Ukraine is a country that is biologically rich in flora and fauna occupying landscapes of varying types, from rocky mass areas to mountainous regions. This has led to large-scale biodiversity conservation in an attempt to preserve natural habitats for future use, unchanged by human destruction and pollution.

The Yalta Mountain Forest Reserve was established in 1973, covering a large area of land ranging from the Aiya Cape, along the Black Sea coast, to the mountainous region called Ayu-Dag. The Yalta Mountain Reserve was first formed in an attempt to provide protection specifically to forest ecosystems that occur naturally in the mountains. These forests are usually made up of trees like the beech, oak, juniper, hornbeam and the Crimean pine.

The Yalta Reserve has a strip of forest that is approximately ten kilometers long by four kilometers wide that covers a substantial area. The forest stretches from the coast of the Black Sea all the way up to the Golovnyi range of Crimean mountains and comes under the control of the State Committee of Forestry. Apart from the forests the Yalta Forest Reserve has crystal clear waterfalls, rocks and craters to climb over and caves waiting to be discovered and enjoyed by all.

The Yalta forests have been closely examined in an attempt to record the distribution of Ascomycetes in specifically pine and beech tree forests. The results have been interesting with over nineteen new species of Ascomycetes having been found for the first time in the Crimea region. In general the species of Ascomycetes that prevails the most in the area includes the Diatrypales, Xylariales and Diaportale species. Included in this is a total of fifty species that have been found generally on dry stems, pieces of plants and on twigs making up seventeen families, seven orders all belonging to thirty-two genera.

The Yalta Mountain Forest Reserve has recently experienced some changes that have been in the pipeline for over thirty years. The Yalta authorities are taking fifteen hectares of land in order to develop a rubbish recycling plant that will service the Yalta and other surrounding areas. With the removal of fifteen hectares of land means that the Reserve will experience border changes redefining the protected piece of land.

Alushta Monastery of Ss. Kosma and Damian is located in 18 km from Alushta on the territory of the Crimean Mountain Forest Reserve near the spring Savluh-Su. Founded in the mid XIX century, Kosma and Damian monastery had been visited by the members or Imperial family. The water of this spring is believed to have healing properties due to silver ions saturated it. On the territory of the monastery you can visit a small chapel and admire rare Orthodox icons that also can cure believers.

Crimean Mountain Forest Reserve is a spacious territory of woodlands located on the Main Ridge of Crimean Mountains between Yalta and Alushta. This place can be visited only if you join one of the organized tourist group. Each attempt to visit Crimean Reserve without permission is strictly forbidden and faces legal prosecution.

The reserve is the largest in the Crimea occupying the territory of more than 4 000 hectares. Woodland part of the reserve is set in the highest Crimean plateau. The highest mountains surround central part of the reserve. Mountain Babugan (1438 m), Mountain Bolshaya Chuchel (1387) are set in the west, Chatyrdag plateau is in the north. The highest mountain of the Crimea, Mountain Roman-Kosh (1545), is set in the south.

Crimean Mountain National Reserve is one of the first protected Crimean lands. In the times of Russian Empire it was hunting ground of Romanov’s family. After the WW II it became a favorite hunting ground of Soviet leaders, Khruschev and Brezhnev. Today Crimean Reserve protects life of hundreds specimen of rare Crimean flora and fauna.

Trout farm is located in the upper riches of Alma, on the territory of the Crimean Reserve. It was established in 1960 by order of the Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev. Now it counts for more than 3000 trout specimen each year. You will visit trout ponds and learn peculiarities of trout breeding.

This tour will unveil you a new Crimea. You will witness its stunning natural beauty with dramatic mountains and canyons, old-aged forests and crystal clean water. Escape crowds of resort toursts to enjoy tranquility of the Crimean Mountains.
 

The fastest wat to get there is by direct flight to Simferopol or through Kiyv or Odessa.