Dagestan: to the land of mountains for the weekend. Guided tour

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An unexplored land with amazing nature and ancient culture. We will see the Naryn-Kala fortress, which has protected Derbent from the invasion of nomads for a thousand years. There was a "crossroads of civilizations" here, through which the famous Silk Road passed.

We will take a guided tour of the old town and visit an unusual mosque in Grozny. And what photos will we take against the backdrop of the masterpieces of nature — the Sary-Kum dune and the Sulak Canyon!

Location

Pyatigorsk

Sightseeing tours

Tour highlights

The Persian Citadel

The fortress walls overlook Derbent and the neighboring mountain peaks.

A walk along the embankment

Relax on the sandy beach of the warm Caspian Sea under the pleasant sound of the waves

The Grand Canyon

Let's take a photo against the background of the masterpieces of nature and look down at the ribbon of the river

The second largest dune in the world

Let's go to the place where the scenes of the movie "White Sun of the Desert" were filmed

Architecture of Grozny

We will visit the Mother's Heart mosque in high-tech style with large-scale illumination.

Master class

Let's learn how to cook a national Dagestan miracle dish.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival. Tour of Grozny
We recommend booking an additional day 1 day before the start of the tour.
The place and time of the gathering of the group: Pyatigorsk, 04:00-04:30 (entrance to the Flower Garden Park). Departure for an excursion to Grozny.
Stop at the Memorial of Memory and Glory (Ingushetia, Nazran) during the operation of the complex.
You will learn about the tragic events of the Second World War, the deportation and homecoming of nine nations, look at a real steam locomotive of those years and a train car in which people were transported to Central Asia.
The symbol of the nine nations is a complex of nine towers, and on the commemorative plaques nearby you will read the names of dozens of heroes of the Second World War.
Guided tour of Grozny. We will climb to the observation deck (additional fee 200 rubles/person) of the Grozny City skyscraper, visit the Heart of Chechnya mosque, as well as the Orthodox Church of St. Michael the Archangel.
Lunch (extra charge). Transfer to Argun.
Visit to the Mother's Heart Mosque— a mosque of unusual architecture in the high-tech style.
Transfer to Sarykum dune (additional entrance fee 200 RUB/person).
Climbing the dune. There has never been a desert here, but there is a dune! And not an ordinary one, but one of the greatest in the world! And the scenes of the movie "White Sun of the Desert" were filmed here
Transfer to Makhachkala (Leninkent settlement).
20:00 Check-in at the hotel.
Swimming in the sea on your own if desired (during the warmer months). Free time. Dinner (extra charge).

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Day 2 - Derbent, Naryn-Kala fortress. Culinary master class
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:30 Departure from the hotel.
Sightseeing tour of Derbent.
We will visit the ancient citadel — fortress of Naryn-Kala. Once upon a time, its double walls connected to the Caspian Sea covered the Caspian Gate to Persia. Today, Naryn-Kala is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The entrance ticket is 300 rubles/person.
Then we will walk through the picturesque streets of Derbent and plunge into the incredible atmosphere of the old town.
Culinary master class on creation of the national Dagestan dish chudu.
We are going to visit the hospitable locals, in a beautiful cozy house built in an ethnic style. The atmosphere of Dagestan's national culture and identity awaits us, as well as the multifaceted exquisite decorations and outfits, furniture and household items of Caucasian families.
It's time to learn how to cook a real Dagestan miracle dish. The friendly hostess will share her secret with us and each participant of the tour will be able to cook a miracle for himself.
Lunch is included in the price of the tour.
A walk through the modern part of Derbent.
Then we will go down to the city embankment of Derbent and take a walk along the shore of the Caspian Sea (swimming in the warm season, if desired). The tour of the southernmost city of Russia will end with a visit to the local market.
Transfer to Makhachkala.
19:00 Return to the hotel.
Dinner (extra charge). Free time.

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Day 3 - Pottery workshop. Sulak Canyon
Breakfast at the hotel. Room release.
8:30 Departure for a pottery workshop in the ancient village of Dagestan. We invite you to get acquainted with the amazing guardian of the Balkhara women's craft, passed down from generation to generation. You will learn the secrets of making ceramic products in the ancient village of Balkhar.
A late lunch is expected (approximately at 17:00), it is recommended to take a snack with you on the road if desired.
Transfer to the Chirkey reservoir. We will visit the observation deck of the reservoir.
Boating on the reservoir 1000 rubles/person. when boats are operating.
Noho Cave and suspension bridge over the canyon — 700 rub.
Sulak Canyon is a worldwide landmark. To see it, we chose the most picturesque and memorable viewing platform. The path lies through a mountain cave several tens of meters long.
An endless river valley with emerald water and a suspension bridge connecting two cliffs towering over the Sulak Canyon. Every step on the bridge becomes a real adventure.
A pleasant surprise at the other end of the way will be the opportunity to visit a coffee shop located inside the rock (for an additional fee).
Transfer to the Glavryba ethnocomplex.
16:00 Late lunch (extra charge).
Dinner (extra charge).
The tour ends on the last day of the tour at approximately 18:00.
Transfer to Pyatigorsk. Late return after 02:00. Departure.

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

2 nights

Comfort

Upscale

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel in Makhachkala.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB.:

Name of the hotel	2-bed accommodation	1-local accommodation	additional place
Makhachkala Hotel, standard room (breakfast included)	22500	23500	21800

The specified accommodation facilities can be replaced with similar ones by the decision of the tour operator.

Additional payment for an additional day, for a room in rubles in Pyatigorsk hotels:

The name of the hotel	Extra day per room
The name of the hotel	2-seats./ 1-seats./ additional place
Yuzhnaya,** Standard room (without breakfast)	4500/3400/-
Pyatigorsk,** Standard room (breakfast included)	6400/4100/-
Mashuk,** Standard room (breakfast included )	6900/5600/2050
Intourist,* Standard room (breakfast included)	6650/7500/-
Intourist,* 2-room Junior Suite (breakfast included)	8700/7850/1600
Beshtau,* standard room (breakfast included)	8600/7800/-
Bugar, standard room (breakfast included)	7800/6800/1500

The cost of an additional night at the Mashuk Hotel and the Beshtau Hotel may vary depending on the arrival dates.

Tour conditions

Group

From 10 to 50 tourists

Minimum age

5 years old

Duration

3 days 2 nights

Group meets at

Pyatigorsk

Included in price

Meals: 2 breakfasts, lunch at the Derbent ethnodome;
culinary master class on making the national Dagestan dish chudu;
pottery workshop in the ancient village of Balkhar;
3-4* hotel accommodation (Makhachkala);
guided tour service on the route;
transportation service.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Pyatigorsk and back;
meals not included in the program (lunches, dinners);
entrance tickets according to the program:
- observation deck "Grozny City" — 200 rubles/person;
- barkhan Sary-Kum — 200 rub/person;
- Naryn-Kala fortress entrance ticket — 300 rub/person;
- speedboat ride on the Chirkeysky reservoir — 1000 rubles/person (when boats are operating);
- visit to the cave and the suspension bridge — 700 rubles/person;
100 rubles per day rent of wireless headphones;
private transfer:
- Mineralnye Vody airport — Pyatigorsk 1,900 rubles per car. Travel time is 30-40 minutes;
- from the Glav Ryba — Makhachkala Airport complex, 6000 rubles per car. Travel time is approximately 2 hours.

It's important to know

documents required for the trip (original passport and birth certificate for children under 14 years old, medical insurance policy);
comfortable clothes for the season;
comfortable sports shoes;
for girls, a headscarf for visiting mosques and temples;
raincoat or umbrella;
sunglasses and cream;
swimwear and outfits for photo shoots;
personal first aid kit and insect bite repellent (if necessary);
money for personal purposes.

Clothing should not be open and provocative. Do not forget, you are going to the republic with a different mentality, you must respect the customs and traditions of the local population.

During the trip, you must have cash for additional expenses. Bank cards are not accepted for payment everywhere.

Reviews Leave a review

E
Elena

about provider

2 Jul, 2025

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Caucasian Mosaic Tour. This tour was beautiful, rich in experiences, and very comfortable. Every day brought breathtaking views, fresh emotions, and unforgettable impressions. Towering mountains, rushing rivers, and majestic gorges left us in awe with their beauty. A special thank-you to our guides, Andrey and Alexandr — true fountains of knowledge. Overall, the tour was excellently organized, with every detail thoughtfully arranged for the travelers' comfort. Thank you.
E
Elena

about provider

14 May, 2025

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The guides were excellent at organizing the excursions and always gave us enough time to explore the sights and markets at our own pace. Everyone was friendly, and the buses were very comfortable.
K
Kira

about provider

13 May, 2025

Hello, I went on the "Caucasian Mosaic" tour and really enjoyed the experience. I was especially impressed by Mount Elbrus, Dombay, Kislovodsk, and the Honey Waterfalls. We even had time to visit an alpaca farm, which I absolutely loved. The guides shared fascinating insights about the sites and included personal stories, which made the trip engaging and far from boring. We stayed at the Intourist Hotel — it was comfortable and met all our needs. The only downside was the early mornings every day. While I understand it's necessary to beat the crowds at popular attractions, I think the itinerary would benefit from at least one day with a more relaxed start to let everyone catch up on rest. The combination of early wake-ups and late returns makes it hard to get enough sleep. The buses were modern and well-equipped, and pick-ups were always punctual. The guides offered great suggestions for how to spend our free time, and there was plenty of opportunity to shop and try local cuisine. Overall, we were very happy with the trip. The tour was well-planned, covered a wide range of destinations, and gave us a rich and complete impression of the Caucasus. Thank you!