Itinerary
Day 1: Meeting the group at the airport (11:20 a.m.) or at the railway station (12:15 p.m.) in Chelyabinsk. Departure on the tour
First stop: Chebarkul Fortress. A small fortress on the shore of Lake Chebarkul. A great view of the lake and the place where the meteorite fell.
Second stop: The Settlement of Stone Figures, a mysterious and amazing place! Rocky outcrops from 3 to 40 metres high amid the forest. Over many centuries, nature has carved bizarre shapes from stone that look like fairy tale characters and animals.
Third stop: Miass
Miass is a small city with a very rich history. Throughout its existence, Miass has had many names: it was called the city of the "gold rush" and the city of "eminent merchants".
The Dumplings Museum, the only one in Russia, is located in Miass, in the Merchant Smirnov's Mansion, which is a complex of the 19th-century merchant's buildings. In addition to visiting the mansion, we will take out our rolling pins and make dumplings under a chef's guidance and, of course, taste them.
Ilmen Nature Reserve Museum. The museum is among the five largest geological and mineralogical museums in Russia. Its collection numbers about 30 thousand exhibits, of which about 9,000 items are exhibited.
Lake Turgoyak is renowned for its crystal clear water, picturesque shores and mysterious history. People call Turgoyak “Baikal's younger brother”.
Vera Island contains many secrets and legends, unique artifacts, megaliths and burials. We will definitely see it, if we're lucky. We will get there by boat across the lake. (Important: an excursion to Vera Island is subject to extra costs; it is not possible in May, as the lake is still covered with ice).
Trip to Zlatoust. Hotel check-in. Dinner. Spare time.
Day 2: Breakfast.
First stop: Taganay National Park
Taganay State Natural National Park is a mountainous land with picturesque rocky peaks and slopes with the flora and fauna of various environmental zones.
The Black Rock. We suggest climbing the Black Rock (853 metres high) within 600 steps. The site offers a magnificent panorama of the Taganay ridges. The ascent is not difficult, it's accessible to everyone.
The Big Stone River of Taganay is a pile of boulders, 6 km long and 200–500 metres wide. We will definitely see this river! Total distance: 10 km.
Lunch.
Second stop: Zlatoust
Today we will explore the city of John Chrysostom and Russian damask steel.
AiRovka is an original settlement of blacksmiths and gunsmiths, located in the middle of an industrial city in the South Urals. Get ready for an unforgettable journey into the world of fire, red-hot iron and the ringing of blacksmiths' hammers, the rhythmic movement of the blade-sharpening wheel and the laborious patterning of the product.
Bazhov Sculptural Park. The guests are welcomed by favourite characters from Bazhov's tales: Ognevushka-Poskakushka, Silver Hoof, and, of course, the Mistress of the Copper Mountain herself.
Return to the hotel. Spare time. Dinner – independently, at extra cost.
Day 3: Breakfast. Trip to Satka.
On this day, we will visit Satka and its surroundings.
Sonkina Laguna is a unique place in the Urals. The complex has a medieval castle and there is a pirate harbour on the other side of the pond. There is also a small church and a pretty mill, bronze pirates and stone Roman figures. Residents and guests of the Ural Region call this place the Ural Disneyland.
Lunch – independently, at extra cost.
Zyuratkul National Park derived its name from the alpine lake Zyuratkul. The highest peak of the park is 1,406 metres. We will hike to the Zyuratkul Ridge at an altitude of 1,175 metres (a trip of about 10 km).
Accommodation will be at the recreation centre in the Zyuratkul National Park. Dinner. Spare time.
Day 4: Breakfast.
We return to Chelyabinsk and go sightseeing on a guided tour of Chelyabinsk.
We will walk along Kirovka, a pedestrian street with many nice sculptures, one of the favourite places of the city's visitors and residents.
We will also definitely visit the Victory Garden Park and see the open-air museum of military equipment. Dinner. Then, we will visit the Museum of Local Lore and be sure to see the famous meteorite, which became world-renowned on the morning of February 15, 2013.
End of the programme. Transfer to the railway station or airport by 5:00 p.m.
