Rock Cockerel Hot Key how to get there?

On July 14 we went on an excursion to Hot key
. The city is located on the northern slopes of the western part of the Main Caucasus Range on
Psekups River
45 km from Krasnodar.

Psekups is one of the largest mountain rivers of the Western Caucasus, a left tributary of the Kuban. Its length is 128 km. The 1888 guidebook says that, translated from Adyghe, Psekups means “a river abundant in water.” Currently, throughout its entire length (except for spring days and days of heavy rain) the Psekups is a shallow river. In some places it can be easily forded. But in the area of Abadzekh Mountain near the Rock of Salvation, Psekups is full of water. The width of the river in this section is about 70 meters. There is another translation option from Adyghe: Psekups is “blue water”. This is more true today: the greenish-blue color of the water is given by the presence of a large number of sulfurous springs in the river basin. According to the third hypothesis, Psekups is translated as “river of the black maple beam.”

Hot key how to get to the resort, what to see, when to go

Goryachy Klyuch is a resort area in the Krasnodar Territory. Many may mistakenly believe that holidays here are only possible in the summer, but this is far from the case. Knowledgeable tourists go here at any time of the year, aiming not only at the opportunity to have a great time, but also to improve their health. The opportunity to be alone with yourself, away from civilization, enjoying natural landscapes... This is what attracts tourists to Hot Spring. This is a year-round resort.

How can you get there and what attractions should you pay special attention to to brighten up your stay at such a wonderful resort?

When to go?

You can go to Goryachiy Klyuch at any time. Need to consider:

traditionally, most tourists relax here in the summer, when it’s high season, all the beaches are open, you can eat juicy fruits, and the weather is very warm, the air temperature reaches 30-35 degrees;

In autumn, the weather here remains comfortable until the end of November. The air temperature drops to 5 degrees Celsius; as a rule, it does not drop lower at all, even in winter. Usually, in the fall, tourists have already gone home, so at this time of year the holidays here are especially calm, and no one or nothing will disturb you;

In spring it is also warm here, the temperature reaches 20 degrees. If you are not allergic to flowering plants, then spring vacations can be very pleasant;

In winter, the temperature rarely reaches minus 15 degrees at night, and during the day the temperature is almost always above zero. There are also few tourists here at this time, however, there is an increasing tendency to relax in Goryachiy Klyuch in winter, because the snowy landscapes of the mountains and slopes only add beauty and charm to the city. Do not forget that the city is located in the foothills of the Caucasus, which means there is something to see, where to walk and what to admire all year round, especially since the year-round warm climate contributes to this.

Healing park. Salvation Rock. Dantovo Gorge in winter

Mountains and gorges

Mountains are a place that has attracted writers, poets, and artists since ancient times. And to this day they attract people with their massiveness and height. In some places you can see gorges or huge falls. The beauty is simply breathtaking. It is impossible to understand a person who visited the Krasnodar region, but did not see the full power of the Caucasus Mountains.

One such example is Mount Abadzekh. Initially, Abadzekh Mountain gave birth to the settlement of Goryachiy Klyuch. Even in ancient times, people were attracted by the springs located nearby, and they began to settle near the mountain.

The mountain got its name from the ancient people who lived here - the Adyghe tribe.

Only the ancient people called it the Key. At the foot of the mountain there is a lake.

In addition to the most beautiful mountains, Goryachiy Klyuch has a large number of gorges. Since ancient times, people have wondered where they come from. And in fact, the gorges inside the mountains are so beautiful that they simply fascinate with their beauty.

One of these gorges located in Goryachiy Klyuch is Dante’s Gorge.

This is a natural monument that is a cultural heritage.

It is located at the foot of Klyuchovaya Mountain. By choosing a walking route, you will fully experience all the beauty that nature has given. On the road to the gorge there is a path paved with tiles, which smoothly turns into a road made of stones.

This is interesting:

The gorge appeared artificially, and the wind and water did their job, and it became wider every year. All the rocks that surround a person are sandy, and that is why they can easily be changed, even if you just touch them.

The height of the cliffs of Dante's Gorge is at least 10 meters, and the length is already more than 100 m.

In order to get to it on your own, you need to cross the Psekups River near the M4-Don highway and go out onto Lenin Street. Then, in a straight line, pass the triumphal arch and get to the chapel. And behind it a gorge will open in front of you.

The rock with the interesting name “Cockerel” can also attract tourists and travelers. The name alone makes you want to just see what the mountain is like. It is also called the Rock of Salvation.

It is located on the Psekups River. Its height is about 28 meters.

This is one of the most interesting places given by the nature of the Krasnodar region. The top of the rock looks like a rooster's tail because it has 6 teeth. Inside the rock there are two caves – Salvation and Zvonkaya. And in the middle, between them, there is a staircase of life, upon climbing which a beautiful view will open before the visitor. Back in the time of Nicholas II, a gazebo was erected on the top of the mountain, where he came to relax, a guest in the Krasnodar region. But over time, part of the rock fell off, and local residents began to call the site royal. There is even a legend that the waters of the river washing the rock can heal a sick person from illness. You can reach the rock through a new bridge if you turn onto it from the M-4 Don highway.

One of the popular caves in Europe is the Phanagorian Cave. It attracts not only tourists, but also doctors and archaeologists. The cave is quite long - at least one and a half kilometers.

In the Phanagorian cave there are four large halls, the walls of which are covered with yellow and white clay.

A stream flows along the bottom, and at different times of the year it can reach from 5 cm to 30.

Please note: the air is ionized, so anyone who enters the cave can cure respiratory diseases. In the documents that describe this cave, there is information that even before the 19th century it had a great extent, and from Gorny Klyuch one could immediately get to the Black Sea shore

Around the middle of the century, a collapse occurred in the cave, and its length began to be 1.5 km

In the documents that describe this cave, there is information that even before the 19th century it had a great extent, and from Gorny Klyuch one could immediately get to the shore of the Black Sea. Around the middle of the century, a collapse occurred in the cave, and its length began to be 1.5 km.

Note:

visiting the cave requires a lot of physical strength. Since it is necessary to walk about 14 km from the village of Fanagoriyskoye to the cave itself.

You need to cross two fords and get to the intersection of two rivers: Semenovskaya Shchel and Ayuk. Continue moving along the Ayuk River and then you will come to a parking lot in front of the cave.

Attractions

There are many natural monuments in Goryachiy Klyuch. The main attractions include:

Drinking gallery

where you can taste healing water from three different sources. You are also allowed to take water with you for free. However, you need to be careful when trying water number 21. It contains a high percentage of hydrogen sulfide, which is why you should not drink it without a doctor’s prescription. And to put it mildly, it has such a specific smell of very “rotten eggs” that you can’t drink a lot of it, but other options taste quite worthy;

Dante's Gorge

about 100 meters long. The gorge reminds especially impressionable tourists of the entrance to the underworld. It is quite cool and damp inside, which tourists really like in the summer and invigorates them quite well in the winter;

rock "Cockerel"

This cliff has such a name for a reason, because if you look closely, the top of the rock really resembles the comb of a rooster. This is especially noticeable from the bank of the Psekups River;

Bridge of Hope

running over the Psekups River. The bridge fits organically into the natural landscape. From here you can see the local healing park, the Cockerel rock and just take a walk enjoying the fresh air.

A good and healthy holiday in Goryachiy Klyuch is guaranteed.

Dante's Gorge

Dantovo&&

Then the so-called “path of health” begins, opening with a passage in the rock, which received a beautiful name - “Dante’s Gorge” - a fracture in the rock. But before entering Dante’s Gorge, located between boulders, hardly anyone can resist trying to climb the mountain along specially hollowed-out recesses for hands and feet. This unique “attraction” is called the Rock of Temptation, since few people will pass by and not be tempted to climb up. Of course, children especially like this - there are always a lot of school excursion groups here from early spring until late autumn.

Dantovo&&

The Dante Gorge itself is not very long, but very picturesque, the maximum depth of the fault is 15 meters, stone steps lead up between the stone blocks, a stream babbles nearby, the water in which is clean and drinkable. True, again the impression is spoiled by the “rock paintings” of modern “cave people”. The fact is that the rock here is very soft, easily amenable to a knife, which is why everyone strives to leave a “good” memory of themselves here.

Dantovo&&

Having climbed up Dante's Gorge, you need to follow a path that turns in the opposite direction and runs parallel to the gorge almost directly above it. From the path you can look down and see a gorge and a stream. Moving further, you can look at the Mineral Glade from above.

Dantovo&&

Hot Spring: underground kingdoms and mineral waters

Goryachy Klyuch has enjoyed constant popularity for over 145 years. Tourists are attracted not only by the most beautiful vacation spots, such as Mount Cockerel or Dantovo Gorge, but also by mineral springs, which are known for their healing properties. Today, the city’s health resorts use 6 types of mineral water from 17 wells for internal and external use.

Entering the city you immediately feel an atmosphere of calm and tranquility. Tourists will especially like the main street of the city - there are no cars here, and tall pines and trees provide shade and coolness in the summer. From here you can walk to the drinking gallery, the capacity of which reaches 2.5 thousand people per hour.

Affordable Resort

Goryachy Klyuch is a balneological resort, one of the oldest in the Caucasus. The city is located 65 km from Krasnodar, in a valley on the banks of the Psekups River, in a forest, 60 km from the Black Sea coast. Beautiful parks, squares, landscaped streets, new hotels and sanatoriums welcome vacationers all year round.

There are about 200 natural, architectural and cultural monuments in the area. This is the chapel of the Iverskaya Mother of God, Mount Abadzekhskaya, Bogatyrsky caves and other attractions that are definitely worth visiting while on vacation in Goryachy Klyuch.

“Hot Key is a great place for walking. “Where else can you breathe fresh mountain air so close to the city,” says tourist from Krasnodar Andrey Berezin. “The most popular places, perhaps, are Dantovo Gorge, Zvonkaya Cave, Fanagoriyskaya Cave, Mount Petushok. You can come here for a day, and you don’t have to have a lot of money with you.”

Places for tourists

The Cockerel Rock can safely be called one of the symbols of the city. The height of the “Petushiny” ridge reaches 27 m. It is clearly visible from the Krasnodar-Dzhubga highway. From here you can see that the unusual curves made by nature from stone really look like a cockscomb. From the top ledge of the rock there is a beautiful panorama of the Psekups River.

You can get to the rock through Dante's Gorge, the length of which is about 100 m, and the height of the overhanging rocks reaches 10-15 m. This is one of the most visited natural excursion sites in the city. It's cool here even in summer. The gorge had many names: Cold, Cool, Hot, Dante's staircase. Now it is named after the Italian poet Dante. On the left before the entrance there is a specially equipped Zhelezisty mineral spring, the water of which contains iron oxides. On the right, in the rock, a chapel was built in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

Sights of Goryachiy Klyuch - photos with descriptions

The healing park is one of the main attractions of Goryachiy Klyuch. Broken in 1870. There are no clear boundaries of the park; it merges with the forest, where paths lead from the cultivated part.

The main tourist sites are located in the Healing Park. Of course, you can simply show the sights of Goryachiy Klyuch - the photos speak enough about the beauty of the city. Yes, it’s difficult to get lost, but I’ll still tell you where they are.

How to find the Healing Park. There are several ways. Walk along Lenin Street towards the Caucasus Foothills sanatorium.

Or from the restaurant and hotel complex “Old Castle” from the M4-Don highway.

From the city side, the Alley of a Thousand Pines leads to the Healing Park. A 2-kilometer-long pedestrian zone is located on Lenin Street, in the center of the resort area.

The Alley of a Thousand Pines leads to the Healing Park

Immediately outside the entrance to the sanatorium we see an arch in honor of the 140th anniversary of the resort. A jug with flowing water is a symbol of the mineral water resort. This text was stolen from the World Roads website (worldroads.ru)!

The dancing fountain at the Caucasus Foothills sanatorium attracts vacationers in the summer heat. In the evenings it is illuminated with all the colors of the rainbow.

Ginkgo biloba tree. Extremely rare. Long-lived. Lives up to 2.5 thousand years. Ginkgos have been growing on Earth since the time of dinosaurs, and were widespread everywhere. There were especially many of them in the current territory of the Krasnodar Territory. And now they grow only in three places in the world: Japan, Southern China and the Krasnodar Territory.

Ginkgos have been around since the time of dinosaurs.

How to find ginkgo in Goryachy Klyuch: near the right wing of the Caucasus Foothills sanatorium, not far from the White Obelisk.

Ginkgo biloba leaves

The White Obelisk is also considered a landmark of Goryachiy Klyuch. Installed for the centenary of the resort, in 1964.

White Obelisk - installed for the 100th anniversary of the Hot Key

Next is the Arch with Lions. Built in 1914, for the 50th anniversary of the resort. Lions appeared later. It is believed that whoever passes through the Arch of Lions will gain health. This is no coincidence, because it is from here that you can get to the health-improving attractions of Goryachy Klyuch: the Drinking Gallery, the Mineral Glade, and health paths.

Arch with lions, bestowing health. 1914

Remember, in front of the Essentuki Mud Bath, lions are depicted as a victory over ailments? But there the symbols of disease are reptiles, here they are wild boars. Unusual, right? Lions once lived in the Caucasus, but wild boars are still found today. But why is the wild boar a symbol of disease?

Lion with a defeated boar

Going further, we see the Wind Rose with the zero kilometer.

From here to Sochi - 124 kilometers, to Kislovodsk - 303 kilometers. From here you can travel throughout the Caucasus.

It’s very close to my other favorite cities

On the right is a small cozy park with fountains and a bridge.

Near the drinking gallery there are sculptures, ponds, fountains

Next is the Drinking Gallery. Here you can take healing Psekup mineral waters. There is also a herbal bar.

Gallery opening hours: from 7:00 to 18:40. Break: 14:00 – 15:00.

The water has a very specific taste. We tried it once and didn’t go again. We came for another...