A profitable business idea for the village: ecotourism. How to organize green tourism Country holidays in Russia

The aggressive environment of megacities is extremely tiring for people, so many city dwellers strive to acquire summer cottages and rural estates, where they go to relax at every opportunity. For those who, for various reasons, cannot afford to buy and maintain a country house, agritourism can be an excellent solution - a relatively new direction that involves living in rural areas away from big cities, with the opportunity to take part in various cultural and leisure events.

Considering rural tourism as a business, it should be noted that it is equally of interest to both vacationers and farmers who have at their disposal a sufficient amount of resources to comfortably accommodate several guests. Moreover, tourists perceive the processes familiar to local residents as exotic, and therefore willingly take part in field work, care for animals, rent boats for fishing and pick mushrooms, thereby bringing the owner of a village hotel a good additional income.

Business Features

The main feature of rural tourism lies in the living conditions: guests are accommodated in ancient log houses or in antique-style estates located in areas with untouched nature, far from industrial enterprises and multi-story concrete buildings. With the exception of complexes with complete historical reconstruction, such village hotels provide visitors with amenities at the level of resort apartments: the rooms have bathrooms, air conditioning, televisions and refrigerators, and guests are provided with three meals a day in the dining room.

The main meaning of this type of vacation is to separate the residents of megacities from the usual bustle and immerse themselves in a leisurely and measured rural life. In addition, the tours are also educational: many townspeople have never seen an authentic folk costume, sat with a fishing rod at dawn or milked a cow.

In Russia, rural tourism attracts mainly women, whose share in target audience reaches 70%. Living in a village may also be of interest to other residents of megacities - married couples with children and young people who give preference to a healthy lifestyle and a clean environment.

Another fairly broad category of tourists are foreign citizens who want to get acquainted with cultural traditions and folklore. For such guests, the natural environment, national flavor and authenticity of rural life are sometimes more important than the presence of a TV in the room. Considering that foreigners select vacation spots mainly via the Internet, it is necessary to develop your own multilingual website with colorful photographs, descriptions of services and price list, as well as regularly post advertisements on foreign travel forums and social networks.

Collective outdoor trips are also common in the corporate environment: managers of various companies buy such tours for their employees in order to conduct events aimed at strengthening team spirit and developing ways of interaction between employees. Such clients usually rent a hotel for a period from a few hours to two or three days and pay significantly more for this than ordinary private visitors.

Finally, the concept of rural tourism development implies close interaction with tour operators: companies interested in cooperation on favorable conditions, will not only post information about the services of a home hotel on their website and in advertising materials, but will also help in developing a high-quality tourism product, organize a transfer and an entertainment program.

Types of rural tourism

Clients of home hotels have different requirements for organizing their holiday: some simply want to spend time in nature, others are interested in hunting and fishing, others come to the village to get acquainted with folklore and folk crafts. In accordance with the list of cultural and leisure activities, several of the most popular rural tourism programs are distinguished:

1. Medical tourism. Its goal is to study the means and methods of traditional medicine, collect medicinal plants, as well as carrying out health procedures that are in demand by people with various diseases;
2. Historical tourism. It is a complete immersion in authentic ancient life, including accommodation in reconstructed huts with minimal amenities and meals with dishes of Old Russian cuisine;
3. Rural ecological tourism. It involves living in a remote village with the telephone turned off, without television or the Internet. Various cultural events contribute to complete immersion in rural life;
4. Sports tourism. In this case, the countryside is used as a platform for various sports competitions, hiking, orienteering, rock climbing, rafting, and horseback riding;
5. Educational tourism. This type of rural tourism involves the study of classical folk crafts - pottery, artistic painting, wood carving, weaving wicker products, embroidery;
6. Agricultural tourism. Includes active recreation with the opportunity to take part in basic agricultural processes, including grazing livestock, collecting firewood, field work, haymaking, hunting, fishing, picking mushrooms or berries;
7. Folklore tourism. Aims to study folk art, rituals, oral histories and songs, visits to historical sites and museums, as well as festivals and fairs held in rural areas;
8. International tourism. This type tourism in rural areas may include one or more areas of interest to foreign guests - the study of folklore and folk crafts, history and medicine.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantages of agritourism include the following factors:

1. To open a home hotel on a farm, you do not need to obtain a hotel license - just register as a peasant farm or individual entrepreneur;
2. This direction is considered a priority, thanks to which the entrepreneur has the opportunity to participate in the rural tourism development program;
3. If you have a subsidiary farm, you can reduce the cost of food for guests by using environmentally friendly products of your own production;
4. The hotel owner does not have to pay rent;
5. Using the surrounding natural resources and the potential of the region, you can create an exciting program of cultural and educational events;
6. At this stage, the industry is characterized by a low level of competition;
7. To organize rural tourism you do not need to have experience or special knowledge in this field.

At the same time, negative factors can significantly complicate the work of an entrepreneur and lead to additional expenditure of resources aimed at overcoming the consequences of their influence:

1. In rural areas there is often a lack of necessary comfortable stay tourist infrastructure and resources;
2. The activities of home hotels are not regulated by law;
3. Under the influence of urbanization, villagers quickly forget traditions and lose their identity;
4. The development of rural tourism in Russia is hampered by the rapid decrease in the number of able-bodied residents of villages and villages.

Required Resources

Of course, not every village will be attractive to tourists: in some settlements there are no attractions or interesting natural resources at all. Therefore, it is advisable to open a home hotel in a region known for its cultural traditions, crafts, architectural monuments and beautiful landscape.

A big advantage will be the presence of a nearby forest and any body of water - a lake, pond or river: visitors will definitely be interested in such active recreation as fishing, swimming, going for mushrooms or berries. Accordingly, the entrepreneur will be able to make money by providing guests with various equipment - boats and catamarans, bicycles, fishing rods, mushroom picking kits.

When choosing where to start rural tourism in such an area, it is necessary to pay attention to the availability of any such resources and evaluate the possibility of using them to develop a program of cultural and leisure activities. In addition, to serve and entertain tourists you can use:

• The estate. Several rooms are allocated in the house for guests to stay, and the surrounding area is put in order, flower beds and lawns are laid out here, gazebos, barbecues and swings are installed, and parking spaces are arranged;
• Pets. Maintenance, feeding and herding of chickens, sheep, pigs, cows and horses will be part of entertainment program, and the use of livestock products will provide visitors with fresh milk, meat, eggs;
• Garden. For urban residents, ordinary agricultural work will become an active and educational holiday - many of them have never seen potatoes, carrots or corn in the natural environment. In addition, dishes made from these vegetables can be served at the table in the evening;
• Orchard. Gardening, harvesting and processing may also be of interest to tourists. Fresh apples, pears, plums, cherries are eaten or used to prepare various desserts - pies, jams, preserves;
• Russian bathhouse. Bath procedures are used for health purposes, supplemented with homemade kvass or herbal tea. Fans of extreme relaxation will want to jump from the steam room into a snowdrift or into an ice hole with icy water;
• Craft, hobby. Various master classes dedicated to wicker weaving, pottery, woodworking, soap making and other works typical of rural life will help attract and interest customers;
• Special knowledge. The hotel owner needs to learn the art of receiving guests, get acquainted with local historical, architectural and landscape attractions for excursions, master the preparation of national cuisine, and also improve communication skills in foreign languages ​​to serve foreign guests.

Arrangement of rooms and territory

An estate that claims to be a home hotel is subject to fairly high requirements designed to ensure maximum comfort for guests. Therefore, when landscaping the local area, it is necessary:

1. Remove all debris from the site, repair paths, sow lawns with grass and flowers, if possible, find and install carts, their wheels, and antique agricultural machinery as decorative elements;
2. Provide parking space for visitors' cars;
3. Clean and put in order the paths to the well, spring and reservoir;
4. Avoid proximity to abandoned and dilapidated houses, garbage and manure heaps, livestock farms and other sources of unpleasant odor and noise;
5. Ensure the availability of telephone communication, satellite television and the Internet (many guests will want to immediately publish photos on social networks);
6. Install artificial lighting on the site;
7. Arrange rest areas, install gazebos and garden benches, hang hammocks.

Premises intended to accommodate guests must be equipped with ventilation, lighting and heating systems, bathrooms and showers. Of course, some tourists, in pursuit of historical authenticity, will want to live with stove heating, wash from a stream and sleep on beds, but the majority of visitors will prefer a minimal set of amenities:

Living room equipment

The area of ​​guest rooms is selected at the rate of at least 6–7 m² per person for double rooms, or 5–6 m² per person for triple rooms.

Catering

Three meals a day are included in the basic package of home hotel services. To organize it, it is necessary to equip a small dining room for 10–12 people, in which you can also install a samovar and place sweets on dishes to organize tea drinking at any time of the day. It is possible that this particular place will become a center for guests to communicate and exchange impressions after a busy day.

The basis of the menu for tourists consists of simple and unpretentious village dishes prepared from farm. This may include:

• Vegetable salads, homemade pickles, fresh herbs;
• Homemade milk, sour cream, cottage cheese and cheese;
• Cutlets, meatballs, homemade sausage, dumplings, kebab;
• Fish and fish dishes;
• Various porridges, navy pasta;
• Baked potatoes, boiled with herbs, stewed with mushrooms;
• Fish soup, cabbage soup, pickles, vegetable and cold soups, borscht;
• Homemade eggs, omelettes and scrambled eggs;
• Pies, honey gingerbreads, pancakes, pancakes, homemade jam;
• Compotes, herbal and fruit teas.

You need to be prepared for the fact that some guests who adhere to a vegetarian or medicinal diet will find the village menu unacceptable and will want to prepare their own dishes from products they brought with them or bought from the farmer. For their convenience, you need to equip a separate kitchen, equipped with all the necessary utensils and household appliances:

Guest kitchen equipment

Leisure organization

Few guests will be satisfied with the opportunity to simply live away from the noise of the city, swim in a clean river, take a steam bath and look at live cows: usually people interested in agrotourism are attracted by slightly different goals - immersion in rural life, active recreation, participation in agricultural work. In addition, many people buy family tours and bring children to the village who grew up in the city and have never seen wildlife. Therefore, a set of various cultural and leisure activities is being developed for guests, including them in the basic package or offering them as additional services:

Agricultural holidays:

• Picking berries, vegetables and fruits, working in the fields and gardens;
• Pumping out honey, excursion to the apiary;
• Feeding and driving animals to pasture, working as a shepherd;
• Baking homemade bread;
• Setting up a smokehouse, smoking meat or fish;
• Collecting sour cream and whipping butter;
• Tree felling and firewood preparation.

Active leisure:

• Hunting and fishing;
• Horseback riding, sleigh rides, excursion to a horse farm;
• Water procedures, swimming in a river or lake;
• Hiking and cycling;
• Bath health treatments;
• Picnics;
• Access to recreational equipment - balls, badminton;
• Conducting photo sessions with pets.

Educational rest:

• Getting to know local customs, rituals and folklore;
• Participation in celebrations, invitation of folklore groups;
• Conducting master classes on folk arts and crafts;
• Excursions to museums, inspection of architectural and natural monuments.

Investments

When developing a business plan for rural tourism, it is necessary to take into account that the work on arranging a home hotel is not limited to repairs in the rooms: to ensure an acceptable level of comfort and organization of leisure for guests, you will have to tidy up the local area, install air conditioners and satellite dishes, and purchase equipment. It is also advisable to have at your disposal a small minibus to transport tourists to their vacation spot and organize excursion trips.

The list of costs associated with creating a hotel of three triple rooms will include the following items:

Investments

Unfortunately, farm owners engaged in providing rural tourism services do not physically have enough time to serve guests, care for animals and field work at the same time. Therefore, the company needs to hire several hired assistants:

• Technical worker for laundry, cleaning rooms, washing dishes;
• Animator-guide for excursions and master classes;
• Cooks to work in the kitchen.

Expenses for the year

Revenue and profitability

Agrotourism as a business involves the formation of a tourism product from a whole range of basic and additional services. By default, this includes accommodation in a separate room, three meals a day, the opportunity to contact animals, engage in outdoor activities and agricultural work. During development pricing policy One should take into account the tariffs of similar rural hotels located in the Perm region, Karelia and Altai: here each day of stay costs a tourist 1200–1500 rubles.

⏩ Video on the topic

To increase the competitiveness of an enterprise, it is recommended to reduce the cost of services during periods of falling tourist activity and thereby attract customers who want to save money on their vacation. Thus, taking into account seasonal fluctuations in attendance, a farmer renting out three triple rooms can receive an income of 1.74 million rubles during the year:

Home hotel income

Providing a set of paid services, the list of which is formed depending on the resources available in a given area: for example, if there is a horse farm, you can organize horseback riding, and if there is a reservoir, you can rent out boats and fishing rods. When drawing up a business plan for agritourism, it is necessary to analyze all available opportunities, and then develop a price list taking into account depreciation of equipment and the cost of cultural and leisure activities:

Additional income

Thus, the total annual turnover of the home hotel will exceed 2 million rubles. Considering running costs, you can calculate the main economic indicators of the project and the expected payback period:

Calculation of economic indicators

Conclusion

When developing rural tourism, one cannot stop there. In order for visitors to return to the hotel every year, the quality of service should be constantly improved, the surrounding area should be landscaped, and new excursions and entertainment events should be developed. However, the most important factor contributing to increasing guest loyalty is the special homely atmosphere that must be created on the farm through the constant display of hospitality, kindness and readiness to provide guests with the necessary assistance at any moment. At the same time, gratitude and enthusiastic reviews from clients will serve as a worthy reward for your efforts.

How to make money on tourism during a crisis? How to organize a great vacation without going abroad? Find out from our material, and this new niche V tourism business like agritourism.

The strong demand for village tourism in Europe is driving supply. In Lithuania, for example, there are more than five hundred estates, in Italy - 16 thousand, in Poland - about 20 thousand. Belarus is not lagging behind: if in 2006 there were 30 estates registered here, then this year there are 1,800 of them.

Currently, Russia has just begun to form its own personal tourism product - rural tourism. We will look further at how this happens.

The essence of agritourism business

Agrotourism (or village tourism) is a sector of the tourism industry that, on the basis of natural, historical, and cultural resources, creates a complex product intended for recreation. The main condition of the business: accommodation of tourists in rural areas - away from multi-storey and industrial buildings.

Organizing leisure time in the village has many advantages:

1. Small initial investment, which is especially important in conditions of limited resources.
2. Tourism itself is considered a profitable industry: with high profitability and quick payback.

Proof of this is the data provided on the website agritourism.ru and included in the following table. Investments in projects are different, while the payback in both cases is within the normal range.

Both projects are engaged not only in tourism, but also in agricultural activities (for “Solar Farm”, revenue from food production is 50% of the total, for “Olga Khutor” - about 20%).

Not so long ago, the demand for small houses with a “family atmosphere” and a mandatory active recreation program began to increase in the tourism services market. More and more people are choosing estates that vividly display the traditions of the area, hold family celebrations, and have the opportunity to get acquainted with the life of the village - take care of livestock, watch farming, etc.

Agritourism market in Russia

The main problem of the industry is the lack of clear legislation controlling the activities of business entities. The current law “On the Fundamentals of Tourism Activities” does not even contain the specific concepts of “agritourism”, “rural resident”, etc.

There is also no clear decision on how the state can support small businesses: on what basis are subsidies received, if there are any tax benefits, whether loan deferments are offered, etc. Another disadvantage is that the principles for categorizing agritourism objects (“star rating” of estates) have not yet been determined.

Local authorities provide great support to small businesses. For example, the following are currently in effect in the Russian Federation: regional programs:

1. In the Altai Territory "Green House".
2. In Leningradskaya - “The Road to Home”.
3. In the Moscow region: the project can be downloaded from.

As part of the program implemented in the Moscow region, the Konovalovo eco-farm has already been opened. Today, this project is exemplary for tourism industry market participants. The farm offers a whole range of complementary services: recreation, production and sale of clean products, and a training center.

Regulatory framework

In the spring of 2015, the State Duma will consider the project “On Amendments to the Law “On the Fundamentals of Tourism Activities”. It is expected that the approval of this bill will give impetus to the development of agritourism in Russia.

IN at the moment agrotourism farms conduct their work on the basis of the following documents:

1. “On peasant farming” and “On personal subsidiary farming”.
2. “On land management” and “Land turnover”.

Successful business models of agritourism facilities in Russia

The Russian government sets the work of Alexander Konovalov as an example to everyone. In 2009, he opened an eco-farm: investments amounted to 1 million rubles. In 2013, Konovalov began construction of a mini-hotel and a large guest courtyard. The businessman’s investments this time amounted to 2 million rubles. A year has passed and today tourism brings in 40% of the total revenue of the entire complex.

We invite you to watch the news about the opening of the Konovalovo agrotourism complex in the Shakhovsky district:

By the way, in Russia, ATK EcofermaKonovalova is the only company that offers beginning businessmen the purchase of their own franchise.

Eco-farm "Ryzhovo", Egoryevsky district

In addition to rural tourism, the farm breeds horses and produces eco-products.

Guests are invited to a spacious and very cozy mansion. The house has a spacious fireplace room, table tennis, cinema room, billiards and a Russian steam room. Tourists are offered horseback riding and fishing in the local pond.

Prices: a month of accommodation costs 100,000 rubles, a day - 25,000 rubles. Cost of food - 500 rubles. per person per day.

The owners offer dishes prepared from fresh fish and steamed lamb. There is a separate menu for vegetarians. A separate point of the holiday is an excursion to the stables and eco-farm, participation in caring for animals, collecting eggs, etc.

Agricultural estate "Miroedovo": Smolensk region

A large country house designed for simultaneous stay of 16 people.

The area is landscaped and completely enclosed by a high fence. There is a subsidiary farm. Turkeys, chickens, goats, and sheep are fattened here. Next to the outbuildings there is a large orchard. Guests are involved in harvesting and caring for livestock.

You can rent a room for two from 2000 rubles per day. Rent of the entire house from 16 thousand rubles. Visiting the sauna is paid separately.

The highlight of a holiday in Miroedovo is the organized observation of wild animals that live in the wild.

Agricultural estate "Kalinova Dolina": Semenovo village, Smolensk region.

Ancient rural life and eco-recreation, founded by the famous chansonnier V. Kalina. There are two private spring lakes on the territory, next to which there is a real Russian bathhouse. You can relax after the steam room in a gazebo built from timber.

The farmstead provides food from environmentally friendly products - grown on Russian soil without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

You can rent a house (for 10 people) from 9,000 rubles per day. IN holidays the price tag rises 2-3 times. Additional services - fishing, sauna, tennis, rental of bicycles, snowmobiles, ATVs, hookah - are paid separately.

Near the farmstead there are several hunting farms that, for a small fee, organize an unforgettable hunt for a wild boar or other wild animal.

More details about the estate in the video:

How does agrotourism work in Belarus?

The development of the industry here was facilitated by large number lands allocated for agricultural purposes. The second impetus was the Presidential Decree, by which the founders of agricultural estates were exempt from taxes and the provision of targeted preferential loans with deferred payment from the country's leading bank.

Estates are mainly located around Minsk - within 100 km from the city. Recently, there has been a strong decline in demand for houses located far from main highways and regional cities. Main clients: Russians who come on vacation on weekends and holidays.

We propose to study several business models existing in the republic.

Estate "Veragi": Minsk region.

This estate is very popular among Russians.

The guest house offers a choice of 10 rooms for 2, 3 or 4 persons - a total of 26 beds. The large living room can comfortably accommodate a group of 30 people. The owners offer three meals a day, a bathhouse, and gatherings in a cozy gazebo.

Renting the entire house for a day costs 1000 USD. Double room - 50 USD, triple room - 60 USD, quadruple room - 70 USD per day. Meals are available for a fee. On the territory there is a large covered gazebo - kolyba. It is designed for simultaneous stay of 70 people. The gazebo is rented out for banquets for 300 USD/8 hours.

All entertainment is paid for according to the price list: bathhouse, bicycle rental, billiards, making souvenirs, tea from a samovar and even listening to old records on the gramophone.

The furnishings of the house are of interest: an antique gramophone, samovars, suitcases, a saxophone, embroidery - the owners assure that there is something to see here.

The following video shows a landscaped area of ​​the estate:

Estate "Zerechany": village of Zarechany, Minsk region

Due to its inexpensive accommodation, it is popular with local residents.

Guests are accommodated in rooms of three houses: guest house, bath house, family house. Each cottage has all the conditions for a comfortable stay: shower, toilet, kitchen, microwave, TV. For celebrations in large groups, the owners rent out a banquet hall that can accommodate up to 50 people.

Room prices vary from 15 to 75 USD. per person per day. Meals are provided three times a day and must be paid for separately. For everything additional services(sauna, games, hunting, fishing, etc.) the price is charged according to the price list.

The Zarechany estate offers celebrations with exciting accompaniment: games, animation, music. In addition, unique evenings of epistolary genres for all ages are held here.

Estate "Mashin Khutor": Kruglitsa village, Stolbtsovsky district.

The owners of the estate offer accommodation in a 5-room house with an attic floor. All bedrooms are equipped with their own bathroom. Three meals a day are provided. On the ground floor there is a large fireplace room, the windows of which overlook an open veranda.

Clients have access to the Internet, mountain bikes, sauna, table tennis, badminton, darts and other games. You are not allowed to come to the estate with pets.

The owners charge 35 USD per person. per day. Three meals a day are paid additionally: per person 35 USD. per day. Bathhouse for six people (2 hours) - 50 USD Bicycle rental: 10 USD per day.

The estate is visited by those who are interested in the history of the Belarusian region: The famous Mir Castle is 25 km from the house, and the Nesvizh Palace is 40 km away.

How does agritourism work in the world?

Each country has its own priority agritourism product.

1. In the USA, Canada, and Great Britain there are small hotels and boarding houses offering outdoor recreation for little money. Here tourists are offered an overnight stay with breakfast - without an emphasis on tradition and agriculture.
2. In Germany, small businesses in village tourism are supported by the Ministry agriculture. A prerequisite for organizing an agro-estate here is the preservation of traditional crafts and farmstead management skills.
3. In Hungary and Poland, under the brand “village tourism” they offer hunting, fishing, catching rare insects - everything that has nothing to do with the eco-oriented nature of agritourism. In Central Europe and America, the attitude towards such consumer leisure is more negative.

Let's consider several business models of agricultural estates and eco-farms existing in the world.

Bilderbuchbauernhof estate, Germany

One of the most famous manors in Germany. Has the status of a three-star hotel. In addition to agrotourism, they are engaged in the production of eco-products: milk, meat, eggs.

Tourists stay in comfortable rooms of a house-hotel, which, by the way, has a certain historical value. The maximum number of visitors is 80. The main clients are Germans.

The owners of the estate invite their guests to do traditional village chores: milking cows, collecting chicken eggs, removing manure, weeding, harvesting, preparing homemade cheeses and sausages. There are also “standard” entertainment: horse riding/biking.

Video about the Easter holiday held at the Bilderbuchbauernhof eco-farm:

One night stay on an eco-farm costs 30 euros, half board with breakfast and dinner - 40 euros.

The Bilderbuchbauernhof is an example of true village tourism - it is close to the land, animals, nature and, of course, to farming.

A real Finnish farm. Horses, ponies, goats, sheep, dogs are bred here and guests are invited.

Rooms with all amenities have been prepared for tourists. In summer, the owners of the estate offer to ride in a 2-seater canoe or play golf, in winter - take a snowshoe walk or sit by a giant fire. On the farm there are two saunas: black and dry.

Cost of living: 30 euros per room. Meals are calculated separately.

Eco-farm "Ilola" is an ideal place for children to get acquainted with animals. The recreation program includes feeding horses and sheep, pony rides, cleaning stables, and walking dogs.

Anichini Ranch, Oklahoma, USA

The main focus of the business: the production of healthy food, respect for the land and the preservation of valuable species. Side services: group tours, excursions, accommodation at the ranch.

The owners offer complete immersion into farm life. Tourists, together with ranch workers, care for the animals, do weeding, harvesting, observe nature, and learn thrift. Visitors are treated to organic products grown on the farm: nuts, apples, fresh herbs, pork and lamb dishes.

You can live on the ranch for free. There is always work for volunteers, for which the owners will pay with clean bed and food. There are also paid tours: group, family, individual.

Agrotourism is certainly an interesting niche, firstly, the exchange rate of the dollar and euro has made traveling abroad an extremely expensive pleasure, and secondly, the emerging fashion for a healthy lifestyle (eco-products) adds additional points to this business.

If you are already quite tired of seaside resorts or financial problems are not allowed to go on holiday abroad, it’s time to think about an alternative option. Rest in the countryside - not familiar with this leisure option? Today rural tourism is becoming increasingly popular, and this is not surprising. Why? We'll tell you.

Who is a holiday in the countryside suitable for?

Green, ecological, rural, agritourism - we will not be too meticulous in looking for differences and delimiting these types of recreation. What's the main thing? All this is a vacation in the countryside, away from the bustle of the city, with the opportunity to breathe fresh air, admire natural beauty, eat natural healthy food and take a break from the benefits of civilization.

Of course, if you have a grandmother with a house in the village, then the question of organizing such a vacation disappears.

But not everyone is ready to spend a vacation without the usual city comforts. And some simply cannot imagine themselves without the festive atmosphere of resorts, promenades along the embankment, a variety of entertainment and boat trips. Rural tourism is clearly not for them.

But if you:

• tired of the city bustle and want privacy;
• you feel nostalgic for your childhood days when you visited your grandmother during the holidays;
• love nature and want to fully enjoy forest, meadow, and field landscapes;
• you have small children who need to be healthier in the fresh air and natural products;

• lover of fishing, picking mushrooms and berries;
• If you are interested in village life, history and folklore - then a holiday in the village is right for you.

Benefits of a village holiday

Have you ever spent the night in a hayloft? Have you been drinking fresh milk lately? Can you tell a duck from a goose, but have you ever ridden a horse?

At dawn, walk barefoot through the dew to meet the sunrise on the banks of a river or lake, at lunchtime taste pies from the oven, and in the evening at a large table under an old apple tree to sing songs with your neighbors... Anyone who likes this simply must experience for themselves what What is a holiday in the countryside like?

As for children, Dr. Komarovsky, respected by many parents, claims that the best place for a child to relax and get healthy is in a village or countryside, where you can run barefoot in just panties, eat delicious healthy food on both cheeks, and get acquainted with nature. This is how children’s immunity is strengthened in the summer.

Where to start getting acquainted with rural tourism?

Even if rural romance is your thing, it would be a good idea to start by going on vacation to the countryside for a few days.

There are several options:

• visiting relatives;
• rent a house in a remote village from some grandmother (but this is akin to extreme sports for those unaccustomed to the lack of amenities);
• go to an agricultural complex, eco-village or green estate - there, in addition to rural exoticism, there are also the benefits of civilization plus a range of services and entertainment.

It is better to look for such options closer to your place of residence, so as not to spend money on travel. But if, after spending a few days in nature, you realized that you like holidays in the countryside, you can already plan a full-fledged vacation outside the city.

What type of holiday in the countryside should you choose?

Decide whether you need real rural exoticism (perhaps you are a collector of folklore or want to fully immerse yourself in the real atmosphere of village life) or whether you still need familiar amenities.

The mini-estates that invite you to relax in the countryside are, of course, not authentic; they are stylized to resemble peasant life, but they have everything that a city dweller is used to.

Plus a whole range of services:

1. Boating.
2. Fishing, hunting.
3. Local cuisine.
4. Horseback riding.
5. Collection of berries and mushrooms, medicinal herbs.
6. Excursions to local attractions - visits to nature reserves, nature reserves, national parks, animal farms, walks along ecological trails.
7. Master classes in pottery, weaving, and blacksmithing.
8. Folklore holidays.

You can also learn how to milk a cow, care for a horse, mow hay, spin on a spinning wheel, pickle cucumbers and mushrooms in barrels, and work in the garden.

The cost of such a vacation depends on the level of comfort and range of services and entertainment. But sometimes it's not even about the price. Real relaxation is possible in a real village, where you can become a villager for a while and understand how our ancestors lived and what the traditions of the people are.

But it is difficult for city dwellers, spoiled by comfort, to suddenly change their surroundings. Therefore, mini-estates (even stylized ones) are a more suitable option.

By the way, traveling to such places on holidays will be more expensive. In general, when you are ready for a holiday in the village, you should check in advance the prices, the offered living conditions, transport services and other nuances.

Where to go on vacation?

Rural tourism in both Russia and Ukraine is not yet as developed as, for example, in Europe. But there are already mini-estates in almost all regions. This type of recreation is very popular in Transcarpathia - the nature there is beautiful, the national color is bright, and the hosts are hospitable.

We are glad to welcome guests to the rural estates of Slobozhanshchina, Podolia, Kyiv region, Poltava region.

Lovers of Central Russian landscapes will also find suitable places to relax. Rural tourism is actively developing in the Belgorod region. And the rural estates of Karelia and Altai will captivate you with their amazingly beautiful landscapes.

The main thing is to want, to understand that a holiday in the countryside is something that will give you strength, health, give you new impressions and a sea of ​​emotions.

About rural tourism in Lipetsk region- in this video:

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Read also on our website:

Show more

Once upon a time, many children spent the summer with their grandmothers in the village: they breathed fresh air all day long, swam in rivers, drank homemade milk and picked berries and mushrooms in the forest. By helping their grandmothers with the housework, the grandchildren also became acquainted with the peculiarities of rural life. But these days, most grandmothers were themselves born in the city. And the living conditions that were considered normal 50 years ago are unlikely to suit modern children and their parents.

Rural tourism has long been popular abroad. But, fortunately, recently many rural tourism facilities have appeared in Russia, making children’s holidays in the village not only interesting and useful, but also comfortable.

Classification of types of rural tourism

You can relax in the village in different ways. And it’s better to immediately decide what exactly the family is expecting when going on such a vacation. Depending on this, you can choose both the area and a specific recreation center, farm or estate.

1. Simple stay in the countryside.
2. Village life with immersion. This is no longer just life in the countryside, but an introduction to agricultural work, animals and plants. It is possible to live in less comfortable conditions.
3. Agritourism, work on a farm with accommodation and food provided.
4. Sports tourism, including horseback riding, dog or reindeer sledding, hiking or cycling.
5. Gastronomic tours.
6. Ethnographic tourism. Travel to villages with distinct folk traditions.

Holidays with children in the village

Recreation centers located in villages are usually small. They allow you to be in silence, to finally spend time with the whole family, without rushing anywhere. Children can try real village goat or cow's milk. After all, city children are often unfamiliar with the taste of fresh milk. And many adults have long forgotten the taste of real village sour cream and cream.

There is often a forest nearby where you can pick berries and mushrooms. And just take a walk with the children, show them powerful pines or white birches, oak groves or hazel thickets. In spring you can see blooming lilies of the valley, and in summer you can pick fragrant wild strawberries.

There is usually a river or lake not far from the base where you can go fishing. Dads and sons will like this most of all. Mothers and daughters can take a boat ride along the creeks with beautiful water lilies. And swimming in a clean river will bring pleasure to everyone.

And in the evening you can watch the deep black sky with bright stars with the whole family. After all, this never happens in the city.

After spending just a couple of weekends in the village, both adults and children will feel like after a full vacation. In adults, performance will increase. Children will release their irrepressible energy and expand their horizons. And the family will become friendlier and more united. Joint rest contributes to this much better than sitting in different corners of the apartment in front of TVs and computers.

Dive

If the children are no longer quite small, then it is quite possible to let them plunge into real village life. In remote remote villages, houses without running water are provided. They drink well or spring water. Perhaps the children will see a real well for the first time in their lives. And such water often tastes much better than even bottled water. What can we say about the liquid that flows from the tap in most cities.

There is usually gas. And most often you can order food preparation. But for those who want to, they have the opportunity to cook over an open fire. And sometimes there is a real Russian stove in the house. Of course, it’s not easy to cook in it if you’re not used to it. But the hospitable hosts will certainly help. And then the whole family will be able to appreciate the taste of real Russian cuisine. And in winter it’s so nice to warm up on the stove!

City dwellers can learn how to milk a goat or cow, mow hay, bake real country bread and make homemade cheese. Children will happily feed the numerous animals. And finally they will see animals not in a picture or in a zoo, but in normal conditions. And if the animals have babies: chickens, ducklings, calves, then children's delight is guaranteed.

It must be said that you can also interact with animals at recreation centers with excellent conditions, where the village atmosphere is combined with the usual city comfort.

But it’s better to leave gadgets at home. During a good country holiday, children will not have time for them. And it wouldn’t hurt for adults to really take a break from work.

But you need to be prepared for such a vacation. Not all adults and not all children like the lack of basic amenities. If at least one person in the family is not ready to do without the usual comfort for some time, then it is better to find another accommodation facility. Otherwise, the holiday will be ruined for everyone.

Active leisure

In the countryside there are activities for lovers of active recreation.

Horseback riding is especially popular. Depending on the preparation, the routes vary in difficulty. For children and beginners, short walks on relatively flat roads are suitable. And experienced riders can go on challenging all-day hikes.

In winter, sleigh rides and ATV rides are offered. And in the summer you can ride bicycles.

And of course, what would a holiday in the village be without a real Russian bathhouse, smelling of wood and smoke, with brooms and honey, diving into a snowdrift or being doused with ice-cold spring water. And what could be better than aromatic herbal tea or foamy kvass after a bath.

You can go on vacation to the village for several days. Or you can spend your entire vacation like this, going not to a neighboring village, but somewhere further away, to another region. Ecological recreation is a great alternative to the usual lying on the sea beach. Although, if you really want, you can find a village near the sea. And for lovers of excursions, ethnographic rural tourism is perfect.

They say that you can only fully relax and recuperate in nature. This is especially true for residents of megacities: no matter how much you walk through Moscow parks and St. Petersburg nature reserves, you will not fully experience nature. Therefore, city dwellers should try rural tourism at least once: take a train, train or car and go in search of adventure in a real Russian village.

Rural tourism, also known as agrotourism, is not yet very developed in Russia. But some have already caught on to the trend and began to offer outdoor recreation, and they are ready to rent out both expensive, super-comfortable cottages and ordinary log huts in the outback to tourists. You can relax like a village in the Kaliningrad region and Tatarstan, in Altai (this region has always been of interest to esotericists who sought to spend time in the lap of untouched nature), in the Crimea, in the Vologda, Kostroma, Ryazan, Kaluga and Arkhangelsk regions. In addition, there is a wide selection of cottages and rural guest houses around big cities - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg. In the summer of 2017, there were about one and a half thousand such vacation spots in Russia.

What to do in the village?

The first and most important thing is to walk. In the Kaluga region you will have fields and meadows at your disposal, in the Arkhangelsk region there will be impassable forests, and in the Altai there will be mountains. Most of the tourist houses are located near bodies of water, so in summer you can swim and in winter you can go ice fishing. Don’t forget that nature far from big cities can be truly wild: in Kamchatka there is a danger of meeting bears, and in the forests Central Russia- wolves. By the way, some lovers of rural recreation are also fond of hunting. If you are one of them, then you should remember that in Russia hunting is allowed only in certain seasons and for some animals. The same rules apply to fishing, especially in the Astrakhan region, where poachers operate.

Features of Russian fishing

Fishing is almost a national sport in Russia. Or even national art. This is understandable: many reservoirs are literally teeming with delicious fish. There are dozens of types of fishing: with a net and spinning rod, from the shore and from the water, in winter and summer, with a worm, with bread crumbs and even with pieces of meat. Each fisherman has his own secrets and secrets of skill. Therefore, when planning to go fishing, consult with fishermen you know: they will probably recommend a dozen places to you, and maybe even join you in company. Fishing places in Russia are divided into paid and free, so you need to plan in advance what kind of fish and where you are going to catch.

The most obvious option for “fish” tourism is the already mentioned Astrakhan region, famous for its sturgeon and black caviar. Catching these fish, however, is prohibited by law, but amateur fishermen can catch beluga, carp and stellate sturgeon. In the lower reaches of the Volga, you can inexpensively rent a house or cottage and hire a guide to fishing spots who will show you where and how to cast your fishing rods. And if you’re lucky, the hostess will be able to immediately turn the fish you catch into fish steaks, fish soup, cutlets, dumplings and fish pies.

Silent hunt

Another joy of a rural holiday is picking berries, fruits, vegetables and, of course, mushrooms. It is the Swedish professor who is led to pick mushrooms by Evgeniy Leonov’s hero in the famous film “Autumn Marathon.” However, you need to be careful when collecting forest resources: firstly, this cannot be done in the territories of parks and reserves, and secondly, you need to have a good understanding of mushrooms and berries - or call a knowledgeable person with you. You also need to cook collected mushrooms only according to proven recipes.

Animal care

This item may be of interest not only to adults, but also to children. Moreover, for some diseases, communication with animals is even specifically recommended - canistherapy (with dogs), hippotherapy (with horses). You and your children will have the opportunity not only to ride horses or dog sleds, but also to take care of animals. In the stables you will be allowed to clean the horses and give them food (and if you’re lucky, even bathe them), in the barns you will be able to feed and milk the cows. True, this can be dangerous, so milking should only be done with specialists.

From owners who keep animals, you can also buy the freshest chicken eggs, fresh milk, meat, vegetables and fruits for a small amount.

Enjoy your steam!

A mandatory Russian outdoor activity is a bathhouse. Is it possible to refuse a hot steam room with oak brooms, diving into a snowdrift and aromatic tea after? True, in order for the bathhouse to become entertainment and not an unpleasant memory, you must follow a number of rules: in order not to overheat, you need to cover your head, do not abuse lying on the top shelf and, most importantly, do not chase records and do not try to sit in the steam room the longest.

Many are convinced that going to the bathhouse should be accompanied by drinking alcohol. Preferably strong and bigger. Do not succumb to these provocations: drinking alcohol in a bathhouse is very harmful, it is better to take tea or fruit juice.

Cultural program

Don't forget that in Russia there are a lot of unusual places that are located far from big cities. So, in the Kaluga region it is worth visiting the village of Nikola-Lenivets. Since 2000, through the efforts of the artist Nikolai Polissky, the village where he used to vacation with friends has turned into an outpost of contemporary art. Polissky and his friends installed several art objects made of wood and hay in the forests and on the banks of the Ugra River - “Bull”, “Hay Tower”, “Barn” and “Crib”. After the artists staged an artistic event to burn the tallest of the buildings, the Media Tower, their village began to attract tourists. Then “Arkhstoyanie” was created - an annual summer festival that attracts visitors from all over Russia. Recently, foreign artists and art connoisseurs have begun to join him, who come to Russia for the sake of “Archstoyanie”.