A description of the place for visitors – Khutor Guamka

If you ever visit south of Russia, it would be a great idea to arrive to the place called Khutor Guamka. It’s a small settlement that is situated near the famous Guamka’s Gorge - the unique nature reserve of Kuban, which extends almost 5 km long between two mountain ridges.

This gorge is famous for its narrow-gauge railroad, that was built in 30s by prisoners, in order to carry wood from the forest. Now there is a route of a small train for tourists. All year round, 3 or 4 times a day, this train slowly goes through the gorge. All along the road passengers can see from train’s windows beautiful landscapes of the gorge. Steep rocks with eagle’s nests, rapid mountain river that flows at the bottom of the gorge, caves, waterfalls and amazing beauty of forest all around – these views create an unforgettable atmosphere of a wild gorgeous nature. Nowadays the length of the railway route is shorter because of the landslide that happened in 2011 – some part of rails was destroyed and haven’t been restored yet.

Besides the trip on the train, Guamka offers us some other interesting activities.

It’s a good idea to go hiking in the mountains in order to visit all viewing points and to get a birds-eye view of the landscapes. It’s safe to walk there but you should be dressed comfortable, especially strong shoes are needed so as not to slip and to get injured. Don’t forget also to take along a bottle of water and something to eat, so as not to get hungry and dehydrated – the weather can be quite hot in summer, and the walking route is long – near 3 or 4 hours. But if you don’t like hiking, you can take a special jeep with a driver, who will take you to all those sightseeing points

You might like to join horseback riding tour to the mountains with a guide. If you are a fan of extreme sports, you must visit a mountaineering club for to do rock climbing. But bear in mind that you should be equipped well and to listen carefully to the trainer so that to stay alive and well.

The accommodation for tourists in Guamka can be rather comfortable – in the township there are some good hotels and guest houses, and prices are nice especially if to book it long beforehand. It can be an amazing journey, full of impressions and exciting activities.