Arkhyz PRO. Trekking on mountain lakes

Our first trekking in the framework of the Arkhyz tour is Lake Balki Orlyonok. 

The path will pass through the dense forest, then we will cross the noisy waters of the Sofia River, relax under the foaming streams of the waterfall. 

After that, we will go out to the alpine meadows, admire the incredible panorama of the Abishira-Akhuba ridge, find out how the name of the Kara-Jash mountain is translated and what is behind this peak and the pass of the same name.

In summer, our path is decorated with glades of phlox and lilies, damask and forget-me-nots, and in autumn crocuses and the amazing play of colors of the autumn forest. It is often possible to meet herds of Alpine cows and yaks. 

The first wave of admiration did not have time to pass, as the first lake opens in front of us, surrounded by pine trees and granite placers! 

The lake is small, rounded, with the purest water. And what a reflection of that mysterious peak of Kara-Jash is in it! Here we will make a rest stop and a photo shoot.

Going a little further, we will visit another lake. 

The landscape around him is completely different. There are no more pines and flowers, but there is an opportunity to climb a little above the lake and take spectacular pictures from a different angle.

Active part: 12.6 km., altitude difference 1600-2380 m., duration 6-7 hours.

Meals: breakfast and lunch. Dinner on your own. 

A mysterious Seven-colored Lake is located on the slopes of the Arkasara Ridge in the upper reaches of the Bolshaya Dukka River. 

If you get to the lake in sunny weather, the tourist will be amazed by the play of colors – the color of the lake changes from light blue to dark purple. 

And if the weather is cloudy, then there will be no less impressions: the transparent surface of the water changes from light green to dark emerald. 

Active part: 13.2 km., altitude difference 1920-2450 m., duration 7-8 hours.

Meals: breakfast and lunch. Dinner on your own. 

Today our UAZ will make part of yesterday's journey, but it will bring us to the beginning of the trail to completely different, fabulous Dukka lakes. 

And it's not just that we used the term "fabulous" – three lakes "Ruslan", "Lyudmila" and "Fairy Tale of the Caucasus" are waiting for us. Although there are other names on the Internet: "Fish", "Arkasarskoe", but this does not change the beauty that awaits us today.

The ribbon of the Malaya Dukka River fascinates the eye with its bizarre bends, its cascades fall in small waterfalls from granite boulders, creating cozy backwaters – all this looks like a landscape park created by nature itself!

After walking about half the way, we will see the first lake on the rise – the water in it is cold, transparent, delicious! 

Here we will make a stop to gain strength before climbing.

After overcoming the 20-minute ascent, we will just want to sit on any stone and silently admire: ahead is a stone circus, inside of which lies a dark blue jewel – the second Dukka lake.

We admire, but we will not sit around, because a fairy tale awaits us – the "Fairy Tale of the Caucasus"!

The "Fairy Tale of the Caucasus" looks like a giant lizard that froze for a moment. 

The lake is located at an altitude of 2,450 meters above sea level. 

Active part: 11.8 km., altitude difference 1920-2600 m., duration 7-8 hours.

Meals: breakfast and lunch. Dinner on your own. 

We have seen the lakes of the Arkasarsky range, now it's time to explore the lakes of the Sofia range. And we will start with the highlight of the Caucasus and Arkhyz – Sofia lakes!

We will climb the Irkiz pass, the highest point of our 7-day trekking in Arkhyz (2880 m).

One of the steepest landscapes of Russia opens from the pass – the pointed peaks of the peaks of Kel (3150 m) and Mingi-Kel-Bashi (3243 m) and three lakes completely different in color: Bolshoe Sofiyskoye Lake, Maloe Sofiyskoye Lake and the third, which has no name. 

By the way, the name Mingi-Kel-Bashi translates from Turkic as "mountain of a thousand lakes".

We will make a big stop for lunch on the shore of the Big Sofia Lake. 

Those who wish can walk around a part of the lake to find the best angle, brave ones can swim, and fans of bright photos can get a photo kit from their backpacks and take great pictures.

But the impressions do not end there! 

We begin the descent to our retroauto and along the way, first from a height, and then from the shore, we will admire the lake with an unusual name for us – Aimatli-Jagalykel, which means "lake with rugged shores" in Turkic. 

Active part: 13.2 km., altitude difference 2000-2880-1890 m., duration 8-9 hours.

Meals: breakfast and lunch. Dinner on your own. 

Today, our way on the UAZ lies along the already familiar valley of the Sofia River in the direction of the Glacier Farm. 

At the confluence of the Gammesh-Chat and Sofia rivers, our way up begins. 

The trail goes through the forest, makes its way through the glades of hogweed and hellebore, passes through the bushes of the Caucasian rhododendron and is replaced by Alpine meadows, where the smells of mountain herbs turn your head.

The ascent will take only 2-3 hours – and here they are, the cool, clear waters of a mountain lake!

Above the cozy valley with the Lower Comma Lake stands the peak of KCHAO (2,871 m), smooth rocks called "sheep's foreheads" and cascades of a waterfall on the Gammesh-Chat River. 

After relaxing and having a snack on the lake shore, you can walk to the waterfall or climb a little higher to look at the lake from a height – its unusual shape is visible only from afar. And it really resembles a comma!

Active part: 9.5 km., elevation difference 1770-2230 m., duration 6-7 hours.

Meals: breakfast and lunch. Dinner on your own. 

In the morning we say goodbye to Arkhyz. 

The fastest ones will still have time to go to the Arkhyz souvenir market for jam, honey, mountain tea and warm mittens made of natural sheep's wool!

Transfer to Mineralnye Vody. 

12:30-13:30 – arrival in Mineralnye Vody (airport, railway station), departure home.

Meals: breakfast.

Depending on the weather conditions, the physical condition of the participants and other factors, the route of the hike may be changed.