Mari Chaudra National Park: forest paths, rough rivers, ancient oaks

After breakfast, we head straight to the village of Kim, located 17 km from the city center. In this tiny village there is a stylized interactive platform "Una Kudo", a colorful model of the Mari yard. Here visitors tell and show how the Mari people lived, with whom they fought, how they worked, who they prayed to and how they prayed. You should make an appointment for the tour in advance. There is a full (2.5 hours) and simplified (1.5 hours) type of excursion, as well as thematic holidays on certain dates of the year (New Year, Pancake Day). Fun, accessible and very informative!

A 25-minute drive from Kim is the cozy village of Korta. In winter you can go skiing or sledging here, in the remaining months - take a short walk through the picturesque forest to the holy spring. Near the spring, the locals have built a wooden bathhouse, where you can dive into the creek in the warm and cool seasons.

There will be no place for a hearty lunch until the next attraction. I recommend a snack at a cafe at the Sibneft gas station or roadside restaurants nearby.

One of the ways to discover the beauty of the Mari Chaudra National Park is to leave the car near the Maple Mountain sanatorium and head deep into the forest on foot. It can be especially beautiful here in the golden autumn. In the heart of the shady pine forest are hidden springs Green Key and Boiling Square, and a little further flows the river Ilet, which has long been loved by fans of alloys.

Legend has it that once upon a time there was an old Kazansky Trakt, and the detachments of the national hero, rioter Yemelyan Pugachev, set up a halt in the shadow of the oak tree. The 28-meter high giant has become a popular attraction: people come here to make a wish, tie a ribbon for happiness and recharge the energy of the century giant.

Lake Yalchik is one of the most full-flowing and picturesque lakes in Mari El. You can safely come here for the whole day and even for a week: cozy recreation centers offer all conditions for this. In the meantime, let's have a look at the lake for an hour: enjoy the pre-set beauty and finally breathe in the fresh forest air...

Here we are in Kazan! After a long walk in the woods, a serious appetite has played out. On the way to the airport, where you have to leave your car, you will meet hundreds of cafes and restaurants - among them "Ancient Bukhara", a teahouse and a colorful restaurant of authentic Uzbek cuisine.