Trekking Oshten+ Kardyvach

This trek is a very logical combination of two most popular trekking routes of Krasnodar region – Trekking on the route № 30 through the mountains to the sea (with climbing Oshten) and classic Trekking to Lake Kardyvach. The routes are not complicated, they were developed in the USSR for workers and remain very popular to this day, despite the fact that the infrastructure has been practically lost since then, but maybe it is for the best – the flow of people has become less, and the nature is almost pristine.

The route almost completely passes through the territory of the Caucasian State Biosphere Reserve and covers the territory of the Sochi National Park.

The hike along the route from Lago-Naki plateau to Dagomys is an exciting adventure among beautiful mountains. Here you will meet the first glaciers of the Caucasus on the peaks, where the sun seems closer, but the snow does not melt even in summer. A little lower, you will feel the heat and can swim in the Belaya River, which flows from the glaciers on Mount Fisht (the westernmost in the Caucasus). The route, known as the All-Union Thirty, is a unique opportunity to hike through all the country’s diverse landscape zones. You will start in broad-leaved and coniferous forests, ascend to subalpine and alpine meadows, eternal snows and severe glaciers, and then descend to the southern side of the Main Caucasus Range, approaching the coast where the subtropics with their palms, bamboo and magnolias await you.

Lake Kardyvach is the second largest lake in the reserve, but it is the most beautiful lake in the region. Located at an altitude of 1837 meters above sea level, it is situated at the intersection of forest and subalpine zones. Lake Kardyvach is surrounded by high mountain ranges exceeding three thousand meters. The route to Lake Kardyvach is not technically difficult and suitable for most travelers. In late September and early October there can be night frosts, so it is necessary to have warm clothes for the evening and morning. It is important to note that a border pass is required to visit Lake Kardyvach and the upper reaches of the Mzymta River, as these areas are within the border control zone. We can help you to pre-register a pass, for this you will need your passport data.

Day 1. Gathering of participants at the hotel in Krasnodar. Dinner and instructing the group. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2. Early departure. We arrive to the beginning of the route at Yavorovaya glade. We have to pass Guzeripl and Armenian passes to spend the night at Fishtinsky shelter. Overnight in a tent.
Day 3. Early rise. Ascent to Oshten. Night in a tent.
Day 4. Belorechenskiy pass, Cherkesskiy pass, “Merry descent”, Babukh-Aul shelter. Transfer by truck to Solokh-Aul, get into a transfer and go to Sochi (Adler district). Accommodation in the hotel, rest, swimming in the sea. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 5. Early rise, breakfast, transfer to Krasnaya Polyana. We transfer to a Venedorozhnik and move along the mountain road to the cordon of the reserve (Engelmanskaya glade). On the way we stop at the border guard service, pass registration and check of documents. The total travel time will take no more than 2 hours. At Engelman glade we organize breakfast, get acquainted, distribute public equipment and proceed to the hiking part of the route. The trail is marked and does not bear any complexity, it leads to the first parking place near Lake Kardyvach. We put the base camp near the Lagerny brook. Dinner. Overnight stay at the lake in tents.
The route length is 17 km, altitude gain 600m.
Day 6. Rise at 7:30. Breakfast at 8:00, departure at 8:30. Today we will walk to the Upper Kardyvach lake. It’s a radial walk, so we’ll take with us assault backpacks, thermoses with tea, lunch and snacks. Our way lies up the valley of the Mzymta river, the road is not difficult, the path leads us along the lake Kardyvach, on the way we will look at the disappearing lake Sredny Kardyvach. We’ll have lunch and after that we’ll go up lightly to the north of the lake, from these places we’ll have amazing views of the valley. If time and condition of the group allow, we can climb to Loyub (2939m). We return to the base camp by the same way. Dinner. Overnight stay at the lake in tents.
Length of the route is 11 km, 600m climb and 600m descent
Day 7. Rise at 7:30. Breakfast at 8:00, leaving at 8:30. Today we will walk to the hidden lakes. This is a radial exit, so we will take with us assault backpacks, thermoses with tea, lunch and snacks. Our way to the lakes coincides a bit with the route of the previous day, from the lake V.Kardyvach the trail takes us to the right, gaining altitude quite sharply. We will go to a kind of saddle (step) where the lakes are hidden. We take a walk, have a photo session, have lunch and descend the same way we came. Dinner. Overnight stay at the lake in tents.
The length of the route is 8 km, 700 m of altitude gain, 700 m of altitude drop.
Day 8. Rise at 7:30. Breakfast at 8:00, departure at 8:30. Lake Sineokoe and Kardyvach pass (2457m) are waiting for us. The way out is also radial, so we’ll take with us assault backpacks, thermoses with tea, lunch and snacks.  The way starts from the mouth of Sineozerny brook. We will pass through the fir forest and through the curvilinear forest we will come to the alpine meadows.  We’ll pass some rocky outcrops and we’ll find ourselves at Lake Sineokoe, the lake is shaped like number 8. From the lake our way goes to the rocky outcrop, from it we can see amazing views of the Sineozernaya river valley, Kardyvach lake and Loyub peak. We have a photo session, have lunch and then climb to the Kardyvach pass, from it we have a view of the Inspi Lake and the whole Imereti mountain junction. We return to the base camp by the same way. Dinner. Overnight stay at the lake in tents.
The length of the route is 8,5 km, climbing 920m, descending 920m.
Day 9. The last day of our stay at Kardyvach lake, we pack up the camp and go down to the cordon of the Caucasus reserve at Engelmanov glade along the familiar path. Transfer by off-road vehicle to the railway station of Krasnaya Polyana settlement
The length of the route is 17km, 600m drop in altitude.

• Accommodation in two or three-bed rooms in a hotel in Krasnodar. 1 night.
• Accommodation in two-three-bed rooms in a hotel in Sochi. 1 night.
• Guide’s work.
• Transfer Krasnodar-Yavorovaya Polyana.
• Transfer Solokh-Aul-Sochi
• Transfer Sochi-Krasnaya Polyana
• Off-road transfer Krasnaya Polyana-Engelmanovaya Polyana-Krasnaya Polyana
• Pass to the reserve.
• Three meals a day on the route from day 2 to day 9.
• Group equipment (tents, navigator, cooking utensils, gas, first aid kit, etc.).

• Single accommodation.
• Personal equipment.
• Road from your region to the beginning of the program in Krasnodar
• Road Krasnaya Polyana – own region.
• Any deviations from the program.
• Any costs associated with changes in the program

Documents:

• Passport
• Plane/train tickets
• Medical insurance

Personal equipment:

• Backpack 50-60l.
• Assault backpack 15-20l.
• Sleeping bag, comfort temperature from 0C to -7C
• Karemat
• Trekking poles.
• Trekking boots
• Replacement shoes for walking around the camp (trekking sandals or sneakers).
• Waterproof layer – Jacket+pants
• Fleece suit for sleeping
• Thermal underwear top+bottom
• Down jacket or down vest
• Non-warm gloves
• Bandana, buff, cap, hat of your choice
• Fleece hat
• Warm socks for sleeping
• Trekking socks

Miscellaneous:

• Diode flashlight on the head + spare batteries
• Sunglasses with protection factor not lower than 3
• Thermos – 1 liter.
• Sunscreen, hygienic lipstick
• Personal first aid kit
• Elastic bandage and/or support bandage
• CLMN