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RussiaTourist route "Dombai-Ulgen gorge" and "Chukhchur waterfalls" is, in our opinion, the easiest one-day tourist route from Dombai. It passes through Teberdinsky Nature Reserve, and stretches for about 7 kilometers in one direction and about 250 meters in height, and almost all of them can be overcome by an SUV or partially by any passenger car. But even if you decide to walk it completely, part of the way can still be shortened by riding an old chairlift.
At the end of the route are the Chukhchur waterfalls. It is customary to distinguish two of the largest of them: the Lower Chukhchursky and the Upper Chukhchursky. But in fact there are much more of them here, and they are all formed by the rapids of one river flowing down the slope from a height of almost 250 meters. Along the rapids and waterfalls, you can climb to the top of the mountain, from where you can enjoy views of the gorge. After visiting the waterfalls, you can go back down along the river and walk a little along the Ptysh Gorge towards Abkhazia. But you can't go far along it, because the zone is guarded by border guards. Also along the route in the distance you will see the Dzhuguturlyuchat waterfall, but it is not recommended to walk to it, because it is believed that there may be bears, and in general the trail to it is not equipped.
On the route you need to take water (not necessarily a lot, you can collect it from mountain streams along the way), preferably trekking poles, good hiking shoes, sunglasses, a hat, something to eat.
Important! At the checkpoint at the entrance to the route, you need to present a Russian passport, birth certificates for children. Citizens without documents are not allowed to enter the border zone.
🕐 Working hours: entrance through the checkpoint of the reserve from 08:00 to 17:00, visit from May to October.
💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: entrance to the tourist route to the waterfall is 200 rubles, children under 7 years old are free. Lift by cable car to the checkpoint (optional) 250 rubles in both directions. Entry to the route by car - 200 rubles.
🚶 How to get there: the route passes through Teberdinsky Nature Reserve. From the center of Dobmai to the checkpoint at the entrance to the route, you can get on foot, by car, or do part of the way on an old chairlift for 250 rubles in both directions. The road starts from a small alley from the hotel "Crocus" and the campsite "Dobmayskaya Polyana". Please note that the chairlift is only open until 17:00. The checkpoint is located right next to the cable car station (Checkpoint on the map).
After the checkpoint, the unpaved highway continues almost to the waterfalls (waterfalls on the map), although not all cars will be able to drive to the end. We will have to overcome several streams, and ordinary cars most likely will not overcome the last half a kilometer of the way, but they can be left by the road without any problems. At the end of the road there is a large area where you need to leave the car, and then continue up the path along the river to the waterfalls. Go quite a bit, but quite steeply up. It will be necessary to climb 250 meters to the very top, where views of the gorge open, but most tourists are limited to viewing only the largest waterfalls at an altitude of about 150 meters.
Also from the platform below, where cars stop, there is a pointer to the Ptysh gorge, but as we mentioned, you can't go far along it.