Mt Chatyr-Dag (1527m) lies west of the Alushta–Simferopol road and is renowned for the numerous caves that lie beneath it. The most famous are the Mramornaya Cave and the Eminé-Ba'ir-Khosar . They're not world-beating, but maybe are worth seeing if you're staying longer in Crimea.
Mramornaya Cave is a long and shallow (68m deep and nearly 2km long) full of strangely shaped stalactites and stalagmites, nicknamed after various animals, objects, fairy-tale characters and international buildings, such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Eminé-Ba'ir-Khosar spirals down to 120m, with jade-like stalagmites, crystal flowers and a lake. According to legend, Eminé threw herself to the bottom of the cave after her lover was killed by her father's family.
Unless you're hiking in the region, the simplest way to reach the caves is via a day trip from one of the tour stalls in Yalta (95uah). 'Extreme' tours of the lower level of the Mramornaya Cave (three hours) are organised by Onyx Tour .
