Grand Canyon of Crimea - Ukraine's largest canyon. Formed in the Upper Jurassic massive (laminated), the limestone under the influence of water erosion of about 1,5 - 2 million years ago at the site of tectonic fractures. Located in the Crimean mountains, 5 km south-east from. Hawkeye Bakhchsarai area AR Krym.Nahoditsya in Kuibyshev forestry. Is the north-eastern boundary of Ai-Petri array, separating it from the array, the Boyko. The depth of the canyon more than 320 m, length 3,5 km wide in some places does not exceed 3 meters altitude lodge canyon about 500-600 meters

Grand Canyon of Crimea relatively "young" - he nearly 2 millions of years. This is part of the Ai-Petri array. When the huge blocks of rock moved, one of them cracked and formed a giant crack. This is the canyon. He lives his own, very slowly "rock" life: the river Auzun Uzen flows along its bottom, leaving a neat gullies similar to the white porcelain sink, and sometimes the walls are broken stones and block up the bottom. When it rains, the river becomes a raging torrent. He tossed the stones run in them like giant pebbles. On the slopes of the canyon are growing hundreds of species of trees, flowers and herbs. Some look so unusual that, passing the canyon, you will feel like in an aquarium: the leaves of ferns, damp moss - all bright, exaggerated green. Canyon slowly changes its shape, but still remains a unique "natural monument".

What rapture occurs? - From the fact that ordinary water can be such a deep emerald green and so clean. Looks like a liquid jewel (if you can imagine). Water, stone and bushes - that forms the canyon. If you go to the canyon from the village of Falcon Bakhchsarai area, you must first walk along the river Kokkozki to Blue Lake, and then you see the river Auzun Uzen, which is derived from the canyon, and one of the largest karst springs of the Crimea. It s called Pania. Generally, in the Crimea over 2000 sources. Crimean Mountains - the domain of so-called "Classical carbonate karst. Water that seeps from the surface into the rock reacts with carbon dioxide, which is contained in the soil. At the same time it acquires the properties of a weak acid that can eat away at the rock. Until the water goes underground and percolates through the rock, it is cleaned, so that in mountain springs - the most delicious water. Karst processes are gradually turning the mountains into the likeness of a sponge or pumice stone. The mountains are penetrated holes, shafts, passages, which builds water. Almost every year cavers discover new caves, and some are already equipped for a visit.

Where the riverbed decreases sharply, waterfalls, and waterfalls are formed, and under them - the so-called evorzionnye boilers, where water falls from the ledge. "The water wears away a stone, and gradually deepens and a boiler into a" bath of youth ". One of the biggest "Bath" is located just near the entrance to the gorge. Usually tour ends here. All with the hooting of jumping into ice water (even in summer - 9-11 degrees), and then just walk through the woods and look up into the cleft canyon. In the floods and heavy rain moving from "Bath youth are prohibited: on the bottom of the canyon rushing muddy stream, who turn the stones. Previously, farmers who lived nearby, was told that at night from the mouth of Auzun Uzen hear the cries, screams and demonic laughter: that devils were celebrating their wedding.

Even if you are not afraid of devils, in no case it is not necessary to spend the night in a canyon. In the gorges dark early, and at night cool air is concentrated in the mainstream, and after midnight, you are likely to wake up from the grave the cold. Another danger - rockfalls. Do not know why any stone, which for decades was hanging over a cliff, he suddenly recovers and falls down. Usually rockfalls occur after heavy rains.

The warmest month on yaylah - July, at least - August. At least in August, less likelihood of rain, which can spoil the trip. The coldest month - February. In January, February and March from the slopes of the Ai-Petri possible avalanches.

When you pass through the canyon, experts advise not to trust the narrow paths that are coming up: they often result in either side of the canyon, or to perpendicular walls. Sometimes the path is easy to confuse a dried-up riverbed. For all the Crimean forests curl these "trails" laid by spring flows. They are more like a ditch than a footpath.

The gorge you can walk to the Kuru-Uzen Basin, and from there go on the path that leads to the Ai-Petri. But you can go into the canyon and the Southern coast, from Yalta. Then, by the way do not miss the waterfall Wuchang-Su.

hike usually takes two days. That is why the bus tour, the tourists are usually brought to the entrance to the gorge, show, tell and take away.

Far from the "bath of youth" is a small but beautiful waterfall Silver (or Silver Jets). Especially impressive it looks in winter, when everything is nestled in snow, and water in a waterfall freezes and it becomes like a harp with strings of glass.