If you love to hike and are looking for something unique to do while visiting Ukraine, then you may want to consider traveling to the Carpathian region of the country and hiking up the side of Hoverla. This mountain is not very hard to climb and many hikers prefer the 6 km hike from the east. The summit is 2,061 meters above sea level and the scenery during the hike up the side of the mountain and at the summit is absolutely astounding.
You can reach Hoverla from a variety for different directions, but most people come into the region and take a bus or taxi to the trailhead at Zaroslyak cottage on the East approach or from Lazaschyna village on the North approach. The most popular way is the east approach and you will hike through a nature reserve to the summit. Hikers will find untouched spruce forests, wildflowers, dwarf juniper and natural springs as they go. The west side of Hoverla sees a drastically different type of vegetation growing as there are warmer breezes on that side of the mountain. At the summit you will see other mountains in all directions, some with snow still on their peaks, and possibly even on Hoverla’s peak as well. Hikers should be forewarned that the weather is the worst in the country in this locale.
Hikers who wish to spend an extended amount of time on Hoverla and would like to camp there should take a different summit approach as camping is prohibited on the eastern face.
For more on traveling in the Ukraine you can visit DrPaulTravel at his travelblog
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