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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Chirkeyskaya hydroelectric power station is one of the largest industrial attractions of Dagestan and the most powerful hydroelectric power stations in Russia. It is located in the Chirkeysky gorge on the Sulak River, near the village of Dubki.
The huge arched dam of the hydroelectric power station, blocking the river, becomes the object of attention of travelers in this part of Dagestan. Usually it is visited during a trip with an excursion to the Sulak Canyon, or make a short stop here during a road trip. You can view it yourself only from the outside from the observation point, from which you can see the dam itself, part of the Sulak Canyon and The Chirkeyskoye reservoir, or as it is also called – the Chirkeyskoye Sea.
However, it is still possible to see the hydroelectric power station not only from the observation deck, but only as part of a group excursion. Due to the fact that the Chirkeyskaya HPP belongs to the regime facilities, the Rushydro website is pre-recorded for excursions that are held 2 times a day on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays. During the tour you will visit the museum of the construction of the station, at the top of the dam and at its foot, learn a lot of interesting things about this object.
Its construction was carried out from 1963 to 1976, with the phased commissioning of individual units. The height of the dam is 232.5 m, the width is 338 m. In height, it is only 10 m lower than the largest Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP in Russia. Besides the arch dam, the hydroelectric power station also includes the hydroelectric power station building, the spillway and the Tishiklinsky dam.
The importance of the Chirkeyskaya HPP for the economy of Dagestan is great. This includes energy, irrigation of land, water supply of territories, as well as fishing and tourism. Today, the HPP annually generates about 2000 million kWh, which provides electricity not only to the republic, but also to part of the regions of the North Caucasus.
🕐 Working hours
The observation room with a view of the hydroelectric power station is available around the clock, excursions by appointment on the website https://visit.rushydro.ru/ on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays at 11:00 and at 14:00.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
Access to the observation point is free of charge. Excursion - 650 rubles for adults; schoolchildren, pensioners and the disabled - 250 rubles.
🚶 How to get there to Chirkeyskaya HPP
Chirkeyskaya HPP is located 80 kilometers from the center of Makhachkala (Chirkeyskaya HPP on the map). You can get here only by your own transport or with excursions. Purposefully, ready-made excursions with a transfer are not offered at the HPP, so if you book it on the Rushydro website, you will still have to get here yourself. Ready-made excursions by bus or individual by car to the Sulak Canyon sometimes also make a short stop at the observation point without visiting the HPP itself.
Independently from Makhachkala can be reached by car by two roads: by a short one through the village of Chirkey and past the reservoir, or by a longer one through the Sulak Canyon and Dubki. Both roads are normal, asphalt everywhere. And ideally, within one day you can drive in a circle along the route: through the village of Chirkey > Chirkey reservoir > Chirkey hydroelectric power station and observation point > observation points in the village of Dubki on the Sulak canon > Sulak Canyon > The sand dune of Sary-Kum. The whole way will take a full light day, you need to leave early in the morning, and you will have to travel 200 kilometers along the route. But you can immediately see all the main sights in the immediate vicinity of Makhachkala.
If you decide not to visit the hydroelectric power station with an excursion, but just make a stop at the observation deck overlooking the dam, then you will need to walk about 500 meters from the road along the trail. In general, there are several viewing points here, (here is the exact position on the map of one of the best).
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Dagestan with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: