SIGHTSEEING TOURS AT SOCHI

Sochi, the Southern Capital of Russia

(a sightseeing tour including the Sochi Dendrarium arboretum)

4 hours

You will enjoy the famous landmarks of the popular Sochi resort, and learn about its history:

• explore the historical downtown areas of the city around  Zimny Theatre, the Seaport, Primorsky Bulvar, and the palace-like health-resorts;
• visit the famed in legends Matsesta springs – the heart of Sochi health resort programs;
• visit subtropical Dendrarium arboretum,  which was founded in 1892 by N. Khudekov, a nobleman who invested into the local  replica of Franco-Italian terraced parks of the late 19 century  (for a reasonable fee you can take a cable road up the hill, or you may choose to pay a visit to the new Ballet Museum in the park)

Sochi, a Famous Russian Resort

(a sightseeing tour including Stalin’s Dacha)

4 hours

You will learn about the history of Sochi as a balneological resort:

• explore historical downtown areas of the city around  Zimny Theatre, the Seaport, Primorsky Bulvar, palace-like health resorts;
• visit the famed in legends Matsesta springs – the heart of Sochi health resort programs;
• visit Stalin’s Dacha (a summer residence) which was built for the Soviet leader in a picturesque area of Sochi in the 1930s. Stalin loved Sochi and paid a lot of attention to its resort development. You can have a cup of tea or coffee on Stalin’s favorite terrace.

A Bird’s-Eye View of Sochi

(a sightseeing tour including Mount Akhun)

4 hours

You will drive around the most famous sights of Sochi downtown, hear about its past and present, observe a panoramic view of the city’s outskirts from the tower:

• explore the historical downtown areas of the city around  Zimny Theatre, the Seaport, Primorsky Bulvar, palace-like health resorts;
• visit the famed in legends Matsesta springs – the heart of Sochi health resort programs;
• ascent the tower on the top of Mount Akhun, where you will enjoy  a bird’s-eye view of Sochi’s outscirts. The tower was built in 1936 inspired by the style of Caucasian watchtowers.

Sochi, the Olympic host city

(a sightseeing tour to the Olympic Park including a golf-car ride around the park)

4 hours

You will learn about the Olympic heritage of Sochi:

• ride along a beautiful coastal highway;
• visit the Olympic Park and ride around it on golf-cars, explore the Olympic venues (the Fisht Olympic Stadium, the Bolshoy Ice Dome, the Iceberg Skating Palace, the Shayba Arena, the Adler Arena Skating Centre, the Ice Cube Curling Center, the Sochi Media Centre) and the only Formula One Gran Prix racing circuit in Russia;
• take pictures by the Olympic Cauldron on the Medals’ Plaza, in front of the Wall of champions, the Olympic  Rings, the Olympic Venues.

For a reasonable optional fee you can also visit one of the museums in the Olympic Park or Sochi Autodrom:

• the Museum of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony;
• the Electrical Nicola Tesla Museum;
• the mechanical Leonardo da Vinci Museum;
• Robotic Dinosaurs Exhibition;
• Sochi Autodrom.

In the evening (on the schedule) you can enjoy the Waters of the Olympic Park show with the choreographed fountain and lights displays set to the world-famous orchestral music of Russian composers. Unforgettable impressions and amazing photos guaranteed!

Mysterious Zmeikovskie waterfalls

(a suburban tour with a three-hour-2 km walk)

4 hours

You will visit waterfalls in the valley of the famed in legends Matsesta river. During the tour you will:

• learn about the curative nature of the Matsesta springs  (your way to the waterfalls will run along the river);
• walk in the Colchian forest in the Sochi National Park along rather a steep tourist path;
• admire five big waterfalls, compare them to the  world-famous Niagara Falls, Angel Falls, Victoria waterfalls.

Tea Houses

(the tour includes a tea party and a folk music performance)

5 hours

An unforgettable trip to the Tea plantations in Dagomys, where the history of the Russian tea, the northernmost tea plantations in the world, began:

• you will walk around tea plantations, learn about the history of tea cultivation in Sochi, tea harvesting and tea processing;
• visit a pretty wooden tea house in a Caucasian forest;
• have a nice cup of tea and a tea party with fruit, nuts, pies, honey and jam made of tropical fruits (figs and feijoa);
• enjoy a  live music performance of a Russian folk group.

Sochi as the Winter Olympics 2014 host city

(a guided sightseeing tour of Sochi downtown, the Olympic park, and a golf-car ride)

6 hours

A guided sightseeing tour around the center of Sochi and the coastal Olympic legacy venues:

• landmarks in the historical center of Sochi: Winter Theater, the Sea port, the seafront Primorsky boulevard, palace-like health-resort facilities;
• a picturesque seaside drive;
• a walk in the Olympic park and a ride on golf cars – to see the sights of the Olympic venues (the Fisht Olympic Stadium, the Bolshoy Ice Dome, the Iceberg Skating Palace, and the Shayba Arena; the Adler Arena Skating Center, the Ice Cube Curling Center, the Main Media Center) and the only Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix Racing Circuit;
• photo spot by the Olympic Cauldron on the Medal Plaza, near the Wall of Champions, the Olympic rings, and the Olympic venues, the highlight of this tour.

The magnificent fountain at the foot of the Olympic Cauldron is the site for the scheduled Waters of the Olympic Park show (in the darkness) with the choreographed fountain and light displays set to the world-famous orchestral music of Russian composers. We guarantee you an unforgettable experience and splendid pictures!

Olympic Sochi and Skypark

(a city tour with a scenic drive to the Olympic park and the Skypark)

6 hours

A tour around the Olympic venues of Sochi and to the Post-Olympic unique adventure park:

• a highway drive along the ­picturesque seaside;
• sights of the Olympic park and its venues – the Fisht Olympic Stadium, the Bolshoy Ice Dome, the Iceberg Skating Palace, and the Shayba Arena; the Adler Arena Skating Center, the Ice Cube Curling Center, the Main Media Center,  the only Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix Racing Circuit and a unique Sochi Park theme park;
• a photo spot for taking memorable pictures of the Olympic Cauldron and ice palaces - one of the tour’s en route highlights;
• a scenic drive in magnificent mountains;
• a photo spot in Akh-Tsu Gorge, which is the divide between the littoral area of the city and the West Caucasus Mountains
• AJ Hackett Skypark Sochi, a unique adventure park and a skywalk along the longest suspension bridge – the Skybridge (207 m high, 439 m long);
• a special offer to the most adventurous visitors – the Skypark highlights (budgy-jumps from the “Bungy-69” and “Bungy-207” bridges, ride on SochiSwing, ride on MegaTroll) -  for an optional fee.

Caucasian Beauty

(a suburban tour and a trout farm)

6 hours

A highway ride along the beautiful valley of the Mzymta river – the longest in West Caucasus:

• Ahshtyr Canyon, and its caves where ancient men once lived;
• a photo stop in Akh-Tsu Gorge with a majestic panoramic view of the Caucasus Mountains;
• a visit to Adler trout farm  – the biggest trout-breeding farm in Russia and one of the biggest ones in Europe, founded in 1964 for research and reproduction of trout;
• a visit to the glass blower studio to watch the production of glass items;
• a trout menu at dinner.

At a bee farm

(a suburban tour to an apiary, and apiary products tasting)

6 hours

A tour to a Caucasian apiary, to discover the secret life of bees and talk about bee-farming:

• a picturesque drive along Caucasian forests in the mountains and gorges, along the Mzymta river canyons and valley;
• visit of Gamzat, the apiarist; his hospitality and stories will definitely impress you;
• tasting the apiary food products – honey, mead, saloop, etc.;
• optional on a gourmet request – a Caucasian barbeque lunch.

Please note that you are welcome to purchase local organic apiary products on this tour.

Valley of legends and 33 waterfalls

(a suburban tour on a off-roader and a museum to visit)

7 hours

A guided suburban tour around Lazarevsky District to one of the most remarkable places on the Black Sea coast of Caucasus – a natural landmark called the 33 Wwaterfalls on Dzhegosh Stream»:

• a walk to the magnificent tulip tree (whitewood) in Golovinka – Liriodendron tulipifera: it takes more than 10 people to embrace the trunk of this tree;
• learn about  Caucasian ethnic cultures, the way back when lifestyles on the local seaside, visit the ethnographic museum, take pictures of Circassian national costumes;
• a tea party – local tea (black or green) served with honey;
• an off-roader ride in the Shakhe river bed – the biggest river in Lazarevsky District;
• a walk to the falls of the Dzhegosh stream – 33 waterfalls, 7 rapids and 13 rifts;
• optional – a barbeque dinner and homemade wine.

Krasnaya Polyana – a new alpine resort

(a suburban tour and a cable road trip)

8 hours

The now world-famous settlement of Krasnaya Polyana lies only 50 km from the seashore, up in the Caucasus mountains, in the valley of the magnificent Mzymta river, and it welcomes its visitors on an astounding journey along the highway that crosses the breathtaking canyons and gorges:

• a drive along a new highway – part of the Olympic legacy;
• sights  of the Olympic mountain venues – a ski-jumping complex, new ski resorts, a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton venue;
• a journey in a cable gondola lift over one of the most innovative and modern alpine ski resorts in Krasnaya Polyana;
• a delicious dinner at a restaurant.

Optional delights available during the tour:

• rides on cable cars (of various travel time and duration) to a ski resort of your choice: Gazprom, Rosa Khutor, Gorki Gorod;
• food tasting of the Gifts of Krasnaya Polyana  series - herbal liqueurs, infusions, balmy herbal blends, that have won noble prizes at international exhibitions
• Wildlife Aviary & Yard complex in the Caucasian reserve;
• Water amusements park (at Galaxy Centre or Gorny Plyazh swimming centers);
• Museum of Astronautics, interactive zones, ice rink, etc. at Galaxy Center;
• rope tie adventure parks (Panda Park, Gorky Gorod, Wildlife Complex);
• Wonderland Park in Rosa Khutor;
• My Russia ethnographic park;
• walking / horseriding / biking tours along mountain paths and tracks;
• strike ball,
• other activities.