My friend Vitalik continues to travel around Russia and recently visited Ingushetia. As I said, he doesn’t have a blog, so guest post is not to advertise your resource, but just to share impressions By the way, maybe we can make a separate section here, Where other people will publish similar stories? I mean not in the form of guest posts (when I edit and weed out), but just separate tape. And then you can select the best and announce already for all. What do you think? Will there be someone else to write?
I have long wanted to visit the notorious “resorts of the North Caucasus”, on the development of which in our country is allocated fabulous money. BUT here loukoster “Victory” opened flights to Vladikavkaz. Taking short vacation, we went on a small tour of the Caucasian republics, one of the points of which was the mountainous Ingushetia.
Brief geographic reference. The Republic of Ingushetia is the most a small subject of our country (a little more than Luxembourg), one half of which is on the plain, and the other is separated from it high mountain range and is located in the deep ravines between it and the main Caucasian ridge. It is narrow, easily overlapped gorges at one time helped residents to successfully fight off invasions of enemies, which allowed almost intact many objects of the Middle Ages.
The content of the article
- 1 How to get there
- 2 Ski Resort Armi
- 3 tour of the gorges, sights
- 4 Recommendations for visiting Ingushetia
- 5 Prices and travel budget
Contents
How to get there
From Vladikavkaz to Ingushetia is within reach – from the city center to taxi less than an hour away on the Georgian Military Road. But there is nuances.
At the congress from the federal highway at the traffic police post, surrounded by car tires like a post from news about the Middle East, we were stopped by the driver (who prudently removed checkers from the roof) took to yourself. “We lack protocol, – he tells later. You need to sign, they say. “Drove in the end quite easily in a few minutes otmazalsya from the protocol, and we managed to drive another five hundred meters. Next, the gorge overlap huge gate with guards at the entrance. They took the passports, asked where we were going, for what purpose, whether we are carrying something prohibited (it is interesting that in general it can be prohibited to be transported to Ingushetia ??). Rewrote the data, let go. After another 10 minutes we arrived in the tourist complex “Armhi”.
Arkhi Ski Resort
Armhi is the only ski resort (and generally only resort) Ingushetia. There is a cable car, two trails plus one training, pool and other entertainment like a rope town and mountain bike trails. Normal restaurant only worked at the top cable car station. As we were assured at the reception, cable car will work until the last guest. Yeah.
The cable car, as it turned out, is open until 18-00. As an excuse It is worth saying that we arrived in the offseason – mid-April – and on the base were almost alone.
In the fight against hunger and the prospects to rise more than 350 meters (for comparison, this is the height of the largest skyscraper “Moscow City) defeated hunger. Only 40 minutes of ascent and 1780 snowy steps – and we have a goal. I must say, the goal did not disappoint – in a restaurant cooked delicious and fairly inexpensive. Specially invited the chef from Azerbaijan served the dishes himself and told about of them.
Tour of the gorges, attractions
The next day we planned to walk through the gorges and, maybe climb some mountain. In the evening I asked the guy to reception, where you can go nearby or go. “And tomorrow with Nine will be a guide, “- says -” He will tell everything. ”
Guide did not appear to nine in the morning or ten, despite all assurances at the reception. Only after my request to call a taxi the kid nodded and dialed the number, but obviously not a taxi, but to hint “guide” that if he now does not come, then we will manage without him.
The guide turned out to be also a young guy on nine, who, obviously knew his country very well and could answer any question, but he told quite a bit, as if so bored taxi driver in the long run. Well, in the tradition of the Muslim parts of the Caucasus, told all this only to me, sitting in the front seat, whatever the back (where spouse) he was not heard.
But despite all this, our four-hour trip was impossible called boring. We managed to visit the high mountain passes (pity, the weather did not allow to see Kazbek), go down deep into gorges, consider remnants of it seems that the recently inhabited tower towns, get to the most ancient Christian temple on (official) territory of Russia, having previously taken away from it keys from a local resident, as well as see the original ancient fortress “Vovnushki”, carved into the rocks at the entrance to one of gorges. And this despite the fact that we looked far from everything on the way. For example, the sacred mountain of Base-jumpers Tsey remained uncovered. Loam and several particularly well-preserved tower complexes. But all this would have taken more than one day, which we the stock was gone.
Returning, we (somewhat recklessly) decided to walk up to the neighboring village of Beyni, which was located on the opposite side of the gorge and was clearly visible from the hotel. Recklessly – because although in a straight line the distance seems quite small, but in fact, you need to do about 400 meters along the serpentine vertically down (and this is a few kilometers of serpentine), and then still no less up. Lucky that the locals are quite willing brought up on a ride. For faithfulness, I still recommend for a small fee order a taxi.
Recommendations for visiting Ingushetia
Finally, what other visit guidelines can to give:
- It is better to go in the summer (May-September). In mid-April, when they were we, in the middle mountains, just started to snow. In the summer, all around will not be faded yellow, but pleasantly green, with beautiful mountain flowers.
- Also in summer you can climb the Mount Canteen (hiking as time begins from the village of Beyni), it opens in good weather splendid panorama: on one side you can see on the plain Vladikavkaz, on the other – the Main Caucasus Range.
- I recommend getting from Vladikavkaz by taxi. There are also buses, but quite rare. If you drive your car, I highly recommend getting confirmation of your reservation at least one day from the base “Armhi” – printed paper will help in communication with border guards and local gaytsami.
- Two or three days seems to be enough to make due impression about this small mountainous country, although, of course, with tents here you can wander at least a week.
- For spoiled by service, you need to be ready for his Caucasian option. This is when a request to change the room with a non-working light. you with the ostentatious “Sorry, I took the wrong key”, give the room key with the same problem, and the taxi driver you call in the morning need to wake up. The Ingush are very optional in their promises. However, for the rest it is quite a friendly and nice contingent in communication, nothing like the ones about whose adventures on the plain tell a lot of things. Apparently, this because here in the mountains they are in their natural habitat are located.
Prices and travel budget
Flight: Moscow-Beslan, 10.000r for two round-trip loukosterom “Victory”. Beslan Airport is 20 km away. the center of Vladikavkaz, so it is advisable to order at the airport Beslan taxi will be taken to the city for 350r. Taxi from Vladikavkaz to “Armhi” – 600r machine. You can still fly to Nazran, but it will be expensive. In general, before the “Victory” and Vladikavkaz was an expensive route, all flew from Minvod, it will be far away.
Accommodation: a double room in a hotel in “Armhi” costs 2.300 rub. Breakfast is included, but scanty in Caucasian: a choice of porridge or scrambled eggs, plus tea. Prices in the restaurant are low, a check for two with food from the belly and house wine – 1.500 rub. We just called the hotel, there they say – now there are places, no need to book. In general, in season places may not be necessary in advance. There are also guest houses with all amenities but prices did not recognize.
Excursion: 2.000r car, 3 hours plus 500r, if with a stop yet somewhere
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