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Karachay-Cherkessia
About the Region
Karachay-Cherkessia is one of the most multinational republics in the North Caucasus. Turkic Karachays live side by side with Abazins- the Abkhazians that have inhabited the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus since the 16th century. The lowland is home to Adygs (Circassians), Cossacks, Nogais, and Ossetians.
In the high season tens of thousands of tourists gravitate towards Dombay, Teberda, and Arkhyz, highland resorts famed since the Soviet times. However, we love and appreciate Karachay-Cherkessia primarily for its intact valleys and mountains a few kilometers away from the developed resorts. Organized tour groups seldom show up there, and you can easily feel far away from the civilization.
Places to see
01 The Bermamyt Plateau and the Gumbashi Pass are worth a visit to gaze at scenic landscapes with rocky precipices, green meadows, and views of Elbrus.
Elbrus view from Gumbashi pass
02 The Bermamyt Plateau and the Gumbashi Pass are worth a visit to gaze at scenic landscapes with rocky precipices, green meadows, and views of Elbrus. Elbrus view from Bermamyt plateau
03 One of the world’s biggest radio telescopes RATAN-600 and the biggest in Europe BTA optical telescope are located near Zelenchukskaya stanitsa. You can look at the exterior and also talk to the scientists and take part in observations. Photo by Dmitry Lemeshev
04 The oldest Christian temples in Russia: Zelenchuk and temples of the Teberda Valley. They were built by the Alan rulers in the 10th century.
Sentinsky church, photo by Fyodor Lashkov
05 The oldest Christian temples in Russia: Zelenchuk and temples of the Teberda Valley. They were built by the Alan rulers in the 10th century.
Zelenchuk church, photo by Dmitry Lemeshev
06 For a view of the rocky mountains of Dombay take the cable car up to Mussa-Achitara Mountain. Photo by Andrey Geshelev
Total immersion
This option is for you if you’re up to a more meaningful and possibly life-changing experience rather than a ride across the republic as a tourist.
01 Go trekking through the wild intact valleys and ridges with no trodden paths, where no tourists show up for months. Photo by Dmitry Lemeshev
02 Go trekking through the wild intact valleys and ridges with no trodden paths, where no tourists show up for months. Photo by Richard Heartfield
03 Volunteer at Balapanlar, a camp for Nogai children. It is organized annually in Erkin-Halk town for children from remote villages. You can give a lecture, teach a workshop, or do administration.
04 Stay with the breeders of famed Karachay horses on summer pastures, learn to take care of horses, graze, ride them, and probably end up a skilled horseman. Photo by Rita Lozhkina
05 Stay with the breeders of famed Karachay horses on summer pastures, learn to take care of horses, graze, ride them, and probably end up a skilled horseman. Photo by Rita Lozhkina
useful information
There are no airports in Karachay-Cherkessia. Most tourists come via MineralnyeVody where dozens of planes land every day. It’s less than one hour ride from the airport of MineralnyeVody to the border with Karachay-Cherkessia.

There are no trains bound for the republic either. The closest station to Karachay-Cherkessia is Nevinnomysskaya in Stavropol Krai, and it takes thirty minutes to the Nogai villages of the republic and two hours and a half to the highland resorts of Teberda and Arkhyz.
Karachay-Cherkessia is part of Russia, so in most cases a Russian visa will be enough. If you’re going trekking in the territories adjoining the state border, you will need a permit to the border area. If you’ve bought our tour, obtaining a permit is our concern.
Our Tours
Expedition to untouched mountains of the Western Caucasus
We'll visit the mountains of the Western Caucasus, where tourists rarely appear. In some valleys, bison, deer and bears are more likely to be seen than people. That's gonna be a real expedition to wild mountains with flowering valleys and rocky highlands! At the same time, we will spend time with pleasure - the horses will carry the backpacks, the food will be prepared by a team of guides, in the evenings there is good wine from glasses overlooking the sunset.
24 July — 01 August
9 days
From $1400
Tour across the North Caucasus. “From the Black sea to the Caspian sea”
Nine republics, almost 2,000 kilometers of road, a maximum elevation of more than 3 000 meters, dozens of ethnic groups, hundreds of dishes, and immeasurable amounts of natural beauty. To remain a passive bystander simply isn’t an option throughout this magnificent trip, which includes mountain hikes, crafting workshops, and meetings with local historians, musicians, scientists, and villagers.
After this trip you will have every right to say: “I have seen the Caucasus!”
31 May — 21 June
22 days
From $5560
Caucasus Explorer magazine
Russian visa
In general you need to obtain a Russian visa to get into the country. Please be sure to check the list of 43 countries, which citizens are not required to get a Russian visa...
The citizens of the following list of 52 foreign countries are eligible for the unified e-visa...
March 9 2016
Useful
Special permits in different Caucasian Areas
Since we started to explore the Caucasus, we’ve visited almost every corner of each country. Of course, we were also interested in the most remote and less popular places, where we sometimes came face to face with restrictions. Be it a region affected by war or just an area with closed borders, you usually have to have special permits from local authorities to get in...
August 9 2017
Useful
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