Hiking in the Caucasus mountains. Hiking in the Caucasus Mountains What awaits you while hiking in the Caucasus? Nature, relief, population
By day Instructors List of things Cost Organizational information Reviews
1 day Pyatigorsk – Arkhyz “Ice farm”
Group meeting in Pyatigorsk. Transfer to the vicinity of the village of Arkhyz - camping(height 2070 m) in the first days will be in a secluded place near the “Ice Farm” at the foot of Mount Sofia with views of the waterfalls. We'll explore the surroundings of the camp and meet by the big fire. And the “Ice Farm” has a small shop, a cafe and a bathhouse - you can go there if you wish.
Day 2 Radial exit: Sophia Sedlo pass 2558 meters
Travel lightly to the Sofia Sedlo pass (2558 m), which offers beautiful views of mountain waterfalls and the valley of the Kizgych River.
Day 3 Radial trek: Irkiz pass 2880 meters - Upper Sofia Lake - Lower Sofia Lake - Kyolyush Pass - Upper Comma Lake
Today we will slightly increase the altitude taken - we will visit the Irkiz pass (2880 m), the ascent through 2 lakes - Upper Sofia and Lower Sofia (or Aimatly-Dzhagaly), and the descent through the Kyolyush pass and Lake Upper Comma between the peaks of Peshtera and KChAO.
Day 4 Radial trek: climbing Mount Chegetchat 2963 meters
Our first ascent to the top of Chegetchat (2963 m) - from the top there is a stunning panorama of the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges. It is simple and takes about 5 hours.
Day 5 “Ice farm” – Dukka lakes – Arkhyz village
This morning we will assemble the camp, the transfer will take us to the beginning of the trail to the Dukka Lakes - a pair of pretty mountain lakes of turquoise color, which, however, is a feature of local reservoirs. And then we'll see beautiful waterfall, and we will also get to the village of Arkhyz - now he will live in a tent camp near the village. In the evening we will taste trout at a local cafe and go to the bathhouse.
Day 6 Free day
On this day, we can simply relax, taking advantage of the services of the local population, who offer a variety of entertainment to choose from - rafting, horseback riding, quad biking, etc. And it’s time to buy souvenirs, mountain honey and teas from Caucasian herbs as souvenirs. You can go to ancient settlements or on an excursion to an astrophysics laboratory - the most major center ground-based astronomical observations in Russia. If the weather is good at night, there is a great chance to look at the stars and planets through a telescope!
Day 7 Transfer Arkhyz - Pyatigorsk
This is the final day, we gather and say goodbye to this hospitable place. We leave for Pyatigorsk, and there we say goodbye to each other (or maybe goodbye? ;))
The hike is conducted by tour club guides
Dmitry Chesnokov
Included in cost:
- consultation, assistance from the organizer in organizational matters upon request (purchasing tickets, booking accommodation, purchasing insurance, equipment)
- use of group equipment
- place in a tent (the organizer provides only 4-person tents, a 2-person tent can be rented)
- providing the group with gas and water along the route
- 3 meals a day (except for meals in cafes)
- all planned transfers along the route
- public first aid kit and repair kit
- registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia
- group leader services
The price does not include:
- tickets to travel to the meeting point
- visiting attractions along the route (optional)
- rental of personal equipment (sleeping bag, mat, backpack, trekking poles)
- insurance with tracking option (ask the manager or arrange it yourself)
- visiting cafes/canteens/restaurants (dinner on the 5th day, lunch and dinner on the 6th day, lunch on the 7th day, average bill is about 200-400 rubles depending on the dishes ordered)
- bath (optional)
- additional unscheduled transfers on the route
- accommodation in hostels/hotels before or after the route
The group meeting will take place in the city of Pyatigorsk at the Central Hostel (4 Karl Marx St.) at 11:00 on the first day of the program.
Children from 9 years old can participate. The upper limit of the participant's age is determined individually.
Elbrus (Russia, 5642 m) is the highest peak of the Greater Caucasus, in the Lesser Caucasus the highest is Aragats (Armenia, 4090 m).
With you can:
climb Elbrus (Russia), Kazbek (Georgia) or Aragats (Armenia);
go hiking in the Caucasus in Russia: around Elbrus, from Teberda to Arkhyz, Bolshoi and Maly Tkhach, to Hot Springs or Lago-Naki.
go hiking in the Caucasus in Georgia: Tusheti and Khevsureti or Svaneti.
go hiking in the Caucasus in Abkhazia: along the Kodori Gorge, Arabika and Ritsa, Avadhara and New Athos.
Armenia
To go hiking in the Caucasus in the mountains of Armenia, citizens of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine do not need a visa. To enter the country, you need a foreign passport, the expiration date of which must be no earlier than 3 months after the date of your planned return.
Hiking in the Caucasus | Armenia:
Georgia
To go hiking in the Caucasus in Georgia, citizens of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine do not need a visa. To enter the country, you need a foreign passport, the expiration date of which must be no earlier than 3 months after the date of your planned return.
Hiking in the Caucasus | Georgia:
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| Trekking around Svaneti May holidays- this is a lightweight version of the Mountain Svaneti route especially for lovers of Georgia and the Caucasus mountains who want to go hiking during the May holidays. In May, Georgia is especially contrasting and beautiful - there is snow on the peaks, and gardens are blooming by the sea. | |
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| Trekking from Khevsureti to Tusheti. On the way we will see the legendary Kazbek, the picturesque mountain Abudelaur lakes, the natural monument of multi-colored Truso travertines, we will visit wineries in the Alazani Valley and see many ancient towers. | |
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| Megrelia | Lake Tobavarchkhili is a land of untouched nature, along which we will walk lightly - a hike without backpacks. All our things will be carried by horses. There are underground caves here, mountain lakes, rainforests and magnificent waterfalls. | |
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| Mountain Svaneti is wild high mountains, pristine nature and hospitable people - the guardians of this region. There are many medieval towers on the mountain slopes, and colorful villages in the river valleys. Here we will see from close up the “Matterhorn of the Caucasus” - a difficult but picturesque peak of Ushba to climb, and also taste local cuisine, Georgian wine and relax by the sea. | |
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| Climbing the icy, harsh peak of Kazbek (5033m), which has always attracted and continues to attract strong-willed climbers. We will go from the Georgian side along the classic route, where the climb will be physically easier, but more technical. | |
Russia
Hiking in the Caucasus | Russia:
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| Climbing Elbrus - if you are ready to challenge yourself, dream of conquering the highest peak of the Caucasus and all of Russia, then it’s time to realize this dream and join the team of climbers to this serious and so alluring peak. We go the classic route - from the south, and before the ascent we will go through a fascinating acclimatization trekking in the Elbrus region. | |||
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| Thirty or Lago-Naki - on this hike we will feel the power of the Caucasus mountains and see their beauty with our own eyes, without having any special alpine skills. The route of this hike in the Caucasus passes through the Lago-Naki plateau, which is famous for its very beautiful alpine meadows. The procedure for entry and obtaining permission to enter Abkhazia is posted on the official website of the Consular Service of the Republic of Abkhazia. Hiking in the Caucasus | Abkhazia:
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The beautiful Caucasus attracts tourists from all over the world with its beauty and wealth. And this region is especially dear to us, because the history of the Peak tourist club began from here in 2005: our group walked a 120-kilometer route from Arkhyz to Krasnaya Polyana. Everything changes over time, routes are updated, new ones appear, but you will always find several interesting hiking trips in the Caucasus Mountains in our plans.
Tours to the Caucasus from St. Petersburg
The most popular route for hiking in the Caucasus Mountains in Soviet times was the so-called All-Union Route 30 from Adygea. They began to master it back in the mid-30s. The duration of the journey was about 20 days. It began at the Gornaya base in Adygea, and ended on the Black Sea coast in Dagomys with an ascent to the Fisht glacier.
Here you can find one of the varieties of this trip to the Caucasus - a tour of Adygea with an ascent to Fisht.
In addition, the Peak Tourist Club has explored many other areas of this magical land and offers you hiking and climbing the Caucasus Mountains for every taste.
Therefore, if you still don’t know which holiday in the Caucasus to choose and where to go, join our friendly company.
From the Russian side of the Caucasus ridge we lead groups in several directions. Hikes in the Caucasus Mountains in the Arkhyz region are divided into two types: one more physically difficult tour (Blue Necklace of Arkhyz) and a simpler but contemplative Creative Arkhyz with rest in tents and songs around the fire.
A very popular route through the Caucasus in the Elbrus region with climbing the most high mountain Europe - Elbrus. To participate in the climb, it is highly advisable to have hiking experience. In the near future we plan to lead groups along easy routes in the area of the Bezengi mountain camp.
We organize from foreign countries of the Caucasus range.
An extremely popular and not very difficult route through Abkhazia, which is suitable for beginner hikers. A good end to this hiking trip in the Caucasus will be two days on the Black Sea coast.
An interesting high-altitude travel route to Georgia has been thought out and launched. Main part the route will pass in Svaneti, by the end of the hike the group goes to the sea.
Hiking in the Caucasus Mountains: Geography
In order to understand the scale of those places that we call the Caucasus, let’s study their location in more detail. In addition, if you are planning a hike in the Caucasus and do not know where to go, this information will be useful for you.
The Caucasus lies between the Azov, Black and Caspian seas and consists of the Main Caucasus Range and adjacent regions of the North and South Caucasus.
The North Caucasus is mainly flat areas. This includes Kuban and Ciscaucasia, limited to the west Sea of Azov And Kerch Strait, and from the east by the Caspian Sea. The entire North Caucasus is Russian territory.
The South Caucasus, or Transcaucasia, is the territory of countries such as Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Transcaucasia borders Russia in the north, and Iran and Turkey in the south. Since ancient times, this region has connected East and West; trade routes between the Middle and Far East and Europe ran here.
The Central Caucasus is the most mountainous, and therefore attracts lovers of extreme adventures. The most high peak Caucasus - Mount Elbrus (5642 m). This one has extinct volcano two peaks, covered with non-melting snow caps. We offer mountain hikes in the Caucasus with climbing Elbrus for beginners and experienced tourists.
Elbrus region is the name given to the area from the western foot of Elbrus to the Chegem River in the east. This is the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria, represented by many high mountain ranges. Hiking tours in the Caucasus in the Elbrus region are often of increased complexity and require endurance and hiking experience from tourists. Here you can find the most beautiful gorges and waterfalls, and on the higher approaches - glaciers.
The Western Caucasus is flatter than the Central Caucasus. Here the highlands are combined with forest landscapes and valleys. Trekking in the Western Caucasus is best suited for a first visit majestic mountains. This is where beautiful Abkhazia is located, which is always happy to meet travelers. Read reviews about holidays in Abkhazia on the page describing this trip.
What awaits you while hiking in the Caucasus? Nature, relief, population
Beautiful mountain region, the center of Soviet tourism and mountaineering, the Caucasus is a place you can’t help but fall in love with. One version of the etymology of this word is a Scythian combination of words, which translated means “sparkling with ice.” Caucasus Mountains quite young, which means steep and high: sheer rock walls, sparkling glaciers, cold cosmic blue lakes, loose stones. At the foot of these grandiose mountains lie alpine meadows with flowers, herbs, and turbulent rivers.
Very rich in plant and animal world this region. Many endemics (species characteristic only of this habitat) live here. And this is not surprising, because several climatic zones are located in a small area. The space from the broad-leaved forests of the foothills to the snow-capped peaks is home to a variety of animals, trees, and grasses. More than 6,000 plant species grow in the Caucasus, each of which chooses its own height and suitable climate. On the slopes of these mountains you can see wild boars, mountain goats, chamois, and roe deer. They say that there is a lynx in the mountains, but our groups did not have the opportunity to meet this cautious animal.
The inhabitants of these regions are amazing and beautiful. We, people with a backpack on our backs, have been able to experience their cordiality and hospitality more than once.
Living in Russia and not seeing these mountains is a big crime. Therefore, urgently pack your backpack, buy a ticket and go on a trip to the Caucasus with the PIK tourist club.
More information about the prices of tours to the Caucasus in 2019, as well as reviews and routes, can be found in the relevant sections of the site.
Many of us are familiar with the Caucasus in absentia, from old films. Episodes of such masterpieces of Soviet cinema as “12 Chairs”, “White Sun of the Desert”, “Love and Doves”, “The Headless Horseman” were filmed here. Rarely a viewer did not notice beautiful panoramas, unfolded in the frames of these films. In reality, the region is even brighter and more picturesque. Thousands of fans were convinced of this active rest who went with us on trips to the Caucasus. If you have never been to these places, now is the time to catch up. Our Adventure Club has planned many tours to the Caucasus at very favorable prices.
Let's travel together
Our club is designed for a wide range of tourists. Some people like a relaxing holiday with accommodation in comfortable hotels and camp sites and leisurely excursions to interesting places. Others prefer active tourism with river rafting, climbing to high points and overnight stays in tents. Still others crave adrenaline and choose the most difficult and difficult routes. We have offers for everyone. We organize excursion and extreme tours around North Caucasus for tourists with different hiking experiences.
Groups are formed taking into account the preparation of the participants. We will never send a beginner on a hike along a difficult route that involves great physical activity, just as we will not include an experienced extreme tourist in a group of novice travelers. Everyone will be happy, no one will be disappointed.
Popular routes
The Caucasus is replete with bright and interesting tourist locations - when looking at the catalog of tours, many people’s eyes widen. Most people who go camping with us for the first time come to us again for another tour. Many people bring friends and relatives with them, introducing them to active tourism.
The following destinations for tours to the Caucasus are especially popular:
- Dombay. People come here for visual impressions - to admire the snow-white glaciers and green plateaus of the Dombay Glade. In winter it’s great to ski here, in summer it’s great to just enjoy the wonderful panoramas of the surrounding mountains.
- Arkhyz. Popular resort for family holidays. There are many beautiful lakes and waterfalls here, and meadows stretching for many kilometers are an ideal backdrop for bright photo sessions.
- Elbrus. The tallest Mountain peak Russia and a popular ski resort. The slopes of Elbrus fascinate with their grandeur, and the sky here is simply unearthly - blue and bright, bright.
- Kazbek. Another one legendary mountain, relatively easy to conquer. Many novice climbers strive to get here.
- Black Sea coast. Krasnaya Polyana, Olympic Park, White Rocks gorge and other picturesque locations at the junction of sea and mountains. Excursion tours By Black Sea coast Caucasus does not require special preparation and is suitable even for families with children.
- Teberda. Marvelous beautiful area with an abundance of sanatoriums. It is believed that local air contributes to the treatment of bronchopulmonary diseases.
Based on the type of travel, all tours to the Caucasus can be divided into walking, water and combined. In the first case, participants cover the main part of the route on foot, with or without backpacks, depending on the complexity of the tour. For people without hiking experience, guided tours are suitable, where the group is always accompanied by a car that transports tents and other heavy loads.
Caucasus amazing place. The legendary peaks Elbrus and Kazbek crown the local ranges, united into mountain systems - this is where the Greater and Lesser Caucasus begin. Looking at the snow-covered rocky slopes supporting the sky, you feel the full power of wild nature. The Caucasus is pretty harsh mountains, in winter, five meters of snow falls on the passes here, and in summer the heat reaches thirty degrees. Numerous hiking routes in the Caucasus are very diverse and at the same time not simple. Mountains and passes attract both experienced tourists and those who are just beginning to explore amazing world tourism. Alpine meadows here they alternate with stormy mountain rivers, carrying their foamy streams into real foothill jungles. Stunning colors and amazing silence, this business card these places, and here in the Caucasus, indeed, you can fully enjoy both.
There are several features of hiking in the Caucasus. Firstly, it’s worth talking about the weather. The rains here in summer are rarely prolonged, but they come often, and sometimes it happens every day. A windbreaker is a must when hiking, and a raincoat too. If the sun is shining, it's shining so good, especially at altitude, so don't forget to take sunscreen with you so as not to get too sunburnt. Good weather which lasts for a week in a row is rare in the Caucasus, but it does happen. Besides, there are no problems with water in the Caucasus; there are many springs and rivers that we will cross from time to time.
Secondly, I will mention a slight feeling of hunger. We usually carry all the food with us, since on most routes there is no place to buy it, and since you can’t take on much, otherwise you simply won’t go, we have to take into account the amount of food per day compared to the same Crimea. A vicious circle - the pressures in the Caucasus are heavy, you will want to eat a lot, but you won’t be able to take much with you, in general, you will have the opportunity to lose another kilogram.
Our hiking trips in the Caucasus usually last 9 and 12 days. And here you need to be strong in spirit and realize that you will have to go to the end. Because there is simply nowhere to get off here on the route. There are only mountains around. To leave the route, the whole group will have to leave and go to the nearest village, and this is often a couple of days of travel in order to leave there those who want to end the journey prematurely. But I will add that we have a couple of not very difficult routes, especially for beginners - along Tkhachi in Adygea and along the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia.
Let me remind you that we have routes that go along the border and nature reserves. This imposes its own characteristics on hikes, nature reserves as nature reserves, but you need to obtain permits for some routes in advance from the border guards; for Russians, a pass is issued a month in advance; for citizens of other countries, two months before the hike, we issue a pass; only your data is required from you. Well, that’s all, have a good hike!