Day 1. Arrival in the city of Mineralnye Vody by plane (1,5 hrs from Moscow) or by train. A vehicle trip to the Teberda village, where the office of the Teberdinsky Nature Reserve is situated (about 4 hours). Accommodation in the Reserve facilities: double-bed suites with every convenience, sauna (steam-bath). Dinner.

Excursion to the Museum of nature and to the office of the Teberdinsky Reserve.

Watching the slide-film on the nature of the Western Caucasus. Supper and night in the hotel.

Day 2. A vehicle trip to the Dombay village (30 min.). Rise to the Mussa-Achitar Krugozor (overview) in the zone of alpine meadows. From this point one can observe a vast region of Caucasus including a large part of the Main Caucasus Ridge. Especially impressing is the highest mountain of the Western Caucasus Dombay-Ulgen (4065 m) and also the mountain-massifs Dzhuguturluchat, Amanauz, Sofridzhu and Belalakaya. It is difficult to find a better point for observing the panorama. From the observation point it is possible to see all the region of Dombay and to plan further excursions. Lunch at cafe.

In the afternoon the tourists have a hiking excursion the canyon Amanauz to the “Devil’s Mill” (3.5 km, 3 hours). The Amanaus canyon is the center of the Dombay region. The path runs along the left shore of the Amanauz river; here one can see the “Devil’s Mill” – a violent water stream falling into the canyon. After watching the waterfall tourists proceed and 30 minutes later they observe a vast snowfield, which does not melt until August. Here they can see various local birds: горного конька, горихвостку чернушку, альпийскую завирушку, рогатого жаворонка, альпийскую галку, клушицу, и некоторые другие виды. Lots of lovely butterflies are fluttering about of which most beatiful are махаон, подалирий, аполлон, мнемозина, адмирал. A return walk to Dombay. After dinner in the cafe tourists are driven to Teberda. Here they watch the videofilm on the local nature. Supper and night – in the hotel.

Day 3. Breakfast in the hotel. A vehicle trip to Dombay. Trekking to the Chuchkhur waterfalls along the Dombay-Ulgen canyon. This is one of the most popular tour in Dombay. It is 6 km long; and takes about 6 hours. After half an hour walk through a beautiful silver fir forest tourists come to the “Russian Meadow” covered by high sub-alpine grass. To the right of the meadow rises the mountain ridge Dzhuguturluchat (“tur’s valley”), with the glacier of the same name.

The path runs to the Chuchkhur waterfalls through the birch and silver fir forest, and comes to a sub-alpine meadow covered by various beautiful grasses and flowers. In these places is usual the Caucasus brown bear whose traces one can run into quite often. Before the tourists a picturesque view of the mountain Dombay-Ulgen is opened. Above the mountain crests birds of prey are soaring: bearded and black vultures, golden eagles.

The last stop of the tour is near by a unique cascade of the Chuchkhur waterfalls. After having admired the waterfalls tourists return along the same path to the settlement and then are driven to Teberda. Dinner – at the hotel.

Excursion to the museum of history of tourism and alpinism.

Supper and night –in the Reserve facilities.

Day 4. A vehicle trip to the Dombay settlement. Trekking to the Turye lake and the Alibek waterfall (about 10 km, duration about 7-8 hours). The path runs through a virgin silver fir forest. Some trees are more than 4 hundred years old, and about 60 meters high. Tourists arrive to the Usun-Tola meadow covered with a great variety of grasses and flowers. Numerous butterflies of different species are flying over the meadow. From this place one can admire a beautiful view of the canyon, glaciers and crests: Alibek-Bashi, Herzog, peak Kap and others. The path comes in the mountaineers’ camp Alibek. From this place tourists take the path leading them to the wide Alibek meadow covered by a great variety of flowers (колокольчик молочноцветковый, буквица, герань, володушка и др.; в сентябре их сменяют безвременник великолепный, шафраны долинный и Шарояна). From the meadow tourists can admire the view of the famous ridge Sulahat (maximum height 3 450 m). Along sub-alpine meadows tourists come to a beautiful waterfall. After having enjoyed the vivifying air enriched by the moisture of the waterfall streams they cross the Alibek river by the bridge and make a steep rise along the waterfall over “baranyi lby” – huge rocks smoothed by glacier. From the top tourists can see the Alibek glacier, one of the largest in Western Caucasus (4.5 km long). After 1-2 hours ascend along the waterfall and the lower, gentle slope of the glacier tourists come to the Turye lake. The guide describes the kar lakes and results of glaciers’ activity; tourists can observe the recent moraine left by the glacier. From the Turye lake one can see the whole Alibek valley. Right here one can watch training of mountaineers. Here it is possible to bathe in the lake; tourists may admire local lizards and birds. Above the rocks eagles and other birds of prey soar.

Picnic lunch.

Return to Teberda. Supper and night in the hotel.

Day 5. The day reserved for the case of bad weather. Excursion along the ecological path to Pykhtigorka nearby Teberda.

Tourists will see a typical South European forest of beeches and hornbeams of the kind that in ancient times covered Germany, France and other European countries. There they can observe numerous forest birds: мухоловки полуошейниковая и малая, поползень, крапивники и зеленые пеночки, а также кавказские теньковки. Along this tour tourists meet forests of other types: Koch pines and silver fir. In the silver fir forest there is a grove of yew-trees that is an ancient coniferous plant, relic of the tertiary period.

Rest and supper – in the hotel.

Day 6. Excursion to the Gonachkhir canyon.

A drive to the Dvurechnaya Polyana (meadow), where the Amanauz and Gonatchkhir rivers interflow (about 15 km). A vehicle trip along the Gonatchkhir canyon to the Tumanly-Kel (“Misty Lake”). A violent stream of the powerful river is flowing along the gloom darkness of the mossy canyon. Plentiful vegetation, black-and-white mountain peaks, snow and ice shining dazzlingly in the Sun – only in the Western Caucasus, where glaciers come down to the forest belt, one can watch such a contrast landscape. Caves, which had been inhabited ages and ages ago, were found in the rocks. On the way back tourists visit the Bu-Ylgen (“Killed Dear”) canyon. Here they can see the panorama of the Main Caucasus Ridge and Dombay-Ulgenn – the highest crest of the Western Caucasus. They find themselves in the kingdom of sub-alpine meadows whose vegetation is characterized by a rich species diversity. They are most colorful in midsummer.

Return to the hotel, sauna, and supper.

*Note: It is possible to stay for two days in the tourist hotel in the Dvurechnaya Polyana (one-, two- and four-bed rooms with every convenience).

Day 7. A vehicle trip to the Dvurechnaya Polyana meadow, and a 8 km trekking to the Mussa-Achitar lakes (about 7 hours). From this place tourists ascend to a great meadow; where there are a rest place and a viewing ground. Inhaling fresh mountain air, tourists admire a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains, and lots of lovely butterflies flying over flowers. On the way to Kek-Kel (the Blue Lake) tourists cross a field where especially noticeable are the lilies of Kesselring. They also can see numerous species of birds

(bearded vulture, griffon vulture, black vulture, Caucasian snowcock, golden eagle, common buzzard, kestrel, black woodpecker, rufous-tailed rock thrush, Kruper’s nuthatch, greenish leaf warbler), some of them may be lucky to see a bear or a boar.

Return to the hotel in Teberda. Supper and night in the hotel.

Day 8. A day of rest. A 3 km long excursion (about 3 hours) to the waterfall Shumka past Kara-Kel (the Black lake). Visit to the Museum of the history of tourism and mountaineering. Those who wish may go for an additional excursion with an instructor.

Day 9. A vehicle trip from Teberda to Arkhyz (4 hours) along picturesque country, passing ancient Kazak settlements and Karachayev villages. In X-XII centuries, there was a capital of the Alan State, and a few artifacts had been preserved: the fortress walls, two temples and house-hold buildings.

Lodging in the hotel of the Teberda Reserve in the settlement Arkhyz. Rooms with every convenience. There is a sauna in the hotel. Excursions to Arkhyz – a picturesque settlement with small old houses built in 1940-50-ties, with shingle roofs), to the Tserkovnaya meadow with ruins of an ancient temple and dolmens (pagan graves), and to Nizhniy Arkhyz (a site of an ancient town). A visit to the observatory. It is also possible to go fishing trout.

Days 10 – 12. A three days hiking or horseback riding to the Arkhyz section of the Teberda Reserve. The total distance of the tour is 30 km. Night sleep in tents or in the reserve’s huts.

Those who wish may limit themselves by one day hiking along the canyon Kizgytch, returning to the hotel in Arkhyz. Tourists watch most interesting landscapes, more smooth as compared to Dombay, with mild climate. The valley of waterfall of various shapes. It is possible to meet boar, dear, the Caucasus-Belovezhsk subspecies of bison. Meetings with the bear and chamois are also possible but less probable.

Day 13. A day of rest in Arkhyz. Trekking to the Narzan Valley, where in a small area there are more than fifty springs with different kinds of mineral water. Fishing trout is possible. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 14. Return to the Airport Minvody and departure.