Rufabgo stream waterfalls. Adygea
The river (or stream) Rufabgo is a left tributary of the Belaya River, about 17 km long. The Rufabgo originates on the northern slope of the Azishsky ridge and flows into the Belaya 2 km above the village of Kamennomostsky.
According to legend, Rufabgo was the name of a giant who once lived in these places. He was angry and fierce, and his name meant “mad, obstinate.” There is also a version that this is a distorted Adyghe word “syryfybg”, which is translated as “white hill (hill)”, due to the abundance of foaming (white) waterfalls. According to other sources, the name is altered from “gufabgo (gufebgu)”, which literally means “nine that fit side by side” - based on the number of nine main waterfalls.
To see Rufabgo you need to cross the bridge over the canyon of the Belaya River in the village of Kamennomostsky, turn left and climb along the bank upstream. From the gorge on the left you can hear the sound of water, and on the right there rises a steep wall hanging over the path.
Rufabgo is approximately 2 km from here. The path winds through a fairly dense forest in the shade of hornbeams, oaks, maples and elms entwined with vines and spitting.
The stream is known primarily for its waterfalls, as well as the variety of rocks from different geological periods that emerge on the surface. Here you can see gray thin-slab marbleized limestones of the Lower Triassic, which were formed 180-170 million years ago. Upstream, pink granodiorites come to the surface. The upper parts of the valley slopes are composed of light gray and white Upper Jurassic limestones 130-120 million years old.
Due to the fact that Rufabgo crosses rocks of different hardness and bedding conditions on its way, the channel either expands or narrows, forming waterfalls of various shapes and heights. The river flows through a canyon, the depth of which near the mouth reaches 160 m.
The main attraction of these places, of course, are the waterfalls, of which there are 15 on Rufabgo. Most often, tourists visit the first five, which are the largest and most spectacular.
The first of the waterfalls, called “Noise,” is located just 15 minutes from the Hadzhokh (Kammenomostsky) - Dakhovskaya highway. Its name speaks for itself - from a height of about 5 m, streams of water fall noisily into a small lake.
Further the trail wanders through a gorge, a forest thicket and rubble of stones. The second waterfall is more modest than the first; some people pass it without even noticing it. But it is no less beautiful and there are no crowds of tourists nearby.
But no one will pass by the third waterfall. The bed of the stream in this place is blocked by a huge block of stone, shaped like a human heart. On the right, a thin stream breaks into a deep gorge, the rocks of which are densely overgrown with moss and reflect a mysterious echo from any sound. This waterfall is called "Heart of Rufabgo". According to legend, the evil giant kept local residents in fear, and took the most beautiful girls as tribute. Many wanted to kill him, but this was impossible, since the severed hand or head immediately appeared again in the giant. But one day the brave and dexterous young man Khodzhokh met in the mountains a wise old man named Mezmay, who listened to him and gave him a leather bag of powder. The elder explained to the young man that he needed to approach Rufabgo from the windward side and pour out the powder from which a cloud would form. Once in this cloud, Rufabgo will no longer see, and at this moment it is necessary to cut open his chest, take out his heart and throw it as far as possible. This is how the brave Khojokh defeated the evil giant. And Rufabgo’s heart, abandoned in the gorge, petrified and turned into a huge boulder. After heavy rains, the stream here turns brownish-red from washed-out clay and it seems as if blood is flowing from a huge heart.
Here the stream falls like a thin ribbon from a 15-meter height into a small but quite deep waterfall cauldron.
From the height of the upper ledge, the lake below seems serene against the backdrop of stormy, falling water.
In this bowl, the water slowly spins, then reaches the edge of the ledge and cascades down along the edges of thin layers of limestone, as if along steps.
To the right of the Lace you can find a thick log with metal pins replacing steps. If you climb up, there is a path on the left with almost vertical ascents and slippery descents. This path will lead to the place where Rufabgo merges with its tributary - the Bachurin stream. In this place there is a high rock, surrounded on three sides by a stone monolith. At the top of the cliff you can see a practically destroyed fortress, and among the fragments of rocks and various stone piles there is a very beautiful two-tier waterfall “Maiden’s Braids”.
The next waterfall can be reached by several paths passing over boulders on both sides of the stream.
At the end of the path, the Cup of Love waterfall gurgles. A huge boulder hangs over this waterfall, forming a small niche in the lower part, in which you can even wait out the rain if necessary.
2 more days of radials from Hadzhokh:
1. Mezmaisky stream, Batareynaya town, Saxophone and Dukhan caves, Aminovka river waterfalls(or how I screwed up on Aminovka)
2. Waterfalls of the Aminovka river, upper waterfalls of the Rufabgo river and Bachurin stream(or Aminovka - part 2 - From the mouth to the caves) 
1. Mezmaisky stream, Batareynaya town, Saxophone and Dukhan caves, Aminovka river waterfalls
- Track - Khadzhokh - Mezmaisky stream - Batareinaya town - caves Saxophone And Dukhan - Aminovka r.
- Hadjoh- click to open kml in Google Map
(it’s better not to use the northern track called LAZHA!)
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Got up at 8:00 and left at 10:00. I walked to the AD bridge across the Khadzhokh gorge, crossed it to the Belaya LB and then up to the Mezmaysky stream.
1. Belaya river - up the LB from Hadzhokh 
2.
3.
4. Una-Koz ridge on PB 
16. On the road from the Turkish Bazaar to the town of Batareinaya there is a clearing with a wild pear. In September it’s not quite ripe yet, but you can eat it. 
17. View of the city of Batareinaya 
18.
19. View of the Quarry 
20. Hadjokh 
I had a snack on Batareinaya and went to the Dukhan and Saxophone caves in the upper reaches of Aminovka.
21. Flowers along the road. 
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23. Entrance to the village of Dukhan on one of the right tributaries of the upper Aminovka. 
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27. Fork 
28. There is a dead end to the right, I go left. 
29. And another fork, and again to the left. 
30. You can go a little more... 
32. Crawling in icy water without the appropriate equipment is something that breaks me - I’m heading out. 
33.
34. I got out of the cave and went down the LB of the tributary, then turned onto the path towards Aminovka. The path leads to the parking lot and then to the next cave. 
Got up at 7:00 and left at 9:00. I crossed the Belaya River via a suspension bridge and at 9:15 I was at the mouth of Aminovka. It took about 30 minutes to reach the exit from Khadzhokh up the riverbed ~1.5 km. In fact, before the exit from Khadzhokh there is nothing interesting in the riverbed - garbage, dams, fences, dogs... It’s better to go through this section from the bridge by roads, it will work out ~ 2-2.5 km - a little easier and faster than along the riverbed.
1. Dam in the riverbed of Aminovka on the territory of Khadzhokh. 
2. Waterfalls of Aminovka and its tributaries. 
3. A small parking lot at the waterfall, which I observed earlier from LB. 
4. Bypass/ascent along the PB. 
5. In the same place, left tributary. 
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14. A piece of the shore broke off - it turned out to be a small grotto. 
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16. 1 more grotto next to the tributary. 
17. Such crap lives in the leaves. 
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20. Parking at LB. 
21. At the end of the ascent along Aminovka you will have to walk through the rubble along the PB. 
22. Two little people under the mushrooms are missing here. 
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24. The path from Khadzhokh to the cliff with a grotto and waterfall near the caves took me 4h15m. There I found a jar of saury, hamstered it and walked past the Saxophone and Dukhan caves, described above, along the road that turns into the Bachurina stream, to look at the upper waterfalls of Rufabgo and Bachurina. 
Not reaching 500m before the confluence of the Bachurin stream into Rufabgo, I turned south at a fork. I walked along the road along the LB Rufabgo and went down into the gorge just above the vdp. Cup of Love
25. I decided to first go up the riverbed, and then return and go to the Chalice of Love. 
26.
27. Parking in a grotto on LB Rufabgo just above the vdp. Cup of Love. 
28. Cozy 
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31. Here I was making my way along the wall, slipped and hung on a branch on the left - in general, I don’t recommend it. 
33. Vdp. Cup of Love - top view. You can’t go down without special equipment, you need to go around the LB. 
I got out to LB Rufabgo and followed the path through the Watchtower rock to the descent into the Bachurin stream. I walked down the Bachurina stream and further along Rufabgo, examining several more small waterfalls.
34. Well, it’s twilight again, in an hour, closer to 7, it will get completely dark. 
Waterfalls of the Rufabgo river from the mouth to the waterfall. Bowl of Love (from below).
I will describe here how to pass in 1 full day the Khadzhokh Gorge, all the Rufabgo and Bachurina waterfalls, the Skvoznaya cave and, if there is time, the Khadzhokh Pillars and the Mezmaysky Stream:
1. Cross the suspension bridge to the LB of the Belaya river, and up along the riverbed to the Khadzhokh gorge - we pass the gorge.
2.1. We rise from the gorge to the “Turkish Bazaar” fork. From the fork along the forest road to the fork at the Bachurina stream.
2.1.1. We rise from the gorge to the “Turkish Bazaar” fork. From the fork along the forest road, behind the bridge over the Mezmaisky stream, turn left - onto the path along the PB stream to the cliff in front of the Belaya river...
OR
2.1.2. Walk from the gorge along the bottom to the mouth of the Mezmaysky stream and make your way up the riverbed until it approaches the trail along the PB. Further along this path go to the cliff in front of the Belaya River...
Walk along the cliff until it approaches the forest road and along the road to the fork at the Bachurina stream. - there should be observation points on the Belaya River and the Una-Koz ridge, and you can also look at Skvoznaya village from above.
- I didn’t walk along the cliff at all, but I can assume that there is a path there (option 2.1.2 may take too much time, which will not be enough later)
3. From the Bachurin stream along the road 350m to the SE, then another 1-1.5 km to the SW. There you can already descend into the Rufabgo gorge. Along the riverbed we go down to the Chalice of Love (in some places it is very difficult to pass there), then along the path through the Sotorozhevaya rock to the descent to the Bachurina stream or to the fork at the Bachurina stream. Or simply return along the road to the fork at the Bachurina stream.
4. We go down the stream to the Rufabgo river and go up it to look at the Chalice of Love from below.
5. Return to the mouth of the Bachurina stream and further down the Rufabgo bed to the point “Rise to Skvoznaya” at a small parking lot on the Rufabgo LB, between the Shum waterfall and the bridge over the Belaya river - from it along the marked path up and to Skvoznaya village .
6. Back to the Rufabgo channel and down to the mouth, there you can walk along the bank of the Belaya River and go to the bridge.
7. If you have time, you can look for a path there and walk to the Khadzhokh pillars and back.
- I never found the time to go to the Khadzhokh pillars, I can only assume that there is a path to them somewhere near the mouth of the Rufabgo River.
8. From the mouth of Rufabgo along the lower path along the Belaya riverbed past the mouth of the Mezmaysky stream to Khadzhokh.
9. If there is time left, which is unlikely, you can “walk” up the bed of the Mezmaysky stream until it approaches the path along the PB, along this path you can reach the forest road to Khadzhokh.
It is advisable to go to the Khadzhokh Gorge, the Rufabgo River and the Bachurin Stream on a weekday - there are countless people there on a busy day!
Tracks:
1."Khadzhokh.T-Rufabgo" - Khadzhokh gorge from the suspension bridge, past the Mezmaisky stream to the mouth of the Rufabgo river, lower Rufabgo waterfalls, approaches to Skvoznaya village.
2. "Mezmaisky-Aminovka" - from the upper reaches of the Aminovka river through the Saxophone and Dukhan caves to the city of Batareinaya, Mezmaisky stream.
3. "On Bachurin" - the upper road from Khadzhokh to the fork on the Bachurina stream.
4. "Aminovka+Rufabgo" - from the mouth to the upper reaches of Aminovka, through the caves Saxophone and Doohan to the fork on the Bachurina stream, upper Rufabgo waterfalls, Watchman rock, Bachurina stream, Rufabgo, upper trail to Khadzhokh.
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The waterfalls of the Bolshoy Rufabgo stream are located in Adygea, 2 km from the village of Kamennomostsky, upstream of the Belaya River. The most popular among tourists is the gorge of the Rufabgo stream with famous waterfalls Rufabgo.
They are located two kilometers from Khadzhokh (Republic of Adygea). Hundreds of tourists come here on weekends to take a break from the bustle of the city, admire the surrounding beauty, and stock up on energy from the great Nature.
The walk to the Rufabgo waterfalls begins from the bridge over the Belaya River. There is usually a large concentration of vehicles in front of the bridge, especially on weekends. Once on the bridge, a person feels an involuntary thrill - the power and beauty of the Belaya River is so amazing.
Huge flat stone blocks lie along the edges of the water stream, as if trying to squeeze it in their vice. A light gust of cool breeze encourages the perception of a different, unusual reality. From the bridge you can see the Three Brothers waterfall, in the place where Rufabgo (Bachurina) flows into the Belaya River.
But this waterfall is not considered the first due to the fact that when there was no bridge yet, and the path to the waterfalls led from the Khadzhokh Gorge, it went straight to the next waterfall, which was always considered the first.
But the Three Brothers waterfall was simply not visited. This is why there was some confusion in the names of the waterfalls.
Waterfall "Heart of Rufabgo"
Once on the other side of the river, you find yourself in a once spacious clearing, surrounded by a beech forest. Now the clearing is built up with small cafes, strange attractions, small gazebos for relaxation and stalls for selling souvenirs.
Although, it must be said, the clearing was inhabited by people several thousand years ago. There is a network of ancient earthen mounds here.
The Rufabgo stream is a left tributary of the Belaya River, about 17 km long, originating on the northern slope of the Azish ridge. Creek Valley - interesting natural monument. Rocks from different geological periods are found here.
Along the riverbed, the stream crosses rocks of different hardness and bedding conditions; it sometimes expands, sometimes narrows, and along its path forms up to 15 waterfalls, varying in shape and size. Rufabgo has one large left tributary - the Bachurina stream, which flows into Rufabgo 3 km above the mouth.
At the confluence, traces of settlements from the Paleolithic and late Middle Ages were found. The most interesting and visited part is the lower part of the Rufabgo.
In this place, the river flows in a deep gorge with steep slopes up to 160 meters high or more, which at the top end with sheer rock walls, the so-called cuestas.
When it rains or the snow melts, a peacefully sparkling stream can turn into a formidable stream, turning over boulders and trees, which is why the stream was named Rufabgo, which translated from Adyghe means “mad”, “obstinate”.
Behind the far edge of the forest clearing there is a descent to the first waterfall called “Noise.” The descent is equipped with a metal staircase. In general, it must be said that approximately half of the route is well equipped for an easy walk along the stream valley - there are paved paths, bridges, platforms, and fences.
From the “Noise” waterfall to the second one called “Cascade” or “Malysh” it is about 900 meters. A slow walk along a shady fairy-tale road saturates the body with energy. The forest is rustling around, there are yew, rhododendron, Colchian ivy, and holly. The second waterfall is not large and consists of a cascade of three small waterfalls.
You can pass it without noticing. But, already approaching the third waterfall, with beautiful name"Heart of Rufabgo", you get to the very unique place gorges. This waterfall is almost always gloomy. A huge block of stone, forged by nature in the shape of a giant heart, blocks the riverbed.
On the right side, a narrow stream of water breaks into a picturesque deep gorge. The rocks of the gorge, composed of horizontally lying slabs of limestone, are overgrown with mosses and fill the space with a mysterious echo.
According to legend, the brave horseman Khadzhokh, having defeated the cruel giant Rufabgo in single combat, pulled his heart out of his chest and threw it into a stream. It petrified, blocking the stream and forming a waterfall. This part of the Rufabgo Gorge is very similar to the Guam Gorge.
Behind this waterfall the gorge widens and an amazing view opens up. From the height of a five-story building, water falls in a narrow and long ribbon. There is a small lake under the waterfall. This waterfall has two names: "Lace" and "Maiden's Braid".
The left bank of the stream in this place is framed by a huge rock; its wall consists of many layers of rocky flagstone. The overflow of water from the waterfall creates the unique sound of this natural musical instrument.
The steep walls of this deep gorge have good acoustics. The eternal music of nature is impressive and makes you want to visit these places again and again. Then the path jumps over a stream and rises steeply up the steps of an almost vertical wall.
A few minutes’ walk after the “Lace” waterfall, the trail leads to the confluence of Rufabgo and Bachurin. There is a high rock here that separates them. Rufabgo goes to the left.
If you follow the marked path in this place, you may not even notice the confluence, since the path goes up, skirting rock formations, and then descends above the confluence of two streams.
Very interesting place located at the rock separating the streams from the Rufabgo side - a huge, incredibly sized stone slab rested against the rock, forming a through passage.
This is the Parus rock, covered with a thick soft carpet of Colchis ivy.
There is also a path through the passage, which you can then follow down to the Rufabgo stream. On three sides the rock ends with a monolithic wall. On the flat top of the rock is located ancient fortress. The remains of fortifications allow us to judge its inaccessibility.
Many tourists finish exploring the waterfalls by visiting the “Lace” waterfall, not realizing that the most beautiful cascade of waterfalls is ahead. The distance between the “Lace” and the subsequent waterfall is approximately 800 meters. Overcoming piles and labyrinths of boulders, as well as a fairly recent rockfall, the trail leads to a two-tiered cascade of waterfalls.
First there is the magnificent waterfall “Bowl of Love”. The place near this waterfall is marked by special beauty. There are no sad people at waterfalls. Here all pressing problems are forgotten.
Crystal streams of falling, thundering water carry the cosmic energy of the sun and wind, the coolness of mountain glaciers and the freshness of forests.
The name of the waterfall comes from a drip spring that once fell from a high cliff into an openwork stone bowl, which the spring itself carved into stone. Unfortunately, this spring no longer exists, although different places individual drops still fall from the rocks from a great height. But somehow the cup disappeared.
The last waterfall is located literally 50 meters upstream Rufabgo, it is visible from the “Bowl of Love”, but not everyone dares to get to it - the low but steep cliff is a serious obstacle for many. To try to climb up the cliff, the tourists themselves set up thick wooden sticks - try it, and you won’t regret it.
Returning back to the Shum waterfall, those who are willing and physically prepared can visit the Skvoznaya cave. Near the descent to the waterfall, an inconspicuous path goes off to the right (marked with red and white markers), which rises steeply. The climb stretches for about 300 meters to a stone wall.
Having risen to it, you need to turn left and walk another 100 meters. According to legend, this cave is the former home of Rufabgo. The huge entrance to the cave is amazing; truly, a giant should have lived here.
Here you can come into contact with eternity and feel the magical forces of nature that continue to operate to this day.
At any time of the year, the waterfalls are beautiful and each of them is a unique and inimitable sculpture of nature. Never repeating herself, she creates these amazing creations.
In summer, penetrated by the rays of the sun, the waterfalls shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow. In spring they are full of water, muddy, and their continuous roar can be heard from afar.
In autumn they are quiet, thoughtful, shallow. The lakes next to the waterfalls are covered with fallen golden leaves, creating multi-colored amazing patterns of a mirror kaleidoscope.
Winter is the kingdom Snow Queen. Bastions of ice made of huge icicles. Crystal giant organ. Water, pulsating in the ice labyrinths, produces divine sounds of different tones. True connoisseurs of unusual beauty visit this place every year. fairy world.
Enriching themselves spiritually, distracting themselves from pressing worries and problems, they absorb this earthly energy. natural beauty, strength and health.
The Rufabgo waterfalls are located - one of the most picturesque and famous attractions of the Republic of Adygea. A few kilometers from here stands the village of Kamennomostsky, also known as Khadzhokh. This is where most of it comes from. tourist routes republics.
Maiden's Spit, top view of the waterfall, March
Shum Waterfall, March
The section of the Rufabgo River that flows through a deep gorge surrounded by rocky slopes, which become inaccessible cliffs as the height increases, is extremely popular among tourists. There are a dozen waterfalls here, the most picturesque of which are such waterfalls as Lace, Bowl of Love, Heart of Rufabgo, Maiden Braids, Noise and Cascade.
There are two ways to get to Rufabgo waterfalls. Free, runs along the Belaya River starting not far from. Or pay to cross the bridge, which offers a wonderful view of a small waterfall called the Three Brothers. It is sometimes called Rufabgo Zero Falls. Behind this waterfall there is a cozy clearing with gazebos, souvenir shops, cafes and attractions.
Waterfall "Noise"
Shum Waterfall, March
Shum Waterfall, March
Shum Waterfall, July
After passing through the clearing, you will see the first of the ten main waterfalls - the “Noise” waterfall.
Cascade Waterfall
Cascade Waterfall, March
Cascade Waterfall, July
Cascade Waterfall, February
As you continue walking, you will soon hear a continuous stream of water falling from the slope, and then you will see the picture itself. This is a small but extremely beautiful Cascade waterfall, consisting of several small steps.
Waterfall "Heart of Rufabgo"
At the end of the gorge - the Heart of Rufabgo waterfall
On the way to the Heart of Rufabgo waterfall
Undoubtedly, the most majestic of all the Rufabgo waterfalls is the third waterfall of the gorge, called the “Heart of Rufabgo”. It received this name for the shape of the rock, from under which a huge stream of cold water falls.
Waterfall "Maiden's Braid"
Maiden's Spit waterfall, July
View from the Maiden's Spit waterfall, July
Maiden's Spit waterfall, March
Maiden's Spit waterfall, March
Maiden's Spit waterfall, March
Maiden's Spit, top view of the waterfall, March
After the “Heart of Rufabgo”, the highest of the Rufabgo waterfalls will appear before your eyes - “Maiden’s Braid” (another name is “Lace”), the height of which is about 20 meters.
Here the section of the trail equipped for visitors ends and to see the rest of the waterfalls, you will have to climb 900 meters along a not so convenient trail. For those who overcome the difficult climb, the reward will be two waterfalls at once - “Maiden Braids” and “Cup of Love”. In this place, from a height of five meters, streams flow from the rocks into a bowl created by nature itself. pure water. And literally 40 meters from the “Chalice”, flowing in gentle curves, the waters of the river intertwine into the beautiful “Maiden Braids”.
Picturesque bridge
Bridge on Rufabgo Falls Trail, February
Legend
Any beautiful tourist site must have its own legend. And Rufabgo waterfalls are no exception. There is a legend about the evil giant sorcerer Rufabgo and the beautiful young man Khadzhokh. According to legend, Rufabgo once lived in Here he performed secret rituals, maintaining contact with evil spirits who granted Rufabgo remarkable strength and magical abilities. Thanks to these forces, many surrounding villages were enslaved by him. In each captured village, the evil Rufabgo took the most beautiful girl, and brutally dealt with those who tried to defend the peasants. In one of the settlements there lived a beautiful girl who loved the slender young man Khadzhokh. Hadjoh knew about Rufabgo and was afraid that one day he would come for his beloved.
To prevent this, the young man decided to find a kind sorcerer named Mezmay, who lived somewhere in the mountains of Adygea. When Khadzhokh came to the wizard, Mezmay told him that there was only one way to defeat the evil Rufabgo. To do this, you need to drive up to it from the leeward side and scatter the miraculous powder, from which a cloud is formed that disorients the giant. At this moment, you should cut out the heart from his chest and throw it away. Hadjokh thanked Mezmay, took the magic powder from him and went to the cave where Rufabgo lived. There Khadzhokh challenged the giant to a duel. Hearing this, Rufabgo laughed, because he had already defeated many such brave men. The opponents moved into the valley. But the overweight Rufabgo got stuck in the ground, soaked by the recent rain. Then Khadzhokh jumped up to the giant and poured out the powder, which immediately disoriented him. Without wasting a minute, the young man raised his sword, cut open the chest of his enemy, tore out a huge heart from there and threw it as fast as he could into the distance. The heart fell into a gorge in the path of a fast mountain stream, blocking its path. Over time, it petrified, and the resulting waterfall was called the Heart of Rufabgo. Since then, when spring showers erode the surrounding clay and the water acquires a reddish tint, local residents they say that it is the greedy heart of the giant Rufabgo that bleeds.
Cave "Through"
Near the descent to the Shum waterfall, the path leads up, this is the path to the Skvoznoy cave.
Rufabgo waterfalls in winter
In winter the route becomes fabulous. And in severe frosts, even waterfalls freeze.
Another star attraction of Hadjokh is the magnificent Rufabgo waterfalls. 7 of the 15 Rufabgo waterfalls are easily accessible, plus you can make a short detour and walk to the waterfall on the Bachurina stream. All this splendor is located a couple of kilometers south of Kamennomostsky. This place is very popular and on weekends the waterfalls are crowded with cars and tourist buses.
There are always a lot of people on the trail. The energy here is simply amazing, nature has endowed this area with Caucasus Mountains amazing beauty. Rufabgo stream in its downstream framed by steep cliffs up to 150 meters high and is of greatest interest, since all the largest and beautiful waterfalls concentrated here. The trail to the “Lace” waterfall is fully equipped: steps, railings, trash cans. You can safely take even small children with you; many, by the way, did so.
At the very mouth of Rufabgo there is the “Three Brothers” waterfall, I was not there, but headed straight to the six-meter “Noise”, which is considered the first waterfall of Rufabgo.
The path from “Noise” to the next waterfall “Malysh” or “Cascade” is perhaps the most eventful and picturesque. The trail goes along the very bottom of the gorge, and sheer cliffs rise to the left and right...
Flowers on the rocks.
The stream lives by rapids and riffles.
And frogs live in the stream.
And you live with all this beauty!!! With all these things going on, the main thing is not to miss “Baby”, here he is, lurking in three stages, ours!
Many people offend him, don’t notice him and go straight to the third waterfall “Heart of Rufabgo”. It's gloomy, mysterious and very picturesque here. Legend has it that once upon a time there lived a glorious young man Khadzhokh, who, with the help of the wizard Mezmay, killed the giant hooligan Rufabgo, took his heart out of his chest and threw it into a stream. Subsequently, the heart turned to stone and a waterfall formed.
Behind the “Heart of Rufabgo” the walls of the gorge recede and form a huge stone bag, where the “Lace” waterfall falls from a 15-meter height. In my opinion, this is the most spectacular of the Rufabgo waterfalls!
To the right of the “Lace” there is a steeply upward path to distant waterfalls. It is no longer equipped, but marked. It is not difficult to get through it. But... um, let’s just say that most people get stuck on the “Lace” and don’t go any further.
And to put it bluntly, the gray mass is lazy, cranky, comes up with excuses for themselves and others, and sets off on their way back. And this is good! Then the crowd becomes significantly smaller, and the number of interesting characters among them increases noticeably. After a hundred meters along the path to the right, a steep climb “With light steam” begins, and the path to the waterfall goes to the other side of the stream to the left. Soon a tributary flows into Rufabgo - the Bachurin stream. At their confluence there is a huge rock “Sail”. It’s impossible to take a photo of it completely, I just grabbed the edge.
I walked up the Bachurin stream a little and came across a stone bag with a waterfall.
Then I returned to Parus again and continued climbing Rufabgo. After 200 meters I came to the tandem waterfalls “Bowl of Love” and “Maiden Braids”. The distance between them is only 40-50 meters. There are parking areas and the remains of fire pits. In general, many people come here with backpacks, tents and spend the night in these amazing places. The energy is just crazy - you forget about everything in the world and just sit, meditate, contemplate the waterfall. If I happen to visit here again, I’ll definitely take some gear and spend the night right next to the waterfall...
Fifth waterfall “Bowl of Love”.
To get to the sixth waterfall you need to climb a leaning log onto a 4-meter ledge. This is not as difficult as it seems - there are grooves on the log for support with your feet. Behind the “Cup of Love” are the 9-meter “Maiden Braids”. The light here is very difficult for photography. The best shots can be taken just after sunrise. In general, I recommend photographers to visit Rufabgo waterfalls in the first half of the day, the earlier the better. After lunch, the light in most areas becomes backlit.
Free penetration
There are two ways to get to the waterfalls. Paid by paying 400 rubles (child ticket - 200) at the ticket office at the bridge over the Belaya River. And for free, walking from the Khadzhokh Gorge along a well-trodden path a couple of kilometers upstream of the Belaya. The advantages of the free route, in addition to the money saved, are that along the way you can admire Belaya. The cliff to which will be on your left.
And on the rocks hanging above you, which will be on the right.
Then the path will go through a picturesque beech forest and come out onto the main trail of the Rufabgo waterfalls, marked like this.
1. As I already wrote, there is a path that bypasses the ticket office, I marked its beginning on the map.
2.
It is convenient to combine Rufabgo waterfalls with a sightseeing tour. In this case, you will need to spend the night in. Hotels where you can look in advance
3.
The travel agency offers a bright and eventful trip to Adygea, the program of which includes going down a waterfall in a wetsuit - the so-called canyoning.