Caucasus Aviation Tour
approx. date
24.09.2022-30.09.2022
now available in English
We offer you the most, perhaps, an unusual tour to the Caucasus: you will not just visit those places where your neighbors and colleagues have not yet reached, but you will see the mountains from an airplane, you will learn how it is when the sky is under your feet, you will get acquainted with a delightful history region, literally touch it, we will not just see the local sights, but talk with the pilots and visit the tactile ethnographic museum and the houses of local residents. As part of the air tour, we will fly in helicopters over Dagestan, try An-28 and An-2 in Chechnya and Ossetia, and also get the opportunity to fly on gliders, on a jet L-29 in a mountain gorge and on paragliders over rocks. We’ll see the famous Caspian Monster in Derbent. We will live in comfortable conditions in good hotels and use a good transfer that knows the routes like the back of his hand. And our wonderful guide, parachutist, intellectual and just a beauty, will tell you about all the details of the life of the region, surprise you with ancient legends and share important knowledge about the history and culture of the region. Choose convenient dates and interesting programs from 3 to 7 days
PRE-TOUR
Day 0
- Starts from Makhachkala*
- Full-day guided jeep-tour in Dagestan
- Sulak canyon. A must-see location in Dagestan: a turquoise river winding like a ribbon among high mountains, view from different viewing platforms, and then take a boat ride down the river. Trout farm. Stop for lunch at the village of Yantarnoye — one of the best fish farms in the region is located here, taste local fish dishes and appreciate the Dagestan hospitality. Dune Sarykum. Another amazing location along the route: walk in the sands of this local desert or ride a horse on a horse farm instead.
- Dinner
- Additional night in the hotel
AVIATION (MAIN) TOUR PROGRAM
Day 1
- Meeting with the group in Makhachkala (MCX)
Transfer to the airport
RT Helicopter flight to Derbent, main point – Ekranoplane “Caspian Monster”, about 1 hour each leg, additional landings possible, helicopter — Eurocopter EC130T2, private operator - Lunch
- Photo opportunity with the “Caspian Monster”
- Transfer to the city
- Dinner in the local restaurant
- Overnight stay in Makhachkala
Day 2
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Transfer to Gudermes airfield (120 km)
- Lunch
- An-28 pleasure flight/ flight to Grozny main airport, in about 1 hour flight, private operator
- Optional*: Ultra light flights
- Transfer to Grozny (30 km)
- Check-in at the “Grozny city” 5* hotel
- Dinner in the well-known restaurant with panoramic view
- Overnight stay in Grozny
Day 3
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Transfer to Vladicavkaz (100 km)
- Day on the “Gizel” airfield:
An-2 pleasure flight over the mountains, 40 min, operator — DOSAAF - Lunch on the airfield, local, home-made food
- Optional: glider flight – price from 80 EUR
- Optional: L-29 30-min flight over the mountains – price from 500 EUR
- Transfer to the hotel, check-in
- Dinner at the local restaurant “Grusha”
- Overnight stay in “Vladicavkas”/“Imperial” hotel
END OF THE MAIN PROGRAM
AFTER-PARTY
Day 4
- Breakfast
- Full-day guided tour: monuments of nature and ancient culture in the Kurtatinsky, Dargavsky gorges, Kadargavan canyon and art object «bars», Dzivgis rock fortress, Alansky Monastery, Kurt and Tag towers, Swing over the cliff, Kakadur pass and art object «Letter», Dargav necropolis, Kakhtisar pass overlooking the beautiful Koban gorge. A stop for lunch at a rural house, where we will be treated to Ossetian pies from a wood-fired oven.
- Dinner
- Overnight stay in SPA hotel in the mountains (Roza Vetrov4* or similar)
Day 5
- Breakfast
- Full-day guided tour: Alagir and Tseyskoe gorges, the monument to the Patron Saint of Men (St. George), hydrogen sulfide lake, half-abandoned mining villages, a new hydroelectric power station, Tseyskoe gorge. Ascent by cable car to the glacier, Kasar gorge. Lunch in the local restaurant. Stop at the Zaramagsky reservoir, Unal village — visit the tower museum. A unique restored tower complex.
- Dinner
- Overnight stay in SPA hotel in the mountains (Roza Vetrov4* or similar)
Day 6
- Breakfast
- Time to walk around the hotel — historical family towers visit*
- Lunch
- Transfer to Vladicavcaz airport
*Departure time depends on the regular flights 2022 schedule
Main program includes:
- Flights:
AN-28 pleasure flight
Eurocopter round flight Makhachkala – Derbent
An-2 40-min flight over mountains - Caspian monster photo opportunity
- All transfers
- Accommodation: Makhachkala – 4* hotel
- Grozny – “Grozny-city” 5* hotel
- Vladicavkaz – “Vladicavkaz/Imperial” 4* hotel, superior rooms
- All meals, tea, water
Not included:
- Pre-party part – price starts from 100 EUR shared twin
- After-party part – price starts from 150 EUR shared twin
- All flights and services, marked with “optional” *limited seats
- glider flight – price from 80 EUR
- L-29 30-min flight over mountains – price from 500 EUR
- Single room supplement main program: + 150€
- Alcohol and soft drinks from the bars
- Souvenirs
The Caspian Monster was built in 1966 and had 10 turboprop engines — eight on the wings and two on the tail. The aircraft was about one hundred meters long and weighed 540 tons. The bottom of the hull was arranged in a ship-like manner, although outwardly the CM looked like an airplane. In a record flight, its mass reached 544 tons, which was at that time an unofficial world record for aircraft of that time. He was beaten only with the creation of the An-225 Mriya aircraft.
Achievements of the «Caspian Monster»:
1. For the first time in the world, a heavy seaplane was designed and built, designed for a long cruise flight in the «screen» mode
2. For the first time in the world, on a heavy aircraft, the principle of air cushion take-off was implemented with the help of gas injection from propulsion turbojet engines under the center section;
3. For the first time in the world, welding of aluminum alloys was widely used in the assembly of a heavy seaplane.
Tests have shown that for takeoff from water it is necessary to accelerate the ekranoplan to a speed of 350 km / h. The first flight over the Caspian Sea lasted 50 minutes and took place at an altitude of four meters.
The CM tests took place in the Caspian for 15 years and ended very sadly. The pilot, who had not been at the helm of the «monster» for a long time, lifted the nose of the car too sharply during takeoff, it quickly and almost vertically went up, the confused pilot abruptly dropped the thrust and did not operate the elevator according to the instructions — the ship, having fallen on the left wing, hit the water
3-7 days
in unique region
flights
over the mountaines
exploring
breathtaking places
best
possible hotels
cost
from 2100 EUR
participants
5 or 10