Macharan holidays or the best place for a mountain holiday with children. Mahar is love at first sight! He will forever remain in our hearts! A trip to the Mahar Gorge: what to take
Mahar, or rather the Mhara Gorge would be more correct, is located in the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic. If there is heaven on Earth, then this is Mahar. The image of this place will forever be carved on our hearts. In July of this year (from 12 to 24) I came here for the first time. This place is one of the objects of my dissertation research, so it can be called a kind of practice. More precisely, the 2nd year student of our geography department had an internship, and the graduate students (there were 4 of us) - research. I am engaged in recreational and medical geography. We design tourist routes with medical characteristics. The company was great. Even after our arrival we still communicate and meet. But let's return to Mahar. Getting there from Stavropol takes about 6 hours, and the last hour, 17 km, must be driven along a dirt road at a speed of no more than 20 km/h. But such a long journey is worth everything that opens to your eyes. Me and another graduate student Svetik were forced to go by car with our supervisor, because... We didn’t have any seats in the minibus that all the guys rode on. Therefore, during the entire six-hour journey, we talked about the “great” (science). Svetik is studying religious geography, so our plans included visiting the village of Uchkulan (it is located on the way to the gorge), where a meeting was scheduled with the director of the existing museum in this locality (I don’t remember his name, because my memory is short). I have bad names). He had to tell us about his traditions. We wanted to find out how much paganism influenced Islam. We only reached the base where we lived for several days by lunchtime; it is located at an altitude of 1650 meters above sea level. In this post I want to talk about a few days of living in Mahara and then I will share with you two more posts about how we went to Mount Ak and the lakes. I wanted to film one day of my life, but I didn’t have enough time for it, life flowed non-stop.
Mahar is perfect place take a break from civilization. Firstly, there is a toilet on the street, light from 21:00 to 23:30, water from the river, there is a shower tent and a bathhouse, in the rooms at the base everything is minimal and compact, but clean, the connection is received only in one place and in the evenings on speakerphone. In a word, this is a thrill for me!
1. First photo. This is the director of that museum in Uchkulan. He is 88 years old, and his plans for the museum are Napoleonic. And the bed on which he sits is not much younger than him.
2. Another room in the museum, this is a classroom.
3. There are inkwells with feathers here. It has its own atmosphere.
4. The conversation with the director of the museum was very long, he did not want to let us go, and we ourselves did not want to leave, because... it was very interesting, but we didn’t have much time, so we said goodbye, having previously left an entry in the book of wishes. We got to the base at two o'clock. Guys, we arrived an hour earlier than us. After lunch we headed to the Narzan springs. On the way we stopped at beautiful place take a photo.
5. This is one of my few photographs.
6. Then the jump and “the exercise is over.” I resisted.
7. Photos from sources will come a little later. On the first visit I didn’t take any pictures because... there were a lot of people. But then we went there in a small group to drink “healing” water.
The next morning we - me, Svetik and Sasha (I'll introduce you to him a little later) went to the neighboring base to talk with the owners about their family traditions. Sveta needs this information. I would like to note that all the people we talked to offered tea with khichins or something else. But we modestly refused.
8. This is grandfather Mahmud. Electrician by training. The base was given to him as a gift; it used to belong to the Ukrainian University, and after the collapse of the USSR it was presented to him. It was clear that a lot of effort had been put into this place.
9. Unfortunately, I don’t remember my grandmother’s name. These old people have 10 children, 22 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Grandma even has a medal - mother is a heroine.
10.We met one of the daughters of these old men. But it was very disappointing that they did not provide enough information. We didn't get too upset, because... talked to very interesting people.
Well, here is a photo of the Narzan spring. There are 3 of them nearby. Sometimes after lunch we went to drink water. Water must be collected exactly where it is bubbling, because... further it dissolves and is located next to the river. The orange color of the stones is a coating of iron, which the water is rich in.
11. You have already met Svetik, now it’s time to introduce Sasha to you. Sasha is a true friend. Always ready to help. And we girls abused it a little. Either take a pot of hot water to the shower, or vice versa bring it cold water etc. Sasha is a real talent. He plays the guitar and flute. He even has his own group.
12. Strawberries will ripen in Mahara in July. It’s very tasty mmm... In August, raspberries and blueberries will ripen, and in the fall there are a lot of mushrooms.
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14. This bouquet of chamomile decorated our kitchen. The boys brought it to the joy of us girls. Only this is dog chamomile; we don’t have any medicinal chamomile in the Caucasus.
15. This is Sasha entertaining us. And we even sing along with him. By the way, Sasha studies landscape geochemistry. He came to Mahar to get soil samples.
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17. This is a moss slope. Few tourists go there, because... Few people know about the existence of such a place, and in order to prevent the moss from being trampled.
18. Well, how could it be without anthropogenic activity? It is present here on a large scale as well.
19. This is the confluence of rivers into the Mahar River. If you look closely, you will notice that the lower river is much muddier than the upper one. This is evidence that it rains at the top.
20. This is one of the beautiful places- Jalpak clearing. The guys and I went to research points. We all have them in approximately the same place, it just so happened. Border guards are standing in front of the clearing, because... Georgia is just beyond the mountains, but to enter the clearing you only need to show your passport.
21.After we took soil samples, gave an aesthetic assessment of the tract, measured the height, we decided to rest a little and play cards. While we were playing cards, one girl picked strawberries for us this way. 
22. Family photo. 
23. After we had carried out all our research below, we climbed up Jalpak or along the valley and set up there camping. Our camp was located at an altitude of 2200 meters above sea level. Along the way there is a famous tree that looks like a bull's head. 
24. Here butterflies are not afraid of people; they even sit on your hands. 
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27. This is Slavik and Serik. They played cards everywhere we stopped. It even became some kind of tradition - photos of Slavik and Serik playing cards. They reminded us of the heroes from “Our Russia” Slavik and Dimon. 
28. Well, after setting up the camp, we began to prepare lunch and dinner. I got to peel potatoes 
With this I will end my first story. On Sunday I’m leaving for practice in Arkhyz. I will bring again new positive emotions.
Tomorrow I hope, or rather this afternoon, I will have time to write another post for you about Mhara.
P.S. I apologize for the mistakes. They are done due to great carelessness. I'll fix it along the way. Now it's time to sleep.
The area that we will talk about today cannot be seen in the price lists of travel companies offering excursions in the North Caucasus. Most local residents will be surprised to ask for its name and try to clarify where it is located. In response, you will have to answer dryly that this is one of the gorges neighboring Dombay. Today we will talk about Mahara.
Mahar is a mountain river, one of the tributaries of the Uchkulan, which flows into the Kuban. The road to the Mahar Gorge begins in the village of Uchkulan. In the spring of 2018, a bridge across the Kuban was destroyed in the village after heavy rains. Restoration work is now underway. At this time, a temporary detour has been organized through the village of Khurzuk (+6 km along an asphalt road and +6 km along the right bank of the river along a dirt road). From here to Elbrus is about 30 km. IN good weather its western snow-covered slopes can be seen among the peaks of the Ullukhurzuk River gorge.
The road crosses the Kuban along a narrow bridge and then follows the left bank of the river along a dirt road. Vintage settlements in this area deserve a separate description. They are considered the homeland of the Karachay people and have a long history. There are many historical monuments and interesting natural sites. For a passing traveler, these places will be remembered as cabbage fields, cows grazing on the slopes, and countless wooden fences and stone barriers.
From Uchkulan to the Mahar Gorge there are about 20 km of dirt road of satisfactory quality. On the right, the slopes of the gorge are mainly grassy. On the left they rise to a height of about 3 km mountain slopes, overgrown with coniferous forests. One and a half kilometers from Upper Uchkulan (+4 km from Uchkulan) the traveler finds himself in the wide tract Dyulyuzen. During spring floods this area is often flooded. The Uchkulan River divides into several branches, forming islands. Local cows, grazing along the entire gorge, love to rest on these islands.
After the Duluzen tract, the valley narrows, and now the slopes on both sides are covered with old coniferous forests. For a long time, logging was carried out here. Legally, and not so legally, coniferous trees twice as thick were transported along the roads into the gorge to local sawmills. Judging by the presence of sawmills in the villages, local residents This fishery is still practiced today, but not in large quantities.
About 20 km from the village of Uchkulan, the road leads to the sources of the Uchkulan River. This river is formed by the confluence of two turbulent mountain rivers - the Mahara and the Gondaraya. At the foot of Mount Chirpy-Bashi (3051 m) there have been several tourist bases since Soviet times. Here many travelers stop for the night. In the clearing of Kort Mala, we also stopped.
Former recreation center of the low-voltage equipment plant IN last years the number of recreation centers is growing, which has a detrimental effect on the surrounding nature. It should be noted that on weekends the territories of recreation centers and roads through gorges become so crowded that it feels wildlife disappears. There is no opportunity to communicate with nature, and wide clearings in the gorges turn into parking lots for cars.
Two days will hardly be enough to briefly explore the main attractions of the area. For unprepared tourists, hiking along the Mahar River gorge (about 3 km one way) and Gondarai (about 4 km one way) is available. Walk along the rivers to their upper reaches and slopes of the Main Caucasian ridge will not work. There is a border zone where access is carried out using special passes. Signs along the road warn you when approaching a restricted area.
Mahar River Gorge The road along the Mahar River gorge begins in the area of tourist bases and goes high along the left slope of the river. A distinctive feature of the Maharsky Gorge is the huge power transmission line that runs along the gorge to Abkhazia. Metal supports, three in a row, greatly spoil natural views. You can't do without wires and supports in the photographs.
Pool with Narzan About half a kilometer from the tourist centers there is the Narzan spring. Its temperature is +8 degrees, the water is saturated with iron, which settles on the stones and leaves a bright rusty sediment. Narzan is located on the right bank of the river, where it leads suspension bridge. The source itself is located a few meters from the river in a natural depression between the stones. Several powerful springs emerge from the ground. In the same basin others emerge to the surface. mineral springs, which are very different in chemical composition from the main one.
The Mahar River bubbles below Not far from the source in the Gidzhe tract there are “primitive” Narzan baths. On a rock near the pool there is a container that was once the drum of a washing machine. A rotten pipe extends from it into the forest, from which fountains flow in different places. The pipe leads to a metal container under which a fire is built. Within two hours, Narzan water is heated to a temperature that allows a person to stay in it. After heating, the water enters a wooden shed where two enamel baths are installed. The entire procedure from collecting water to finishing the procedure takes at least three hours. The long distance of the journey, the lack of any amenities, and unsanitary conditions do not frighten holidaymakers. The clearing opposite the source is always inhabited by those suffering from healing.
Road to the Mahara Gorge The Ullu-Tala tract is one of the last places accessible to travelers in the Mahara Gorge. These places are less visited by tourists, so there is a chance to get plenty of raspberries even at the end of August.
Coniferous thickets The Gondarai River Gorge is of greater interest for photography. There are also a large number of parking spaces. As a result, the number of holidaymakers on weekends is not inferior to popular ones mountain resorts Caucasus. The Gorge of Gondaraya has interesting feature. In addition to the natural increase in height towards the upper reaches, you have to overcome several terraces along the way. They were probably formed by glaciers that polished the mountain slopes and the bottom of the gorge tens of thousands of years ago. Today, the streams of Gondaraya, cascading over the stone terraces, will impress any traveler.
Gondarai River The vegetation of the Gondaraya gorge is similar to the Maharsky gorge, but it also has its own characteristics. Colchicum grows in the meadows of Gondarai in damp places. Due to the similarity of the flowers, it is often confused with crocus. However, Colchicum has a large inflorescence and blooms in August.
Colchicum in the Gondarai River Gorge On the right bank of the Gondarai River in the Zhanly-Kolayagy tract there is beautiful waterfall. Its stream falls from a height of more than two kilometers and falls vertically (about 50 m) into a narrow valley, from where the water cascades down into Gondarai.
Waterfall in the Gondarai River gorge Prepared tourists are not limited to hiking along rivers and to waterfalls. From the Mahara Gorge they rise to the lakes. One of them, Ullu-Kol, is considered one of the largest in the Western Caucasus. Once upon a time walking routes from Mahar they led through the Nahar Pass to the Military-Sukhumi Road. Today, many hiking and climbing routes Mountain peaks closed.
Against the backdrop of the Gondarai River in the Zhanly-Kolayagi tract In the area we are describing there is no mobile connection, no electricity or any communications. The radio that we took on the trip found a lot in the area of the Kort Mala clearing. interesting stations, which broadcast in Georgian or Abkhazian languages. We managed to catch Chinese radio stations, including those in Russian. The only entertainment left is observing the starry sky and the Moon through a telescope, which we also had available.
Slopes of the Gondaraya Gorge The Mahara district will not leave anyone indifferent. Mountain air mixed with the smell of coniferous forests, lush meadows, blue rivers, huge waterfalls - all this will delight even a seasoned tourist.
Mountains North Caucasus It’s impossible to visit everything, but we try, and almost every weekend in the summer we go out into nature.
The trip to the Mahar Gorge was planned with an overnight stay, so that along the way we could also visit an ancient Alan temple, drink narzan and walk along the Mahar itself to the waterfalls (and the path there is not short).
The Mahar Gorge is located in the southwestern part of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic at an altitude of about 1600 meters above sea level, a few kilometers from the Georgian border.
The trip to the Makharskoye Gorge began from the city of Essentuki. Essentuki is a small resort town in the Caucasus Mineralnye Vody with a population of just over 108 thousand people. On the Borgustan highway (Kirpichny village in the city of Essentuki) we immediately made a stop near the Peter and Paul temple complex with the Sculptural image of Christ. Temple complex, the foundation of which was laid in 1999, was built in the image of the shrines of Jerusalem. On the territory of the complex, which has not yet been fully developed, there are 3 chapels, a baptismal church, a dining room, a church shop, a Sunday school and a playground for children at the entrance.
The statue of the Risen Christ “Jesus Christ - Savior of the World”, built in 2013 with a donation from a local resident-businessman, Greek by nationality Pavel Aleksov, is currently the tallest in Russia (height - 22 meters) and is located on highest point Essentukov. The statue itself is similar to the Christ the Redeemer statue on Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. Entrance to the complex is free.
After walking around and taking photos, we hit the road.
Village "Red East". KCR
The next stop is in the Malokarachaevsky district of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic in the village “Krasny Vostok” to recruit a local narzan. The village itself (more precisely, in 2004 it received the status of a village), located on the banks of the Kuma River, is not particularly remarkable. Only in February of this year a new one was opened here sports complex"Alashara" with an area of more than 1000 m2.
Shaonin temple of the 10th century
Next stop - the Alan Shaonin temple of the 10th century - the oldest christian temple on the territory of Russia, located on the left bank of the Kuban. The temple was consecrated in honor of St. George the Victorious (naturally, this is an Alan temple).
In his early essay on I wrote a little about Saint George Uastridzhi - the most revered by the Alans.
Inside the temple, the decoration is not luxurious, but there are icons and surviving frescoes on the walls. Lizards of different shapes and sizes scurry across the stones.
From the top there is a panoramic view of the village of Kosta Khetagurova, which is located in the surrounding area, and a mountain with a cross. The village, named after the famous poet Kosta Levanovich Khetagurov, was founded in 1868 by visiting Ossetians and previously bore the name Georgievsko-Ossetinsky.
We are passing through the Karachaevsky district - to the southeast of industrial Karachaevsk in the upper reaches of the Kuban there is a fairly large village of Uchkulan with beautiful mosques. By the way, as we later determined, it was last place, where the mobile network caught. Here we bought a whole three-liter jar of fresh ayran from the locals.
17 km from Uchkulan there is a slightly rickety wooden bridge, crossing which you get to the Narzan spring.
Mahar Gorge
We drank some water and went to the recreation center in the Mahar Gorge itself (in the Turkic language the word “mahar” means warrior). On the threshold of our guest house we were met by such a beautiful toad).
After lunch, we went to explore the beauty in the surrounding area. By the way, the border is already behind the power poles. You can ride horses.
Room in guest house was for 6 people (just our company); in the center there is a cast iron stove). Even though it was quite cold, we were afraid to drown it. It was the most a budget option overnight stays – 100 rubles per person. These places are for lovers of “unity” with nature, so there is no electricity, all amenities are outside.
If you don’t book accommodation in advance, you still won’t be left without a roof over your head. There are a lot of similar camp sites and guest houses in the area. Some tourists set up tents and barbecue.
Early the next morning - walking to the clearing to the Uchkulan River and to the waterfalls in the valley of the Mahar-Su River.
We were lucky because it was just the azalea flowering season, which lasts less than a month (another name for azalea is yellow rhodendron). These bright yellow plants perfectly complemented the emerald greenery, blue sky and dirty white snow... It is worth keeping in mind that azalea is a very poisonous plant and you should not enjoy its sweetish aroma for a long time. Here and there there were wild purple irises.
We walked around, then returned to the car, said goodbye to our recreation center and headed back.
We made a stop in a small village, bought a circle of freshly made sweet homemade cheese, and talked to the local black and white cat.
A trip to the Mahar Gorge: what to take
Useful information: You MUST have a passport with you on a trip to the Mahar Gorge, as there is a border post nearby. Since we didn’t go far, at the checkpoint the border guards only copied out our passport data.
Interesting Facts:
- In 2016, Russia issued a three-ruble silver coin with the image of the Shaonin Temple.
- More than 80% of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic is occupied by mountains.
- Karachay black lamb meat, which has become famous since the mid-19th century, is considered the most delicious in the Caucasus.
Even though it’s winter outside, today is a hot summer day. And it’s hot not even because it’s summer, but because the degree of emotions, tension of human strength and technology was higher than ever during all our trips to the mountains.
I don’t like to write, so I’ll keep it very brief.
So, we are again in Karachay-Cherkessia. We are passing Karachaevsk.By the way, the unreal beauty of the landscapes begins after Karachaevsk and becomes more and more beautiful with every kilometer.
In the upper reaches of the Kuban River, at its confluence with the Uchkulan River, there is a valley of the same name. There are the ancient Karachay auls of Kart-Jurt, Khurzuk and Uchkulan, inhabited hundreds of years ago. It seems that life here is the same as it was a hundred years ago. In a good sense of the word. Measured, calm, untouched by civilization life in a mountain village. Rarely passing cars bring us back to reality.
From the villages further along the valley to the mountains there is a wide and very long grader road. This road will lead to few and uncrowded tourist centers. At this point there is a branching into the Mahar Gorge with the Mahar River and the Gondarai Gorge with the Gondarai River. Then it's off-road.
We turned onto Mahar. There are border posts and access control ahead (we worried about getting a pass in advance).
The plan was to drive our UAZ as high as we could, but preferably to the second border post (check the box, but most likely we won’t go there by car again, ha ha). And then on your own two feet higher and higher until mountain lake(but here, unfortunately, there is nothing to brag about, none of us are good travelers on foot; we make an excuse by saying that a thunderstorm started and we had to go back down, although there was absolutely nothing left to reach the goal).
So, steep climbs, large stones on the road, cliffs, seven fords (impassable when the river is full) and breathtaking views!!!
Speaking of fords. They pulled some daredevil out of the river in a regular UAZ. He did not start his engine again. This means that you always need to assess your strengths in advance and think where and why you are going.
I'm quitting writing. Look!
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And we swam in this waterfall. 
Mountain cows graze freely on the slopes, chewing on juicy organic grass, washing it down with the purest river water. 
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And here we are already on foot. 
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Glacier water. 
Why not alpine meadows?! 
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It was here that we were forced to interrupt our journey due to a thunderstorm. And then - a lower descent, help for a sinking UAZ, a long-awaited halt.
The next day we return back along the same route. We pass through villages Kart-Jurt, Khurzuk, Uchkulan.
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