Winter holidays in the Caucasus where to go. How to relax in the Caucasus in winter inexpensively, usefully and educationally

Good afternoon, dear readers. It’s the beginning of October, and the time for vacations for most Russians is behind us. To be fair, it is worth noting that the holidays of many of our compatriots this year were not entirely successful.

The reason for this was massive problems among tour operators, many of which suspended their activities. This circumstance, as well as the tense political situation around Russia, led to a sharp decrease (according to some sources, up to 30%) of outbound tourism.

As they say, if there was no happiness, then misfortune would help. Rosstat recently reported that the country is experiencing a surge in domestic tourism. For obvious reasons, Russians began to relax more “at home” than abroad.

Holidays in the Caucasus Since the times of the USSR, it has been shrouded in a veil of mysteries and stereotypes. Entire territory North Caucasus strewn with recreational, natural and historical centers: medical health resorts of Stavropol, ski resorts of Sochi and Kabardino-Balkaria, famous Dombay, coast of the Black and Caspian seas, ancient monuments architecture and modern skyscrapers of Grozny...

You can continue for a long time. For example, a lot of people come just to breathe clean mountain air. I have a friend who makes a special visit every three years just to eat plenty of organic fruits and vegetables.

Lately, I’ve been hearing more and more often from people that they would love to visit the Caucasus, but it’s “a little scary.” Various arguments are given: there are strict traditions and morals, people wear burqas, there are a lot of nationalities, wild views among young people, rampant crime, religious fanatics...

Are these 10 points a must-have when planning your holiday in the Caucasus?

I won’t pull the cat’s well-known organs, let’s get straight to the point. I admit, I'm already a little tired of answering social networks to the same questions about planning a vacation in the Caucasus: how to dress, what to take with you, what kind of food there is, how Russian girls are treated, do you need to learn local languages, what is customary to give to Caucasians, how to talk to them correctly? And a million more similar questions.

In this article I decided to reveal 10 important aspects that must be taken into account if you are planning to spend a long-awaited vacation in one of the corners of the mountainous region. In general, I am writing this article for myself, so that I can give it to those who ask me the above questions. Although, each of you will find something useful here for yourself or write your opinion in the comments and complement me.

• Familiarize yourself with traditions and customs in advance local residents.

It is very important to do this, even in order not to get into trouble like Shurik in the film “Prisoner of the Caucasus”:

Dozens of peoples live in the Caucasus, each of them has its own traditions. Having studied a little of their history and culture, you will immediately receive undeniable advantage in front of an unprepared person and you will be able to win over the local population.

And there is no need to say that there is no time for this or there is little information. The Internet is simply filled with comprehensive materials about traditions. Don’t be lazy, read and learn the basics, so that later it will be easier for you to talk with those who will receive you.

• Try to choose more modest clothes.

STAVROPOL, January 25. /TASS/. The winter resorts of the North Caucasus are familiar to many Russian ski lovers. However, for those who prefer a more relaxing holiday, there is also something to do here. Local sanatoriums and recreation centers in winter offer, for less money than in the high season, to improve your health, breathe clean mountain air, visit the mountaineers and get acquainted with the culture of the peoples of the Caucasus. Read more about holidays in the resorts of the North Caucasus during the off-season in the TASS material.

Lean treatment

The ski resorts of the North Caucasus experience peak attendance in winter. According to Federal agency in tourism, during the New Year holidays, the ski resorts of Karachay-Cherkessia, which is famous for “Arkhyz” and “Dombay”, set a record - they received 120 thousand people (an increase of 50% compared to last year), Kabardino-Balkaria with its famous Elbrus About 60 thousand people visited during the holidays. At health resorts in winter, on the contrary, the season is considered low - according to the Ministry of Tourism and Health Resorts of the Stavropol Territory, sanatoriums and hotels in the region in New Year holidays were 43.4% full. The region was visited by 143 thousand tourists during the New Year holidays; in general, the Stavropol region receives more than 1.4 million people during the year.

But the low season becomes an advantage for thrifty tourists - during this period, sanatoriums reduce the cost of vouchers. For example, many sanatoriums of the Caucasian Mineral Waters introduce special promotions until the end of April - beginning of March: a trip on average can cost 10-30% cheaper. There are offers where the cost of living is almost halved. At the same time, along with saving in winter at local resorts, you can improve your health after long New Year's holidays or trips to foreign sea resorts.

“People really like to come after the New Year holidays,” said Evelina Valuyskaya, press secretary of the Kislovodsk company “Resort Management”, adding that tourists who had previously been on vacation in warm countries. - Differences in climate and time zones. People relax there, but sometimes you need to get some treatment."

Most resorts in the North Caucasus are located in places where the sun often shines even in winter, for example, in Teberda, in Karachay-Cherkessia. "There's a lot here sunny days, the area is comfortable for people with pulmonary diseases, the air is cleaner in winter, plus a coniferous forest. All these factors have a very beneficial effect. In the North Caucasus, two territories are engaged in the treatment of bronchopulmonary diseases - Teberda and Kislovodsk, but the saturation of various particles in the air is less than in Kislovodsk,” noted Ali Uzdenov, deputy chief physician of the Teberda sanatorium.

Even an ordinary walk in the resorts of the North Caucasus becomes medical procedure. Health paths are a way of combining business with pleasure; one of the oldest is located in the Nalchik resort. “This Nalchik brand appeared in 1979 and was then the only one in the North Caucasus. Soon, the health path became a favorite vacation spot for many local residents and guests of the city, and was called “1000 steps” or “Path of Health,” reported the Ministry of Resorts and Tourism of Kabardino-Balkaria, recalling that the length of the path exceeds 2.6 km.

To visit - to every home The winter Caucasus is also suitable for those who want not only to relax, but also to learn something new - winter allows a leisurely acquaintance with the local culture without queues and summer heat. For example, in Kislovodsk, a tourist can try to book a room where the composer Sergei Prokofiev, poets Vladimir Mayakovsky and Sergei Yesenin stayed at different times. He is located in the Narzan sanatorium, and in winter it is more likely that the room will be available.

“This room is still functioning, people stay there, of course, in modern (for that time - TASS note) interiors, but in the same room. In 2017, there was an event - Mayakovsky’s poems were read from the balcony of this room, as the poet himself once read poetry. The buildings of many sanatoriums are architectural monuments, they are very interesting, there are places to take pictures,” Valuyskaya explained.

Another opportunity is to get acquainted with the traditions and customs of local peoples. It is better to look for national flavor in the guest houses of local residents, who can best tell you about the culture of their people. Thus, about 40 guest houses opened in Dagestan in 2017. In Ingushetia, to develop rural tourism, they created the Association of Guest Houses in the mountainous part of the republic; now it unites about 10 houses. Each of them is inhabited by ordinary families who are ready to receive guests.

“There is such a practice that a guest will be received in any house; in general, any resident can take an excursion; there are more than a thousand objects in the mountainous part of the republic. But if before we just walked around the village and asked where we could stay, now we we help,” said Aina Tyufyakova, a representative of the Association from Ingushetia, adding that hospitality is a tradition of the Ingush people, there are even certain rules on how to receive guests.

“For example, in the first three days you cannot ask a guest where he is from, why he came, etc. The guest is accommodated in the best room with the best furniture, which, as a rule, family members tried not to enter. If the guest stayed overnight - in the evening the owner of the house came out and guarded the house so that nothing would happen to the guest, otherwise the family would be left with a stigma of shame,” said Tyufyakova.

Holidays without skiing An important feature of the Caucasian resorts is the compact location of the regions. Having arrived, for example, in Kabardino-Balkaria, you can easily go on an excursion to neighboring regions - see the ancestral towers North Ossetia, ancient temples of Karachay-Cherkessia, literary places in the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

Also, in any of the republics, a tourist can expand his gastronomic knowledge; some sanatoriums even organize special programs dedicated to national cuisine. “In the Chaika sanatorium, during the New Year holidays, for eight days, vacationers were introduced to the national dishes of the region. Festive dinners with elements awaited them national cuisine. Balkar, Kabardian, Georgian, Russian cuisines alternated,” the Ministry of Resorts and Tourism of Kabardino-Balkaria gave an example.

Interesting and active recreation tourists are offered resorts in winter even without ski slopes. Thus, in the Kezenoy-Am sports and tourist complex in Chechnya you can go ice skating. “Lake Kezenoy-Am is located at an altitude of about 1900 meters, and there is an ice skating rink on it. In winter, the lake freezes to 60-70 centimeters; a fence is installed and rescuers are on duty. Now the lake is already frozen, people come to skate, hockey teams are training,” explained the director hotel complex"Kezenoy-Am" Aset Madayeva.

• Flight from Moscow: ≈ 3 hours
• Average temperature in January: 3°C
• Ski resorts: Bakuriani, Gudauri and Hatsvali
• Visa: not required (up to 90 days)

For family vacation Georgia is suitable for several reasons. Firstly, affordable prices for housing, food, and transport. Secondly, the temperature is mostly above zero, which means there will be no acclimatization. Third, if someone in the family doesn’t speak English, it’s not a big deal here—almost everyone knows Russian.

Ski resorts of Georgia are still in Soviet era famous for their snow cover, pistes and stunning views. Now added to this is modern infrastructure, a variety of accommodation options and entertainment for the whole family, from snowmobiling to spa treatments.

If you have time left in Tbilisi, take the children to the Mtatsminda amusement park, which is located on the mountain of the same name. Three cable cars take you to the top - a great opportunity to look at the city from above, and even little travelers will love this adventure.

Sochi, Russia

• Flight from Moscow:≈ 2.5 hours
• Average temperature in January: 7°C
• Ski resorts: Krasnaya Polyana, Esto-Sadok, Rosa Khutor
• Visa: not needed

One of the main Russian resorts- Sochi - after the Olympics it turned into a ski mecca. Many trails of various difficulty levels, restaurants on observation platforms with breathtaking views, convenient transport links and most importantly - an amazing combination of forest, sea and mountains.

If you want variety, go down to the city, the palm trees are green, the waves are roaring and the weather is quite spring-like. Children will certainly enjoy the local Disneyland Sochi Park - dozens of themed attractions and performances. Sochi is also known as a balneological, that is, health resort. You can swim in hot springs and go for a massage in the Matsesta area.

Helsinki and Lapland, Finland

• Flight from Moscow: ≈ 2 hours
• Average temperature in January: -4.6 °C
• Ski resorts: Levi, Pyhä-Luosto, Ylläs
• Visa: Schengen

People go to Lapland not only to visit the residence of the Finnish Father Frost (by the way, here he is called Jolupukki), but also to relax at one of the ski resorts and see northern lights. Entertainment includes not only skiing and snowboarding: you can ride dog and reindeer sleds, go to winter fishing, go snowshoeing, and what would you do without a Finnish sauna - just the thing to warm up your bones after a whole day in the cold.

If you are planning to spend time in Helsinki, you will find fairs, festive illuminations and a huge ice skating rink in the city center. For those with a sweet tooth, there is a large selection of Finnish desserts with cloudberries, blueberries and cranberries. Also check out the Eureka Science Center - don't worry, it's not a boring museum with long-winded signs, but plenty of interactive exhibits that kids will definitely enjoy. You can climb into a bear's den, ride a bicycle on a tightrope, and even conduct chemical experiments. The museum's planetarium features breathtaking 3D shows that even adults will not remain indifferent to.

Andorra la Vella, Andorra

• Flight from Moscow: to Paris≈ 4 hours to Barcelona≈ 4.5 hours
• Average temperature in January: 5 °C
• Ski resorts: Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig, Soldeu - El Tarter, Pal - Arinsal and Ordino - Arcalis
• Visa: Spanish or French Schengen or open Schengen visa

Andorra is often described as the quietest and most... picturesque place for a relaxing holiday, but you will have to get there in two trips: there is no airport in the country, so you need to fly to Paris or Barcelona, ​​and from there go by train or car.

Andorra - country- ski resort, and even if you are just going to start skiing or teach your children to ski, you will like it here. There are schools and instructors for beginners and kids, challenging trails for those who like to go wild, snow parks for practicing tricks, and snowmobiles for racing through the snowy desert.

Also at the resorts you can go ziplining and tubing (inflatable rings for descending from the mountains), and after a busy day go to thermal centers - many spa complexes offer family programs and treatments for children. Some pools are designed so that you can swim and admire the mountains through panoramic windows.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

• Flight from Moscow:≈ 3.5 hours
• Average temperature in January: 1 °C
• Ski resorts: Bled, Borovets, Bohinj, Kranjska Gora, Maribor Pohorje
• Visa: Schengen

Little Slovenia is one of the most environmentally friendly countries in Europe, dotted with forests and alpine resorts. Nature and winter sports are the main reasons to spend the January holidays here.

If you're vacationing in Kranski Gora, don't miss the snow sculpture park: children will be delighted with the three-meter-tall statues from folklore scenes. The best place to enjoy nature and snowboard or ski is national park Triglav - you can see it here mountain lakes and take family photos against the backdrop of the Alps, and come for ice skating to Lake Bohinj - the largest in the country.

In Ljubljana, climb Castle Hill and look at the city from above, stroll through Tivoli Park, walk through the halls of Ljubljana Castle. If the children want to go wild, take them to the Aqualuna thermal water park - let them splash around as much as they want, because swimming in thermal water only for the benefit of the growing body (blood circulation improves and the immune system is strengthened).

Whatever vacation option you choose, it will definitely be the best, because you will spend time with your family. Plan your trip now and book your hotel while prices are still low. It's so nice to start New Year With great trip and arrange magical holidays for yourself and your loved ones.

North Caucasus - region unforgettable impressions, ideal for relaxation. Sea, beautiful landscapes, mountain peaks, the purest transparent rivers, azure lakes, mineral waters, attractions of local peoples - all this makes the holiday interesting and you want to come back here again and again.

Holidays in the North Caucasus

To tourist pearls The Caucasus can be classified as:

• , Anapa and Sochi - resort cities in Krasnodar region on Black Sea coast North Caucasus with a mild climate and many interesting excursions;
• comfortable boarding houses Lazareskoye and Divnomorskoye with sandy beaches for family holidays;
• Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk and Pyatigorsk with their hot springs and drinking springs with healing properties;
• Elbrus region, Krasnaya Polyana and Dombay with opportunities for active recreation - mountain walks, rafting on mountain rivers.

Holidays in the North Caucasus are varied and suitable for any tourist

If you decide to relax on the seashore, choose Adler or Anapa. Here you can devote your time bathing and getting a beautiful bronze tan. For lovers of extreme recreation, there is banana boat rides for those who like to swim and parasailing if you want to admire the city and the sea from a bird's eye view.

Thanks to the preparation of cities for the 2014 Olympics, many interesting places for excursions and walks.

Olympic Park- this is one of the most important facilities built during preparation for the 2014 Olympics. This huge complex structures, including several stadiums and ice palaces. The grandeur of these buildings is difficult to convey in words. A walk through the park and exploring all its attractions will take you all day. You can rent bicycles and electric bikes and ride around the park like a breeze.

For lovers of extreme recreation in Olympic Park Sochi Park was built. This is a huge amusement park, you can spend the whole day walking around and visiting all the attractions in this park. But this is not only a park with attractions:

• fountains;
• ponds;
• Baba Yaga village;
• candy house

and other interesting things will take you back to childhood.

From Adler and Sochi you can book an excursion to Abkhazia and enjoy the nature of the North Caucasus mountains. You can purchase a ticket for a sightseeing bus and take a relaxing stroll near waterfalls, caves and monasteries. Or choose the so-called jeeping - a walk in open jeeps around mountain roads.

The most popular destination- this is an excursion to the lake Ritsa. This lake is surrounded on all sides by mountains and is located at an altitude of almost a thousand meters above sea level. The beauty of this lake and the nature around is breathtaking! The peculiarity of jeeping to Lake Ritsa is that it is not easy for you to drive a car to the lake. You visit many waterfalls and lakes, apiaries and tunnels on the way to Ritsa.

The road to Lake Ritsa passes through the Stone Bag or Yupshar Canyon. The road passes through a rocky chasm more than two hundred meters high. Due to the height of the rocks and the very narrow opening, only a narrow strip of sky is visible from the canyon and creates the impression of being inside a stone bag.

For Yupsharsky canyon There is a tunnel in the mountain. It’s amazing how much resources and effort were spent to build this tunnel! Immediately behind it are the Male and Maiden's Tears waterfalls. Each waterfall has its own legend. A ride along the edge of a mountain road over an abyss will take your breath away and add adrenaline to your vacation. And also a trip to Lake Ritsa includes a visit to large waterfall in - Gegsky. Next to this waterfall you will feel like a bug.

Tourist review of visiting this waterfall:

and now, the waterfall is getting closer and you begin to understand that man is a grain of sand compared to the power of Mother Nature

While relaxing in the Caucasus mountains and driving along mountain roads, you will be breathtaking not only from fear, but also from the beauty that surrounds you. Greens mountain rocks, peaks reaching into the sky and obscuring the sun, sparkling blue lakes- you will never forget this.

Not far from Adler there is a ski resort. Here you can visit the cable car and enjoy a bird's eye view of the plains, hills and mountains. Don't forget to take warm clothes with you - the difference between the bottom terrace and the top point cable car can reach ten degrees. The cost of lifting depends on the number and height of lifts. In summer you can visit three lines of the main cable car and two of the chairlift. The most high point The ascent - Rose Peak - an altitude of 2320 meters above sea level - will open you up to a stunning view of the snowy peaks of the surrounding mountains and plains, on which you will see herds of sheep.

Those who like to stroll through the park and get acquainted with the rich fauna should visit the Riviera Park in Sochi. It is huge, on its territory there is a huge number of different plants, statues, a dolphinarium, an aquarium, attractions and many other entertainments. A visit to this park will take the whole day and you may not even have time to get acquainted with all its attractions and features.

Where else can you go to relax in the North Caucasus?

For those who like to relax in the mountains of the North Caucasus, avid tourists recommend visiting Kabardino-Balkaria. Here is the city of Tyrnyauz - the highest city in Russia. It is located in the Elbrus region - the main resort area republics. It is located on the way to, and many climbers dream of conquering this mountain.

In the North Caucasus you can relax in the All-Russian health resort - Kislovodsk - mineral springs, many sanatoriums and historical places make this city attractive to tourists. One of the main attractions of Kislovodsk is, of course, the Narzan Gallery. This, one might say, is the symbol of Kislovodsk. In the Narzan gallery you can try several types mineral water. Another advantage is the unique architectural structure of the building - made of limestone, with galleries, baths and a pavilion over the well. The building is over a hundred years old. This is a monument of federal significance.

Kislovodsk - health and fun and inexpensive.

In Kislovodsk there is another cable car of the Caucasus. The route is more than 1,500 meters long and passes through the Resort Park, the area of ​​which is almost 1 thousand hectares. Many different shrubs and trees were brought to the Kislovodsk park. Among them were exotic species. If you decide to take a walk through the park, be sure to visit the Air Temple. Locals claim that this is where the healthiest air in the entire resort is. Maximum height lifting the cabin on the Kislovodsk cable car 250 meters above the ground.

Ingushetia

If you are interested in getting to know the historical sights of the North Caucasus, turn your eyes towards Ingushetia. In the Dzheyrakh region you can visit many interesting sites: a temple, tower complexes and fortresses, which seem to have been erected on a rock with the help of a miracle. Tower complexes are some of the main attractions Dzheyrakhsky district. In ancient times, every family considered it their duty to build a tower.

But not every family had the means to do this. There are several types of towers - residential, combat and crypts. Residential ones reach a height of 10 meters, combat towers up to 20. When constructing such towers, many nuances were taken into account. For example, its construction should not have taken more than a year. If the family did not meet this deadline, the tower was dismantled or it remained abandoned. During the Stalinist repressions, when people were evicted, such towers were destroyed so that the residents had nowhere to return. But many of them survived and amaze their descendants.

Reserve

Numerous tourists from all over Russia are attracted by the 85 thousand hectares of protected area on the northern slope Caucasus mountains amaze with the diversity of plant and animal species. Here you can meet the Caucasian morning with huge saber-shaped horns, a huge bison, which was hardly preserved due to mass extermination. Wild boars, wolves, roe deer bears, Caucasian deer - all these animals can be found in this reserve.

There are more than 30 Narzan springs on the territory of this reserve - if you were not able to visit Kislovodsk, here you will compensate for it. All rivers flowing through the reserve originate from glaciers on the tops of the Great Caucasus Range. Here is a well-known village Dombay. In winter it is a wonderful ski resort, and in summer you can enjoy the clean mountain air filled with the aroma of local flowers.

In addition to getting to know the local flora and fauna, you can ski or climb to the top of Elbrus - if your preparation allows.

Holidays in the North Caucasus are rewarding and stunning! Sea, mountains, skiing, nature - everyone will find something to their liking. Numerous reviews from tourists will help you find the best vacation option. And everyone will want to come back here!