Andalal Valley is one of the most beautiful areas of Mountainous Dagestan. There are natural, historical and ethnographic attractions here: the abandoned ghost village of Gamsutl, the alpine village of Chokh. At the bottom of the valley, you can see the mountain terraces that the locals built for farming.
The entrance to the Andalal Valley is located near the small villages of Hutni and Commune. At this point, the small Tsamtichai River flows into the Karakoysu River. Two kilometers to the north is the famous village of Gunib. This place is the starting point for all excursions and hikes in the Andalal Valley.
There are a sufficient number of hotels and guesthouses in Gunib where you can stay in comfortable conditions. A high-quality road has been laid to the Andalal Valley from Gunib. Alternatively, you can stay in the village of Choh, which is located directly in the Andalal Valley, but the tourist infrastructure is just beginning to develop there.
The main attraction of the Andalal Valley is the abandoned Gamsutl Village. It is also called the "ghost village" and is compared to the Peruvian Machu Picchu. Gamsutl is one of the most interesting sights of Dagestan, along with the Sulak Canyon and Derbent. It was founded more than two thousand years ago and during this time remained one of the main fortresses of Dagestan.
Gamsutl is located on the western slope of the Andalal Valley at an altitude of 1,418 meters. Two decades ago it was abandoned by the inhabitants and now only ruins remain of it, which look very picturesque against the background of mountain ranges.
Opposite Gamsutl, on the eastern slope of the Andalal valley is the village of Choh. Here, unlike Gamsutl, about 3.5 thousand people continue to live. Choh is located on a steep mountainside. All houses have a stepped arrangement. The roofs of the lower houses are at the level of the foundations of the upper houses. It looks very authentic and photogenic. If you are going to the Andalal Valley, then Chokh village is a mandatory stop No. 2 after Gamsutl. Moreover, they are in close proximity to each other. In the village of Chokh you can get acquainted with the culture and ethnography of the local areas of Dagestan.
Another interesting attraction of the Andalal Valley are the Mountain Terraces of Dagestan that the locals built several centuries ago for the development of agriculture. Similar terraces were built by residents of all mountain regions. The rice terraces of Bali, China, and Peru are very famous in the world. There they are UNESCO Cultural Heritage sites.
Terraced agriculture began to develop in the mountainous regions of the Caucasus more than two thousand years ago. In addition to terraces, residents had to build complex irrigation systems that supplied water to the slopes of the mountains. In Dagestan, the largest number of mountain terraces have been preserved in the Gunib and Dadakhansky districts.
The mountains in the Andadal Valley have a very beautiful layered appearance. This is how the mountains look in many areas of Dagestan, but in the Andalal valley it looks very picturesque. Both high mountains and small rocky hills consist of several layers that go into the ground at an angle. Literally, every turn of the road opens up very picturesque views. There is a desire to leave the car on the side of the road and take short walks along the valley among the mountain slopes.
