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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple
Off-Road 4x4 Jeep Tours4x4 jeep tour

Dombai glade and Shoanin temple

Private 4x4 vehicle

About the tour

Dombay is a very picturesque place in the south of Karachay-Cherkessia. This village lies at an altitude of 1590 meters - in a valley surrounded by the snowy peaks of the Main Caucasian Range. This is not only a ski resort, but also a great vacation spot in any season. The beauty of nature combined with the power of the elements, the riot of colors of nature - yellow-red-green foliage, dark mountains with white sharp peaks, and all this is covered with forest on the slopes. And the whiteness of waterfalls falling from a height, and yellow-green gorges in which you feel that there is such a power of nature around, against which a person is just something small. The aroma of fresh air directly burns the lungs to a cough, as if in reproach to city life. A special sacrament is mountain lakes untouched by civilization, transparent blue and cold. When you get to Dombay, you realize how quiet everything is, and most importantly majestic and monumental. Beautiful picturesque nature, the purest mountain air, frozen mountain rivers, friendly and very hospitable locals, and of course the magnificent, mighty, huge and legendary Caucasus Mountains.

Shoaninsky temple is a historical landmark in Karachay-Cherkessia, built at the end of the 10th century. There is a version (not confirmed) that this is the oldest Christian church in Russia, and it is still active. However, if we deal with the period of construction, then presumably the Shoaninsky temple appeared at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th centuries, which is later than the Zelenchuk churches in Lower Arkhyz and even the Sentinsky temple. Therefore, the sign on the sights, which says that it is the oldest, is in fact in doubt.

Unlike another historical landmark in the area of ​​Dombay and Tebreda - the Sentinsky temple, this one is maintained in a satisfactory condition by the efforts of the faithful residents of neighboring villages and towns, as well as thanks to donations. However, unfortunately, in 2007 unauthorized repairs were carried out, as a result of which the remains of ancient decorative painting, Greek, Arabic, Georgian, Armenian and Russian inscriptions of various eras and numerous North Caucasian tribal signs-tamgas inside the temple were lost.

Today the temple can be visited as a historical place, to examine it in detail. Next to it are also the ruins of other ancient buildings, since the hillside on which it is located was previously densely built up and populated. An equipped path leads from the temple along a rocky ridge to a small observation deck. Tour program

Let's drink tea on the observation deck in the village with a view of Elbrus. Upper Mara, in one of the most beautiful villages of the Karachay-Cherkessia. Let's walk along the Dombai glade, take the cable car up. If we still have time we can visit Teberda Reserve on the way from Dombai. Let's go up to one of the most ancient temples in Russia - Shoaninsky Temple, from where you can enjoy a stunning view of the mountains, and touch the history.

PRICE (for a car) | 18'000 rubles per car |

DEPARTURE TIME | 06:00 in the morning |

DURATION | 12-13 hours |

NUMBER OF SEATS | 4 |

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE |

Transport services all along the route |

table, chairs, gas stove, kettle; |

|

ADDITIONALLY PAID |

Guide (optional) | Lunch |

|

You must have: ✓ Passport, ✓ Snack, ✓ Sports shoes, ✓ Rain clothes Important to know! If weather conditions are unfavorable for the tour, then changes to the planned route are possible, including the day and time of departure. |

Booking

Before you go

  • A warm jacket — it is much colder at the viewpoints than in the valley
  • Comfortable shoes with a grip for short walks from the car
  • Passport or ID — some roads pass through border-zone checkpoints
  • Camera, sun glasses, water
  • Motion-sickness tablets if you are sensitive to mountain roads
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Expedition Reviews

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Price
4 500 ₽
≈ $49 USD
KavKazSkiTur Autonomous Protection
SECURE
Live Route Telemetry

Mount Elbrus Altitude Climate & Stations

Prielbrusye Observatory Reference
Temperature
-5°C
Firm Snow / Glacier
Ridge Wind
11
m/s (Breezy)
Glacier Cover
195 cm
Visibility: 12 km
Route Protocol
Base Refuge Operational
● Certified Guides Active
Expedition Visuals

Route Photo Gallery

12 High-Resolution Photos
Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 1
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 2
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 3
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 4
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 5
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 6
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 7
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 8
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 9
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 10
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 11
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Dombai glade and Shoanin temple - Expedition photo 12
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