The beauty of Dombay. Walking tour

Staying in the wild is always associated with a number of potential dangers.

• Movement during the active part of the tour must be carried out strictly along the path indicated by the instructor guide; it is unacceptable to try to "cut" the path, choose your own, etc. without the consent of the instructor guide. In mountainous areas, keep a close eye on the road and watch your step, especially after rain.
• In the event of a tourist's unauthorized deviation from the established route and independent trekking, climbing or crossing, as well as any other actions, the participant undertakes obligations to comply with personal safety measures.
• Do not make amateur ascents to higher ground (especially cliffs), crossing crayfish, canyons, etc. This may turn out to be much more difficult than you initially thought, and lead to an accident. Do not climb boulders and rocks, do not approach the edges of cliffs and river banks, do not drop stones from steep slopes.
• When walking the route, pay attention to where you step on, if you step on a snake, it can bite you. Remember, snakes only attack in self-defense.
• On the route, tourists should be disciplined, follow the instructions and commands of the leader, provide assistance in difficult areas, do not overcome them without reconnaissance, do not show daredevilism and do not panic in difficult, extreme conditions.

The tour operator reserves the right, due to weather conditions or the closure of routes by the national Nature Reserve, to make changes to the sequence of the program, without changing the scope of services provided.

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

Meeting: Group transfer from the airport / railway station Mineralnye Vody is carried out at the appointed time, but no later than 14:30. At the airport, at the exit from the arrivals hall, tourists are greeted by a guide with a sign "Dombay". Our transport picks up tourists from the railway station, depending on the arrival time of the trains, but no later than 13:30.

Departure: Tourists are escorted to the airport and to the Mineralnye Vody railway station for flights departing from 19:00 local time. For tourists arriving/leaving at other times, individual transfers can be arranged for an additional fee of 8000 rubles or more.

The time of group transfers is based on the flight time of the group members. The time indicated in the program is approximate, the exact time will be indicated in the memo before the start of the tour.

Please note that the time of the group transfer is selected taking into account the flight data of ALL tour participants based on the arrival / departure time indicated on the ticket, which tourists provide no later than 5 days before the start of the tour. In the absence of a ticket, the departure time of the transfer is selected by the tour operator independently.

Insurance is not included in the tour program.

You can purchase additional travel insurance on the website of a Large Country without commission directly from insurance companies.

Important! The route passes through the border area. 

Citizens of the CIS countries need to issue a border pass in advance: documents are submitted 45 days before the intended trip.

The climate is characterized by relative coolness, as well as dryness, cleanliness and a high degree of air ionization, and an abundance of ultraviolet radiation. There are many sunny days. The winter is mild; the average temperature in January is about -3°C; stable snow cover from mid-December to the end of February. Summers are moderately warm; the average temperature in August is 15-16°C. Weather conditions in the mountains change quite often. The daytime temperature is from +10 to +25 ° C, at night from +6 to +15, in autumn – from -5 to +10. The maximum amount of precipitation falls in summer.

The program may change due to weather and other adverse conditions.

The local population communicates in Russian, but mountaineers often use Karachay-Balkarian and Circassian speech, respectively, in conversations among themselves. The participants of the tour must respect the cultural and historical values, traditions and customs of the indigenous and local population of the region. Most of the population is involved in the tourism industry.

The main thing is to respect local customs and laws, behave with dignity and kindness. In the republic, most of the population professes Islam, as a result, defiant behavior, disrespect for elders, very open and vulgar clothes, excessive attention to others (especially to women) are not accepted here, the manifestation of loving feelings in public (gentle touches, kisses) is condemned.

It is not necessary to address strangers of the opposite sex on the streets, speak loudly and obscenely, drink alcoholic beverages on the street. Caucasians always react aggressively to such obvious violations of local moral principles. Therefore, we recommend that you exercise caution and respect for the traditions of the republic.

The currency is the Russian ruble. It is better to have cash on the route – it is possible to pay with a card only in cities – Mineralnye Vody, etc.

In cafes, restaurants and shops in Dombay and Elbrus resorts, payment is made only in cash. Hotels do not accept plastic cards. After serving in cafes and restaurants, it is customary to leave a tip of 10% of the order amount. You can only pay with a plastic card on the new cable car in Dombay.

Dombay

The resort has only a branch of Sberbank, located opposite the Orion Hotel. Working hours for individuals are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday are days off. In the area of the lower GKD station, an ATM is located to the right of the cash register.

We recommend using the services of mobile operators in this area – Beeline and Megafon (preferably). MTS does not work everywhere and is unstable. But, nevertheless, mobile Internet works better with Beeline and MTS operators.

Most of the accommodation has free Wi-Fi, and you can access the Internet here.

All mobile operators of the big three (Beeline, Megafon, MTS) work perfectly in the village of Dombai and the village of Terskol. The Megafon operator is most popular among the local population due to its good signal reception and stable operation in the area.

There are no official representatives / offices of mobile operators in Dombay, SIM cards can be purchased at the Pharmacy at Fir Cape, 1.

We remind you that Dombai is located on the territory of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, which means that you will be roaming in Dombai. Roaming is also available in the Elbrus region, in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic. To clarify the terms of the roaming service, you need to contact your mobile operator.

It is also not difficult to top up your mobile phone account in Dombay. Payment terminals are available in almost all hotels and cafes in the village. For example: Cafe "U Zuli", shops in the village. Fir, at the lower station of the cable car, etc.

Throughout the tour, you will be accompanied by highly qualified guides with many years of experience in the region. We believe that thanks to our guides, the tour has become so eventful and rich in discoveries. Their professionalism, openness, and friendliness will help you feel the ancient breath of this land.

They say that without a guide, any trip, even a short one, is just a matter of overcoming distances, with a guide it is already a journey.

The tourist should know that the guide has the right: To take necessary measures aimed at ensuring the safety of participants, including changing the route or early termination of the program due to natural hazards and other circumstances, as well as, if necessary, providing assistance to the injured. To separate the group in an emergency situation, based on the actual availability of forces and means, the specific situation and the maximum likelihood of completing the tasks to eliminate the accident.

The age limit for tour participants is at least 10 years old and at least 65 years old. If the age of the tourist exceeds 65 years, the decision on his participation in the tour program is made on the basis of questionnaires. When booking a tour, please provide information about your health and physical fitness as accurately as possible in the questionnaire.

Participants are required to be in good physical shape and have no medical contraindications to physical exertion (cardiovascular diseases, etc.).

The main diseases for which it is not recommended to go to the mountains:

Individual intolerance to oxygen deficiency, angina pectoris of functional class III-IV, hypertension of the 3rd grade, chronic renal failure, acute stages of somatic diseases (myocardial infarction, acute cerebrovascular accident, hypertensive crisis, asthmatic status in bronchial asthma, etc.), cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases, stage of exacerbation of chronic inflammatory processes, acute infectious diseases.

In the mountains at an altitude of 3,500 meters, the air is more rarefied, there is less oxygen in it. Therefore, some tourists experience symptoms of “high altitude (mountain) diseases”: weakness, lethargy, rapid heartbeat, light dizziness, insomnia, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, etc. These symptoms can occur at an altitude of 3,500 meters above sea level. In case of a complication, lowering the height can help relieve the symptoms.

Mountain sickness does not occur in children more often than in adults, but it is much more difficult to diagnose it, since not all children can adequately explain what is bothering them. Any malaise should be mistaken for altitude sickness and measures should be taken until the real source of the poor condition is found.

Pregnant women can tolerate heights up to 2,500 meters above sea level. But still, they should not participate in mountain climbing, as excessive physical exertion can cause miscarriage, and there is also a risk of an accident.

Elderly people can tolerate altitude sickness without additional complications, but they may find physical exertion more difficult. The tourist bears full responsibility for intentionally hiding information about diseases from the organizers, which can lead to irreversible consequences.

We have no right to monitor your health status. Therefore, we are not responsible for accidents that occur as a result of your body's reaction to altitude differences and oxygen starvation in the mountains.

As part of the program, we will be located at an altitude of 800-3500 meters above sea level. The program includes an ascent by cable car to an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level. Accommodation according to the program is at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level. For tourists suffering from cardiovascular diseases, we do not recommend climbing the cable car.

You have purchased a travel permit and you know that the mountains are a place of increased danger to the health and life of urban residents trapped in the natural environment. Weather changes very often in the mountains. There are thunderstorms, strong winds, low and high temperatures, rock and ice collapses, mudflows. A person is affected by changes in altitude, temperature, increased ultraviolet activity of the sun, and other factors.

• It is necessary to protect yourself from sun exposure. Remember that the mountains have high levels of solar radiation. You can get a burn even on a cloudy day. Eyes must be protected with sunglasses with a protection level of at least 3. It is mandatory to apply sunscreen with maximum protection factor to all exposed areas of the body (hands, face, ears) daily before going on the route.
• Do not allow overheating or hypothermia. You should be dressed according to the current weather and temperature conditions.
• When going out on a route, even on a sunny day, be sure to bring a raincoat with you. The weather in the mountains can change dramatically.
• Take care of your feet! Take measures against corns in advance: take only comfortable, worn-out shoes for trekking; stick a patch on all problem areas in advance before going on the route as a preventive measure. Use special trekking boots with sturdy soles and ankle support to minimize the risk of injury when walking over rough terrain.
• Be careful among the thickets of hogweed (when its leaves get wet from dew, this plant becomes extremely poisonous. You may get a chemical burn, which takes a long time and painfully goes away). You need to have closed clothes, long sleeves, pants, so as not to get burned, it will also save you from sunburn.
• Inform the instructor-guide in a timely manner about the deviations of your state of health from normal. Have a personal first-aid kit with you, tailored to your individual needs.
• Alcohol consumption is not recommended during the trip, and the use of narcotic and psychotropic substances is prohibited. This can lead to a sharp deterioration in your well-being in the highlands, disruption of the acclimatization process and other adverse consequences. In case of violation of this rule, the responsibility for the consequences lies with the tourist.
• Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly. Do not eat meat dishes that have not been heat-treated. If you eat in a restaurant, keep in mind that national cuisine can be spicy, greasy and unsuitable for your stomach. Do not eat mushrooms, berries, or other plants.
• With extreme caution, buy alcoholic beverages that are not factory-made (homemade wine) for private individuals, as they may be of poor quality and harmful to health. We ask you to observe moderation in alcohol consumption.
• Do not go unaccompanied for walks, picnics, or visits with strangers.