Unknown pshad. Pshad waterfalls and dolmens in the valley of the Pshad River. Rodeo along the bed of the Pshada River
The village of Pshada is located in the valley of the river of the same name in the Krasnodar Territory, famous for its natural resources, but still not sufficiently developed by tourists. It is surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains, densely covered with emerald greenery and hiding picturesque waterfalls and mysterious dolmens. The village is also famous for its fruit trees and amazing honey. The incredibly clean air is filled with enchanting aromas - it is impossible to breathe enough of them.
Where is the village of Pshada on the map?
It is located on the M-4 highway, between Gelendzhik and Arkhipo-Osipovka. The nearest villages are Mikhailovsky Pereval and Beregovoe. Geographically, all this is the Gelendzhik urban district in the Krasnodar Territory.
Rest in Pshad. Hotels and inns, recreation centers
Among the riot of vegetation, various buildings are hidden, ready to receive guests. As a rule, when choosing a hotel or accommodation in the private sector, tourists are guided by guest reviews.
"Filippovskaya"
One of the most popular is the Filippovskaya private hotel. It is located on the border with the forest, one of the buildings is adjacent to the Mother’s Heart dolmen, and the second is conveniently located on the shore of a private pond. Guests are offered rooms of various categories – from small economy class rooms to spacious “suites”.
Each one is furnished with comfortable furniture and everything necessary for a carefree holiday. There is free wireless Internet, parking, and nice gazebos on site. A cedar sauna, fishing or a picnic at the barbecue will allow you to diversify your holiday. The presence of a large hall and spacious territory make it possible to organize family celebrations and mass gatherings.
Mini-hotel on Kubanskaya
Visitors can find economy class rooms in the two-story Guest House, which is located on Kubanskaya Street. The rooms will be no frills, but clean and comfortable. There is an equipped kitchen, so everyone can prepare their own food. There is a starting point for everything in front of the yard; you don’t have to go far or look for an experienced escort.
"Pshada Ranch"
For lovers of complete unity with nature, there are car camping sites. “Pshada Ranch” is located on the bank of a river in the shade of fresh mountain greenery. This place allows you to renounce civilization for a certain period of time and be left alone with Mother Nature, imbued with its energy.
However, you will be surrounded by neighbors, you can make acquaintances and spend time together around the fire. There is a friendly atmosphere. In the evenings there are discos, and during the day - horse riding, paintball and ATV riding. Since lovers of “wild holidays” most often travel by personal car, there is also a parking area here.
The private sector of Pshada will also provide a lot of offers - in the village during the holiday season a variety of housing is rented, from apartments and rooms to entire houses, completely ready to receive holidaymakers.
Sights and entertainment of Pshada. What to see?
The most interesting attraction here are tiny houses of unknown origin. In the vicinity of the village there are about 70 mysterious objects. On both sides of the local river you can come across at least 28 pieces. have some features. There are no patterns on them, and the front plate is trapezoidal in shape and covered with a canopy. Amazing Neolithic monuments date back to the 3rd century BC; they have amazing energy and are shrouded in many secrets.
There is a belief that some of them can bring good luck in love, contribute to overall success and have a beneficial effect on health. To preserve centuries-old monuments, the Dolmen Farm was organized, which made it possible to improve the approaches to the buildings and protect them from vandals. Independent search for such objects often resembles a game or a quest, which is an excellent pastime for a company of like-minded people.
Here, in the Pshada valley, there are picturesque ones. There are about a hundred of them, but not all of them can be reached as part of an excursion group. The most popular are the thirteen Pshad waterfalls, located on a length of only 1 kilometer. They are surrounded by green spaces and amaze with their power and energy. The largest has a fall height of 9 m.
Photos, of course, will not be able to convey all the beauty of the environment, but they turn out very impressive. Hiking enthusiasts come here for several days, admire the mountain river, overcome gorges, and get acquainted with the hard-to-reach cascades of the village of Pshada. It’s worth a look into the abandoned village of Kholodny Ruchey, wandering among the ruined buildings swallowed up by greenery.
Where else to go?
The Orthodox are attracted by the oldest parish in the North Caucasus - the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. Founded more than 150 years ago. The territory has its own apiary, tea drinking, tasting and sale of honey are held. Sunday school is open. This region is generally famous for its apiaries and high-quality honey of various varieties. You can buy a jar of treats at the entrance to the village, right on the highway, at the market or special sites.
It would also be a good idea to get acquainted with the House of Culture, where tourists will be shown master classes by local craftsmen. For more than half a century its doors have been open to visitors. Various performances and exhibitions are held here. For complete relaxation, you should visit the Yin-Yang recreation park. It is located on the outskirts of the village. Pshada, near the river and forest. There are excellent picnic areas here. You can rent a gazebo, barbecue, or order ready-made meals. It is easy to devote your free time to medical procedures. You can enjoy mud baths, herbal and wine barrels, relaxing massages and peeling with special fish.
The male part of the tourist flow is attracted by good old fishing, because in Pshad there are two picturesque ponds with different types of fish. The banks of the reservoirs are equipped with special bridges, and gear can be rented. At the request of vacationers, horseback riding is organized and teams are assembled to play paintball. After a busy holiday, it’s easy to rent a house for the night.
Where can I eat?
Despite the huge number of natural and historical attractions, the infrastructure in Pshad is not at all developed. When it comes to food, it is better to rely on your own strengths and choose housing with an equipped kitchen unit or dining room. It is recommended to bring your favorite products with you.
How to get (get there) from Gelendzhik?
You can easily get to Pshada by public transport - there are stops here, even a small bus station. Many buses going to Arkhipo-Osipovka stop here (check the schedule by calling +7-86141-6-83-23). In addition, minibus No. 109 enters the village, running from the Gelendzhik Old Bus Station to.
The easiest way to get to the village by car is this:
Pshada is a little-known place in a picturesque valley, shrouded in secrets and legends. The village is literally filled with the energy of untouched nature and ancient dolmens. The ringing silence in the depths of the forest will allow you to break away from reality and enjoy the solitude to the fullest! In conclusion, watch the video about this village of Kuban, enjoy watching!
There are so many natural attractions around Pshada that it is impossible to explore them in one day. These places are widely known thanks to the ancient megaliths. In the village and its surroundings there are more than 70 dolmens, built during the Bronze and Iron Ages - the same period when the Egyptian pyramids were built. For this reason, Pshada has become a real Mecca for lovers of antiquities and fans of esoteric tourism.
From the village up the picturesque valley there are excursions to the famous Pshad waterfalls - a cascade that is located in the middle reaches of the river. In Pshad you can see many amateur tourist groups whose routes are laid out along the sights of the North-West Caucasus. From here you can climb the Gray Monasteries or Krasnodar Pillars rocks, and also climb Mount Papai - the westernmost rocky peak of the Main Caucasus Range. Most often, travelers are passing through Pshad and do not stop overnight. They come here during bus tours or safaris, which take place in jeeps and trucks.
There are no asphalt or dirt roads along the Pshada River, and especially in the valleys of its tributaries, and only old logging roads exist. Even in low water, only off-road vehicles can drive up the river valley.
Those who plan to travel along Pshada on foot should keep in mind that walking along mountain trails and canyon-like river valleys requires good physical fitness. For hiking in Pshada, you need to have trekking shoes, as well as camping equipment for spending the night in the field.
History of the village of Pshada
People began to inhabit the fertile land around Pshada since the Stone Age. In 1837, a Russian outpost appeared here, and then a village grew in its place. In 1866, a wooden Orthodox church was built in Pshad, consecrated in honor of the Great Martyr Dmitry of Thessalonica. This church has not survived to this day. A new Orthodox church dedicated to the same saint was built in the 2000s on Shkolnaya Street.
Now about 2.7 thousand people live in Pshad. There is no industrial production in the village, so local residents are engaged in gardening, beekeeping and receiving tourists. There are many orchards around Pshada, and the peaches, apples and hazelnuts grown here are famous far beyond the Gelendzhik region.
The hotel business in Pshad is almost undeveloped. The reason is that tourists coming to the Black Sea coast prefer to stay in coastal resorts, by the sea. The demand for housing in Pshad itself is low, and only two guest houses and one private mini-hotel are open in the village. Pshad also has a market and cafe.
Dolmens
The Pshada Valley is the only one on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus where you can see so many dolmens. Some ancient monuments have been preserved in very good condition, while some megaliths are dilapidated.
Most Pshad dolmens are a rectangular structure made of four vertically placed slabs. They are covered with another slab on top. Each part of the dolmen is carved out of sandstone and weighs more than a ton. As a rule, a round hole is made on one of the vertical plates.
At the time when the Caucasian dolmens were erected, there were no jacks or other construction equipment, so it remains a mystery to scientists how the people who lived then managed to build them in such large numbers.
Another unresolved question is the purpose of megaliths. There are different points of view on this matter. Some scientists are sure that dolmens were needed for astronomical observations. Others say that they were used to perform ancient religious rites. This idea is suggested by the mysterious drawings, ornaments and patterns preserved here and there on the stones. Most researchers agree that megaliths served to bury the dead, that is, they played the role of large stone crypts.
Two dolmens can be seen right in the village of Pshada. The most popular monolithic dolmen among tourists is called “Mother’s Heart” and is located on Kubanskaya Street. More than 20 megaliths of varying degrees of preservation are scattered on the slopes of the low Tsygankova Mountain - above the village buildings.
There are 18 dolmens on the left bank of the river, and 20 on the right bank, with the largest and best preserved megaliths located on the right bank. Near the Skull Cave, not far from Pshada, there is an unusual trough-shaped dolmen.
A group of four Bambakov megaliths is located 4 km southwest of the village. They are located on the territory of the Dolmen farm, south of the M-4 Don highway. About 5 km above Pshada, on the left bank of the river, in a place called the Wide Pshadskaya Gap, there is a dolmen village popular with tourists. Here you can see 8 well-preserved and two dilapidated megaliths.
Pshad waterfalls
There are about 100 picturesque waterfalls in the valley of the Pshada River and its tributaries. The most popular of them are given the name “Pshadskie”, although they are not located on the river itself, but in the valley of its right tributary - the river. Krasnaya, 20 km above Pshada. Eight picturesque waterfalls of different sizes are located close to each other, so you can explore the entire cascade in an hour.
The largest of the waterfalls - Olyapkin - has a height of about 9 m. Another waterfall is slightly smaller (7 m) located higher, in the valley of the Vodopadny stream - the right tributary of the Krasnaya River. The height of the other six Pshad waterfalls varies from 1 to 4.5 m. Near the cascade of waterfalls there are houses of the Pshada tourist shelter, where groups of amateur tourists like to stay.
At the height of summer there is not much water in the river. But even with a small amount of water, the Pshad waterfalls present a breathtaking sight. Olyapkin waterfall falls into a small lake - the so-called water well, which the water washed into the stone river bed. Tourists who come here love to swim in this natural body of water. The cool water of a mountain river is very pleasant and refreshing after a tiring hike.
You can get to the Pshad waterfalls by all-terrain vehicles - UAZ, GAZ-66 or ZIL-131, which are available in the village of Pshada. Their rental can be negotiated with local residents. During the summer tourist season, people are taken to the waterfalls from Pshada several times a day.
Those who want to walk to the waterfalls should expect to spend the night in tents, because the journey to the waterfalls and back takes 2-3 days. A walking tour through the Pshada Valley has its advantages. During it you can admire the clear mountain river, picturesque tributary streams and beautiful rock outcrops. The Pshada Valley is forested. Oaks, beeches and hornbeams grow here. In summer, tourists are accompanied all the way by birdsong. There are also animals in the forest, but they are usually shy and try to avoid meeting people.
There are also many waterfalls in the side tributaries of the Pshada River. Those located in the valleys of the Gorlyanova Stream, in the upper reaches of the Thab River, on the Melnichny Stream and in the Kochkarskaya Gap are considered especially beautiful.
Fishing ponds and apiaries
In addition to traveling to dolmens and waterfalls, in Pshad you can go fishing and visit apiaries. In total, there are four stocked ponds in the vicinity of the village. One of them is located in the valley of the Doguab River, the second is on the territory of the Filippovskaya estate, at the end of Kubanskaya Street, and two more are in the Yin-Yang recreation park on the outskirts of the village (Rechnaya Street).
The Yin-Yang Park is very popular among tourists who relax in Pshad and Krinitsa. It is considered an excellent place for family and corporate recreation. Arriving here, you can undergo mud therapy and massage procedures, as well as have a picnic with friends in gazebos with barbecues. The two park ponds are home to carp, carp and grass carp. Here you can fish with your own gear or rent the necessary fishing equipment.
People come to Yin-Yang for half a day or several days. For those who want to spend the night in the park, small houses have been built. If desired, horseback riding, jeep travel through the Pshada Valley, as well as paintball tournaments are organized for guests.
Pshad has a mild climate and many flowering plants, so there are several apiaries in the vicinity of the village. One of the largest is located on the territory of the Dolmen farm. Delicious mountain honey is sold at the Pshady market, as well as at equipped trading platforms stretching along the M-4 Don highway, at the entrance to the village.
How to get there
Since Pshada is located on the M-4 Don federal highway, it is easy to get here by car. The nearest airports to the village are located in Gelendzhik, Anapa and Krasnodar. The distance from Gelendzhik and Dzhubga to Pshada is the same - 33 km, and the entrances are convenient on both sides.
Those who come to the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus by train take tickets to Novorossiysk or Tuapse. From Novorossiysk and Tuapse to Pshada it is about 70 km. Pshada is connected with Krasnodar, Novorossiysk, Tuapse, Anapa and Gelendzhik by regular bus service. In addition, many intercity buses pass through the village. If desired, it is easy to get to Pshada by taxi.
Any tourist, going on vacation, makes a list of attractions in Pshada that definitely need to be seen. Some plan independent routes to explore the city, others book various sightseeing tours. As a rule, they capture the main attractions of Pshada and help to better understand the historical events and cultural traditions of the city.
Art lovers are always looking for sculptural attractions on the Pshada map. In the main squares of the city you can often see iconic sculptural compositions, against which all travelers take traditional photos. But in the famous public gardens you can see exhibitions of modern sculptural compositions and installations. They can be made from the most unconventional materials and have amazing shapes that you will need to think about more.
Religious sites stand out among the main attractions of Pshada. They form the architectural appearance of the Russian city, many of them survived significant religious and historical events. In Pshad and beyond, you can visit famous monasteries, admire the elegant appearance of large Orthodox churches, or look into the cozy and miniature chapels that are so popular among townspeople.
While traveling around the area, you may also come across unusual religious sites. These could be objects of other religious movements, ancient religious buildings, or generally mysterious places of power.
A great idea is pedestrian promenades along Pshada. You can purchase a Pshada map in advance with attractions and routes, or even go wherever you want. This will make it even more exciting. Allow yourself to get lost in colorful alleys or wander through public gardens. And if you want to take a break, you can have a snack or drink coffee in a nice cafeteria. By the way, in Pshad there are a couple of iconic establishments that any traveler dreams of.
If you want to get the most complete picture of the city and its history, go to the museum complexes of Pshada. They contain rich collections of ethnology, painting, handicrafts, and archeology. Usually these attractions are concentrated in the center.
At the same time, open museums dedicated to a specific topic can often be found in rural areas. They present interesting exhibitions telling about national traditions and folk art. Moreover, this can be a format of realistic recreation of ancient cities or military forts. Such attractions in Pshada will be very educational for children.
For family tourists, the main question is always on the agenda: where to go with children. The most popular option is to go to one of the Pshada water parks. Most often, when ordering a day ticket for the whole family, there are preferential rates.
If you are going on vacation in winter or spring, we recommend that you consider the Pshady ski resorts for your vacation. There is a wide variety of activities for children and parents: a variety of slopes for skiers and snowboarders, snow tubing, interesting snow parks for experts. Usually such resorts are not very far from the city. In this regard, it is more comfortable to get there by personal vehicle or rent a car.
An excellent prospect for a family vacation is active outdoor recreation. Natural attractions are located near Pshada. These could be rivers, caves, famous nature reserves. The choice of location is always yours: Bolshoi Adegoi waterfall, Bolshoi Kaverzinsky waterfall. You can get here either by your own car or by public transport. Find out in advance the schedule of intercity buses running from suburban bus stations in the direction you need. In such an adventure you will get many unforgettable emotions from being in nature, and you will put your mind and body in order.
If you arrived in the city for business purposes, then you have little time for long excursion programs. In such a case, we advise you to find a concise guide to the sights of Pshad with photos and descriptions.
You can look at such a directory at any time after arriving in the city at the railway stations or at the air terminal. There is a list of the most interesting places to go in Pshad, with names and photos of attractions. Agree, this greatly simplifies the task of what to see in Pshad, especially if you are limited in time.
However, if the guidebook describes the most popular places in Pshada, then in the search network you can see the rating of unfamiliar, but no less interesting attractions with reviews of tourists who have been there. Abandoned mines, mysterious quarries, unique narrow-gauge railways, overpasses - these attractions attract adventure lovers.
When planning a trip to Pshada, you should find out not only about the sights, but also about other significant infrastructure facilities of the city. For the convenience of moving around the city, it is important to imagine the traffic pattern of urban transport, the localization of bus, train or sea terminals, and metro stations. At the same time, these important public buildings of Pshada can become objects of tourist interest. Often they become the calling card of the city.
The main, and perhaps the only way to live in the village is to rent housing in the private sector. Local residents only recently began to create special guest houses and mini-hotels when the village began to become popular with vacationers. The main advantage of the village in terms of accommodation is its very low prices. In our catalog, which contains price offers for 2019, you can compare the cost in Pshad with the cost in the same Krinitsa, and, as they say, feel the difference. As for choosing a specific place in the village, it all depends on the “view from the window.” Whether it will be a mountain slope, a river view or a local lake is up to you. Wherever you stay, you will be greeted by an excellent natural landscape.
How to get there
The village is located just 33 km from Gelendzhik, with which it is connected by the M4 Don federal highway. Pshada is located in a valley formed by the bed of the river of the same name. The main residential area is located just above the road, and is surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges. In relation to large railway junctions - in Novorossiysk and Tuapse - Pshada is approximately equidistant. 70 km one way or the other. Therefore, to get to the village by railway, it does not really matter which of the coastal cities you choose the route through. If you fly by plane, the fastest way to do it is through Gelendzhik. There are many minibuses running from the local station to the village, and a taxi is relatively inexpensive. As for motorists, it is easier to drive through Krasnodar and Dzhubga, the section of mountain serpentines will be minimal.
general information
Pshada is a village, one of the regional centers of the Gelendzhik region. Its population is about 2,700 people. The name of the settlement is translated from the Adyghe language as “Valley of Calm”. And this best characterizes the features of the local climate. Surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges, the village is perfectly protected from the negative influence of cold masses. This also has a positive effect on the agricultural sector. The village is surrounded by orchards and hazel trees, so for lovers of vegetables and fruits this is an excellent opportunity to purchase these products inexpensively. A holiday in Pshad can also be combined with a beach holiday, but for this it is better to come by personal car. There are many parking lots in the Krinitsa area, so you can park your car without difficulty.
The local territory was inhabited when the Egyptian pyramids did not exist. Over the years of its existence, different nationalities have visited here, leaving many historical traces on the territory of the village. A Russian settlement in the form of a military fortification appeared here in 1837.
Things to do
Holidays in Pshad are an excellent opportunity to study the history of the Caucasus since ancient times thanks to the remains and ruins of various architectural structures preserved in the village and its environs. First of all, visit the numerous dolmens - Neolithic buildings, of which there are about 70 in the area. The closest of them are even located in the village itself next to the Skull Cave. Here is also one of the oldest Orthodox churches in the Caucasus - the Holy Great Martyr Dmitry of Thessaloniki, which is more than one and a half centuries old. In the area of the village of Beregovoe you can find the ruins of a Byzantine fortress, so for archeology lovers this is simply a unique opportunity to find the unknown. Also worthy of attention are the local waterfalls, juniper groves and, in general, the entire natural landscape, which can be explored for more than one day or even a month.
How to get to the beach
Pshad does not have its own beaches, since it is approximately 10 km away from the coast. Most often, vacationers prefer to go to the coast near the village of Krinitsa. There are several excellent equipped beaches, the most popular of which is Central, located in the bed of the river of the same name. You can also go to the beaches of Betta, which are approximately 18 km away. For lovers of wild swimming, there is an opportunity to find a secluded place on a strip of about 5 km, between two settlements. There the mountains come directly to the sea, very clean water, and a bottom that is simply replete with local flora and fauna.
Latest reviews about holidays in Pshad
Summer sports camp "Pshada-2010"
Thanks to our hospitable and welcoming hosts! We really enjoyed! And if in more detail...
In the summer of 2010, the ASKB (Association of Sports Contact Fighting) chose a small picturesque village in the valley of the Pshada River as the venue for a children's sports camp. Located near the resort of Krinitsa on the Black Sea coast (Gelendzhik), the Pshada sports camp turned out to be a unique training ground for boys and girls who decided not to stop practicing hand-to-hand combat even during the summer holidays.
Thanks to the owners of the hotel - Sergei and Lydia Filippov - a platform was built for perfecting throws, strikes and belays, a ship was built, on the lower deck of which acrobatics classes took place, while on the upper deck a ceremony was held daily for raising and lowering the Russian flag. Before going to bed, the guys could just sit “in a circle” by the fire and listen to the guitar, solve pressing issues at the “people’s meeting”, play charades, fry bread and puff pastry prepared by the hotel owner, or simply eat their dream book (by the way, there was five meals a day !).
The uniqueness of the natural landscape, combined with the experience and skill of the head coach of the Moscow hand-to-hand combat club - Oleg Ivanovich Asmolov - made it possible to significantly expand the boundaries of conventional training, as well as the boundaries of the physical capabilities and psychological preparation of ASKB students.
Not only the classes, but also the recreation of our children were thought out. In addition to intense training, there were hikes to dolmens and small caves, jeep trips along the river and to waterfalls, to a dolphinarium and, of course, daily swimming in a mountain river, sea or lake!
We hope that everyone who attended the sports camp in the summer of 2010 learned something important here: they improved their technique, stopped being afraid of everyday difficulties, or simply learned to swim. But perhaps the most important achievement of the guys is that they learned to be one team, where one for all and all for one!
Our photos can be viewed here:
http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/tatiapshada/album/142369/?p=0
Parents of children who vacationed in a sports camp in the summer of 2010
The river and the village of the same name are located in the Gelendzhik region of the Krasnodar Territory, on the southern elephants of the Caucasus Range, which determines the mildness of the climate. Peaches, excellent plums and apricots have long been grown here.
There are many hiking trails and routes in the Pshada basin. Tourists are transported from the village to nearby waterfalls using all-terrain vehicles. Despite the fact that cab drivers call them Pshadsky, among tourists this name has long been assigned to another place located 20 km higher.
Not far from the confluence of Pshada and Papaya there is an interesting place - if the average depth of Pshada in summer is 20 centimeters, then here under the rock the depth reaches five meters, there is a clear spring right there. A few kilometers up the Pshada River there is a relict oak, possibly surviving from the sacred groves of the Circassians.
25 kilometers from the village of Pshada, having overcome 48 fords, we first find ourselves in an abandoned area, where the ruins of cells, the remains of barriers and guard towers still remain. And after 500 meters we come to the village of Novosadovy - previously it consisted entirely of staff serving the zone, then it fell into disrepair along with the prison, and later Danilevich came to it, who today is almost the only resident of the village. Tourists are always welcome here; at our service there is a bathhouse and several “rooms” in personally renovated buildings.
Higher up the valley there is a lonely forestry hut and a kilometer away - the old base of the planned routes "climbers' shelter". From here, along the Melnichny Stream, the path to the famous Monastery rocks (aka Gray Monasteries, aka Krasnodar Pillars) begins. The place is really very interesting - right in the middle of the slope of Mount Thab there is a sandstone layer sharply protruding, which stretches for several kilometers, while having a thickness of only 4-15 meters, with a height of up to 80. On two streams cutting through these rocks there are waterfalls - Melnichny and Grafskie ruins.
From the village of Pshada to the sea there are 12 kilometers of asphalt road.
Photos ( 3 from 16 ) on request: or
Trough-shaped dolmen
Dolmen on the outskirts of Pshada