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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
The Matlas plateau in Dagestan is a large natural complex, where there are several natural and man–made attractions at once: Khan and Matlas waterfalls, Khan baths, a mosque, a monument to Leo Tolstoy and H. Murat. Each of these places in itself is a separate attraction that deserves attention. There are also extreme entertainment, horseback riding, buggy rental, cafes. In general, this is a great place to relax and walk in good weather, and perhaps in the near future there will be a full–fledged mountain and ski resort.
In addition to just walking along the plateau and viewing the local beauties from the observation deck, you can go down into the gorge and take a little walk along it. True, it will not work to go down to the very bottom of the gorge. A conventionally equipped walking route runs along one of the rocky ledges at a depth of 30 meters from the upper edge of the gorge, a walk along it takes about 20 minutes. From the monument to Leo Tolstoy, a stone path leads down from the left, which consists of stone steps cut into the rock, running between the rock slabs. Be careful, the trail may not be immediately visible. Then the trail leads to the left, passes under the Matlas waterfalls and ends with a climb to one of the observation decks.
A memorial obelisk to the Russian writer L.N. Tolstoy and the hero of his story "Hadji Murad" is installed on the edge of the plateau. By the way, the character of the story is a real person and a national hero of Dagestan.
Hadji Murad of Avar (Avar. Khazhimurad Khunzakhasa; c. 1818 — May 5, 1852) was an Avar leader and military commander, naib and mudir of Imam Shamil and his "right hand" in Dagestan. A native of Khunzakh (Dagestan), the foster brother of the Avar Khans. The character of the novel of the same name by Leo Tolstoy. National hero of the Avar people.
Source: ru.wikipedia.org
The mosque, which is visible on the plateau next to the monument to the writer, is a modern building. Many sources on the Internet say that this is a Christian temple, but this is a misconception. Tourists can enter the mosque when there are no worshippers praying there. But do not forget about the respectful attitude to the shrine and be dressed appropriately, take off your shoes at the entrance.
For many years, a large ski resort "Matlas" with hotels, infrastructure, lifts has been under construction on the territory of the Matlas Plateau, however, the work has not yet been completed. Thanks to the ongoing work, the plateau territory is maintained in good condition and equipped. There are parking lots, several observation points, walking paths, cafes and houses where you can stay overnight. For fans of extreme entertainment, the local Extreme Park offers a ride on a zipline and try your hand at rock climbing. You can ride buggies and horses.
🕐 Working hours
The best time to visit the Matlas Plateau is in the afternoon, in the first it often rains and beautiful panoramas are hidden by fog.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge, parking – 100 rubles.
🚶 How to get there
The Matlas plateau is located 17 kilometers from the village of Khunzakh and 158 from Makhachkala (plateau on the map). You can visit it from Hunzakh village or from Gunib, and even go here for one day from Makhachkala or Derbent. This can be done both independently and as part of a one-day excursion. You can buy excursions on the websites:
- 📷 Excursions to the Matlas Plateau and the stone bowl on Sputnik8.com
- 📷 Excursions to the Matlas Plateau and the stone bowl on Tripster.ru
Driving your car here will not be difficult. The road to the plateau itself is good, asphalt everywhere. You can use paid parking for 100 rubles, and if you are ready to walk a little and want to save money, then you can easily leave the car a little before reaching the parking lot on the side of the road.
💥 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: