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RussiaDescription and is it worth visiting
Ring Mountain is perhaps the most famous natural attraction near Kislovodsk. It is a round rock arch about 8 meters in diameter, formed from a grotto as a result of weathering and washing away of soft rock. It is located on top of a small mountain, or rather one of the spurs of the Borgustan Range, and from the foot to the 'Ring' itself, you will need to climb up about 20 meters in height (the height of a 6-story building), and the last few meters are quite steep and slippery due to sand, so be careful. However, not all tourists climb to the very top, limiting themselves to viewing from below. If you do go to the very top, you can explore several more grottoes next to the 'ring' and take great photos of the surroundings and the city from the platform directly in front of the ring. In clear weather, you can even see Elbrus from it — this is one of the best places for photos of Ring Mountain.
There are always many tourists here, and a fairly large tourist market operates at the foot of the mountain. People usually stop here on the way to the Honey Waterfalls, dolphinarium, or other attractions outside the city; going only to Ring Mountain separately might not be worth it. All group tours on large buses make a stop here. Viewing the attraction itself and taking photos will take 10-20 minutes, and you'll likely spend more time walking around the tourist market.
The market, by the way, is quite good. You can buy mountain honey; unique types of jam, including even pine cone jam; skins, furs, and products made from them; traditional Caucasian clothing, and many other various original gifts and souvenirs from the Caucasus. Prices may seem high at first, but you need to know how to bargain, and then your purchases here will be inexpensive.
📖 Legends and history of Ring Mountain
Several beautiful legends are associated with this place. The most famous one is about the love of a young shepherd and a prince's daughter. According to it, the lovers agreed to meet at the rock, but the girl was not allowed to leave home. The shepherd waited for a long time and, out of longing, punched a ring in the rock through which he looked at the city. According to another version, the ring was formed by the blow of a hero's horse's hoof.
From a scientific point of view, this is the result of weathering: soft sandstone eroded faster, while the hard layer on top remained, forming an arch. The diameter of the 'ring' is about 8 meters, the thickness of the lintel is about 1 meter.
In clear weather, Mount Elbrus is visible through the arch — this is one of the best places for panoramic photos in the vicinity of Kislovodsk.
🕐 Opening hours
24/7, best visited during the day in good weather.
💵 Entry fee / ticket price
Free.
🚶 How to get to Ring Mountain on your own
Ring Mountain is located outside the city near the A157/Shosseynaya Street highway, 9 kilometers from the tourist district of Kislovodsk (Ring Mountain on the map). The best way to get here is by taxi, personal transport, or on a tour. There are no separate tours just here, but it's a mandatory tour stop on the way to the Honey Waterfalls, Dolphinarium, ostrich and horse farms, Dombay, and Arkhyz. If you come in your own transport, you can park for free along the road next to the market.
If you really want, you can get here by public transport too. The easiest option is to use minibuses #101, 109, 104, which depart from various places in Kislovodsk (check the map via the links). Unfortunately, these routes run infrequently, so you can also take buses #1, 12, 14, 19, 22, 23, 24, 104, 109 from the tourist district for 28 rubles to the bus station area, from where you can walk or hitchhike three kilometers to the mountain. It's most convenient to use buses #1, 19, 104, 109 as they get a little closer, leaving less distance to walk.
And if you don't have your own transport and don't want to get here on your own, you can buy tours that include a visit to Ring Mountain on the Sputnik8 website.
We also recommend checking out ready-made tours with online booking on these trusted sites with reviews:
- 📷 Tours in Kislovodsk on Sputnik8.com
- 📷 Tours in Kislovodsk from tour operator TEZ Tour
- 📷 Tours in Kislovodsk on Tripster.ru