The blue necklace of Arkhyz. Walking tour

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A beautiful and complex circular route through the mountains of the Caucasus Range will appeal to prepared and strong-minded travel enthusiasts. We will see landscapes inaccessible to an ordinary person: snow-capped mountain peaks, stormy river flows from thousand-year-old glaciers, alpine meadows, azure lakes.

The famous landmark of Arkhyz awaits us — its "Blue Necklace". This chain of blue mountain lakes is a precious decoration of this wonderful region. We will overcome four passes, pass the most beautiful alpine lakes: Sofiyskoye, Kraternoye and Perevalnoye.

Location

Russia, Stavropol Territory, Mineralnye Vody

Hiking tours

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Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Overnight stays in tents

We spend the whole hike in tents among the mountains, and in the morning we meet the dawn right in our sleeping bags

Categorical pass

There will be a real sporting obstacle on our way – the Irkiz pass (1A height 2880 m)

Sofia Waterfalls

Streams of water sparkle in the sun. Come closer and feel the breath of the glacier itself

Ai-Yulyu Pass

The name translates as "Polar Bear", and the pass itself is rocky and deserted, but beautiful

Lake Semitsvetnoe

In sunny weather, the water surface of the lake shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow

Arkhyz Water

The purest drinking water here runs directly from the springs. We drink and get healthy

Itinerary

Day 1 - Meeting, the beginning of the hike
We will meet in Mineralnye Vody at 9:30 a.m. on the first day.
You can get there by train or by plane, the transfer will pick you up first at the railway station, then at the airport.
We take a minibus to the mountains, it takes about 3 hours to drive.
The first stop is the Taulu glade.
Here we will say goodbye to the transfer, then only on foot!
A light snack, we finish what's left from the train and or we treat ourselves to hichinami with herbal tea.
There are mountains all around us, and we begin to contemplate.
After a snack, we'll check our equipment, change our clothes according to the weather, and send our backpacks on the UAZ, while we walk to catch up with him.
On the first day, we'll go light, get used to the height, the terrain, get a feel for our gear, and start enjoying the process.
In the evening, we arrive at the parking lot, set up camp, assign duty officers.
We will have a delicious dinner over a campfire and the first night in tents.
The crossing is 15 km, the height difference is 450 m.

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Day 2 - Sofia waterfalls, glacier and pass
We get up early and wash in a mountain river.
Today we have a day at the Glacier Farm, which means that there is no need to pack a camp!
We will travel light to the Sofiyskoe Saddle pass, from where we can clearly see the glacier of the same name and admire the formidable peaks of the main Caucasian ridge.
Let's walk through our first snowfields and admire the powerful Sofia waterfalls.
After lunch, it's time for relaxation and intellectual entertainment.
You can play board games (if there are any) or just enjoy a quiet evening, contemplating the clouds creeping along the slopes.
The crossing is 20 km, the elevation difference is 700 m up, 700 m down.

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Day 3 - The first crossing is under the backpack
Breakfast, exercise, we're setting up camp!
The first crossing is under a backpack, it's going to be hard, but we can handle it.
We are going to the Sofia lakes.
Along the way, we admire the majestic Ak-Aira waterfall, the beautiful and wise Mount Sofia.
A pass of the first category of difficulty awaits us — Irkiz (1A 2880m).
Overnight under the starry sky.
The crossing is 10 km, the climb is 1000 m.

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Day 4 - Grandiose view of the main Caucasian ridge
We come to the Kara-Jash pass, or the Black Prince, with a height of 2900 m.
Here you can experience the real delight of the picturesque panorama of the mountains of the Caucasus range.
Fans of photography and videography should not forget to bring the necessary equipment with them.
We stop at the lake on the observation deck.
The crossing is 10 km, the elevation difference is 600 m up, 100 m down.

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Day 5 - Descent to the valley of the Belaya River
It's been a long and eventful day.
Crossing to the valley of the Psysh River, a grassy descent, raspberry thickets, we go out to the forester's house, after which the first serious ford will be waiting for us.
We check in with the border guards and continue on our way to the Bely Waterfall, where we dine under the sound of its rushing waters.
Then we go up to the valley of the Belaya River, where we will stop for the night.
Enjoy, take pictures, have dinner.
And if we still have the strength, we'll also sing songs to the guitar.
The crossing is 10 km, the height difference is 1200 m.

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Day 6 - Ayu-Yulyu Pass and glacial lakes
Early rise.
Today we are waiting for another Ai-Yulyu (Polar Bear) pass (2,890 m).
We'll stay there for a while to have a snack and take pictures.
As a reward for crossing, a cascade of lakes will appear in all its glory.
To top it off, there is the wonderful lake Semitsvetnoe, on the shore of which we will spend the night.
The crossing is 10 km, the elevation difference is 1300 m up, 100 m down.

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Day 7 - Return to Taula, sauna
We have breakfast, pack up the camp and continue on our way to the border post on the Dukka River.
A simple transition.
We check in with the border guards once again and take a transfer to the familiar meadow of Taulu, where delicious hychines are waiting for us!
Bathhouse in the evening.
The crossing is 15 km, the height difference is 600 m.
Day 8 - Departure
After breakfast, the transfer takes us to Mineralnye Vody.
We say goodbye, exchange contacts and go home.

Difficulty

Does not require specific skills, but one must be in good health

Tour organizer's comments

For 6 days out of 8, we carry all personal belongings + public equipment and food. Sometimes we will cover 10-16 km, with a set and descent of more than 1000 meters. That's a lot! For example, the height of a 9-storey building is 27 meters. That is, in a day we will climb with a backpack to about 330 floors without an elevator. In terms of mileage, we will cover almost 100 kilometers in 8 running days, all this up and down trails, sometimes with very steep slopes, and sometimes without a trail at all. To cope with this, you need good physical shape.

There will be no shops, no transport, no equipped campsites and amenities on the route — no civilization, just us and the mountains.

We will spend several nights above 2000 m, i.e. above the forest area. There is no firewood and the usual shelters from the wind, and it is also much colder here than at the foot. What does it mean? That it will be cold and windy, and all hope is only on your properly assembled equipment. You won't be able to get warm and dry by the campfire.

Accommodation

Tent

7 nights

Comfort

Basic

The tour includes accommodation in tents.

The discount for donors is 1,000 rubles.

The cost of the tour for children from 14 to 17 years old is 37,500 rubles.

You can take yours if it meets the necessary requirements. There is an opportunity to get places in 3-4 local tents for anyone who notes such a need in the pre-income questionnaire. If you need a double tent, you can rent it for an additional fee.

Tour conditions

Group

up to 22 tourists

Minimum age

14 years old

Duration

8 days 7 nights

Group meets at

Russia, Stavropol Territory, Mineralnye Vody

Included in price

registration of border passes;
transfer from Mineralnye Vody to the starting point of the route;
dropping off backpacks on the first day of the route;
transfer from the border post to Taulu;
transfer from the end of the route to Mineralnye Vody;
delicious 3 meals a day (we cook ourselves);
wood-burning sauna;
rental of group equipment (tents, campfire equipment, gas burners, gas);
group first aid kit;
accident insurance;
the services of experienced instructors.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Mineralnye Vody and back;
personal items (backpack, sleeping bag, foam, etc.);
any possible expenses related to forced program changes or force majeure.

It's important to know

Personal equipment should weigh no more than 15 kg and take up about 60% of the backpack volume. Do not forget that you still have to carry your part of the modules with food. The standard weight of public modules for men is 9 kg, for women — 6-7 kg. Therefore, if your personal belongings take up more than 2/3 of the backpack and / or weigh more than 15 kg, leave some of the things at home.

Equipment:

Assault backpack (20-35 liters);

backpack for a long hike (90 l for men, 70 l for women) with a belt;

a cape on a backpack;

foam (travel mat, polyurethane foam mat, karemat);

spring-autumn sleeping bag (comfort temperature -5 * C);

podpopnik (pendal, hoba, foam pad, tourist seat);

headlamp LED flashlight;

trekking poles;

Clothes:

sleep clothes;

swimming suit (swimsuit, swimming trunks);

undercarriage pants (leggings, leggings, thermal underwear);

upper running trousers (windproof and waterproof);

shorts;

socks or thermal socks;

wool socks;

T-shirt;

long sleeve shirt;

warm fleece jacket with a neck (thick wool sweater);

windproof and waterproof jacket (windbreaker/membrane/ski jacket);

gloves;

the cap is light;

headdress (panama hat, bandana, cap, hat);

rain cape with hood;

trekking boots;

replaceable trekking boots;

flip-flops/crocs/sandals;

Personal items:

polyethylene or other waterproof bags;
passport;

money;

a set of dishes (KLMN);

reusable bottle;

toilet paper;

individual first aid kit;

sunscreen and lipstick;

personal hygiene items;

a light towel;
matches;

sunglasses;

We recommend adding:

warm trousers for the evening (fleece or polartek);

shorts;

down jacket (warm jacket);

thermos flask (1 l.);

insurance;

thread and needle;
mosquito repellent;

dress;

a remedy for ticks;
chemical hot water bottles;

tent.

Dates and Prices

$566

20 – 27 Jun 8 days 7 nights

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$566

12 – 19 Jul 8 days 7 nights

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$566

26 Jul – 2 Aug 8 days 7 nights

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$566

16 – 23 Aug 8 days 7 nights

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Reviews

A
Anastasia

about provider

29 Mar, 2025

The tour was excellently organized. We were well-fed with delicious meals, taken everywhere, treated to tea, and genuinely cared for.

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