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Down the river Koiva, Middle Ural

General extent - 184 km
Duration - 12 days
Area of travel: the Perm district (the western slope of the middle Ural).
The river Koiva is the right tributary of the river Chusovaya. It flows from the western slope of the Ural ridge - the place Sinee Boloto ("Blue bog"), is located on on the northeast slope of of mountain Big Khmelikha.
Length of the river is 247 km. The main tributaries: rivers Tiskos, Kyrma, Olkhovka, Tyrym (the left tributaries); Biser, Saranka, Kusiya (the right tributaries).
The Koiva is a typical mountain river. At its headwaters the river flows in a southern direction, then turns toward the southwest and west as it meanders. The picturesque banks of the river are usually covered with coniferous wood  and often with rocks rising above them.
The river becomes navigable around the end of April or in early May. In the spring speed of the river current - 7-7, 5 km / hour. In the summer the level of the river falls. In the river channel are many stones. Speed of the river current - 2-2.5 km / hour.
On the river are a lot of abrupt turns, numerous fords and not complicated rapids.
Frequently there are deserted settlements and villages on the banks of the river Koiva.
On banks of the river different species of trees grow - fur-trees, firs, larch, cedar, birch and aspen. The forest is rich with berries (among them bilberries, blueberries, cloudberries, raspberries, currents, cowberries, wild strawberries) and mushrooms. It is possible to see elks, bears, wolves, lynx, foxes, hares, squirrels and chipmunks. There are also many heath cocks and hazel grouses. In autumn on the river, migratory birds, such as ducks and geese rest. In the river different species of fish are found - perch, small fry, chub, pike, grayling, taimen and others.

Program of the tour:
1 day: Arrival in the city Ekaterinburg. Overview of the excursion in historical centre of Ekaterinburg.
Accommodation in hotel.
2 day: Transfer to the settlement Teplaya Gora (Warm Mounting). On the way: towns Neviyansk, Nizhnij Tagil. The settlement is situated in on the high right bank of the river Koiva. Preparing of catamarans and beginning of rafting.  
In the river channel are small islands and shallow fords on the turns. On the border of the settlement on the left bank the rocks rise. By and by the width of the river increases up to 15-20 m. The depth of the river is 0.5 m - 0.2 m.  The banks of the river are covered with mixed forest.
After the mouth of the river Tiskos (the left tributary of the Koiva) there are long 50-100 m rapids.
Rafting to the stop, which is situated in the right bank of the Koiva. Spend the night in the tents.
Distance of rafting - 10 km.
3 day: Continuation of the rafting.
The banks of the river are gentle sloping. After the settlement Ust-Tiskos  - the stony rapid with depth up to 0.5m in summer with large reefs. Further, the river valley becomes narrow with abrupt banks, covered with a wood. The river meanders, the current is rather strong. Behind the mouth of the river Vogulka - the left tributary of the Koiva (named after the Vogul people who lived there from time to time) there are picturesque rocks.
Further, after a turn, the large left tributaries Kyrma and Bolshaya Voronka flow into the Koiva. From here the river flows in a northern direction. In the river channel are small islands, numerous fords on the turns.Rock ledges rise along the right bank. Behind the next turn you see the big island Olkhovskij (Aspen island) and fords in channels.
Further, for 10 km the river is very calm with depth 0, 5 - 1, 5 m. Spend the night in tents on the left bank of the Koiva (2 km from the mouth of the river Kyrma). Fishing - chub, a pike, grayling and taimen. Russian baths.
Distance of rafting - 25 km.
4 day: Continuation of the rafting.
Before the settlement Biser the rocks begin. The banks of the Koiva are covered with a grove of tall firs. In the settlement there is long 1,5 km ford, which ends on the border of Biser. On the right bank the beautiful rocks tower. The settlement spreads on both banks of the river. During a short-term stop it is possible to get acquainted with the Biser and an ancient metallurgical plant, which has been working since the 18th century. Climbing the mountain near the settlement a boundless sea of taiga and a beautiful valley of the river Biser open for us. Spend the night in the tents on the right bank of the Koiva (1.5 km from the Biser).
Distance of rafting - 15 km.
5 day: Continuation of the rafting.
Right after beginning the rafting the rocks on the banks appear. There are islands and shallow fords up to 50-100 meters in length. The width of the river in this place extends up to 30-40 meters. Behind the river Bolshaya Saranka mouth the 50 m ford begins. After a confluence of the rivers - Big Uraika and Small Uraika the river makes an abrupt turn on the south, then toward the southeast. In this part of the river on the right bank rocks tower. There are islands. Spend the night in the tents on the right bank of the Koiva before Fedorofskij rapid opposite the river Podporozhnaya mouth (150 m from the rapids). Length of the rapid - 150 m. It begins behind abrupt left turn of the river and consists of 2 "steps". First "step" is not dangerous: the underwater stone ridge is located across the river and occupies half of width of a channel. Second "step" (0.5 km the first one) is more difficult.
Distance of rafting - 20 km.
6 day: Continuation of the rafting.
Behind the Fedorofskij rapid the river is very calm with depth 0, 5 - 1, 5 m (3-4 km) with the big depth and very calm because of its depth, but swift current. After turn of the river toward the south at the river Splavnaya mouth the Koiva becomes braided with rock cliffs, boulders and small islands appearing midstream. After a confluence with a large tributary, the river Kalistratovka, there are there are many small  islands, shallow fords and picturesque rocks on the banks. Several kilometres downstream on the left bank, spreads the small picturesque settlement Ust-Tyrym. Along the settlement there is a long beautiful ford up to 500 meters. High banks of the river are connected with a suspension bridge. Behind the Ust-Tyrym the most picturesque places begin.
Spend the night in the tents on the right bank of the Koiva (1 km from the river Krynka mouth). Russian baths.
Distance of rafting - 25 km.
7 day: Continuation of the rafting.
Here is a very beautiful part of the rafting. There are a lot of places for stops. One of them is situated on the right bank of the big glade opposite a 20-meter high rock with a cave in it.
Before the settlement Kusije-Aleksandrovskij, on the right bank of the river, there is a tall (70 m), beautiful rock, called "Shaitan Kamien", with a cave in it, towers. Excursion into the cave. The settlement  was based as a metallurgical factory in 1574.
Near the Kusije-Aleksandrovskij we come to a 2km-long portage where the water has many protruding stones, underwater ridges and rocky banks. 200 m from the Kusiya's mouth we pass through a dam's spillway. Opposite the mouth rocky islands and shallow 100 m ford. Below the settlement a system of long channels  (width -10-15 m) and now we begin a series of fords in a very picturesque setting, After turn of the river to the north on the left coast of the river the rocks tower. Width of the river - up to 20 m.
Spend the night in the tents on the right bank of the Koiva (near the river Glukhaya mouth).
Distance of rafting - 15 km.
8 day: Continuation of the rafting.
Further, after the river Glukhaya mouth, the width of the river is increased up to 45-50 m; speed of current 9-10 km / hour; abrupt turns; numerous boulders in the river-channel.
Several kilometres ( 6-7 km) downstream the 1 km rapid Shemakha begins. Further, the river divides into few channels and becomes wider. This section of the rafting is the most beautiful and interesting. There are a lot of fords, shallow rapids, and beautiful high rocks on the banks. The river Kojva meanders among numerous islands and picturesque rocks with caves in them.
Spend the night in the tents on the right bank of the Koiva (near the river Sukhaya (Dry) mouth).
Distance of rafting - 14 km.
9 day:
Continuation of the rafting.
This section of the rafting is the most beautiful and interesting. There are a lot of fords, shallow rapids, and beautiful high rocks on the banks. Below the river Sukhaya mouth there are islands, divided by the channels with fords. The river Kojva flows into the river Chusovaya near the settlement Ust-Koiva, located on the right bank of the river Chusovaya.
The left tributary of the river Kama - the Chusovaya - one of the largest and most beautiful rivers of the Urals. The river was probably named from the translated word "chus-va" - "rapid water" in Komi - Permian language. The river has a unique feature - it flows on two continents - Asia and Europe, originating on the east slope of the Ural ridge, crossing it and then flowing on the western slope.  From ancient times the river Chusovaya was used as a trade route between Europe and Siberia. Length of the river of 592 km. Here the river Chusovaya has width of 80 m; depth up to 2 m; speed of current - 5-7 km / hour.
Spend the night in the tents on the right bank of the Chusovaya (1 km from the river Koiva mouth). Russian baths. Distance of rafting - 26 km.
10 day: Continuation of the rafting on the river Chusovaya.
Several kilometres downstream on the left bank the rock Plakun towers, where you can see a bridge and an arch of karst origin. After the river Ponysh mouth there are beautiful rocky banks and good places for stops. In 2,5 km from the river Ponysh the cave "Chudesnitsa" is located. It was open in 1974 and the cave is a geological monument of Nature.
In this cave the courses and corridors are located is practically horizontal. The 512-meter cave is very easy and safe. In a cave there are 10 halls with ceilings up to 10 meters high. There are some small underground lakes. In all halls there are  stalactites and stalagmites, stone falls with height up to 6-7 meters, and massive calcite sinters. Visit the cave "Pechka" ("Stove"). Continue rafting and swimming in "Blue Lake" (blue water 56 metres deep with a temperature of +4OC).
Spend the night in the tents on the right bank of the Chusovaya (near  the river Glukhaya mouth). The river Glukhaya flows from the lake (the size of 20m x 20m). Length of the river of 150m. Climbing the rock on the bank of the river beautiful valley of the river Chusovaya opens for us.
Distance of rafting - 24 km.
11 day: Rafting to the city of Chusovoi.
Distance of rafting - 10 km. Transfer to the city of Ekaterinburg.
Excursions:
1. Study of local lore museum in the settlement Gornozavodskoi.
2. The obelisk marking the boundary of Europe and Asia.
3. The town Neviyansk (86 km from Ekaterinburg) - famous inclined Neviyansk tower (like the Leaning Tower of Piza).
Accommodation in hotel.
12 day:
Departure of tourists.

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