The first thing you think about when remembering Dombay- This ski holiday. For some reason, in people’s minds this region seems to be an exclusively winter vacation spot. In fact, when the snow melts, the fun seems to be just beginning. Do you remember what spring is? Time for rebirth. Time for a new life. So in Dombay everything wakes up by mid-April, everything is seething and sparkling with the inexhaustible energy of life. The hiking season begins in May. And believe me, you will have something to see. The unique climate of the area and its unusual topography provide an interesting combination of flora and fauna and create beautiful places for our eyes.

On these pages I invite you to take a mental walk with me through one of the most popular routes and enjoy nature at least a little.

Alibek. The popularity of this place is explained, first of all, by the fact that you can visit it at any time of the year and in any weather. Moreover, the route is not at all difficult. Shall we go?

We will spend the first four kilometers of the journey among mighty fir and spruce trees. It's not surprising. After all, we are still in the first climate zone - moderately warm. Some coniferous beauties in the Alibek Gorge reach a height of 45-50 m. But in Arkhyz you can also find 60-meter trees.

In fact, the forests of Dombay are quite diverse. Where it is driest, the mountain slopes are decorated with pine trees. In the southern environs they are mixed with oaks, aspens, maples and birches. Lovers of indoor plants have probably already fallen in love with azalea. You can find its wild version in these forests. Do you know what yellow rhododendron looks like? Exactly. It's bright yellow. And in addition to its sunny color, it has an intoxicating smell. You will certainly feel it if you go there in the spring. The uniqueness of this plant is also that it has been growing on earth for more than 3 million years. Just imagine, the first human beings admired these flowers. But now we have had the chance.

There are other long-livers in these forests. In floodplain areas there are yew groves. The age of individual trees reaches 4000 years.

There will even be something to enjoy here. The fruit forests consist of wild apple, pear, cherry plum, cherry and sloe. In the clearings there are hazel and honeysuckle bushes. There are gooseberries, barberries, currants and of course raspberries - a favorite snack for the brown bear. By the way, yes. These formidable animals live here. But they behave quite peacefully. They feed mainly on berries, herbs and nuts. In early spring They are looking for the corpses of animals killed in avalanches.

But wolves and lynxes, who also live in these places, are no longer so kind. They happily eat mountain goats, wild boars, chamois, and aurochs. Well, if you are unlucky, they snack on black grouse and mouse-like rodents.

There are other predators here: foxes, jackals, forest cats, stone martens. Sometimes raccoon dogs come in.

An interesting fact is that even special, acclimatized Altai squirrels are found in Dombai. Just don’t confuse them with the fluffy creatures that have the funny name dormouse. They also live in trees and settle in hollows, but have rounded ears without perky tassels at the ends.

And the forest, however, ends. The exit is already visible. A few more words about mushrooms, and we’ll move on. And how not to say it? The forests are vast and there is a sea of ​​mushrooms: morels, honey mushrooms, champignons. Under trees and shrubs you can find brown boletus and oak boletus. White russula and chanterelles will delight you. But there is a wonderful miracle here, Dombai. The pride of the Caucasian forest is the coral mushroom. Imagine a handsome man up to half a meter in diameter. I found one of these and fed the whole squad. They say it's really tasty. But besides that, he is also handsome. Made up of small plates, it resembles a flower.

Grasses dominate the meadows: variegated fescue and reed grass. And if in the spring the valleys are full of yellow leotards and blue gentians, then in June they are covered with the even white color of the tufted anemone. From mid-summer until autumn they are again engulfed in a riot of colors, changing quite quickly. Either the pink knotweed is blooming, or the lilac-violet initial letter, which is replaced by an orange carpet of volodushka.

The higher the mountains, the lower the grass. However, the harsh climate does not in any way affect the picturesqueness of the alpine meadows. True, the colors reach a special richness only in the middle of summer. The whitish blue of the snow is replaced by the blue carpet of Bieberstein's bells. When it gets warmer, Ruprecht's yellow primrose takes over the baton. Mountain violet is varied in its shades. But let's not forget that the alpine belt is primarily scree and rocks. Grasses with a powerful root system, such as a dense clump, take root here. It looks like pads with closely pressed stems. She is not afraid of frosts and winds.

Few animals are able to adapt to such harsh conditions. These are mainly ungulate mammals: aurochs, chamois, red deer and, naturally, bison. After all, the name “” itself is translated as “bison”. There is even such a mountain as Dombay-Yolgen (killed bison).

Scary time civil war 1917-1924 It turned out to be fatal for these powerful animals. Of the 500 individuals living in these places, by the twenty-fourth year only 10 remained. The last bison was killed by some poacher in 1928. It would seem that's it. To some extent this is true. Currently, about 2,000 individuals live in the Caucasus. These are the descendants of bison that were once brought there from Askania-Nova.
The stone goat has large curved horns and special soft horny pads on its hooves. The dexterity with which these large animals (up to 150 kg) move along almost sheer cliffs is amazing. They can graze both at the very edges of the forest and near the eternal snow.

Chamois. Her grace is sung in poetry. From a distance the silhouettes look really beautiful. Although in essence it is an ordinary goat with thin and not very long horns. In winter it is dark brown, turning red in summer. Is it difficult for you to imagine what it looks like? Ride on and visit the Teberdinsky Nature Reserve. Outside its borders, chamois are practically never found.

Along the streams, along the banks of which the grass is green, you can meet a female Caucasian red deer with a cub. A most beautiful and touching animal. Suffice it to recall the cartoon about the fawn “Bambi”. But adult males are not so defenseless. Their huge branched horns are a formidable weapon when fighting enemies.

Let us return mentally to the Uzun-Tala clearing we left behind. In addition to the waterfall, the silhouette of Mount Sulahat can be clearly seen from it. It resembles the profile of a girl lying on her back. People have composed a legend about this mountain:
The beautiful Sulahat was born into the hardworking Alan tribe. And this tribe was happy. The sun gave them a lot of warmth. It filled rye and barley with its light. The meadows were green, and beautiful chamois roamed through them. But happiness does not last forever. Sadness has come to these places too. Where the Alibek glacier lies inaccessible, a passage was formed through which prickly winds began to rush into the valley. The crops died, the fields thinned out and people began to die. With the winds came sadness to Sulahat. But what saddened her was not that she was cold without a piece of bread in her father’s house, while her lover was fighting the winds in ... And what she saw of her fellow tribesmen left without shelter and food. One day, hugging her father, saying goodbye mentally to her lover and friends, she went to the glacier. Having prayed to the good spirits, she lay down along the ridge, blocking the path of the winds with her body.

Yes, the mountaineers are brave people. Who else could survive among the stormy rivers and overhanging glaciers? But let's finish our journey with you. Having passed through the Alibek alpine camp, we will find ourselves in a clearing of the same name. We already know what colorful flowers can await us here. From the hillock there is an indescribable view of the glacier. This place is a kind of fork in the road. Having passed less than a kilometer one way, you can get to the waterfall.

Have you ever seen an ugly waterfall? natural origin? It seems that such things don't happen. Each of them is unique. Each has its own “face” and its own “character”. The Chuchkhur waterfall is talkative, the Alibek waterfall is mighty. Looking like a light cape, Ptyshsky falls from a decent height.

If you still have a little time and energy left, we will take a walk to the Alibek glacier and Lake Turye. Our road will run along the river. By the way, there are also enough of them. The main river is Teberda, formed by the confluence of the river. Amanauz and Gonachkhir. In addition to these, the water artery of the region is fed by the river. Muhu, Malaya and Bolshaya Khatipara, Khadzhibey, Jamaga, Shumku, Ullu-Muruju, Gedezh. Impressive list, isn't it? Teberda itself flows into the familiar river. Kuban.

Along the way, you and I will be able to see the Dzhalovchat glacier (salt lick). It is named so for the salt lick found in these places, which is very attractive to tours. Our people nicknamed the glacier bilingual because it descends into the valley as if bifurcating.

We will walk past thickets of Caucasian rhododendron mixed with low-growing birches and maples. Let's admire the Alibek gorge. A slight rise and “voila”. A beautiful gem framed by rocks - Lake Turye.

There are three types of lakes on the territory of the reserve. Turye, along with Kara-Kel and Tumanly-Kel, belongs to the so-called moraines. They form in natural dams left by the glacier.

In the highlands, where glaciers advance and retreat, bowls form in the solid surface, which also fill with water. Such lakes are called tarns. They are distinguished by special purity and depth. These include Fr. Klukhorsky, Murudzhinsky, Khadzhibeysky, Azgeksky, etc.

The third type includes dammed Baduk lakes. They were formed as a result of a collapse that occurred about two hundred years ago.

We have very little left: to climb the snowfield and overcome the madder (an accumulation of rock fragments). And so, our journey was crowned with victory. We can contemplate the largest and lowest located glacier in the Western Caucasus - Alibek glacier.

Every year it retreats 1-1.5 m upward. Here's another danger. The thawing surface is often slippery. And all because of global warming. Slowly but surely the glaciers are disappearing. Over the past hundred years, their area has decreased by almost 20 square kilometers.

Of course, we won’t save the glaciers. But we can really take care of the rest of nature. All you need to do is be careful and attentive while hiking. So that it doesn’t happen like with the bison in 1928, let’s take care of the rare gifts of planet Earth, one of which is Dombay, located in the vicinity of the Teberda Nature Reserve.

My article for the magazine " Russian Photo"- http://www.rosphoto.com/travel/zolotaya_osen_v_gorah_dombaya-5461

Photo: Igor Gorshkov
Text: Igor Gorshkov

Dombay is a mountain resort village in Caucasus mountains in Karachay-Cherkessia. He is primarily known as ski resort, however, this is an amazing and very beautiful place from a natural point of view. Igor Gorshkov, a member of the Russian Photo club, tells the story.

Autumn is very beautiful time year, and especially in the mountains. I had never been to the mountains in the fall, so I decided to go and see with my own eyes the beauty of the golden mountain autumn and Dombay, where I had also never been.

It’s quite easy to get to Dombay, and you can live in a comfortable hotel among the mountains and get by with a minimum of things for walking in the mountains. In addition, at this time there is a lull and low season and, unlike summer and especially winter, the most low prices for accommodation. And most importantly, all the beauty of the mountainous autumn Caucasus is nearby.

Golden autumn in Dombay, view from almost the hotel of the beautiful Ine Peak.

From the village you can move in any direction: gorges lead to a variety of beautiful places - waterfalls, glaciers, the foothills of peaks. In addition to the northern one, there is a road, but it is also interesting to walk along it, it is very picturesque.

Highway Dombay is very picturesque, and such a picture greets those who come to this place at the height of the golden autumn.

The weather for a little more than a week (that’s how long the trip lasted) was difficult, but interesting: sun, rain, which was still a little more than we would like, and fog, and on the last day of our stay everything fell asleep first snow.

It was especially beautiful when the sun came out during the rain: moisture, fog, clouds on the mountain slopes and sunlight.

Mountain rivers flow in all the gorges, and sometimes you can go down to them and do beautiful shots V different times days and weather.

Amanauz River on an autumn evening. Panorama. Shortly before the photo was taken, a mass of snow fell from the top of Sofrudju (in the distance) - an avalanche. An impressive sight!

The same place the next morning: it rained at night, the water noticeably increased and turned brown. The log from the previous frame was simply washed away. Unfortunately, a couple of days later, excavators arrived at this place and raked up a high ridge on the left, clearing the main channel (it’s on the left), and this channel was filled up. But, apparently, this was necessary from a safety point of view when the water flow intensifies.

Sunset on the Dombay-Ulgen River.

River, peak and gorge Dombay-Ulgen. Panorama.

It was one of the darkest and stormiest days, snow and rain were falling, a piercing wind was blowing, tearing off the golden foliage, but I really wanted to reach this place and see the opening. And suddenly the mountains gave such a beautiful sky!
Then he was immediately drawn in.

On rare sunny days, all the mountain slopes and forests delighted with bright autumn outfits.

Autumn fogs in the mountains are always interesting and beautiful, although sometimes, most often at dawn or sunset, they were so thick that neither the neighboring slopes, nor even the mountains were visible.

Dombay bowl of evening fog from the Alibek gorge. Panorama.

Later, this fog rose to the tops and filled the entire space; the road back to the village was almost entirely in thick haze - we had to walk through a dark forest with one flashlight between us. After that, we always took flashlights with us, even if we planned to return before dark. And, by the way, they never returned before dark; the flashlights came in handy all the time. Therefore, when you’re in the mountains, you always have flashlights with you, even if the walk is planned for half a day.

Be sure to take comfortable and pre-worn shoes. It so happened that the first couple of days I felt very uncomfortable; apparently, over the summer my feet had become unaccustomed to the boots, although they were far from new. I was often reminded of the words of Sebastio Salgado: it doesn’t matter how good your camera is, what matters is how comfortable your shoes are.

In the Dombay mountains there are many different streams flowing along the mountain slopes or in forests, many waterfalls, which are reached by the main routes in the gorges.

Alibek waterfall. There is a road and a trail leading to it in the Alibek Gorge. You can cross the river and get closer.

You need to keep in mind that all the gorges and the surrounding area of ​​​​the village of Dombay are the territory of the Teberda Nature Reserve, and on all the roads there are forest guard posts who charge a fee and give a ticket, but not always. In addition, this is also a border area; border guard posts are located a little further, and permission is required to be in this zone, rich in waterfalls, glaciers and other beautiful places. If you have a Russian passport, foresters can do it, but you must always carry your passport. Although in the fall there were practically no border guards at the cordons, and permission was not given to us right away, and in the first days we hoped for the strength of a Russian passport, a ticket from a forester, the absence of border guards and human understanding if we suddenly met a patrol.

Dogs often followed us in the village. First there was one dog who once kept me company during a morning shoot by the river. Then at some point there were four of them. It was fun with them, but sometimes I had to take up a twig for educational purposes, otherwise the camera and tripod could end up in a stormy mountain river or simply fly off onto the rocks. For some reason, the dogs liked to arrange all their games and fuss exactly in the place where I placed the tripod with the camera. One day, a couple of dogs went quite far with us, despite the frequent rain and wind, and even posed for shots.

At the Devil's Mill in the gorge of the Amanauz River.

There is a raging river here, sandwiched between the rocks. The animal became interested in something below, and managed to take several shots.
Upon our return, we had to buy sausages for the dogs because, despite the weather, they walked with us all day in the mountains and also worked as fashion models.

IN ski area There is a cable car and ski slopes. You can climb Mount Mussa-Achitara to a height of 3168 m above sea level in several stages, look around Mountain peaks and even, if you’re lucky with the weather, see the top of Elbrus (we were unlucky, it was hiding in a cap of clouds).

Hello, the mountains are so high!

Clouds flow through the Ptysh pass from Abkhazia. They flow down, bursting into the valley, and then fly up the mountain: then everything is covered in fog, but not for long, the wind quickly carries them further.

Play of light, shadows, clouds and mountains.

The peak of Sofrudju hid in the clouds with only its tooth exposed

High in the mountains we met a domestic alpine cat. In fact, this is one of the intermediate levels of the cable car, there are many buildings there - and somewhere there he lives at a cafe and “hunts” for tourists with sandwiches.

Dombay romance

The sun is hiding behind the mountains. Sunset in the mountains occurs earlier than on the plain or by the sea. And below - cloudy weather.

Lilac twilight in the mountains

Wanderer above the sea of ​​fog. Self-portrait based on the painting of the same name by the 19th century German romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich.

While taking this and other shots, we were late for the cable car, although according to the schedule on the ticket it should have been running for a few more minutes. I had some time to admire the mountains illuminated by the full moon and the starry sky above the clouds, but, unfortunately, the batteries for the camera ran out and it was not possible to capture this stunning picture.
Then, some time later, after numerous calls to the hotel and unsuccessful attempts to find cable car workers, when we had already decided to go down on foot, excavator workers appeared and helped us go down in the duty trailer.

There are many beautiful places in the vicinity of Dombay - gorges, lakes, waterfalls - but a short time It’s impossible to be on time everywhere, especially considering the weather.

Emerald Lake Tumanly-Kol, also called Trout Lake, in the Gonachkhir gorge.

The famous Military-Sukhumi road with good asphalt passes through the gorge, and a lot of cars and buses come to the lake with excursions and vacationers. The shore of the lake is equipped with a parking lot, barbecues, tables and benches, so the most beautiful view It’s almost impossible to shoot against the backdrop of snowy mountains - all these benefits of civilization fall into the frame.

A gorgeous asphalt road in the Gonachkhir gorge towards the Klukhorsky pass, the former Sukhumi Military Road. The former, because now another country is beyond the mountains, well, the road fell asleep in the pass part.

Turquoise Gonachkhir

On the last day of our stay in Dombay, the first snow fell, and we managed, albeit briefly, to admire the view of the snow-covered autumn mountain forests.
A little about photographic equipment.
All frames were shot on a Fujifilm X-T10 camera and a small set of lenses for it. Walking in the mountains with a small and light camera and the same optics was very cool and comfortable, despite the fact that I always had a tripod and a certain amount of personal belongings with me.

Despite the fact that moisture protection is not officially declared by the manufacturer, the camera withstood shooting in the rain - not a downpour, of course, but several times the camera and optics needed to be dried in the evenings, although I tried to protect it from water as much as possible. We were very pleased with the presence of a built-in raw converter and wi-fi, the ability to select the famous Fuji “film” profiles and other settings.

I could quickly share my impressions of what I saw with friends and on social networks. Some of the photographs presented were processed using the camera.

Something about the shooting process (on an old phone):

When I was leaving on the train North Caucasus, I assumed, of course, that I would get vivid impressions. But I had no idea how much this region would captivate me. How beautiful these mountains, passes, gorges will be...

And in this article I want to tell you what a ski resort is Dombay resort in summer.

What does an ordinary person know about Dombay? That it is somewhere in the Caucasus, that avid skiers strive to get there, that it is beautiful there. We went there with approximately the same knowledge. And this is what came out of it.

Dombay: why you should come here even if you are not a skier

Usually, when people say the words “unique nature” to me when describing a place, I begin to suspect that it is not so unique after all.

Well, think for yourself: would it occur to anyone to put emphasis on the unique nature in a guide to Austria? I doubt. For this is illogical, if only because in neighboring Germany and Switzerland it will be very similar. In general, all big mountains are somewhat similar. And the most interesting thing: having visited some big mountains, you fall in love with everyone else in absentia. Did you notice?

How to get there

By plane You can fly to the airport in Kavminvody. From the bus station Mineralnye Vody you can take a bus to Teberdy , and from there by taxi or bus to Dombay.

But the most pleasant option is, of course, to travel around the Caucasus, as we do - in your own car. We drove from the direction of Kislovodsk and left the mountains on the highway just near Cherkessk.

By car from Cherkessk (the capital of Karachay-Cherkessia) you will reach Dombay along the A-155 highway in 2-2.5 hours. And believe me, this will be one of the most beautiful roads in your life!

While we were driving, I involuntarily had associations with the same Swiss landscapes:

“Alpine Pastorals” would be the name of these paintings if the minaret towers and rickety fences were removed from them. And add the bell towers of Catholic churches, coupled with high-speed rail and a highway.

By the way, one of the peculiarities of this region is cars without license plates. This is how local horsemen ride. The traffic police officers obviously don’t touch them (hey, yes, they’re still their own!), but it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to come to an agreement with the camera that the feds installed and which records everyone by their license plate number.

Instead of cows with bells, lean stallions graze on the slopes along the road. In the Caucasus, it’s customary to be proud and admire horses! As in, Karachay-Cherkessia has its own source of pride.

The existence of two separate breeds, Kabardian and Karachay, was officially recognized in 1935 - although in the first volume of the state stud book all Caucasian breeds were united under the general term “mountain”. In 1943, after the repressions and deportation of the Karachais to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, all references to this people, including the name of the local horse breed, were erased. Of course, the Karachai horses themselves continued to exist, but they were recorded as Kabardian. It was possible to “rehabilitate” the breed as a separate breed only in the 1980s, but the controversy still does not subside.

And we are already approaching Teberda - once the largest anti-tuberculosis resort in the USSR.

Teberda: say yes to nature

The resort is located at an altitude of 1300−1400 meters above sea level, in the picturesque valley of the Teberda River.

This resort will become your transit point if you go to Dombay not by car, but fly by plane to the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

For a resident of big cities, Teberda will seem big village. But once upon a time it was with it that the tourist boom to these places began. Only then it wasn’t skiers or mountain trekking enthusiasts who were eager to come here on vacation. And people suffering from tuberculosis, which was called the “plague of the 19th century.”

Teberda's climate is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, low humidity and high air ionization (50 times higher than in cities and on the plain). Another point is the special wind regime. Both fresh air from the surrounding mountains and warm air from the Black Sea enter the valley. At the same time, thanks to the mountains, biologically active substances and phytoncides produced by plants - relict pines and meadow herbs - are retained in the valley. So this place is one big natural inhaler.

In 1870, in these places, the wife of Captain Kuzovlev, who was the right hand of the commander of this entire district, was successfully cured of consumption. To celebrate, the captain built a dacha in these places, where his wife lived happily for another 20 years.

Another lucky person who was helped from tuberculosis local climate, was Islam Krymshamkhalov, Karachay artist and public figure. Having settled in Teberda, Krymshamkhalov became one of the main developers of the resort. In 1910, a letter was written to the then governor of the Caucasus, Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov, and the following year the construction of state-owned dachas - prototypes of modern boarding houses - began in Teberda.

That same year, at the Pirogov Congress of Doctors in Moscow, Teberda was officially recognized mountain climatic resort . Thus, Teberda became an alternative not only to the Crimean one, where domestic asthmatics and tuberculosis patients were traditionally treated, but also to expensive resorts and. Here they are, the origins of import substitution, friends :-)

The first Soviet health resorts appeared here in 1923, and in the 1930s Teberda turned into a privileged resort; large ministries and departments built sanatoriums here.

Teberda has not lost its resort status even now federal significance, nor its main advantages. The nature here is still defiantly beautiful, as we have personally seen. And it is through Teberda, like a hundred years ago, that the only road passes - the former Military Sukhumi, now - federal highway A-155.

From here there are only 25 kilometers left to Dombay (20 minutes by car).

And the closer we get to it, the more it begins to seem to me that I am again traveling in the mountains of Switzerland...

Because that pyramidal peak over there reminds me very much of the Matterhorn.

And here I am Dombay village. It is located at 1600 m above sea level. This place is called Dombayskaya Polyana. Three gorges converge here. And accordingly, three rivers merge together - Alibek, Dombay-Ulgen and Amanauz.

The town itself is small. Just a couple of turns and we are already entering the parking lot at the lower cable car station.

Dombay in summer: what is worth coming for

Mount Dombay-Ulgen - highest peak Western Caucasus (4046 m), which gave its name to the entire region. It is located east resort village Dombay, on the border of Abkhazia and Karachay-Cherkessia.

Dombay has been known as a ski resort in our country since the late 1960s. Nowadays, in terms of infrastructure, the resort lags behind more modern competitors. But the prices here are more affordable, and the atmosphere is almost homely.

Before we had time to get out of the car, an uncle jumped up to us and, in his own way, offered us not to overpay for the ride on the new cable car, but to take a ride on the old one, which was 300 rubles cheaper.

We looked at her... Maybe it’s romantic, of course, but I don’t want to risk it. We go to the ticket office of the new cable car.

Prices for a new lift

One lift to 3 stages costs 1050 rubles. Winter ski passes (judging by the price list at the checkout) were as follows: for 1 day - 1600 rubles, 2 days - 2840, 3 - 3910 rubles. Very sincere, compared to Krasnopolyansk prices.

The rise begins at 1590, which is already quite a lot. The first stage of the cable car - up to 2277 meters - is a gondola, i.e. 8-seater closed cabins. And the view of the valley from them is like this:

At 2277 meters you can walk a little, take photos and gather your courage. If you are afraid of heights, there will be a chair lift next.

If you like hand-made souvenirs, then here you will also find great shopping:

And before boarding the chair, you should warm yourself up - the temperature at the top will be 10 degrees lower than in the valley. So take advantage of your last chance.

We go to the chair. Of course, there are no queues for boarding now.

We rise higher and higher. So the snow appeared on the highway. There are no snow cannons visible, which means it’s a natural product, as they say.

As I found out later, after returning from Dombay, an artificial snowmaking system had already been purchased and will appear on ski slopes resort "Dombay" in December 2018, at the beginning of the new winter season.

In the meantime, let's admire the natural beauties. The landscapes are simply breathtaking! Is it possible to put this into words?

True, the sight of people riding in oncoming seats is a little alarming - they are wrapped in clothes, like the Germans near Moscow:

But after Elbrus, which greeted us with a snowstorm, we are no longer afraid of anything.

Why is it worth taking the cable car in summer?

Dombay Glade and the mountains surrounding it are legendary places. For climbers, Dombay is generally a cult place. It was with them, climbers, that the development of the area began back in pre-war years. The skiers arrived later. But it is for their sake that money is now being invested in the region’s infrastructure.

Although it is the old recognizable species that remain business card Dombaya. Like, for example, that hotel in the shape of a “flying saucer”:

In this regard, local guides will definitely tell you the legend of how aliens once landed at this place, and they liked it so much that they changed their minds about flying away and parked their “ship” here forever... Well, looking at the panoramas of these mountains, you willingly believe it.

At the same time, I note to myself that trails in Dombay not difficult: quite wide and not too steep in slope.

We are approaching 3035 meters above sea level. It’s certainly cool here, and warm clothes come in handy. You can go another 200 m higher on a chairlift. But for now we decide to look around here.

First, we go to capture the excellent view of Mount Belalakaya:

If you, like us, have seen many mountain resorts during your tourist life, and your archive contains 100,500 photos with mountain views, then this inscription will remind you exactly where you enjoyed the panoramas of snow-capped peaks.

There are simple cafes here, where skiers apparently dine.

Tourists with pretensions will definitely not be enthusiastic about visiting such “authentic” establishments. I’m not even talking about the toilet, which hangs over the abyss (note that the cost of visiting is 30 rubles):

There are also about a dozen different souvenir stalls here - what if you urgently need that cute hat with ears to be completely happy?

But this is understandable, everything is as it should be. Where there are tourists, there are souvenirs.

But we still don’t understand what this guy was doing at the ski resort with two machine guns in his arms:

We let him go ahead and wait for the next chair. We decided not to climb another 200 meters: everything was drowned in a cloud, visibility was zero, and we were not in the mood for completely freezing on the chair.

On the way down, a piercing wind blows in your face. But we still manage to take a couple more beautiful shots:

Below we are overtaken by a feeling of hunger, and in search of food we go to the other side of the river, across the bridge:

How much does it cost to eat in Dombay?

On the other side of the river we find tightly packed shopping arcades and a couple of cafes.

Prices for food in Dombay in summer and winter are almost the same and depend on the level of the establishment. The khychins we love cost from 100 rubles in a cafe, from 130-200 in a restaurant. The main fillings are meat, potatoes, cottage cheese or soft cheese with herbs. But you can’t guess with them: they can serve small ones, with the fillings the cat cried, or, on the contrary, they can bring such ones that you can fill up with this one snack.

The main dishes include: river and lake trout (from 250 rubles per serving, usually one large fish), mountain and Karachay meat cost the same. A kettle of mountain tea with honey or jam - from 150 rubles. Lagman and shurpa usually start from 150 rubles per serving. In general, you can eat in a cafe from 500 rubles for two.

What to see in the vicinity of Dombay

And we begin to desperately regret that we did not take a couple more days to visit Dombay...

Some attractions are accessible by our car - roads are built to them. However, the mountain roads cannot be traveled by bus, so there are no large groups of excursionists at these sites. To get to some of them, as we were told, we would have to walk along picturesque mountain paths.

All in all, summer rest in Dombay it can be very, very diverse; there is no shortage of excursions and entertainment.

Prices for some activities: ATV rental - about 2000 rubles; horseback riding - from 1000 rubles per person; fishing - from 500 rubles

There is one caveat: many natural beauty Teberda Biosphere Reserve, in addition, the border with Abkhazia passes nearby. Therefore, the scheme here is the same as in Krasnaya Polyana: if you go on these routes, you will have to apply for a pass to the border zone. Previously, it had to be done in advance (2-3 days in advance) in Cherkessk, but now you can get it directly from the forester on the route. But you need to have your passport with you and fill out a form. This is done for free.

But the trails in the reserve are paid. The cost of passage is 100-150 rubles. Agree, this is not much, if all these lakes and waterfalls are really as beautiful as in the photos in tourist brochures.

Where to stay in Dombay

There are quite a lot of guest houses and hotels in Dombay. They all differ from each other in the level of accommodation and the quality of services provided. However, all Dombay hotels are famous for Caucasian hospitality and home comfort. Price levels in the summer and winter months are, of course, different.

In the off-season, a double standard can be found from 1,300 rubles; in winter, room rates in most hotels start from 2,000 rubles. Modest apartments cost from 2 thousand rubles, higher levels - from 4 thousand. As a rule, prices increase even more for the New Year.

We vacationed in Dombay in the off-season (May 2018) and, choosing options for ourselves, looked at the following hotels:

• Chateau Leopard
• Hotel National
• Crystal Hotel
• Meridian
• Andersen Hotel
• Hotel Gonachkhir

If you need something simpler, you can check out these options:

• Hotel Sokol
• Crown of Dombay
• Star
• Altair-Dombay
• Sky Hotel
• Hotel Stella

If you do not want to organize your holiday in Dombay yourself, then you can buy a ready-made tour.

All hands on deck!

In general, if you plan your vacation in Dombay not in ski season(and it lasts here from December to April), get ready for dizzying mountain trails and incredible adventures. And take at least a week for your vacation!

Because now, having returned from this region, I have already made a whole list of why I want to return there. If you are also a supporter of active recreation, then these places will also captivate you...

I look forward to your comments and questions.

See you on the blog!

If earlier Russian tourists chose a quiet and slightly lazy holiday in warm countries, then that's it now more people prefer leisure and unity with nature.

Dombay fits these characteristics perfectly. This beautiful place in Karachay-Cherkessia in the Teberda basin in the North Caucasus. Dombay combines picturesque nature, a ski resort and adventure. You can go to Dombay at any time of the year. But experienced travelers prefer to go there in the cold season.

What to see in Dombay in winter? We'll tell you in this article.

A little about winter Dombay

Winter in Dombay is mild and cozy: there are no severe frosts - the temperature is from 0 to -2 degrees, there is a dense layer of snow all around - 2-2.5 meters. The snowy splendor lasts from December to March.

Despite the favor of the cold season, some attractions of Dombay become inaccessible in winter. In cold weather you cannot climb the glacier or go to the waterfalls. But at the same time, the ski season begins, which compensates for all this.

Ski holidays in Dombay

The ski season in Dombay lasts from December to March. Some manage to ski until April, but according to reviews at this time the snow is already stale, heavy and sticky. February and March are considered the most favorable.

And here best places Riding options vary depending on level. Of all the trails, those on the southwestern slopes of Mount Mussa-Achitara are suitable for beginners. The track there is calm, without sharp changes. “Red” and “black” slopes for experienced skiers are located lower down the slope.

In addition to slopes of varying steepness and complexity, on Mount Mussa-Achitara you can enjoy stunning views of the Teberda valley and. And also delicious food - next to each of the five ski lifts there are cafes, bars and kebab shops with local food. Interestingly, the higher you go, the cheaper the food will be.

Nature of Dombay and hiking

In winter, it is best to go to Dombay for those who are interested in alpine skiing. But if you love nature and hiking and you have the opportunity to go to Dombay in the cold season, then you shouldn’t refuse. Of course, snow and slight frosts make many hiking trails inaccessible, but there are still places to walk.

Conventionally, winter trails can be divided into those that are simpler and those that are more difficult. If you are not confident in your abilities, then go to the already mentioned Mount Mussa-Achitara - you can get there using a lift.

If you don’t mind walking a little, then go to the Dombay-Ulgen gorge. The road is simple and short, and its first section can be covered by chairlift cable car. Once there, you can ride horses, go to the Reserve and walk through the coniferous forest to Russkaya Polyana. At the final point, a panoramic view of the Musa-Achitara ridge and the Main Caucasian Ridge opens.

For even more vivid impressions For winter beauty and spectacular photographs, go to the Gonachkhir gorge. A short steep climb, a leisurely walk and from the gorge you will reach Lake Tumanly-Kel.

Are you ready for the challenge? Visit Devil's Mill Canyon. It is called the most interesting winter route. The passage to the canyon lies through the Teberdinsky State Natural Park Biosphere Reserve. Entrance there is paid, but the amount is rather symbolic - about 100 rubles.

Once inside, you will follow a marked trail along the Amanauz River. You will be accompanied by snow bridges over the river, frozen mountain streams, scree and beautiful views of Dombay.

Mandatory program: what to see in Dombay?

What to see in Dombay in winter? Of course, to the panoramic views of Teberda, Elbrus and the Main Caucasus Range. To a real coniferous forest with frosty and clean air. To the frozen wonders of nature. On the lungs mountain roads and mesmerizing narrow paths.

Any place in Dombay will be wonderful. The main thing is to be there.

Nature of Dombay

The nature of Dombay is rich and unique. The mountain forests covering the slopes are magnificent. Below it is mainly park-type beech with an admixture of hornbeam, ash, and maple; above, there are mighty tall beeches with several girths, slender, majestic fir, and occasionally there is a relict yew, more than a thousand years old - the once famous soft tree with dark noble wood . Higher up there are wet spruce-fir forests with special Pontic spruce, and on the dry granite slopes there are forests of pine-fir composition. Even higher there are thickets of mountain maples, birch, rowan, many shrubs - hazel, honeysuckle, azaleas, barberry, rose hips, euonymus. In the upper floor of the forest zone and in the clearings there are thickets of rhododendrons and junipers, a lot of berries - raspberries, currants, wild gooseberries, blueberries, lingonberries and strawberries.

And on Saturday alpine meadows with grass reaching two meters in height, and low-grass alpine meadows - a kingdom of flowers. There are many hundreds of species here. Different, completely different from each other. Some species have been known since ancient times and came from afar, others were born and preserved only here. Among the plants there are many “true Caucasians”. The thickets of Caucasian rhododendron are magnificent, a creeping shrub with strong glossy leaves and lush large inflorescences, with subtle shades of delicate moist petals. Herbaceous plants are innumerable. A characteristic flower of the highlands, gentiana comes in many variations, from azure blue and ultramarine to pale lilac, pink and white.

There are numerous primroses, anemones, bright saffron, and bluebells. The delicate crimson alpine daisy and mountain asters, crocuses and tulip-like hazel grouse are beautiful. Many species of saxifrage and succulents adorn the heated rocks. Even the stones in the forest and alpine meadows seem to be in bloom, colored with a wide variety of mosses and lichens. The fantastically colorful alpine carpets of Dombay are also one of its main treasures.

It is this diversity of vegetation, fauna, glaciers and peaks, the unique nature of these places that caused the creation of Teberdinsky in 1936 state reserve, in which the Dombay section is given a special, very important place. The reserve carries out extensive environmental and scientific work, carrying out extensive experiments on the acclimatization of plants and animals new to the area. Experiments have shown, for example, that ginseng takes root and is cultivated well here, and the sika deer, raccoon dog and Altai squirrel have already been acclimatized. Much attention is also paid to conservation and reproduction rare species animals and birds.

In the forest zone of Dombay there are numerous wild boars and Caucasian deer, roe deer and lynx, stone and pine martens, squirrels, brown bears and wolves; chamois and Caucasian black grouse hang out at the upper boundaries of the forest; among the rocks and stone placers there are partridges, mountain turkey - snowcock and a magnificent animal of the upper mountain belt - the Caucasian tur. Eagles and noisy alpine jackdaws are common here. In the rivers, piercing the tight transparent streams, beautiful trout quickly overcome the rapids, and on the smooth river boulders, here and there, a small white-breasted bird suddenly appears and disappears, fearlessly diving into the stormy stream. This dipper forages for food at the bottom of wild mountain rivers.

The bright spring sun gives birth to thousands of ringing streams from granular melted snow, the young greenery of the first grasses covers the slopes awakening from winter sleep, the trees bloom, cheerful bird trills sound in the clear blue sky, the peaks of the mountains shed their snow-white clothes, the spring festival sparkles with colors. Summer brings lush green foliage, the thunder of rainbow-colored waterfalls, carpets of flowers, forest rustles, azure sunrises and regal sunsets. The life-giving air spreads with subtle aromas through the gorges, the sun's rays are crushed in the edges of the rocks and turquoise blocks of the icefalls. Autumn gives birth to a riot of colors and transparency of distances. As if by magic, huge yellowed meadows are covered overnight with a continuous soft lilac cover of billions of crocuses, and the morning grasses sparkle with sparkles of frost. The fabulous winter forest captivates with the play of sun glare and the diamond dust of collapsing snow caps, and the crystal purity of the graying peaks captivates the eye. Thick, silent snowfalls of myriads of large soft flakes give way to dazzlingly sunny days, and untouched snow lights up with a scattering of diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies.