“Where? … On Kudykina Gora!” — everyone knows this folk phrase meaning something like: “Don’t ask, I’ve been to a place but I won’t tell you where.” Now this place actually exists on the map. “Kudykina Gora” is an entertainment park located on the bank of the Don River in the Lipetsk region, not far from Zadonsk. It’s a large scenic area with many children’s playgrounds, play zones, fairy-tale sculptures and art objects, and it hosts events, holidays, folk festivities, and various show programs. And “Kudykina Gora” is also a safari park that has become home to dozens of rare wild animals. You can show this wonderful place to children completely free of charge, but you will have to pay for extra activities and for visiting some play areas.
The 500-hectare park zone is constantly being updated (new sculptures are added, new entertainment zones are built). A trip to Kudykina Gora will be a real adventure, and an exciting walk through the park will become unforgettable family leisure. Details below.
1. Kudykina Gora on the map: how to get there
On the map of Russia you should look for the park near the village of Kamenka, Zadonsk district, Lipetsk region. You can get to Kudykina Gora both by car and by public transport (intercity bus).
From Voronezh, as well as from Moscow, it is most convenient to go by car. If you use a navigator, it will build a route along the M4 “Don” highway.
Address:
Village of Kamenka
Zadonsk district
Lipetsk region
Coordinates: latitude N52°22.017’, longitude E38°45.315’.
At the 412th kilometer of the M4 highway there is a sign pointing to the park toward the settlement of Kamenka. The approximate travel time from Moscow to the park gates is about 5 hours.
Distance to the park from major cities:
- from Voronezh – 112 km
- from Lipetsk – 73.5 km
- from Kursk – 307 km
- from Tambov – 220 km
2. What to do and what to see in Kudykina Gora Park?
The park is a wonderful place for a family holiday.
Visitors are offered the following activities (in summer):
- horseback riding and pony rides;
- carriage rides;
- guided sightseeing tours;
- the “Green School” — an educational program for children about nature;
- sports and children’s playgrounds;
- the largest free children’s town in Russia with trampolines, swings, labyrinths, and other amusements;
- quests and a paintball area;
- educational and craft programs in the Town of Craftsmen;
- bathhouse.
You can also arrange a mass event here — for example, a children’s birthday party, a corporate event, or another celebration with an animation show and other entertainment.
For organized children’s groups, guided tours are held to the main sights of the park with fascinating stories about the local history and fairy tales.
Here you can see the famous statue of Zmey Gorynych, which in its current form (it was modernized about 3 years ago) has become very popular with Instagram users all over the world. The dragon sculpture looks quite realistic: all three heads now spew pillars of fire, and the wings help to recreate the image of a fairy-tale character taking off. It seems as if the character has literally come to life. Zmey Gorynych looks especially impressive and realistic in the dark.
There are other art objects here as well. For example, a monument to the Three Bogatyrs made of copper. This monument has its own ritual: in Ilya Muromets’s hands there is a spoon into which visitors put coins to attract good luck. Touching the boulder at the feet of the bogatyrs will bring strength to men and quicker conception to women.
You can also see wooden sculptures here — for example, the Trojan Horse and a Bull.
The art object “Brothers” depicts seven guardian angels standing “back to back,” and anyone can stand in the place of the eighth one, completing the creator’s intent.
Children’s town
The largest free Children’s Town in Russia is located on a huge sandy area and is made in the shape of a ship and an adjacent castle with many towers, turrets, tunnels, labyrinths, swings, slides, and other amusements. All elements are made of safe materials and painted in bright exotic colors.
Visiting the town is allowed only without shoes. Otherwise, there are no special rules for guests.
Farm and animals
On the Kudykina Gora farm, more than 50 different species of exotic animals peacefully coexist in one enclosure — animals that in the wild live on different continents: buffaloes, llamas, deer, ostriches, peacocks, and others.
Each species has separate houses where the animals rest. During the day they graze peacefully and walk in the open air within the fenced area prepared for them.
You can pet and feed the animals here. You can also arrange a photo shoot.
Town of Craftsmen
In the central part of the park, on a hill, there is a Scythian fortress built without a single nail by craftsmen from Ivanovo. Its size is about 100 square meters.
Inside it there is a craftsmen’s area.
Here work craftswomen and craftsmen who offer goods of their own production and also conduct training: potters, leatherworkers, beadwork specialists, tailors, blacksmiths, and others.
Group excursions
You can book a tour of a specific part of the natural park, as well as take a 3-hour overview tour of all the sights of Kudykina Gora. School groups from children’s camps are often interested in this type of entertainment.
Riding school
The park has a stable offering horseback rides and riding lessons. You can also try yourself at handling camels.
Bookshop
The “Bookshop” offers not only printed products, but also various souvenirs and gifts, including handmade ones.
3. Where to stay?
You can stay in the park for several days. On the territory of Kudykina Gora, visitors can rent guest houses for up to 5 people (2 full bedrooms, a kitchen, and a shared living room).
Rental cost in 2019:
- weekdays – 4,000 rubles/day
- weekends – 6,000 rubles/day.
Phone for booking a house: +7 (960) 140-50-00
There is also a Russian bathhouse:
Cost of the bathhouse: 1,500 rubles/hour on weekdays, 2,000 rubles/hour on weekends. Plunge pool – 1,000 rubles/hour.
You can also stay at the campsite on the bank of the Kamenka River. The cost of a tent place on weekdays/weekends/festivals is 500/700/1,000 rubles. Showers, toilets, washbasins, phone charging points, and fire pits are available.
The cost of parking for a motorhome (with utility hookup) is 1,000/1,500/2,000 rubles respectively.
Camping map:
You can also stay in Zadonsk:
- Motel “Don-416”
- Guest House “U Matushki”
- Motel “Bolshoe Panarino”
- Guest House “Zadonsk”
- Apartment on Sovetskaya St., 58
- Apartment on Svobody St. 27a
4. Weather at Kudykina Gora
Before going for the weekend to the safari park, check the weather at Kudykina Gora in the Lipetsk region at least for today or for the next few days, because rainy or very cold weather can spoil your long-awaited trip.
Weather at Kudykina Gora today:
The best time to visit the national park is from May to September, when the weather is warm and comfortable, but even on a frosty January day you won’t be bored here.
Yes, yes, in winter Kudykina Gora is also open! The following activities are offered:
- visiting Father Frost’s residence,
- tubing (“vatrushki”),
- dog sledding,
- building ice fortresses.
At the end of winter a big Maslenitsa celebration is held here with many mummers, skomorokhs, songs, and dances.
5. Excursions, prices, opening hours, contacts
Park opening hours: from 10:00 to 20:00, Tuesday to Sunday, all year round.
Note: entry to the park with pets is prohibited!
No ticket is required to enter the park, since admission is free. If you plan to feed the animals, you should buy special food for a small fee near the parking lot.
On the official website kudikina-gora.org you can see the current price list with prices for the main activities at Kudykina Gora.
Prices for main activities in 2019:
- horseback rides – 150 rubles;
- camel rides – 250 rubles;
- group horseback rides – from 2,000 rubles per hour;
- trampolines – from 100 to 300 rubles.
Excursion prices:
- carriage tours – 250 rubles per hour;
- “Horse World” – 450 rubles;
- laboratory – 300 rubles;
- photo session with exotic animals – from 2,000 rubles.
You can also rent a gazebo for recreation, and for an extra fee organize a celebration or a corporate event.
“Kudykina Gora” is the largest free entertainment complex in the region, combining a tourist base, a wellness center, a nature reserve, and a play zone. Visiting this place will be interesting for everyone, regardless of age, gender, nationality, or language skills. Coming here with a large group will let you have a great time with close friends or relatives and get a supply of positive emotions and impressions for a long time.
Materials from the website kudikina-gora.org were used in this article
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