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Udupi

Most Indians know of Udupi not as a place, but as a category of restaurants. Udupi restaurants that generally serve vegetarian food in the South Indian style can be found all over India. Not many know of the sleepy coastal town from which this great cuisine originated, Still fewer know of its reputation as the location of a Krishna temple and a monastery established by the founder of one of the three main philosophical strains of present-day Hinduism.

Many, however, have heard of Manipal, a major educational centre, and a suburb of Udupi, that attracts students from all over India and internationally.

The town of Udupi lies in Udupi taluka which in turn is in Udupi district. This article covers the taluka. To its north is Kundapura and to its west is Karkala, at the foothills of the Western Ghats. To the south of Udupi is Mangalore, which is the headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district.

History
Politically, Udupi had an uneventful history. It was ruled by various feudatories of the Mysore kings till it was taken over by the British, who then made it part of the administrative district of Kanara, which was then divided into South and North Kanara. Udupi was part of the former. After independence, South Kanara became Dakshina Kannada, and in 1998, Udupi district was hived off from Dakshina Kannada.

Its claim to fame is as a religious and spiritual centre. Udupi is the headquarters of the Maadhva sect of Hinduism. This sect was established by the sage Madhvacharya in the 13th century. He propounded the Dvaita philosophy, which is commonly translated as dualism, rivaling the older Advaita (non-dualism) philosophy propounded by Sankaracharya,

Maadhvas are Vaishnavites, worshippers of Vishnu, of whose many incarnations Krishna is one. The Krishna temple Madhvacharya worshipped at is the heart of the city, and a major pilgrimage destination.

Udupi had a nascent career as a financial hub till the 1960s, with many banks being established here, but most of them got nationalized. Manipal, a suburb of Udupi city, is an important educational and medical centre owing to the efforts of T M A Pai in the 1960s.

Climate
The weather is fairly equable throughout the year, due to the nearby Arabian sea. Temperature ranges from 30 to 35 °C in day time and is around 25 °C at night. Humidity is normally high most of the time.

The rainy season is from June to September. At this time the monsoon shows its colours. Within seconds, you could find yourself soaked in rain water.

The best time to visit is October to March, when the weather is cool. April and May will be hot and June to September will be wet, so if you are visiting during this time, you will spend most of your time indoors. But then, April and May is when you get the ripe mangoes, and June to September is when the rains make the area green and beautiful, so life isn't fair.

Get in
Udupi is well-connected with the cities on India's west coast. NH-66 (formerly NH-17) runs right through Udupi, connecting it to Mumbai and Goa to the North and Mangalore and Kochi to the South. Konkan Railway connects Udupi to the same cities. The city is around 406 km from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. Rail connectivity with Bangalore is good, but travelling by road is a good option, as you are exposed to the beauty of the nature. The road journey through Agumbe ghats is really mesmerizing.

By plane
Mangalore International Airport is 59 km from Udupi. The airport is well-connected with major Indian cities and a few Middle-eastern destinations.

Pre-paid taxis (non air-conditioned) can be booked from the counter inside the arrival terminal. They take approximately 1½ hours to reach.

Goa's Dabolim airport is around 300 km from Udupi. Getting in via Goa is not the most practical or convenient way to get to Udupi, but if you are planning to combine a vacation in Goa, this is a good option.

By train
Udupi is a major station on the Konkan railway route. There are connections with Mumbai, Bangalore and Mangalore. Major trains including Rajdhani Express stop at Udupi Railway Station. A night train is available from Mangalore to Bangalore, known as the Mangalore-Bangalore express. Yeshwantpur-Karwar express is another train which connects Bangalore to Udupi and runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

By car
Udupi is located right on National Highway NH-66 (formerly NH-17) connecting Kochi with Mumbai. See Karavali about the lowdown on this route. This connects Udupi with Kerala, Coastal Karnataka (including Mangalore), Goa, and the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Drive in on your own only if you are used to driving on Indian highways. Alternatively, hire a driver or take a cab.

From Bangalore, you first must come to Mangalore via roads which mostly pass through zig-zag hilly roads, or ghats. NH-75 (formerly NH-48) is the road that connects Bangalore and Mangalore, which passes through Shiradi Ghat. However, the ghat roads seem to get damaged every year during the monsoon, so make inquiries in advance and decide which of the four ghats is relatively passable and adjust that portion of the route accordingly.

By bus
Buses regularly ply from major southern cities and Maharashtra to Udupi. Choose from the Volvos (AC buses), Airbuses or KSRTC buses depending on your budget. Private buses generally have two stops in Udupi — the service bus stand at the centre of the city, and near Tiger circle at Manipal. It is one-hour journey from Mangalore (around 60 km). Regular buses ply from Mangalore very frequently, both AC and non-AC. You will easily get those from either Mangalore KSRTC bus stand or from the public bus stand (locally called the State Bank bus stand). It is also well connected from nearby towns like Murudeshwar, Karwar or Gokarna.

Get around
Buses, cabs and auto-rickshaws are ways to get around the city. Udupi has excellent city bus services run by various private companies. Buses generally start and end at the main bus stand. There are bus stops throughout the city. Ask around. Tickets can be bought once you board or from the conductor just before boarding. Rates start from ₹5 per 2 km.

By taxi
Hired cabs are available, though they can't be hailed off the street. They are unmetered, but as a general guide, ₹15 per kilometre for a non-air-conditioned compact car for short distances is a good starting point.

By autorickshaw
Autorickshaws can be found on the street, and are generally a cheap mode to travel. For autos, fares start at ₹25 for the first 1.5 km and go up by ₹16 every kilometer after that. This is assuming that they agree to go by the meter, which they generally do not. Nonetheless, this is a good guide to estimate the rate you should agree to.

On foot
Walking around the city when the weather is good is a nice experience. There aren't any footpaths, though, so you will have to share the side of the road with autos and bikes.

See
Udupi has some nice beaches, lush greenery, the quaint charm of a small town and many temples. Many of the places to visit are not very well known to many people outside of Udupi. If you are an adventurous person who loves nature, there is a lot to explore in Udupi.

Krishna temple complex
The heart of Udupi is undoubtedly the Krishna temple complex. It comprises of, in addition to the main temple, two other historic temples - Anantheshwara and Chandramouleshwara, all connected by the Ratha beedi or "chariot street", so called because on festive occasions such as the "Paryaya", the deity is taken in procession in temple chariots. The chariots themselves are usually stationed at Ratha beedi.

In addition to propounding a philosophy and performing miracles, Madhvacharya also established a monastic order with eight main monasteries (or "mutts"). All around the Ratha beedi are the eight mutts (ashtamathas).

20th century additions to the area are the Gita Mandira and the Rajangana, where cultural programmes and discourses held, a short walk away. The Ratha Beedi is also a shopping street.

Do
Udupi has some great beaches, but thankfully, they aren't big water sports destinations like Goa, though there are some options. If you are the adventurous sort, you can head south to Mulki, Mangalore where the Ashram surf retreat combines surfing with spiritualism.

If the mountains are what you are after, turn east to Karkala, where Agumbe and other places provide some excellent trekking opportunities.

For a cultural experience, try to catch a performance of Yakshagana, a Bhoota Kola or a Naga Mandala. The latter two are essentially religious rituals, but a sight to watch. The Yakshagana is a genre of dance-drama that is native to the Karavali region. The performances are advertised only in local Kannada newspapers, so it might be somewhat difficult to catch them. Also, to fully appreciate Yakshagana, you need to understand Kannada or Tulu.

Buy
While Udupi, like any other city of moderate size, offers many opportunities to shop, and the Ratha Beedi area around the temple is a popular and interesting destination to buy what the city is best known for. Most people who visit the temple combine their religious sojourn with a shopping expedition. On festive occasions, the area around the Krishna temple comes abuzz with many temporary shops set up for the occasion.

Befitting Udupi's status as a culinary paradise, many of the items on the must-shop list at Ratha Beedi are culinary. Snacks and juice extracts top the list. Spices and oils used in traditional Udupi cooking can also be bought here. Shops that sell vessels and other implements used to prepare Udupi-style cuisine are scattered all over the street. Among these are aluminium pans to make guliyappa and the aruvamane used to scrape coconuts.

Other items to look out for are wood handicraft items such as agarbatti stands, idols of deities, and altars. This is also a good place to buy Ayurvedic medicines and massage oils.

 * Saaru powder (Saarina Hudi), Sambhar powder part of world famous Udupi cuisine and Coconut oil.
 * Pickles made from Mango, Lemon and different vegetables.
 * Cotton wicks (Bathi) used to light lamp in front of Gods, Incense sticks (Udinabathi) and other Pooja /Japa/ Homa /Havan related items at Car street (Ratha beedi) near to Krishna Matha at Udupi city.
 * Happala (Pappad) and Sandige made from Black gram (Uddu), Horse gram (Huruli), Sweet potato (Genasu) and  Jack fruit (Halasina hannu).
 * Sweets and savouries

Clothing, particularly silk sarees but also other traditional Indian and western dresses, and jewellery are the other two big items that are on many visitors' shopping lists in Udupi.

Clothing
For your saree/dress purchases:

Jewellery
Udupi is famous for traditional jewellery. Famous jewellers are:

Snacks and packaged food
You can also buy traditional packaged food here. Wheat halwa and banana halwa that is made up of ghee and banana chips are well-known local specialities. Mango pickles from here are great as well. Purchase these items from any local store. Enquire in any of these local stores for other local coastal delicacies.

Udupi cuisine
The vegetarian cuisine of Udupi is famous all over India and among Indians abroad. For this reputation, it must thank the Sri Krishna temple and its traditions. The temple offers free food to everyone who wants to partake of it. The cooks have traditionally been the Brahmins belonging to the Shivalli sect, who, over the centuries, have perfected the art of cooking that adheres to "Satvik" principles. This requires not just vegetarianism but also the avoidance of onion and garlic, as these are said to excite the baser senses. In spite of these limitations, the food of Udupi tastes great, with subtle flavours.

While the eat section of the Karavali article more than adequately covers the cuisine you are likely to encounter here, Udupi has some items of food that are unique to the place. One of them is the matti gulla (see infobox) a variant of eggplant. Ibbulle, a kind of musk melon is a speciality here. The best way to consume it is by turning it into rasayana, a kind of thick, pulpy juice. Ibbulle is such a localized fruit that there are people who've lived in Mangalore all their lives and have never heard of the fruit. Then there is hayagreeva maddi a sweet made of chickpea, coconut and jaggery that is offered as prasadam to Hayagreeva (see infobox). Golibaje, a traditional fried snack item made from maida (all-purpose flour) and yoghurt, is another speciality of Udupi. Also, try out the "charmuri upkari", a famous snack from the handcarts around Rathabeedi. The ginger soda is a famous drink available in many local shops.

Meat-eaters will not be disappointed in Udupi either. Do not forget to try the famous non-veg dishes kori sukha (chicken in spicy masala with grated coconut), kori rotti (chicken curry with crisp rice roti). Seafood here is great as well. Some common local fish are bangude fish and king fish. Definitely try the bangude tawa fry or the fish thali which is available at many restaurants.

At Malpe beach, visit the fish fry shop just outside the beach. Prices start from ₹30. .

If you are looking for international cuisines, Manipal is the place to go to.

Drink
It is fair to say that Udupi, being a temple town, is not a great place to have alcoholic drinks, and this sleepy town is not known for a vibrant night life. Manipal, however, is a short hop away from the city centre, famous for its student population, and this is where you go if you want a drink.

You can try the unfermented toddy which is extracted early morning from coconut trees. This can usually be found near the beaches. Be very very careful about the quality and safety, however.

Sleep
Hotels are reasonably priced and cheap. Most hotels are concentrated around the city centre and the temple. The other option is to look for a hotel near Manipal, which is more expensive. The Paradise Island Beach Resort (see under "Do") is an option if you are looking for a beach holiday.There are many Chatra's or Choultry's in and around Shri Krishna Matha, Birla Chatra(Telephone :0820-2521624),Krishna Dhama (Telephone:0820-2522679), Vidya Samudra Choultry( Telephone:0820-2520820), Bhuvaraha guest house(Telephone:0820-2525150),Adhokshaja Mandira(0820-2524178),Vijayadwaja (Telephone:0820-2521328).

Go next
To the west of Udupi lies the historic town of Karkala, which is a major religious centre for Jainism. There stands a 42-feet statue of the saint Bahubali (known as Gomateshwara), completely naked, as is the custom. At Moodabidri in Dakshina Kannada district, there is a Jain temple with thousand pillars (saavira kambada basadi).

There are many Hindu religious sites in the neighbourhood of Udupi. At Kollur in Byndoor taluk, there is a famous temple dedicated to the Goddess Mookambika.Further north is Uttara Kannada, home to many nice beaches like the Murudeshwar beach, around 150 km away, and Gokarna beach, around 250 km away. North of Uttara Kannada is Goa, which is around 5 hours by car.

Other attractions
 * Hanging Bridge (Suspension Bridge) - around 15 km from Udupi near Kemmannu (Thonse). The best to visit is 5PM. The place is near Kemmannu.
 * Kudlu Theertha - a trek amidst the forest to the waterfall on the way to Agumbe via Hebri.
 * Barkur
 * Sirsi
 * Karwar
 * Horanadu

title: Udupi


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Udupi (district)

Udupi is a district in the Karavali region of Karnataka.

Cities

 * — the headquarters of the district, a temple town famous for its Krishna temple
 * —
 * —

 * —
 * —

 * —

Understand
The district is famous for various Hindu (Sanatana) temples like Shree Krishna Matha at Udupi city and many more spread throughout the  Udupi district. Education institutes are located in around Udupi and Manipal.

By road
Udupi district is connected by highways NH 66 (formerly NH 17) and NH 169 (formerly NH 13). NH-66 connects Udupi to Mangaluru, Kasargod, Kochi, Goa, Ratnagiri, and Mumbai. NH-169 connects to Shivamogga and Solapur. There are many Karnataka state highways (SH) connecting Udupi district to other districts of Karnataka state. The main district roads (MDR) connect villages and towns within the district.

By rail
Udupi district is connected to Konkan railways. Udupi district has few stations on Konkan railway route which connects Mumbai to Mangalore. Railway stations in Udupi district are as follows Shiroor, Baindoor, Bijoor, Senapura, Kundapura, Barkur, Udupi, Padubidri, Nandikoor (Nandikuru).

By plane
Mangalore International Airport is the nearest airport to Udupi, 60 km away.

By boat
New Mangalore Port (NMPT) is the nearest major sea port at Panamburu, 50 km away.

Get around
Udupi district has good services of private buses going to different places from district headquarters Udupi city and taluk headquarters Kundapura and Karkala. Auto and taxi are available at major tourist places in the district to go around.

See

 * Udupi district has many temples. Famous ones are Shri Krishna Matha (Sri Krishna Temple) at Udupi town, Pajaka is the birthplace of Jagadguru Shri Madhva Acharya the Dvaita philosopher of Hinduism and founder of Ashta matha's  (Eight Monasteries) of Udupi.
 * Hindu temples at Udupi districts are Vinayaka Temple - Anegudde (26 km from Udupi), Mukambika Temple - Kollur (59 km from Udupi, 26 km from Kundapura), Vinayaka temple - Hattiyangadi (9 km from Kundapur), Mandarti Durga Temple, Shankaranarayana Temple, Anantha Padmanabha Temples at Hebri and Perdur,
 * There are many famous beaches along Udupi district coast. Mainly, Kaup Beach (Light house), Malpe beach, Kodi beach, Maravanthe beach. St Mary's Island is around 10 km from Malpe, which is an excellent picnic spot.
 * The Heritage museum at Manipal where one can see different types of houses of bygone times.

Do

 * Visit Barkur or Barkuru a village near Brahmavara  which was once the capital of Tulunad (Tulu Dynasty). Ruins of the past Tulu kingdom can be found at Barkur. There is a railway station at Barkur where Matsyagandha Express (Train 12619 /12620) connecting Mumbai to Mangalore stops. Also passenger trains from Madgaon (Goa) to Mangaluru stop at this station.
 * Nature walk at Sitanadi nature camp run Karnataka forest department at Sitanadi near Hebri. This camp is part of Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary. Also go to Kudlu waterfalls which is near the Sitanadi camp during the rainy season (June to September). Ride along road starting from Sitanadi via Bachappu, Kabbinale, Muthlupadi, Ajekar to Karkala which is very scenic but very narrow.
 * Visit Karkala which has Jain Basidi and Gomateshwara statue.
 * Boating at some of the rivers of the district like the Sita and Swarna.

Buy

 * Saaru powder (Saarina Hudi) Sambhar powder, Kashaya powder and Coconut oil.
 * Pickles made from Mango, Lemon and different vegetables.
 * Cotton wicks (Bathi) used to light lamp in front of Gods, Incense sticks (Udinabathi) and other Pooja / Japa/ Homa / Havan related items at Car street (Ratha beedi) near to Krishna Matha at Udupi city.
 * Happala (Pappad) and Sandige made from Black gram (Uddu), Horse gram (Huruli), Sweet potato (Genasu) and  Jack fruit (Halasina hannu).
 * Sweets and savouries.

Eat

 * Mitra Samaja at Car street (Ratha Beedi) in Udupi town  is a vegetarian restaurant where onion and garlic are not used in preparations and  suitable for Jains.
 * Woodlands restaurant near Adamaru matha choultry at Udupi for lip smacking Masala dosa and other vegetarian foods.
 * Diana- one of the oldest eat out in the town serves authentic South Indian food! Do try GudBud ice creams here, A specially of this joint.
 * Shri Rama Bhavan, Tenkapete, Udupi.

Drink

 * Tender Coconut water available locally.

Stay safe
Do not swim in the Arabian Sea at Malpe beach and other beaches. The summer season (March to May) can be hot and humid making you sweat profusely. During the monsoon season be alert to floods, water logging and big potholes on the road.

Go next

 * Mangalore
 * Dharwad
 * Murdeshwara
 * Karwar
 * Agumbe
 * Kudremukh National Park

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Udupi (district)


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Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Udzungwa Mountains National Park is in Central Tanzania.

Understand
The Udzungwa Mountains National Park is one of Tanzania's most outstanding and exciting wilderness areas, with unique wildlife species inhabiting this range of forests. Udzungwa is a primate park and there are 12 species of primate, including three found nowhere else in the world (the Sanje Mangabey, the Iringa Red Colobus and the Kipunji). Udzungwa is home to approximately 400 species of bird, many of which are endemic to the area. The park is treasured for the high level of biodiversity of birds and animals.

The mountain range is often referred to as "the Galapagos Islands of Africa" due to its rich levels of biodiversity and endemism.

The park's scenery is spectacular, with the rainforest spreading across rolling hills, valleys and mountains. The park has a number of impressive waterfalls, including Sanje Waterfalls, the highest waterfall in the National Parks system in Tanzania. Swimming in the plunge pools of the waterfalls is extremely refreshing following a hot hike!

History
Udzungwa Mountains National Park was established in 1992. The park was formed from five forest reserves established in 1950s. These forests survived over 30 million years and were once connected to the Congo Basin and West Africa. The park was inaugurated in 1992 by WWF founder and then-president, Prince Bernard of Netherlands.

The name Udzungwa comes form the Kihehe word "Wadzungwa" which means the people who live on the sides of the mountains. The vast areas of the Udzungwa Mountains are still pristine, where man has not disturbed the earth and its natural communities due to taboos and cultural beliefs.

Landscape
Udzungwa Mountains National Park is one of Tanzania’s most outstanding, pristine, paradise and unique exciting wilderness mountains forested with greatest altitudinal range of forest. It is one of thirty-four “World Biodiversity Hotspot” and one of 200 WWF Ecoregion of global critical importance.

Flora and fauna
The Eastern Arc Mountains cover less than 2% of Tanzania's area but holds 30-40% of the country's plants and mammal species. The park provides a sanctuary for many unique plants, mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and butterfly species. Over 300 animal species have been recorded, including 96 vertebrate and 800 plant species found only in the Eastern Arc Mountains.

Climate
The park receives most of its annual rainfall from November to May. It is possible to visit the park at any time of year but it can be slippery during the rains. The maximum temperature is 31°C in October, with the minimum temperature of 21°C in July.

Get in
Udzungwa Mountains National Park is about 360 km almost due west of Dar es Salaam, not far after Mikumi National Park.

By car
To drive from Dar es Salaam, take the Morogoro road and continue for around 5 hours through Chalinze, Morogoro and Mikumi National Park to Mikumi town. In Mikumi town, take a left turn following the signs for Ifakara and Udzungwa Mountains National Park.

After about 35 km you pass through the town of Kilombero and cross the mighty Ruaha River to Kidatu, with its hydroelectric power station and Ilovo headquarters.

Here the tarmac road ends, and you continue along on a graded dirt road for 24 km. Look out for Sanje waterfall on your right when you pass through Sanje Village.

You will see the sign for the National Park on your right once you reach the village of Mang'ula.

By train
The TAZARA railway from Dar es Salaam to Zambia departs on Tuesdays and Fridays at approximately 2PM and 4PM respectively. The journey to Mang'ula where the park headquarters are takes 6-7 hours. The train is a great way to reach the park: it is comfortable and cheap, with food, drinks, cold beers all available. It passes through some wonderful countryside including The [Selous Game Reserve] where you might see some wildlife. It is good to have flexibility and your patience with you as the train is not always reliable and can be delayed or not run at all.

The train arrives in Mang'ula at night, so it's best to have accommodation and pickup booked with Udzungwa Forest Camp - Hondo Hondo before you depart. They will be waiting for you at the station whatever time the train arrives.

The train returns from Zambia to Dar es Salaam, passing through Mang'ula on Thursdays and Sundays. The distance from Zambia is huge, so there can be major delays, often of more than 12 hr.

By plane
It is possible to take a charter flight to Kilombero airstrip - 24 km from the park headquarters.

There are also daily scheduled flights to Mikumi airstrip (Mikumi park fees incurred).

Airstrip transfers can be arranged with Udzungwa Forest Camp - Hondo Hondo.

Fees and permits
Entrance fees for non-citizens per 24 hours:
 * US$30 for adult
 * US$10 for child (5-15 yrs)

Camping fees for non-citizens per 24 hours:
 * US$30 for adult
 * US$5 for child (5-15 yrs)

Entrance fees for residents per 24 hours:
 * US$15 for adult
 * US$5 for child (5-15 yrs)

Camping fees for residents per 24 hours:
 * US$15 for adult
 * US$5 for child (5-15 yrs)

Entrance fees for Tanzanian citizens per 24 hours:
 * Tsh 5000 for adult
 * Tsh 2000 for child

Camping fees for Tanzanian citizens per 24 hours:
 * Tsh 5000 for adult
 * Tsh 2500 for child

Per group: All visitors must be accompanied by a guide (for the longer hikes a ranger).
 * Guide - US$20 per group ($10 for residents, Tsh 5000 for Tanzanians)
 * Ranger - US$20 per group ($10 for residents,  Tsh 5000 for Tanzanians)

Maximum group size 6 people to 1 guide/ranger.

Get around
Udzungwa Mountains National Park is a walking only park. Within the park, there are a number of hiking trails, from short and picturesque walks (approx 1 km) to the small waterfalls (eg Prince Bernard Falls, Sonjo Waterfalls and Msolwa Falls), day hikes to Sanje Waterfalls (3½ km), Hidden Valleys (campsite 3 trail) (17 km), Mzimu (16 km), Njia Panda (26 km), to the ambitious scaling Mwanihana peak (1 or 2 nights, 38 km) or the Lumemo Trail (2, 3 or 4 nights, 65 km). The most popular trail is to the magnificent Sanje waterfalls, a 3½-5 km circuit with spectacular views across the plains and three wonderful waterfalls where you can swim and relax in the plunge pools and enjoy a picnic lunch. Detailed trail information including maps and elevation data can be found on the Udzungwa Forest Camp website.

The surrounding area is best explored by bicycle as the terrain is relatively flat. By bicycle, you can experience African village life first hand.

It is possible to rent bicycles from Udzungwa Forest Camp, Hondo Hondo.

See
For keen bird watchers, taking a dug out canoe along the Kilombero river is a must. The locally carved canoes are the traditional means of transport along the river and its easy to spot the endemic Kilombero Weaver, bee eaters, pelicans and other seasonal water-birds. You'll might just see hippos, crocodiles and Nile monitor lizards. This is a great way to spend a relaxing afternoon, enjoying a picnic lunch.

Also in Ifakara, there is a wonderful hassle-free market for souvenir shopping as well as the excellent Women's Weavers, a local enterprise set up to empower women. They make and sell some wonderful material items including blankets, table mats and napkins and you can watch them whilst they work.

Udzungwa Forest Camp, Hondo Hondo can help to arrange these tours.

Do
As well as hiking in the park, there are plenty of other activities in the surrounding area.

Hiring a bicycle and a local guide is a great way to explore the surrounding villages. From a bike, you get a wonderful first hand view of African village life with the opportunity to see the local markets, shops and school. The area is surrounded by local farms and sugar cane plantations. There is also a rubber plantation where it is possible to see the process from extraction from the trees all the way to the rubber being dried out and ready for transportation.

A visit to the local witch doctor is an unforgettable experience where you can learn more about the recipes, lotions and potions traditionally used.

There is a traditional Ngoma (drum and dance) group in the village who can perform for a thrilling evening of wild dancing, rhythmic drumming and singing. This is a fantastic evening spent around the campfire enjoying traditional, impromptu dance and song.

Udzungwa Forest Camp, Hondo Hondo can help to arrange all these tours.

Buy
Buy local souvenirs at the market in the village and the larger market at Ifakara where it is possible to buy second-hand clothes. Women's weavers in Ifakara is great for locally produced items.

Eat
Eating in the village is mainly confined to local houses and bars, where you can sample mishkaki (barbecued meat on a skewer), chips mayai (a chip omelette) or traditional ugali (maize flour cooked with water and eaten with your hands).

Within the park, it is often necessary to take a packed lunch.

Udzungwa Forest Camp, Hondo Hondo provides the best eating option in the area, see the lodging section.

Lodging
Udzungwa Forest Camp, Hondo Hondo is a tented camp located close to the Park Headquarters with very comfortable en-suite forest tents and thatched huts in the local style. The site is really relaxing and peaceful, sometimes monkeys come over the border from the National Park into the site itself so you can see monkeys and birds on site. They have a bar area with cold beers and imported spirits and good food. They also have a camping field and you can hire tents and bedding from them.

They can help you arrange all the activities in the surrounding area as well as hire equipment and porters for the hikes. They have mountain bikes for hire as well.

There are also two basic guest houses in the village, both cheap.

Camping
It is possible to camp within the National Park. There are a number of small camp sites near the road (campsites 1, 2 and 3) and many more on the longer overnight trails. There is also a campsite at the top of Sanje waterfalls. You have to pay camping fees to the National Park to stay overnight (US$30 per adult, $5 per child) so it can work out quite expensive.

Another option is to camp and base yourselves at Udzungwa Forest Camp, Hondo Hondo, heading into the park in the daytime.

title: Udzungwa Mountains National Park


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Überlingen

Überlingen is a city of 23,000 people (2020) in the south of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is part of the Bodensee region (Lake Constance) bordering Austria, Switzerland and Germany.

By train
Überlingen is serviced by Germany's Deutsche Bahn railway and bus network. The main line from Basel Bad (Switzerland) to Ulm runs through Überlingen. Routes from Zurich to Stuttgart offer transfers at Singen to go to Überlingen.

By bus
Regional bus line 7395 runs between Überlingen and Friedrichshafen (Hafen) every half-hour during the week, hourly on weekends. There is a stop at the car and passenger ferry in Meersburg, and several of the smaller towns, such as Hagnau, along the lakeshore route.

The long-distance bus company Flixbus makes stops at the central bus station next to the main train stop in Überlingen on an irregular schedule. Regularly served Flixbus stops can be found in Meersburg, Konstanz or Radolfzell.

By bicycle
There is a bicycle circuit the entire way around Lake Constance, passing through Überlingen. There's a free air-pump station at the main train stop.

By boat
There are also ferries operating from other cities bordering Lake Constance, including Constance, Meersburg, Rorschach and Bregenz (Austria). The Meersburg-Constance ferry includes car service.

A seasonal boat service operates three times a day on the route: Bodman - Ludwigshafen - Sipplingen - Überlingen.

Get around
There are 8 local bus routes around town which converge at the central bus station next to the main train stop. The German train service has three stops (Therme, Mitte and Nussdorf) in Überlingen, but the fast regional trains (IRE) serve only the central stop. Much of Überlingen, though hilly, is walkable, particularly along the lakeside promenade. Bicycles are also an excellent form of transport.

The center of Überlingen is a pedestrian area and cars are discouraged, in part through the lack of parking spots. There are three public parking garages (first 30 minutes are free) and two open-air car parks, including a park-and-ride car park at the northwest edge of town (near the hospital), which includes a day-pass for public transportation.

Eat
Many Greek restaurants such as Mykonos have local seafood available. There are also some Italian restaurants and German restaurants all along the lake side for al fresco dining.

Sleep

 * Martin Buber Jungendherberge +49 75 51 42 04 (Youthhostel)
 * Hotel Garni Zähringer Hof +49 7551 63665 (Classic style German hotel, postwar decor, breakfast provided).
 * Martin Buber Jungendherberge +49 75 51 42 04 (Youthhostel)
 * Hotel Garni Zähringer Hof +49 7551 63665 (Classic style German hotel, postwar decor, breakfast provided).
 * Hotel Garni Zähringer Hof +49 7551 63665 (Classic style German hotel, postwar decor, breakfast provided).

Go next

 * Uhldingen-Mühlhofen
 * Pfullendorf
 * Meersburg

title: Überlingen


text:
Ueda

Ueda (上田市 Ueda-shi) is a city in Nagano prefecture.

Tourist information site
Ueda Trip Navi is the city's official multilingual guide site.

Get in
Shinkansen Tokyo-Nagano; Shinano-Tetsudo line Karuizawa-Nagano;  Japan Railways bus from Matsumoto airport.

Get around
Walking will mostly do; there are plenty of city buses.

Sleep
Toyoko-inn is just NW of the station; 8080 for a double with breakfast (April 2009), or go to Bessho Onsen.

Connect
Ueda Sightseeing Volunteer Guides: a volunteer guide group specializing in helping and introducing foreign tourists to Ueda.

Go next

 * Chikuma - take the Shinano railway north to Togura or Chikuma stations and visit the onsens, mountains and temples of this small city on the Chikuma River
 * Yamanouchi - home of the famous hot-spring soaking snow monkeys.
 * Joshinetsu Kogen National Park - which includes Shiga Kogen, Japan's largest ski resort, host of 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Giant Slalom, with 21 interlinked ski fields and over 70 lifts.
 * Matsumoto - home of the famous black castle, whose gardens and views are a delight in spring and autumn
 * Kiso Valley - through which winds the historic Nakasendo (Mountain Road) with numerous historic and beautifully restored villages
 * Hakuba - some of the best ski fields in Japan and great summer hiking along the spectacular northern alps
 * Azumino - Spice up your life with a visit to one of Japan's most famous wasabi farms
 * Nagano - Take a pilgrimage to Zenkoji Temple

title: Ueda


text:
Uelzen

Uelzen is a town or about 34,000 (2022) in northeast Lower Saxony and also the county town of Uelzen county. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region and also a Hanseatic town in its own right.

Uelzen is a picturesque place with pretty, timber-framed buildings as well as some impressive examples of North German brick Gothic architecture. The town's fame grew considerably in 2000, when Viennese artist and architect, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, was commissioned to redesign its station. The result was the striking "Hundertwasser Station" which has since become a tourist magnet.

Understand
Until 17 April 1945 a Nazi concentration camp was established in Uelzen. The camp was a subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp.

By road
Uelzen lies on the intersection of the B 71, B 191 and B 4 federal roads. The nearest motorway is the A7. Take the Soltau-Ost exit and follow the B 71 east for about 52 km to Uelzen.

By rail
Uelzen is on the main Hanover to Hamburg railway. There are also regional services to Soltau, Brunswick and Magdeburg.

Go next

 * Bad Bevensen
 * Munster (Lower Saxony)
 * Celle

title: Uelzen


text:
Ueno

There is more than one place called Ueno:

 * Iga-Ueno - A city in Mie prefecture, Japan
 * Ueno - A district in Tokyo, Japan

title: Ueno


text:
Ufa

Ufa (Russian: Уфа́ oo-FAH, Bashkirː ӨФӨ oe-FOE), the capital of Bashkortostan, is a large, interesting, and rapidly developing city, with a population of over 1.1 million in 2018. Ufa is exceptionally interesting for a traveler. The city is diverse architecturally and demographically, with influences from multiple distinct cultures and religions. Quite appropriate for a city at the junction of Europe and Asiaǃ

Life in Ufa swings from major highways to quiet streets, modern nightlife to rich cultural traditions. It also regularly hosts major international competitions and events.

Understand

Ufa is one of the shortest place names in Russia. As the locals say, "If you get only three letters, come visit usǃ" It is only three letters in the Bashkir language as well, ӨФӨ, the unusual appearance of which has given the city one of its odder nicknamesː City of Three Screws. Ufa is situated west of the Ural Mountains on the Belaya River (in Bashkir, Agidel River) at its confluence with the Ufa River. The toponym itself may mean “river” or simply “water”: opinions differ on this matter.

In a loose sense, Ufa may be one of the oldest cities in the Ural Region. Excavations indicate a permanent presence here back to the 4th century AD and, if the Bashkirs did in fact have medieval cities, archaeologists say it was either here or somewhere close by. Written sources from the time of the Golden Horde report a city on the Belaya River named Bashkort, which perhaps corresponds to the location of modern day Ufa, but there are no visible traces of it.

Under its modern three-letter incarnation, Ufa dates back to 1574 when Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of a prison on the Belaya River, and later a small kremlin (however, nothing older than late 18th century buildings survived to the present). In its early history, Ufa more resembled a fortress than a city, occasionally assailed by rebellious Bashkirs. After the Pugachev Uprising in 1774, Ufa entered a long period of peace. The kremlin did burn down, after which stone construction began in earnest; however, construction was not very active, as Ufa had the lowly status of "county town" under the Orenburg Governate. In 1865, however, the Ufa Governate was formed, with the titular city made its capital. Around the same time the Samara-Zlatoust railway was completed (the old, historical Trans-Siberian route), which contributed significantly to the city's growth. Additionally, Catherine II gave the city's upward trajectory a major boost by naming it the capital of Russian Islam. In Ufa there are fewer old mosques than in Kazan, but there are old madrassas, which are exceedingly rare in Russia.

Despite being the capital of the Ufa Governate and later the Bashkir ASSR, Ufa was until World War II a relatively modest Ural city with light industry along the lines of lumber and food production. In the post-war years the population boomed along with the growth of the region's oil and chemical industries. The face of modern-day Ufa is marred by unattractive Soviet buildings, and you could accidentally miss the rather large historic center if you went there for work, as the city center has shifted north along the riverbank over the years — the Belaya River and the steep topography of its bank have had a great influence on the city. Its length from north to south is over 50 km, while west to east it is less than 5 km.

Orientation
The Old City is bounded in the west by ul. Aksakov, in the north by ul. Chernyshevsky, in the east by ul. Tsyurupa, and in the south reaches (intermittently) to the cliff over the Belaya River. The train station is north, almost on the outskirts. In the west, the old city turns into a very colorful one-story suburban area, stretching along the slope to the railway itself and beyond. In the east, a similar suburb is gradually giving way to modern buildings. In the north, along Lenin St, a gradual path through history is visible: from pre-revolutionary houses to provincial Stalinism and on to the concrete block-style housing from the time of Brezhnevian Stagnation. A highway, Prospekt Salavat Yulayev, leads to the north of the city; running parallel to it is Prospekt Oktyabrya, at the end of which is the Chernikovka district with Ufa's main mosque. Further on are the oil refineries. Apart from Chernikovka with its mosque and sound Soviet architecture (it was once a separate city), most travelers will be interested only in the historical center, although bad luck and especially the hunt for cheap lodgings can thrust you into odd corners of the city.

There are at least two modern centers. The older of the two, Verkhnetorgovaya square near Gostiny Dvor, is located in the southern part of the city. The newer center is along the middle portion of Prospekt Oktyabrya by the Park of Culture im. Gafuri, the Russian Dramatic Theater, and the circus.

By plane

The airport of Ufa has been renovated is quite modern, with jet bridges, although the width of the corridors and the design of the halls sometimes leave much to be desired. There are two terminals at the airport - domestic and international. Coming in from the entrance, you'll see a kiosk with honey and Bashkir souvenirs, as well as a "Bashkir goose" («Башкирский гусь») kiosk that serves essentially the same function. To the right at the end of the corridor is a 24-hour Cafe Moskva, where you can sample Bashkir pastries at low prices, as well as salads and hot food. Also in the terminal are Shokoladnitsa for chocolate and a fresh-squeezed juice counter. On the second floor there is a small shop and post "office," which has the only computer with (supposedly) internet access. A round-the-clock left-luggage office on the lower level: ₽200 for the first day and ₽50 for each subsequent.

After security, there is one large hall with another souvenir shop and a "duty-free" store (which is absurd for domestic flights...). There is a counter on the left with coffee and tea (expensive). At the end of the hall there are a couple of cheaper cafeterias, indistinguishable from one another. There is no hot food. Throughout the terminal there is decent free Wi-Fi, with also a paid option, Ufanet.

There is a large area in front of the terminal building. Public transport leaves from the inconspicuous pavilion (автопавильона), located diagonally to the left from the terminal exit. Local minibuses as well as intercity buses collect passengers here. Inside the pavilion there is a 24-hour ticket office and the pleasant aroma of coffee from the machine in the cafeteria here, which is rare in Bashkortostan. There is no separate waiting room - it wouldn't fit - but you can sit at the cafeteria table.

Food options outside the airport are poor. 24-hour Cafe Flight in the square (diagonally to the right from the terminal exit) serves as a cafeteria with warm food of rather poor quality. A 24-hour restaurant should be in the hotel, perhaps it is better there. The airport hotel has been renovated and apparently not bad, but the prices are high: from ₽2400 for a single room (2015),.

City buses and minibuses (marshrutki) go to the airport from the city center. Coming from the center, find a bus/minibus with a sign for «по Ленина» or «Гостиный двор» (for example, routes 101 and 110). Minibus service stops after 22:00 or so, while Bashavtotrans buses stop service even earlier. The fare on the municipal bus is ₽39. Via commercial minibus it's ₽40, although drivers sometimes will add a surcharge for bulky baggage. Taxis are very common in Ufa, and the fare to the center of Ufa is about ₽350-500 (2018) and takes about 25-35 minutes, although farther-out destinations like Chernikovka are more expensive. There are also intercity buses heading south to Salavat, Sterlitamak, and Orenburg.

By train
Ufa is on the trunk line Samara-Chelyabinsk, but there are fewer trains than you might expect. Trains leave 7-8 times per day for Samara (8 hours) and Chelyabinsk (9 hours). Trains in both directions will continue on - west to Moscow and east to Siberia and Kazakhstan. A few trains per day go to Ulyanovsk (13 hours). There are no passenger routes to Orenburg, except for an irregular and quite uncomfortable service, Ufa-Tashkent. There are no direct trains to Kazan or Izhevsk. Suburban/commuter trains only serve nearby small towns. Of Bashkortostan's larger cities, they only go to Sterlitamak.

By car
Ufa is on the M5 Hwy, 460 km from Samara and 380 km from Chelyabinsk. Ufa is also the terminus of the M7 from Moscow (1350 km) via Kazan (500 km). The road south heads to Orenburg (350 km). North, it's 400 km to Izhevsk and about 500 km to Perm and Yekaterinburg.

By bus
The most frequent bus connection is with Orenburg, about 10 times per day, 7½ hours. A few times per day buses go to Yekaterinburg (13-14 hr), Perm (11 hr), Naberezhnye Chelny (6 hrs), and Kazan (10-11 hr). In all directions there are also private, express "marshrutki," which are generally 1½-2 times faster. To Samara and Chelyabinsk, it's more convenient to take a train. Lastly, there are buses and marshrutki to Izhevsk, but the time to get there varies widely, depending on the ferry across the Kama River. Another option is to cross the Kama by elektrichka from Sarapul and then catch a bus to Ufa, which is easy to do from Yanaul or Neftekamsk.

Theoretically, in Ufa there is also a North Bus Station (Kemerovskaya St., 82: Chernikovka), but in 2013 it closed for repairs (there is a joke in Russian about the phrase, "temporarily closed for repairs"). But since the buses are all still running from the South Bus Station, there's a chance it will never reopen. Buses heading north toward Birsk still make a stop at the former North Bus Station. There is also a ticket office in operation.

By boat
There has been no regular passenger service along the Belaya Rover for a long time and there never will be. From time to time there are cruise ships of the Bashkir River Shipping Company from Ufa to the Volga somewhere, and a couple of times a year cruises from Moscow or Nizhny Novgorod to Ufa and/or Perm. Prices for Moscow cruises are extraordinarily high.

By public transport
Marshrutkas and buses go all over the city and run very frequently. These can be hard to figure out if you can't read Russian so look up the route on Yandex before heading out. Pay right before getting off, not as you get on. The drivers will make change for 50- or 100-ruble notes. Transit essentially shuts down after 22:00. Only a few minibuses continue to operate, until 00:40. There are trams and trolleybuses here as well, but they offer far more limited service than the buses and minibuses.

Fares are paid to the driver or conductor. Cash fares are ₽22 on trams and trolleybuses, ₽29 for buses (June 2021). On the minibuses, the price varies from ₽20-40, depending on the length of the route and time of day (in the evening the price rises).

By taxi
Taxis are a very efficient method of getting around Ufa and are easily summoned by phone. Lider Taxi and Motor-Servis  provide the price over the phone, based on trip distance. Yandex. Taxi, Uber, Gett, and Maxim cars can all be ordered by smartphone app and may be cheaper than taxis. The average taxi waiting time is just 4 minutes from the time of order. Catching a taxi on the street is problematic, since all local services are designed for phone or internet dispatch. Hailing off the street can also be more expensive than by calling.

By car
Ufa suffers from traffic congestion and a lack of parking. In the center, paid parking is available at Gostiny Dvor on the ul. Kommunisticheskoy side. On most streets, parking is free, but check signs to make sure it's permitted.

See

What to see in Ufa is a tricky question. On one hand, it is easy to spend more a day here, especially if you visit Chernikovka and other areas outside the center. On the other hand, there no one well-known attraction in the city. Perhaps the best known sight is the Monument to Salavat Yulaev, but for the average traveler, it's just another monument, albeit one with a beautiful setting overlooking the river. It's also worth visiting the National Museum, Friendship Monument, and the Fountain of Seven Girls. There are many Orthodox churches, but the oldest and most interesting ones were destroyed during Soviet times. The situation is even more dire with regards to Ufa's mosques — almost all of them are rebuilt. Older stone architecture in the center fared better under the Soviets, but thinned out in the 2000s courtesy of "urban development," and anyway was inferior to larger cities like Kazan or Yekaterinburg. Historic houses along Aksakova, Krupskaya, and Mustaya Karim were almost all demolished. There is another architectural travesty flourishing locally, known as “facadeism”: when only the front wall of the building is preserved, and a multi-story, glass-concrete monster of an office, hotel, or shopping center is built around it. The result looks about the same as the mustache painted on the Mona Lisa, ridiculous and sad.

Nonetheless, Ufa is an interesting city, and walking around it is well worth your time. Ufa's main attraction is in the details, whether a small, but exceptional monument, or an elaborate fence revealing an ordinary red-brick house as a historic madrasa. Of particular interest are the ornate wooden houses found even in the very center of the city. There is a good concentration of these along ul. Gogol. Other particularly colorful areas for a walk are the residential areas on the steep parts of the slope over the river, like the Niznhy Novgorod and Trunilov settlements.

Private houses adjoining the center of the  Sloboda  dominate, usually not of interest in themselves, but composing in constantly colorful areas: those that are located on the steep slopes above the river, like Nizhny Novgorod or Trunilov settlements. Finally, modern Bashkir architecture, using elements of Bashkortostan's national style, is of interest. Its best examples are the National Theater Building, the Dynamo stadium adjacent to it and the Lyalya-Tyulpan Mosque.

 * Statue of Salavat Yulaev - In the summer there are beautiful gardens around the statue and in the winter there are huge ice slides.
 * Victory Park - Park dedicated to the Great Patriotic War located in the Chorney Kofka part of Ufa. It has many monuments, artillery guns and a tank.
 * The House Museum of Lenin - Dostoevsky, 78 - Entry: ₽25.

Trunilovskaya Sloboda and ul. Tukayev

The eastern part of Tukayev Street is where the standard provincial city layout suddenly shifts to private one-story buildings. The oldest mosque in the city stands right on this border. Trunilovskaya Sloboda (sloboda translates very loosely to suburban settlement) is bounded by Salavat Yulaev Avenue, Tsyurupa, Tukayev, and Zaynulla Rasuleva Streets. In the 19th century it was known for poverty and lawlessness. One of the muftis, tired of observing this disgraceful state from his window, supposedly set out to buy up property throughout Trunilov Sloboda in order to repopulate it with more honorable residents. His success is hard to measure, and the buildings here were clearly not for noblemen, but lots of attractive wooden houses from the beginning of the last century are preserved, which makes this area nice for a stroll (it also has good views over the river).

The boulevard on Tukayev Street is known as Sofyushkina Alley, named after Sofya Aksakova, the wife of the former Ufa governor.

Also, don't overlook the and. The first is an 18th century wooden house (quite old for Ufa), and the second itself would be unremarkable, but for its pretty setting above the ravine, away from residential development.

Trinity Hill & Old Ufa

The area east of Ufa is a little off the beaten path, but colorful in its own way. It was here, on Trinity Hill at the mouth of the Sutoloka River, that the Ufa Kremlin once stood, and the area behind it is known as Old Ufa, where the first settlements were located. However, neither the Kremlin itself its surrounding buildings have survived the passage of time.

Ufa Slope

The hill on which the city center is located is sometimes called the Ufa Slope (Уфимский косогор). Its highest part is located to the west of the central streets and is covered partly by modern buildings and partly by the old Muslim cemetery. The most famous landmark of Ufa, the Salavat Yulayev Monument, is located here.

Nizhny Novgorod Sloboda

West of Ufa's center, the Nizhny Novgorod Sloboda doesn't have any particularly notable attractions, but it is perhaps the most picturesque part of Ufa, with pretty wooden houses along the slope and wonderful views over the Belaya River and the dense forests beyond. It is especially beautiful here in the winter, when the frosty fog merges with the smoke from the chimneys, and time seems to shift a hundred years back, as though there was no asphalt, no high-rise buildings, or other signs of modernity. Just like 100 years ago, the main street of the district - Traktovaya-Uritskaya - is paved with cobblestones. If you turn onto the side streets, you will inevitably find yourself on paths that either stretch along the slope or climb uphill steeply. The sloboda was named after people from Nizhny Novgorod, but it also could be noted that it really is lower in relation to the center of Ufa (nizhny = lower).

Chernikovka
The name Chernikovka, from the name of the founder of the Ufa fortress, Ivan Chernikova, has no relationship whatsoever to blueberries (черники cherniki), which are nowhere to be found around here. This section of the city was built in the 1930s, along with a motor and boiler-turbine plant. The area was first included in Ufa, then in 1944 became the separate city of Chernikovsk, but again rejoined the city in 1956, at that time with the same population (215,000 and 265,000 people, respectively). Modern-day Chernikovka is by all appearances a separate city, with a historic center and separate tram network, but it is with some justification regarded as a somewhat run-down, working-class outskirts to the city proper.

The easiest way to get to Chernikovka is to take one of the minibuses on ul. Lenina. Look for ones signed "Первомайская улица" or "Черниковка." You'll need to get off near Lyalya-Tulpan Mosque and Victory Park or Ordzhonikidze Square. From the center of Ufa, you'll need at least 40 minutes. You can get to Chernikovka more quickly via elektrichka (commuter rail), but trips are few and far between, and you'll still have a walk from the station (get off at Parkovaya, as the Chernikovka is actually far from anything interesting in the district.

Zelyonaya Roshcha
Zelyonaya Roshcha (Зелёная Роща) is the historical name for the southeast part of the city, often referred to as "Zelyonkoi."

Museums

Buy
Mega is a huge mall outside of the city with an Ikea, Ashan Hypermarket, H&M, and many other stores.

Budget

In the summer, there are good places for shashlik everywhere, usually in squares or outside of malls. ~₽300 per person.

Sleep
There are several nice hotels in Ufa: President Hotel, Bashkiria Hotel, Amaks-Tourist Hotel and Azimut, but the best are Eurasia Hotel, President Hotel and Bashkortostan Hotel as they are the most comfortable. President Hotel is in the forest zone of the city. Bashkiria Hotel is in the historical part of the city on Lenina Street.

Lime Ufa offers short term apartments.

Stay safe
Ufa is a fairly tranquil city, and "disadvantaged" neighborhoods are located far from the center. Nevertheless, it pays to be prudent after dark while walking outside the center, if only because small streets are poorly lit, especially in one-story, residential neighborhoods.

In Ufa, the ban on consumption of alcoholic beverages in public places is taken seriously, and you risk a fine.

Go next
Almost all Bashkir sights are in the Ural Mountains in the eastern part of the republic. Although the way there lies through Ufa, the distance to the most interesting attractions, such as the Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve, Iremel Natural Park, and resorts in the vicinity of Beloretsk, are all more than 200 km away, so day trips are tough. Sterlitamak the one-time capital and second largest city of Bashkiria, is probably the most reasonable place for a day trip. It has moderately interesting architecture (including some very colorful wooden buildings), interesting mosques, and distinctive shikhan chalk hills nearby on the steppe. Another option would be Chishmy, a small village, which has two medieval mausoleums, which are themselves the oldest architectural monuments in the whole of Bashkiria.

By overnight train, you can go to Samara - one of the most interesting cities in the Volga Region - or to Zlatoust, a city picturesquely set in the mountains, from which it is not far to severe, industrial Chelyabinsk.

title: Ufa