Cycling is widespread in the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine and the locals use bicycles in their everyday lives frequently as the ideal means of transport and cargo carrier. The tarmac is scarce so if you take turn off the main road you´ll be met with a surface suitable for off-road vehicles, horse wagons and seasoned Ukrainian drivers in Lada cars.
Because of its positioning Jasiňa is the ideal place for setting up a base camp for planning the cycling trips into surrounding areas. The first such place worth visiting is Dragobrat. This Ukraine´s altitudinally highest placed ski resort lies only 15 Km from Jasiňa. The road is ideal for mountain bike and leads uphill through a wild valley to a 1350 metres above sea level. Intact nature and thick woods full of wildlife surround you during the whole ascent.
The second interesting place in this region is the largest ski resort in all of the Ukraine, the renowned Bukovel, situated approx. 20 Km from Jasiňa. For the gravity disciplines devotees there is prepared a bike park by Gravity Logic crew, which means a world quality guarantee. Who would like a little bit more adventure, still, can embark on a bike trip leading under Hoverla and Petros in the Carpathian National Park.
The park is entered through the Kozmeščik village – the road starts to lead uphill, after all, there are more than 1000 altitude metres to deal with. Forests full of silver fir trees, spruces, junipers and birches are completing the magnificent atmosphere of the virginal nature, wilderness and adventure. Stones and mud are the fundamental elements of the road surface improvements.
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This whole ascent is overlooked by the second highest Ukrainian mountain Petros. With the forest´s end there are Alpine meadows and you ride on the mountain ridge after three hours of uphill climb in approx. 1700 altitude metres and the temperature in October is pleasant 15 °C, on the left you can enjoy the view on the valley shrouded in mist that hides Kozmeščik and Jasiňa like a pot-lid.
On the right side there is the mountain panorama of the Romanian Maramureš mountain range, there is also Petros behind your back and Hoverla in front of you. The trip back to Jasiňa awaits you with only an one hour trail that will flood all the adrenalin out of your body.
