"A Nice and Friendly Retreat" Sizoye by hunterV

Sizoye Travel Guide: 22 reviews and 137 photos

Horse riding in Bolotenne, Luhansk region, Ukraine

The Village of Bolotenne

Sizoye (“Warm Grey Village”) is a tiny village in Stanitsa Luganskaya County of Luhansk region.
In fact, it is the last visit before the Ukrainian-Russian border, that is, a border village. Its name reminds you of doves for we call them sometimes "warm grey", "bluish" and we also refer to something whose color reminds you of doves as "dove colored".
Although this village is the last one on the road to Russia, we cannot leave Ukraine from that village.
The road leads to the neighboring village of Sizoye and you could only walk through a thick forest to the Derkul – the border river, but what’s the use? Besides, there is no border blockpost on the Russian side and we would not be able to fill out the immigration card. The blockpost is farther north, it's about 100 miles detour. The stay in Russia without an immigration card is something to be avoided.
I chose this destination because it is next to the village I am going to write about: Bolotenne.
The bus from Luhansk to Bolotenne passes the village of Sizoye.
The village of Bolotenne is not present in the list of VT destination, so I had to choose the name of the neighboring village.

Our Visit There

The horses are great!

When my friend Jim was in Luhansk, he wished to visit the Russian Don Cossacks museum in Stanitsa Luganskaya since he is a great lover of the Russian history. We did so and after our visit we set out to Bolotenne on the invitation of my student Artiom who is a university student now.
His parents bought a datcha there and turned it gradually into a country recreation spot. They bought horses who are their passion and keep them there inviting their friends and acquaintances for a weekend there. Also, they built a country hotel with a sauna in a neighboring house.
This is their web site: Jura-Don Green Estate.
Jim and I had a pleasant stay there. Artiom treated us to “fir-tree cones tea”: made in an old Russian samovar made of brass and heated with a pipe inside and the pipe was not filled with coal, but with fir-tree cones…We could see and pet their nice horses and took a walk around. It was great! You feel like coming back there again and again…

Russian Cossacks’ Rendezvous

Don Cossacks meetings are frequent here...

This place became a rendezvous for the Don Cossacks of the entire county. They organize their traditional festivals there in summer. They all love horse riding. There can be no Cossack without a horse…
Here is a Russian Cossacks' song that I enjoy listening to:
Cossacks’ Song
The village of Bolotenne is very small. Its population consists of only thirty residents. Bolotenne is located about ten miles away from the county center and about 30 miles away from Luhansk. So if you are in Luhansk, you’d better hire a cab for the entire period of your stay there.
The morning bus ride from Luhansk to Bolotenne is very inconvenient for the bus to Bolotenne departs from Hospital bus stop in Stanitsa Luganskaya, the county center, and you have to take bus 214 or 234 from Eastern Block to Stanitsa either at 5.25 a.m. or at 5.40 a.m., otherwise you will miss the direct bus from the county center.
There is another alternative: to take the 3.40 p.m. bus from Eastern Block. Then you would have to stay overnight in this village, which would require your own tent for there is nowhere to stay there now. The hosts' house is being refurbished now and the small white house used as a hotel before is the hosts' house now.
If you arrive in the morning, you will have to spend the entire day in this village and take the 4.30 p.m. bus back to Luhansk. You would have much more freedom with your own cab.
Also, you have to call Alexander, Artiom’s stepfather, for a reservation for the datcha might be fully reserved or they might be away elsewhere.
The village is a great place for a winter or summer visit!

Pros and Cons

Pros:Picturesque scenery, village people, Cossacks’ festivals, horse riding and one-horse open sleigh riding in winter like in the song “Jingle Bells”
Cons:No direct bus from Luhansk in the morning...
In a nutshell:A Nice and Friendly Retreat

Last visit to Sizoye: Sep 2011
Intro Updated Oct 11, 2011
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Reviews (22)

Enjoying the Views Favorites (4)

Our time schedule was relaxed and we used our free time to walk around and enjoy the views. We reached the nearby lake... more travel advice

Shish kebab has to be properly cooked... - Sizoye

Self Cooked Food Favorites (4)

Everything was perfect! I couldn’t have asked for anything better. We did our best to lay the table for brunch that... more travel advice

Enjoy the Sauna Local Customs (3)

The weather, the countryside, breakfast, and the horses: everything helps to make your stay at this estate experience... more travel advice

Meeting the Locals Things to Do (9)

The locals are not often seen in the streets. They must be very busy in their households. During our pleasure horse... more travel advice

Shopping (1)
Bring Your Food
Transportation (1)
One Bus
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Comments (11)

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hopang Mar 31, 2013 at 1:24 AM

Lovely Sizoye travel page. It is certainly a very nice and friendly retreat. Nothing is better than self-cooked food. It is indeed a lot of fun! You certainly had a wonderful time there. ~ho & pang
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yumyum Oct 4, 2011 at 10:59 AM

That shashlik looks very yummy! Like the 4-legged locals too! And of course, you sitting on a horse ;)
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taigaa001 Sep 27, 2011 at 10:10 PM

I came to reconize cossak through the 1962 movie Taras Bulba. I am glad to know the cossak tradition is kept alive there.
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Gillybob Sep 27, 2011 at 11:38 AM

A very interesting page, Victor. And some great tips! The horses look very nice. Gillybob greetings
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HORSCHECK Feb 20, 2011 at 7:50 AM

Victor, lovely little page about this Ukrainian gem. Greetings from very cold Germany.
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toonsarah Feb 11, 2011 at 11:20 AM

It seems you had a great day out, and the kebabs look so delicious!
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Kuznetsov_Sergey Feb 10, 2011 at 12:22 AM

Wow, your friend Alexander keeps five horses! I guess it is very pleasant though not so easy as to keep five German shepherds (like my wife, haha!)
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Yaqui Feb 9, 2011 at 8:40 AM

What a wonderful way to spend the day among friends! The food looks yummy! Nice page!
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sourbugger Feb 5, 2011 at 6:59 AM

looks like a terrific place to visit
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deecat Feb 2, 2011 at 6:44 PM

What a personable page. Love the horses, uniforms, and flags. Looks like an interesting visit.