Mari El (Russian: Респу́блика Мари́й Эл rees-POOB-lee-kuh muh-REE ehl) is a region in the Upper Volga, bordering Nizhny Novgorod Oblast to the west, Kirov Oblast to the north, Tatarstan to the southeast, and Chuvashia to the south.

Cities

• 1 Yoshkar-Ola — the capital is the only city of any size in the region, its name means Red City in the Mari Language, and lost virtually all its industry during perestroika
• 2 Kozmodemyansk — has a large open-air ethnographic/architectural museum of the Mari people
• 3 Volzhsk — the region's second largest city is on the Volga River
• 4 Yurino — a village with one very large and eclectic 19th century Sheremetyev Castle, formerly a popular Volga retreat for European and Russian royalty, but now a museum/hotel located in a beautiful area on the Volga and undergoing restoration
• 5 Zvenigovo — a town on the Volga River

Other destinations

• Bolshaya Kokshaga Nature Reserve
• Mari Chodra National Park

Understand

Mari El is notable for being one of the last strongholds of organized paganism in Europe. While many of the Mari people have converted to Russian Orthodoxy, a sizable number practice the Mari Native Religion, which combines Christianity with significant native shamanistic traditions. The Russian and Soviet governments have been suspicious of Finno-Ugric nationalism within Mari El (and Udmurtia), however, and have discouraged the Mari Native Religion; accordingly, it may be difficult to have any experiences with the Mari Native Religion while visiting the region. But if you do, you may be lucky enough to experience some of the Mari People's millennia old traditions, like their marriage ceremonies in sacred forest groves.

Today, ethnic Russians comprise a narrow plurality of the population, just under 50%, while the native Mari people comprise about 42%.

Mari El may also be an alluring destination to visitors looking for "the real Russian forests." Its unspoilt forests and numerous lakes make the region an intriguing choice for back country horseback riding and hiking, as well as hunting and fishing.

Talk

While English will not get you far, everyone you meet will speak Russian, although many of the Mari speak it as a second language in addition to their native Mari language, which is a relative of Finnish.

Get in

Kozmodemyansk, Volzhsk, Yurino, Zvenigovo are all reachable by boat on the Volga River. Otherwise, it is easiest to arrive through the capital and regional road hub of Yoshkar-Ola via rail from the railway junction at Zelenodolsk (Zeleny Dol), Tatarstan, which is near Kazan and Kanash/Cheboksary. An overnight daily train runs from Moscow's Kazan railway station to Yoshkar-Ola, which takes about 14.5 hours.

Do

• Outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, horseback riding, hiking, and relaxing by one of the region's many lakes.