Russian Caucasus: Chechnya, Dagestan, North Ossetia, and Ingushetia

Day 2 – South of Ingushetia

On our second day, we’ll enter a new republic: Ingushetia.

People in Ingushetia are culturally and ethnically Chechens but for political reasons, they were split into 2 different republics, probably as an attempt to divide their society.

Bordering the region of Kazbegi in Georgia, the south of Ingushetia is gorgeous, home to the picturesque Vainakh towers and jaw-dropping mountains.

For visiting this part of Russia, you’ll need a special permit, which we’ll be getting for you.

Overnight in Vladikavaz.

Day 3 – Magas and Grozny

In the morning, we will visit Beslan, a former school in North Ossetia and today, a sobering memorial that remembers one of the worst terrorist attacks ever occurred in Europe, an indispensable episode in Russia’s history to understand their relationship with Chechnya.

Then, we’ll visit Ingushetia’s capital, Magas, a surreal city in the Caucasus and the youngest capital in all of Russia, the highlight being the Memorial of History and Glory, a monument that tries to remember and explain all the forced deportations of Ingushetians into Kazakhstan.

Then, it’s time to enter the Republic of Chechnya, a different world from anything you’ve seen in Russia.

Grozny is the capital of Chechnya. It was entirely destroyed during the war, so most buildings are pretty new as well. We’ll climb up the tallest tower to get a perspective of the city, and we’ll also visit Kadirov Museum, named after the current and controversial leader of Chechnya.

Overnight in Grozny.

Day 4 – Shali, Kezenoy-am and Gimry

This is going to be a long traveling day, since we’ll get into Dagestan through windy, mountain roads.

We’ll start our visit with Shali, home to the largest mosque in Europe. Then, we’ll stop in Kezenoy-am, a mountain lake and popular tourist spot for Chechens. I don’t think the lake is particularly pretty, but it’s a cool place where to see local people hanging out and spending their day over a barbecue.

Then, we’ll continue our journey until Gimry, a small and not very touristic Dagestani village, where the first imams of Dagestan and Chechnya were born.

Overnight in Gimry.

Day 5 – Gamsutl’, Sogratl’ and Gunib

During Soviet times, many Chechens suffered from forced deportation to other parts of the Soviet Union. At the same time, since Dagestan was overpopulated, many Dagestanis were also forced to move into empty Chechnya, the reason why today, you can still find many abandoned villages across Dagestan, the most picturesque being Gamsutl’, which has become a real tourist attraction.

We’ll also visit the village of Gunib and if we have time, we’ll stop in Chokh, home to an original Stalin statue – more like a bust – one of the very, very few that remain in the world.

Overnight in Sogratl’.

Day 6 – Salta, Balkhar and Kubachi

Today’s road is pretty rough so to get to Kubachi, so we’ll get into our 4WD. Kubachi, is a relatively-sized mountain village home to many local craftsmen especialized in jewelry.

On the way, we’ll go through unspoiled, and very remote Dagestani villages, while enjoying the gorgeous mountain landscapes.

Overnight in Kubachi.

Day 7 – Derbent

Derbent is a southern Dagestani town located by the Caspian Sea, very close to the border with Azerbaijan.

It’s also the most ancient town in all of Russia, dating to the 8th century BC. It was a Persian town before it passed into the Russian Federation in 1813.

Derbent is an actual touristic town, very popular among Russians for its centuries of history. As such, the town is filled with hotels, bars and many food options, the perfect place where to end a rough trip across North Caucasus.

Overnight in Derbent.

Day 8 – Departure

The international airport is located 1:30 hours from Derbent.

We’ll take you there at your desired time.