One of the hallmarks of the republic, located within the Caucasus mountain range, is its extremely diverse and picturesque terrain, in particular the famous mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria, which are very popular among tourists. It is during mountain excursions that you can fully enjoy the natural riches of the region, from numerous lakes and dense forests to breathtaking panoramas from breathtaking heights.
Most of the names of the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria have long been heard by active travelers, but the remarkable features of some of them should be mentioned.
Elbrus
It is considered the highest mountain in Europe and is an extinct volcano. The mountain has two peaks, one is in the east, the other in the west, at an altitude of more than 5000 m or more. There is snow on the mountains, even if it is hot. Every year many tourists come to Elbrus to climb it. It should be noted that a cable car was built here, and you can find a hotel or restaurants nearby. Experienced tourists say that there are healing springs nearby.
The word "Elbrus" is translated from Zend - this is the people who once ruled Iran - as "high mountain".
The weather in the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria in the Elbrus region is as follows: cool in summer, usually humid. At an altitude of 2000 m, the maximum temperature in summer is + 35. The higher the altitude, the lower the temperature; at 3000 m it becomes 10 degrees less. Somewhere in early September, the autumn period begins; on peaks around 3000 m, autumn begins in October. The higher you go, the thicker the snow cover, and it can reach 50 meters. And at the beginning of May spring comes. At an altitude of more than 5000 m, snow will not melt at all, even if the air and temperature are favorable for this.
Brief history of ascents
Just as a prospector dreams of finding the largest nugget, climbers have always dreamed of conquering Elbrus. And they not only dreamed, but also conquered. Scientists became the pioneers. This happened in July 1829. Then the mountain peak was stormed by such famous personalities as the creator of the St. Petersburg geophysical observatory, Adolf Kupfer, and physicist Emilius Lenz. Even the botanist Karl Meyer and the artist Joseph Bernardazzi became climbers for a while!
The expedition was led by General George Emmanuel. Then he commanded the Caucasian fortified area. The event was purely scientific in nature. The ascent was supported by 650 soldiers and 350 Cossacks. Scientists, guides and 20 Cossacks took part directly in the assault on Elbrus. Only four reached the Eastern peak. And the Western Peak was first climbed only in 1874.
Photo: General George Emmanuel
Forty years later, Elbrus submitted to the English climbers. Then came the era of records. The German Merzbacher and the Austrian Purtscheller climbed to the top in just eight hours! In 1925, the first woman reached the summit. Since the middle of the 20th century, climbers have become widespread. And now the folk trail does not overgrow here. Elbrus beckons and attracts like a huge magnet.
There have been legendary cases in the history of conquests. So in 1974, three UAZ-469 SUVs rose to a height of 4200 meters! This was done without the help of winches. Since the air at such a height is very thin, the engines did not work at full capacity. Cars often got stuck in the snow. They had to be dug out with shovels. However, people and cars survived. A unique “ascent” has taken place!
Girlish braids
This waterfall is located in the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria and is a place worth seeing. If you find the Terskol mountain peak, then on the slope you will just see this waterfall.
If you look at the streams of water that flow down, it seems as if it was a girl spreading her hair. The height of the waterfall is 30 m. Judging by the lower part, its width is about 15 m.
At the top there is a glacier called Gara-Bashi, it melts and a waterfall flows from it. It's very beautiful, the views are amazing and picturesque, and if you come here during the warmer months, it's a great place to cool off.
Chegem waterfalls
55 km from the city of Nalchik there is a place that amazes with its power and beauty - the Chegem waterfalls, bursting straight out of the rocks. Another name for them was Weeping Falls, because the overall picture gives the impression that the rocks are crying. This natural monument consists of a group of waterfalls on the Kayaarty, Sakal-Tup and Adaisu rivers, which flow into the Chegem River. In this place there was an interweaving of two elements - water and stone, which together were able to form absolutely fantastic landscapes.
Let's start with the Small Waterfall , which is also called the Maiden's Spit. Here you will find a parking lot, cafes, shops, but the waterfall itself is separate, to the side. To get to the waterfall, you need to walk a little along the river, over logs and stones.
And then - him. In a huge well, a powerful column of water falls from a height of about 30 meters. The roar from the waterfall, which is amplified by the echo from the rocks, makes it impossible to talk.
Then it’s very close to the Big Waterfalls. The road itself will be very impressive. The gorge is called Sous Auzu - sharp turns, sheer overhanging cliffs. The width of the gorge narrows in some places to 25 meters.
to the Big Waterfalls very close. On one side there is a market and a cafe, on the other there is a natural attraction.
Or closer
You can look at the waterfalls not only from below, but also from above. There are two viewing platforms here. On different sides from the waterfalls, but accordingly you need to climb the stairs.
For most tourists, especially attractive is the main Chegem waterfall , formed on the Kayaarty River, the water of which flows into the gorge not in one powerful stream, but diverges into a large number of small streams, at the point of fall turning into millions of splashes.
Getting to the waterfalls is very easy; the road is not perfectly smooth, but quite accessible for cars.
With the onset of cold weather, streams of water freeze, turning into bizarre blocks of ice that create the atmosphere of a fairy tale. Multi-ton icicles hang high above the gorge, covered with a kind of ice curtain.
Kumkyugenkaya
It belongs to the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria and is located in the Chegem volcanic region, with an altitude of more than 3000 m. As you can see, there are interesting figures on the plateau itself. The main peak is considered to be Kutube. On the plateau you can find a lake.
Many tourists come here just to look at these figures. Some figures resemble people, some resemble animals and camels. Tourists laugh because there are figures that resemble movie and cartoon characters.
Cathedral of Mary Magdalene
On the territory of Nalchik there is the largest Orthodox cathedral in all of Kabardino-Balkaria. It was built with donations from believers. The main altar was consecrated by Patriarch Kirill himself. He also donated the image of Seraphim of Sarov and a painted Easter egg to the modern cathedral.
Cathedral of Mary Magdalene
The temple occupies an area of 800 square meters. When laying the foundation, a capsule was laid with an appeal to descendants. The building can accommodate about 1000 people.
- Address: Nalchik, Malbakhova street, 23.
- Divine services: morning – at 8:00, evening – 16:00.
- admission .
Rest
In Kabardino-Balkaria, a vacation in the mountains can be very exciting. To do this, you can arrange an excursion, go to the Blue Lakes or go to a ski resort in the Elbrus region.
If you go to the village of Terskol, then it is best to relax here from November to April. Ski slopes can be found near Elbrus and Mount Cheget. There are three tracks on Elbrus, even a beginner can ride here.
On Cheget they are a little more difficult, and the slopes there are more dangerous. If you want to snowboard, it is best to go on the mountain slopes as they have the most snow.
Near the Cherek-Balkarsky River you can find Blue Lakes. There are as many as 5 lakes, they are located at an altitude of 800 m above sea level. The depth exceeds more than 300 m. This lake has very clear water, so a dive center was specially built on the shore. Here you can find locker rooms, an equipment preparation room, storage, a compressor room, and camp sites.
Blue Lakes
Of the natural attractions, a group consisting of 5 karst lakes deserves a visit. The entire complex is conventionally divided into lower and upper reservoirs. The water in the lakes is crystal clear. At a depth of more than 20 meters, the bottom is quite clearly visible.
Blue Lakes
The largest in area, but at the same time the smallest, is Lake Superior, which is fed by precipitation. Its water level varies slightly throughout the year.
- Location: in Chereksky district at a distance of 30 km from Nalchik.
- How to get there: The A-154 motorway is nearby.
- Visit: free.
Mother Mountain
In addition to the above mentioned mountain names, Kabardino-Balkaria is also famous for others, among them we can recall Dykhtau, Koshtantau, Ulu-Tau. It is worth noting that the latter is called Mother Mountain in Kabardino-Balkaria.
Shamans come here in search of solitude, and there are also rumors that the mountain cures infertility. An interesting fact is that all the women who visited the mountain with a request to be cured of this disease became pregnant.
In the Caucasus, such legends have been passed on for many years. But the mountain will not fulfill all the little things, only the most important and cherished things.
The mountain is very majestic, you can see the pristine beauty there. People who came here say that this place gives the impression of a real temple.
Tourists should remember that Mount Ulutau in Kabardino-Balkaria requires special treatment when climbing it!
- You need to give up meat and not eat it. The benefits of civilization are also prohibited.
- There is a special house where all the guests of the mountain come, and you will not find electricity there; in order to warm water or food, they make a fire.
- Next, meditation is performed, it is similar to prayer.
- You need to take a piece of cloth, write a wish on it to formulate your dream, then tie it to a tree, which is located near the mountain.
Scientists cannot in any way explain what is happening here; there is a hypothesis that the mountain is like an antenna that provides communication with higher powers. The mountain shows favor towards women, but also fulfills the desires of men.
Mother Mountain in Kabardino-Balkaria is located in the Elbrus National Nature Reserve. Near it there is a base for tourists and climbers.
If you are heading there, drive from Mineralnye Vody to Nalchik and Kislovodsk. It is better to go by train, or go by plane.
If you are in Mineralnye Vody or nearby cities, then you can find offers for excursions. It is worth noting that it can be expensive, because there is a border zone nearby, you will need an excursion visa. In connection with this fact, it is best to contact a travel agency.
You will drive about 50 kilometers to Elbrus, then you will see a waterfall and a gorge, from here you need to go on a lift with your car, there is a road in the forest, you will drive about 12 km to the camp. After which you will find a climbers’ camp. You should know that after this camp you will have to walk to Mount Ullu-Tau in Kabardino-Balkaria.
Remember that if you are traveling with your own transport, you need to order a special pass for the car in advance, otherwise you will not be allowed into the border zone.
But along the road you can meet people who sell all sorts of things made from wool and the like. Border guards walk around the territory - they can check your passport.
When people in Kabardino-Balkaria ask how to get to the Mother Mountain - Ulu-Tau, it is better to act like experienced tourists. They do this: they take a ticket to Nalchik, get there either by plane, or by train, or some other way. From Nalchik they go to the village of Verkhny Boksom. The transport stop is called Adyr-su gorge. And then get out, take the lift, and walk to the camp. Then you settle down and ask there how to go hiking to the mountain. Near Ullu-Tau you will find at the foot of a wishing tree, a stone where people also leave their notes.
Lover's Tower
In one of the city parks of Nalchik you can visit the observation tower, which was erected in 1867. The structure resembles an ancient fortification. However, the building was originally built to create an observation point in the park. Large-scale reconstruction of the facility was carried out in 1961.
Lover's Tower
Now the tower is a popular attraction among tourists and local residents. Newlyweds often come here to take photographs on their wedding day.
- Object address: Nalchik City Park.
- Visiting hours: around the clock.
- admission .
sacred mountain
Mount Ulu-Tau in Kabardino-Balkaria is considered sacred and belongs to places of power. There are a lot of such places in the Caucasus; there really is a powerful energy here, which people have noted more than once. Near the mountain, a shaman ritual is performed using tambourines. All energy centers open, information about the future and answers to questions are obtained. Not far from the mountain there is a Silver Key, it is healing because there is a lot of silver there. Therefore, water can cure many diseases. You can take it with you in a bottle and bring it home.
In the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria, the photos are always beautiful, because there are amazing places here. It is recommended to take photo and video equipment; you can go to a village called Eltyubyu. This place is considered anomalous because something incomprehensible is happening there over time. The clock starts to lag or does not go. If you leave milk or meat even in summer, nothing will happen to them.
Dykhtau
Translated as “Steep Mountain”. It is considered the second highest after Elbrus. There are two high peaks, more than 5000 m. You can also highlight Pushkin Peak. There are more than 10 routes laid by climbers. The Bezengi climbers camp is also located there.
Dyrchau is also sometimes called the “Jagged Mountain”. When compared with Elbrus, the mountain does not look too huge. However, compared to others, she is quite formidable. Its slopes are covered with snow that does not melt, and there are also hanging glaciers. The path to the top is very difficult.
A funny fact - this place is also sometimes called the presidium in the Caucasus, since it is here that all the highest mountains - five thousand meters high - seem to have specially gathered, but Kazbek and Elbrus are missing.
Koshtantau
The name comes from the word “Kosh”, which means “dwelling” or “parking”. And if you look at the mountain from a distance, it becomes clear that it looks very much like a tent. Koshtantau is a hard-to-reach mountain, quite high itself. The approximate height of the mountain is more than 5000 meters. It is popular among climbers, despite the danger and possibility of death while climbing it. Clouds seem to float near its majestic peaks, and at dawn the sun paints the mountain in amazing colors.
Cathedral Mosque of Nalchik
An architectural landmark of the region is a modern mosque in Nalchik, built according to the design of the famous young architect A. Asanov. Its official opening took place in 2004. Before this, the Yunost cinema was located on the site of this building.
Cathedral Mosque of Nalchik
The building is a symmetrical monoblock. Near the entrance there are minarets 30 meters high. On the first level the building has the shape of a square, and on the second - an octagon. There are prayer rooms inside. The largest of them can accommodate up to 700 people.
- Address: Nalchik, Shogentsukov Avenue, 133.
- Working days: Monday to Friday.
- Visiting hours: from 9:00 to 18:00.
Shkhara
This word means "Striped". Shkhara is the highest point in the main Caucasus range. It is also the highest point in Georgia. The main peak of Shkhara reaches more than 5000 km. Near the southern slope you can find a village called Ushguli. UNESCO has included it in its World Heritage List.
Shkhara is part of the so-called Bezengi Wall. This area is almost 12 m long. It is located in the highest part of this ridge. There is not one peak, but five. The wall also includes a peak named after Shota Rustaveli.
To get to the village, you should drive from Nalchik and get to the village of Bezengi. Next you need to drive 15 km along the road, but it is recommended to take an SUV as the road is unpaved. Not far from the climbers’ camp you will see a bridge that leads across the Cherek River. It is from there that you can see a piece of the above wall. By the way, the camp has electricity, you can go to the dining room, take a shower, live in tents or in a house, and there is also a cellular connection.
Most often, climbers spend the night and rest here before the next conquest of one of the slopes of Shkhara.
Valley of Narzans
In a picturesque place along the Khasaut River, 17 mineral springs come to the surface. The flow rate of the main ones is about 1 million liters per day. The area is surrounded on all sides by high ridges. From here you can see one of the main attractions - Elbrus.
Valley of Narzans
Tourists are attracted not only by springs with healing water. There is a very diverse vegetation here, and also quite rare species of animals. Now there is an asphalt road through the valley.
- Location: in the Zolsky district at a distance of 34 km from Kislovodsk.
- Visiting time: any time of the year.
- Cost: as part of an excursion group – from 1000 rubles.
Donguzorun, Nakratau
If you want to find out what mountains in Kabardino-Balkaria can still surprise a tourist, then read about these. Have you ever been on an excursion to Elbrus or traveled from Mineralnye Vody? We probably ended up on a cable car and went up Mount Cheget. In addition to Elbrus, you were most likely shown Donguzorun. It has an altitude of more than 4000 m, there is also a glacier there, it is called “Seven” - because of its contour. There is also a lake there.
Actually, the mountain became known by the name of the lake. Once upon a time, Svans lived in these places and raised pigs. Therefore, the name of the lake refers to the place where these animals were bred.
Nakratau - the Svens called it “Unsharp Mountain”. Its height is 4269 m. It looks very beautiful, especially in summer, although its snowy peaks never melt.
Gertybashi, Almalykaya, Mother-in-law's teeth, Kogutai
The first mountain, 4246 m high, is located in the Bezengi region, hiding behind the shadow of Koshtantau.
The second one is very beautiful, located in the Rocky Ridge. Located in the Baksan Valley. If you translate its name, the translation will be “Apple Rock”.
The third is also located in the Rocky Ridge. Nearby is a village called Bylym. If you look at the peak from the south, its name becomes clear.
The peaks of Kogutai are the most recognizable in the Elbrus region. Naturally, except for Elbrus. They form two triangles, and at the bottom there is a glacier as if in the form of a tongue. This picture can be seen near Cheget, or on the road to Elbrus.
Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
The republic has a beautiful Orthodox church, which is located in the city of Prokhladny. In its place in 1823 a wooden church was erected, which burned down 50 years later. The new building was built of stone. In 1886 the consecration of the cathedral took place.
Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
During the Soviet period, the church operated for a long time, but in 1937 the building began to be used as a warehouse for storing grain crops. In 1942, the temple was reopened to believers.
- Address: Prokhladny, Stroitelnaya street, 141.
- Days of the week: daily.
- Divine services: in the morning - at 8:00, in the evening - at 16:00.
Bashiltau, Sugantau, Salynantau
The first mountain is located on the border of Georgia and Kabardino-Balkaria. It has a very beautiful shape: in the form of a pyramid. A glacier called Bashir originates on the slopes, and it is its waters that form the source of the Chegem River.
The height of the second is 4487 m. As you know, the Side Range is located nearby and there is a separate area. So, this mountain is the highest point of this site. Very often the ridge is called the Sugan Alps.
The third is located near the region of Chegem and Bezengi, its passes are difficult to pass, and on some of them there is a border between our country and Georgia.
