Tourism in Russia > Ural Mountains

Ural Mountains

Ancient Ural Mountains are not high, but due to permanent snow cover they suit perfectly for mass skiing. Ski resorts of South Ural - «Abzalovo» and «Zav'yalikha» are most popular with local population, but their technological level and tracks quality are famous outside the region. In Perm region the ski resort is situated on Chusovaja mountain, and in Sverdlovsk the ski resort is located on Belaya mountain.

Unique Kungurskie caves and Ledyanaya cave in particular are popular in Perm region; Kurguzak caves and Sikiyaz-Tamaksky cave complex -in Chelyabinsk region.

From the earliest times water of many Ural springs has been considered to be miraculous. Well before the industrial development of Ural, the Ugrian tribe that lived there used the curative springs and worshiped them. It can be explained that water of many Ural springs while passing a long underground way saturates with mineral salts and radon and acquire health-giving properties. Information on medical localities of Ural that were systematized in 1915 emphasize mineral water springs, therapeutic mud sources and salt lakes in 18 uyezds and two districts of Perm province. Only in Chelyabinsk uyezd there were known 12 salt lakes. In the period of time after the World War I and World War II the resorts of Ural got the most development and public attention as centers of after-treatment of injured and ill people.

Ural is a special place on Russian land. Everyone who visits it can feel the aureole of mysteriousness of Ural Mountains. National park «Pripyshminskie pine forests», main part of which is situated on the right bank of Pyshma river, has been created for the purpose of preservation of unique pine forests famous for species composition of flora and fauna.

The main place of interest of the natural park «Chusovaja River» is the river itself with numerous feeders, riparian forests. The way of Cossacks «vstrech solnt.su» for opening huge spaces of Russia was along this river.

Ural is highlands, and though there is no slope of many kilometers and eternal sqpfthe quantity of excellent skiing tracks is enough. Jo thfratskiing tracks equipped in the middle of XX century: Uktusskie ''Attains in Ekaterinburg, «Flus» mountain nearRevdatown, «Motaikha» near Isetskoe lake, «Nizhnie Sergi» complex near the resort of the same name, «Dolgaya» mountain near Nizhny Tagil and «Ezhovaya» mountain near Kirovograd town, the new skiing complexes have been added: «ÐÍïàóà» and «Tyoplaya» near Pervouralsk, «Volchikha» near Revda and «Listvennaya» near Berezovsky.

Special attention is paid to the development of a modern sport complex on Belaya mountain, near Nizhny Tagil. Many kinds of sport tourism and extreme recreation have been'developing actively on the territory ol §yerjllo\§k.regiofl Each person who wishes to try strength in real adventure can find new impressions and discoveries. Rivers of Ural Mountains in their upper reaches have mountains character. During spring flood the water marshes on rapid rivers and can became a serious test not only for beginners but for experienced water tourists. Areas of Sverdlovsk region with a small population will strike hunters and fishmen by the variety of animals and abundance in clear water. Sport fishing, both winter and summer is allowed on all rivers and lakes of Sverdlov region.