Toratau Geopark prepares for UNESCO Commission visit

Toratau Geopark expects a visit of UNESCO Commission members as part of its promotion to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network.

The republic sent the nomination dossier for the entry of "Toratau" into the UNESCO World Geoparks Network this spring. The first stage of the application consideration was successful; now, we are awaiting the final decision.

Until the end of 2021, UNESCO experts will visit the Geopark to assess our natural sites' uniqueness, geological and biological diversity. In addition, marketing strategies, livability, level of service offered, promotion of local brands, and other criteria will be taken into account.

At the initiative of the Head of the Republic Radiy Khabirov, the first visit center of the Geopark was built at the foot of Toratau. There will be several of them in the park to offer maps and brochures, souvenirs, for tourists. They will accommodate cafes. Two eco-trails with stairs will be created to Toratau and Yuraktau so as not to damage nature. Our shikhans (monadnocks) are famous for their large concentration of Red Book plants.

As you know, the Geopark includes not only the shikhans of Toratau, Kushtau, and Yuraktau but a vast number of natural attractions. Among them are the Usolka and Dalniy Tyulkas geological sections, the Bikmash, Karaultau mountains, the Mambet, Kuzganak, Kalim-Uskan rocks, the Kuk-Karauk, Kungurtui, Khazinskaya, Kinderlinskaya, Askinskaya caves, Krasnousolsk mineral springs, Gumerovskoye gorge, and many others.

Eco-hotels "Toratau", "Heart of Bashkiria" are successfully operating at the Geopark; glamping sites with comfortable tents and tents with furniture and amenities are actively being built.

"We are comprehensively preparing for the arrival of the UNESCO international commission and hope to solicit their support. The Geopark "Toratau" has all prerequisites to enter the list of the best geological parks in the world, " the press secretary of the Geopark "Toratau" Yekaterina Kirillova comments.

The Yangan-Tau Geopark was created in the republic in 2017. This was the first Geopark in Bashkiria and the first in Russia to be included in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network.