Chegem gorge in Caucasus mountains

Chegem gorge is located on the Northern slope of the Caucasus mountains, near the town of Nalchik. This is one of the most beautiful gorges in the Caucasus mountains. It stretches for more than 80 kilometers, but the most interesting part of the Chegem gorge for tourists is located between The Chegem waterfalls and the village of Eltybiy.

The most famous part of the gorge - the Chegem waterfalls and the Chegem canyon. This place is the end point of organized excursions. After the village of Nizhny Chegem, you should make a stop near the Aidai-su waterfall (30 meters).

Behind the village of Khushto-Syrt, the Chegem canyon begins. A few dozen kilometers from the turn from the Pyatigorsk-Nalchik highway, the road goes through a very wide gorge, but in the Chegem canyon, the rocks close. Their height reaches 300 meters, and at the narrowest point, the width of the canyon between the rocks is only 25 meters. The Chegem river flows along the bottom of the canyon.

The length of The Chegem canyon is 3 kilometers and there are Grand Chegem Waterfalls near the exit from it. They are emerging by rivers Sakal-tup and Kayarta. Thousands of jets fall from the cliff into the gorge. They are all of different shapes, heights, and strengths. Some dripping through the tangle of moss. There are small waterfalls that flow directly from the cliff face. These waterfalls make a great impression.

200 meters beyond the waterfalls, the Chegem canyon ends, and a wide valley with beautiful landscapes begins from the southern slope of the Rocky ridge. The distance from Chegem waterfalls to the village of Eltybiy is 20 kilometers. The riverbed of Chegem winds among the rocks, so at every turn you can see very beautiful views.

A few kilometers before the village of Eltybyu on the left slope of the gorge is a paragliding camp. There are also mountains for jumping. Then you can see the steep slope of the Pyramid mountain. Behind it village Eltybiy is located, which is also called Upper Chegem.

In the village, you should see the Necropolis, which also called “The city of the Dead”. It is located on the slope of the Kara-Tyubu mountain. The crypts in the necropolis are dated to the 11th-17th centuries. The most recent octagonal crypts were built in the 17th century, and the most ancient, quadrangular ones – in the 11th century. They belong to the Christian culture, although some suggest the influence of Zoroastrianism.

On the left side of the Jildy-Su river from the village of Eltybiy, you can go to the house-museum of the national poet of Kabardino-Balkaria Kaisyn Kuliyev. On the right side, you can go to the ruins of the ancient city Bicikle (8th century AD). Here is preserved the so-called "Greek staircase", which goes along a steep cliff to the cave. Most likely, it is the ruins of an ancient fortified settlement. People could control the trade route that in ancient times ran along the southern slope of the Rocky ridge of Caucasus mountain.

From the village of Eltybiy, you can drive another 5 kilometers to the village of Bulunga. Here, the peaks of the Greater Caucasus Range with a height of more than 3 thousand meters are already clearly visible. The road ends in Bulungu. There is a border Outpost, and then the road is possible only with climbing equipment.