What do you need to know before traveling to Dagestan?

• Most of the population of the republic are Muslims; therefore, well-mannered behavior is appreciated there. Alcohol is available only in a small number of restaurants and stores (and it is not sold at all during Ramadan).

• Women should avoid revealing outfits, short skirts and/or showing cleavage. This is not a strict rule, but respect for local traditions.

DAY 1

Uytash Airport is located 16 km away from Makhachkala, so the trip to the city will take about 30 minutes by taxi or 60 minutes by bus.

Trying the main national dish

To get into a good mood, have a small snack right away: the main national dish there is ‘khinkal’ (don’t confuse it with Georgian ‘khinkali’, which is very different). Dagestan is home to dozens of ethnic groups and each has its own variety. ‘Khinkal’ is basically a plate with boiled meat, boiled dough, broth and sauce. You can order some fresh vegetables, as well, as they are incredible throughout this region!

‘Khinkal’ can be found in almost any restaurant. For example, in ‘Papakha’ on Rasul Gamzatov Avenue or in the specialized ‘Hinkal Brothers’ near the Fazu Aliyeva Square.

Visiting the main mosque

The central Juma Mosque is one of the city’s main attractions. It was built in 1997 based on the model of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and, until 2019, had been the largest in Russia. The snow-white building is striking in its beauty, as well as the interior decor with floral ornaments and incredible chandeliers. Anyone can step inside and marvel at it.

Drinking the local coffee

Makhachkala can be easily dubbed the coffee capital of Russia, as there are a lot of coffee shops (about one per 1,000 inhabitants; in comparison, Moscow has one for every 5,000) with various concepts and designs. The locals themselves love coffee and drink it a lot (in particular, due to the fact that they hardly drink alcohol). We recommend that you try the local coffee specialty with ‘urbech’ (nut paste) at least once! You can go to any place that takes your fancy – you’ll find a plethora of choices on the pedestrian part of Buinaksky Street.

Walking along Rasul Gamzatov Avenue

The Russian drama theater at the Rasul Gamzatov Avenue

You will see the name of this Dagestani poet more than once, so it's worth getting to know him better: Rasul Gamzatov (1923-2003) is considered to be the main national poet of Dagestan. He wrote a lot of poetry in his native Avar language (the most widely spoken in the republic) and translated Pushkin, Lermontov and other Russian writers into Avar. 

Gamzatov was known throughout the USSR; his works were translated into Russian and set to music. For example, ‘Cranes’ became the most famous song about World War II. 

The main urban artery in Makhachkala with many architectural attractions, greenery and restaurants is named after the poet.

DAY 2

If you’d like to explore the city in more detail, you should plan a visit to one of the many theaters, take another walk around the city, see the Ship House or visit the national museum. But, we're right next to the mountains! Therefore, let’s go see them.

Going to the Sulak Canyon

It’s perhaps the most famous attraction in Dagestan and just an hour's drive from Makhachkala. The first stop is the Chirkey Reservoir, where the water here is stunningly azure blue in color. 

Next, take a look at the canyon of the Sulak River itself, the deepest in Europe. Its length is 53 km (32 mi.). There, you can give speed boating a try. 

At the narrowest point of the canyon, there is the man-made ‘Noho Cave’ and a suspension bridge from which you can bungee jump or ride down a zip line.

Climbing Europe’s biggest sand dune

Another amazing place near the city is Sarykum, a small desert between the mountains and the sea. A metal staircase leads to the very top of this picturesque sand dune, so that tourists can safely climb up while observing lizards and strange shrubs. There are many rare flora and fauna and even endemic species. 

By the way, one of the most famous Soviet movies – ‘White Sun of the Desert’ (1970) – was filmed here.

Meeting the sunset by the sea

Don’t forget that Machachkala not only lies at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, but also by the Caspian Sea! You can spend the evening walking along Makhachkala's Rodopsky Boulevard, which flows into Stalsky Boulevard, or along the beach itself. Swimming is not recommended there, but a fantastic sunset is guaranteed!

READ MORE: 8 must-visit places in Dagestan