Dzhily-Su nature site on Elbrus

The Dzhily-Su nature site at the foot of the northern slope of Elbrus is one of the most beautiful trekking locations in the mountainous regions of the Caucasus. There are waterfalls, beautiful gorges and valleys, narzan springs, as well as mystical places at the very edge of the eternal ice of Elbrus. All this is of great interest for both beginners and experienced hikers. 

The Dzhily-Su in translation from the Turkic language means "Warm Water". It is located 80 kilometers from Kislovodsk. The Kislovodsk - Dzhily-Su road can be called one of the most beautiful roads in Russia and put on a par with the Chuya tract in Altay. A magnificent asphalt road winding through the Caucasus Mountains reaches the narzan springs of Dzhily-Su in the vicinity of the Katu-Kalyk Valley, which is also called the Valley of Castles. In this valley, the road makes a sharp bend and rests against a barrier. People park along the road, where the pointed rocks rise. They are also called "Dragon`s Teeth". 

After walking around the Dragon`s Teeth, people go to the Sultan Waterfall. It is visible from the road and is very impressive. The Kyzylkol River originates in the glaciers of Elbrus. At first it flows through Glade of Emmanuel, and then it falls through the Kyzylkol Gorge with a rapid cascade waterfall and then breaks out on the Dzhily-Su nature site with the majestic Sultan Waterfall. Its height reaches 40 meters, and it can be called one of the most beautiful in Russia. 

Near the Sultan Waterfall there are the Narzan (mineral water) Main springs and the Narzan Pool. The water of these springs has a temperature of 24 degrees all year round. There is a swimming pool with mineral water fenced with light fence. From the outside it looks very unsightly. The time of taking baths is divided into female and male. People go inside and take spa procedures. Local residents regularly come to the springs of Dzhily-Su to improve their health. These procedures are very popular among the local population, but so far the infrastructure of Dzhily-Su is still at a very low level.  

All the people who come to Dzhily-Su for a few days live in chaotic constructions: in tents, trailers, vans, among polyethylene canopies. All this is very similar to the Brazilian favelas. 

There is only one capital structure in the Dzhily-Su nature site: the three-storey house of the President of Karachay-Cherkessia. However, this house has not been used for many years. There was a plan to make a hotel in it, but so far the house looks abandoned. The tourist potential of Dzhily-Su nature site is huge. There should definitely be hotels and cafes here that will allow people to live in comfort and make excursions along the northern slope of Elbrus. A magnificent asphalt road has been laid from Kislovodsk to Dzhily-Su, so there are all the prerequisites for the emergence of a tourist cluster here.  

In addition to the Sultan waterfall, there are three more powerful waterfalls in the Dzhily-Su nature site, no less beautiful than the Sultan. The paths to them begin near the House of the President of Karachay-Cherkessia and run along the bed of the Malka River. The Kyzyl-Su waterfall is located to the side. It falls into a deep valley. Two other waterfalls are located upstream of the Malka River. One of them is called Emir, and the other is Karakaya-Su Waterfall. There are paths and a narzan spring near them.  

Routes from Dzhily-Su 

If you are a fan of hiking on mountain routes, then Dzhily-Su provides excellent opportunities for this. The nearest place where you can go with an excursion from Dzhily-Su is Glade of Emmanuel. There are two mountaineering camp where climbers undergo acclimatization before climbing Elbrus. 

The distance from Dzhily-Su to Glade of Emmanuel is 3 kilometers. The climb is 200 meters, from 2300 meters to 2500 meters above sea level. This is a fairly significant height; the oxygen in the air already in Glade of Emmanuel is a quarter less than at the bottom. Everyone needs to remember this planning trekking on local routes.  

There are two trails leading to Glade of Emmanuel from Dzhily-Su. One goes around the mountain and comes to Glade of Emmanuel on the left side of the Kyzylkol River. Then you`ll have to wade through it. 

The second trail passes across the Kyzylkol River Gorge on the Kalinov Bridge. This place is one of the most beautiful local attraction. It is only 1.5 kilometers from Dzhily-Su to the gorge. This route is easy even for untrained people. 

The famous Silver Spring is located in Glade of Emmanuel. Many local people come there to drink from the source and plunge into the font. The water here comes from the glaciers of Elbrus. Passing through volcanic rocks, water is saturated with minerals and nutrients. This water has a very high content of silver ions. According to local belief, everyone who bathes in the Silver Spring will be healthy for the next year. 

From Glade of Emmanuel, you can hike to the two most mystical places of Elbrus: the German Airfield and the Stone Mushroom Glade. The trail leads to them along the Tkumil River Gorge. It is called a Dangerous Trail, as it runs along the edge of the gorge, and if it rained earlier, then the trail can be slippery. 

The German Airfield is an absolutely flat area at an altitude of 2850 m. There is a legend that German planes landed here in 1942. Once Tibetan lamas were even brought here for meditation, in search of an entrance to the mystical land of Shambhala.  

The Glade of Stone Mushrooms is the second mystical place on Elbrus, which at nature sites esotericists and admirers of various paranormal phenomena. It is located at an altitude of 3200 meters, on the edge of the eternal ice cover of Elbrus.