Dagestan Weekly Tour

Meeting the group at Uitash airport in Makhachkala city (till 11 a.m. Moscow Time) and departure for the Sulak Canyon.

You will have the first stopover at the Chirkey dam lake. You are encouraged to start your photo album here, capturing the stunning views of local wilderness.

Then, you will climb the “Dubki” viewing deck (at the altitude of 1,920 m above sea) and feast your eyes from an eagle’s eye view upon the ‘pearl of Dagestan’ -the Sulak Canyon. You will also go speedboating afterwards.

Next, a delicious lunch with freshly-caught trout awaits you at a restaurant in the “Glavryba’ eco-complex.

After a short rest, you will set off to explore the Sarykum Dune, the amazing and largest sand dune in Europe. It was there that the legendary film “The White Sun of the Desert’ was shot.

Transfer to Makhachkala.

Hotel accommodation.

Breakfast in the hotel.

You will go through the Gimri tunnel (the longest in Russia- 4,303 m!) and magnificent Irganay dam lake to explore the Tsolotle Canyon, which literally splits the Khunzakh Plateau in half. Two waterfalls formed by the Tobot and Itlyatlyar rivers, rush into the canyon.

Next, you will visit the Matlas plateau located at 1,800 m above sea level, as well as the famous Matlas stone bowl – a unique place of fantastic beauty and energy.

You will have lunch at Lake Mochokh and see the sunset at Gunib (also known as Gotsatli) dam lake.

In the evening, you will be offered a wonderful dinner and rest at the “Eagle’s Nest’ holiday camp in the village of Gunib (or hosted by the natives at the guest-house in Chalda village).

After a hearty breakfast, you will head for the legendary aul (village) of Gunib and get acquainted with the history of the Great Caucasian War. At all times the picturesque outskirts of Gunib inspired artists and poets, like Ivan Aivazovsky and Rasul Gamzatov.

Then, you will visit the republican natural landmark – the underground Salti Waterfall.

Next, we will drive to the village of Chokh, which resembles the Italian Positano. The traditional highland architecture is still preserved there and represented by stepped buildings rising on steep mountain slopes.

After lunch hosted by local residents, you will move on to meet the famous aul of Gamsutl situated at the height of almost 1,500 m.

Those who wish to feel the distinctive aura of the abandoned alpine village should be ready for trekking taking almost an hour. The village is inaccessible by car.

Return for the overnight stay at the ‘Eagle’s Nest’ holiday camp (or the guest-house if earlier opted for).

After delicious breakfast, you will set out for the Karadakh gorge popularly called as ‘Gate of Miracles’. The unique natural landmark of 2 - 5 meters wide and 150 meters high in rocks will strike you by its horror and delight mix.

You can get over the emotional outburst on the way to Kakhib, one of the oldest villages in Dagestan. The ancient Kakhib-Bakdab and its militant towers date back to the 13th-10th centuries. Ancient Kakhib was also known as an unassailable fortress throughout the Caucasus. Only once did the Tatar-Mongols manage to seize it. Afer that tragedy, the highlanders erected watch towers right above the abyss near the village, and henceforth, only a single bridge across the canyon connected Kakhib with the outer world.

Hosted lunch at highlanders’.

Another abandoned village of Goor is a 15-minute-drive away. Goor artfully complementing the mountainous landscape, impresses with its preserved defensive towers and exciting history.

In a 30 minute-drive from Goor, there’s an orchard with an alpine stream and an old stone bridge across it. You can find there a historical monument of the 9th century- the old church of Datuna built by Georgian missionaries.

Finally, we set off to the city of Derbent situated on the Caspian seashore.

Hotel accommodation.

The morning starts with breakfast at the hotel restaurant.

Then, we take an excursion to the Naryn-Kala Citadel and fully immerse in the fascinating history of the fortress.

Next, you will take a walk tour of the Old City streets (magals). You are going to see the Ancient Juma Mosque (recently entered in the UNESCO World Heritage list), Maiden Baths complex, Peter’s House (dugout of Peter I), overnight camp of Peter I during the Persian campaign.

At the end of excursion, you will have lunch of national cuisine at the Silk Road restaurant offering a panoramic view of Derbent.

Upon return to the hotel, you can enjoy your free time relaxing after 4 busy days or walking along the seafront, and visiting Derbent market.

After breakfast, you will set out for an excursion to Kubachi village, the homeland of world-famous jewelers and woodcarvers. Silver items are especially popular here. You will have a chance to attend a master class in silver-work in one of the local households. The Kubachi will host you lunch and tell some interesting stories.

Then, you will visit Kala-Koreish, the capital of the largest medieval fiefdom- Kaitag utsmiystvo. It’s located 8 kilometers away from Kubachi.

 Finally, you will return to Derbent for the overnight stay. 

Early breakfast.

Transfer to Makhachkala.

Sightseeing tour of the southern outpost of Russia. You will walk through the old part of the town along the first streets of Port-Petrovsk. You will visit the central square, see the monuments and architecture of the old town. You will learn about famous Dagestanis who lived in Makhachkala city at different times, as well as some interesting facts about the city’s tradition and customs. You will hear about Chaliapin, Voroshilov and Smoktunovsky’s pastime in the Dagestani capital. You can then shop in the market for some edible souvenirs.

Airport transfer.

Departure (after 18.00).