Protected areas of Russia invite you to travel on boots, canoes and kayaks

In Russia, the demand for travel on water routes is growing. And almost all specially protected natural areas (SPNA) of the country can offer visitors such excursion programs, the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia reported on its website.

“The theme of water routes, which you can usually visit from May to September, is diverse and depends on the specifics of protected areas. The duration and length of such routes - from two to three hours to several days. Most often, both families and those who have been engaged in rafting for a long time and at a fairly high level show interest in this type of recreation. Experts recommend that you sign up for such trips in advance.

During such trips, tourists can admire protected views, get acquainted with rare animals and plants, participate in excursions and master classes, visit nature museums.

For example, the Buzuluksky Bor National Park (Samara, Orenburg Regions) invites you to Borovka Safari rafting.

“During the route, you can watch wild animals in their natural environment: elk and roe deer in watering holes, beavers and muskrats in the water, sea eagles and herons in the air. Tourists are provided with hot meals, overnight stays at the glamping site, and a camping bath,” the Ministry of Natural Resources said.

Here they offer to make a water trip on SUP-boards. Routes of two degrees of difficulty have been developed - for different age groups with different degrees of training.

In the Tungussky Reserve (Krasnoyarsk Territory) there is a route along the Chamba and Khushma rivers. Its length is 210 kilometers, 30 of them run along the Podkamennaya Tunguska River outside the reserve. Tourists travel on wooden shitik boats, adapted for the passage of narrow shallow taiga rivers.

“On the route, you can see the epicenter of the explosion of the Tunguska meteorite, as well as visit the base for the study of this unique phenomenon. Moose and bears come to the banks of the Chamba and Khushma rivers, and whooper swans are numerous,” the report says.

In the Bureinsky nature reserve (Khabarovsk Territory), you can go rafting on catamarans along the Pravaya Bureya River.

“The river has not very difficult conditions for rafting, it flows in a picturesque valley surrounded by high mountains. Particularly impressive are the rapids and rifts, which are whole cascades. Several species of grayling live here, you can meet a bear, an elk, a reindeer, a roe deer in their natural habitat, because a catamaran, unlike a motor boat, does not make any noise,” the report says.

There are several tourist camps and cordons for overnight stay along the route. Before the start of the rafting, you can visit the Umalta molybdenum mine, see the process of gold mining at one of the oldest mines in the Amur region, and also walk the old road along which gold was transported on camels back in the 19th century.

National Park "Meshchersky" (Ryazan region) offers, in particular, the route "Pra Paustovsky", which can be passed on kayaks, kayaking, SUP-boards.

“Guests of the protected area are waiting for fishing, sleeping under the starry sky and food cooked on a fire. The “highlight” of the route is the entry to Cordon 273, which was visited by the famous writer Konstantin Paustovsky,” the Ministry of Natural Resources noted.

A 128-kilometer water excursion route along the Podcherye River has been developed in the Yugyd Va National Park (Komi).

“The main decoration of the route is the rocks stretching along its banks, painted from gray to brick red. On the route, you can climb Mount Tima-iz and see the archaeological site - the sanctuary "Grotto Arka," the department noted.