North Caucasus 9-Day Tour (Chechnya Ingushetia and Dagestan)

North Caucasus 9-Day Tour (Chechnya Ingushetia and Dagestan)

The North Caucasus region is a very unique and diverse region within Russia. It is home to various independence movements and dozens of languages. It is the most ethnically diverse region of Russia.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrivan in Grozny

Stop At: Grozny, Grozny, Chechnya, North Caucasian District
The guide will meet you at the airport

Have lunch in a traditional cuisine restaurant

Spend the whole afternoon exploring the main sites of the city (museum of Akhmad Kadyrov, National museum, roof of Business Center, “Heart of Chechnya” mosque, memorial of 1944...)

Night in “Grozny city” 5-star hotel
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight


Day 2: Go Deeper

Stop At: Chechnya, Chechnya, North Caucasian District
Meet Adam Satuev - the creator of the Dondi-yurt private museum, Chechen honorary citizen and friend of Ramzan Kadyrov

Come back to Grozny and visit Khafiz’s school

After lunch, meet one of the Salafi people who lives near Grozny

In the evening, talk to one of the people who fought for Chechen independence

Night in “Grozny city” 5-star hotel
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight


Day 3: Meet Locals

Stop At: Republic of Ingushetia, Republic of Ingushetia, Southern District
Drive to the mountains of Ingushetia to learn about Ingush traditions and recent history

Ingush people are related to Chechens and they even had a Checheno-Igush republic for both nations during Soviet times. They can understand each other and most of them follow the same Sufi tariqa (way). The primary difference is that in the early 90s, the Ingush people decided to stay with Russia instead of fighting for independence. They also had a conflict at that time with Ossetians

During the day, we’ll see amazing defensive towers

Ingush and Chechen people have the same culture of tower building. One of the Ingush subethnic groups, until this day, call themselves the Galgai (“Branches of Towers”) identifying themselves with their clan’s towers

In the evening, we’ll see Zhikr (Sufi ritual) of Kadaria tariqa, which is common both for Chechnya and Ingushetia

We’ll spend the night in a private house in Djeirakh village and will be able to communicate with locals
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight

Day 4: Back to Chechnya

Stop At: Argun, Argun, Chechnya, North Caucasian District
In the morning we’ll hike up to Myat-seyli shrine (2 hours light hiking)

Drive to Magas (the capital of Ingushetia) for lunch

Drive back to Chechnya and go up to Argun gorge and stay in a brand-new Veduchi ski resort
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight

Day 5: Kezenoi-am lake

Stop At: Kezenoy-Am Lake, Border of Vedenskiy District of the Chechen Republic and Botlikh District of Dagestan, Makazhoy Russia
We’ll drive along rural roads to Sharoi towers and then to Dai village for lunch

After that, we will visit the abandoned Hoi village and Kezenoy-am lake (the biggest mountain lake of the Caucasus)

Night in Grozny
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight

Day 6: Dagestan

Stop At: Republic of Dagestan, Republic of Dagestan, North Caucasian District
Drive to Gunib via Sulak canyon view point

Have lunch, on the way, in a family fruit garden in Miatli village

Night in Gunib
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight

Day 7: Mountain Villages of Dagestan

Stop At: Kubachi, Kubachi, Republic of Dagestan, North Caucasian District
Visit to the mountain villages of two different nations: Laks and Dargwa

Lunch in Balkhar, famous pottery village

Dinner in Kubachi, the famous center of jewellery

Home-stay in Kubachi
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight

Day 8: Derbent

Stop At: Derbent, Derbent, Republic of Dagestan, North Caucasian District
Drive to the Caspian sea

Lunch in Derbent

Walk around the Old City and visit a local home

Enjoy Azerbaijani cuisine for dinner

Night in the “Scarlet Sails” hotel

Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight

Day 9: Tour Ends

Pass By: Makhachkala, Makhachkala, Republic of Dagestan, North Caucasian District
Transfer to Makhachkala airport

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.