on TV in Siberia.

Atypical Crimean landscapes

A front-wheel drive minibus on shabby summer tires stopped next to us. A can of gasoline was taken out of it and carried to a stalled snowmobile standing nearby. Apparently these are mining entrepreneurs who live here. Climbing up an icy serpentine road in such a car is unrealistic.

Aborigines move on a monowheel

We decide where to go: to a traditional resting place near the cable car station or deep into the mountain plateau.

In the background are the battlements of Ai-Petri, in the center is the cable car station

People are walking from the side of the cable car, cars are getting up with difficulty, many are slipping.

The paved road is not for everyone

After all, we are going to the wild observation deck.

The most beautiful views open from here

The central part of the plateau promises an equally exciting journey.

At the top there is a center for tracking space objects - a once secret military unit

To assess the cross-country ability, I try to drive off the compacted road. Movement is impossible - 20-30 cm of snow has piled up, driving is only possible on caterpillar tracks.

Plowing virgin soil is a pointless activity

At the same time, there is the same layer of snow on the road, and the wheels do not fall through. A real winter road.

Rolled snow on the road

On the track you can safely drive at a speed of 20-30 km/h.

We are going to an impromptu observation point

Stopping at the edge of the cliff, we admire the stunning views. The sea coast and the resort city of Yalta are not visible under a dense layer of clouds, but they are there!

Clouds to the horizon

We turn back and drive along the compacted two-lane “road”. It's just that the markup is missing.

I want to drive on this road forever

The road is framed by beautiful spruce trees. By the way, we are in the Red Book, we are on the territory of the reserve.

Simply beautiful, no words needed

We arrive at the ski center. Rental of sleighs, buns, and ski equipment is organized. We don't need it, the sled is in the trunk.

Rental station

The prices are steep, so we make do with our sleighs one at a time. The best for the children, we have enough of the freshest frosty air.

The wife also doesn’t mind falling back into childhood.

There is a rope tow lift; avid skiers actively use it. But most tourists prefer traditional types of recreation - sleighs, snowmobiles.

Entertainment for every taste

Each tree has unique natural decorations.

The change in weather has left its mark on the pine trees

When photographing the snowman guard, we pay attention to the rapidly lengthening shadows.

Snowman in a natural fur coat

It's time to get ready to head back. We check the condition of the circuits.

The chains are ok

The sun is rapidly setting, the temperature on the plateau has dropped to -16°C.

Sunset at an altitude of 1200 m

As soon as we reached the beginning of the descent, it was time to turn on the headlights. It gets dark instantly in the mountains, so we couldn’t take any photos on the way back.

Bottom line

Comparing the ride on chains with, we can draw a clear conclusion: no all-wheel drive will help on an icy descent. Spikes or chains are the only possible option in winter mountains.

Andrey Perov.

But for some reason my thoughts constantly returned to Mount Ai-Petri. I decided not to resist my inner feeling and today I will share my impressions and, of course, photographs of Ai-Petri.

The morning started as usual, breakfast, shower, etc. We didn't make any plans for this day. Anton and Camilla were lying on the sofa and watching TV, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to go or drive somewhere. Since we knew practically nothing about Yalta, I read about local attractions on the Internet. And my choice fell on Mount Ai-Petri. Anton was not happy about having to go somewhere again; that day he was lazy and just wanted to sit at home. But I forced and convinced him to get ready. The only thing that confused me was that in all the reviews that I read about Ai-Petri, everyone strongly recommended taking warm clothes with us, which we basically didn’t have. We were thinking about what to do: go to the store and buy something, or not bother. As a result, we took with us a pair of socks, spare T-shirts and a sweater for our daughter.

Before we had time to leave the house, it suddenly began to rain, which intensified every minute until it turned into a real downpour. We had just managed to jump under the roof of the store when before our eyes the streets were flooded with water, as in one of the children’s songs “... pedestrians walk through puddles, but water flows like a river on the asphalt.” This is exactly what we observed. It seemed that even the weather was against our trip and we would have to return home.

But after about twenty minutes the rain began to subside, and we put on our raincoats and decided to at least walk to the store, since we were already outside.

On the way, on the central street of Yalta, we saw a woman selling excursions and decided to ask her in more detail about Ai-Petri. From her we learned that excursions to the mountain leave at three o'clock in the afternoon, so that visibility from the mountain is better. We were happy because it was only one o'clock in the afternoon. This meant that the day was not lost yet and everything should work out. We were not advised to wear any particularly warm clothing, and this was also reassuring. And by this time the weather had already improved, the sky had cleared. The price of the excursion per person was 700 rubles, including a ticket for the funicular, but without food and the cost of entry into the protected area. The excursion lasts 5 hours, including the round trip to Ai-Petri. Having thanked us, we went to the bus station, reasonably deciding that getting to Ai-Petri ourselves would still be cheaper. And there will be more time to leisurely examine everything. In general, as I understand, all the sights of Yalta and the surrounding area can be reached by buses from this station.

A small life hack: if you come to Yalta by bus, when you are at the bus station, do not rush to leave it immediately. Since everyone goes from the same bus station commuter buses, which will take you to all the attractions. You need to go to the other side of the station, where commuters leave, and find out what buses you will need and how much the ticket costs.

At the bus station it turned out that to Ai-Petri the bus is coming at number 102, fare 25 rubles. Even to Ai-Petri there is a bus number 32.

The journey takes about 40 minutes. You need to go to the “Ropeway” stop. The only disadvantage of traveling by bus is that it is packed to capacity with people and there is no air conditioning to speak of. It was for this reason that we missed one bus, which was already full, and waited for the next one, where we took seats. With a child this is more than relevant, judge for yourself.

While we were driving, through the bus window we caught a glimpse of the Swallow's Nest castle and beautiful palace in oriental style called "Dulber". Looking ahead, I’ll say that we visited the Swallow’s Nest, but, unfortunately, we did not visit the Dulber Palace.

But here, finally, is our stop. Before we had time to get out, we were immediately bombarded by the voices of taxi drivers offering to take us to Mount Ai-Petri. In my opinion, this is not the most successful way to find a client. Not allowing people to even look around and so intrusively offering their services evokes nothing but the desire to quickly get rid of them and leave. Which, in fact, is what we did. The entrance and ticket office for the cable car is located right at the stop. But this is difficult to understand, since they are closed by shopping arcades with various souvenirs. Those same taxi drivers pointed us in the right direction :) A ticket for the funicular costs 250 rubles per person one way, in our case upward. Child ticket 100 rubles (up to 7 years free), also one way. Some people, on the contrary, go up by taxi and go back down by cable car, or ride the cable car back and forth.

The booths run quite often and you will have to wait no more than 5-10 minutes.
When our group reached the landing site, Mount Ai-Petri appeared in front of us in all its glory.
And somewhere far, far away against its gray background a small colored dot was moving, the cable car cabin on which we were to go to the top of this mountain. Well, here we are in the cabin, and we rise higher and higher.

And below they replace each other different types, then coniferous trees, then grape plantations.

Enthusiastic and even frightened exclamations are heard in the booth. Some people are really scared at such a height. But this is only the beginning of the journey; in the middle we were waiting for a transfer to another cable car cabin. This is where the truly stunning views begin. The huge rock is getting closer and closer, I decided it was time to start shooting a video.

That's it, we're here! Everyone fell out of the funicular with relief and, without having time to catch their breath, found themselves face to face with a magnificent panorama that took their breath away.

Having enjoyed this view, we decided to climb even higher, to the “Zubtsy” rocks. To do this, you need to walk through the market, past many cafes, the barkers of which are trying in every way to lure you inside. But we steadfastly passed by these alluring and tantalizing aromas and views, although our mouths watered :)

In order to climb these “Prongs”, one desire, as it turned out, is not enough. The “Zubtsy” rocks are part of the mountain-forest nature reserve and there is an entrance fee.
They charged 100 rubles for each of us, the child was free. By the way, horse owners nearby offer their services, on which you can arrange a horseback ride around the reserve. By the way, by this time it had become cloudy, although it was still hot. I was in a T-shirt and stayed in it. We began our ascent, the travel time was really 15-20 minutes, straight up. The road is quite difficult; along the entire path, stones and tree roots make the path difficult.

Therefore, it is imperative to wear comfortable sports shoes, which were more useful to us this time than ever. In general, it’s good there, the purest mountain air, silence, only the difficult climb prevents you from enjoying this place to the fullest.

Finally, we are at the very top. The views are amazing, we are really very high, which even becomes a little scary. But this does not stop us from taking pictures and being photographed.

We went up to where the figures of people were visible. Rock "Prongs"

Suddenly Anton laughed and pointed to his daughter. Kamilka's hair stood on end, literally! Me too, however.

As it turned out, this was a harbinger of a very close thunderstorm. Meanwhile, the sky above our heads became darker and lower. And suddenly it thundered so loudly that we almost went deaf!!! The people around were seriously scared, and so were we. The rain poured down from the sky without ceasing to rumble, and everyone rushed down to the saving protection of the trees. As we ran, we managed to hide our phones and cameras in our backpacks, put raincoats on the child and ourselves, all the while being afraid that we might break our necks on the wet and slippery stones, and that lightning would fry us. The adrenaline rush was not weak. But everything worked out well and we continued our descent into the incessant rain. It was very difficult to go down. Not only were the rocks and tree roots slippery, but the ground was slipping. This is where they came in handy and served us well. By the time we got down, the rain had stopped, and we were pretty tired, cold and hungry. Here we used the services of barkers and decided to relax and have lunch.

I can’t help but write about what we ate and drank at Ai-Petri. The cafe we chose belongs to the Tatars, as does everything on the territory of Ai-Petri, as far as we understand. Taxi drivers, market traders, cafes - Tatars are everywhere. I don’t know why they are the only ones doing this. Naturally, the menu included only oriental dishes. We ordered shish kebab, shurpa and pilaf.

It would seem that what’s wrong with this, in any city in Russia, in any cafe you can find the same set. But! Here the dishes were prepared correctly, as they should be. I have long dreamed of beef kebab with pieces of fat melting in my mouth, the kind I only ate in Tashkent. Those who have tried will understand me 😉 And finally, my dream has come true! This kebab was just that, mmm, finger licking good.
Well, I remembered and my mouth started watering :) Hot shurpa, pilaf, flatbread, green tea in bowls - this is exactly what we needed to warm up and relax. By the way, while our order was being prepared, we had a free tasting of homemade wines and privately produced chacha. Of course, we are not gourmets; frankly speaking, we don’t know much about wines. We liked the red dessert wine “Black Commander”. The cost of one bottle was 500 rubles, but after some good haggling we bought 1.5 liters of wine for 350 rubles. Although, most likely, we were cheated a little anyway, who knows :) And one more interesting point, we were so pleased with the good service and courteous service that we were pleasantly surprised. But everything fell into place when the bill arrived. Please note: a 10% service charge has been included in the total bill, so be prepared for this. Nevertheless, we drank this wine with pleasure, ate delicious dishes, and peace descended on us :) It was so pleasant to sit reclining on pillows and drink tea and wine.
For a long time I didn’t want to leave, but it was already getting dark and it was time to get ready. When we left, Anton suggested we go to the lower observation deck, where we headed. The views from this site are no less impressive.

We couldn’t leave, we kept taking pictures, looking, and taking pictures again.

At some point we noticed that we were alone on this site. Apparently everyone went to the last funicular, which leaves the upper station at 18.00. We were only pleased with this, there was no one around, silence, space and a breathtaking height.

But everything ends at some point, we had to say goodbye to Ai-Petri and go down. To do this, we used the services of taxi drivers and for 400 rubles, for two, they brought us to the house itself.
I must say that the road down follows a serpentine road and is very narrow. Before going, we specifically agreed with the driver that he would stop at the lake and the Wuchang-Su waterfall. We visited the lake and even collected spring water nearby.

But we decided not to go to the waterfall. Because our driver explained to us that at this time of year the waterfall is almost dry. The waterfall reaches its peak strength and beauty in the spring, during the snow melting period, and in the fall, during the rainy season.
I thought to myself that this would be a good reason to visit Mount Ai-Petri again. This place really stuck in my heart.

As I wrote earlier, it was discussed in the last article, and today we are going to the sights of this luxurious resort. After several gloomy days on our trip across Crimea, the first sunny morning. And we will spend this wonderful day doing the same wonderful place- Mount Ai-Petri.

How to get to Mount Ai-Petri in Crimea

Having quickly had breakfast and packed our things in our backpack, we went to the bus station to take public transport to Ai-Petri.

Bus

WITH Yalta bus station there's a bus coming under № 102 (he first passes by, then stops at the cable car to Ai-Petri, and his final stop is at, everything you need in one set). Flights daily from 06:45 to 21:45, interval 35-60 min 38 rub/person.

WITH bus stations " Clothing market» (not far from Yalta Embankment) there is a bus service № 132 . Flights daily from 07:00 to 21:00, interval 20-30 min, fare Yalta-Ai-Petri (lower cable car station) 34 rub/person.

It is very difficult to get to the right stop. On the bus, the bulk of passengers are occupied by visitors, who ask each other almost every 5 minutes whether they will get off soon.

Taxi

Taxi Yalta-Mount Ai-Petri (upper station of the cable car) will cost from 1200 rub/car one way.

Personal or rented car

The easiest way to get there is by car, and you can see along the way Bird home And Vorontsov Palace without adjusting to the schedule public transport. If you have a license, but don’t have a car, you can easily get one via the Internet in Yalta upon arrival. Directions map below. The serpentine on the Ai-Petri plateau passes through locality Hunting. In addition, the associated attractions that are described in many excursions in the form of the Uchan-Su waterfall and the Silver Gazebo can only be seen if you drive along the serpentine road by car. It will be about 10 km on foot from the upper station, and you still need to get to the populated area where buses go.

You can also negotiate with the locals about a car from Miskhor ( 1000 rub).

Koreiz (Miskhor) trail

If the cable car is closed, and you do not have the desire/opportunity to rent a car, then you can climb to the Ai-Petri plateau on foot along the Koreiz trail.

From Yalta at the bus station we take the following buses: 107, 128, 142 and get off at the stop Koreiz ( fare approx. 35 rubles).

By the way: bus number 107 after Koreiz turns towards the lower cable car station. You can get off at the next stop after Koreiz - “Burevestnik sanatorium” and walk another 200-300 meters to the cable car.

The Koreiz trail begins immediately after the Koreiz stop, at first it goes more gently, closer to the plateau there will be a good slope.

You will have to cover about 4 km.
Wear comfortable, non-slip, closed-toe shoes
Have water in your backpack!
For the correct orientation in your smartphone, use a MapsMe map.

Excursions to Ai-Petri

Group excursions from Alushta:— up to 40 people, 6 hours

Individual excursions from Yalta:— up to 3 people, 9 hours

Cable car to Mount Ai-Petri

Before we had time to dismount from the bus, a young Caucasian man immediately ran up to us and began to eloquently tell us how to get to the top of Ai-Petri, and what else you can see on the way back, if you don’t go down by cable car. To extract more information, I made a very interested face, knowing full well that the young man was not groping himself like that in front of me for the sake of beautiful eyes. The site was almost completely empty when I realized that there was nothing more interesting to get out of the boy. We said goodbye to him and headed to a small building with ticket offices for the cable car right there.

Cost and operating hours of the cable car to Ai-Petri (2019):

Working hours cable car: from 10 to 17- rise, and from 10 to 18— descent.

Price:

400 rub/adult, 250 rub/child one way.
the passage to the cogs from the upper station of the cable car costs separately 100 rub.
attractions at the battlements: walk along hanging bridges over the abyss ( 500 rub), trolls from the top to one of the slopes on the plateau ( 700 m, travel time 1 min, cost 1000 rub.).

Adviсe:

take warm clothes and a raincoat with you regardless of the weather, mountains are mountains
It is better to wear comfortable, non-slip, closed-toe shoes on your feet. Even if you don’t plan to walk along forest paths, there are also rocks and roots on the plateau, and after the rain it’s also slippery
the upper station of the cable car is full of cafes and shops, you don’t have to bring food and water with you, but the prices are tourist prices, you understand
V winter period The cable car is sometimes closed, you can take the serpentine road by car or negotiate with the locals ( 1000 rub/car)

There is no way to get through here as a stowaway, because somewhere in the middle of the yellow booth's route, passengers are transferred, and at the same time, purchased tickets are checked. The same thing happens on the way back. In principle, those who have a car can probably climb the mountain for free along the road. However, I can’t guarantee that some kind of toll barrier hasn’t been installed there now.

We drove the first half calmly, only about a couple of tens of meters above the ground. Moreover, I was pushed into the very center of the crowd so that even through the windows it was difficult to see anything. But this gave me the chance to almost be the first to get into the second cabin during a transfer and take advantageous positions by the window in front.

The second part is more exciting with beautiful views on the sea and a visible rock ahead. During the trip, I heard intriguing stories that the cable car is made in such a way that before the top the cabin rises almost vertically for several meters and hangs for a couple of seconds at the very edge.

I was waiting for this moment with great excitement. I will say that what I heard is partly true. The cabin at the end of the path really goes at a very large angle, rising high above the surface of the earth, but before the top it does not hang, but simply jerks it a little, which is why it is no longer breathtaking, but somehow feels uneasy.

Mount Ai-Petri

The views at the top are amazing. At this height they cannot be different. The wind here is only strong.

There are also plenty of shopping stalls upstairs, you want barbecue, you want Uzbek cuisine, you want sweets, trinkets and so on. While you walk from one observation deck to another, you only have time to brush aside the intrusive offers.

A little to the left there is another observation deck, previously fenced with a fence, in which there was now a gaping hole made by tourists. It is apparently useless to close the hole, because tourists still “rush” to the edge.

Here you really feel uneasy from the realization that there are no life-saving railings, and beyond the edge there is a sharp cliff of several tens of meters.

I don’t know though... I haven’t checked.

Where we left is not the very top yet. To the very top you still need to walk 700 m to the battlements. It goes along a rocky slope, slippery and muddy after rain. Separate entrance and fee - as much as 100 rubles. In fact, you can see the same thing (according to local traders) if you go a little to the left of the pay-for-passage booth. But curiosity is such a persistent thing, I gave these 100 rubles. and went higher. My traveling companion was stuck at the ticket office, as he already had enough dizzying views.

That day, after the rains, so that tourists would not break their necks and legs, they shifted their path a little through the forest along drier paths to the top.

Having got out into the open space, I first looked around the surroundings to see if it was possible to bypass this cash register at all (sorry, hitchhiking habit). Below in the photo, if you look to the right, then from the parking lot with cars there is a wide road to the left. I think if you walk along it for 300 meters, and then turn into a forest to the place where I was standing now, you can get here for free. Anyone who wants can try this on personal experience. But be careful, locals say that there are karst wells in the form of inconspicuous holes.

The first attraction is already visible from below: suspended bridges going from the main rock to a small peak with a cross. For those for whom the adrenaline at the top is not enough, you can walk in equipment under the guidance of an instructor, back and forth 90 meters in total.

It looks harmless in the photo, but quite dizzying up close.

I climbed to the very top and sadly discovered another limiting railing and some kind of iron stump, all hung with ribbons.

I didn’t intend to climb over the fence, so I just walked to the place where it ended. There were plenty of breathtaking views here too.

By that time she had come to me excursion group. The guide publicly announced that since he understood the curiosity of tourists who strive to climb over the fence, he did so in order to maintain safety and his job. It will still allow everyone to take photos almost at the very top. But only on his terms.

After hearing this, I decided to join the group; I couldn’t miss such an opportunity. We stopped right at the place where the iron thing was sticking out. Here the guide climbed over the fence and allowed only two people from the group to go with him to take a photo. Naturally, I squeezed into one of the next couples. Here's proof of that.

And while all this was happening, someone from the crowd asked about the very iron thing that the guide was leaning on at that moment. He said that this was another attraction. From this iron pillar down (naturally, in the opposite direction from the cliff) there is a troll, along which in just 1 minute you can “descend” everyone.

I received my portion of photographs and set off on the way back.

The day was in full swing and I still wanted to have time to see the Vorontsov Palace. Therefore, we rejected the idea of going down on foot along forest paths.

Those who wish can go down faster paths directly from the plateau to Miskhor, for example (see MapsMe maps). But apart from the sources and views, there is nothing special there. We didn’t waste time and returned the same way - to cable car.

As I said above, Vorontsov Palace is the final 102 bus. Therefore, we went to the stop at the cable car and, after waiting for the required bus, we went to, which I will tell you about next time. Good weather on Ai-Petri!

Everyone who comes on vacation to Crimea, and even more so to Yalta, wonders and no less vividly desires to visit one of the most high points in Crimea, namely Mount Ai-Petri, but the question always arises of how to get to Ai-Petri from Yalta, or another large city: Sevastopol, Simferopol or Alushta.

The height of the mountain is 1234 meters above sea level, but it is not constant and is divided into three elevations: the main one at 1234 meters and the western and eastern ones with a height of 1100 meters.

The mountain is located above the city of Alupka and the village of Koreiz.

However, it originates from Mount Ai-Petri, which is part of the city zone.

It's interesting that on south coast there is a mountain with an even higher elevation and this is Mount Roman-Kosh, 1545 meters above sea level.

There are legends that if you are on this mountain at night and everything coincides weather, including with good visibility, you can see the lights of Turkish mosques on the other side of the Black Sea.

From Yalta this can be done by cable car.

Interestingly, this cable car has the longest and safest flight line in Europe.

The route runs from the village of Miskhor, which is located 10 kilometers from Yalta and follows through the village of Miskhor, Sosnovy Bor and further to ai-Petri:

The first lowest point is the village of Miskhor, located at an altitude of only 86 meters above sea level
The second is Sosnovy Bor is already at an altitude of 304 meters
The final station is the top of the mountain at an altitude of 1152 meters.

Travel time is only 15 minutes.

This is the fastest and most fascinating climb to the top.

The lift cabin can accommodate up to 40 people.

In Crimea you can enjoy not only the heights, but also the beauty of the steppes, for example mud lakes, such as medicinal properties which is legendary.

on video: the climb to the top of Ai-Petri.

Cost and operating time

A one-way ride costs 300 rubles for an adult and 200 rubles for a child (under 14 years old); up to 6 years old travel is free one way.

Opening hours are from 09:00 to 17:00 for ascent and from 09:00 to 18:00 for descent.

Important: in winter time the cable car is the only way to get to the mountain, since everything mountain roads and the paths are very covered with snow due to high altitude above sea level.

Other ways to climb the mountain

By car

You can also climb the mountain by car, but only during the period of time when there is no snow, but snow lies on the hill almost the entire winter period. Some daredevils put chains on the wheels and storm the barrier, but this is a very dangerous activity, given the height of the mountain.

In order to get to the mountain by car, you need to proceed to the city of Bakhchisarai along the Simferopol-Yalta highway. There will be a sign on the road where you need to turn.

It is very difficult to pass by.

on video: climbing Ai-Petri by car.

The road will follow the Uchan-Su waterfall.

You can also climb the mountain along the old Bakhchisarai highway, from the village of Sokolinoe to the village of Vinogradnoye. However, in the summer the road is closed due to the high risk of fires.

On foot

It just starts from the Uchan-Su waterfall walking route, along the ladder you can follow the trails laid 100 years ago. Any trails are suitable only in summer and early autumn. It is not recommended to explore them in winter.

Ai-Petri is the most popular mountain in Crimea and is considered one of business cards Crimea.

If you climb to the top of Ai-Petri, you will see a view of the Greater Yalta and endless sea expanses. For those who don't want to climb mountains, there is good offer: relaxation in boarding houses and sanatoriums of Crimea with a view of the majestic Ai-Petri battlements.

Photo by Ai-Petri:

This is interesting:
1234 meters - height of the massif;
1052 mm of precipitation falls on the plateau per year. This is one and a half times more than in Yalta;
50 m/s - the winds blow with such force on the plateau;
40-50 m - the height of each of the four large teeth.

Ai-Petri: historical excursion

The mountain received its name “St. Peter” from the ancient Greeks. There was a monastery at the top. In the old days they really liked to build churches in hard-to-reach places. Scientists have proven that the Ai-Petri mountain range is a typical coral reef in origin. Millennia passed, as a result of weathering rocks the famous teeth formed. The top of one is crowned with a flagpole; on the other, after filming the film “The Children of Captain Grant,” a wooden cross remained. It gives the area a mystical look.

Near the Yalta-Alushta highway there is a weather station, one of the oldest on the Crimean Peninsula, built back in 1895. At the beginning of the twentieth century, under the leadership of K.F. Lewandowski, research activities were carried out here to study the wind rose and atmospheric electricity. In addition, the station took seriously work in the field of natural sciences: soil science, biology, astrophysics.

Options for getting to know Ai-Petri

The Ai-Petri Plateau stretches in a long strip between Yalta and Foros. mountain range It is distinguished by the unusual structure of its peaks: the sharpness of their teeth stands out among the rest of the peninsula. This place is unique and picturesque. Each vacationer can choose their own option for exploring the plateau. What do you prefer: admiring beauty Crimean mountains from the sea, go up by cable car or reach the peaks on your own? Each method finds its admirers.

The peaks appear in all their glory during a trip along highway Yalta-Alushta. When staying in Miskhor or Koreiz, you can rent an apartment with a view of the mountains and admire the battlements from the window or veranda.
IN picturesque village From Miskhor there begins a cable car that will take you all the way to the Ai-Petri battlements. From an altitude of just under one hundred meters above sea level, the first part of the journey upward begins in a small cabin. At an altitude of 391 meters, passengers transfer to the carriages of the upper section and overcome the longest section in Europe, 1,670 meters long. The journey takes 15 minutes. Breathtaking! The views of the coast from Gurzuf to Foros are enchanting.
Real tourists climb the plateau on foot. From the village of Miskhor there are well-marked hiking trails. Independent ascent takes from 2 to 4 hours. To careless vacationers local residents They offer to go up in jeeps for a reasonable fee.

Note:
in the northeast of the battlements you can walk through a relict yew grove. The oldest tree, the berry yew, is more than 1,000 years old. A real giant!

Video review:

Operating hours of the cable car

The cable car starts operating at 10 o'clock every day. Tourists can go up until 16-00, descent is organized until 17-00. One cabin, more reminiscent of a tram car, can accommodate up to 30 people at a time. It is worth keeping in mind that it is better to arrive in the first half of the day; there are always many people who want to go up.

Ticket prices:

adult - 350 rubles;
preferential and children's - 250 rubles. During periods of large influx of tourists, prices may increase.

Advice from experienced tourists:
Even in the summer on Ai-Petri, take warm clothes, a windbreaker, pants, and sneakers. The winds at the top can be very strong.

Entertainment and relaxation

The plateau has a large number of equipped cafes and places to relax. Visitors are offered dishes of Crimean Tatar cuisine: belyashi, kebabs, shurpa, ochpochmak.

There are comfortable observation decks for photo shoots and selfies. The best shots are taken on the suspended walkway in front of one of the large battlements.

Those interested are offered horseback riding and jeep riding. Professional guides are ready to take you on a tour of the surrounding area and tell interesting stories about Ai-Petri.

There are more extreme entertainment. For adrenaline lovers, there is an attraction at the top: with the help of a safety net, walk along a suspended bridge over the abyss between the battlements!

Speleologists climb the plateau to visit the caves. There are three of them in the vicinity: Yalta, Geofizikov, Trekhglazka. The latter was named so due to its three entrance holes. Inside, tourists can expect giant calcite growths, stalactites and stalagmites, an ice skating rink and a huge snowdrift. Even on the hottest July days, the temperature in the caves remains at +4°C.

How to get to Ai-Petri in Crimea

It is convenient to get to Ai-Petri from the resort city of Yalta. You need to go to bus route No. 27 or 32 to the “Ropeway” stop.

By car you travel from Yalta in the direction of Miskhor; the cable car station is located in the center of the village. For a walk, you can park your car in a paid parking lot.

Ai-Petri on the map of Crimea

GPS Coordinates: N 44 26.831 E 34 03.107 Latitude/Longitude

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