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RussiaRest in the village of Chokh and why visit it
Chokh village is one of the oldest Avar villages in the territory of modern Dagestan. And although it is quite small (its population is only slightly more than 3 thousand people), the history of this ancient aul is full of important events that influenced the fate of the whole of Dagestan. Choh can be visited for a short walk around it and get acquainted with several of its sights during a trip to the famous the ghost village of Gamsutl. And you can also come here for several overnight stays to get to know the history and traditions of the Dagestan hinterland, walk around the neighborhood, and even use it as a starting point for day trips to other interesting places in mountainous Dagestan, for example to the village of Gunib, to Saltinsky waterfall, in Hunzah, in Matlas plateau, etc.
You can stay in Chokha overnight in one of several simple but original guest houses. Most of them are available for booking only by phone or already on the spot, but recently they have begun to appear in booking systems, which, of course, is much more convenient and safer than booking by call. A special place to stay here is the guest house "Ethnodom", in which the furnishings and rooms are stylized in the old style.
The official chronology of Chokh aul begins with the XIII century, when the first fortress was built here, but, unfortunately, nothing remains of the fortress. But archaeologists have discovered a Neolithic site on the territory of the modern village, which is about 9500 years BC!!! It is also believed that the Great Silk Road passed through Chokh.
In the XVIII century, a decisive battle took place near Chokh with the Persian waxes of Nadir Shah, who tried to capture Dagestan with an army of 100 thousand, but fled after this battle. And in the XIX century, important events of the Caucasian War between Russian troops led by Prince Argutinsky and the rebels of Imam Shamil unfolded here. Then, because of the more advantageous position of the troops of Imam Shamil, located on the heights in the village, the Russian troops were forced to abandon the assault and retreated. During the Great Patriotic War, at least 300 villagers went to the battlefields, half of them did not return.
What to see in Chokh village
The village itself is an interesting and distinctive landmark. In the very center on the Central Street there is a small square where a mosque is located and a monument to the chief of the civil war guerrilla unit is installed, a canteen is open. It is from here that it is best to start walking around the village, especially since this is one of the few places where you can park a car. From the square you can start walking along the narrow winding streets along the old houses, walk to one of the observation decks overlooking the surroundings and the village itself, and, of course, visit the main local attraction – Mamalov's house (Mamalova house on the map).
Mamalov's house is a monument of residential architecture of the XIX century. It was built by Colonel Magomed Mamalov, a participant in the Russian-Turkish war in 1875, and from old photographs it looks like a palace. Unfortunately, despite the declared status and protection by the state, it is now in ruins, no restoration work is being carried out. But this allows you to inspect it not only from the outside, but also to enter the collapsing structure. Just be careful: the remaining walls and other elements of the building are in disrepair, collapses are not excluded.
How to get to the village of Chokh
The village of Chokh is located in the mountainous part of Dagestan in the Gunibsky district, 17 kilometers from Gunib and 150 from Makhachkala (Choh village on the map). Unfortunately, it will not be possible to get here by public transport, you can only get there by your own transport or with excursions.
Since the village of Chokh is located next to the famous abandoned ghost village of Gamsutl, it makes sense to combine visits to these places. There are also viewing points on the Dagestan pyramids or terraces, as well as the Vatan memorial complex, all of which can be visited in one trip during the day.
There are no separate excursions to Chokh, at least we have not come across such, but some sightseeing tours to the ghost village of Gamsutl include a visit to this village. So you can choose an individual or group excursion with departure from Makhachkala, Derbent, Izberbash or Gunib:
If you get here by car, you will have to drive quite a bit on the dirt road. You need to go along the road that leads to Gamsutl and beyond, it's all asphalt. Before reaching Gamsutl, there is a turn to the village, from where it will remain to drive a little more than two kilometers along a normal dirt road to the center. You can drive in any car in dry weather, but there may be difficulties in the rains or in the snow. There are very few parking spaces in the village, the streets are narrow, so it's better to park the car on the main square in the center, and then go for a walk on foot. And keep in mind that even to some guest houses you will not be able to get there by car, and if you decide to spend the night, you will need to park the car on the square or in other places. But here the atmosphere is calm, the guests are treated friendly, one might even say carefully, so you can park quietly.
💥 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: