Shurdyn Pass is a remarkable place in the Pokuttya-Bukovyna Carpathians — the highest mountain pass in Ukraine crossed by a public road. Sitting at 1,173.5 m above sea level, it offers sweeping Carpathian scenery, dense forests and a winding route with roots going back to the Austro-Hungarian era.

The pass cuts through the Rakova ridge on the border of Vyzhnytsia and Putyla districts in Chernivtsi Oblast. The surrounding slopes are cloaked in thick spruce forests mixed with fir, beech, sycamore maple and birch — absolutely stunning in autumn when the hillsides blaze with colour. On the south-western slopes, which drain into the Putyla river basin, wide mountain meadows open up, bright green in summer. The northern approach follows the Nimchych ridge spur and features numerous sharp bends that demand careful driving — especially in winter when snow and ice can make the road genuinely challenging.

How to get there:

• From Berehomет — paved road climbing via the Nimchych ridge, many tight bends, accessible by car in good conditions; difficulty: moderate, demanding in winter.
• From Selatyn — the southern approach, gentler gradient, with views over the Putyla river valleys.

Practical information:

• The road over the pass — Berehomет to Selatyn — was built during the Austro-Hungarian period.
• Nearest villages: Dolishniy Shepit, Ruska, Foshky.
• In winter, snow chains or a 4x4 vehicle are strongly recommended.

Shurdyn is more than a record-holder — it is a gateway into one of the wildest and least-visited corners of the Ukrainian Carpathians, where the mountains feel entirely your own.