The decision on the revival of the Resorts of the North Caucasus was taken at the federal level, even before the return of Crimea, economic sanctions and the fall of the ruble. It was based on the fact that tourists would be better spending money in the country, and the Caucasus received another incentive for development. In accordance with the decisions of the government, nine resorts were included in the tourism cluster of the North Caucasus Federal District, Krasnodar Territory and Adygea – Arkhyz, Veduchi, Elbrus-Bezengi, Mamison, Armkhi, Matlas, Lagonaki and the Caspian coastal cluster and spa resorts.
Vestnik Kavkaza describes the resorts which have already been discovered by tourists and those which have just started to be constructed.
Lagonaki is a mountain skiing resort-to-be; its slopes are assimilated with the Alps. The Lagonaki highlands – a part of the Western Caucasus Range – rise on the territory of the Apsheron District of Krasnodar Territory and Adygea. An all-season recreational complex will be built on the Lagonaki uplands within the project of the development of mountain tourism. The complex will include modern mountain skiing lines, technically equipped lounge zones and areas for skiing and sledding.
Lagonaki is situated 216 km from Pashkovsky International Airport in Krasnodar. The nearest railway station is situated 42 km from the resort – Khadjokh Station. The territory of the resort is 38 thousand ha. The area of slopes will be up to 7 million square meters. The difference of heights is 1670-2804 m A.S.L.
The fantastic landscapes have already attracted a million tourists from Russia and other countries of the world. At the moment, one can stay in Lagonaki at the mountain skiing complex of Azish-Tau, at the tourist camps of Alpinka, Gornaya Kuban-Lagonaki, Lago-Naki, Nezhnaya, Nezhnaya Polyana, Pikhtovy Bor, Edelveys and Serebryany Kluch, the tourism complex of Gornoe Nastroyevniye, the sporting and tourism complex of Zvezdnaya Dolina, and the Olkhovy Shelter.
The newest and biggest recreation site is the mountain skiing complex of Azish-Tau. A night in triple and quadruple rooms costs 1300 rubles per person. A double standard room (TV, mini-bar, telephone, bathroom) costs 6800 rubles for a night. Breakfasts and dinners are included in the room’s price.
There are two mini-saunas, a restaurant, two swimming pools, parking, a rink, a mountain skiing rental center and a surface lift.
The tourist camps are situated far away from civilization’s facilities. These are wooden cottages, an area with garden houses, an outdoor grill and outhouse toilets.
At the same time, any tourist can find something he or she likes: mountain skiers – snowy slopes; alpinists – lofty mountains; rock climbers – sheer cliffs; rafting lovers – bubbling rivers; cavers – underground temples; mountain tourists – the infinite beauty of passes along the road to the sea; adventure-seekers – mountain and river extremes; horse riders – horses; those who want to fly – paragliding, jeeping, and quad bikes.
Special cars will take travellers to any sight. If you take a quad bike for two, you pay 700 rubles and drive to places where you can see caves and waterfalls in the Meshoko Gorge, the Red Lake, and mountains. For 2000 rubles, two people can drive a quad bike to the Khadjokh Waterfall, in which you can swim in the summer. For 4000 rubles you can reach caves which used to be at the bottom of the Tethys Ocean, it is said. There you can find remains of ancient ammonites which are millions of years old. For 5000 rubles for two, you can visit the Devil’s Finger Cliff.
You can see the same sights for a lower price if you ride horses, not bikes. However, instructors warn that children under 5 should ride a horse only together with one of their parents and no longer than two hours.
Horse trips for several days are especially interesting.
2 days – Caves or Devil’s Finger + Rufabgo waterfalls (3400 rubles)
2 days – Caves or Devil’s Finger + Batareynaya Mountain (3400 rubles)
3 days – Caves or Devil’s Finger + Rufabgo waterfalls + Batareynaya Mountain (5100 rubles)
4 days – Caves + Rufabgo + Batareynaya + Devil’s Finger (6800 rubles)
5 days – Caves + Rufabgo + Batareynaya + Paseka + Devil’s Finger (9000 rubles)
6 days – Caves + Rufabgo + Batareynaya + Devil’s Finger + Paseka + Monastery or Duhan (11,200-11,700 rubles)
Those who like water can try rafting. There are championships of Russia in rafting on the Belaya River; but tourists can also raft there. Modern rafts admit from 2 to 20 people. There are routes for beginners, even 3-year-old children can cope with it. Experienced instructors control the process. Equipment (helmets, life vests, and hydro suits) is given at the start. Instructors explain everything in detail.
If you like the sky, you can fly delta planes. A delta plane is a hang glider with an engine unit; it uses landing wheels for take-off and landing. The superlight aircraft enables you to fly at a height of 3500 m with a range capability of 250 km and at a speed of 100 km per hour. The flight costs 1500 rubles for one person. You can jump with a parachute for 2000 rubles. They jump from an airplane at a height of 800 m. Beginners jump with an instructor.
