Western side of the Sulak Canyon

If you want to take a boat ride on the rapid waters of the Sulak River, as well as see Western side of the Sulak Canyon, then you should contact the guides near the Glavryba restaurant. There is a bridge over the Sulak River in this place. 

It is impossible to drive to the western shore of the Sulak Canyon by car. The cascade of the Chirkeyskaya and Miatlinskaya hydroelectric power plants is a regime guarded object, so you can only get there by buses of local guides. You must have a passport with you. The road along the western shore has no asphalt pavement. You only need to drive 17 kilometers, but due to the very poor quality of the road, it will take almost an hour. You need to mentally prepare for a very strong shaking in the car. 

Boating is possible in the village of Zabutli, which is located on the western shore of the canyon. Now this village is almost abandoned, although local residents still live in some houses. The water of the Sulak River in this place has a beautiful turquoise color. The depth of the canyon is maximum here. The rocky mountains rise 1,900 meters above the river, and this sight is very impressive.  

You can take a boat ride through the canyon. Usually the boat ride lasts 30 minutes. Here you will see majestic cliffs, small waterfalls that flow down the slopes of gorges. From below, the Sulak Canyon resembles Norwegian fjords. 

There are several guest houses in the village of Zubutli. You can stop there to be able to walk along the south side of the canyon all day. There are trails for tracking. In one direction you can walk almost to the Chirkeyskaya hydroelectric dam (3.5 km), in the other direction there is also a path along the canyon shore (4 km). Without living in the village of Zabutli, you will not be able to stay on the south side of the canyon for a long time. Since this territory is a guarded object, guides write lists at the entrance. After checking the passports, tourists are allowed to pass. A similar procedure is done at exit. The number of tourists at entrance and exit should be the same.