What kind of trees are in Dombai? Golden autumn in the Dombay mountains. Mountains of Dombay. Dombay glade from the top of Mussa-Achitara

In the small territory of the Dombay Valley and the Elbrus region, almost the entire fauna and flora of Russia is collected, all climatic and landscape zones of our country are represented. In addition, rare animals live here that are not found anywhere else. Gradually, issues of natural environment conservation are becoming increasingly important, which is reflected in legislative framework, work is underway to breed and preserve animals that initially did not live in this area, but have adapted to the new climate.

For this purpose, new reserves and hunting reserves are appearing. For example, since 1976, the Kabardino-Balkan Nature Reserve has been operating with an area of ​​53,300 hectares, located in the upper reaches of the Chegem rivers (the right tributary of the Baksan), Cherek Bizengisky and Cherek Balkarsky. The Chegem Valley, as the Kabardino-Balkarian Nature Reserve is sometimes called, is located on the border with the Elbrus region.

As a result, the Elbrus region is surrounded state reserves- from the east by North Ossetian and Kabardino-Balkarian, and from the west by Teberda. The Elbrus region plays the role of a buffer zone, which relieves the tourist load from nature reserves and serves as a “guard” of unique natural areas. If in nature reserves any kind of recreation is prohibited, then in the Elbrus region it is possible to create a strictly limited number of roads, lay out some routes and equip several parking lots. Thus, tourists can get to know these most interesting places, admire the unique “pattern” of forests and meadows on the surrounding mountains. Hunting reserves and forestries are obliged to strictly monitor compliance with the standards.

The Central Caucasus is classified as a region with a temperate continental climate, where the altitudinal zone is clearly defined, and the plant and climatic zones are separated by Mother Nature herself. The boundaries are easy to detect even with the naked eye. The lowest belt, stretching from the clearing to an altitude of 2,000 - 2,400 meters, consists of forests: fir, spruce (up to 45-50 meters high), on the southern slopes diluted with oaks, aspens, birches and maples. There are also fruit forests consisting of cherry plum, sloe, cherry and apple trees, clearings overgrown with hazel and honeysuckle, gooseberries, barberries, currants and raspberries. Here you can collect all sorts of mushrooms: russula, boletus, champignons, chanterelles, subsoil and oak, as well as coral mushroom, which is considered one of the “identifying signs” of Dombay and whose cap sometimes reaches 0.5 meters in diameter, although in other places it regular sizes. The special microclimate is “responsible” for the fact that the flowers and herbs familiar to us simply grow to unrecognizable sizes.

The next zone is subalpine meadows, which stretch to an altitude of 2,600 meters above sea level. Next come the alpine meadows, where the grass grows up to two meters in height, and in contrast to them are the alpine low-grass meadows, which attract attention with bright scatterings of flowers, in particular rhododendron and gentian. In spring and summer, the mountain slopes seem to be covered with a patchwork quilt of bright floral spots.

Mountains

The most famous and most high mountain Europe and Russia - Elbrus, whose western peak is at an altitude of 5,642 meters, and its eastern peak - 5,621 meters above sea level - is located precisely in these unique places. Elbrus is a volcanic massif of gigantic size and stands out strongly from the general system of mountains. This is what determines the originality and uniqueness of the climate, landscape and relief in this region. The thickness of the glaciers on Elbrus reaches 400 meters, the total area of ​​glaciation is about 150 square kilometers.

Among the attractions of the Elbrus region are magnificent gorges, which are located above 2,000 meters above sea level: Adyr-Su, Adyl-Su, Terskol, Baksan, Yusengi. Each gorge is a separate natural object, which has a high degree of attractiveness for tourists.

The largest gorge is considered Baksan, where most tourist routes and through which the path to Elbrus, the gray-haired patriarch of the Caucasus, runs. It is here, in the upper reaches of Baksan, its tributaries Adylsu, Irik and in the Malki valley that mineral springs, having different chemical compositions and used in the treatment of various diseases.

Dombay

The Dombay mountain resort is the real “heart of the Caucasus”, surrounded by mountains and fir forests. The unique beauty of this area lies in the combination of dark pine forests and bright green alpine meadows, interspersed with stormy rivers, waterfalls, snow-white caps of eternal snow and dazzling glaciers. The cover of the earth's surface created by nature cannot be restored even approximately by human hands.

The Dombay resort is located in the luxurious Teberda Nature Reserve, created back in 1936. The living museum of nature harmoniously combines majestic and profound mountains overgrown with forests and meadows, swift mountain rivers and picturesque roaring waterfalls, incredibly beautiful alpine lakes and lush coastal vegetation. total area reserve - 85 thousand hectares, which are located on the northern side of the Main Caucasus Range.

There are 43 species of mammals living in the Teberdinsky Nature Reserve, the most recognizable and most widespread of which is the “symbol” of Dombay - the Caucasian stone goat (or West Caucasian tur). The main decoration of this animal is considered to be large saber-shaped horns (up to 1 meter long and up to 30 cm wide). Goats are the best adapted to life in the mountains; every cell of their body is best suited to such living conditions.

The second “pride” of the reserve is the bison, which is considered the largest wild animal in Europe. This animal was practically exterminated during the Second World War; only a few specimens remained in zoos, although initially there were entire herds of bison in these mountains. Now they are trying to revive bison in the reserve. Actually, in Karachay the word “bison” sounds like “dombay”, hence the name of the resort itself. This is where the name comes from high point Dombaya - Dombay-Yolgen, which is translated, according to one version, as “killed bison”, and according to another, it is named after a skilled hunter who killed a bison alone.

In the forest zone of Dombay there are wild boars and Caucasian deer, lynx and roe deer, jackals and foxes, stone and pine martens, brown bears and squirrels, and wolves. Caucasian grouse and chamois are often found near the upper borders. By spring, the forests are “densely populated” with birds: mountain turkey (sular), partridges, eagles, jackdaws and other “tree dwellers.” The rivers are so transparent that you can see how the trout fights the current and overcomes the rapids. The dipper is “hunting” right there - a small bird with a white breast, bravely diving straight into the stormy waters.

One of the areas in which work is being carried out in the reserve is experiments on the acclimatization of animals and plants that have not lived in the area before. So, now ginseng is cultivated here, and sika deer, Altai squirrel and raccoon dog are cared for. Efforts to reproduce and preserve rare, endangered species of birds and animals continue.

Dombay is a region untouched nature, snowy tops of mountains and forests. Athletes and walkers flock here. The Dombay Valley, where the resort village is located, is surrounded by mountain ranges. On the southern side it is the Main Caucasian Range, on the eastern side - the Dombay-Ulgen gorge, on the northern side - the Amanauz gorge and the Alibek gorge on the western side.

And to make it easier to navigate, below is a list of all the attractions of Dombay with photos and descriptions.

It occupies an area of ​​85 thousand hectares on the northern slope of the Caucasus Range. The Dombay Valley, where vacationers stay, is southern part Teberda Nature Reserve.

On the territory of the reserve there are many beautiful places, where you should go in your free time. These are mysterious gorges, observation platforms, snowy peaks, glaciers and lakes. There are about 150 lakes in the reserve, and the famous one is Lake Klukhorskoye. It is located at an altitude of 2676 m above sea level and is covered with ice almost all year round.

A main river reserve - Teberda is associated with legends and stories. According to one of them, the name means “God’s gift.”

Amanauz Gorge

Translated from Karachay, “Aman” means evil, and “auz” means mouth. This is what the ancient inhabitants of the Dombay valley called it. The fact is that the Amanauz River flows through the entire gorge. The water crashing against the rocks makes a loud roar. It was believed that this was an evil spirit and the residents did not dare to go to the gorge.

The passage through the gorge is quite narrow and is surrounded by the peaks of the Belalakaya Mountains and Theater Peak. Even in summer, light barely penetrates here, and there are snow islands on rivers and slopes.

A walk along the gorge starts from the resort village of Dombay, goes along the river and ends on a cliff. From the cliff there is a view of the stormy Amanauz River, which makes its way into a narrow gorge.

Each attraction in Dombay is unique. But it is worth highlighting the Murudzhinsky lakes in the valley of the Ullu-Murudzhu River at an altitude of 3000 m. The lakes include 15 reservoirs, but tourists tend to see only two. You can only get to the lakes on foot, but it is better to resort to the help of a guide and allocate two days for the walk with an overnight stay.

Blue Murudzhinskoye Lake differs from other lakes in its size. The diameter is 500 m, and the depth is about 52 m. It is called blue due to the color of the water.

From blue lake hiking trail leads to Black Lake. But the water in the lake is not black, but rather dark green. In the vicinity of the lakes, tourists will enjoy amazing landscapes and encounters with wild mountain goats.

Sentinsky Temple

This is a Christian temple, which is located on the territory of the village of Nizhnyaya Teberda. Although the temple dates back to 965, it is in relatively good condition. Inside the building you can see the remains of a fresco, and a stone mausoleum was built next to it.

The temple is considered one of the oldest buildings in Alanya.

Or Baduki in simple speech. They are a cascade of three lakes on the Baduk River. You can get to the lakes in 3 hours, so the trip to them will take one day without an overnight stay. It’s worth visiting the Baduk Lakes in the fall. Around the lakes there are pine and birch thickets, which fill with colors in autumn.

The first lake in the cascade is small. The water does not warm up above 5⁰C. There is a path along the left bank of the river to the second lake. A gazebo for relaxation and picnic was built next to the lake. You can get to the third lake in two ways. The third lake is the largest of the cascade and is located at an altitude of 1990 m above sea level.

Alibek glacier and waterfall

One of the most popular and must-visit places. The glacier viewpoint is easily accessible, and along the way there are many trails to other attractions.

The route to Alibek starts from the camp site of the same name along a forest path. The trail will lead to the Uzun-Tala clearing, from which you will have a view of the glacier and the snowy tops of the mountains. Even on a hot summer day, the glacier is covered with a layer of ice and snow, just like in winter. The Alibek glacier is not the only one in the vicinity of Dombay, but it is the largest. Unfortunately, the area of ​​the glacier has been decreasing over the years, but it never ceases to amaze tourists with its power and contrast to the green forests and meadows.

Returning from the glacier back, you will meet a sign to the Alibek waterfall. The path to it is easy and will take no more than half an hour. The waterfall is 25 meters high and falls from smooth stones called “ram’s foreheads”. Alibek waterfall is powerful and loud, the spray from it reaches tourists a couple of kilometers from the waterfall.

Chuchkhur waterfall

This waterfall was formed from the Chuchkhur River. It descends from the Chuchkhur gorge to the Dombay-Ulgen gorge. The waterfall has three cascades that are easily accessible. The path starts from the village from the Crocus department. First you will pass Leah's glade, and then Russian glade. It will offer the first view of the waterfall. After the Russian Glade the trail will branch. Turning right leads to the gorge, and turning left leads to the Chuchkhur waterfall. The road to the waterfall will lie through alpine and subalpine meadows. Along the way you will encounter stone blocks higher than 5 meters, which were brought to the meadows by descending glaciers thousands of years ago.

The waterfall consists of three cascades. First, the trail leads to the middle cascade, from it you can climb to the upper one, but the path there is more difficult and it’s not worth going in rainy weather. Opening from the upper cascade panoramic view to the top of Dombay-Ulgen (4046 m).

Another local attraction that is worth visiting during your holiday in Dombay. It is better to combine a walk to the Devil's Mill with a walk to the Amanauz gorge. There are signs to the waterfall. The main thing is not to get lost with it and not to go beyond the signs indicating the border zone.

During the hike to the Devil's Mill you will come across many small waterfalls and streams. These are all the results of melting glaciers. The waterfall itself passes through a narrow crevice in the shape of the letter S. The water falls along a steep inclined surface, forming a mill of jets. Near the Devil's Mill there is a small Observation deck on a steep cliff. Therefore, you should be extremely careful while walking.

The peak of Dombay-Ulgen captivates the attention of tourists at any time of the year. In summer, the icy tops bathe in the rays of the bright sun; in winter, the reflections of sunset can be seen on the snow cover. And in autumn, when the entire forest becomes colorful, the mountain looks even brighter and more contrasting. All year round the tops of the mountains are shrouded in snow and ice. The rapid Teberda River originates from the Ulgen glaciers and descends to the village.

You can look at Mount Dombay-Ulgen from anywhere in the village. This mountain is the highest in the Western Caucasus. The mountain consists of three peaks with heights: 4046 m, 4036 m and 3950 m. A ridge extends from the main and high peak, which is popularly called the “Dombay saddle”.

The lake is located not far between the Alibek and Bilingual glacier. If the hike to it is combined with a walk to the waterfall, you will have to return to the Alibek camp site and follow the signs to the lake. The trail will not be difficult, but in some places you will have to cross mountain rivers on bridges and walk along kurumniks. Kurumnik is a mound of stones, fragments of rocks and rocks.

Turje Lake is of glacial origin. The water there is bright blue and until mid-summer is covered with a layer of ice. Only the bravest travelers dare to swim in Lake Turye. Mountain goats, called aurochs, are often found near the lake. It was they who gave the name to this lake.

What else to see in Dombay

In addition to the listed attractions, there are many more places to visit in Dombay. No one will have the question “What to do?” and “What to do?”

The village of Dombay is completely unique. The immoderate accumulation of endless hotels, inns and shops, stuck on top of each other, as if in an anthill and displacing the last remnant of the relict forest on the Dombay glade, has undoubtedly spoiled it. They themselves don’t deny it. local residents. But what is the view of the mountains like?! Monsters at 4000 m with eternal glaciers approach closely and nobly allow themselves to be seen without interruption from civilization. Plus a cable car. For people with disabilities For those who want to revere this natural power and breathe in the fresh mountain air, it is difficult to imagine a more convenient place.

Dombayskaya Polyana, village. Dombay (Bison with Karach.) Above the village, the Alibek Valley stretches to the peaks

Dombay village. Ahead there is a view of the Amanauz valley (Evil Mouth), with the peak and tooth of Sufrudju, 3781 m. and 3600 m. (Sufruju - Tiger's Fang)

On the left is Ine Peak, (Igla), 3455 m. on the right is Mount Dzhuguturluchat (Turs' Pasture), 3921 m. In the middle is the Dzhuguturluchat glacier.

Teberda River ( Comfortable spot). Clean, big, wide

Cable car from the village. Dombay to the Mussa-Achitara ridge

Views from the cable car. Embodied power and splendor...

For lovers of more active rest Dombay also has all the conditions, especially in summer. In winter there is nothing for a tourist to do here, there is not much to go anywhere, everything is covered with snow. At this time, Dombay is a Mecca for skiers. And the price of housing during this main season soars 10 times. And in the summer - grace. Housing is plentiful, and you can find quite cheap and comfortable accommodation from private owners. In 2013, Koshka and I rented a one-room apartment with all the amenities for 700 rubles. per day. Cheaper than in our Mezmay. The main “mattress” routes are lined with “elephant” paths, so it’s impossible to get lost. Navigating them is a piece of cake. There are descriptions on the internet. Therefore, it is completely unclear why, under these conditions, resort to the services of guides, because of an irresistible desire to part with extra money, or what? The only caveat is the need for a border pass. Otherwise, you will have to limit yourself to the cable car and trampling in the immediate vicinity of the village.

Amanauz Valley. Ahead, behind the lake, is the Amanauz glacier.

The end of the glacier, from under which a fully formed river bursts out in a stormy stream.

Alibek waterfall

Top of the waterfall. To imagine the scale of the phenomenon, it is worth paying attention to the little man standing above on the rock, to the right of the water discharge.

The first time I met a real Russian red fly agaric was in... Karachay-Cherkessia.

Alibek glacier. The photo absolutely does not convey the atmosphere and color of true reality. You need to see this with your own eyes

Turye Lake against the backdrop of the Alibek Glacier

View from reverse side, against the backdrop of Mount Semenov-Bashi, 3602 m.

Valley of the Ptysh River. On the right is the long and gently airy waterfall Maiden's Braids. The horns of Dombay-Ulgen stick out above.

Ptysh glacier

Overnight at the Ptysh glacier

Blueberry. There's plenty of it here in August. Like raspberries

"Valley, wonderful valley...". Klukhorskoye Gorge. A heavenly place. beautiful river, gorgeous meadows along the shore.

Lake Tuman-Ly Kol, or Trout Lake, is located in the Klukhor valley. The water warms up to 20-22 degrees. You can swim and dive in smaller sizes. Plus there is a highway nearby. Therefore, it goes without saying that it is equipped for a picnic holiday.

Baduk lakes, by analogy with the Murudzhinsky lakes, are located on the territory of the Teberda Nature Reserve, almost reaching the village. Dombay. But unlike Muruju, these lakes rest lower, in the forest zone. Like our Kardyvach. Their significant advantage is that they are quite close to each other and to the highway: an hour and a half walk. Cool lakes.

Along the way, we cross the Khadzhibey River along the logs (Prince who visited Mecca for the Hajj)

First Baduk Lake

Near the medium-sized and second-largest lake, right on the shore, in a centuries-old forest, there is a cozy clearing with a fireplace. The trees come close to the water. If on high mountain lakes, where there are only stones and grass around, there is often nowhere to hide from the scorching sun during the day, then here are all the conditions for a comfortable rest and overnight stay. Peace, tranquility and harmony reign around. I don't want to leave.

Second Badukskoye

The second lake against the backdrop of the Devil's Castle, 3300 m.

Third Baduk Lake

Goodbye, Dombay, fairyland of castles Snow Queen, more beautiful mountains than which I have never seen...!

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. It is known primarily as a ski resort, but it 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 a very beautiful time of year, 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.

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

The road to 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 at different times of day 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 you had to take up a twig for educational purposes, otherwise the camera and tripod could end up in a stormy environment. mountain river or just fly away 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

We met a domestic alpine cat high in the mountains. 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 it is impossible to get everywhere in a short time, especially taking into account 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 with excursions and vacationers come to the lake. 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.

Gorgeous asphalt road to the Gonachkhir gorge to the side Klukhorsky pass, former Military-Sukhumi 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 Dombai? 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 features of this region- 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 be yours transhipment point, if you go to Dombay not by car, but fly by plane to the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

For a resident big cities Teberda will seem like a 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 either its status as a resort of federal significance or its main advantages. The nature here is still defiantly beautiful, as we have personally seen. And it is through Teberda, just like a hundred years ago, that the only road passes through - the former Military Sukhumi, now the 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, the climbers, that the development of the area began in the 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’s the old ones recognizable species 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 a lot mountain resorts for your tourist age, and in your archive there are 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.

And here's what I did on ski resort this guy with two machine guns in his arms - we still don’t understand:

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:

At the bottom 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 carpenters standing 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 this is one large fish), the same price for mountain-style and Karachay-style meat. 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, by bus mountain roads cannot be passed through, so there are no large groups of tourists at these sites. To some of them, as we were told, we will 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. All of them 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 go up 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!