Sunday 6th September – Makhachkala, Russia

Morning

• Arrive at your own leisure into Makhachkala. The capital city of Dagestan is well connected with Dubai, Moscow or other cities in Russia, as well as Tashkent, Bishkek or Jeddah.
• Self-transfer to our centrally located hotel.

Afternoon

• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 1:00pm to discuss the tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• We’ll head out to explore Makhachkala, Dagestan’s lively Caspian Sea capital, where Soviet-era grit, Islamic culture, and modern Russia collide in a way found nowhere else in the country. It’s the perfect gateway to the Caucasus, offering a first taste of Dagestani hospitality, street life, and the region’s remarkable ethnic diversity.
• We’ll stop by the Central Juma Mosque – One of the largest mosques in Russia, inspired by Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and a striking symbol of Dagestan’s Islamic identity. 
• Visit the Dagestan Museum of Fine Arts, home to regional artworks and historical pieces that offer insight into the many ethnic groups that make up this mountainous republic.
• Take a walk along the Caspian Sea Promenade, the waterfront area where locals gather, offering views of the Caspian and a glimpse into everyday life in the city.
• We’ll have dinner downtown but being a Islamic city we’ll have drinks back at the hotel.
• Overnight in Makhachkala.

Monday 7th September – Makhachkala – Derbent

Morning

• After breakfast in our hotel, we will drive south to Derbent, a city with over 2,000 years of history.
• Visit the Naryn-Kala Fortress and walls of Derbent, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, its massive stone walls and towers stretch along the strategic pass between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, historically defending the city against invading empires.
• Visit the most ancient mosque of Russia, the cemetery of the Arabian warriors, who brought Islam here in the 7th century.

Afternoon

• Lunch in a local Azeri restaurant, the indigenous people of Derbent origin are Azerbaijan.
• Trip Highlight: Explore the legendary Lun-class Ekranoplan, better known as the Caspian Sea Monster. This absurdly oversized Soviet experiment from the 1980s was a ground effect military vehicle designed to skim just above the water at speeds of around 500 km/h while carrying missiles.
• Walk through the atmospheric old town, filled with stone houses, mosques, and narrow alleyways. Derbent feels more Middle Eastern than Russian, and its long history of Persian, Arab, and Caucasian rule makes it one of the most unique stops on the trip.
• For dinner at a local restaurant, we recommend trying dolma or dyushpere, the dagestan version of pelmeni.
• Overnight in Derbent.

Tuesday 8th September – Derbent – Qala-Quraysh – Kubachi

Morning

• Breakfast and we’ll start the day driving to Qala-Quraysh is the ruined mountain fortress and former capital of the Kaytag principality in southern Dagestan, perched dramatically on cliffs. Once a thriving centre of local rule and Islamic culture, today only its walls and a few remnants remain, blending history with stunning natural views.

Afternoon

• In the afternoon we will arrive in Kubachi, the legendary craft village of the Caucasus. For centuries, locals have been making everything from stone carvings and chain mail to sabres, and in the Soviet era they became famous for their goldwork. The villagers belong to a small ethnic group speaking a unique Dargin dialect.
• Overnight in the house of a local goldsmith surrounded by tools, treasures, and stories few outsiders ever hear. Shared bathrooms only separated by genders.

Wednesday 9th September – Balkhar –  Salta –  Sogratl’

Morning

• Breakfast and we’ll begin by driving to Balkhar, a mountain village where centuries-old ceramics traditions are still alive.
• We’ll grab lunch along the way and visit a traditional pottery workshop.
• Locals will show us how they work with the clay and you will have an opportunity to get your hands dirty. The village is home to the ingenious Lak people, whose skills and creativity have been shaping the Caucasus for generations.

Afternoon

• We’ll have lunch and continue our drive to Salta Canyon, one of Dagestan’s natural highlights. From Salta village, we hike through a narrow gorge to reach a hidden underground waterfall, an unexpected and surreal sight.
• In the late afternoon, we’ll arrive at Sogratl’, a remote mountain village surrounded by dramatic peaks.
• Dinner and overnight in a local guest house. Shared bathrooms only separated by genders.

Thursday 10th September – Sogratl’ – Gamsutl – Sogratl’

Morning

• After breakfast, we drive up Mount Ruhtalbeter, stopping high above the legendary abandoned village of Gamsutl’, often called the “Machu Picchu of Dagestan.”
• From here, we hike downhill into Gamsutl’, exploring its deserted stone houses, empty streets, and panoramic views. Abandoned only recently, the village tells a powerful story of depopulation and mountain life.

Afternoon

• After descending to the valley, our vehicle picks us up and returns us to Sogratl’ for lunch and some well-earned rest.
• On the way back, we’ll do a walking tour of Sogratl’, getting a deeper look at traditional Dagestani village life.
• Dinner and overnight  in a local guest house.

Friday 11th September – Sogratl’ – Gimry – Grozny

Morning

• Breakfast and we’ll depart Sogratl’ and travel onwards to Gimry, one of the most historically significant villages in Dagestan. This is the birthplace of Imam Gazi Muhammad and Imam Shamil, leaders of the 19th-century Caucasian resistance against the Russian Empire.
• We’ll have a walking tour of the historical area, discussing the Caucasian War and the role these figures played in shaping regional identity.

Afternoon

• After lunch, we continue west into Chechnya, arriving in Grozny – a city that has risen from the ashes to become one of Russia’s most surreal capitals.
• On arrival the tour concludes and we can arrange ongoing accommodation or transfers if required. Or you may continue your adventure with us in the Caucuses on our Chechnya and North Caucasus Uncovered tour.

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