A travel guide to the Russian Caucasus

Based on travels in 2018 and 2019

On the border of Asia and Europe are the Caucasus mountains. Its beautiful nature, historic sights and big diversity of local cultures attract a growing number of tourists. In the past few years I have visited different corners of the Caucasus, including the countries Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the Caucasus republics in the Russian Federation. Georgia nowadays attracts tourists from around the world. Though I keep returning to Georgia, I think its tourism-boom has made the Georgians less friendly to tourists (especially in Kazbegi and Sighnaghi) and visiting the country less exciting. That’s why I started exploring the Russian side of the Caucasus. Tourists visit this region as well, though they mostly go to the highest peak of Europe called Mount Elbrus or spend a holiday at the Black Sea coast. There are many hidden gems here, and that’s what made me write this guide.

Where is it?

To make things easy, I’ll summarise this part of the world as the “Russian Caucasus”, though I met people there who didn’t consider themselves Russian. Many different ethnic groups live here and they speak a variety of languages. There are six autonomous republics, including Chechnya and North Ossetia. It’s in between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, north of Georgia and Azerbaijan and about 1500 kilometers south of Moscow.

Why go here?

You can find beautiful and unique spots in the Russian Caucasus, without having to share them with hordes of tourists. One of my favourites is the remote necropolis Dargavs, built in an architectural style that almost looks alien. I also loved hiking near Elbrus, a dormant volcano and the highest mountain in Europe. And what makes traveling here interesting is the region's cultural diversity. The downside is that few people here speak English. You can use a translation app or hire a guide if you don’t speak Russian.

Is it safe?

The region has often made world news because of war and terrorist attacks, and still governments advise against visiting certain areas here. That’s why many people asked me whether it’s safe to visit the Russian Caucasus. Where I have traveled I felt safe, and that includes Chechnya’s capital Grozny, the area around Mount Elbrus and North Ossetia. Before visiting these places I asked Russians who had been there and people working in tourism whether I, a foreign tourist, could safely travel there. They all confirmed it would be fine.

Still, this isn’t Saint Petersburg. There are many police- and military-checkpoints here, especially near republican and federal borders. I was often asked for my passport and visa, and sometimes had to answer questions. Always carry your passport and immigration card with you, and be clear about what your plans are. My experience is that when an officer thinks your answers are too vague, you can at least expect more questions. Specific areas are off limits to foreigners, including anywhere near the federal borders. At the time of writing this excludes the official border checkpoint between Russia and Georgia near Vladikavkaz, which I crossed myself in December 2018.

Where to go

I travelled here in the Autumn and Winter of 2018 and the Summer of 2019, visiting the Krasnodar Krai, the Stavropol Krai and the republics of Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North-Ossetia and Chechnya. I haven’t explored Ingushetia and Dagestan yet. Here’s an overview of the Russian Caucasus from West to East, including links to my posts on destinations here.

Krasnodar Krai

This is where the 2014 Winter Olympics were held, an odd decision considering it’s one of the few places in Russia where palm trees grow. The subtropical climate attracts many, mostly Russian, visitors. Compared to other parts of the Caucasus it’s accessible, but also too crowded and less interesting. The biggest city here is Sochi: a city by the Black Sea with just a few sights but many hotels, restaurants and bars. There is money here, hence the expensive yachts. About an hour by train inland is Krasnaya Polyana, a more quiet town surrounded by mountains. Up North and away from the coast is Krasnodar: a dull city but a good transport-hub.

Adygea

The republic of Adygea offers nice countryside and walking trails, but receives few tourists. About a third of the people here call themselves Adygeans, who are predominantly Muslim and have their own language. The capital Maykop is small and can be seen in an afternoon. I enjoyed the village of Kamennomostskiy, also named Khadzokh (Хаджох) after the canyon splitting the village in two. It has pretty surroundings, accessible hiking routes and a direct bus connection to Krasnodar and Maykop. Another village I liked is Guzeripl, but you need to hire a car or driver to explore the surroundings there. The landscapes in Adygea are not as spectacular as in the other nearby republics. On the other hand Adygea doesn’t have a turbulent recent history, which might explain why I didn’t encounter any police- or military-checkpoints here.

Stavropol Krai

Many of the travelers on their way to the highest peaks fly into Mineralnye Vody, the largest airport in the region. Mineralnye Vody itself is small and uninteresting. Take a bus or taxi to nearby Pyatigorsk instead, a pretty spa town that is a great base for exploring the region. From Pyatigorsk I traveled directly by bus to the capitals of the surrounding republics: Cherkessk (2 hours), Nalchik (1 hour), Vladikavkaz (2 hours) and Grozny (4-5 hours). A 50 minute train ride away is Kislovodsk, an even prettier, greener but also more quiet spa town. In Pyatigorsk I stayed two times in the pleasant “Hostel Svoi”.

The Elbrus Region

*Devichi Kosy waterfall, near Terskol, Kabardino-Balkaria*

Being Europe’s highest mountain, Elbrus attracts visitors from around the world. It’s a 5642 meters high dormant volcano, located on the border between two republics: Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. Different ethnic groups live here, all with their own language. The largest ethnic group in Kabardino-Balkaria are the Kabardy. They speak a Abkhazo-Circassian language. The Karachay are the largest ethnic group in Karachay-Cherkessia and speak a Turkic language. A majority is Muslim and you can hear the call for prayer five times a day. This region has the most spectacular landscapes of the Caucasus.

The most popular travel-route to Mount Elbrus is through Terskol, in Kabardino-Balkaria. But Terskol is not just for mountaineers. From here there are relatively easy hikes that don’t require a permit. I can recommend the hike to the Terskol Observatory via the Devichi Kosy waterfall. Terskol is the only place in the Russian Caucasus where I met other foreign backpackers. It has a great hostel with English speaking staff, called “Hostel Black Point”. You can reach Terskol by bus through Kabardino-Balkaria’s capital Nalchik, a green city with only a few interesting sights. There is more to see in the Republic, like the village of Ishkanty, but you need to hire a driver or car for that.

Another popular destination is Dombay, in Karachay-Cherkessia. It can be reached by bus through Cherkessk. The views on the surrounding mountains are beautiful. The downside is that, unlike in Terskol, I needed a permit to hike basically anywhere here. I was only allowed to take the cable car. It’s a border zone, and as a foreigner your options are limited here.

North Ossetia

North Ossetia is a beautiful part of the Caucasus, yet it receives far less tourists compared to the Elbrus Region. The majority is Ossetian, a North Iranian ethnic group. Both Christians and Muslims live here.

The gateway to North-Ossetia is its interesting capital Vladikavkaz. From there I traveled onwards to Georgia, though I wouldn’t recommend doing this in Winter (see this blog to find out why). There are stunning places in the mountains of North Ossetia, like the necropolis Dargavs and the Alian Uspenski Monastery. Since I wasn’t sure where I could travel without a permit, I hired a guide in Vladikavkaz to take me there. In my post about North Ossetia I explain how I organized this.

Grozny, Chechnya

Chechnya’s capital Grozny is predominantly Muslim, as can be seen by the more modest clothing and the ban on alcohol. Centrally located is the impressive mosque “Heart of Chechnya”. When darkness falls neon lights cover the futuristic skyline. Around the city are billboards of current president Ramzan Kadyrov and his father Ahmad Kadyrov. I found Grozny a unique and interesting place, though it’s not very lively.

Getting there and traveling around

I traveled to the Russian Caucasus by plane, and flew to the airports of Sochi, Krasnodar, and Mineralnye Vody. I read there are more airports here and that the bigger cities, except for Maykop and Cherkessk, can be reached by train from Moscow. To travel around you’d mostly have to use buses, since the rail-network is limited. In the article “How to arrange transport in Russia” I explain how to travel around here independently. To navigate I used the free app “maps.me”. This app covers the Russian Caucasus very well, and includes hiking trails.