Day 1
11: 00-11: 30 (Moscow time) - group gathering at the Mineralnye Vody railway station (near the main entrance from the city side) and at the Mineralnye Vody airport (near the main entrance). Transfer by minibus to the village. Dombay (travel time 4-4.5 hours). On the way - an excursion to the Shoanin temple and to the lake Kara-Kel. Clothing and shoes for the excursion on the first day: cap, T-shirt, trousers, sandals or light trekking shoes. With you in a backpack: raincoat, swimsuit, towel, camera, drinking water. There will be an opportunity to swim in the lake, water temperature + 15 ... + 18C.
Shoanin Temple. In the vicinity of the village of Costa Khetagurova, on the spur of Mount Shoana, is located Shoaninsky temple. It was built during the heyday of the Alanian state and dates from the 10th century. Along with the temples of the Lower Arkhyz fort, the Shoanin temple is one of the five most ancient temples in Russia. Byzantine architects engaged in the construction of Christian Alans. On the walls of the temples are the remains of ancient decorative painting. From the hill on which the temple is located, a magnificent view of the surroundings opens!
Lake Kara-Kel. On the outskirts of the city of Teberda is the warmest lake of the Teberda Nature Reserve - Kara Kel. In summer, the water temperature here reaches + 18 ... 20C. Translated from the local language, Kara-Kel means "black lake" - so it was called for the special, dark color of the water. The rocky peaks of Mount Kel-Bashi are reflected in the lake, and magnificent, high firs grow on the shore. The active part of the passage along the route: 1.6 km, sightseeing objects are located at an altitude of 1030 m (Shoanin Temple) and 1340 m (Kara-Kel).
15: 00-16: 00 - arrival in Dombay, checking into a hotel. Sightseeing tour of the village of Dombay.
Day 2
Gorge Dombay-Ulgen, Ptysh waterfalls. The first leg of the gorge is an unremarkable mountain road. We do not waste time walking on it, take an UAZ and go to the very heart of the mountains, the Dombay-Ulgen gorge! It is here that the highest point of the Western Caucasus - Mount Dombay-Ulgen (4047 m). If until this moment you saw alpine meadows only in pictures and on TV - get ready - today you will find yourself in a real alpine paradise !! First, we will walk past cozy birch groves, after which we will fall into the realm of huge flowers that bloom tremendously in July! It is worth freezing in place for just a minute - and you will already lose sight of your group - so tall grass and flowers are here. Climbing to the nearest hillock, involuntarily gasp! At this point, the gorge expands, as if it were opening its arms. Before us is a sea of alpine meadows, mountain peaks, and at the end of the gorge the unsurpassed glacier Ptysh glistens in the sun. At first glance, it captivates tourists with its ideal, curved shape. But that's not all! Ahead we have waterfalls with colorful rainbows. It is immediately clear that Nature created this gorge with special love. Walking around these places is one of the most spectacular in Dombay! The active part of the passage along the route: 7.2 km, vertical drop 1950-2360 m, the duration of the route is 6-7 hours.
Day 3
Amanauz Gorge and Sufrudzhin Falls. At the very beginning of the route we will see small snowfields along the Amanauz River, which lie here almost all summer! After which our path will pass through a shady fir forest. Fir here, as it should be in the Caucasus, "above the sky", and in the distance, through the crowns of trees, the snow caps of the mountains are visible ... After half an hour walk, our eyes will open "Devil's Mill". At this point, the water runs along the canyon of the Amanauz River, does not fit into the channel provided to it, and circles with a quick foamy whirlpool, and then disappears in the depths under a snow grotto! After leaving the forest, we will go further along the gorge. Soon we will open small waterfalls flowing down the rocks. During the day, the rocks are heated by the hot summer sun and the water running along them becomes warm. In this place you can enjoy swimming! But the most important treasure of the Amanauz gorge is yet to come - a huge Sufrudzhin waterfall! Water escapes from the glacial grotto and a mountain stream rushes into the gorge with incredible noise, plunging from somewhere out of the heavens. And colorful rainbows sparkle around! The active part of the passage along the route: 5.8 km, elevation difference of 1600-2100 m, the duration of the route is 6-7 hours.
Day 4
Baduk lakes. Baduk River Gorge - like an illustration for a fairy tale! One can only dream of a walk in such a coniferous forest. The path runs past the high fir, spruce and thickets of fern. After 40 minutes, the trail leads to the confluence of two full-flowing rivers - Hadzhibey and Baduk. White, foaming water with noise runs down the gorge. In this place, on the big bridge over the river, excellent group photos are always obtained. Move on! The fir forest will be replaced by beautiful birches and soon the trail will lead us to the first lake. The highlight of Baduk Lakes is that they are all located in the forest zone. Deciduous trees grow at the very edge of the water and give a special picturesque lakes. Do you know what color of water is here? In sunny weather, Baduk Lakes shimmer with real, emerald color! The water here is incredibly clear, and beckons to swim. The active part of the passage along the route: 7.7 km, elevation 1400-1980 m, the duration of the route is 5-6 hours.
Day 5
Cableway to the horizon of the city of Mussa-Achitara. What a trip to Dombay can do without climbing the slope of Mount Mussa Achitara! The cable cars very quickly raise tourists up to a height of 3012 m! From here a beautiful panorama of the Main Caucasus Range opens, in clear weather you can see Elbrus and the three Dombay Gorges. At different levels of the mountain there are several panoramic platforms, as well as many cafes with national cuisine, where you can enjoy lunch in the fresh air. To the delight of tourists, many souvenirs are sold here, there is the opportunity to take pictures with a bear, a yak and even a camel! Duration of the tour: 5-6 hours.
Day 6
Alibek gorge, Alibek waterfall, Turye lake. All the most interesting is in the depths of the Alibek gorge! Therefore, we take mountain transport and drive on it the first 5 km of the road, which are unremarkable. Further, the path will lead us to the deer enclosure and lead to a huge flower meadow. In July, on the local alpine meadows, a real riot of colors: blue, purple, bright pink and yellow flowers will captivate you at first sight. And now add to this picture the snow-white Alibek glacier, which flaunts in the background. It immediately becomes clear why this gorge is so loved by tourists! The next interesting object on our way is Alibek waterfall. A huge, incredibly powerful stream of water falls from a height of 25 meters! Walking closer to the waterfall, we’ll take great pictures. Then we go to the observation deck, from where we will see the outlook of Mussa-Achitara, Mount Semenov-Bashi. Then we will go to the Alibek glacier, come close, and feel his icy breath! By dinner, we will arrive at the end point of our route - the emerald Turye Lake. In July, ice floes are still floating here and rhododendrons are blooming. In such a beautiful place we will have lunch and set off on the return trip. The active part of the passage along the route: 6.4 km, elevation 1850-2190 m, the duration of the route is 6-7 hours.
Day 7
Until 13:00 - free time. On this day, we recommend a walk in the souvenir market! Blueberry jam, mountain tea, magnets, luxury shawls, souvenir mugs! ... There is everything your heart desires here! Transfer by minibus to the city of Mineralnye Vody. On the way, an excursion to the Gonachkhir gorge, to Lake Tumanly-kel. An excellent, asphalt road leads to the lake. Tumany Kel or Trout Lake is located at an altitude of 1880 m. It is one of the warmest lakes of the Teberda Nature Reserve, the water temperature is +18 ... + 20C. The pond is large enough, its length is 275 m! The water in the lake, depending on the lighting, changes color from sky blue to emerald. To take beautiful pictures, we will slightly rise above the lake and in all its glory will see the snowy peaks of the Chotcha mountain range.
19: 00-19: 30 - arrival at the railway station and airport of Mineralnye Vody, departure home.
At the request of the group, on the way back you can visit the hot thermal springs. These are mineral water pools where you can swim.
Depending on the weather conditions, the physical condition of the participants and other factors, the hiking route may be changed.