Protected steppes and distinctive plant communities are the focus of the designated natural areas in Boguchansky District. Near Krinitsa are the Shlepchino natural area, the Berestovoe natural area and Pomelovskaya Balka; the Khrypun Steppe adds another distinctive landscape feature.

Steppe, tulips and protected areas

The 200-hectare Shlepchino natural area near Krinitsa was declared a natural monument on 21 January 1969. It protects a Lessing's feather grass steppe and semi-desert plant communities on saline soils, as well as Schrenck's tulip. The combination of steppe vegetation, soil conditions and the named tulip species gives the area a distinct botanical character. Grazing livestock and ploughing are also prohibited in Shlepchino.

Tulips are also a focus of the Berestovoe natural area near Krinitsa, along with protected steppe slopes. Snakehead tulips and Schrenck's tulips grow on the slopes. Compared with Shlepchino, the features described here focus on the slopes and the two named tulip species; Shlepchino is characterised by its saline soils and semi-desert plant communities.

Pomelovskaya Balka is also near Krinitsa and covers eight hectares. The difference in size compared with Shlepchino is clear: at 200 hectares, Shlepchino is much larger. The district's natural areas therefore include both a larger steppe and a smaller named landscape area, without equating their respective features.

The Khrypun Steppe is considered the last untouched landscape of mixed-grass, fescue and feather grass steppe in the Central Black Earth Region. Thus, alongside the specific protected areas near Krinitsa, the steppe theme also includes a landscape described by its combination of different steppe types. Visitors interested in nature will find a range of highlights here: protected plant communities, slopes covered in steppe vegetation and the landscape of the Khrypun Steppe, which is considered untouched.

More destinations in Voronezh Oblast

In the wider destination of Voronezh Oblast, the routes in Khopyor Nature Reserve offer different time commitments. The reserve covers the Novokhopersky, Povorinsky and Gribanovsky districts. The five-kilometre walking tour “Legendy Khopra” takes three hours and is closed during the spring floods. The 26-kilometre “Tour de Khopyor” cycle route takes four hours. The two tours can therefore be distinguished by mode of travel, distance and time required.

Khopyor Nature Reserve also has a natural history museum. Two halls explore the reserve's wildlife and its habitats. Exhibits cover beavers, Russian desmans, water-dwelling and predatory birds, as well as wild boar, elk, fallow deer and red deer; there is also a large relief map of the reserve. Check the current visitor arrangements before visiting the museum.

The Divnogorye Museum-Reserve in Voronezh Oblast offers a different landscape: it is known for chalk formations with unusual cliffs on steep slopes and large ridge-like ravines. Divnogorsky Canyon is about one kilometre long and up to 200 metres wide. The reserve's cultural heritage also includes Stone Age settlements, the ruins of the medieval Mayatskaya Fortress and ritual cave complexes. These regional examples add other natural and historical themes within Voronezh Oblast to the steppes of Boguchansky District.

Discover more destinations: Voronezh, Pavlovsky District, Ramonsky District, Verkhnekhavsky District, Bobrovsky District, Povorinsky District, Nizhnedevitsky District, Anninsky District

For the wider travel overview: Voronezh Oblast.