Sometimes, to change your surroundings, it's enough to just visit a neighboring city. But not for everyone. A person with a broad outlook and diverse interests will find this insufficient. Therefore, this time we suggest looking towards nature reserves and national parks. It's like a real forest (and often it is), but not wild, rather protected and with infrastructure, and you can also encounter rare animals there. In short, read about the best nature reserves in Russia and what to do there in our article. 

Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve, Bashkortostan

A place that will require several days to show most of its beauties, and you can even book a cabin on its territory. You'll have to walk a lot, but through unique places. It's convenient that you can start exploring right from the parking lot – a two-kilometer trail begins there, leading to Kapova Cave – the most popular spot in the reserve. But besides it, there are other places worth seeing: Mount Tirmentau, which you can climb, Skazka Cave, and the Belaya River itself. For thrill-seekers, there's a catamaran rafting service available. 

How to get there: fly to Ufa or Magnitogorsk, and from there to the reserve by tour bus or car. For example, you can rent a car here. Find information on excursions and accommodation on the reserve's website.  

Taganay National Park, Chelyabinsk Oblast

How about the mountains? Chelyabinsk Oblast is full of surprises; you've probably heard about Chelyabinsk Bali? We wrote about it here, and this time specifically about the park. They say that with great desire, you can see all the beauties in 1-2 days, but why rush? There are untouched forests, many mountains and cliffs that you can climb to see the landscape from above. And if you're afraid to explore the park alone, take a guide with you. They will tell you many things even we don't know. See all details about the park's activities on the website.

How to get there: fly to Chelyabinsk, then transfer to a bus or train and go to Zlatoust station. There, hop on a marshrutka (minibus) that will take you directly to the park's central manor. Other route options are described here.

Kenozersky National Park, Arkhangelsk Oblast

Want to go north? Then welcome to Kenozersky National Park! It is located in the Arkhangelsk Oblast, almost on the border with Karelia. Here you'll find silence, beautiful nature and villages, sacred groves, and historical trails. Master classes on various topics are also held here: cooking, handicrafts, painting. This is a great chance to immerse yourself in northern culture and learn something new. 

There are guest houses on the park's territory that can be rented for several nights, and campsites with tent spots are also equipped. 

How to get there: Fly to Arkhangelsk, of course, and then there will be transfers. By car or train, get to Nyandoma station, and from there, take a bus to Kargopol. But there's another transfer – take a bus to Morshchikhinskaya, and you're there! It's a bit difficult, but not impossible, so it's better to go for a week, not just a couple of days.

Lena Pillars Nature Reserve, Yakutia

Everyone has heard of them; they've appeared many times in articles where you had to guess if a place from photos was in Russia or not. But few people from other regions actually visit them, and that's a shame. These are huge sheer cliffs stretching for 40 km along the right bank of the Lena River. It's recommended to view them from the Lena River itself, but you should also climb to the top – an amazing landscape opens up from above. 

How to get there: fly to Yakutsk, and then transfer to a riverboat or motorboat. Carefully, hold your head up, you'll have to look in all directions and high up. 

Krasnoyarsk Pillars National Park, Krasnoyarsk

How's the Yenisei doing? You can find out personally by visiting the "Stolby" park, as it is located right on the river's right bank. However, the pillars here are not like those in the place described above. In the Krasnoyarsk park, there are mainly rocks, but nature has carved them in such a way that they resemble pillars – narrow and tall. 

The park has two conditional zones: a tourist zone and a rocky, dense wilderness zone, where inexperienced tourists will find it difficult and dangerous. But for travelers visiting for a day or two, the tourist zone is usually enough; you'll gather a whole wagonload of impressions there. There are also many activities here for both professional climbers and amateurs. The park also features the "Bobrovy Log" ski resort. It's also fun there in summer; you can explore the surroundings from the ridge's summit. Find all details, as well as the most poetic names of the rocks, on the park's website.

How to get there: by plane to Krasnoyarsk, and from there by bus № 50, 50a, 50k, 19 or 78 to the "Turbaza" stop. Then another 7 km walk along the paved road. 

Paanajärvi National Park, Karelia

If you want to feel like a character from a Finnish fairy tale, this park is the most suitable. Just the names alone are worth it: Kivakkakoski Waterfall, Mount Nuorunen, Mutkajoki River, huh? There are also some inexplicable things there, for example, volcanoes on stone legs. A guide will tell you in detail how this happened. And if you want to spend the night in the park, to, you know, wake up in the forest with a view of the rocks, there are special zones for this. For comfort lovers, we recommend booking a cabin right away. 

How to get there: your main starting point is the village of Pyaozersky; the closest major cities to it are Petrozavodsk or Murmansk. But first, visit the visitor center to get permission.