Fans of hiking, natural beauty, and waterfalls should definitely take a short trek to Plesetskaya Shchel Gorge. This gorge is located near the village of Mikhaylovsky Pereval; experienced hikers can walk there if they wish, while those unaccustomed to long hikes would be better off hitching a ride or taking a taxi.
The gorge was formed by the bed of the Tkhab River, which, descending from the mountain of the same name, creates more than 70 waterfalls of varying heights and widths. Most of the waterfalls are 5-6 meters high, but there are also 10-meter ones, and even a 17-meter waterfall. The gorge's cliffs create rapids and natural jumps for the water, which murmurs and scatters spray, creating a rainbow in the air on sunny days. After rains, when the mountain river fills with water, the waterfalls are especially picturesque and swift.
The rock, washed by the swift waters of the Tkhab, has created unique stairways of stone steps. They look amazingly man-made, as if some industrious mountain gnomes had carefully carved out smooth, broad steps. Elsewhere, the river's stone bed is shaped into sculpted waves, resembling ripples on the surface of the sea. The primal beauty of the harmony between stone and water is complemented by a dense deciduous forest with crystal-clear air and the aromas of living nature.
