The highland village Chokh is located on the eastern slope of the Andalal Valley, at an altitude of 1688 meters above sea level. Many tourists call it the most beautiful mountain village of Dagestan. It has a stepped structure on a steep mountainside. The roofs of the lower houses are at the level of the foundations of the upper houses. The village of Chokh looks like a medieval settlement.
Chokh is called one of the oldest settlements in Dagestan, founded about two thousand years ago. The camp of ancient people in this place was in Neolithic times. On the opposite slope of the Andalal Valley, there is an abandoned Gamsutl ghost-village, which is one of the most interesting sights of Dagestan. It was also founded more than 2 thousand years ago. It is convenient to combine visits to Chokh and Gamsutl villages into one excursion.
The houses of the village of Chokh fit very nicely into the landscape of the surrounding mountains. From the windows of the houses of the village of Chokh there is a beautiful view of the Andalal valley and the mountain terraces of Dagestan, which were used for farming more than 2 thousand years ago. Some mountain peaks in the vicinity of Chokh are covered with snow even in summer.
The village of Chokh is inhabited by Avars. Residents of the village are proud of their fellow countrymen, among whom there are many figures of science and culture of Russia. Near the main square, there is a monument to freestyle wrestler Ali Aliyev, who was born in Chokh in 1937. He was a five-time world champion. More than 130 natives of Chokh became doctors of Sciences.
The road to the village of Chokh from the Andalal Valley rises along the southern slope. Next to the village, there are viewpoints. The stepped structure of the houses on the mountain slope, one above the other, is visible from here most picturesque. Here you definitely need to stop and make pics of the village, the mountain landscapes of the Andalal valley and mountain terraces. After tourists enter the village, these beautiful views are no longer visible. Here you can walk through the maze of narrow streets and steep stairs.
The tourist infrastructure of the village of Chokh is just beginning to develop. In the center of the village, there is a large Ethnodome, which is a guesthouse and an ethnographic museum. It was built by a resident of Chokh named Zaur Tsolokhov. Now tourists can visit Chokh not only with an excursion, but also stay here. In the Andalal Valley, you can spend several days traveling through the surrounding mountains.
