Silk Road
through the Caucases

Transfer from the airport of Astrakhan to hotel. Check in.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Sightseeing tour of Astrakhan with a visit to the Kremlin.

For a long time, the caravan routes of the Northern branch of the Great Silk road passed through the territory of the modern Astrakhan region. Over time, the Astrakhan region turned into a real trade gateway between mysterious China and rich Europe. Caravans with precious fabrics, furs and spices, salt and fish, foreign curiosities and other exotic goods moved through this land. The city of Astrakhan (Hadji-Tarkhan) – the capital of the Astrakhan khanate, which appeared after the collapse of The Golden Horde in the XIV century., was a major trade center. For many centuries, more than 130 nationalities have peacefully coexisted here. During the tour, you will find the beautiful Central streets of the city and walk through the oldest district of Astrakhan, which can be called an open-air Museum without exaggeration, you will see many sights and walk along the Central embankment. Also, you will visit the Astrakhan Kremlin – the builders of the medieval stone fortress used the old Tatar plinth, brought from the ruins of the Golden Horde cities located along the silk road. The very birth of the Astrakhan Kremlin is inextricably linked to the ancient caravan routes and the strengthening of the borders of the Russian state.

Lunch in a local café.

Visit to the local History Museum (exposition “Gold of the Sarmatians”).

The Astrakhan Museum of local lore is one of the oldest provincial museums in Russia. Here we will find out what peoples lived on the territory of the Astrakhan region before the Russians, Kazakhs and Tatars. The Museum houses a unique collection of “Gold of the Sarmatians” – a Golden Treasury of mysterious artifacts of ancient civilizations created about 2000 years ago.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Astrakhan – Sarai-Batu – Astrakhan

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Sarai-Batu (~2h). Inspection of the excavations, a tour of the scenery.

You will travel through the Astrakhan desert, where the Great Silk road historically passed, along which caravans carried goods from Europe to Asia and back. Also, here, in the past, the richest cities of the Golden Horde flourished, including its capital Sarai-Batu. It is hard to believe that once in this desert steppe there was one of the largest centers of civilization, where the famous Golden Horde conquerors founded their first settlements and from where they began their campaigns. Today Sarai-Batu is a tourist center dedicated to the history and culture of the Golden Horde khanate. The open-air Museum presents an approximate reconstruction of the ancient capital, where the color, cultural features of life and customs are transmitted. In addition to the Museum, during the tour you will visit the «Selitrennoe settlement» - the ruins of the capital's Golden Horde city of the XIV—XV centuries. Selitrennoe settlement is an archaeological monument of Federal significance.

Transfer to the village of Rechnoe (~1h).

Lunch in a local café.

A visit to the Khosheutovsky khurul.

Khosheutovsky khurul is a Buddhist temple of the beginning of the XIX century, an architectural and historical monument of Federal significance, located in the village of Rechnoe of the Astrakhan region. Khosheutovsky khurul is the only partially preserved Kalmyk khurul built in pre-revolutionary times and is also a monument to the history of the Patriotic war of 1812.

Return to Astrakhan (~2h).

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Astrakhan – village of Altynzhar – Astrakhan

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to the village of Altynzhar (~1h).

Excursion to the center of Kazakh culture.

Here we will get acquainted with the life of the Astrakhan Kazakhs – one of the peoples of the lower Volga, whose history is closely connected with the Great Silk road. The Kurmangazy cultural center is a vivid evidence of the deep and strong friendly relations between the peoples of Kazakhstan and Russia. Concern for the preservation of historical heritage, respect for traditions and cultural values are vivid manifestations of true friendship between our peoples. In the ethnographic Museum you will see a mausoleum opened in 1996 – on the 100th anniversary of the death of Kurmangazy, one of the brightest representatives of the Kazakh people, a composer and musician. You will get acquainted with the Museum exposition, which introduces the cultural traditions, life of Astrakhan Kazakhs, with materials about outstanding figures of science, education, and culture. Inspection of the Kazakh Yurt.

Lunch in a local cafe.

Return to Astrakhan.

Visit the famous fish market, where everyone can buy “delicious” souvenirs for themselves and their loved ones.

Free time.

Late check out.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Transfer from hotel to railway station.

Night train Astrakhan – Dagestan (Kizilyurt) (01:45 in 2020).

Breakfast in the train (lunch-box).

Arrival to Kizilyurt (10:45 in 2020).

Meeting with a guide at the railway station.

One of the routes of the great silk road was laid on the territory of the North Caucasus due to the Iranian-Byzantine wars of the VI-VII centuries, when the Persians blocked the trade relations of Byzantium. Their caravans went around, skirting the Caspian Sea from the North, moving through the Northern Caspian region to the North Caucasus. We will start our journey across the Caucasus from Dagestan.

Transfer to the Sulak Canyon.

Boat trip through the canyon.

Visit to the observation deck.

Sulak canyon is an unexpected and vivid experience. Its depth, reaching 1920 meters, it surpasses the famous Grand Canyon of Colorado in the United States. From the cliff overhanging the canyon, you can see the bright turquoise Sulak river with a cascade of hydroelectric power stations, including the Chirkeyskaya hydroelectric power station - the largest in the North Caucasus. A landscape of extraordinary beauty. On the other side of the mountain plateau offers a panorama of the city of Kizilyurt. The plateau smells of steppe grasses and Caspian breezes. As part of the tour, you will admire the canyon from a high point on the observation deck, as well as take a boat ride on the Sulak river.

Lunch in a local cafe.

Transfer and excursion to the Sary-Kum dune.

In 18 kilometers from Makhachkala, in the foothills of the Narat-tube range, there is an amazing natural monument – a huge sand dune Sary-Kum. Sary-Kum dune is a unique natural monument of Dagestan, which is officially recognized by geologists as the second largest in the world. Larger than it is only the" Big erg", located in the Sands of the Sahara. On the territory of Europe and Asia, there are no similarly large dunes at all. Despite the territorial proximity of Sary-Kum with Makhachkala, once here, you can hardly believe that such an amazing beauty is so close. Most of the tourists who visited this place say that they experienced incredible sensations – like teleportation, when in a matter of seconds, you find yourself in a completely different world.

Transfer to the hotel in Mahachkala, check in.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Mahachkala – Derbent – Mahachkala

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Derbent (~2h). Sightseeing tour of Derbent.

We invite you to feel the history and Oriental flavor of ancient Derbent! Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia and one of the oldest cities in the world. The favorable geographical position of Derbent ensured the development of trade on the Caspian route between Eastern Europe and Asia. One of the main stages of the Great Silk Road, passing through Derbent, made the city the center of communication between different peoples and civilizations, between the South and North, West and East. Here you will find medieval mosques, majestic fortress walls, the harsh beauty of mountain landscapes, the singing of muezzins and the crooked narrow streets of the Old city.

Excursion to the citadel Naryn-kala.

The city of Derbent was founded by the Persians and had the appearance of a fortress. On the hill there is a fortification called Naryn-Kala (Solar fortress). Founded in the 4th century BC, the Derbent citadel is still preserved and is included in the UNESCO world heritage list. From the fortress, two powerful walls descend to the sea, tightly closing the narrow 3-kilometer passage between the Caucasus mountains and the sea. The fortress protected the city from attacks from the North and South from the raids of Northern nomads.

Lunch in a local cafe.

Visit Juma Mosque, ancient Armenian church.

One of the main attractions of Derbent is the historic Juma mosque complex, which is protected by the state. The centuries-old plane trees that “protect” the mosque have become an integral part of the Museum complex. The Armenian temple is another of the architectural beauties of the city. The construction of the Church was completed in 1871. After restoration in 1982, a branch of the Republican Museum of fine arts, which is part of the Derbent state Museum-reserve, was opened in the temple building.

Return to the hotel in Mahachkala.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Mahachkala – Vladikavkaz

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out.

Transfer to Vladikavkaz (~4,5h).

The Republic of North Ossetia and its capital Vladikavkaz still preserve the memory of how caravans from distant countries made their way along mountain trails to Georgia and the black sea region. The fact that there was a silk culture in the lands of the Alans in the Middle ages was known even at the court of the Byzantine Emperor: the archives found correspondence of the Empress, who demanded to send people to the North Caucasus for silk, because Her Majesty became aware that the Alan soldiers wore silk shirts under chain mail. Following the Great silk road in North Ossetia, guests of the Republic will be able to get acquainted with its natural and historical monuments that have been preserved since ancient times.

Lunch in a local cafe.

Sightseeing tour of Vladikavkaz.

Vladikavkaz is a city founded by the decree of Empress Catherine II, a city of colors and intertwining trade routes. Vladikavkaz has many facets. Someone will find it very ordinary; another will fall in love with it forever. You will see the fabulous architecture of the Sunni mosque, built more than 100 years ago. You will be surprised by Alexandrovsky Avenue, which houses magnificent palaces built before the revolution, and the square of the revolutionary Shtyb, located next door, etc.

Transfer to hotel. Check in.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Vladikavkaz – Mountain Ossetia – Nalchik

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out.

Transfer to mountain Ossetia (~45 min).

Lunch in a local cafe.

Excursion to Dargavs necropolis and visit Karmadon Gorge.

“City of the dead” Dargavs is the most famous attraction in Ossetia. You will see the largest preserved necropolis in the Caucasus — for several centuries on the harsh slope of the cliff are the crypts of mountaineers. Dargavs is sometimes compared to the valley of the pharaohs in Egypt. You will also visit the Karmadon Gorge during the tour. The Karmadon pass offers a view of Kazbek. The Karmadon gorge became especially famous all over the world in 2002, when the Kolka glacier came down, then the Karmadon resort was wiped off the face of the earth. Descending into the gorge, you will see the harsh nature of Karmadon and be impressed by its incredible power.

Transfer to Nalchik (~3h). Check in.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Kabardino-Balkar Republic (Elbrus region) – Pyatigorsk

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out.

Transfer to the Elbrus region (~2,5h).

Ascent to Elbrus by cable car to a height of 3800 m.

Walk at a height, downhill.

Elbrus is the highest mountain in Russia, a dormant two-headed volcano. It is on the list of the seven highest mountains in the world, along with Jomolungma and Kilimanjaro. The height of the Western peak of Elbrus is 5642 m, and the Eastern peak is 5621 m. The mountain is famous for its glaciers that feed mountain rivers, mineral springs that flow at the foot, and fascinating views. You will climb to Elbrus by cable car to an altitude of 3800 m and an unforgettable walk among the mountain scenery.

Lunch in a local café.

Transfer to Polyana Narzanov. A walk to the springs.

Stop at the Narzanov glade – a place where mineralized water comes out of the ground. There are only three springs, you can drink from each of them and pour some water with you into a bottle prepared in advance.

Transfer to Pyatigorsk (~2,5h). Check in.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Pyatigorsk – Kislovodsk – Pyatigorsk

Breakfast at the hotel.

Sightseeing tour of Pyatigorsk.

Pyatigorsk is the largest balneological resort in the country, the cultural center of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, the historical city of Russia. During the excursion, you will learn the history of its origin, see its main sights – the Eolova Harp gazebo, the Flower Garden park, etc.

Lunch in a local café.

Excursion trip to the Medoviye Waterfalls (transfer ~1h 10min).

In the valley of the Alinovka river, near Kislovodsk, in the age-old crevices of the Caucasus mountains, the famous Medoviye (“honey”) waterfalls are lost. They owe their name to wild bees that once lived in rocky ledges near waterfalls. According to legend, in the spring, snowmelt carried the honeycomb deep into the crevices of the mountain river. Honey from bees dripped down the rocks, making the water sticky and sweet. Today, bees are no longer found here, but the name stuck, and now the incredible beauty waterfalls attract many tourists here.

Return to Pyatigorsk.

Optional: Dinner at the hotel.

Pyatigorsk – Mineralnye Vody

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out.

Transfer to the airport in Mineralnye Vody (~30min).

The end of the tour.