September-October is a great time to travel around the country. Prices for air tickets and hotels are falling, as is the number of vacationers at resorts, as family tourists return to offices and schools. The most difficult thing is to decide where to go: admire the autumn colors in the mountains or extend the summer by visiting the still warm beaches. To make it easier to decide, we made a selection of destinations for every taste.
Baikal
How to get to Baikal
From Moscow you need to fly to Irkutsk. Round-trip tickets per person will cost 10,000 rubles*.
Where to stay on Baikal
There are many tourist centers, guest houses and mini-hotels around the lake. A good option is the Krestovaya Pad hotel complex; you’ll pay about 5,500 rubles* per night.
What to do on Baikal
The beginning of autumn is one of the best seasons for a trip to the deepest lake in the world. The weather here is warm and dry, the landscapes are painted in bright autumn colors, the picking of mushrooms and berries begins, but there are practically no ticks active in the summer. While in Listvyanka, it is worth visiting the Baikal Museum. In addition, at this time of year, cruises on the lake with visits to picturesque islands and bays are popular among tourists. You can also go on a tour of the Circum-Baikal Railway (CBR) with tunnels, bridges, viaducts and a panorama of the lake. This is a section of 89 km from the Slyudyanka-2 station to the Baikal station.
Caucasian Mineral Waters
How to get to Caucasian Mineralnye Vody
Trip tickets from Moscow to Mineralnye Vody will cost 4,000 rubles* per person. Then you can get to the resort towns by bus or taxi directly from the airport.
Where to stay in Caucasian Mineralnye Vody
We have selected several options in popular resort towns:
- Hotel “Beshtau” in Pyatigorsk – from 3200 rubles* per night;
- Green Resort Hotel and SPA in Kislovodsk – from 6200 rubles* per night;
- Pension “Rodina” in Essentuki – from 3700 rubles* per night;
- “Pearl of the Caucasus” in Zheleznovodsk – from 2000 rubles* per night.
Things to doin Caucasian Mineral Waters
Pyatigorsk is the center of the North Caucasus Federal District. The infrastructure is well developed here, and there are many natural attractions in the surrounding area. One of the most famous is the cave lake Proval, which appeared in the film “The Twelve Chairs”. Directly opposite, on the slope of Mount Mashuk, there are “shameless baths” – baths with healing water in the rocks. There is a cable car nearby that will take you to the top of the mountain.
In Kislovodsk, take a walk through the Resort Park – it is especially picturesque in September. The best views open from the observation deck on Sosnovaya Hill. You can improve your health in one of the Essentuki sanatoriums, where at this time there are not so many vacationers. And for a relaxing holiday in the bosom of autumn nature, go to Zheleznovodsk, which is called “Russian Switzerland”.
Adygea
Photo: WR studio/shutterstock.com
How to get to Adygea
The easiest way is to fly to Krasnodar. You can get to the city from Moscow and the regions on direct Aeroflot flights. Then you can get to one of the settlements of the republic by car. Renting a car in Krasnodar on OneTwoTrip will cost 3,800 rubles* per day. Travel time is about three hours.
Where to stay in Adygea
In the village of Dakhovskaya, which is considered one of the tourist centers of Adygea, you can stay in the Dahovskaya Sloboda Hotel for 5,000 rubles* per person per night.
What to do in Adygea
During the velvet season, tourists have the opportunity to enjoy the views of bright tree crowns against the backdrop of rocks by riding along the Absheronskaya railway. It is laid in one of the most beautiful places in the region – between the Monakhovo tract and the Guam Gorge. Another picturesque and popular place for autumn outings is the Lagonaki plateau. You can go horseback riding through orchards and pine forests, admire the mountain peaks in a haze of fog, and then go down to one of the Rufabgo waterfalls. Fans of active recreation will appreciate the local rafting opportunities. On the Belaya River there are routes both for real extreme sports enthusiasts and easy ones for tourists with children.
Primorye
How to get to Primorye
The flight from Moscow to Vladivostok is about eight hours. The price of tickets for a direct flight is from 25,000 rubles* in both directions.
Where to stay in Primorye
If you want to stay closer to the center, consider the options at the Holiday Hotel. Rooms here cost from 4,200 rubles* per night per person.
What to do in Primorye
Start your acquaintance with the Primorsky Territory with a walk around Vladivostok — a real “city of bridges”. For photos, tourists most often choose the Golden Bridge, and along the Russian Bridge, depicted on the two thousand dollar bill, you can get to the island of the same name. Enjoy the panorama of the city from Cape Tobizin and see the fortifications of the Vladivostok fortress, more than a hundred years old.
The Sea of Japan is the warmest of the country’s Pacific basins. In Akhlestysheva and Astafiev bays, as well as on Nazimov Spit, the swimming season lasts until mid-September, if you are lucky with the weather. Tasting seafood delicacies is also an obligatory part of the tourist program. Local crabs, oysters, shrimp and scallops are prepared in almost any establishment in the city.
Baltic Sea
How to get to the Baltic Sea coast
Airplane tickets from Moscow to Kaliningrad will cost about 4,400 rubles* per person in both directions. Then you can rent a car and go to one of the seaside towns. A rental car on OneTwoTrip will cost 3,500 rubles* per day.
Where to stay on the Baltic Sea coast
If you are going to visit the Curonian Spit, we recommend staying in Zelenogradsk. The price of a room at the Zelenogradsk Spa Hotel is from 6500 rubles* per night per person.
What to do on the Baltic Sea coast
The Baltic Sea is quite cool, so there is no question of a swimming season at the beginning of autumn. But the weather is ideal for walks along the embankments and surrounding areas. Visit the Curonian Spit National Park – here you can not only admire the unique nature, but also watch the migration of birds. At the Fringilla ornithological station, excursions are held until the end of September, during which tourists are shown places where birds make stops. And if it rains, you can always go on an excursion to Kaliningrad – check out the Amber Museum in the fortress tower near Lake Verkhnee, explore the Brandenburg Gate, where the Marzipan Museum is located, and visit the Cathedral. And then you can warm up with mulled wine in one of the cozy cafes in Fish Village.
Elbrus region
How to get to the Elbrus region
The easiest way is to fly to Mineralnye Vody by plane. Tickets – from 4,000 rubles* per person in both directions. Then rent a car or get to the final point by taxi.
Where to stay in the Elbrus region
One of the most popular settlements in the vicinity of Elbrus is Terskol. Here you can stay at Hotel Terskol for 2000 rubles* per night.
What to do in the Elbrus region
From mid-September the heat subsides and the climbing season ends. There are fewer and fewer tourists, which means you can contemplate autumn nature in the mountains in almost complete solitude. Go to the Chegem waterfalls and the Azau clearing – the trekking route here is simple, and breathtaking views and beautiful shots will be guaranteed. Remember that even in the velvet season the weather in the Elbrus region is unpredictable, so bring a raincoat and a change of shoes. In addition, you can always warm up in the thermal complexes “Aushiger City”, “Geduko” or in the hot springs of Dzhyly-Su.
Teletskoye Lake
How to get to Lake Teletskoye
The nearest airport is located in Gorno-Altaisk. An air ticket from Moscow will cost 8,000 rubles* per person round trip. Then you can take a regular bus to the village of Artybash on the shore of the lake or take a taxi. Travel time – up to three hours.
Where to stay on Lake Teletskoye
Stay in one of the guest houses, for example, Green House at Teletskoye Lake for 2,000 rubles* per night.
What to do on Lake Teletskoye
During the velvet season, one of the main attractions of Altai can be seen without crowds of tourists. At this time of year, the lake is usually completely calm, and golden foliage is reflected in its surface. Watch the migratory birds that often stop here. Also in September-October you can take a boat trip or go on a tour of the surrounding area – on foot in an SUV or on horseback. You should definitely get to the Korbu waterfall, whose height is 12.5 meters, and also explore the picturesque Stone Bay. Trekking enthusiasts should climb Mount Tilan-Tuu and admire the views of the pond and autumn taiga.
Sakhalin
How to get to Sakhalin
Aeroflot operates direct flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk from Moscow and its recently opened hub in Krasnoyarsk.
Where to stay on Sakhalin
A good option near the center is Mega Palace Hotel. Prices start from 6800 rubles* per night per person.
What to do on Sakhalin
People go to Sakhalin to enjoy the unique nature, especially beautiful in early autumn. You can verify this in the Sakhalin Zoological and Botanical Park, and then take the cable car of the Mountain Air Resort to Mount Bolshevik. The observation deck offers stunning views of the city, and it is better to descend from here along one of the eco-trails. To admire the coast, go to Cape Velikan – against the backdrop of arched rocks and tall pines you get the most beautiful photos. Another picturesque place is Tikhaya Bay. In good weather, you can pitch a tent here and spend the night to watch the dawn and see the Zhdanko ridge in the rays of the rising sun.
North Ossetia
How to get to North Ossetia
We are flying by plane to Vladikavkaz. Prices for air tickets from Moscow start from 4600 rubles* per person round trip.
Where to stay in North Ossetia
The capital of North Ossetia has a large selection of tourist accommodation. If you plan to start exploring the region from here, Hotel Imperial is a convenient option. Room rate – from 2200 rubles* per night per person.
What to do in North Ossetia
The weather is good until November, and from mid-September golden autumn begins and rhododendrons bloom. This is a great time for excursions to the natural beauty and attractions of the region. The most popular of them is Dargavs, it is also called the “city of the dead”. The ancient necropolis is located on a hill, the path to which runs through the Karmadon Gorge. You can take a walk among the crypt houses by paying 100 rubles for entry*. Nearby is the Midagrabinskaya Valley, where tourists come to see eight waterfalls ranging in height from 120 to 750 m. Another picturesque place is the Tseysky glacier. Hikers walk about 10 km to its tongue, while the rest take the cable car of the Tsey ski resort.
Krasnodar region
How to get to the Krasnodar Territory
Many resort towns in the Krasnodar Territory – Sochi, Anapa and Gelendzhik – receive direct Aeroflot flights from Moscow and the regions.
Where to stay in the Krasnodar region
We have selected several accommodation options for you:
- Hotel Plutus in Sochi – from 7200 rubles* per night per person;
- Apart-hotel “Quiet Bay” in Gelendzhik – from 5200 rubles* per night per person;
- “Grand Hotel Valentina” in Anapa – from 6200 rubles* per night per person.
What to do in the Krasnodar region
In the summer, the resorts are crowded, but from the beginning of September there are fewer and fewer tourists here, the beaches are freer, and prices are gradually decreasing. In addition, nature is noticeably transformed. If you love autumn colors, come to Sochi – swim in the still warm Black Sea, visit Sochi Park, and then go to Krasnaya Polyana, contemplate the bright landscapes and breathe fresh mountain air. In Gelendzhik, go to the Central City Beach to sunbathe comfortably without crowds, and in Anapa – to the Healing Beach.
*Prices valid at time of publication.
