Sochi National Park

Sochi National Park, one of Russia's first national parks, was established on 5 May 1983 to protect the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. It takes in the Greater Sochi area from the mouths of the Shepsi and Magri rivers in the north-west to the Psou River in the south-east, and from the coast up to the watershed of the Greater Caucasus, but not Sochi itself or the other towns and villages; it covered 1,937 km² (748 sq mi) until 2013, when it was enlarged to about 2,086 km² (805 sq mi), and since 1999 it has been part of the Western Caucasus World Heritage Site. Mountains divided by river valleys make up most of it, crossed by some 40 rivers and streams. Forest covers 95 percent of the park, subtropical in the low valleys, temperate broadleaf and mixed higher up and stunted above 1,700 m (5,577 ft); few summits rise above 2,000 m, and Aibga, at 2,509 m (8,232 ft), is the highest. About 250 kinds of vertebrates live here, among them wisent, Caucasian red deer, chamois, West Caucasian tur and brown bear, and 126 kinds of birds breed, from bearded and griffon vultures to the Caucasian black grouse.

Background

Sochi National Park in the Western Caucasus, near the city of Sochi, was established on 5 May 1983 and is among Russia's oldest national parks. It covers the Greater Sochi area from the mouths of the Shepsi and Magri rivers in the north-west to the Psou River in the south-east, and from the Black Sea to the crest of the Greater Caucasus, leaving out Sochi and the other settlements. Since 2009 it has run a centre for breeding Persian leopards, and in July 2013 a pair brought from Lisbon Zoo had the first cubs of their kind known to be born in Russia in 50 years.

Source: Wikipedia, "Sochi National Park"

The landscape

• The forests - subtropical in the low valleys, temperate broadleaf and mixed higher up, stunted near the tree line above 1,700 m.
• Aibga - at 2,509 m the park's highest summit, one of the few above 2,000 m.
• Wildlife - about 250 kinds of vertebrates, among them wisent, chamois, West Caucasian tur, brown bear and wolf.
• The leopard centre - working since 2009 to bring the Persian leopard back to the Caucasus; in July 2013 it saw the first cubs born in Russia in 50 years.

When to go

The climate is subtropical, and the park is busy: in 2024 it had 2.79 million visitors, the second most of any national park in Russia.

What to expect

The park is large and divided into 15 forestry districts, and visits are organised around its recreational sites: by 2005 it had more than 49 of them, 28 excursion routes and 10 car parks, with nature education centres in the Golovinka, Lazarevskoye, Krasnaya Polyana and Upper Sochi forestries.

Nearby

The Caucasus Nature Reserve adjoins the park to the north, and the resort of Krasnaya Polyana lies on its edge.

Key facts