Hospitable Chechnya

Not-So-Formidable Chechnya

Let me start by dispelling the most common myth — that Chechnya is unsafe. After sunset, the streets of the Chechen capital are lively and full of people. Everywhere there is movement, color, light, and conversation: groups of stylish local women in elegant silk maxi dresses, brightly lit boutique windows, amusement rides in motion, and summer terraces of restaurants and cafés filled with guests. The city pulses with energy and life.

Our Grozny guide, Eva — impressively knowledgeable — spoke about the enormous effort made in the region so that women can comfortably walk around on their own in the evenings, for example enjoying the sweet fragrance of petunias in the Flower Park.

The Mystery of the Towers and a Journey into the Past

We begin the next day in the Argun Gorge. Our jeep speeds past neat brick houses and greenhouses before the road climbs into the mountains, where springs bubble up along the roadside — perfect for quenching your thirst.

The Argun Gorge is one of the longest in the Caucasus. At its bottom runs the turbulent, swift, untamed Argun River. We stop to admire the Ushkaloy twin towers standing on the riverbank. In the Caucasus, building a tower was a way for a clan to demonstrate its status and nobility. Usually one tower was enough — which is why the Ushkaloy pair still puzzles researchers today.

Next we head to the village of Itum-Kali and the Pkhakoch historical and architectural complex, where centuries-old Chechen traditions and everyday life come alive. I should also note that every guide I met during my journey through the Chechen Republic was remarkably knowledgeable and spoke excellent Russian.

Trekking, Jeeping, and a Greeting from Space

Another pleasant discovery awaited at the year-round ski resort Veduchi. Today, the resort already offers many trekking trails of varying difficulty and length, each equipped with scenic viewpoints and rest areas. The authorities plan to complete all the necessary infrastructure by the end of this year, 2024.

Chechnya is also ready to offer plenty of adventures for fans of off-road driving. The mountain meadows of the Sharoy District — with peacefully grazing cows and gray-blue saucers of lakes set against a green carpet of grass — look like something straight out of a Milka chocolate commercial. Our guide complements the crystal-clear air with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee prepared in a cezve. It may sound a bit grand, but there’s no better way to put it: this kingdom of tranquility fills you with a sense of universal harmony. I guarantee — you won’t want to leave these pit stops.

I end my first trip to Chechnya on a high note, spending the night by the high-mountain lake Kezenoyam. The water is such an intense shade of blue that it feels almost unreal, as if it came from outer space.

I recommend admiring Kezenoyam from the viewpoint above the lake. The view is breathtaking, especially when you imagine what the birds soaring above the water must see. Our guide tells us that this viewpoint is also a perfect place for a picnic or even a corporate gourmet lunch with roasted lamb. Not everyone knows the way to this hidden spot — but our guides certainly do.

Chechnya can surprise visitors in many more ways: with intricate ornamentation beneath the vaulted ceilings of its mosques, stories about local traditions and customs, ever-changing natural landscapes, the largest aerodynamic complex in Europe, and the warmth and sincerity of its people. If you travel here, you will surely discover even more.