Waterfalls

Come and witness one of the earth’s most magnificent works of art, the hypnotizing natural phenomenon - waterfalls. The sight and sound of falling water is just magical. And the falls  always impress  you even if not too high.

There are plenty of waterfalls in Sochi and each of them is worth seeing. Some are reached by a simple walk through the woods and others a very strenuous hike.

Please be careful when you visit them. Do not climb wet slippery rocks around the waterfalls and if you have children, watch them at all times. And if you have even the slightest fear of heights this tour is not for you.

Zmeikovskiye waterfalls

This cascade of seven totally different waterfalls lies in a kilometer-long stretch, along the  current of the mountain river Zmeika  (the Matsesta river  tributary). The two lowest falls, 10 m high each are the most spectacular ones. Lying close together, these two falls look like a cascade from a distance.

The first waterfall drops into a blue pool, 10 m wide and 2 m deep. The third one, 9 m high can be reached after a  descent of approximately 50  meters. Not too easy, but well worth the effort. To reach the rest you must continue along the trail.
You can bathe under this 10-meter high cold shower  and be entertained by the waterfall rippling sounds. It is a cool place to relax the day away.

A hike will last about  5-7 hours.

Orekhovskiye waterfalls

One of the most spectacular waterfalls lies close to a picturesque settlement of Nizhnyaya Orekhovka,  right where river Bezumenka (Crazy)  flows into the Sochi river.

After a hike of 1,5 km on the National Park's trail you will be stunned by a fall that noisily plunges from 30 m off the steep cliff directly into the Sochi river. The roar of the fall can be heard even before you reach it.

The fall is beautiful any time of the year  but more impressive after heavy rains. You can bathe under this  cold shower.

33 waterfalls

An hour and a half drive by an all-terrain vehicle, followed by a short hike leads you to an amazing cascade of 33 waterfalls, hidden away 4 km higher the Kichmay settlement  in the Lazarev district of Sochi.  A moderately difficult hike will deposit you into a pristine wilderness setting. As you walk, you will be entertained by the rippling sounds.  The lowest of the 33 falls is at the height of 70 m above sea level while the highest is 200 m above sea level. Most of the falls  have excellent pools for bathing.

During this tour there is no way to see all 33 waterfalls at once  as most of them are difficult of access and rarely visited.

A tour will last about 6-7 hours.

Agura waterfalls

These  are the most visited falls here. They can be reached  following Agura river at the foot of Orlinye Skaly (Eagle Rocks). The beautiful  trail leads you to  Prometheus Rock, 125 m above sea level. According to local legend, Prometheus was chained right here and  a beautiful girl Agura  dared to bring him food and drinks. That was the reason Gods punished her  turning into a river.

The first fall that plunges 30 m to the pool below is the most stunning and the tallest one. Two more smaller falls are just 500 m away.

The  waterfalls tend to be quite shallow and slow-moving during the dry seasons. When there’s rain, however, the waterfalls will begin bursting with life once again. The best time to see these waterfalls in their element is during the rainy season at the year-end.

An hour walk from the falls, up the windy mountain trails, brings you to Eagle Rocks and  further up to the top of Akhun Mountain, an area  with plenty of wonderful natural sites. Beautiful panorama of majestic Caucasus Mountains as well as of the Black Sea opens up before you. You will not be disappointed.