Pearl of the Caucasus - a railway cruise with a southern flavor
Have we lost something with the introduction of restrictions on entry into some countries? Rather – purchased. There are many new domestic tourist routes. After all, there are so many interesting, new and fabulously beautiful things in our country that you can rediscover it for yourself every day. And one of the most exciting trips of this year is a railway cruise in the Caucasus and Southern Russia. Traveling by train through the main cities of the North Caucasus Federal District is a breath of fresh air that will restore mental balance and energize for the whole year.
Route
Since 2022, by popular demand, the route has been supplemented by the cities of Adygea and Kabardino-Balkaria.
Thus, tourists during the railway voyage will be able to visit such cities:
- Moscow;
- Maykop;
- Nalchik;
- Grozny;
- Derbent;
- Kislovodsk.
Departure from Moscow every Saturday at 11:00, the train returns on Friday evening. Thus, the time on the cruise is less than 7 days. The route is designed so that travelers travel at night, and devote the day to walks, cultural and entertainment events and excursions. The route is not year-round. It starts at the end of April, the last flight is at the end of September.
A tour from Russian Railways or an independent trip?
Of course, you can get acquainted with the Caucasus on your own program. Maybe it will come out a little cheaper. But is such savings worth giving up the benefits of a train cruise?
1. Organized tours from Russian Railways differ in a more intense program. At each station, travelers are met by a guide. The bus is already waiting. There is no need to order, book and search for anything in addition. Brochures with announcements of excursion programs are issued on the train. And if a tourist does not want to go with the whole group, he can explore the city on his own, and return to the train at the appointed time.
2. The route contains the most interesting and memorable locations. Of course, this is not enough to get acquainted with the region in detail. But this is enough to see the most interesting, so to speak, "skim the cream". Such a journey is akin to tasting elite wines. Try to understand whether it is suitable or not, and then return to your favorite city for a more detailed acquaintance with the culture and traditions.
3. When else will you have the opportunity to live in a hotel on wheels? And even at this level. These are the legendary cars of the Alexander Nevsky train. There are places for cars and compartments with air conditioners, toilets and sockets for recharging gadgets. There is a restaurant car, a bar car and a shower car. At the same time, there is no obligation to order dishes there. You can take food with you or have lunch in the city. Breakfast (and sometimes lunch) is included in the price of the tour.
Belly Feast
The Caucasus is a region where people go not only for beautiful photos, but also for new tastes. Here is a real gastronomic paradise.
In Adygea, you can taste national dishes dashholaps (thick soup with nuts and beans), guubat (puff pastry with cheese), nartyfyspi (corn soup) and much more.
Chechnya welcomes guests with its culinary delights - dumplings with meat broth, tortillas filled with butter, and corn bread.
In Dagestan, travelers will be offered khinkal (boiled dough with spicy broth and lamb), chudu (tortillas) and urbech (nut sweets).
And in Kabardino-Balkaria, dried meat with stewed potatoes will be served, or hedlibje chicken with sour cream and millet porridge. For dessert, zakeris is halva, but not ordinary, but fried.
Another wealth of the Caucasus is healing mineral water. Local narzans are famous all over the country. During the trip, you will be able to visit three pump rooms with mineral waters. In Kabardino-Balkaria, it is a whole clearing surrounded by pines and birches. There are several mineral springs here at once. There are similar places in Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk. However, do not overdo it. To an unprepared body, a large amount of mineral water may not benefit, but harm. It is better to buy a special jug on the spot, and fill it with water with you on the road so that the portions are dosed.
Interesting locations
During the tour, you will be able to see many interesting places. A visit to Nalchik will give an unforgettable experience of visiting the Elbrus region, or rather the Azau glade. From here you can see the highest peak in Europe - Mount Elbrus. Gara-Bash Station can be reached by cable car. The landscapes here are fascinating. It's like you're on the edge of the earth.
A visit to Derbent will plunge tourists into history. It is the cradle of two religions - Christianity and Islam. This city is one of the oldest in the world. It is decorated with the impregnable fortress of Naryn-Kala. This is a place where ancient forces awaken, where a person is inspired to achieve new goals.
The city of Grozny is called Caucasian Dubai for a reason. A metropolis with a very tragic history impresses with its current greatness. Monumental mosques are adjacent to modern skyscrapers here. Tourists will have time to visit the Argun Gorge, located in the suburbs. Do not forget about the dress code and rules of conduct in the Republic. These requirements must be respected, even if you are only passing through this region.
Detailed program
On the first day, tourists meet with an escort at the Kazan railway station. Departure is at 11:00, but on some dates the train leaves 10 minutes earlier, so you definitely need to clarify this information and it is very desirable to arrive in advance. Since the program mainly includes only breakfast, meals for this day are not provided. You need to stock up on provisions for the road in advance. The whole day is spent on a trip. And by morning the train arrives in Maykop. Vacationers have breakfast on the train and go to the train station, where a guide is already waiting for them. This is followed by a bus tour with stops in the most interesting places. Tourists will be able to visit the House of Honey, where, in addition to the main delicacy, they will be offered Adyghe cheese and herbal tea. They will visit the Ammonite Museum, walk along the Hadjok Gorge, admire waterfalls of various shapes and sizes. After that, they will go to the Lago-Naki plateau – panoramic observation deck, visit the souvenir bazaar. Vacationers will be offered lunch with local culinary delights. Returning to Maykop, tourists will go to the Water Riviera geothermal spring (swimsuits, towels and replacement shoes will be useful). After – transfer to the railway station. On the third day, the train arrives in Nalchik, where tourists, after breakfast, go with a guide in a bus to explore the local sights of the Caucasus Mountains, the foothills of Elbrus, ride the cable car and have lunch in a cafe (at their own expense). In the evening they will return to the train and go to Grozny. There they will have walking and bus tours with an experienced guide. An unforgettable experience will be provided by climbing one of the towers of the modern high-rise complex Grozny City. From here, the whole city is visible at a glance. Acquaintance with the city will not pass without visiting the legendary mosque "The Heart of Chechnya". Then tourists will be offered to have lunch in a cafe and hold a master class on cooking pies. After the travelers will be taken to Argun, where they will be offered to view the ancient mosque "Mother's Heart". Moving to the Sulak Canyon will give a lot of emotions. There is an unimaginable atmosphere here, enhanced by legends and ancient tales. After that, the tourists will go to the trout farm "Glavryba", where they will be offered dinner. In the late evening, you can return to the train and relax, because after such impressions you need to regain strength to prepare for the next day of sightseeing.
On the fifth day, the train arrives in Derbent. During a bus and walking tour of the city, tourists will visit the Naryn-Kala citadel, connected to the Caspian Sea by double walls. This architectural monument is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Lunch in a cafe, and even if it is for an additional fee, you should not refuse. The local cuisine is unique.
In the late afternoon, vacationers return to the train and proceed to Kislovodsk. From here in the morning tourists are taken to Pyatigorsk. They will be able to visit the place of Lermontov's duel and the house where the poet lived. After an overview of the historical center of the city, a visit to the Pyatigorsk Pump Room.
The return transfer by bus to Kislovodsk will allow you to relax a little, so that after walking along the Cascade Stairs to the Kislovodsk Colonnade, walk along the Resort Boulevard, visit the Narzan Gallery. There will also be a few hours of free time. In the evening – departure in the opposite direction. Vacationers spend the whole next day on the train, it goes non-stop. On Friday (the seventh day of the tour), the train returns to Moscow. Arrival time is 23:48. On the seventh day, meals are not provided by the program. Provisions must be stocked up in advance, or you can order food in the dining car.
Train cars
Tourists are offered two types of carriages for accommodation - luxury and St. The luxury cars have 4-6 compartments, each of which has two beds, an armchair and a folding table. Each compartment is equipped with a bathroom, a shower cabin. In a 4-compartment car if the salon is a bar.
In the cars of the SV type, there are 8-9 compartments in each. Each compartment has two beds. Depending on the modification of the car, the toilet and shower can be located on the edges of the car or between each compartment. 9-compartment cars are not equipped with a shower. There are only washbasins and toilets.
All cars are equipped with a common air conditioning system. In some compartments, the temperature can be adjusted within 3 degrees. LCD TVs and built-in wardrobes can be installed from additional equipment.
Traveling with children
There is no ban on the sale of tickets to children. But it should be borne in mind that it will be tedious for a too young child on the road. 7 days on the train is not an easy test for a little fidget. Therefore, it is recommended to take children over 7 years old with you on the trip. It will be interesting for them to get to know the history of our country firsthand, and they will not interfere with parents enjoying intensive walks. Children's rates are provided by the program.
Attention! The information is of a reference nature and is relevant at the time of publication. The exact prices, time and date of departure must be specified immediately before buying tickets. Have a good trip!
