A small village in the mountains - Arkhyz, won love and popularity among tourists for the beauty of the pristine nature of the Caucasus Mountains, as well as a mild and comfortable climate. The main tourist infrastructure is concentrated near the ski resort. The cable cars that lift up the ski slopes and observation decks are popular. Such a vacation is designed for people who value comfort and good service.
However, fans of outdoor activities and hiking also come to Arkhyz. They are attracted by dozens of unique natural attractions. Depending on the degree of physical fitness, everyone will choose a route to their liking. Waterfalls, lakes, mountain peaks - the choice is varied. In addition to natural places, there are cultural, historical, centuries-old iconic places in Arkhyz - the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement or the dolmens of Leso-Kyafar.
The most interesting and beautiful places of Arkhyz
List, photo with names and descriptions of popular attractions of the area.
Teberda reserve
The natural landscapes of the reserve are mountains, rivers, hundreds of lakes, glaciers and waterfalls. The Teberda Nature Reserve is visited annually by 200,000 to 400,000 tourists. Ecological trails have been laid along it, along which you can move both independently and as part of organized groups under the guidance of an experienced guide. Tourists should definitely visit the arboretum and the estate museum on the territory of the reserve.
See also: 25 main attractions of the Teberda nature reserve
Ski resort "Arkhyz"
A popular place for active recreation among tourists, located in the spurs of the Caucasian ridge. The lowest point of the Arkhyz resort is located at an altitude of 1650 meters in the village of Romantic. The main infrastructure facilities are concentrated above - in the village of Lunnaya Polyana. There are service points and equipment rental points, cash desks and a cafe. For athletes, there are 8 tracks of different difficulty levels, there are lifts of different types.
Arkhyz ropeways
The ascent on the cable car in Arkhyz is possible at any time of the year. Landing stations for drag and chairlifts Milky Way, Sputnik, Northern Lights and Lunar Express are located in the villages of Lunnaya Polyana and Romantic. The highest station is located at an altitude of 2500 meters. There are observation platforms with a magnificent view of glaciers, snow-capped mountain slopes and tops of century-old pines.
Glade Taulu
A popular campsite in the valley of the Sofia and Psysh rivers. Many routes to the popular natural attractions of Arkhyz begin from here. The glade does not have the usual resort infrastructure, so the Taulu glade is perfect for fans of "wild" recreation. Local residents have set up a small bazaar next to the meadow, where you can buy national dishes, wool products and souvenirs.
Sofia lakes
Three picturesque alpine lakes, which are quite difficult to get to. Tourists wishing to see them will have to climb the mountains to a height of 2800 meters for many hours. Experienced tourists are advised to go for at least a two-day hike in order to fully enjoy the beauty of the lakes among the pristine nature against the backdrop of majestic mountains. The water in the Sofia Lakes has a rich turquoise color with a shade of azure.
Sofia waterfalls
Powerful streams of water falling from the slopes of Mount Sofia attract hundreds of tourists. The height of the mountain is 3636 meters. Most often, travelers combine a visit to the Sofia waterfalls and the Sofia lakes, located 15 km from the village of Arkhyz. The road to the waterfalls runs along the Chaget-Chat ridge along the picturesque Sofia Gorge. On the way to the waterfalls, it is worth taking a look at the Glacier Farm, where buffaloes and Karachai horses live.
Lake of Love (Lake Suuk-Djurek)
An amazingly shaped body of water in the shape of a heart. A small original lake is located on the Morg-Syrty plateau on the territory of the Teberda reserve at an altitude of 2350 meters. The lake water is crystal clear and very cold. His name Suuk-Dzhurek is translated as “Cold heart”. However, a local legend says that if a couple in love dares to plunge into the waters of the Lake of Love, their feelings will last forever.
Cossack waterfall
One of the most visited waterfalls. The route to it is considered one of the easiest, it is suitable even for people with poor physical fitness. The optimal period for visiting the Cossack waterfall is considered to be from May to July. In August, the water flow dries up and a thin trickle remains from the waterfall. From the foot of the waterfall there are beautiful views of the Bolshoy Zelenchuk river valley and the Arkhyz village.
Barite waterfall
Another waterfall, the route to which from the village of Arkhyz is considered easy. A hike to the Barite waterfall will take no more than two hours, and the difference in altitude during the ascent is practically not felt. The waterfall is a narrow stream of water that falls spectacularly from a sheer cliff. The height of the free fall of water is 20 meters. From the waterfall you can clearly see the Chaget-Chat mountain range and the gorge of the Kizgych river.
Mount Pastukhov
The three-headed mountain is 2733 meters high. Snow lays on its top until June. At the foot of the mountain there is a unique telescope of the Russian Academy of Sciences - one of the largest in the world. An unusual view of its dome opens from the slopes of the mountain. From the top of Mount Pastukhov, the ridges of the Caucasus Mountains, the valley of the Marukha River, the peaks of the Big and Small Karabek are clearly visible. The route to the mountain is one-day, for 6-7 hours you need to walk about 10 km.
Chigordali waterfall
A well-trodden trail without stone debris leads to the waterfall. The length of the route is about 7 kilometers one way, the climb is 400 meters. The trail passes by the Dead Lake in the middle of a protected forest. The height of the Chigordali waterfall is 15 meters. A brilliant jet of clear water falls from a cliff surrounded by a coniferous forest. At the foot of the waterfall there is a small clearing where you can have a picnic and put up a tent.
Waterfall on the Belaya River
One of the most picturesque and accessible places near Arkhyz. The deep waterfall is located within walking distance from the Taule glade at the confluence of the Belaya River and the Psysh River. After the fall, the stream of water flows through the narrow canyon of Ayulu-Chat and is a stunning sight. The trail to the waterfall leads through a forest with centuries-old pines and past meadows with blooming crocuses. The waterfall looks most impressive in the period from April to December.
Optical telescope BTA
Large azimuth telescope, part of the Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Located on the Upper Scientific Site, 45 km from Arkhyz. It is one of the largest telescopes of this type in the world, and it is of great interest to tourists. Day and night excursions are organized for them. During excursions, visitors are told about the structure of the telescope, and at night you can see the starry sky through the telescope.
RATAN-600 radio telescope
Located 25 km from Nizhny Arkhyz in the village of Zelenchukskaya. This object is less visited by tourists than the BTA telescope, but at the same time it is just as interesting. Its reflective mirrors are 600 meters in diameter. You can view the unique and large-scale radio telescope as part of an organized group. The guides are the researchers of the observatory, who will tell you about complex space phenomena in an accessible language.
Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement
Archaeological complex of the times of Ancient Alania. Built in the 7th-14th centuries. It is located 1.5 km from the village of Nizhniy Arkhyz and is popular among tourists who are interested in the cultural and architectural past of the peoples who lived on the territory of modern Karachay-Cherkessia. Of the greatest interest are the three surviving Christian churches.In addition to them, you can see the quarries, the astronomical circle and burial grounds.
Northern Zelenchuk temple
It is the most impressive and monumental of the three surviving temples of the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement. This is a wonderful example of the architectural art of medieval masters. The special status of the temple is emphasized by the finds discovered during excavation of burials near the temple. These are jewelry, gold stripes from clothes. One of them belonged to the king from the Bagratid dynasty, who ruled Armenia in the 9th century.
Middle Zelenchuk temple
It was built at the beginning of the 9th century from large sandstone blocks, fastened with limestone mortar. The temple has interesting architectural solutions - its length is equal to its height, and the size of the drum windows is equal to the radius of the dome. In the western arm of the temple, there are original frescoes with images of saints. In the 19th century, two side-chapels were added to the old building of the temple and christened as the temple of the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity.
South Zelenchuk temple
The most modest and smallest of the three Christian churches of the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement. It is located among residential buildings within the block. At the same time, the South Temple suffered the most from the restorations carelessly performed by the monks, which destroyed the ancient wall paintings. The masonry technique of the South Zelenchuksky temple indicates that it was erected by local craftsmen at the beginning of the 11th century.
Stone statue "Warrior-Turk"
A monument of medieval Alanian culture. Created approximately in the VIII-XII centuries. It is a stone figure with an oriental face looking at the Bolshoi Zelenchuk river. Facial features are characteristic of the ancient Alans - a short chin, straight nose, artificial deformation of the skull, large eye sockets. The "Turkic Warrior" statue is located on the territory of the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement, next to the South Zelenchuk temple.
Rock face of Christ
Measures 140 * 80 cm. It is located on a rock under a stone ledge that protects the image from bad weather. The date of the image is not known exactly - scientists and representatives of religion have not yet come to a consensus. For pilgrims wishing to worship the shrine, a staircase of 526 steps has been erected. It has benches for resting from a heavy climb and viewing platforms from which you can see the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement.
Church of the Savior Image Not Made by Hands
A small and modest outwardly church built of stone next to the popular and famous shrine - the Rock Face of Christ. Every year, thousands of pilgrims come to the shrine, it was this fact that influenced the decision to build a temple in this place of the Arkhyz gorge. The temple was built in 2010, consecrated in 2012. Nearby there is a small market and cafe, as well as a souvenir and church shops.
Valley of the Kizgych river
A picturesque valley, through which there are many hiking trails to popular natural attractions. There are 17 lakes in the Kizgych river basin, including high-mountain ones, where the ice does not melt even in summer. The melt water of the glaciers hanging over the valley forms several waterfalls, including the Cossack waterfall. From the Kizgych valley you can go to the Chertova Melnitsa tract, where a rapid mountain river flows.
Memorial in Taulu Glade
Built in 1967 in memory of the defenders of the Western Caucasus mountain passes. The memorial complex consists of a mass grave, a map of military operations in the Arkhyz area made of metal, a pavilion of memory, a mountain weapon removed from the Nakra pass in 1980, and a bayonet-shaped stele. The mountain 45 mm gun is located next to the reconstruction of the bunker. Fresh flowers always lie at the mass grave and the bayonet.
Dukkinsky lakes
They are one of the most visited lakes in Arkhyz. They break open from ice earlier than other lakes in this area and later become covered with snow. Tourists are attracted by the unusual color of the lakes - depending on the time of day, the water can be dark blue or almost black. A trail leads to the lakes; most of it can be driven by a cross-country vehicle. However, the last 3 km can only be covered on foot.
Lake Sevensvetnoe
The lake is located at an altitude of 2450 meters, 26 km from the village of Arkhyz. The lake got its unusual name because of the original color of the water. The surrounding landscape, minerals that are stacked at different depths of the lake, as well as the reflection of the blue sky and white clouds make the lake water sparkle with all the colors of the rainbow. The best time to visit the lake is July and August. During these months, the water in the lake is most saturated with bright colors.
Lake Aimatly-Jagaly-Kol
Located near the Sofia group of lakes. It attracts tourists with its amazing water color, which changes shades from emerald to turquoise depending on the angle of incidence of the sun's rays. The lake has an unusual shape - it has rough, as if rugged, banks, where you can make a halt and put up a tent. The depth of the lake is shallow, but the water in this alpine reservoir does not warm up above 13 degrees.
Dolmens of the Leso-Kyafar settlement
The settlement of Leso-Kyafar is located 50 km from the village of Arkhyz. It is best known for its ancient dolmens, according to some sources their age is about 10,000 years. Dolmens are especially attractive for lovers of esotericism. They believe that the unusual energy of the ancient necropolis has mystical power - it can heal diseases or provide answers to secret questions. Remains of stone figures and sanctuaries have been preserved near the dolmens.
Crater lake
The second largest lake located on the Sofia ridge. Most tourists pass by it directly to the Sofia Lakes, therefore, on the shores of Lake Craternoe, it is most often not crowded. Here you can relax alone with the alpine nature at an altitude of 2838 meters. The location of the lake looks like a volcano crater - this similarity gave it its name. The water in the lake is dark blue, and it seems that it is bottomless.
Lake and waterfall Belkau-Kol
They are located on the Morg-Syrty ridge on the territory of the Teberda Nature Reserve at an altitude of 2265 meters. The lake and waterfalls are visited by both walking and horseback excursions. The route is considered easy and takes several hours. The water in the lake has a rich azure color, it looks especially beautiful in clear weather. A waterfall falls right from the snow-capped peaks of the mountains into the reservoir, which is an incredibly picturesque sight.
Marukh gorge
Located off the main tourist routes. A picturesque 60 km long gorge can be easily overcome even by inexperienced tourists under the guidance of an experienced guide. The relief of the gorge is varied - wide river valleys are replaced by sheer steep rocks. There are grottoes, caves, small rivers and waterfalls. The vegetation is represented by both dense coniferous forests and alpine multigrass meadows.
