New Year's Eve with a view of Elbrus

After breakfast with a dry ration, you will leave at 06:30 and set off for the Azau glade, the heart of the Elbrus district.

The journey will take about 3.5 hours, but as you approach the mountains, you will feel the air change — it becomes cleaner, lighter, filled with the expectation of something more.

Upon arrival, you will be able to climb the slopes of the mountain by cable car, which will take you up to an altitude of 3,800 meters.

Along the way, breathtaking views open up: the Caucasian ridges appear one after another, like giants standing guard over time.

At an altitude of 3,500 meters, the real winter begins — snow-covered slopes, glaciers sparkling in the sun.

Those who wish will be able to ride a snowmobile (for an additional fee) or just play snowballs — the fun here turns out to be especially lively and sincere.

After descending to the Azau glade, you will have lunch at a local cafe (on your own) — time to warm up and take a break after a busy day.

Then return to Yessentuki, where a New Year's banquet awaits you (optional, for an additional fee), which will begin at 22:00 and promises to be bright and memorable.

You will be greeted by a cozy hall, a festive table, music and kind faces.

The program includes dancing, contests, live communication and, of course, the real Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden, who will help you remember what faith in miracles is.

And exactly at midnight, with the solemn chiming of the chimes and fireworks blooming in the sky, you will celebrate the New Year — happy, full of energy and inspired by the emotions you have just experienced.

After the festive heat of the previous days, there comes a time of deceleration, comfort and inner peace.

Breakfast at the hotel sets a soft tone for a new day — no fuss, just you and your personal space.

Today you are free to choose: if you want, go for a walk through a quiet city where garlands are still hanging and the fresh air is filled with the feeling of a New Year's tale.

If you want, walk along the alleys of parks and squares, which at this time of year are especially picturesque under the first winter snow and the subdued light of the January sun.

If you feel like continuing to take care of yourself, you can go to the local springs and drink the healing narzan, which is so appreciated for its restorative properties.

This day is great to take a break and be filled with the health that the land of the Caucasus itself gives.

And if you are attracted to tastes and aromas, a walk through the cafes and restaurants of Essentuki will be a great pleasure.

Here you will find dishes of different Caucasian cuisines, from juicy kebabs to homemade pies that can warm not only the body but also the soul.

Today, after breakfast at the hotel, you will find one of the most scenic travel routes — a trip to Honey Waterfalls, a place where nature speaks the language of water, stone and mountain wind.

This is already the territory of Karachay-Cherkessia, where from the first kilometers of the road you will get into the atmosphere of wild, untouched beauty.

Along the way, you will stop at the famous Koltso Mountain, a natural monument whose outlines mysteriously resemble the shape of a ring, attracting the attention of photographers and fans of the unusual landscape.

And then a warm and fragrant break in the Tea House, where you can taste herbal teas, homemade feijoa and sea buckthorn jams, urbechi, marshmallows, churchkhela and natural honey — all locally produced.

If you want to add movement, you can go horseback riding (for an additional fee of 600 rubles / 30 minutes), riding a Karachay horse and experiencing the rhythm of mountain life.

But the main goal of the day will be Honey Waterfalls, an amazing place where the Sufasu River falls from a height, creating four powerful cascades.

The observation decks offer magnificent views of the surroundings, as if all the power of the Caucasus is gathered here in one picturesque gorge.

After that, lunch with dishes of national cuisine to recuperate and continue the day fully armed.

If you want adrenaline, extreme entertainment is available nearby, including one of the longest ziplines in Russia (1,050 meters) with breakneck speeds of up to 80 km/h (for an additional fee of 2,000 rubles).

The day will end with a walk around Kislovodsk, one of the most famous resorts in the country, famous for its health resorts and picturesque parks.

You will walk through the Kislovodsk National Park, visit the famous Narzan Gallery, stroll along the romantic Resort Boulevard, see the Colonnade, the ancient bridge "Ladies' Caprice", and also look at the Mirrored Pond, into which you definitely need to throw a coin — to be sure to come back here again.

In the evening, return to Yessentuki.

Breakfast at the hotel. Room release.

You will go to Pyatigorsk, a city that can be called a living monument of history, literature and architecture.

It welcomes guests not only with the beauty of the mountains, but also with the atmosphere of antiquity, where every stone keeps its secrets.

Today you will walk through the places associated with the life and work of Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov, whose name is especially close to this city.

It was here, in the Caucasus, that he found inspiration, and his fate found a tragic ending.

You will hear stories about his life, see the places he visited, and feel that special connection with the past that is so vividly felt here.

The guide will also tell you about an unexpected page of history — the Italian roots of the city.

The first architects of Pyatigorsk, father and son Bernardazzi, left an indelible mark here: their work is still pleasing to the eye.

You will stroll past the famous Nikolaevsky (Lermontov) baths, see the mysterious Grotto of Diana, hear the legends of the Aeolian Harp, a stone rotunda from which the wind once extracted musical sounds, and walk through the picturesque Flower Garden, where the symbol of the region stands — the sculpture of an Eagle.

If the weather is clear, you will have the opportunity to climb over the city to the top of Mount Mashuk by cable car (for an additional fee of 450 rubles).

The view from there is breathtaking: all the Caucasian Mineral Waters are in the palm of your hand, among which Pyatigorsk stretches like a jewel set in the mountains.

Lunch at a cafe in the city.

The day will end with an introduction to Zheleznovodsk, a modest but rich in history resort.

Here you will take a short walk through the ancient park, see the former summer residence of the Emir of Bukhara, walk past the Pushkin Gallery and taste the mineral water from the springs known for their healing properties — Smirnovsko-Slavyanovskie waters.

Transfer to the airport (or railway station) of Mineralnye Vody for flights departing after 19:00.