Caucasus

This destination is definitely one of the most favorite for Russian travelers. And for good reason – there are not so many places in the world where you can find such a magnificent combination of marvelous weather, breathtaking landscapes, unique vegetation, ancient monuments and mineral springs.

Caucasus is the name of the mountains located between the Caspian and Black Seas, as well as the territory lying within these mountains and their spurs. This name is found in the tragedy of Aeschylus “Prometheus Bound” (479 BC) for the first time. Though we still don’t know the origin of the word for sure, researchers believe that it may be associated with the Hittite “kaz-kaz” – this is the name of a people who lived on the southern coast of the Black Sea.

In the middle of the Caucasus is situated the mountain system – the Greater Caucasus, it saxial zone contains the Main, or Water-parting (Vodorazdelny), and the Lateral ridges. Tourists do not always climb on the first try on the highest peaks–Mount Elbrus (5642 meters) and Mount Kazbek (5033 meters). Vorontsovskaya, Novoafonskaya caves, Sataplia karst caves and others are widely known. 

The Caucasus is famous for its exceptional diversity ofl andscapes, which is explained by the complexity of its orographyand climatic contrasts. Furthermore, a specificity of the formation of different parts of the Caucasus under influence of neighboring territories which left their marks.
Flora and fauna are extremely rich in rare species, including endemics and relics.

The Western Caucasus regionis a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Its value lies in the fact that it is one of the few large alpine mountain ranges in Europe where nature has not yet undergone significant anthropogenic influence: unique for Europe are vast untouched mountain forests, stretching from the low-mountain zone to the subalpine, plus on local alpine and subalpine meadows graze only wild animals.

There are six nature reserves and five national parks in the region of Caucasus, but even they can't cover all the natural and cultural outstanding sights of this territory. To really discover this place, you will have to come back here again and again: in summer and winter, spring and autumn...