Asass Cave is a landmark in Shorsky National Park and is considered one of the Seven Wonders of Kuzbass. In summer, a trail leads to the cave from the “Karchit” ranger station, and you can travel it on foot or by quad bike. A permit must be obtained in advance to visit. Check the current park access and permit requirements before your trip. When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to first decide what to focus on: nature and river scenery, or Shor architecture and museum history.
Mountains and river scenery
The protected area of Shorsky National Park covers more than 400,000 hectares—about one third of Tashtagolsky District. Mount Mustag rises 1,570 metres above sea level and is the district’s highest point. Together, these figures show two different scales: an extensive protected area and a prominent high point. In the lower reaches of the river, the Shorsky mountain range forms the five-kilometre-long cascade of the Khomutovsky Rapids. They are classified as Grade III in difficulty and are among the most dangerous rapids in Kuzbass.
A rafting trip on the Mras-Su is a way to experience the protected nature and mountain region of Gornaya Shoria. There are numerous rest stops along the banks; sights in the park along the way include Saga Waterfall, Copper Rock and Grandiose Cave.
Shor architecture and museum history
The open-air museum “Tazgol” reconstructs typical buildings from a Shor settlement. The examples illustrate different building styles: the Odag frame dwelling is built from split logs, while the Senek is a log-built yurt; there is also a granary raised on tall stilts. The Tazgol complex also includes the buildings of the missionary station of the Mras branch of the Altai Ecclesiastical Orthodox Mission. These include the original houses of the missionary and psalmist, a parish school and a granary.
The “Trekhrechye” museum-reserve is located in the old Shor village of Ust-Kabyrsa, at the confluence of the Kabyrza, Mras-Su and Pyzas rivers. A guided tour of the “Torgovo-khozyaystvennyy ambar” exhibition is available from 1 May to 15 October. Check before your trip whether this seasonal offering is currently available. The difference between the two cultural attractions is clear: “Tazgol” focuses on reconstructed settlement buildings and a missionary complex; “Trekhrechye” is located in an old village at the confluence of three rivers.
A look at the wider destination of Kemerovo Oblast
In the wider destination of Kemerovo Oblast, the “Srednyaya Mrassu” rafting route in Shorsky National Park runs from Ust-Kabyrsa to Ust-Anzas. It is classified as Grade I in difficulty, takes at least three days depending on the weather and is accessible to all age groups. Check the current park rules and route conditions before your trip. Shorsky National Park in Kemerovo Oblast also has more than 30 tourist rest and picnic areas, as well as three equipped bases with a total capacity of up to 54 people.
The visitor facilities “Mednaya”, “Karchit” and “Kabuk” in Shorsky National Park in Kemerovo Oblast offer tourist accommodation and glamping sites for groups of three to fourteen people, bathhouses, gazebos and cooking fire pits. Check current availability before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Leninsk-Kuznetsky, Promyshlennovskiy District, Prigorodnyy, Belovskiy District, Anzhero-Sudzhensk, Promyshlennovsky District, Tashtagolsky District, Novokuznetsk.
Back to the wider travel overview: Kemerovo Oblast.
