33 waterfalls

33 waterfalls is an unusual mountain gorge in the Lazarevsky district of Sochi. As the name implies, the main attraction of the gorge are waterfalls, some up to ten meters high.

The cascade "Thirty-three Waterfalls" is located on the Dzhegosh stream, which flows into the Shakhe River. The stream, descending from the mountain, forms many waterfalls. Its length is about five hundred meters, but during this distance it overcomes 13 rapids and 7 cataracts, which form 33 waterfalls. The stream originates on the ridge from the spring that gave the stream its name. The stream flows through an oak grove, in which you can also see maples, alders, hornbeam, ferns, Colchian lianas, Pontic needles. Another attraction of the gorge grows nearby - a tulip tree, over 700 years old. There are very few such old tulip trees, and you can count them on your fingers.

The legend of the origin of waterfalls

Locals tell all tourists a beautiful Adyghe legend about waterfalls. A long time ago, many people engaged in agriculture lived along the Shakhe River. But suddenly, out of nowhere, a cruel giant appeared, destroying villages, people, crops and livestock. Then the inhabitants of the valley gathered, and began to ponder how to lime the giant. We decided to gather the bravest and strongest men, and draw lots between them to find out who will go to battle. The lot fell to Gooch (Iron). He was the son of a blacksmith and a good hunter. He began to think about how to destroy the giant, but he couldn't figure it out, so he went to bed. At night, he dreamed of his grandfather, who advised him to put honey in the places where the giant walks to anger the bees. The next morning, Gooch did just that. The giant saw a barrel of honey and immediately ate it, but he did not see how a swarm of bees gathered over him. They began to sting him furiously, and the giant ran uphill, breaking boulders and tearing up the ground with his feet. He took 33 steps, but a young man was waiting for him at the top of the mountain and killed the giant with a powerful blow of his blade. He fell on a rock, breaking it into 2 pieces, and from the crack, following the giant's footsteps, the purest water flowed to the bed of the Shakhe River.

A visit to 33 waterfalls is part of the Valley of Legends and Waterfalls tour, and bus tours from Sochi are organized for this purpose. The tour program also includes a visit to the village of Akhintam nearby. There is an ethnographic museum-estate in the village, tables are set for guests, wine tasting is arranged, ancient rituals and dances of the indigenous inhabitants of these places, the Adygeans, are shown.