Arrival to the airport of Mineralniye Vody. Transfer to Pyatigorsk. Walking tour in the historical part of the town. Visit open air thermal springs after sunset (if not too tired). Overnight at the “Bristol SPA” 4* hotel.

Continue exploring the imperial heritage of XIX century in Pyatigorsk. Transfer to Elbrus region, have lunch. Go from Azau field to the slope of Elbrus by cable-car. Come back to Azau. Enjoy Russian steam bath. Have a rest at “Azau Star” 4* hotel.

In the morning we’ll hike up to Cheget mountain to have great views of both Elbrus and the Great Caucasus Ridge. Have lunch on the mountain. After coming back to the motorroad we’ll go to Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria. Have a rest at “Nalchik” 4* hotel.

In the morning we'll meet enthusiasts of reviving kabardian martial art, they'll perform their skills of fighting with daggers and shashkas (local long knives looking similar to sabres). After that we'll leave Nalchik to the mountains of North Ossetia. When we enter Ossetia we change our regular minivan for very well prepared 4WD cars. We'll go up to Digoria gorge to see picturesque mountains and medieval architecture. After going over Zgid pass - rather wild and bumpy. we’ll go down to Alagir gorge. Late in the evening we’ll come to Tsey valley - one of the most beautiful in Ossetia. Overnight at “Vertikal” 3* hotel.

In the morning we’ll make a light hike to Rekom - one of the most important shrines of Ossetian traditional religion (a mixture of paganism and Christianity). After that we’ll visit the former miner’s settlement of Mizur, which is now a ghost-town. Then we’ll drive up to Ursdon and Dagom villages, placed just by the wall of Kariu mountain. Locals believe that Falvara, the patron of cattle live on top of it. We’ll go over the Arkhon pass and visit Kurtata valley, where we’ll have coffee. And after that we’ll go further to Dargavs, where a famous group of medieval crypts is placed. By dinner we’ll be in Vladikavkaz - the capital of North Ossetia-Alania. Overnight at “Alexandrovsky” 4* hotel.

We’ll spend the whole day in this city. Many call this city the St. Petersburg of the Caucasus. For years Vladikavkaz was one of the region’s most important cultural and commercial centers, and in many ways it remains one to this day. The streets of the historical part of the city are adorned with late 19th and early 20th century houses that were built by Russian army officers and merchants. Walking along the city’s central street, Prospekt Mira (Avenue of Peace), one gets a sense of the quiet pace of provincial life. All around you’ll find inviting cafes, and cheerful locals who never seem to be in a hurry. From the city’s central streets, there are also breath-taking views of snow-covered mountain peaks. It is worth spending at least half of a day on a walking tour. Another half day we’ll dedicate to visiting the National museum of North Ossetia, Contemporary Art center, “Portal” - the youth art space and meeting one of local musicians or artists or the winery of Konstantin Dzitoev (one of the best in Russia). Overnight at “Alexandrovsky” 4* hotel.

Today we’ll go to the mountains of Ingushetia, which are famous for medieval defensive towers. Here is the largest concentration of them in whole of the Caucasus, only Svaneti in Georgia can be compared with Ingushetia. We’ll spend almost the whole day exploring the wonders created by local architects in XIV - XVIII centuries. Also we’ll visit Tkhaba-erdy- one of the most ancient christian churches of Russia. Dinner with highlanders in Djeirakh village. Overnight at “Armkhi” 3* resort.

In the morning we’ll have some time for light hiking in the area or coming back to one of complexes of towers (in case the weather was bad last day). After that we’ll go down to Magas - the capital of Ingushetia, one of the most modern towns of Russia. We’ll visit the memorial of the deportation of 1944 year. Have lunch. And go further - the capital of Chechnya. Walking tour in Grozny. Overnight at “Grozny city” 5* hotel.

In the morning we’ll visit museums and meet locals. After lunch we’ll go to the mountains again. On the way we’ll stop at one of the biggest mosques of Europe, it is placed in Shali village and called “The pride of Muslims”. By sunset we’ll be at Kezenoy-am lake - the biggest mountain lake of the Caucasus. Night at “Kezenoi-am” 3* hotel.

In the morning we’ll cross the border between Chechnya and Dagestan. We’ll go down from the mountain pass straight to Ansalta village, where we’ll visit urbech making watermill. After that we’ll visit the factory producing burkas - the traditional felt cloaks. Then we’ll have lunch in Botlikh village and, if the weather is sunny, go to Kvankhidatl’, where locals preserve to Gimry - the most important historical village of Dagestan, where the first imams of Dagestan and Chechnya were born. Overnight at "Gorniy Prichal" park-hotel.

In the morning we’ll walk the streets of Gimry. After that we’ll visit Untuskul' - the village famouse for metal notching on wood. That is one more traditional craft of Dagestan. Or we'll visit Karadakh gorge and make light trekking in the gorge. Finally we'll come to Sogratl'. Overnight at a guest-house.

The whole day we'll spend exploring the village. We'll also hike to abandoned Gamsutl' - picturesque ruins attracting photographers from all over the world. Overnight at a guest-house.

Early in the morning we'll head to Salta village to hike to a waterfall placed in a narrow canyon. After that we'll arrive to Balkhar - the village of Lak people, famous for ceramics. We'll have lunch here and after that go to Kubachi - the most known craft village of the Caucasus. Overnight at "Kubachi" guest-house or similar.

In the morning we'll explore the village. After that we'll hike to abandoned Kala-kureish village with a mosque of XII century and a mausoleum of local rulers. After picnic at Kala-kureish we'll go further to Derbent. Have rest, go out for dinner. Overnight at "Derbent" 4* hotel.

Almost whole day we'll spend in Derbent exploring narrow streets of the Old City and local variety of Azerbaijani cuisine (aboriginal people of Derbent are Azerbaijani). We'll visit the most ancient mosque of Russia, the cemetery of the Arabian warriors, who brought Islam here in VII century. We'll see the walls of the city and the citadel called Naryn-kala... By the end of the day we'll come to Makhachkala. Overnight at "Jacques" 4* hotel.

Visit the Market #2 - the biggest food market in the North Caucasus, you'll be able to find here specialties of all regions of Dagestan. After that we'll visit the Art Museum of Dagestan. Have lunch and go to the airport.