Dombay is a land of untouched nature, snow-capped mountains and forests. Athletes and lovers of walks come here. The Dombai Valley, on which the resort village is located, is surrounded by mountain ranges. On the south side it is the Main Caucasian ridge, on the east - the Dombai-Ulgen gorge, on the north - the Amanauz gorge and Alibek gorge on the west.

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

Occupies an area of \u200b\u200b85 thousand hectares on the northern slope of the Caucasian ridge. The Dombai Valley, where vacationers stay, is the southern part of the 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 decks, snowy peaks, glaciers and lakes. There are about 150 lakes in the reserve, and the most famous of them is Lake Klukhorskoe. It is located at an altitude of 2676 m above sea level and is covered with ice almost all year round.

And the main river of the reserve, Teberda, is associated with legends and stories. According to one of them, the name means "God's gift".

Amanauz gorge

Translated from Karachai, "Aman" is evil, "aus" is a mouth. This is what the ancient inhabitants of the Dombai valley called it. The fact is that the Amanauz River flows through the entire gorge. The water crashes against the rocks and makes a loud crash. It was believed that this is an evil spirit and the inhabitants did not dare to go to the gorge.

The passage through the gorge is rather narrow and is surrounded by the peaks of the Belalakaya mountains and the Teatralny peak. Even in summer, light hardly penetrates here, and there are snow islands on rivers and slopes.

The walk along the gorge starts from the resort village of Dombay, goes along the river and ends at a cliff. The cliff overlooks the turbulent Amanauz River, which makes its way into a narrow gorge.

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

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

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

Sentin Temple

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

The temple is considered to be one of the oldest buildings on the territory of Alanya.

Or Baduki in simple speech. They represent a cascade of three lakes on the Baduk River. You can get to the lakes in 3 hours, so the hike to them will take one day without spending the night. It is worth going to Baduk Lakes in autumn. Pine and birch thickets grow around the lakes, which are filled with colors in autumn.

The first lake in the cascade is small. The water does not warm up above 5 ° C. To the second lake there is a trail along the left bank of the river. A gazebo for relaxation and picnic was built near the lake. The third lake can be reached 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-see places. The glacier observation deck is easy to reach, and there are many trails to other attractions along the way.

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 glade, from which a view of the glacier and snow-capped mountains opens. Even on a hot summer day, the glacier is covered with a layer of ice and snow, like in winter. Alibek glacier is not the only one in the vicinity of Dombai, but the largest. Unfortunately, over the years, the glacier area decreases, but it never ceases to amaze tourists with its power and contrast in relation to green forests and meadows.

Coming back from the glacier, you will find a sign to Alibek waterfall. The trail to it is easy and will take no more than half an hour. The waterfall is 25 meters high and falls from smooth stones, which are called "lamb's foreheads". Alibek waterfall is powerful and loud, 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 Dombai-Ulgen gorge. The waterfall has three cascades that are easy to reach. The path starts from the village from the Krokus section. First, you will pass Leah's glade, and then the Russian glade. The first view of the waterfall will open from it. After the Russian glade, the trail will branch out. A turn to the right leads to the gorge, and to the left leads to the Chuchkhur waterfall. The road to the waterfall will go through alpine and subalpine meadows. Along the way, you will encounter boulders 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 trail there is more difficult and in rainy weather it is not worth going. The upper cascade offers a panoramic view of the Dombai-Ulgen peak (4046 m).

Another local attraction worth visiting while on holiday in Dombai. 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 him and not go behind the signs with the designation of the border zone.

During the hike to the Devil's Mill, you will meet many small waterfalls and streams. These are all the results of melting glaciers. The waterfall itself runs along a narrow S-shaped crevice. The water falls along a steep sloping 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 Dombai-Ulgen summit captivates the attention of tourists at any time of the year. In summer, the icy tops are bathed in the rays of the bright sun; in winter, the reflections of the sunset can be observed on the snow cover. And in autumn, when the whole forest becomes colorful, the mountain looks even brighter and more contrasting. The tops of the mountains are shrouded in snow and ice all year round. From the Ulgen glaciers, the rapid Teberda River originates, going down to the village.

You can look at the Dombai-Ulgen mountain 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. From the main and high summit there is a ridge, which is popularly called "Dombay saddle".

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

Lake Turye is of glacial origin. The water is bright blue and covered with a layer of ice until mid-summer. Only the most daring travelers decide to swim in the Turie lake. Mountain goats, called tours, 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 on Dombai. No one will have the question "What to do?" and "What to do?"

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

For this, new reserves and hunting-reserve farms appear. For example, since 1976 the Kabardino-Balkansky Nature Reserve with an area of \u200b\u200b53,300 hectares has been operating, located in the upper reaches of the Chegem (the right tributary of the Baksan), Cherek Bizengisky and Cherek Balkarsky. The Chegem Valley, as the Kabardino-Balkarian Reserve is sometimes called, is located on the border with the Elbrus region.

As a result, the Elbrus region is surrounded by state reserves - from the east by the North Ossetian and Kabardino-Balkarian ones, and from the west by the Teberdinsky ones. The Elbrus region plays the role of a buffer zone, which removes the tourist load from reserves and serves as a "guard" of unique natural areas. If in the reserves, in principle, any kind of recreation is prohibited, then in the Elbrus region it is possible to create a strictly limited number of roads, lay some routes and equip several parking lots. Thus, tourists can at least from afar, but get acquainted with these interesting places, admire the unique "pattern" of forests and meadows on the surrounding mountains. Hunting reserves and forestry are obliged to strictly monitor compliance with the rules.

The Central Caucasus belongs to an area with a temperate continental climate, where the altitudinal zonation is clearly expressed, and the vegetation, like climatic zones, are separated by Mother Nature herself. Borders are easy to spot even with the naked eye. The lowest belt, stretching from the meadow to a height of 2,000 - 2,400 meters, is represented by 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, blackthorn, sweet cherry and apple trees, meadows overgrown with hazel and honeysuckle, gooseberries, barberries, currants and raspberries. Here you can collect all kinds of mushrooms: russula, boletus mushrooms, champignons, chanterelles, leaflets and oak trees, as well as a coral mushroom, which is considered one of the "identifying signs" of Dombai and whose cap sometimes reaches 0.5 meters in diameter, although in other places it regular sizes. A special microclimate is "responsible" for the fact that the flowers and herbs we are used to grow simply to an unrecognizable size.

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

The mountains

The most famous and highest mountain in Europe and Russia is Elbrus, whose western peak is at an altitude of 5 642 meters, and the eastern one - 5 621 meters above sea level - is located in these unique places. Elbrus is a gigantic volcanic massif that stands out 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 \u200b\u200bglaciation is about 150 square kilometers.

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

The largest gorge is considered to be Baksan, where most of the tourist routes lead and through which the path to Elbrus, the gray-haired patriarch of the Caucasus, runs. It is here, in the upper reaches of the Baksan, its tributaries Adylsu, Irik and in the Malka valley, where mineral springs are concentrated, which have a different chemical composition and are used in the treatment of various diseases.

Dombay

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

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, rapid mountain rivers and picturesque rumbling waterfalls, unrealistically beautiful alpine lakes and lush vegetation of the shores. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe reserve is 85 thousand hectares, which are located on the northern side of the Main Caucasian ridge.

There are 43 species of mammals living in the Teberda Nature Reserve, the most recognizable and most widespread of them is the "symbol" of Dombai - 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). The goats are 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 whole herds of bison in these mountains. Now the reserve is trying to revive the bison. Actually, in Karachai the word "bison" sounds like "dombay", hence the name of the resort itself. From here comes the name of the highest point of Dombai - Dombai-Yolgen, which is translated, according to one version, as "killed bison", and according to the other - is named after a skilled hunter who killed a bison alone.

In the forest zone of Dombai, wild boars and Caucasian deer, lynx and roe deer, jackals and foxes, stone and forest marten, brown bear and squirrel, wolves are found. Caucasian black grouse and chamois are often found at the upper borders. By spring the forests are "densely populated" with birds: mountain turkey (snowcock), partridges, eagles, jackdaws and other "tree dwellers". The rivers are so transparent that you can see how the trout struggles with the current and overcomes the rapids. The dipper, a small bird with a white breast, bravely diving right into the stormy waters, "hunts" right there.

One of the areas in which work is carried out in the reserve is experiments on the acclimatization of animals and plants that did not live in this area before. So, now ginseng is cultivated here, they take care of sika deer, Altai squirrel and raccoon dog. Attempts to reproduce and preserve rare species of birds and animals that are on the verge of extinction do not stop.

Dombay is located in the middle between the Black Sea coast and Elbrus. In both directions in a straight line for about 65 kilometers. Perhaps this influenced the fact that Dombay is especially beautiful in summer. For three weeks I waited for a clear sunny day, so that the trip to the mountains would not be darkened by fogs and that all the peaks with which the Dombai glade was rich would be open. I managed to see the Dombai Mountains in all their glory!

Dombay resort

At 9 am we crossed the border of the Teberdinsky reserve. In 20 minutes we reached the village of Dombai from where the ascent was coming. From here, from the village, a stunning view of the beautiful BelalaKayu (3861m.) - one of my favorite photos))

Hotels and hotels

Most of the resort's hotels are open all year round. There are hotels in Dombai in summer, winter, spring and autumn for every taste and budget.

In general, there are over a hundred accommodation options in Dombai. You can see them on our map.

The best hotels in Dombay

Budget hotels in Dombay

A large selection of apartments, cottages and apartments in Dombayskaya glade can be found using the form below.

Not everyone knows, but in Russia tour operators began to sell tours to Dombay... You can buy a tour on the following sites:

Amanauz - a river in Dombai

To get to the cable car, you need to cross the bridge. Here, through the ranks of coniferous giants, the Amanauz River carries its waters.

Amanauz is a real mountain river. This stormy molasses is the source of the Teberda River. By the way, in translation Amanauz means "evil mouth".

From the other side of the bridge, a stunning view of Sofrudzha (3781m.) And the "Crystal" hotel in the Dombay village opens.

Dombai cable cars

There is a well-developed multilevel ropeway system at Dombai, we used the one we called the new one. The network of cable cars in Dombai allows you to climb to the top of Mount Mussa-Achitara. In the summer, the old and new line of the cable car is functioning. Looking ahead, it should be clarified that the system is 4-level, i.e. with two transfers. Upon arrival in Dombay, we were at an altitude of 1590 meters, from here we had to climb Mount Mussa-Achitara with a height of about 3163 meters. On weekends in summer, Dombay is visited by a very large number of tourists and excursions. It is problematic to get to the ski lift as a savage in the morning.

Old pendulum cable car. On it you can only climb to the 2nd level.

Our ascent to the second level took place in a trailer that can be described as made in some kind of Swiss-futuristic style, in comparison with the trailers of the Soviet period familiar to the eye.

However, now, such booths can be seen in many places. They run in and out.

The scheme of the Dombai cable cars is as follows.

Climbing to the top of Dombai

It was not even 10 o'clock in the morning as I was already on the second level - an altitude of 2277 above sea level.

From here, in the rays of the rising sun, the entire village of Dombai and the Alibek gorge are perfectly visible, a view of Ertsog (3683m.) And Djalovchat (3884m.) Opens.

The Ine peak and the Dzhuguturluchat massif (3921m) are perfectly visible - translated as “mountain above the gorge of tours”.

Glacier on the ridge of Mount Dzhuguturluchat.

Here we spend no more than 10 minutes and continue the ascent further on open 6-seater seats. At the same time, we cross from the top the old lifts, also open, but of a 2-seater type.

A few minutes and we are on the third level. This level is the most equipped with various cafes and antennas.

The most interesting of the cafes - "3012" (apparently by the height of the location) looks stylized as a fortress of the Caucasian peoples.

On the way back, I dined here with trout for 200 rubles, I could not deny myself a little pleasure on such a beautiful day.


After lunch, I wandered for a while, took several photos, some of which for some reason very much remind me of Central Asia - Afghanistan-Pakistan, although I have never been there)))

Here the mountains move away, become not so close, but on the other hand, now their entire huge array - the Dombai glade - appears. From here you can clearly see the killed bison hiding in the Dombai-Ulgen gorge - the highest of the mountains of the Western Caucasus - 4046 meters and its entire gorge. By the way, the very word "dombay" in translation from the Karachai language means "bison". Once upon a time, whole herds of these animals were found here.

The Amanauz massif is visible (3757 m.) - in the photo on the right.

Juguturluchat glacier, Amanauz and Sufruju.

Semyonov-Bashi rises in all its glory (3608 m.) And the border of eternal ice begins.

By the way, from the third level a stunning view of the entire Teberdinskoye gorge opens up, from there we arrived.

We had 3 hours of time - so much and so little to enjoy this beauty, plus another hour we spent on the descent.

Dombai Mountains. Dombay glade from the top of Mussa-Achitara

But the ascent is not over, further upward, to the very top of Mussa-Achitara, another cable car leads. As of the time I was there, the road had not yet been put into operation. It was built, but according to the old Russian tradition, it refused to work and no one could understand why. In general, specialists were expected from Switzerland, where this miracle of technology was produced.

Well, this is not even the jungle of Mount Beshtau and not even a piece of iron, I thought and decided that I would climb anyway !!

The rise was given quite quickly. 10-15 minutes and I was already at the top of Mussa-Achitara of the main mountain of Dombai. The height was already 3 kilometers away. From here the whole valley of the Dombai mountains opened - the Dombai glade.

Dombai glade is a place in the upper reaches of the Teberda River, which unites several mountain gorges. The connection of the gorges Dombai-Ulgen, Amanauz, Alibek and Gonachkhir - form a circus, the mountainous territory of which is united under the name Dombai glade or simply Dombay.

Dombay-Ulgen gorge

Far left - Amanauz - Sofrudzhu - Belalakaya - Ertsog + Djalovchat - Far right.

Dzhuguturluchat massif.

Alibek gorge

Amanauz gorge

Semyonov Bashi and the top of Mount Bolshaya Marka.

Teberda gorge

You take a few steps and Teberda begins in front of your feet at the confluence of the Amanauz and Gonachkhir rivers.

A view of the Teberda gorge opens up.

Gonachkhir gorge

You look to the east and the Gonachkhir gorge with the Main Caucasian ridge on the other side rises before your gaze.

The gorge is crowned like a crown with the snow-white cap of Elbrus.

Mussa-Achitara peak

Here, at the top, from where you can see all the Dombai mountains, I spent almost an hour. I dabbled in a chair of a non-working cable car, I dined with a zabutovka practically hanging my legs from a cliff at an altitude of more than 3 kilometers, burned out in the bright mountain sun and got incredible pleasure from the unforgettable views that Dombayskaya glade gives.

By the way, Mussa-Achitara is also known as Musat-Cheri.

Dombayskaya glade contains an uncountable number of mountains, massifs and peaks. I tried to highlight at least the main, most pronounced peaks.

Summer Dombay on video

On our video Dombay in the summer. Climbing to the top of Mount Mussa-Achitara and Mount Dombai glade.

Dombay in the summer. Descent down

It was more difficult to descend from the top, since my way down went through the remnants of the snow cap, and the remaining snow looks more like heavily crushed melted ice. Sneakers are completely unsuitable footwear for crossing such a snowy tongue, even a dozen meters wide.

Those who visit Dombay in the summer, at the top at the foot of the glacier, can see how the bells of Bieberstein grow.

The place where the rivers begin, if you look closely at the photo below you can see a thin stream)))

Snows on the peaks lie all year round, as it were, bordering Dombay. In summer, the glaciers melt, from Mussa-Achitara there is an excellent view of the Dzhuguturluchat waterfall. He is certainly not the only one. Dombay is rich in waterfalls in summer, but not all of them are easily accessible.

To the left is the Tooth of Sofruju, to the right is BelalaKaya.

I spent almost half an hour on the second level. I never managed to find one of the symbols of Dombai - a hotel in the form of a flying saucer. But my search ended successfully. The Flying Saucer was presented to Dombai by the President of Finland Urho Kekkonen. The opening took place in 1979. The hotel can accommodate up to 8 people.

For the search I was rewarded with the herbs of the alpine meadows. Dombay in summer is not only mountains, it is also nature of stunning beauty!

How to get to Dombai

Dombai glade is a mountainous area in the Caucasus. There is no airport or railway here. Nevertheless, getting to Dombai is not difficult. By the way, the entrance to the territory of the Teberda reserve is paid.

How to get to Dombai from Moscow

The fastest way to get from Moscow to Dombai is by plane. The nearest airport to Dombai is in the town of Mineralnye Vody. About a dozen flights of different airlines fly from Moscow to Mineralnye Vody every day at any time of the day. The flight time will be 2 hours.

How to get from Mineralnye Vody to Dombai

To Dombai from Mineralnye Vody a little more than 200 kilometers. If you go on your own transport, that is, there are 2 roads, through Cherkessk or through. The road through the pass is more picturesque if you are not afraid of mountain serpentines.

Alternatively, you can rent a car, spend the night in Dombai, and the next day visit Arkhyz, next to the Dombai glade. You can even go to Elbrus or to. In addition to Dombai in the summer in the Caucasus, there are a lot of places that you can visit on your own. You can rent a car at affordable prices on the website.

You can get to Dombai by train through Nevinnomyssk. From Nevinnomyssk, and Cherkessk, Pyatigorsk and Mineralnye Vody, you can get to Dombai by regular bus from the bus station. Of the minuses, the bus runs to Teberda, there you need to change trains. You can view flights and purchase tickets.

You can take a taxi to move. You can order a taxi to the airport on the website or by clicking on the form below. You will be met with a sign and taken to the doorstep.

At the resorts of Mineralnye Vody, you can also purchase a one-day excursion. Departure almost every day at 6 am, the price is about 1200 rubles per person. Individual guided tours can be found.

How to get to Dombay by train

As I already wrote, it will not work to get to Dombai by train. By train, you can first also get to Mineralnye Vody, and even better to the station Nevinnomysskaya. From Nevinnomyssk by train, you can get to the nearest railway station to Dombayskaya Polyana in the city of Cherkessk.

Dombay or Elbrus? Where better to go

What to choose where is better to go to Dombay or Elbrus, first of all, you need to understand why? I must say right away that if possible, it is better to go there and there. Better than mountains can only be mountains. If this is not possible, let's consider several options to choose Elbrus or Dombay.

If we talk about alpine skiing, then the Dombayskaya glade is more compact, it is more convenient to get to the tracks, but the tracks themselves lose to Elbrus. However, we will not stop on vacation in winter, since the article is about Dombai in summer.

If this is your first time in the Caucasus and can only spend 1 day on a trip, then feel free to choose the direction that is closer to you in distance. If the distance is approximately the same, then I would recommend choosing Elbrus. All the same, it is not only the highest mountain in Europe, but also the highest mountain in Russia. Elbrus is considered the pearl of the Caucasus for a reason. You can take a cable car to the glacier itself, and there, if you wish and if the weather is good, you can take a snowmobile to Shelter 11. It will not be possible to see Dombai in summer and visit the glacier. You can catch last year's snowfield, but this is far from a glacier.

If you are planning a trip to Dombay or Elbrus for several days, then it is better to choose Dombay. The infrastructure there is more compact, the service in hotels is slightly higher. The mountains are a little more picturesque and closer than in the Elbrus region. Dombai glade, and the whole of Teberda, is considered a place where air is useful for people with pulmonary diseases. Here people were even cured of consumption. But there is not so much greenery on Elbrus.

Nature has awarded Dombay with unique attractions: mountains, lakes, glaciers, grottoes, forests. Every year the unique natural monuments of the resort attract thousands of tourists from all over Russia and the world. There really is something to see and admire here.

Alibek glacier

One of the most popular attractions of the resort is the Alibek Glacier. This is the only accessible glacier of the Teberda Nature Reserve, which descends into a dense forest zone. And even in hot summers there is real winter on the glacier! Almost anyone can climb the glacier, but be patient, as the journey takes about 7 hours. But it's worth it.

Regular tourists of the resort say that those who have not been to Alibek do not know what Dombay is. By car, you can drive along the road to the Alibek mountaineering base, and then move along the forest path that leads to the Uzun-Tala glade. It is there that a picturesque view of the glacier and majestic mountains opens.



Mount Belalakaya

Above the Dombayskaya glade rises the "visiting card" of the resort - belalakaya mountain or “Striped Rock”. The attraction is known for the fact that the rocks are cut by white belts of quartz, the width of which is about 50 meters. The name of the peculiar mountain comes from several words: “beli” - belt, “ala” - motley, “kaya” - rock. The height of the mountain is 3861 meters. The uniqueness of this place is that several thousand years ago there was a plain here, and mountain formations appeared thanks to gigantic forces that raised a section of the earth's crust from the depths of the bowels. The mountain is popular with both geologists and tourists. And the image of Dombai's pride flaunts on the “Aque Minerale” label.




Semenov-Bashi ridge

The Semenov-Bashi ridge, thanks to the domed ledge of its eastern part, is an easily accessible panoramic point from where a beautiful view of the Dombai-Ulgen river valley, the Main ridge, the Amanauz and Teberda valleys and the Dombai glade opens. They amaze with their majesty and splendor dombai mountains... As a beautiful queen, she greets the guests of Balalakaya. He put his ideally correct Peak Ine on display for everyone, the complex of peaks Dzhuguturlyuchat. Mount Sufruju can be seen in the distance, about which Eleanor Brezovskaya composed an exciting story.

Dombai glade

Dombayskaya Polyana is located in the southern part of the Teberda nature reserve, in the upper reaches of the Teberda valley.

At the confluence of the Dombai-Ulgen, Amanauz and Alibek rivers, there are several beautiful meadows that gave the name to the entire region. Panoramic views of the peaks and glaciers of exceptional beauty open up from the glade, attracting tourists.

Currently, a whole tourist complex is operating in the meadow, consisting of objects of hotel infrastructure, places. There are 3 lines of a new complex of cable cars, 5 lines of an old cable car, a network of tow-tow roads (200 - 600 meters long).

Mussa-Achitara ridge

The Mussa-Achitara ridge is a magnificent observation deck, from where a gorgeous view of the peaks and glaciers of the Main ridge, the Teberda and Gonachkhira valley and the mighty Elbrus opens.


Mountaineers cemetery - a memorable place in Dombai

The climbers' memorial cemetery is a memorable place in Dombai. The conquerors of the peaks in the post-war period are buried here. On the monuments you can see plaques with the following dates: 70s, 80s, 1995, 2000, 2003 ... Someone admires the courage and heroism of the fallen climbers, and someone asks the question: "Why did they go to the mountains?" ... It is not difficult to get to the cemetery: from the main asphalt road of Dombai to the dead end, and then along a country road.






Teberda State Natural Biosphere Reserve

Today the reserve is one of the most visited in the system of protected natural areas in Russia.

Teberda State Natural Biosphere Reserve is located in the Western Caucasus, in the basin of the Teberda River, a tributary of the Kuban, and is administratively part of the Karachay District of the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Region. The territory of the reserve (total area - 69 535 hectares) stretches along the northern slope of the Main Caucasian ridge and its lateral spurs; it occupies the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe upper reaches of the Teberda River and its tributaries south of the Epchik-Dzhemagat and Mukhu rivers and is bounded by high rocky ridges.







This is not surprising, as there are many amazing and beautiful places on its territory. The Teberda and Gonachkhir rivers carry their waters through the reserve, and numerous moraine and tarn lakes revive the mountains. It takes your breath away from the grace and, at the same time, the power of the Amanauz, Alibek and Ptysh glaciers. Dense deciduous, coniferous, mixed forests, immense bright subalpine and alpine meadows, many rare plants, flowers and animals attract more than 100 thousand tourists annually.

The state has taken under special protection this corner of the North Caucasus, outstanding in its natural resources and beauty. Each visitor to the reserve is obliged to take care of its wonderful nature in order to preserve it in all its splendor and integrity.

Amanauz Gorge or Devil's Mill

The Devil's Mill Gorge or Amanauz refers to an open-air museum famous for its waterfalls and canyons. “Aman auz” from Karachai means “evil mouth”. This place is called “gloomy”, as the slope of Belalakai and Teatralniy peak narrow the beginning of the gorge. The sun practically does not get here, and sometimes snow bridges do not melt over the Amanauz River in summer. Gloom is conveyed by rains and fogs, which later come to the Dombai glade. And since the observation deck is small here, you should be extremely careful: the cliff is located right above the gorge.





Turye lake

The fabulous turquoise lake got this name because when there are no people around, tours come down to it to drink. The lake acquired an unusual color due to the low water temperature - no higher than +3 degrees. Even in summer, the lake is covered with ice, as it is located between the Bilingual and Alibek glaciers. The origin of the lake is moraine. The excursion to the extraordinary place lasts about 8 hours. The main route passes through alpine meadows, through the climbers' cemetery and the Alibek camp. It should be noted that it is not worth taking the risk and heading to the lake without a guide, as it is very easy to get lost.

Azgek lakes

Azgek lakes are located in the basin of the Azgek rivers, the right tributary of the Mukhu river. In autumn and on cloudy days, the area leaves the impression of gloomy and harsh, in summer, especially on a sunny day, soft colors and outlines come to the fore.

Murudzha and Baduk lakes

Muruja lakes are a unique natural heritage of Dombai, their beauty will not leave indifferent any tourist. They are located in the valley of the Ullu-Muruju River. The most famous among them are the Blue and Black lakes.

Baduk Lakes are a group of mountain lakes located in the middle reaches of the Baduk River, a tributary of the Khadzhibey River. These lakes, as well as the Baduk and Khadzhibey valleys themselves, are rightly considered one of the picturesque places in the reserve.

Alibek waterfall

There are many waterfalls in the Teberda mountains: Chuchkhursky, Ptyshsky, Sofrudzhinsky, Alibeksky, Shupka.

The largest and most spectacular Dombai waterfall is considered Alibek waterfall... Its raging stream flows down from a height of 25 meters. But the road to it does not take long. The first part of the path passes through a picturesque fir forest, and this section can be hiked or driven by car. In winter, avalanches often come down here, and in June you can see their remains. Heading towards the waterfall, tourists can also enjoy beautiful views of alpine meadows and crooked birch forests.

Helpful information:

Mountain taxi, Dobay excursions
Teberda: Jamagat gorge (narzan springs), Mukha gorge (Azgek lakes), Baduk lakes, Teberdinsky reserve, Shumka waterfall.
: Alibek gorge (waterfall, Lake Turie, glacier), Amanauz gorge (Devil's mill canyon, waterfall, glacier), Dombai-Elgen gorge.
Gonachkhir (Trout lake), Russian glade, Chuchkhur waterfalls, Maiden spit waterfall, Ptysh glacier, Maiden tears waterfall. And also trips to Cherkessk, Pyatigorsk and Mineralnye Vody.
Phone: 8-928-380-10-61; 8-988-716-29-85.

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 the Caucasus Mountains in Karachay-Cherkessia. It is known primarily as a ski resort, but it is an amazing and very beautiful place from the point of view of nature. Igor Gorshkov, a member of the Russian Photo club.

Autumn is a very beautiful time of the year, especially in the mountains. I have never been in 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 not yet been.

It is 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 calm and off-season and, unlike summer and especially winter, the lowest prices for accommodation. And most importantly - all the beauties of the mountainous autumn Caucasus are nearby.



Golden autumn in Dombai, almost from the hotel view of the beautiful Ine peak.


From the village you can move in any direction: the gorges lead to a variety of beautiful places - waterfalls, glaciers, peaks. In addition to the northern one, this 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 meets those who come to this place in the midst of a golden autumn.

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

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


Mountain rivers flow in all gorges, and you can sometimes go down to them and take beautiful shots at different times of the day and weather.

Amanauz river on an autumn evening. Panorama. Shortly before the shot was taken, a mass of snow fell from the top of Sofruju (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 a high ridge on the left, clearing the main channel (it is on the left), and this channel was filled up. But, apparently, it was necessary from a safety point of view, when the flow of water increases.


Sunset on the Dombai-Ulgen river.


River, peak and gorge Dombai-Ulgen. Panorama.

It was one of the darkest and most inclement days, snow and rain fell, a piercing wind blew, ripping off the golden foliage, but I really wanted to see a gap when I reached this place. And suddenly the mountains gave such a beautiful sky!
Then he was immediately addicted.

On rare sunny days, all 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 dusk, they were so thick that neither the neighboring slopes, let alone the mountains, could be seen.


Dombai bowl of evening fog from Alibek gorge. Panorama.

Later, this fog rose to the peaks and filled the entire space, the way back to the village was almost all in a thick haze - we had to walk through a dark forest with one flashlight for two. After that we always took lanterns 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, you will be in the mountains - the lanterns are always with you, even if the walk is planned for half a day.

Be sure to bring comfortable and worn-out shoes. It so happened that for the first couple of days I felt very uncomfortable, apparently, over the summer my feet got out of the habit of boots, although they are far from new. I often remembered the words of Sebastio Salgado: no matter how good your camera is, it is important how comfortable your shoes are.

In the Dombai mountains, there are many various streams flowing along the mountain slopes or in the forests, many waterfalls, to which the main routes in the gorges go.


Alibek waterfall. A road and a trail in the Alibek gorge go to it. You can cross the river and get closer.

It should be borne in mind that all the gorges and environs of the village of Dombai are the territory of the Teberda nature reserve, and there are foresters' posts on all roads, who charge a fee and give a ticket, but not always. In addition, this is also a border area, a little further there are border guards posts, and permission is required to stay in this area, rich in waterfalls, glaciers and other beautiful places. Foresters can make it with a Russian passport, but the passport must always be worn. Although in the fall there were practically no border guards at the cordons, and we were not immediately given permission, and during 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 suddenly a patrol did meet.

Dogs often followed us in the village. At first there was one doggie who once accompanied me on a morning shoot by the river. Then at some point there were four of them. It was funny with them, but sometimes you had to take up a twig for educational purposes, otherwise the camera with a tripod could end up in a turbulent mountain river or simply fly off onto the rocks. For some reason, the dogs liked to arrange all their games and fidgeting exactly in the place where I put the tripod with the camera. One day a couple of dogs went far enough 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.

Here the river rages, sandwiched between the rocks. The animal became interested in something below, and managed to take several frames.
I had to buy sausages for the dogs upon my return - for the fact that, despite the weather, they walked with us all day in the mountains and also worked as photo models.

The ski area has a cable car and ski slopes. You can climb in several stages to a height of 3168 m above sea level to Mount Mussa-Achitara, look around the surrounding mountain peaks and even, if you are lucky with the weather, see the top of Elbrus (we were not lucky, he 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 with fog, but not for long, the wind quickly carries them away.


A play of light, shadows, clouds and mountains.


The top of Sofruju hid in the clouds, exposing only its tooth

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 - and he lives somewhere there at a cafe and "hunts" for tourists with sandwiches.


Dombai 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 over the sea of \u200b\u200bfog. Self-portrait based on the painting of the same name by the 19th century German romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich.

Making this and other shots, we were late for the cable car, although according to the schedule in the ticket it had to work for a few more minutes. I had to admire the mountains, illuminated by the full moon and the starry sky above the clouds for some time, but, unfortunately, the batteries for the camera sat down and failed to capture this amazing 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 a duty trailer.

There are many beautiful places in the vicinity of Dombai - gorges, lakes, waterfalls - but it is impossible to be in time everywhere in a short time, especially given the weather.


Emerald lake Tumanly-Kol, which is also called Trout, in the Gonachkhir gorge.

The famous Military-Sukhum road with good asphalt passes through the gorge, and a lot of cars and buses with excursions and tourists come to the lake. The lake shore is equipped with a parking lot, barbecues, tables and benches, so the most beautiful view against the background of snowy mountains is almost impossible to capture - all these benefits of civilization are captured in the frame.


Luxurious asphalt road in the Gonachkhir gorge towards the Klukhorsky pass, the former Military-Sukhum road. The former, because now another country is just around the corner, well, the road fell asleep in the pass part.


Turquoise Gonachkhir

On the last day of our stay in Dombai, the first snow fell, and it was possible, albeit not for long, to admire the view of the snow-covered autumn mountain forests.
A little about photographic equipment.
All shots were taken with 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 some personal belongings with me.

Despite the fact that moisture protection was not officially announced by the manufacturer, the camera completely tolerated shooting in the rain - not a shower, of course, but several times the camera and optics had 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 possibility of choosing the famous Fujiyev "film" profiles and other settings.

I could fairly quickly share my impressions of what I saw with friends and in social networks. Some of the presented photos were processed with the help of the camera.

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