The Matlas plateau is the western part of the large Khunzakh plateau, which is located in mountainous Dagestan. With the development of tourism, Khunzakh has become one of the tourist centers of the republic. There are many guest houses and cafes here. There are many natural attractions outside of Khunzakh and the Matlas plateau is one of the most interesting.
The tourist potential of the Matlas plateau is very large. The authorities of Dagestan have announced plans to create the Matlas ski resort. In the future, they even promise to build an airport so that the Khunzakh plateau becomes more accessible. So far, these plans have not been implemented, but already no fewer tourists are going to Matlas than to the Karadakh gorge or the Abandoned village of Gamsutl.
The Khunzakh plateau is located at an altitude of 1,700 to 2,000 meters above sea level. Its size is 10 km wide and 25 km long. When you drive to Khunzakh from Makhachkala or Derbent, the road rises up a steep slope. In some places, you even have to drive along a mountain serpentine. However, on the Khunzakh plateau itself, it seems that you are on a plain. Small gentle mountains are visible along the edges of the plateau.
From the edge of the plateau there are very beautiful views of the mountains and river valleys. This can be seen in the Tsolotlinsky Canyon on the eastern side of the Khunzakh plateau. The same beautiful views open near the village of Matlas on the eastern side of the plateau. There are several natural attractions near Matlas. You need to plan a whole day for their visit.
The most interesting attraction is the Matlas Stone Bowl. It is located away from the rest of the locations. The stone bowl is a rift in the mountain plateau, as a result of which crevices were formed in the form of three "stone halls". They are connected to each other by narrow passages. Some passages are so narrow that a person can hardly squeeze through them.
The main tourist center of Matlas is located near the cliff, where the plateau ends and the descent to the valley of the Andiy Koisu River begins. In the Middle Ages, the powerful Avar Khanate was located on the Khunzakh plateau. Khan and his family often came to Matlas for rest. In memory of this, there are Khan`s baths and Khan`s waterfall.
Khan`s baths are natural fonts among stone crevices in a small river flowing along the Matlas plateau. The wives and daughters of the Avar khans bathed in these natural "khan baths". Now everyone is bathing in these fonts. Nearby there is a two-stage Khan waterfall. Khan and his family were resting near him. A very beautiful view of the Khan`s waterfall opens from the viewing point near the Matlas Mosque. It was built in 2020 on the edge of a cliff above the valley of the Khabdarech River.
There is a monument to Leo Tolstoy and Hadji Murad near the mosque. It is dedicated to the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, who wrote the novel Hadji Murad. It is dedicated to a real historical figure, the national hero of the Avars, Hadji Murad. During the Caucasian War in the 19th century, he initially fought on the side of Imam Shamil, but then switched to the side of the tsar.
An amazing attraction is the Matlas Stone Path, which begins near the monument to Leo Tolstoy and Hadji Murad. It is cut through the rock so that from the top of the plateau it was possible to descend to the mountain terraces at the foot of the Matlas waterfall. This path was cut in the Middle Ages by order of the Avar Khan, as there are convenient places in the shade in the mountain terraces for the Khan`s family to relax.
The length of the Matlas Stone Staircase reaches 200 meters. Usually, people go down it to the terraces and pass under the Matlas waterfall. A vertical steel structure with a staircase has been built next to it. You can use it to return to the Matlas plateau.
There is an extreme park on the Matlas Plateau for fans of extreme attractions. There is a zip line, a suspension bridge and Via Ferrata. Ski slopes are planned to be built on a mountain slope near the village of Siuh. In the future, it is planned to build hotels here, but so far there are only small chalets for recreation.
