(Source: https://tetatet-club.ru/article.asp?id=196738)

Krasnodar Territory is the southernmost part of Russia. All cities of the region are resort-like with flowering parks, fountains and old hotels. Choosing a tour with a local guide is the best option to explore the place.

One of the major attractions of the region is the Kuban Cossacks movement with the headquarters in Krasnodar. The surrounding villages (or stanitsy) are worth a visit if you are interested in seeing how the Cossacks live these days and learning more of their history and culture.

Sochi is the semi-tropical Russian vacation paradise, full of palm trees and beaches. Here is also found world-renowned spas, sanatoriums, and alternative medical therapies. So come sailing or skiing while you wash away life's aches and pains.

Best Places to See in Krasnodar Territory

The “Past Dyavola” (“Devil’s Mouth”) Waterfall (Psechiako) is located in the vicinity of Goryachiy Klyuch, in the upper reaches of the Maltsev Brook. The waterfall has four cascades, its overall height amounts to 23 m.

The gorge hosting the waterfall is clamped by sandstone cliffs on both sides. Well-beaten trail climbs up from the left bank of the brook. There is a comfortable resting place with a campfire equipped on the top. It will take you 1.5-2 hours to get from the centre of the Goryachiy Klyuch to this place, if you are going by foot trough the Valley of the Maltsev Gap. The route is recommended for untrained and poorly prepared groups.

The Navisla (“Hanging”) Mountain is located near Goryachiy Klyuch. It can be found at the watershed of the rivers Ayuk and Chepsi. Its height: 704 m. South-western, southern and eastern slopes are steep and rocky. The mountain got its name just for the fact that it as though hangs over the Chepsi River in the narrow part of its valley. Northern slopes are gentle, a wooded range descends to the North-east to the Podnavisla-1 tract. Climbing to the top from Podnavisla-1 takes 4-4.5 hours.

Goryachiy Klyuch (“Hot Spring”) Resort is located 60 km to the South-east of Krasnodar along the Federal Highway Krasnodar-Dzhubga. The town is located in the Valley of the Psekups River. The climate of the foothills is somewhat softer than on the plains of Kuban. Summers are slightly cooler (+22° C in July), the number of sunny days in Goryachiy Klyuch is not much inferior to Anapa.

Winters are mild (-1° C in January), without a seasonal snow cover. Goryachiy Klyuch is the only place in the South of Russia where the therapeutic factors of Essentuki drinking mineral waters and sulphurous baths of Sochi and Matsesta are combined. There are more than 10 mineral springs with their waters used for baths and curative drinking.

These are thermal (from + 42 to +60° C) hydrogen sulphide, chloride-hydrocarbonate, sodium and alkaline waters. More than 10,000 people have rest in Goryachiy Klyuch annually. There are 5 health resorts for adults and children here, 1 preventive health resort, 2 recreation centres, a resort polyclinic, and a pump room for drinking.

The Khrebtovaya Mountain is located on the territory of the resort town, it is the highest point in the watershed of the Kaverza River and the Brook of the Orlova Gap. Its height: 649 m. Rock outcrops come to the surface on the southern slopes. They consist of alternating red and green shales and marlstones with the layers of brown sandstone.

There is an observation point on the top overlooking the ranges of Pshaf and Kotkh. It is better to approach the Khrebtovaya Mountain coming from the Karapetova or Orlova gaps (near the village of Bezymyannoye).

The urban settlement of Gulkevichi is located 176 kilometres to the East of Krasnodar and is a district centre considered to be one of the most stable in the Krasnodar Territory. Gulkevichi received a town status in 1961, but the locality has been known since 1875, when the railway leading from Rostov to Vladikavkaz was being laid in this place.

The railway station of Gulkevichi gave its name to the village. Now the town is home to more than 35 thousand people. The name of the station was given after the Privy Councillor N.V. Gulkevich who received these lands as a gift from Aleksandr II due to his heroic deeds in the Caucasian War. There are no historical attractions in the town.

One of the main attractions is the restored Holy Trinity Church (that was destroyed in Soviet times) on Pushkina Street. The visitors of the town can go to the Local History Museum. In addition to the historical exhibition, the Museum has a hall devoted to space flights (the famous pilot-cosmonaut Viktor Gorbatko was born in this region).

There is a memorial complex “Motherland” on Sovetskaya Street where the eternal flame burns and black marble plates contain the engraved names of the dead and missing soldiers and officers who were the residents of the town. The Alley of Heroes is located behind the complex.