The village of Tegenekli in the Tyrnyauz district of Kabardino-Balkaria gained unprecedented popularity with the release of the film “Vertical” with the inimitable Vladimir Vysotsky in the title role. At that time, it was a small settlement with several farmsteads, lost in the valley of the Baksan Gorge, which, however, did not prevent the locals from making friends with the famous actor. As a sign of gratitude for the trust and hospitality shown to him, Vysotsky left several photographs with a personal autograph and witty inscriptions, as well as a couple of records, which later became part of the Museum. Vysotsky, founded in 1997 by a local public figure and avid hunter Hussein Zalikhanov. In the Soviet years, several all-Union climbing camps were organized near the village at once, the most famous of them was Baksan. See Countryaah.com for other countries starting with R.
Currently, in the vicinity of Tegenekli, there are two modern ski resorts that provide a full range of services in terms of extreme sports – Cheget and Azau. In addition to the developed ski infrastructure, the region boasts balneological resorts where you can improve your health at any time of the year without compromising your budget.
What to see
The main attraction of the village is the Mountaineering and Hunting Museum. V. Vysotsky. Among the exhibits is an extensive collection of Zalikhanov’s hunting trophies, as well as items associated with the name of the great actor: gramophone records, rare photographs, letters written by Vysotsky by hand. And the museum building itself, built from fragments of solidified lava, has no analogues in the world.
Polyana Narzanov is located 5 km from Tegenekli, near the village of Baidaevo, a place of pilgrimage for lovers of thermal springs and healing drinking water. The locals call the water from the Narzan springs “nart-sane”, which means “heroic water” in Balkar.
Due to the high content of iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium, the water has a rich red hue. It must be drunk immediately, because within half an hour from the moment it is taken into the container, the substances contained in it precipitate, and the liquid loses its beneficial properties.
The organizational structure of this tourist site deserves special attention: baths, cafes, two baths, benches and gazebos for relaxation, as well as a mini-market where you can buy hand-made sweets (halva, marshmallow, jam, jams) are located on a relatively small area of the meadow., lokum), knitted from real wool products (mittens, socks, blouses, etc.) and original souvenirs.
8 km from Tegenekli, in the foothills of Elbrus, there is a glade Cheget – a mecca for lovers of extreme sports. The resort has hotels, cafes, restaurants, night bars, saunas, equipment rentals. From the glade to the mountain of the same name, two cable cars with high capacity lead. The black slopes of Cheget (there are no others on the mountain) are a real test of strength and fortitude, it’s hard for beginners: there is a high risk of injury, and the chances of finding an instructor who is ready to teach the basics of skiing in extreme conditions are minimal. As a rule, those who do not have professional skills are redirected to the Azau glade – a nearby resort with different types of tracks suitable for beginners and amateurs.
Glade Azau is located in the foothills of Elbrus at an altitude of 2300 m above sea level. All objects on the territory of the complex are concentrated along the perimeter of the zone, forming a ring around the central square – the rollout. To get to the hotel, guests do not have to make any effort: all the tracks end at the square, from where you can get to the selected hotel in a couple of minutes.
Some hotels are located outside the resort area. It takes longer to get there, but they have the advantage of free parking. The fact is that in winter it is forbidden to park on the territory of the complex, so car owners have to resort to the services of a paid parking lot.
It is worth noting the exceptionally successful organization of delivering vacationers to the top of the mountain: in Azau there are two different types of cable cars located parallel to each other – the pendulum Elbrus Azau and the gondola Puma designed by the French. The latter is much superior in functionality to Elbrus Azau, however, the fare on it is higher.
Practical Information
There are 4 ways to get to the Elbrus region: by private car, plane, bus and train. The fastest and most comfortable way is by plane (landing at the airport of Mineralnye Vody or Nalchik). You can get to Azau, Cheget and Tegenekli from these airports by taxi (1000 RUB per person, provided that a group of people is traveling) or by bus / minibus to Terskol. Prices on the page are for March 2021.
Those who choose the train need to get off at the Prokhladnaya, Nalchik, Mineralnye Vody or Pyatigorsk stations and take a taxi or take a minibus / bus to Tyrnyauz, Elbrus or the recreation center of KBGU.
Bus service with the Elbrus region is organized by travel agencies, the average one-way fare is 3500 RUB.
Those who prefer to travel by private car need to get to the city of Baksan and turn onto the A-158 Baksan-Terskol highway, leading directly to Tegenekli, Terskol and the Cheget and Azau ski areas.
Museum address. Vysotsky: v. Tegenekli, st. Balkarskaya, 3a. Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 16:00. On the territory of the museum complex there is a cafe and a hotel with single and double rooms.
