Acquaintance with the Chechen Republic

13:10 - meeting at the airport, hotel accommodation.

Lunch time (not covered by the tour package).

14.30 Excursion ‘Grozny: from history to the future’. Sightseeing city tour. You will visit Michael the Archangel Church, Flower Park, climb a viewing deck in the Grozny City skyscraper complex, the unparalleled Heart of Chechnya Mosque, and walk along Mahmud Esambaev avenue towards the Alley of Glory memorial complex and A. Kadyrov Museum.

Free time.

9:30 Excursion to Lake Kezenoy-Am (107 km). It is approximately 3 hour-drive away from Grozny.

The route to the lake lies through the village of Kharachoy, a village of remarkable location and history. From time immemorial, a road connecting Chechnya and Dagestan runs through the village.

You will stop at the monument to legendary Abrek (guerilla warrior) Zelimkhan adjacent to the Maid’s Plait Waterfall.

To approach the lake, you need to overpass the Andean ridge. The road continues along the woodless right slope of Hulhulau River canyon.

Lunch at a restaurant in the Kezenoy-Am complex.

Just 2 km away from the western creek of Lake Kezenoy-Am, there is an ancient settlement of Khoy (‘Guards’ in Chechen). It is a fortified city-fortress built to guard the area crossed by the Great Silk Road at the time. Its militant and flag towers loom over a deep ravine. The mountain slopes are furrowed here with dozens of ancient man-made agricultural terraces.

Return to the city.

10:00 Transfer to the southern Chechnya touring the Argun Gorge.

An old road hacked out in limestone rocks, leads up the gorge of the turbulent Chanty-Argun River through the passes to Khevsuretia and Georgia. The Argun gorge stretches up to 148 km, where you can find one of the largest game reserves in Chechnya and the Caucasus, including plenty of cultural and natural monuments, as well as architectural ones dating back to Middle Ages and even BC times.

First, you will stop near the Nikhaloy Waterfalls and have lunch at the namesake tourist base located next to the waterfalls in a picturesque place.

The excursion further continues towards the village of Itum-Kali.

On the way, you will pass by the amazing ancient twin-towers. Built into the rock-cut, they are situated on the right bank of the Chanty-Argun River in the area between Guchum-Kale and Ushkaloy villages in Itum-Kali district. They are four-storeyed and 12 meters high. Allegedly, they used to serve as customs at the entrance to the gorge, as the Great Silk Road used to pass the area.

Lunch time.

In Itum Kali, you will have an exciting tour of the museum of local lore named after Husein Isaev. It is located on the territory of medieval castle complex of Pkhakoch, which is a fascinating attraction. The museum exhibits ancient weapons, utensils, artefacts, working tools dating over 100 years.

Return to Grozny.

10.00 Benoy tour.

Yassi River. “Ahki Tai’ route.

Benoy village is regarded as an ancestral homeland of the largest Chechen teip (clan)- benoy, as well as Akhmat-Khadji Kadyrov, the first President of Chechen Republic. You can find a lot of landmarks in the district, but the major ones fall under the route “Ahki-Tai’ running along the twisty path through the mysterious Benoy forest right to the mouth of the Yassi River. The latter is so crystal clear and stormy that its water-spray can purify your thoughts and fill your body with vivacity and natural energy.

The bright blue water flows in a powerful stream under the glass bridge and smoothing the stones runs into the ravine above which azure pavilions and walkways have been built for guests. From there, you can endlessly admire the waterfalls hiding from sun in the shade of massive tree crowns.

Nearby, there is an ethnographic village called Shira-Bena. Visitors can familiarize themselves with the rural life and enjoy a panoramic view of the entire area. The local scenery resembles alpine Switzerland.

Lunch at the Shira-Bena restaurant.

Return to the city. Free time.

Breakfast. Check-out by 12.00 pm.

Free time, airport transfer.