The Sochi Arboretum (Dendrarium) is a green treasury of the Russian subtropics, which contains more than 2,000 exotic and rare plants that have been brought to the park from different corners of the world. You can see ponds with cascades, geographical divisions, where the flora from Caucasus and the Mediterranean, North and South Americas, East Asia (Japan, China, the Himalayas, the Far East), Australia and New Zealand is represented. From the top point of the Arboretum you can enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the sea.
This is the first touristic route developed in Sochi in the beginning of the 20th century.
The waterfalls are located in the bed of the Agura River in Khosta District of the city, 4 kilometers from the place where it runs into the Black Sea. Here, within several hundred of meters, there are three waterfalls with a height of 21m, the upper one, 23m the middle one, and 30m the lower one.
The path to the Agura waterfalls lies through a gorge along the Agura river. The path was cut in cliffs in 1911 by members of the Sochi Mountain Club. It stretches along the edge of the gorge and is fenced by metal handrails. On the way, you can see “Chyortova Kupalnya” (Devil’s Font) lake and a small cave “Chyortova Nora” (Devil’s Hole).
As the Agura is replenished only by water falling in the form of snow or rain, in summer it often dries up and the waterfalls disappear. The best time for visiting this site is autumn or spring when plentiful rains fill the Agura bed.
The Yew and Box Wood Grove is a museum of nature, a remnant of the ancient relict flora. It is located 2km from the sea up along the Khosta River. There are no large boxwood forests preserved on the globe. The Khosta Grove is unique.
The excursion route lies along two rings. A short one, so-called Boxwood Ring, is about 2 km long. The big one with a length of 5 km will allow you to see the oldest inhabitants of the grove, go through ancient karstic faults, along a rocky cliff above the picturesque canyon of the Khosta River, look at ruins of the ancient fortress of the 11th-12th centuries. Comfortable recreation sites are equipped along the whole route.
Routes in the Yew and Box Wood Grove:
A trip along the Small Ring will take not more than an hour: it is only 1,600 meters long. It has recreation areas, the path is made in such a way that you can travel in your usual footwear together with your children.
The Big Ring is a more complicated route that will take 3 to 4 hours depending on the stops for rest and photo sessions. You will get into forest jungle, go over a precipice, see a lime tree with a barrel circumference of about 9 meters and an ancient fortress with half-ruined towers. On your way you will see a cave, which was inhabited with bats not long ago.
Waterfalls on Zmeika River are a little paradise of silence and inviting greenery. The river bed has rocky banks, rapids, basins and a whole cascade of amazingly beautiful waterfalls. It is surrounded by a picturesque beech forest and you will have an opportunity to swim in small cool cavities formed by waterfalls.
Here the river current is very bizarre, in some places it runs along an ideally straight and even bed, while in others it turns off at right angle; waterfalls streams break down along cascading terraces.