Try winter ropes at Meshchersky Park near Moscow

Ropes are a popular outdoor activity, and there are several adventure parks in Moscow and close to the city. However, very few of such parks function in winter. One of these few is “The Panda Park” at Meshchersky Park near Moscow, just outside the city limits. The platforms and obstacles are installed in the trees. To try winter ropes, one has to be as agile as a squirrel. Moreover, being there at that height, you can see what the squirrels see in winter.

There are eight trails in Meshchersky Park. They are installed at different heights, have different obstacles and are divided into three difficulty levels including the challenging level “Black trail”. Actually, in winter, all the levels become more difficult because the bridges are covered with snow, and you feel more clumsy in warm clothes. Comparatively, a zip-line is a resting place. However, you can confidently use the required arts of climbing, balancing and holding. A continuous belay system on cable makes this adventure safe.

Although the winter ropes are more challenging than the summer ones, it has its own advantages. Winter forest with tall snow-covered fir-trees looks very beautiful. The air is cool and immensely fresh. You will not feel hot and waste time in a queue, while in summer one can wait in a queue to enter “The Panda Park” for 30–40 minutes. “The Panda Park” offers its visitors special winter prices. Only in winter ‘a day ticket’ is available, which allows to follow any trails you like an unlimited number of times.

Meshchersky Park is quite big. Its square is about 5 sq. km. In the 16–17th centuries, this natural forest was a place for royal hunting, and now it is the best place for sports activities. The five kilometers long ring and four more of ski-runs across the park are specially prepared for both classic and skate skiing, as well as for ski marathons. The tracks vary in width from three to six meters, making them comfortable for both fast and slow skiers. You can rent the skis in the park. The paths in the park are used by the Nordic walking lovers and by the participants of Parkrun events all the year round. The frozen Meshchersky pond becomes an arena for snowmobiling.

Floral kingdom in Sochi Arboretum

The famous Sochi Arboretum founded in 1892 is located on a hill. So, the best way to visit it is to reach the top in a cable car and then walk down through this floral kingdom from the forests of South and North America to the thickets of Australia and Oceania, from Japanese and Chinese gardens to the Mediterranean.

45 types of citrus fruit in the Friendship Tree

In the Subtropical Botanical Garden you can see a unique citrus tree, which is called The Friendship Tree. It was planted as a scientific experiment in 1937 to create a new hybrid. There are oranges, mandarins, cuties, grapefruits growing on this tree, totally **45 different types of citrus fruit **grafted on it. People of 167 countries from around the world grafted these citrus sprigs.

Wonders of wild nature

If you prefer wild nature, around the city there are more than 70 waterfalls, lakes and canyons, mountains and rocks, old-growth forest and about 70 caves, however only few of them are adapted for the tourists. Many of this wonders of nature are not far from the city, so you can reach them on your own.

For thrill-seekers

Thrill-seeker can visit the SkyPark with its 439 meters long skybridge, the highest swing in the world, zipline with the flight distance of 700 meters and the speed of 70 km/h, bungee jumping facilities.

It I said, that the best rest is the change of the activities. Sochi, a famous resort city on the Black Sea coast, the city of the sea and palms, suggests us dozens of possibilities for changing the activities from morning till evening. Get up with a plan and at the end of the day recollect the day’s events and enjoy the beautiful sunset and the fragrance of the sea and flowers.