Motherland: Where in Russia is No Worse Than Abroad

It's very easy to get lost among cheap tickets from foreign low-cost airlines, but keep yourself in check. The sun shines the same everywhere, but currency conversion is different. It's time to remember that Russia also has places no worse than abroad. Leave your passport and euros at home – we've put together some travel options for your homeland here.

Valley of Cedar and Blue Lakes

Mountains are not only in Europe, and volcanoes are not only in Iceland – remember this like a mantra and head to the Altai Krai. This is a place of power for body and spirit. People come here for hikes and adventures. Here, the lakes are turquoise, and cedar trees grow at every step.

Hiking in such terrain is a common occurrence; if you're a fan of these activities, you'll be thrilled. And if you're too lazy to carry a backpack with canned stew and aluminum dishes, choose organized excursions. Visit the Roerich House-Museum, for example. In such a picturesque place, you'll want to pick up a paintbrush!

People also go to Altai to improve their health. Golden Root is a local treasure. It calms the nerves, improves physical and mental potential, and helps with vascular diseases. In local sanatoriums, it's the number one favorite.

You'll also get no less benefit from the clean mountain air – breathe it in deeply! In general, the local fauna can revive even a mammoth, let alone hardened office workers dreaming of a vacation.  

How to travel to Altai cheaply?>>>

Heading to "Mir"

And here's another mountain-related topic – the Caucasus region. Elbrus, Dombay, Egikal will simply steal your heart with their beauty. Mountain towns have a pleasant climate and stunning sunsets. To avoid too much effort but still see all the best, take excursions. They bring you to the mountains, feed you, and take you back. They give plenty of free time, and the program includes the top spots. On average, they cost about 1000 rubles, and if you book for several people at once, they offer discounts.

This is a chance to hang out on Elbrus (at Mir station, 3500 meters above sea level), see the beauties of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic on the way to Dombay, and on the road to Egikal, you'll definitely have to hold your jaw. All of this fits even into a week's vacation, and you'll have no regrets.

To the Chukchi and Geysers

When we hear 'Kamchatka,' we immediately imagine something distant and inaccessible. Before the invention of airplanes, the journey to Kamchatka took a year; now it's 9 hours non-stop.

Kamchatka's geysers are an incredible sight, and if you look closely, you might see a real Chukchi. This indigenous people still live on their native territory. Also, on the Kamchatka Peninsula, there are 29 active volcanoes, almost all in the southern part, and you can reach them by car from Petropavlovsk. It's a distant place, but where else can you take a photo against the backdrop of nature's tectonic power?

Neither to wade nor to swim across

Lake Baikal is a popular destination not only in winter. In warmer seasons, people come here for unusual recreational camps. First, you are prepared for survival in the forest, told about the peculiarities of the Baikal region, and trained in body and spirit. Then you head into the forest with a tent and water for 3 days and 3 nights, away from smartphones and computers. If you want, stay in one place and meditate in your tent, or if you want, explore the surrounding area. Just be careful.

Such a vacation is beneficial when you need to put your thoughts, body, and soul in order. Just like that, one-on-one with nature. Reach the Buddhist stupa, Sandy Bay, Pribaikalsky National Park. The places are amazing!

And if you're not a fan of wild camping, come to Baikal light. Check into any hotel in Irkutsk and go on excursions along the shore. Skazka Waterfall, Mount Yord, Circum-Baikal Railway. Take a ride from Irkutsk to the port along the edge of the lake – even Harry Potter couldn't have dreamed of such a thing.

Corn with Sand

'I don't want to climb mountains, I want to lie on the sand and warm my bones!' – you'll say. Fair enough! That's why we saved the best for dessert. Krasnodar Krai is the best place for those who love to get a good tan. Blazing sun, hot sand, two seas to choose from, and unusual treats: churchkhela and other fruit-and-nut delights. Water park, seaside attractions, and a safari park – kids will be thrilled! Grab your child under your arm and head to the airport.

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