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The area on the border of the Sevastopol region and the adjacent Bakhchisarai region of the Crimean Peninsula is the “heart” of the largest nature reserve in the Republic, the Baydarsky nature reserve. It is famous for its topography, which allows you to organize an exciting adventure, rare flora and fauna, as well as historical monuments. For example, the Fatma-Koba grotto in Crimea is considered something of a “museum” of the life of primitive people; in terms of its popularity among scientists, it is similar to the Altamira Cave in Spain.

Where is the cave in Crimea?

This cavity is part of the porous slopes, which has several winding tongues. The entrance to it is found in a rocky massif - between the villages of Peredovoe and Rodnoe. Both of these settlements are located in the Balaklava region.

Fatma Koba on the map of Crimea

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From the history of appearance and origin

Geologically speaking, the rocky gorge, the hidden part of which is Fatma-Koba, was formed due to the abrasive activity of the Kobalar-Su river - we must thank it for the rustling waterfall nearby. The process began several million years before the modern species Homo sapiens appeared here. Some scientists believe that Neanderthals hid here from bad weather and predators.

The Cro-Magnons discovered the Fatma-Koba grotto much later, and their modern descendants learned about it thanks to the expedition of a local archaeologist, Bonch-Osmolovsky. In 1927, he discovered very interesting finds in it.

In the 50s last century, the study of the cave was continued by another historian - Bibikov. Members of his research team found here many rarities of archaeological cultures of the Stone Age, including the burial of a man who was 40 years old. Water from Kobalar-Su came to the inhabitants of the grotto itself - through the hole. Consequently, they lived here generation after generation, leaving behind many traces.

Routes and hike to Fatma Koba

Many sites of ancient people can be found in Crimea. The Fatma-Koba Grotto means the opportunity to get acquainted in detail not only with the colorful natural tract, but also with the archaeological layers of the Azil and Tardenoise cultures. We are talking about the remains of bones of game animals, tools and household utensils belonging to people from North Africa who lived in Tauris until the 4th millennium BC. They ousted the Neanderthals from here, but soon they themselves became victims of expansion - raids by aliens from the Western Caucasus, who are often associated with one of the agricultural and pastoral tribes of the Maykop culture. Traces of stone pavement have been preserved here.

You should start your hike by climbing a rocky ledge, from which you can see the entire valley (Baydarskaya) - this is part of the excursion to, be sure to sign up for it. Don't forget to take a lot of photos at the observation deck - they turn out really beautiful.

The entrance to the object itself can be found as follows. Turn 180 degrees along with the path -
moving along it further, you will again come out to the river (from here the waterfall falls off the ledge). In just a quarter of an hour you will notice houses under construction. Before reaching them, you will see how the right tributary flows into the river bed (from here, too, amazing views open up). Cross to the right side of the riverbed without crossing this stream. Two trees with red markings are a sign from the reserve workers.

Go right away from them - you should not go further after such marks. At the intersection with a wide dirt road, go to the more convenient left bank. Are you in the gorge? Then move to the right again. After just five minutes, the hike should continue and end in the dark: having climbed onto the rock ledge, you will find yourself in front of the “hole”. It will open halls decorated with multi-colored spots - this is the result of the formation of sediments (sediment from various minerals that the river brought here from the depths of the rock). In the village of Peredovoe you should buy food and batteries for a flashlight - this is very important.

How to get to the waterfall with a grotto?

Among the popular routes of the mountainous Crimea, experienced trekkers, as well as simple nature lovers, point out the Fatma-Koba grotto. Any guide who takes excursions to Kozyrek will tell you how to get here. The cave is located on the same river as the water stream - Kobalar-Su. Go around the rocky ledge - the one from which the waterfall rushes down. The climb you need will begin along the left bank of the gorge. The path goes from the bench.

By public transport it is not difficult to get to the village of Peredovoe, where the hike starts - routes No. 37, 37k, 41, 182 and 183 go here. They depart from the “5th kilometer” stop. By car you can get from Sevastopol in the following way:

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Note to tourists

  • Address: Peredovoe village, Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia.
  • Coordinates: 44.532748, 33.800344.

Fatima's Cave - this is how the name of this location is translated from the Crimean Tatar language - has left many flattering reviews online from cave travelers. People who adore mysterious places, including the Crimean “route No. 5,” are quick to report that this place is a “gallery of picturesque tuff deposits” or a “beautiful corridor to the lake,” from the “arch” of which you can see a falling stream playing with all the colors of the rainbow! A video about the hike to Kozyrek and Fatma Koba is attached.

Crimean waterfalls have long attracted travelers with their amazing beauty. The problem is that hot summers have a negative impact on the full flow of these objects. When the tourist season approaches the end, many cascades cease to exist - these are phantom hydronyms. The famous Kozyrek waterfall (Sevastopol), which you will learn about from this article, also belongs to this category.

The object is, in fact, seasonally invisible, and you need to look for it in the north of the Baydar Valley. The nearest landmark is the village of Peredovoe, which you will certainly meet on the way to the waterfall. Nearby is the Chernorechenskoye Reservoir along with the Skelskaya Cave, which also doesn’t hurt to visit. We noted Kozyrek waterfall (Crimea) on the map to make it easier for you to navigate. GPS coordinates of Kozyrok: N 44 44.5196 E 33.8095.

History and geology of the waterfall

Seasonal disappearances give the Visor some mystery - to visit the site, you need to choose the right time. The waterfall belongs to the Kobalar-Su channel - it is a small stream flowing into the Chernorechenskoye reservoir (at the same time falling down the mountain). The peak is surrounded on all sides by a beech forest, and nearby there are picturesque caves that attract speleologists. Shan-Koba and Fatma are recognized as the deepest grottoes. Here are some interesting facts about these caves:

  • sites of primitive people were discovered inside;
  • archaeological finds date back to the Mesolithic era;
  • it was possible to find out that people lived here for several millennia;
  • ancient hunters harvested snails.

If you look behind the Kozyrek waterfall (Crimea), you can see a shallow cave depression. The most significant discovery made in these parts (Fatma Grotto) is a male skeleton belonging to an ancient hunter. Nearby, scientists discovered bone tools for hunting. It is worth noting that there are other phantom waterfalls in the Kozyrka area, but they attract tourists to a much lesser extent. The area in which the stream flows is composed of limestone - this is a typical example of karst activity of water flowing directly along the earth's surface.

Why is it worth visiting here?

Let's start with the fact that it is better to visit Kozyrek Waterfall in spring or autumn. In the first case, the stream is fed by melted mountain snow, in the second - by heavy rainfall. Don't expect a mighty stream - the waterfall looks quite modest. Connoisseurs of Crimean nature consider elegance to be the main advantage of the property. The starting point is a stone tuff platform from which the stream slides down.

To an outside observer, it seems that the flow of the stream becomes flat and forms an air curtain through which the solar disk is visible. The glare intertwines with the water jets and creates a picture of amazing beauty. All this is accompanied by a gentle murmur. A small lake accumulates under a stone canopy, in which tourists enjoy taking baths.

When planning a raid on Kozyrek waterfall (how to get there and where to stay), prepare for certain difficulties. The Baydar Valley is a nature reserve characterized by rugged terrain. Most likely, you will have to leave the car in the nearest village and go on your further journey lightly. This is about one and a half kilometers along a path equipped for walking. Let's list the main advantages of the Visor:

  1. Availability of a developed area (canopies, benches, barbecue areas and fire pits).
  2. Peace and tranquility (if you get here in the first half of the day, you may not meet anyone at all).
  3. The presence of a well-trodden path (this road goes around the attraction on both sides, offering a good view for viewing).
  4. A feeling of pristine nature (in the forest you can meet a roe deer descending from a mountain slope).
  5. Close location of cave grottoes.
  6. Plenty of clean water (you can safely drink from Bunuku Chokrak, a local spring that flows from beech roots).

You should be careful when climbing the path to the stone platform. The stones there are polished by time, and the water makes them extremely slippery. Old-timers say that it is quite easy to fall off the Visor. Crimean Switzerland - this is what the Baydar Valley is now called. Everyone should see this mountainous area and breathe the healing air.

How to get there

So, the decision was made to visit the Kozyrek waterfall, how to get to the Baydar Valley by car - this is the next item on the agenda. However, a car is not the only option; you can also take a minibus (or bus) from Sevastopol. It's about five kilometers, so you won't have to travel long. There are also minibuses from the village of Rodnikovoe - this information will appeal to those who are staying there in the private sector.

But by car it is best to travel along the highway connecting Sevastopol with Bakhchisarai. If Bakhchisaray is chosen as the starting point, you will have to turn right in the Golubinka area - you will soon find yourself in Peredovoye. Once in the village, look for a ring with stalls and shops - there will be a fork nearby, where you need to turn right again. Note that the paved highway will end and there will be a couple of houses on your left.

You will need to drive along a narrow dirt road for about five minutes. Then you will come across a shield, informing you that you have arrived at the waterfall. This is where the walking trail starts. In total (by car and on foot) you will cover three kilometers from the village. Now you can enjoy the spectacle.

They remain relatively full of water. Most of them almost completely disappear by the end of the season. For this they are sometimes called ephemeral, or phantom. One of these seasonal invisible waterfalls is the Kozyrek waterfall in Crimea, on the northern edge of the Baydar Valley.

Where is the natural monument in Crimea?

In Crimea, the Kozyrek waterfall is located near the village of Peredovoye, from where it is most convenient to get to it. The village itself cannot boast of any significant sights, but just to the south of it lies the huge Chernorechenskoye reservoir. The list of interesting places located nearby also includes Skelskaya Cave near the village. Rodnikovskoe.

Visor on the map of Crimea

A bit of geology with history

Despite its seasonality, Kozyrek is quite popular among tourists and local residents, and the fact that it disappears from time to time gives it a certain mystery. This natural object is located on the Kobalar-Su stream, flowing from the mountains into the Baydar valley and rushing further into. The word “Kobalar” can be translated from Crimean Tatar as “caves,” which is not accidental.

If you walk along the bed of the stream higher up, through a picturesque beech forest, you can find among the rocks several small caves, more like deep grottoes. The most famous are Shan-Koba. In these grottoes, archaeologists excavated and studied in detail the Mesolithic era. Apparently, ancient hunters and gatherers lived here for several millennia, and even learned to store caught river snails for future use.

In the Fatma Grotto, a superbly preserved male skeleton of an ancient hunter was found, and next to it were bone hunting tools. Here, on the stream, there are several more interesting waterfalls, but they are much smaller in height than Kozyrek. Its name was given by a huge canopy made of tuff, constantly growing due to calcium washed out by water. Geologically, this area, composed of limestones, is an example of karst activity of surface waters.

Description of a small waterfall

To see the Kozyrek waterfall in Crimea in full flow, you need to visit it either in the fall, after the rains, or in the spring, when the snow melts abundantly in the mountains.
But even in these seasons it cannot boast of a powerful appearance. Its advantage lies in its special sophistication, even a certain elegance.

A small stream of water easily slides off the tuff stone platform and seems to hang in the air like a thin 14-meter curtain, shimmering with bright reflections under the sun. A light veil of water gently, with a gentle murmur, falls onto the surface of the spacious blue “bathtub” formed at the foot over many millennia. If the weather is calm and warm, tourists love to swim in this lake.

The easiest way to get to the Kozyrek waterfall is from the village of Peredovoye, in. True, it will not be possible to get to the object itself; you will have to leave the car on the outskirts of the village and drive about a kilometer and a half along a beautiful, well-equipped path.

What else is interesting about Kozyrek?

Directly near the waterfall there are comfortable benches, canopies, places for fires and barbecues. On some days they are busy with vacationers.
But often, especially in the first half of the day, there is no one here, as a result, you can enjoy the silence of the forest, which is superimposed by the unobtrusive murmur of water.

A well-trodden path goes around the landmark on both sides, allowing you to get a good look at it from below and from above. When going out onto the platform above it, you need to be extremely careful, because the polished stones here are often slippery from the water. In the spring, when there are still few tourists near Kozyrok, you can easily meet forest roe deer here, trying to leave the still cold mountain slopes down to water and warmth.

Having enjoyed the view of Kozyrok, many outdoor enthusiasts move higher along the stream bed, to the already mentioned cave grottoes. Along the way, you should definitely get piercingly cold and tasty water from the Bunuku-Chokrak spring, flowing directly from under the roots of a mighty beech tree.

However, these are not the only places that attract visitors to the surroundings of the waterfall. The entire Baydar Valley, called Crimean Switzerland, is worthy of the attention of tourists. Its hilly terrain among the mountains is distinguished by clean, healthy air and a special mild climate.

How to get to the waterfall?

Getting to Kozyrok is not as difficult as it might seem. The map below shows the route from:

To get to the waterfall from Yalta by car, you will need to cover the following route:

Note to tourists

  • Address: s. Peredovoe, Balaklava district, Crimea, Russia.
  • Coordinates: 44°31′11″N (44.519591), 33°48′35″E (33.809701).

Kozyrek Waterfall in Crimea is not a very popular attraction in Crimea, but if you consider that you can visit not only it, but also nearby monuments of Crimean nature, then such a trip is definitely worth making at least once in your life. The Crimean peninsula, especially its natural component, has never left anyone indifferent! Watch a short video about this place at the end, enjoy watching!

One of the interesting objects of the Baydar Valley is the Kozyryok waterfall near the village of Peredovoye. The name comes from the raised tuff canopy at the top of a 14-meter cliff from which water flows. Transparent streams fall into a small turquoise lake with clear water. This is one of the most beautiful Crimean waterfalls, although not very famous.

Photo of Kozyrek waterfall:



What is Kozyrek Waterfall?

The visor is also called Lower Kobalar, since it is located in the lower reaches of the Kobalar-Su stream. The stream is fed by rain and melt water, so the waterfall is seasonal (ephemeral); in summer it dries up. The best time to visit is the end of winter and the beginning of spring, when the snow melts on the yayla. At this time, the water jets are especially powerful, and the forest around is covered with a carpet of blooming snowdrops and woodlands. However, even on rare frosty days, a walk to the waterfall will not disappoint, as it does not freeze.
The waterfall is located in a grotto, entering which you can see the surroundings through a curtain of falling streams.

The surroundings of the waterfall - what can you see?

Then you can climb up the steep slope, appreciate the grandiose panorama of the Baydar Valley and move further towards the source of the stream. Initially, the trail goes through a shady forest through the remains of an ancient dam and the powerful Bunuku-Chokrak spring with delicious cold water. This source does not dry out even in the heat. It is located at the junction of the left tributary.

Moving along the left tributary, you can see the Ryzhiy waterfall, which received its name due to the color of the rock from which it falls. Water rushes down from a 12-meter height in two different-speed streams. This object is also seasonal, and on frosty winter days it freezes.

If you continue moving up the main channel, then after 2 km from Kozyrok the trail will lead to the Fatma-Koba cave with the waterfall of the same name. The 15-meter waterfall exists only during snowmelt and heavy rainfall, but the grotto is interesting at any time. Here in 1927, evidence of a Mesolithic human site, including a burial, was discovered. This is not the only cave along the stream; there are a number of other smaller ones. Kobalar-Su translated from Tatar means “cave river”.

The last object of the Kobalar-Dere gully, which is accessible to unprepared tourists, is the Sliding waterfall, or Upper Kobalar. Like most waterfalls in Crimea, its existence is limited to the wet season. Height 5 m.
The length of the route described above from the village and back is approximately 10 km.


On the way back after Kozyrok, you can follow the path along the tributary to Lake Mulovskoye. You need to turn in the place where there is a rock and a small bridge. After crossing the dirt road, the trail becomes very narrow and winding, but you can continue along the dirt road by turning right and then left. On the shore of the lake there are places for rest and barbecue, and bridges for fishermen.

Video review:

How to get there?

By public transport: It’s more convenient to travel from Sevastopol. A minibus runs from the suburban station to the village of Peredovoe. After getting off the bus at the final station, you need to go west along the main street. Behind the village, turn right onto the country road leading to the stream. After crossing the stream and the field behind it, reach the forestry information board. From here you can easily reach the waterfall along a path lined with whitewashed stones. Along the way, you will come across a wooden bridge over a stream, a tourist stop. The travel time from the bus stop to the waterfall is about 30-40 minutes, the distance is 4 km.

By car: you need to drive along the Yalta - Sevastopol highway until you turn onto the T2709 highway and turn away from the sea. After 3 km, at the fork, turn left towards Shirokoye, after 8 km you will reach Peredovoe. Another option, more convenient when driving from Yalta, is to turn off the highway at the sign for Trudovoye, and having reached Orlinoye, proceed straight, bypassing the Chernorechensky reservoir, to Peredovoye. Cars are usually left on the southwestern outskirts of the village. During the dry season, you can drive to the sign. Travel time will be about 1 hour.

Kozyrek waterfall on the map of Crimea

GPS Coordinates: 44° 30.934′ N, 33° 48.724′ E Latitude/Longitude
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