Chechnya is not yet an obvious destination for tourist holidays. And in vain: cozy city walks here are successfully combined with trips to the mountains. Chechens call their republic the Land of Heroes. To see all the main attractions at a leisurely pace, it is worth coming to the Republic for 3-4 days. Lay one and a half of them for Grozny, and leave two more for mountain routes.
How to get there
There are direct flights from Moscow to Grozny. The cost of a one-way ticket starts from 6,000 rubles*, and the travel time is about 2.5 hours. You can also travel by train from Kazansky Station in about two days. The fastest bus route from the South Gate bus station will take 24 hours.
Where to stay
Four-star hotel “Tiinala” (rating 9.9) – from 3,000 rubles per day*.
Four-star hotel “Arena City” (rating 8.7) – from 4,500 rubles per night*.
Hotel “Cosmos Selection Grozny City” (rating 10) – from 8,000 rubles per night*.
Features of the region
Chechnya has its own peculiarities related not only to transport and housing, but also to the rules of Muslim culture and Islamic etiquette, which tourists should also observe. We share tips for a comfortable trip.
Clothing
Men are not recommended to appear on the streets in shorts and sleeveless T-shirts, and women should wear long dresses below the knee with covered shoulders (short sleeves are fine). To visit mosques, you must cover your hair with a large headscarf, but it is not necessary to wear one outside. Girls can go to the mountains in loose, non-tight trousers.
Transport
Almost all the main attractions of Grozny are within walking distance of each other. For remote locations, it is more convenient to take a taxi than to wait for a suitable minibus. Yandex.Taxi does not operate in the region, but there are local analogues. For example, “Grozny taxi”, which will take you from the airport to the city for about 150 rubles*. It is also more convenient to get to mountainous points by rented car or taxi, since intercity buses do not run often. It’s even more comfortable to book an individual excursion.
Customs
In Chechnya, it is necessary to observe the etiquette of Muslim culture. For example, men should not touch women on the streets. In the Republic there are restrictions on tobacco and alcohol: even electronic devices cannot be smoked on the streets, there are no bars in cities, and alcoholic drinks are sold only in some stores and strictly in the morning.
Food
Chechen dishes, the so-called Vainakh cuisine, include beef, offal and dumplings – corn or wheat dumplings. You can try them in traditional restaurants. At the same time, the city has many cafes with European cuisine to suit every taste and budget. You should also definitely look into one of the cozy pastry shops in Grozny. And in the city’s stores you can find many products from Turkey, Australia and Arab countries that are unusual for Russians.
Money
When traveling to Grozny, take plenty of cash with you. They are much more popular here than bank cards and transfers. In taxis, shops and even in some restaurants you simply cannot pay with a card.
Housing
It is better to book it in Grozny no later than a few weeks before the trip. Finding an apartment locally will be difficult, since so far the volume of rooms and private offers is not so large. And, for example, on holidays, tourist demand clearly exceeds supply.
Grozny
The main attractions of Grozny can be visited in one day. But it’s better to set aside extra time to visit museums, leisurely sit in cozy cafes and watch the creative night illumination of fountains and buildings.
It will be symbolic to start the walk with a visit to the mosque “Heart of Chechnya”. The construction project was developed by Turkish architects, who were inspired by the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul. White marble, Swarovski crystals and gold plating are used in the interiors, and the design of 36 chandeliers contains references to the shapes of the most important shrines of Islam. Around the mosque there is a beautiful park with fountains, benches and unusual trees.
Across the road from the mosque stands Palace of Culture named after Dagun Omaeva. An elegant twelve-story building with a dome and portico is named after the famous Chechen actor.
On the banks of the Sunzha River rise seven “candle” buildings of the “Grozny City” complex, which includes a hotel, offices and a 40-story residential building . From the observation deck on the roof of one of the skyscrapers, a 360-degree panorama of the city opens up. Here you can take spectacular photos against the backdrop of the clock installed under the roof of the neighboring high-rise building.
Nearby broken Flower Park, which is also called Lovers’ Park. The paths here are decorated with artificial topiaries in the shape of various animals and arches buried in flowers. The park fountain is decorated in national motifs.
Flower Park faces the main and longest street of the city – Akhmat Kadyrov Avenue. If you walk along it towards the region, you can see the only Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael in Grozny.
In the opposite direction is the largest in the Caucasus Shopping and entertainment center “Grozny Mall”, which entered the Guinness Book of Records for the largest architectural depiction of an eight-pointed star. The symbol of Islam on the roof of the building is clearly visible from the observation deck. In addition to clothing stores, here you can stop by the grocery supermarket to buy fresh juices, fruits and sweets from Turkey and Arab countries.
Pay attention to the building of the National Library, which resembles a bookcase, as well as Museum of the Chechen Republic, which is easily recognizable by its tall towers (as of 2023, the museum is under reconstruction).
Opposite the complex there is a park Journalists’ Square. The space is dedicated to the memory of those who died for freedom of speech. Along the shady alleys, along which there are information boards with photographs of the heroes of the Republic, go to the House of Press and the largest market in the city “Berkat”. Translated from Chechen, this word means “ abundance.” Here you can buy food, clothes and jewelry. It’s especially interesting to look into the “wedding” sections and see how much you need to buy for a traditional bride’s dowry and what chests you’ll have to rent for these purchases. “Berkat” will be of interest to those who like to immerse themselves in the real, non-tourist atmosphere of the city.
You can take a break after running around the market in one of the coffee shops on Makhmud Esambaev Avenue, named after the famous Chechen dancer and artist. This pedestrian street is decorated with thousands of colored umbrellas that create a kind of roof from the sun and rain. This walking area has a light relaxing atmosphere.
Makhmud Esambaev Avenue ends at Akhmat Kadyrov Square, from which you can photograph the most “postcard” view of the “Heart of Chechnya” and “Grozny” mosques City”. The paving stones on the square are laid out in the form of the outline of the Chechen Republic.
Building 22 on Kabardinskaya Street occupies the flagship store of the first fashion house of Chechnya, Firdaws. The brand creates stylish designer clothing that takes into account the characteristics of Muslim culture.
You can take a taxi to the art object “Stairway to Heaven”. The structure is installed on the outskirts of the city. Climbing the steps, a person seems to be hovering over a high cliff from which a panorama of Grozny opens up.
The evening program should start at Grozny Sea— a reservoir with light and music fountains. And end on South Street, which received the popular nickname “Barbecue Street” thanks to the cluster of popular establishments specializing in cooking meat on skewers. One of the most popular menu items is “pistolets” – pieces of lamb on the bone.
To the mountains
You can get to the mountains by rented car. Many roads have been repaired, but driving along the serpentine roads requires experience: wild and domestic animals enter the road, and there is also sudden fog. It will be much more comfortable to travel with an experienced local guide, buying a seat on the bus or booking a private excursion on OneTwoTrip. There are two main tourist destinations starting from Grozny, each of which will require a full day. The first leads among the green mountains to Lake Kazenoy-Am. The second, more “historical” one, shows the beauty of gorges, gray rocks and ancient buildings of the Republic.
To Lake Kazenoy-Am
You need to leave Grozny around 9–10 o’clock in the morning, the route is designed for 8–9 hours. On the way to the mountains, it is worth stopping by the cities of Argun and Shali. Unique mosque “Mother’s Heart”in Argun is made in high-tech style. The three tall gray minarets look like the set of a science-fiction film, and the golden dome looks like a spaceship. The non-standard minimalist interior with futuristic motifs should remind those praying of their parents’ home. The “Pride of Muslims” mosque in the city of Shali amazes with its size and rich decoration. The snow-white marble walls and golden patterns are literally blinding, and it’s hard to look at the mosque without dark glasses even in cloudy weather. Luxurious interiors resemble either oriental palaces or a fabulous underwater kingdom.
Then the route continues into the mountainous area. You can take a break from the serpentine road at the “Maiden Spit” spring in the village of Kharachoy.
One of the obligatory places on the route is the guard city of Khoy, located in the village of the same name. In the historical and architectural complex, houses, streets and watchtowers have been restored on the ruins of the old settlement. Tourists can find out how local residents lived before the deportation of the Chechen population in 1944.
The final point of the route is the incredible mountain lake Kazenoy-Am: hidden among the emerald mountains, the turquoise expanse is bordered by white sand. Due to the constant low water temperature, swimming is prohibited here. However, there are many other entertainments: recreation centers have been built around the lake, where you can ride horses or boats, and also try the local specialty – lake trout. Or fly right over the lake from one cliff to another on a long zipline.
If you have time left, on the way back to Grozny you can walk along the streets of a medieval Chechen village at ethnographic museum “Shira-Yurt” (open until 18 :00).
In the Argun Gorge
The second route from Grozny is also designed for 8–9 hours and passes through the beautiful Argun Gorge. Tourists can admire the view of rugged rocks and waterfalls. For example, Nikhaloi waterfalls can be seen in all their glory thanks to the walkways and wooden stairs laid between the cascades. There is a tourist base nearby.
A striking landmark of the Argun Gorge – Ushkaloy towers. The 11th century watch structures were restored in the 2000s. Slender “twins” protrude directly from the rock and hang over the river. Fires were lit in such towers when they saw the enemy.
Restored from ruins, the medieval Phakoch Castle helps form an idea of how people lived here in the 12th century. The complex has residential buildings, a mosque, a tower, petroglyphs are preserved on the walls, and a local history museum is located on the premises. Not far from Phakoch on a high cliff there is another lonely watchtower Döre.
Ancient cemetery Tsoi-Pede is called the city of the dead. One of the largest necropolises in the Caucasus is located 40 km from the border with Georgia on a cape surrounded on three sides by an abyss. From the fourth side you can approach it along a hard-to-reach stone road, so it is better to get to the cemetery with an experienced guide and in a high-capacity vehicle. On the territory you can see medieval crypts, watchtowers and pagan altars.
*Prices are current at the time of publication.
