Ideas how to dilute a beach vacation. A selection of a dozen entertainments in Abkhazia for children and adults: from water parks and ecotourism to speleodiving.
Abkhazia is not only clean mountain air, Lake Ritsa and a gentle sea. This unique country offers a myriad of opportunities for its guests, from traditional sunbathing and sightseeing to various sports. There are so many fascinating places concentrated on such a small territory that it is extremely difficult to have time to see and try everything in a short time of rest. That is why souls return to the Land - every time the republic meets with something new.
So what can you do in Abkhazia? We present you with a list of 12 fun activities for children and adults.
Entertainment on vacation in Abkhazia: what to do
Ecotourism and mountain walks
For all those who are not indifferent to the mountains and nature in general, a real paradise opens up in Abkhazia. Wildlife and untrodden trails, stunning mountains and alpine meadows - there is nothing to list. You can conquer local peaks an infinite number of times - the mountains never get bored. You can arrange a hike and spend the night in a tent, or you can go to the famous Lake Ritsa and the Gega waterfall. Do not forget to visit the Ritsa National Relic Park and the Pitsundo-Mussera Nature Reserve - rare species of animals live there and ancient Pitsunda pines grow there.
Cheer up
Rafting, diving, jeeping - if these words are not an empty phrase for you, you should forget about the beach for a while and cheer up. For those who lie in the sun, we advise you to add a little adrenaline to your vacation. Rafting of any difficulty level can be done along the Bzyb River, it is easy to get into the hard-to-reach corners of Abkhazia by jeeps, and diving will open you the underwater world of the Land of the Soul. By the way, diving in Abkhazia can be done not only in the sea, but also in mountain lakes, as well as in grottoes (speleodiving). In addition, paragliding, speleology and rock climbing are at your service - in general, there is a lot of entertainment in Abkhazia, there is something to do for active travelers.
Arrange a food tour
Do you like oriental cuisine? Then why not take a real food tour with an immersion in local culture and customs? Prepare in advance: memorize the names of traditional dishes, take an interest in what traditions exist in Abkhazia, learn a couple of interesting toasts, meet Abkhazians, and off you go! Abkhazians are friendly people, it is not for nothing that the republic is called the Land of the Soul - they will welcome you hospitably and appreciate your desire to learn another's culture.
Plunge into the atmosphere of the Soviet era
Everyone knows that in the era of the USSR, the Soviet elite often rested in Abkhazia, and ordinary citizens dreamed about it. Thanks to the picturesque nature and pleasant climate, Abkhazia has become a favorite vacation spot for the heads of communist countries - there are dachas of Stalin, Khrushchev and Gorbachev. Abkhazia has preserved the spirit of Soviet times to this day: the buildings of that era, however, abandoned and dilapidated, picturesquely overgrown with bushes, still look majestic. The real entertainment for the post-apocalyptic lovers is to find such buildings.
Visit holy places and temples
Christianity in Abkhazia appeared earlier than in Kievan Rus. John Chrysostom, Simon the Cananite and Andrew the First-Called preached on the Abkhaz land. Here you can see the Pitsunda temple, which has been preserved since the 10th century, and attend a service in a functioning church built in the 6th century.
Abkhazia is tolerant of various confessions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity, as well as paganism, peacefully coexist in the republic (ancestral shrines are very revered by the locals). The main attractions are concentrated near New Athos and Sukhum: these are the New Athos Monastery, the cell and the temple of Simon the Cananite, Mount Anakopia, the Annunciation Cathedral, and so on. The list and map of temples, mosques, synagogues and sanctuaries can be found here.
How to book a hotel in Abkhazia? To do this, it is best to use the well-known Hotellook service. For example, apartments in Pitsunda can be found from 2 thousand rubles per day. Those wishing to stay in the private sector will find useful information on this topic on this page.
Explore caves and dolmens
Another entertainment in Abkhazia is caves. One of the most famous is New Athos, which is in the Iverskaya mountain. It has been open to tourists since 1975. Mini trains run deep into the cave every 20 minutes. The cave is amazingly beautiful: it has 8 halls decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, there are cave waterfalls and lakes. Entrance to the cave - 500 rubles.
Abkhazia is also famous for the deepest cave in the world - Krubera-Voronya, whose depth is 2199 m! The cave is located not far from Gagra, but you will not be able to visit it on your own: you can go down only as part of a speleological expedition - there are no tourist routes there. It goes without saying that you need to have climbing skills and equipment.
Abkhazian dolmens and cromlechs also deserve attention. It is still unclear with what tools they were built. The largest dolmen is located in the village of Azanta; they can also be found in Esher, Pskhu, Duripsh and so on. Not sure what to do in Abkhazia during your vacation? Find all Dolmens in the Republic.
Fishing
Fishing can also be attributed to entertainment in Abkhazia - anyone can do it anywhere: even in mountain rivers, even in flat lakes, even in the sea. In Abkhazia, they catch brook trout, roach, mullet, Caucasian chub, flounder, horse mackerel, tuna and so on. You can also catch salmon during spawning. They fish in the mountain rivers Bzyb and Hipsta, lakes Ritsa, Imtkit and Amtkel.
Equestrian tourism
Lovers of horseback riding and those wishing to learn it will also find entertainment in Abkhazia: horseback riding tours to the Gegsky waterfall, horseback riding to Anakopia mountain and Mamzyshkha mountain are popular here. Just imagine what it is like to enjoy the beauty of mountainous Abkhazia, being on horseback, and not in a car! Horseback riding is available to both confident riders and novice riders; they are organized by special horse clubs.
Did you knowthat vouchers to Abkhazia can be purchased from only 18 thousand rubles (for example, a tour for two for 7 nights from Moscow)? And even cheaper during the promotional period! The tour price includes: flight, accommodation, transfer, insurance and meals to choose from. Last Minute Tours you can search for the best prices on the Travelata and Level.Travel services - they compare the offers of 120 tour operators and therefore are able to find the best option. You can buy a ticket online, which is very convenient.
Entertainment in Abkhazia for children
Water parks in Abkhazia
There are safer activities for children in Abkhazia than speleodiving or paragliding - water parks. The child will certainly be interested in water slides and attractions. True, water parks in Abkhazia are quite rare: the largest water park is located in Gagra, and in Sukhum and Pitsunda there are water parks only at hotels, but they say that you can get into them even without being a hotel guest, you just need to pay for the entrance.
They speak well of the Gagra water park: it has seven pools and six slides of different slopes, so both adults and children love to come here. The price of a ticket to the water park of Abkhazia: children under 4 years old are free, up to 12 years old - 400 rubles, an adult ticket costs 700 rubles. The address of the water park in Gagra: st. Demergipa, 49.
Walking
Walking around Abkhazia is a real entertainment for curious children. You can climb mountains and descend into gorges, walk in cities and climb ruins, you can study the local flora, you can take horse or boat trips - as long as your imagination is enough. Of course, all this should be done under the supervision of adults.
Outdoor games
Children do not need animation - they themselves can amuse themselves quite well. Take with you (or buy on vacation) sports equipment - a ball, badminton rackets, rope, chess - whatever. The child will quickly find himself company. And, of course, bathing has not been canceled - children love it.
Excursions
In addition to independent forays into the neighborhood, one should not reject such entertainment in Abkhazia for children as excursions. Not every natural attraction can be reached without a guide - sometimes it is more expedient to overpay a little, but get to the desired place without any problems. In addition, local guides know interesting places that are not mentioned in guidebooks.
