Gimrinsky tunnel in Dagestan and how to visit

What to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting

Gimrínsky road tunnel in Dagestan is one of the most impressive and large—scale man-made attractions in the region. This is not just a transport artery, but a real symbol of engineering progress, connecting the mountainous regions of the republic and offering stunning views of the Caucasus Mountains.

It is the longest in Russia, its length is 4303 meters. True, some sources on the Internet indicate that its length is 5182 meters, but this is not true. It is also one of the highest tunnels in the Russian Federation, located at altitudes from 1160 to 1140 meters above sea level. However, again, fake information about its location at an altitude of twice as high - 2300 meters is spread on the Internet on guidebook sites.

The tunnel began to cost in the USSR in 1979. It was originally planned that the tunnel would be built in five years, but due to the difficulties of construction, the deadlines were repeatedly extended, and as a result, the construction took 33 years!!! The work was carried out in difficult mountain and climatic conditions, including in conditions of high altitude, landslide processes and avalanche danger. In addition, due to the fact that I made my own adjustments to the deadlines and the collapse of the USSR, the deadlines were shifted, including due to lack of funding. The tunnel was put into temporary operation in 1991, but it was finally launched only in 2012.

But what is it interesting for tourists and why is it worth seeing? First of all, it is, of course, an engineering miracle and a record tunnel. Driving along it will leave an unforgettable impression, because you will be traveling underground for almost 10 minutes. Extreme sensations — a long, illuminated tunnel going deep into the mountains makes a strong impression. It is also interesting for the beautiful landscapes that open onto the mountains and gorges at the entrance and exit from the tunnel.

But whether it is necessary to visit it in any order will be decided, of course, by you. The fact is that there is no actual visit to the tunnel as such, because you will see it only during the journey. This is a specially protected and strategically important object, and therefore walking, stopping in the tunnel and photographing in it are strictly prohibited. Of course, no one will forbid you to take a video and take a couple of photos from the car while driving underground, but this is the maximum you can count on while driving. Well, an additional "bonus" along this road, five kilometers from the tunnel, is a landmark historical landmark – Gimrinskaya Tower or Imam Shamil Tower.

We would recommend that you definitely drive through the tunnel if you are traveling by car or with a guide, and plot the route from the side Makhachkala, Buinaksk, Sulak canyon or Chirkeysky reservoir towards Irganai reservoir, Khunzakh, Guniba, etc. Well, whether it's worth making a detour through this road when driving from Izberbash or Derbent, or whether it's worth going only to the tunnel from the coast specifically, decide for yourself, depending on the availability of time and opportunities.

💥 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:

• 📷 Search for excursions in Dagestan on Sputnik8.com
• 📷 Search for excursions in Dagestan on Tripster.ru