If earlier Russian tourists chose a quiet and a little lazy holiday in warm countries Now more and more people prefer outdoor activities and unity with nature.

Dombai is perfect for such characteristics. This is a picturesque place in Karachay-Cherkessia in the Teberda basin in the North Caucasus. Dombay combines picturesque nature, a ski resort and adventure. You can go to Dombay at any time of the year. But experienced travelers prefer to go there during the cold season.

What to see in Dombai in winter? We will tell in this article.

A little about winter Dombai

Winter in Dombai is mild and cozy: there are no severe frosts - the temperature is from 0 to -2 degrees, there is a dense layer of snow all around - 2-2.5 meters. Snow splendor is preserved from December to March.

Despite the favor of the cold season, some attractions of Dombai become inaccessible in winter. In frost, you can not climb the glacier or go to the waterfalls. But at the same time, the ski season begins, which compensates for all this.

Ski holidays in Dombai

The ski season in Dombay lasts from December to March. Some manage to ride until April, but according to reviews, at this time the snow is already stale, heavy and sticky. February and March are considered the most favorable.

And here best places for skiing vary depending on the level. Of all the trails for beginners, those that are located on the southwestern slopes of Mount Mussa-Achitara are suitable. The route is calm, without steep drops. "Red" and "black" slopes for experienced skiers are located below the slope.

In addition to slopes of various steepness and complexity, on Mount Mussa-Achitara you can enjoy stunning views of the Teberda valley and. And also delicious food - next to each of the five lifts there are cafes, bars and kebabs with local food. Interestingly, the higher you climb, the cheaper the food will be.

Dombay nature and hiking

In winter, it is best to go to Dombai for those who are fond of skiing. But if you love nature and hiking and you have the opportunity to go to Dombay in the cold season, then you should not refuse. Of course, snow and slight frosts make many hiking trails inaccessible, but there are still places to walk.

Conventionally, winter tracks can be divided into those that are simpler and those that are heavier. If you are not confident in your abilities, then go to the already mentioned Mount Mussa-Achitara - you can get there with the help of a lift.

If you don’t mind walking a little, then go to the Dombay-Ulgen gorge. The road is simple and short, and its first section can be overcome by chairlift. Once in place, you can ride horses, get into the Reserve and walk through the coniferous forest to Russkaya Polyana. At the final point, a panoramic view of the Musa-Achitara ridge and the Main Caucasian Range opens.

For even more vivid impressions of winter beauty and spectacular photos, go to the Gonachkhir gorge. A small steep climb, a leisurely walk and from the gorge you will get to Tumanly-Kel Lake.

Are you ready for the challenge? Visit Devil's Mill Canyon. It is called the most interesting winter route. The passage to the canyon lies through the Teberdinsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve. Entrance there is paid, but the amount is rather symbolic - about 100 rubles.

Once inside, you will walk along a marked trail along the Amanauz River. You will be accompanied by snow bridges over the river, frozen mountain streams, stone scree and beautiful views of Dombay.

Mandatory program: what to see in Dombay?

What to see in Dombai in winter? Of course, on panoramic views Teberda, Elbrus and the Main Caucasian Range. To a real coniferous forest with frosty and clean air. To the frozen wonders of nature. On easy mountain roads and bewitching narrow paths.

Any place on Dombai will be fine. The main thing is to be there.

In a small area of the Dombai Valley and the Elbrus region, almost all the fauna and flora of Russia are collected, all climatic and landscape zones of our country are represented. In addition, rare animals live here that are not found anywhere else. Gradually, the issues of preserving natural nature are becoming increasingly important, which is reflected in the legislative framework, work is underway to breed and preserve animals that did not originally live in this area, but have adapted to the new climate.

For this, new reserves and hunting-reserved farms appear. For example, since 1976, the Kabardino-Balkan Reserve has been operating with an area of 53,300 hectares, located in the upper reaches of the Chegem (right tributary of the Baksan), Cherek Bizengi and Cherek Balkar rivers. The Chegem Valley, as the Kabardino-Balkarian Reserve is sometimes called, is located on the border with the Elbrus region.

As a result, the Elbrus region is surrounded by state reserves - from the east by North Ossetian and Kabardino-Balkarian, and from the west - by Teberdinsky. The Elbrus region plays the role of a buffer zone, which removes the tourist load from the reserves and serves as a "guard" of unique natural areas. If any recreation is in principle prohibited in the reserves, then in the Elbrus region it is possible to create a strictly limited number of roads, lay some routes and equip several parking lots. Thus, tourists can at least from afar, but get acquainted with these interesting places, admire the unique "pattern" of forests and meadows on the surrounding mountains. Hunting-reserve farms and forestries are obliged to strictly monitor compliance with the rules.

The Central Caucasus is classified as an area with a temperate continental climate, where altitudinal zonality is clearly expressed, and the vegetation, as well as the climatic zones, are separated by Mother Nature herself. Borders are easy to detect even with the naked eye. The lowest belt, stretching from the glade to a height of 2,000 - 2,400 meters, is forests: fir, spruce (up to 45-50 meters high), diluted with oaks, aspens, birches and maples on the southern slopes. There are also fruit forests, consisting of cherry plum, blackthorn, cherries and apple trees, glades overgrown with hazel and honeysuckle, gooseberries, barberries, currants and raspberries. Here you can collect all kinds of mushrooms: russula, boletus, champignons, chanterelles, podorochniks and oaks, as well as coral mushroom, which is considered one of the "identifying signs" of Dombai and whose hat sometimes reaches 0.5 meters in diameter, although in other places it regular sizes. The special microclimate is “responsible” for the fact that flowers and herbs that are familiar to us grow simply to unrecognizable sizes.

The next zone is subalpine meadows, which stretch to a height of 2,600 meters above sea level. Next come the alpine meadows, where the grass grows up to two meters in height, and in contrast to them - the alpine meadows are short-grass, attracting attention with bright placers of flowers, in particular rhododendron and gentian. In spring and summer, the slopes of the mountains seem to be covered with a patchwork quilt consisting of bright flower spots.

Mountains

The most famous and most high mountain Europe and Russia - Elbrus, whose western peak is at an altitude of 5,642 meters, and the eastern one - 5,621 meters above sea level - is located precisely in these unique places. Elbrus is a volcanic massif of gigantic size and stands out from the general system of mountains. This is what determines the originality and uniqueness of the climate, landscape and relief in this region. The thickness of the glaciers on Elbrus reaches 400 meters, total area glaciation - about 150 square kilometers.

Among the attractions of the Elbrus region are magnificent gorges, which are located above 2,000 meters above sea level: Adyr-Su, Adyl-Su, Terskol, Baksanskoye, Yusengi. Each gorge is a separate natural object, which has a high degree of attractiveness for tourists.

The largest gorge is Baksanskoye, where most of the tourist routes and through which lies the path to Elbrus, the gray-haired patriarch of the Caucasus. It is here, in the upper reaches of the Baksan, its tributaries, the Adylsu, the Irik, and in the Malka valley that mineral springs, having a different chemical composition and used in the treatment of various diseases.

Dombay

The mountain resort Dombay is the real "heart of the Caucasus", surrounded by mountains and fir forests. Unique beauty of this area lies in the combination of dark needles of forests and bright greenery of alpine meadows, interspersed with turbulent rivers, waterfalls, snow-white caps of eternal snows and dazzling glaciers. The cover of the earth's surface created by nature, even approximately, cannot be restored by a human hand.

The Dombai resort is located in the luxurious Teberdinsky Reserve, created back in 1936. The Living Museum of Nature harmoniously combines majestic and profound mountains overgrown with forests and meadows, fast-moving mountain rivers and picturesque roaring waterfalls, unrealistically beautiful alpine lakes and lush vegetation on the banks. The total area of the reserve is 85 thousand hectares, which are located on the northern side of the Main Caucasian Range.

43 species of mammals live in the Teberdinsky Reserve, the most recognizable and most common of them is the "symbol" of Dombai - the Caucasian stone goat (or West Caucasian tur). The main decoration of this animal are saber-shaped large horns (up to 1 meter long and up to 30 cm wide). Goats are best adapted to life in the mountains, every cell of their body is the most suitable for such living conditions.

The second "pride" of the reserve is the bison, which is considered the largest wild animal in Europe. This animal was practically exterminated during the Second World War, only a few specimens remained in zoos, although initially there were whole herds of bison in these mountains. Now they are trying to revive bison in the reserve. Actually, in Karachai the word "bison" sounds like "dombay", hence the name of the resort itself. This is where the name comes from high point Dombaya - Dombay-Yolgen, which is translated, according to one version, as "killed bison", and according to another, it is named after the craftsman-hunter who killed the bison alone.

Wild boars and Caucasian deer, lynx and roe deer, jackals and foxes, stone and forest martens, brown bears and squirrels, wolves are found in the forest zone of Dombai. At the upper borders, Caucasian black grouse and chamois are often found. By spring, the forests are “densely populated” with birds: mountain turkey (ular), partridges, eagles, jackdaws and other “tree dwellers”. The rivers are so transparent that you can see how the trout struggles with the current and overcomes the rapids. The dipper “hunts” right there - a small bird with a white chest, bravely diving right into stormy waters.

One of the directions in which work is being carried out in the reserve is experiments on the acclimatization of animals and plants that did not live in the area before. So, now ginseng is cultivated here, spotted deer, Altai squirrel and raccoon dog are taken care of. Attempts to reproduce and preserve rare, endangered species of birds and animals do not stop.

When I went on a train through the North Caucasus, I assumed, of course, that I would get vivid impressions. But I had no idea how much this region would hook me. How beautiful these mountains, passes, gorges will be...

And in this article I want to tell you what a ski Dombay resort in summer.

What does an ordinary person know about Dombai? That it is somewhere in the Caucasus, that avid skiers strive to get there, that it is beautiful there. That's about the same knowledge we went there. And here's what came out of it.

Dombay: why you should come here, even if you are not a skier

Usually, when describing a place, they say the words “unique nature” to me, I begin to suspect that it is not so unique after all.

Well, think for yourself: will it occur to someone in a guide to Austria to focus on unique nature? I doubt. For this is illogical, if only because in neighboring Germany and Switzerland it will be very similar. In general, all large mountains are somewhat similar. And the most interesting: having been in some big mountains, in absentia fall in love with all the others. Noticed?

How to get there

by plane you can fly to the airport in Kavminvody. From the Mineralnye Vody bus station, you can take a bus to Teberdy , and from there by taxi or by bus to Dombai.

But the most pleasant option is, of course, to travel around the Caucasus, as we do in our own car. We drove from the side of Kislovodsk and left the mountains to the highway just near Cherkessk.

By car from Cherkessk (the capital of Karachay-Cherkessia) you will reach Dombai along the A-155 highway in 2-2.5 hours. And believe me - it will be one of the most beautiful roads in your life!

While we were driving, I involuntarily had associations with the same Swiss landscapes:

"Alpine pastorals" would be called these paintings, if you remove from them the towers of minarets and rickety fences. And add the bell towers of Catholic churches, coupled with high-speed rail and autobahn.

By the way, one of the features this region- Cars without license plates. This is how local jigits drive. The traffic police officers obviously do not touch them (wow, yes, they are still theirs!), But with the camera that the feds have installed and which captures everyone by state numbers, it is unlikely that they will be able to agree.

Instead of cows with bells, lean stallions graze along the slopes along the road. Already something, but it is customary to be proud and admire horses in the Caucasus! As in, Karachay-Cherkessia has its own pride.

The existence of two separate breeds, Kabardian and Karachai, was officially recognized in 1935 - although in the first volume of the state stud book, all Caucasian breeds were united by the general term "mountain". In 1943, after the repressions and deportation of the Karachais to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, all references to this people, including the name of the local breed of horses, were deleted. Of course, the Karachai horses themselves continued to exist, but they were recorded as Kabardian. It was possible to “rehabilitate” the breed as a separate one only in the 1980s, but the controversy has not subsided so far.

And we are already approaching Teberda, once the largest anti-tuberculosis resort in the USSR.

Teberda: say yes to nature

The resort is located at an altitude of 1300−1400 meters above sea level, in the picturesque valley of the river Teberda.

It is this resort that will become your transit point if you go to Dombay not by car, but fly by plane to the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

For a resident of large cities, Teberda will seem like a big village. But once it was from her that the tourist boom began in these places. Only then it was not skiers or lovers of trekking in the mountains who were eager to rest here. And people with tuberculosis, which was called the "plague of the 19th century."

The climate of Teberda is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, low humidity and high air ionization (50 times higher than in cities and on the plain). Another point is the special wind regime. The valley receives both fresh air from the surrounding mountains and warm air from the Black Sea. At the same time, thanks to the mountains, biologically active substances, phytoncides produced by plants - relict pines and meadow herbs are retained in the valley. So this place is one big natural inhaler.

In 1870, in these places, the wife of Captain Kuzovlev, who was the right hand of the head of this entire district, successfully recovered from consumption. To celebrate, the captain built a cottage in these places, where his wife lived happily for another 20 years.

Another lucky person who was helped by the local climate from tuberculosis was Islam Krymshamkhalov, a Karachai artist and public figure. Having settled in Teberda, Krymshamkhalov became one of the main beautifiers of the resort. In 1910, a letter was written to the then viceroy in the Caucasus, Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov, and the very next year, the construction of state-owned dachas, the prototypes of modern boarding houses, began in Teberda.

In the same year, at the Pirogov Congress of Doctors in Moscow, Teberda was officially recognized mountain resort . So Teberda became an alternative not only to the Crimean one, where domestic asthmatics and tuberculosis patients were traditionally treated, but also to expensive resorts and. Here they are, the origins of import substitution, friends :-)

The first Soviet health resorts appeared here in 1923, and in the 1930s Teberda turned into a privileged resort, sanatoriums were built here by major ministries and departments.

Teberda has not lost either the status of a resort of federal significance or its main advantages. The nature here is still defiantly beautiful, as we have personally seen. And it is through Teberda, like a hundred years ago, that the only road passes - the former Military Sukhumi, now - federal highway A-155.

Dombay is only 25 kilometers from here (20 minutes by car).

And the closer we get to it, the more it begins to seem to me that I am again traveling in the mountains of Switzerland ...

Because that pyramidal peak over there really reminds me of the Matterhorn.

And here is myself Dombay village. It is located at around 1600 m above sea level. This place is called Dombai Polyana. Three gorges converge here. And accordingly, three rivers merge into one - Alibek, Dombay-Ulgen and Amanauz.

The town itself is small. Literally a couple of turns - and we are already driving into the parking lot at the lower station of the cable car.

Dombay in the summer: why you should come

Mount Dombay-Ulgen - highest peak Western Caucasus (4046 m), which gave the name to the entire region. It is located east resort village Dombay, on the border of Abkhazia and Karachay-Cherkessia.

As a ski resort, Dombai has been known in our country since the late 1960s. Nowadays, in terms of infrastructure, the resort lags behind more modern competitors. But the prices here are more democratic, and the atmosphere is almost homely.

Before we had time to get out of the car, an uncle jumped up to us and, in his own way, suggested that we not overpay for the rise on the new cable car, but ride on the old one, 300 rubles cheaper.

We looked at her ... Maybe it's romantic, of course, but we don't want to risk it. We go to the ticket office of the new cable car.

Prices for a new lift

One lift for 3 stages costs 1050 rubles. Winter ski passes (judging by the price list at the checkout) were as follows: for 1 day - 1600 rubles, 2 days - 2840, 3 - 3910 rubles. Very soulful, compared with Krasnopolian prices.

The rise begins at 1590, which is quite a lot already. The first stage of the cable car - up to the mark of 2277 meters - is gondola, i.e. 8-seater closed cabins. And the view from them to the valley opens like this:

At 2277 meters you can take a little walk, take pictures and gather your courage if you are afraid of heights - then there will be a chair lift.

If you like handmade souvenirs, then you will also find great shopping here:

Yes, and before landing on a chair, it is worth warming up - the temperature at the top will be 10 degrees lower than in the valley. So take your last chance.

Let's go to the chair. There are no queues for boarding right now.

We rise higher and higher. Here comes the snow on the road. Snow cannons are not visible, which means that the product is natural, as they say.

As I found out later, after returning from Dombay, the artificial snowmaking system had already been purchased and will appear on ski slopes resort "Dombay" in December 2018, by the beginning of the new winter season.

In the meantime, enjoy the beauty of nature. The landscapes are simply breathtaking! Can this be put into words?

True, the sight of people riding on opposite chairs is a little alarming - they are wrapped in clothes, like the Germans near Moscow:

But after Elbrus, which met us with a snow storm, we are no longer afraid of anything.

Why you should take the cable car in summer

Dombay glade and the mountains surrounding it are legendary places. For climbers, Dombay is generally a cult place. It was with them, climbers, that the development of the region began in the pre-war years. The skiers came later. But it is precisely for their sake that money is now being invested in the infrastructure of the region.

Although it is the old recognizable species that remain the hallmark of Dombai. Like, for example, that hotel in the form of a “flying saucer”:

In this regard, local guides will surely tell you a legend about how aliens once landed on this place, and they liked it so much that they changed their mind about flying away and parked their “ship” here forever ... Well, looking at the panoramas of these mountains, willingly believe it.

At the same time, I note to myself that trails in Dombay not difficult: quite wide and not too steep in slope.

We are approaching the mark of 3035 meters above sea level. It is certainly cool here, and warm clothes save. You can go another 200 m higher on a chair. But for now we decide to look around here.

First, we set off to capture an excellent view of Mount Belalakaya:

If you, like us, have seen a lot mountain resorts for your tourist age, and in your archive there are 100,500 photos with mountain views, then this inscription will remind you exactly where you enjoyed the panoramas of snow-capped peaks.

There are simple cafes here, where skiers apparently dine.

Tourists with pretensions will definitely not be enthusiastic about visiting such “authentic” establishments. I’m not even talking about the toilet that hangs over the abyss (note that the cost of visiting is 30 rubles):

There are also a dozen and a half different souvenir stalls here - what if, for complete happiness, you urgently needed that pretty hat with ears?

But it is clear, everything is as it should be. Where there are tourists, there are souvenirs.

And here's what he did ski resort this uncle with two machine guns in an embrace - we still did not understand:

We skip ahead and wait for the next chair. They decided not to climb another 200 meters: everything was drowned in a cloud there, visibility is zero, and we don’t smile at all to freeze on a chair.

On the way down, a piercing wind blows in the face. But we still manage to make a couple of great shots:

Below we are overtaken by a feeling of hunger, and in search of food we go to the other side of the river, across the bridge:

How much does it cost to eat in Dombay

On the other side of the river we find carpenter-like malls and a couple of cafes.

Food prices in Dombay in summer and winter are almost the same and depend on the level of the institution. Khychins that we love cost from 100 rubles in a cafe, from 130-200 in a restaurant. The main fillings are meat, potatoes, cottage cheese or soft cheese with herbs. But you can’t guess with them: they can serve small ones, where the cat cried the toppings, or, on the contrary, they can bring such that you can get enough of this snack alone.

The main dishes include: river and lake trout (from 250 rubles per serving, usually it is one big fish), the same price is for Gorski and Karachai meat. A kettle of mountain tea with honey or jam - from 150 rubles. Lagman and shurpa are usually from 150 rubles per serving. In general, you can eat in a cafe from 500 rubles for two.

What to see in the vicinity of Dombay

And we begin to desperately regret that we didn’t take a couple more days to visit Dombai ...

Some sights are accessible by our car - roads are laid to them. However, on the bus mountain roads not pass, so there are no large groups of tourists at these sites. Some of them, as we were told, will have to walk along the picturesque mountain paths.

In general, summer holidays in Dombay can turn out to be very, very diverse, there is no shortage of excursions and entertainment.

Prices for some activities: ATV rental - about 2000 rubles; horse riding - from 1000 rubles per person; fishing - from 500 rubles

There is one caveat: many natural beauty Teberdinsky Biosphere Reserve, in addition, the border with Abkhazia passes nearby. Therefore, the scheme here is the same as in Krasnaya Polyana: if you go on these routes, you will have to issue a pass to the border zone. Previously, it had to be done in advance (2-3 days in advance) in Cherkessk, but now you can get it right from the forester on the route. But you need to have a passport with you and fill out a questionnaire. This is done free of charge.

But the trails in the reserve are paid. The cost of the passage is 100-150 rubles. Agree, this is not much, if all these lakes and waterfalls are really as beautiful as in the photo in tourist booklets.

Where to stay in Dombay

There are quite a lot of guest houses and hotels in Dombai. All of them differ from each other in the level of accommodation, the quality of the services provided. However, all Dombay hotels are famous for their Caucasian hospitality and home comfort. The price level in the summer and winter months, of course, is different.

In the off-season, a double standard can be found from 1300 rubles, in winter the cost of rooms in most hotels starts from 2000 rubles. Modest apartments cost from 2 thousand rubles, a higher level - from 4 thousand. As a rule, by the New Year, prices still rise.

We rested in Dombai in the off-season (May 2018) and, choosing options for ourselves, looked at the following hotels:

Chateau Leopard
Hotel National
Crystal Hotel
Meridian
Andersen Hotel
Hotel Gonachkhir

If you need something simpler, you can ask for these options:

Hotel Sokol
Crown of Dombai
Star
Altair-Dombay
sky hotel
Hotel Stella

If you do not want to organize your own vacation in Dombai, then you can buy a ready-made tour.

All hands on deck!

In general, if you plan your vacation in Dombai outside the ski season (and it lasts here from December to April), get ready for dizzying mountain trails and incredible adventures. And take at least a week to your rest!

Because now, having returned from this region, I have already compiled a whole list of reasons why I want to return there. If you are also a supporter active rest, then these places will also capture you in their captivity ...

I look forward to your comments and questions.

See you on the blog!

Nature has awarded Dombay with unique sights: mountains, lakes, glaciers, grottoes, forests. Annually unique natural monuments The resort attracts thousands of tourists from all over Russia and countries of the world. There really is something to see and admire here.

Alibek glacier

One of the most popular attractions of the resort is the Alibek glacier. This is the only accessible glacier of the Teberdinsky Reserve, which descends into a dense forest zone. And even in the hot summer on the glacier is a real winter! Almost anyone can climb the glacier, but be patient, as the journey will take about 7 hours. But it's worth it.

Regular tourists of the resort say that those who have not been to Alibek do not know what Dombay is. By car, you can drive along the road to the climbing base "Alibek", and then move along the forest path that goes to the Uzun-Tala glade. It is there that a picturesque view of the glacier and majestic mountains opens.

Mount Belalakaya

Above the Dombay glade rises the "visiting card" of the resort - Mount Belalakaya or "Striped Rock". The attraction is known for the fact that white belts of quartz cut through the rocks, the width of which is about 50 meters. The name of the peculiar mountain comes from several words: “beli” - a belt, “ala” - motley, “kaya” - a rock. The height of the mountain is 3861 meters. The uniqueness of this place is that several thousand years ago there was a plain here, and mountain formations appeared thanks to gigantic forces that raised a section of the earth's crust from the depths of the bowels. The mountain is popular among both geologists and tourists. And the image of pride Dombay flaunts on the label "Aque Minerale".

Ridge Semenov-Bashi

The Semenov-Bashi Ridge, thanks to the dome-shaped protrusion of its eastern part, is an easily accessible panoramic point, from where a beautiful view of the Dombai-Ulgen river valley, the Main Ridge, the Amanauz and Teberda valleys and the Dombai glade opens. Amazed by their majesty and splendor Dombay mountains. Like a beautiful queen, she greets the guests of Balalakaya. The complex of Dzhuguturlyuchat peaks put up for everyone to see its ideally correct Peak Ine. You can see Mount Sufruju in the distance, about which Eleonora Brezovskaya wrote a fascinating story.

Dombay glade

Dombayskaya Polyana is located in the southern part of the Teberdinsky Reserve, in the upper reaches of the Teberda valley.

At the confluence of the rivers Dombay-Ulgen, Amanauz and Alibek, there are several beautiful glades that gave the name to the whole area. Panoramas of peaks and glaciers of exceptional beauty open up from the glade, attracting sightseers here as well.

Currently, a whole tourist complex is operating on the glade, consisting of hotel infrastructure facilities, places. There are 3 phases of the new complex cable cars, 5 lines of the old chairlift, a network of drag and tow roads (200 - 600 meters long).

Moussa-Achitara Ridge

The Mussa-Achitara Ridge is a magnificent observation platform, from where a gorgeous view of the peaks and glaciers of the Main Range, the Teberda and Gonachkhir valleys and the mighty Elbrus opens.

Cemetery of climbers - a memorable place in Dombay

The Alpinists Memorial Cemetery is a memorable place in Dombai. The conquerors of peaks in the post-war period are buried here. On the monuments you can see tablets with the following dates: 70s, 80s, 1995, 2000, 2003 ... Someone admires courage and heroism dead climbers, and someone asks the question: “Why did they go to the mountains?” . It is not difficult to get to the cemetery: from the main paved road of Dombai to a dead end, and then along a country road.

Teberdinsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve

To date, the reserve is one of the most visited in the system of protected natural areas in Russia.

Teberdinsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve It is located in the Western Caucasus, in the basin of the Teberda River, a tributary of the Kuban, and is administratively part of the Karachay District of the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Region. The territory of the reserve (total area - 69,535 hectares) is spread over northern slope the Main Caucasian Range and its side spurs; it occupies the entire region of the upper reaches of the Teberda River and its tributaries south of the Epchik-Dzhemagat and Muhu rivers and is bounded by high rocky ridges.

This is not surprising, since on its territory there are many amazing and beautiful places. The rivers Teberda and Gonachkhir carry their waters through the reserve, numerous moraine and tarn lakes enliven the mountains. It takes your breath away from the grace and, at the same time, the power of the Amanauz, Alibek and Ptysh glaciers. Dense deciduous, coniferous, mixed forests, vast bright subalpine and alpine meadows, many rare plants, flowers and animals attract more than 100 thousand tourists annually.

The state took under special protection this outstanding in its natural wealth and beauty corner North Caucasus. Each visitor to the reserve is obliged to take care of its wonderful nature in order to preserve it in all its splendor and integrity.

Amanauz Gorge or Devil's Mill

Gorge "Devil's Mill" or Amanauz refers to open museum which is famous for its waterfalls and canyons. “Aman auz” from Karachay means “evil mouth”. This place is called “gloomy”, as the slope of Belalakai and the peak of the Theater narrow the beginning of the gorge very much. The sun practically does not get here, and sometimes snow bridges do not melt over the Amanauz River even in summer. The gloominess is conveyed by rains and fogs, which later come to the Dombay glade. And since Observation deck here is small, then you should be extremely careful: the cliff is located directly above the gorge.

Turie lake

The fabulously turquoise lake got its name because when there are no people around, tours descend to it for a drink. The lake acquired an unusual color due to the low water temperature - no higher than +3 degrees. Even in summer, the lake is covered with ice, as it is located between the Bilingual and Alibek glaciers. The origin of the lake is moraine. The excursion to the extraordinary place lasts about 8 hours. The main route passes through alpine meadows, through the climbers' cemetery and the Alibek camp. It should be noted that you should not take risks and head to the lake without a guide, as it is very easy to get lost.

Azgek lakes

The Azgek lakes are located in the basin of the Azgek rivers, the right tributary of the Muhu River. In autumn and on cloudy days, the area leaves an impression of gloomy and harsh, while in summer, especially on a sunny day, soft colors and outlines come to the fore here.

Murudzha and Baduk lakes

Murudzha lakes are a unique natural heritage of Dombay, their beauty will not leave indifferent any tourist. They are located in the valley of the Ullu-Muruju river. The most famous among them are Blue and Black lakes.

Baduk lakes - a group of mountain lakes located in the middle reaches of the Baduk River, a tributary of the Khadzhibey River. These lakes, as well as the Baduk and Khadzhibey valleys themselves, are rightly considered one of the picturesque places in the reserve.

Alibek waterfall

In the mountains of Teberda there are many waterfalls: Chuchkhursky, Ptyshsky, Sofrudzhinsky, Alibeksky, Shupka.

The largest and most spectacular Dombay waterfall is considered Alibek waterfall. Its raging stream flows down from a height of 25 meters. But the road to it does not take much time. The first part of the path passes through a picturesque fir forest, and this section can be walked or driven by car. IN winter time avalanches often descend here, and in June you can see their remains. Heading towards the waterfall, tourists can also enjoy the beautiful views of alpine meadows and birch crooked forests.

Helpful information:

Mountain taxi, excursions in Dobay
Teberda: Jamagat gorge (narzan springs), Mukhinskoe gorge (Azgek lakes), Baduk lakes, Teberda reserve, Shumka waterfall.
: Alibek gorge (waterfall, Turye lake, glacier), Amanauz gorge (Devil's mill canyon, waterfall, glacier), Dombay-Elgen gorge.
Gonachkhir (Trout Lake), Russian glade, Chuchkhur waterfalls, Maiden's braids waterfall, Ptyshsky glacier, Maiden's tears waterfall. As well as trips to Cherkessk, Pyatigorsk and Mineral water.
Phone: 8-928-380-10-61; 8-988-716-29-85.

The nature of Dombai

The nature of Dombai is rich and unique. Gorgeous mountain forests covering the slopes. Below, it is mainly a park-type beech with an admixture of hornbeam, ash, maple; above, mighty tall beeches in several girths reign, slender majestic fir, occasionally there is a relic yew more than a thousand years old - the once famous igneous tree with dark noble wood . Above are wet spruce-fir forests with a special Pontic spruce, and on dry granite slopes - forests of pine-fir composition. Even higher - thickets of mountain maples, birches, mountain ash, many shrubs - hazel, honeysuckle, azaleas, barberries, wild roses, euonymus. In the upper floor of the forest zone and in the glades, there are thickets of rhododendrons and junipers, many berries - raspberries, currants, wild gooseberries, blueberries, lingonberries and strawberries.

And in subalpine meadows with grass reaching two meters in height, and short-grass alpine meadows - the realm of flowers. There are many hundreds of them here. Different, completely different from each other. Some species have been known since ancient times and came from afar, others were born and survived only here. There are many "true Caucasians" among plants. Magnificent thickets of Caucasian rhododendron, a creeping shrub with strong glossy leaves and lush large inflorescences, with subtle shades of delicate wet petals. Herbaceous plants are innumerable. A characteristic flower of the highlands - gentian is represented by many variations - from azure blue and ultramarine to pale lilac, pink and white.

Primroses, anemones, bright saffron, bluebells are numerous. Beautiful pale crimson alpine chamomile and mountain asters, crocuses and tulip-like hazel grouse. Many species of saxifrage and succulents adorn the heated rocks. Even the stones in the forest and in the alpine glades seem to be in bloom, colored with a variety of mosses and lichens. The fantastically colorful alpine carpets of Dombay are also one of its main treasures.

This diversity of vegetation, wildlife, glaciers and peaks, the uniqueness of the nature of these places caused the creation in 1936 of the Teberdinsky state reserve, in which the Dombay site has a special, very important place. The reserve conducts a great deal of environmental and scientific work, and extensive experiments are being carried out on the acclimatization of plants and animals new to the region. Experiments have shown, for example, that ginseng takes root and is cultivated quite well here, and sika deer, raccoon dog and Altai squirrel have already acclimatized from animals. Much attention is also paid to the conservation and reproduction of rare species of animals and birds.

In the forest zone of Dombai, wild boars and Caucasian deer, roe deer and lynx, stone and pine martens, squirrels, brown bears and wolves are numerous; chamois, Caucasian black grouse keep at the upper borders of the forest; among the rocks and stone placers there are partridges, mountain turkey - snowcock and a magnificent animal of the upper belt of mountains - the Caucasian tur. Eagles and noisy alpine jackdaws are common here. In the rivers, piercing the tight transparent streams, the beautiful trout swiftly overcomes the rapids, and on the smooth river boulders, here and there, a small white-breasted bird suddenly appears and disappears, fearlessly diving into a stormy stream. This dipper forages at the bottom of wild mountain rivers.

The bright spring sun gives birth to thousands of sonorous streams from granular melted snow, the young greenery of the first grasses dresses the slopes awakening from winter sleep, trees bloom, merry bird trills sound in the clear blue of the sky, mountain peaks throw off their snow-white clothes, the spring festival sparkles with colors. Summer brings lush green foliage, thunder of rainbow-colored waterfalls, carpets of flowers, forest rustles, azure sunrises and regal sunsets. The life-giving air spreads with subtle aromas through the gorges, the sun's rays are crushed in the edges of rocks and turquoise blocks of icefalls. Autumn gives birth to a riot of colors and transparency of distances. As if by magic, huge yellowed glades in one night are covered with a continuous soft lilac cover of billions of crocuses, and morning grasses sparkle with sparkles of hoarfrost. The fabulous winter forest conquers with the play of sun glare and the diamond dust of falling snow caps, the crystal clearness of the graying peaks captivates the eye. Thick silent snowfalls from myriads of large soft flakes give way to dazzling sunny days, and untouched snows light up with a scattering of diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies.