Rest in “Russian Switzerland” – hospitable Teberda

On the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus there is an unusual resort town - Teberda. The first settlements appeared in this area in the XVI century, a little later they turned into a village, and then into a city, the name of which is translated as “God’s gift”.

Teberda offers vacationers entertainment for every taste, but the highlight of the resort is the cleanest air: fresh thanks to dryers and valley winds, and warm - thanks to the neighborhood with the black sea. From the fog and cold winds Teberda is reliably sheltered by mountain ranges. No wonder this place has long been a natural hospital for all kinds of respiratory diseases.

At the resort you can have a great time in any season: in summer it is not very hot, and in winter it is not cold. In the cold season from Teberda you can quickly reach Dombai, a ski resort with cable cars, interesting slopes and even the opportunity to ride horses. In autumn, the velvet season comes here, when the sun still warms softly, the forests are painted in hundreds of flowers, mushrooms, fruits and nuts appear.

In the summer, the range of entertainment is even wider. First of all, not far from Teberda is the Teberda Reserve with a huge area of more than 85 thousand hectares. Most of its area is forests and rocks, but there are meadows and glaciers. In the reserve you can admire 157 wonderful lakes, the most beautiful of which are Baduksky. The age of these lakes ranges from 200 to 1000 years, and one of them, the Teberdinsky glacier, about 10 thousand years. You can not ignore the most beautiful waterfalls, not far from which there are alplager, for example, Alibek waterfall near the camp Alibek.

There you can also meet animals and birds included in the Red Book, for example, a mahaon. Animal lovers and tourists with children can also visit the local Otter.

For those who prefer an active lifestyle, Teberda offers a variety of complexity, but equally beautiful hiking trails. Some of them will require special training and equipment, others are available to everyone, regardless of gender, age and training. When going on a trip, be sure to take into account that almost all routes are paid. However, prices will not hit the wallet much, the price of one route fluctuates within 300 rubles. Some of them passing through the territory adjacent to Georgia may require a special permit. Mountaineers will not be missed either. Also at the resort you can master fishing by renting a fishing rod and the necessary equipment.

Fans of historical monuments and museums will not be able to pass by the Sentinsky temple on the left bank of the Teberda River. This ancient Orthodox church is a composition in the form of a “pure” cross, partially surviving fresco painting of the walls dates back to the XI century. In the XVIII century, a convent was built nearby, which is no longer functioning, but its buildings are available for visiting and well preserved.

Also near Teberda are the ruins of the ancient city of Maas, which was once the capital of the Alan state. Although not much has survived from it, against the background of water and greenery, the buildings of the ancient city look very picturesque.

In addition, in Teberda there is a museum of mountaineering, tourism and the history of the resort. The museum is located in a building once owned by Prince Islam Krymshamkhalov, an artist, poet and public figure of the XIX century, known in the region as an educator. The enlightenment of the prince’s family can be evidenced by the fact that his brother’s wife was the only Muslim girl at that time who graduated from the Institute of Noble Maidens in St. Petersburg. The prince became famous including as the compiler of the first Karachay alphabet based on the Latin alphabet. Of course, it was later replaced by Cyrillic, but the fact remains. It was thanks to Prince Teberda that it became a separate administrative unit, until it was given the status of a city, it was considered a spontaneous dacha settlement. Now the guest house, in which the museum was arranged, is one of the most beautiful buildings of Teberda.

Holidaymakers are waiting for real Caucasian cuisine and mineral waters, everyone in Russia has heard about “Arkhyz”, bottled in the town of the same name.

Getting to Switzerland is not difficult. The nearest airport is located in Mineral Waters, 200 km from Teberda. The nearest railway station is nearby in Nevinnomyssk. By bus, you can get here from both Mineral Waters, and from Nevinnomysk, and even from Stavropol. Once in Teberda, you can drive to neighboring Karachayevsk and Cherkessk, where there is also something to look at. If desired, you can get from Teberda to the resorts of Abkhazia and Georgia. However, if you plan to visit both Abkhazia and Georgia, you need to be prepared for the fact that the Georgian border cannot be crossed with a passport bearing the Abkhaz border crossing mark. For tourists, the doors of numerous sanatoriums, hotels are open, you can also choose an option with accommodation in the private sector. In any case, a holiday in this beautiful place will be remembered for a long time.

Text by Alena Khokhlova