A trip to the Tsey gorge. Rest in the North Caucasus: Land of mountain ranges, healing springs and legends Ropeway
Outside the city Alagir begins Transcaucasian Highway(TransKAM) is one of the main roads connecting Russia with Transcaucasia.
The relief changes dramatically, the valley of the Ardon River literally for a few minutes takes on the shape of a gorge, with high and sheer cliffs. About five minutes from the city of Alagir, behind one of the turns, a multi-ton statue of St. George (Uastirdzhy) hanging over the road, which Ossetians consider their main saint, is chained directly to the rock .
A few kilometers from the monument to St. George, next to the road, there is a spa resort "Tamisk", near which there is a unique sulfur lake, fed by a sulfur river and, further, going into the ground .
From Buron, the path lies west to the beautiful Tsei Gorge. Here we turn right and after crossing the bridge to the left bank of the Ardon we start climbing the road. At the first turn, on the left, there is a view of the confluence of the Ardon and Ceydon rivers. .
The road begins to gain height winding along the serpentine. After 1 km. from the beginning of the ascent, scree slopes are replaced by pine forests. Mushrooms appear under the trees in autumn. About a third kilometer from Buron, there is a spring to the right of the road. Here you can stop and relax, watching the magnificent panorama of the gorge and the Tsey glacier . Moving further along the road, deep into the gorge, we gradually go around the initial part of the Kalpersky ridge with the peak of the same name.
From the north, the gorge is closed by the Tseysky mountains, from the south, the rocks of the spurs of Adai-khokh rise (4410 m.). Huge boulders fill the valley of Ceydon. Among them, the cold, furious waters of the river rush about with a roar. The forest will start soon. The forests of Tsey are amazingly beautiful. Mighty pine trees cover almost the entire gorge. Among the pines, dark green crowns of beeches rise, light - lindens and maples. Light streams of mountain streams murmur everywhere. The air is surprisingly clean, fresh and filled with the resinous smell of pine needles.
On the right there is a turn of the road going into the forest. This road leads to the village of Upper Tsey. Now it is not crowded, only a few houses remain.
At the ninth kilometer, to the right of the road, a colorful portrait of I.V. Stalin is painted on a huge boulder . The tourist and recreational zone of the Tsey mountain complex begins even higher.
On the left, in the direction of travel, through the pine thickets, you can see the Skazsky glacier and the ski slope on its moraine.
The highest accommodation in Tsey is the famous Tsey alpine camp, which welcomes tourists, climbers and skiers all year round. . Above the camps, the spur of Adaihokha rises like a sheer wall - the rock "Monk" .
At an altitude of 2000 meters there are stations of chairlifts .
Tsey cable cars rise to a height of 2500 m above. ur. sea, right above the boiling river Tseydon, to the tongue of the Skazsky glacier, descending from the spurs of Adai-khokh .
There are many glaciers in the Tseysky Gorge, but there are only two large ones - Skazsky and Tseysky. Tseisky, in turn, in the upper reaches has two branches, Northern and Southern. The Tsey glacier is considered the second largest after the Karaugom glacier in North Ossetia. In total, 29 glaciers with a total area of 15 sq. km., of which 9.5 falls on the Tsey glacier.
Since ancient times, the Tsei Gorge has been considered sacred and protected by the Ossetians. On one of the clearings on the left bank of the Ceydon, you can walk along a narrow mountain path to the Ossetian pagan sanctuary "Recom", built about 800 years ago . Outside the male sanctuary, heaps of animal horns are piled, next to ritual tables, boxes for donations . Nearby is a smaller female pagan sanctuary .
Winter Tsey, with its unique originality and grandeur, beautiful pine air attracts thousands of people from all over Russia. Tseyskaya is very good and suitable for both beginners and professionals . The peculiarity of the main track is that it is quite long, but at the same time not very bumpy and steep. Experienced instructors will quickly teach beginners the basics of skiing and snowboarding, and the features of the track will help you quickly gain experience. Fans of extreme skiing tend to ride off the main track on steep and bumpy slopes. .
The Tsey Gorge, stretching for as much as 23 kilometers, is the most magical place on the land of ancient Alanya. Formed by the Tseisky and Kalperovsky ranges, it fascinates with its incredible beauty. Waterfalls rushing down, mountain peaks with snow caps “put on” on them, glaciers, a swift mountain stream, snowfields - all this is Tsey. Landscape beauty perfectly complements the amazing and unique vegetable world. A variety of berries and mushrooms grow here, local residents collect strawberries, raspberries, lingonberries, and blueberries.
The unique mountain landscape and picturesque nature attract climbers and skiers here like a magnet. The most popular ones start from Tsey tourist routes passing through the passes Central Caucasus and leading to Kabardino-Balkaria, neighboring Georgia, mountainous Digoria and the Zaramag basin, as well as leading to the Military Ossetian and Military Georgian roads.
In the Tsey Gorge today there is one of the best ski resorts not only in Russia, but throughout the world. More than 100 thousand tourists come here every year. Staying on it is remembered by absolutely all lovers active rest regardless of the level of training, because the slopes are equipped here for both experienced skiers and real extreme sportsmen, as well as for beginners.
Tsei has six tracks - two "black", two "blue" and two "red". The tracks differ from each other with different levels of difficulty. And this resort is truly fabulous place surrounded by a mysterious and alluring halo of ancient traditions and legends.
Geographic features and climate
The region of this ski resort is often called the Tseyskaya horseshoe mountains, and all because the Kalperovsky and Tseysky ridges that form the gorge are located in a horseshoe shape. The gorge itself looks like a longitudinal valley, on both sides of which there are the Vodorazdelny and Lateral ridges. It seems that Tsei, who crashed between them, does not allow the ridges to connect into one array, he seems to separate them from each other - like a referee in a boxing ring. Here is also the valley Tseisky glacier, one of the largest and lowest descending Caucasian glaciers, fed mainly by the snows of Mount Adai-Khokh, whose height is 4408 meters.
In the area of the village of Buron is the most Bottom part Tsey gorge. Its height above sea level is 1300 meters. The highest point of the resort is Mount Wilpata, rising above sea level at 4646 m. Tsey, as the Tseysky federal reserve, is part of the North Ossetian State nature reserve. The total area of the reserve is 29,952 hectares.
The climate of Tsey is quite comfortable for vacationers. Winter in these parts is quite mild, average temperature January does not exceed -7 degrees Celsius. Summer is moderately cool, it is characterized by frequent rains. The average temperature in August is about +13 °C. Precipitation, the total amount of which is 1000 mm per year, begins in May and continues through October.
Vacationers should also consider other climatic features Tsey gorge. Atmospheric pressure here is stably low and is only 610 mm, sharp fluctuations are not observed. Despite the rather high rainfall, there are a lot of sunny days a year. In addition, the air in these parts has a high degree ionization. In the Tsei Gorge marked elevated level ultraviolet radiation.
Rest in the Tsey Gorge
For more than half a century, the Tsei Gorge has attracted lovers of high-mountain romance. ski season in the Tsey Gorge begins in November and continues until the end of April. Extreme tourists come here with alpine equipment, with their skis and snowboards. Geographically, Tsei is so well located that the sun rises here very early and sets late. With the onset of twilight, natural lighting gives way to artificial, which allows you to enjoy well-groomed snow as long as you have enough strength. In addition, the uniqueness of the geography of the Tsey Gorge contributes to the long-term preservation of snow cover - to the delight of skiers!
Among the trails of the Tsey Gorge, there are both short ones and those reaching 3 km in length. Located above sea level at an altitude of 1850 to 2870 m, they are designed, as they say, for every taste and color, from "green" to "black". Some of them are untouched and covered in snow, while others are regularly crossed by a caterpillar snowcat – a special snow compactor used to prepare ski slopes and ski slopes (such well-groomed slopes are called raked). The height of the snow cover in the middle of the season is, on average, 2 meters. It offers skiers a bar, a restaurant, a tennis court, a swimming pool, equipment rental and even a sauna.
There are two chairlifts in the Tsei Gorge. The first is a domestic single-seat cable car with a length of 1400 meters and a capacity of 250 people per hour. The second is a modern Austrian double chairlift. Its length is 1600 m, and the productivity is 710 people per hour. Both lifts are located directly above the seething river Tseydon and lead to the tongue of the Skazsky glacier descending from the spurs of Mount Adai-Khokh. Tsey is rich in glaciers (there are 29 of them, their total area is 15 km²), and the largest of them are Skazsky and Tseysky. The second one, inferior in size only to the Karaugomsky glacier in North Ossetia, in the upper reaches is divided into two branches - Northern and Southern.
Climbers, brave conquerors of mountain peaks, make their ascents here. As befits a modern ski resort, experienced instructors work here to help beginners get comfortable, as well as cozy bars and cafes, comfortable hotels and a wide variety of entertainment. Vacationers come here from different parts of our planet, people of different ages and professions. Having seen with their own eyes the beauty and magnificence of this pearl, hidden in the depths of the mountains of North Ossetia, they are unlikely to forget it and want to return to these blessed places again and again.
Tsey glacierSights of the Tsey Gorge
This ski resort is home to the Rekom Sanctuary, the most famous historical monument in North Ossetia. It became the venue for national religious holidays and rituals of the Ossetian people. In 1995, Rekom was struck by lightning, destroying it. The older generation saw this as an unkind sign, regarding what happened as a punishment from the gods for the fall of modern youth.
To appease one of the supreme deities, Uastirdzhi, the Ossetians arrange a grand feast every year in the sanctuary, lasting at least a week. The main ritual of the whole action is the slaughter of sacrificial animals, it is this that starts the whole ceremony. Despite the fact that Rekom has not survived to this day in its original form, it was restored as much as possible during the restoration and is a whole complex, divided, however, into two separate sanctuaries - female and male. There is also a platform from which they open great views on the Skazsky glacier.
Another iconic sight of the Tsei Gorge is the three-kilometer Mount Monk. She owes such an unusual name to her outlines, reminiscent of a human silhouette. You look - and it seems not a mountain in front of you, but a tall and stately man in a hood, like a monk. Many legends and legends are associated with it. One of them tells of a tour with golden horns, which was found in these parts. Many hunters tried to catch him, but no one succeeded. And then one day, a desperate youth promised that he would catch the tour and give his golden horns to George the Victorious. The young man managed to defeat the animal, but he did not keep his promise and decided to keep the golden horns for himself. For this he was punished: he was turned into a rock.
Travelers enjoy admiring the waterfalls of the Tsey Gorge. The most popular and, accordingly, accessible are only two of them, with the simple names Near and Far. To the first excursions are made all year round. The second one - that's why it is distant - is perfectly visible from a distance, if you approach it by car from the side of local villages.
Where to stay
Tourists who are going to go on this trip for the first time ski resort, are worried about possible difficulties with accommodation. Still, Tsei is far from the "centers of civilization."
However, the fears are completely unfounded. In addition to mountains, snow and pristine nature, it has its own tourist infrastructure, represented, in addition to ski lodges with cable cars, by several comfortable hotels. Thus, the “headache”, where to stay, is removed by itself.
You can stay, for example, in the Tsey rest house, designed for 320 people. It is very well located - in a coniferous forest, which will ensure the supply of clean and invigorating air 24 hours a day and exactly as many days (and even, it is possible, weeks) as you wish. Guests will be happy to tourist base"Ossetia", in the hotel "Goryanka", and climbing camps, not to mention numerous private hotels.
Directly in the village of Tsey, not far from ski slope the hotel "Skazka" is located. It offers a dining room, karaoke bar, swimming pool and sauna. The first day of living in a double room will cost 2,500 rubles, then - cheaper, 2,000 rubles. Junior suite apartments cost 3000 rubles per person on the first day of stay. Starting from the second day, you will pay less: 2500 rubles.
The lowest along the route is the hotel "Vertical". Although it is located at a distance from the ski slopes, it is the sunniest of all the Tsey hotels. And the distance to it from the highway is easily overcome by car. Accommodation here is quite expensive, a double room costs from 4000 rubles per day. For the same room, but with increased comfort, you will have to pay 5500 rudders. Even more expensive - 6000 rubles - accommodation in a deluxe double room.
The Tsey alp camp, located at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level and suitable for youth recreation, is also popular with tourists. The camp complex includes two upper and lower buildings and four small cottages. Compared to hotels, accommodation here is cheap. Double and quadruple accommodation costs from 800 rubles per day per person. Double Room will cost a vacationer 1200 rubles per day per person.
How to get there
If you are in Moscow, then first you need to get to Vladikavkaz, and the best way is by plane, because it is faster. There are daily flights from Vnukovo and Domodedovo to the airport of the capital of North Ossetia. The distance from Vladikavkaz to Tsey is relatively small, only 90 km.
Don't like airplanes? You can get there by train, which leaves from Kazansky railway station. An alternative to both modes of transport is buses. They depart from the Shchelkovsky bus station. Compared to airplanes, there is only one drawback: it takes longer to get there.
If you are in Pyatigorsk, then your journey to the Tsei Gorge, starting from here, will pass through cities such as Nalchik, Ardon and Alagir. From Alagir, you need to head to the Andon Gorge, where the Ossetian Military Road passes - it will lead you straight to Tsey. At the beginning of this gorge there are many mountain springs with healing water, where you can stop and quench your thirst. The taste of mountain water is unsurpassed and unique!
Closer than others settlements to the Tsei Gorge is the village of Buron, located 20 km from Alagir (you need to move along the Transcaucasian highway).
I wanted to go to the mountains again. The choice fell on the Tsei Gorge. Most high season there - in the winter, as it is a ski resort, but in the summer there is where to go. You can stay there in expensive hotels or in the Tsey alpine camp. But we live with Vika in a seismic station for 550 rubles per person.
A small digression about traveling with dogs on Russian Railways.
In August 2014, thunder struck from where they did not expect: they changed the rules for transporting animals. Now they can only be transported in compartment cars. We bought out all the compartments for our company, took certificates from the veterinary clinic, and thought that we had done everything right. But we underestimated the resourcefulness of our officials. It turns out that if the dogs don't fit in carriers (and our smaller poochs don't), we have to buy a regular seat for them.
And it does not matter that they lie on the floor, and they are not visible, in the opinion of especially gifted officials, they should bask on the shelves and on bed linen.
Fortunately, our conductor let us into the compartment. Then the head of the train came running and tried to see our dogs. Failed! Then the conductor came with a tray of all sorts of garbage. I had to buy 2 pairs of slippers that I absolutely did not need as a keepsake of Russian Railways. I will put them on the shelf and I will remember the past: our cute reserved seat with dogs under the side.
Arrived in Vladikavkaz. We handed over things to the storage room and went to explore the city. historical street there is Prospekt Mira. It is located near the railway station. This is a boulevard with houses of the 19th century. Very cute!
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Have reached central park. It is small but very pleasant. We went to the Terek. Mountain river with a strong current.
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The embankment offers a beautiful view of the main architectural landmark of Vladikavkaz - the old Sunni mosque on the opposite bank. It looks more like a palace with two intricate towers, built in the Neo-Moorish style.
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The next point of our inspection was the market. It is huge, and also located near the station.
We bought homemade cheese, butter, ham, vegetables and fruits. With such a burden, I really didn’t want to go to bus station No. 1 by tram, and then by regular bus to Tsey. We took a gazelle to Tsey for 2500 r for 6 people and two tails. A couple of hours later we arrived at Vika's house, surprised to find a sign of a seismic station on it. This is a big wooden house.
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It is located just below the alpine camp to the right of the road. The rooms there are not claimed to be renovated, but they are clean and large. There is a kitchenette, amenities on the floor. Well, what else do unspoiled tourists need!
We went to the camp for supper. For 180 r per person, we were heartily fed, but you need to order in advance. Bought a map from a local shop. There was a thunderstorm at night.
Hooray! The sun is outside. We had breakfast on the terrace overlooking the mountains.
On the first day, on the advice of Vicky, we decided to take a simple circular route through the Rekom sanctuary. There are two bridges across the Tseydon River. We rode a gazelle across the lower bridge, the upper bridge is next to Vika's house. First we went down to the lower bridge, crossed it and began to climb the steep path. There is a pointer to the sanctuary of Rekom. The trail is full and goes through the forest. Soon they saw a female sanctuary: a small house. The path went on. The higher we climbed, the more beautiful the views became. And what air!
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Soon they came to a nice clearing, where they saw a rather large house surrounded by a stone fence. It was the male sanctuary of Rekom.
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Animal skulls lay near the house. The place is sightseeing, but quite clean and beautiful. There are benches and tables. We climbed higher where we were small waterfall, or rather "drop-fall". The water is delicious and sweet.
From the sanctuary a well-trodden path led down. This is the "correct" path leading to the upper bridge. But there was also a small path running parallel to the river. Do I need to explain which path we chose? The right paths are not for us at all. The trail quickly became almost invisible, but we courageously made our way over stones, logs and steep slopes.
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The river roared far below. The dogs were happy. We, too. With difficulty finding an acceptable descent to the river along the former bed of the stream, we descended directly onto the “correct” path not far from the upper bridge. The whole walk took about 2.5 hours.
We had lunch at our place, and about five we went out on a new route. Through the alpine camp we went to ski slope under the rope There are two chairlifts. They start in different places, but they have the same end point at the top of a green hill. We went along a dirt road that led gently up. Soon it turned into a stone scree, the cable cars remained on the right, and streams appeared. We already wanted to turn back, when we suddenly found ourselves on a snowfield. It was such a bonus for us. The dogs rushed through the snow and rolled on it, we played snowballs.
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The green hill, covered with grass, looked exotic among the snow and stone fields.
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Clouds were moving around, now covering us, then dissipating. The mountains now opened up to us, then disappeared into the fog. Around half past six we were in the alpine camp.
After dinner we played table tennis We brought rackets with us.
Today we went to the Shagatsikondon waterfall. From the upper to the lower bridge we reached the path leading through the sanctuary of Rekom. Of course, on the "correct" path. Then we went down the asphalt road to the hotel "Vertical". Near it they turned left and entered the gate, above which was solemnly written "Waterfall". In fact, there is an eco-trail to the waterfall, and they charge 100 rubles for the passage. Well, as usual, to "repair the failure." But it was Tuesday, and there was no one to help us.
Trail to the waterfall less than a kilometer. She walks through the forest, where we saw a lot of informative and sometimes philosophical inscriptions.
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For example, our horizons were significantly expanded by a sign with the inscription "Moss".
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The sign "Common sorrel" hung on a tree, and the plants themselves were located a couple of meters below. And so on…
But then the path brought us to the waterfall, and we were breathtaking from the beauty that appeared before us. high waterfall, consisting of two steps (I think there are more), fell in an amazing canyon.
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We settled down for lunch in front of the bottom step. A small path led up. She reached a large stone. There was a ladder there. Of course we climbed it. An easy path soon led us to the foot of the upper step, where we bathed.
This interesting walk took us about 4 hours.
Today we go along another eco-trail to the Tsey glacier. We crossed Tseydon on the upper bridge, and moved upstream past the base of the Ministry of Emergency Situations along an asphalt road. There we reached the gate of the eco-trail with the corresponding inscription. And again no one, thirsting for our money.
The trail is clear, goes through the forest along the river. We passed a nice clearing with strawberries, crossed several streams and streams along bridges and pebbles. The trail is marked with arrows and stands. She slowly goes up. Viewpoints began on the gorge. Very beautiful!
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There were more stones, small and huge, witnesses of the Ice Age. Then the road finally came out on the stones, and we saw the Tsey glacier. Ceydon comes out of it, from the ice cave.
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We went over the rocks. It was quite difficult. But what beauty surrounded us! We have reached the source of the Ceydon. This cave, which looked gray from afar, turned out to be made of blue ice. An unusual sight!
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This walk requires a certain physical form. It took us about 6-7 hours and left a lasting impression.
Today we go to the Skazsky glacier. The Skazdon River, a tributary of the Ceydon, emerges from it. First, we went up the slope to the snowfield, which we visited on our first day. Then we went up the scree and snowfields. The green hill where the cable cars end was on our right.
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When we were already above it, we saw thickets of white rhododendrons. It was so beautiful!
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We climbed higher and higher until we reached the edge of a huge bowl and saw the Skazsky glacier, waterfalls and a lake below. It was a mesmerizing sight.
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There was a sound of cracking ice, and huge rocks flew down. Then everything went quiet again. Clouds gathered below us and then dissipated. Therefore, the landscape is constantly changing.
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They returned back in the fog, along the path leading from the edge of the bowl to the cable car, and then how it goes.
The walk took about 6 hours. Our maximum ascent was 2710 m. That is, we climbed almost 900 m from our house.
The Climbers' Trail does not exist! If anyone tells you otherwise, don't believe it! But we did not know this and, following the instructions of Vika, who was there 4 years ago, at 8 o'clock we left the house, full of bright hopes to reach the Tsey glacier.
The beginning of the route completely coincided with the eco-trail to the Tsey glacier. A little further than the recently built wooden shed, we turned onto the Alpinists' Trail. This is how we decided. In fact, these were stones from the mudflow with rare Turks. For half an hour we made our way over the stones, the Turks had long since disappeared. But the hope to get on the trail behind the mudflow warmed us. But in vain ... Then there was a "cute" meadow at 50 degrees.
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We climbed it on all fours, holding on to the grass, another mudflow, and we came out on a shallow ledge. The grass was waist-deep there, the nettles burned my legs, but the views of the Tsey glacier were amazing.
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Deciding that this was the Mountaineers' Trail, we rushed forward, but not for long. After 80 meters, the shelf ended in a cliff. I had to climb higher and higher.
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The thought of having to return the same way was terrifying. But we were lucky. We went down the stones to the snowfield, from where the stream began. Along the stream we slid down to ice cave where the Ceydon begins. Later we found out that our stream has the amazing name Dzapardifatanidon.
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Joyful, we had a snack and bathed. The way back coincided with the eco-trail to the Tseysky glacier and did not pose any danger.
Our extreme trekking took 9 hours. We do not recommend repeating.
Today is Saturday. Everywhere people. Both ropeways work. But we went on foot to the green hill where the cable cars end. A good road serpentine around the hill. We walked and admired the views of the mountains, the gorge, the alpine camp. The ascent from the house to the top of the cable cars took us about an hour and a half.
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The main idea of our itinerary for today was to visit the lake, which we saw the day before yesterday, being on the edge of the bowl of the Skazsky glacier. Naive Chukchi girls! We assumed that if we went down the other side of the hill and walked forward a little, we would reach the goal. But in the mountains there is nothing simple and obvious. We easily found the path leading down the right side of the hill. The ropes were behind us. A simple path led us to another, lower bowl. It ended with a vertical ice wall. Stones rolled over it.
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We didn't dare to get too close. In order to climb into the upper bowl, where the lake was located, from the lower one, it was necessary to overcome the sypukha. Theoretically, this is possible. I think the climbers going to the Skazsky glacier do just that. But we did not take risks and returned to the cable cars, and from there we went along the path to the edge of the upper bowl to admire the lake from above.
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The sun is almost all day today. We decided to take advantage of the benefits of civilization and ride the cable car. The pleasure is worth 300 rubles on an old single-seat cable car. From there we again went to the Skazsky glacier.
The ropes are located very well. Near their final destination are snowfields, fields of white rhododendrons. The Skazsky glacier is visible. You can easily walk to the edge of the upper bowl or admire the lower one. Excursions come here, many people visit this place on weekends.
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Today we decided to go down, going to all the side paths and paths. First, we took a well-filled path, starting at the lower bridge and leading parallel to the road, but much higher than it. After about 1 km, the trail abruptly disappeared in the middle of the forest. When I see such disappearances, the question always torments me: what happened to the people who walked this path? Where did they go and why didn't they continue on their way? But there was nothing to do, and we crawled through the ferns and nettles onto the road opposite the Victoria Hotel.
A little before reaching the hotel "Vertical", we turned onto the dirt road leading to the camp site "Ossetia". She is currently under renovation. They say it will open in two years. From it, too, there is a trail to the Shagatsikomdon waterfall. The entrance to it is blocked by a grid, which is very easy to pass. This trail connects with the same eco-trail that we passed on the second day. Having entered it, we again began to expand our horizons. We found out that “common blueberries” are a tree. And "Caucasian mountain ash" is a dry bough or fern. Look at the photo and try to decide for yourself.
We got back on the road and walked along it again. The first turn to the left turned out to be a dirt road leading to the village of Upper Tsey. The views from the road are amazing. We admired the alpine meadows, the green slopes of the mountains, the streams of water. 0
A cloud has descended. We ate, sitting in the fog and imagining what beautiful views could open up to us. The road went on to a fork where you could go right down or straight up. But we came back.
Vika told us that if we had gone straight, we would have reached pine forest and a strawberry meadow, and further to the cozy village of Khukali. Well, let's go next time!
The walk took about 6 hours.
Rain all day.
Boarded the bus at 9 am. 100r per person. The dogs were no problem. About 12 left at the Ossetian theater. From there, it's about a 20-minute walk to the train station. But we had a lot of cargo, and we had to take a taxi for 100 rubles.
I drove with the dogs to the "Tank", as I had to visit the veterinarian at Kalinin 25. When I arrived there with the dogs, I was genuinely surprised by this fact. If in Moscow they won’t give you a certificate without dogs, then here dogs are not needed for this.
Then I went along the embankment along the Terek to the central park. Apparently, mudflows descended in the mountains, and the river was terribly dirty.
Then a visit to the market, and here we are with the dogs at the station, waiting for our fate. This time they let us in right away, and we didn’t have to buy slippers. A thousand rubles for two dogs, handed over to the conductor, did a miracle. Everyone fell in love with my cute babies, and we had no more problems.
About accommodation in the Tsey Gorge.
At the moment, I know the following accommodation options.
Hotel "Vertical" located near the road where the trail to the waterfall begins. Expensive. Was not inside.
Hotel "Victoria" is located near the road higher. The rooms are good. I examined the junior suite for 3500 thousand. It consists of two luxurious rooms. Can accommodate up to 4 people. There is a large balcony and shower. For food you need to pay separately 500-600r per person.
Skazka Hotel located behind the lower bridge, far from the road, has good territory. Next to the ropeway. Examined junior suite for 5000 with meals. The rooms are smaller than in Victoria. There is no balcony, but there is a bathtub. There is a swimming pool and sauna. Their use is included in the price. Vegetarian food can be arranged. There is a common large living room and a balcony. Double costs 4,000 with meals.
Alpine camp "Tsey" for more unpretentious tourists. The rooms are small a la the USSR. There are more expensive for 1600 with amenities and cheaper for 1050r with amenities on the floor. Prices are given with meals. They feed well. You can also rent a cottage for 8 people for 9600 per day. B were inside it. He didn't make much of an impression on us.
I went on this trip from Pyatigorsk, where my sister and I rested and were treated, in mid-October of this year. In Moscow it was already cold, damp and disgusting, but there the sun was shining with might and main and the temperature during the day even when we left (October 29) was 18-20 degrees Celsius.
My sister did not want to go with me, fearing to freeze among the snowy peaks and not withstand the 4-hour trip to North Ossetia. For this reason, I went there in splendid isolation, although I soon met my bus neighbors, who turned out to be very nice people, and in this company I had a pleasant and interesting time.
We set off from Pyatigorsk from the Tsvetnik park on October 28 at 6.30 am. Outside the window it was still quite dark and on the road, somewhere at the turn to Chegem in Kabardino-Balkaria, we met the dawn.
Approximately in the middle of the way, having already reached North Ossetia-Alania, we stopped in the village of Zmeyskaya to have a bite to eat and recover. We stopped in the courtyard of a residential building, which the owners, having a preliminary agreement with the guide, arranged for an impromptu dining room. The female half of the family was engaged in baking the famous Ossetian pies and preparing various hot dishes and fragrant herbal tea, and the male half, in the person of a young man of 12 years old, taking these dishes out of the bowels of the kitchen for sale to hungry tourists. I was not hungry, having had a very hearty breakfast early in the morning, so I bought half a pie with cheese and a half with wild garlic for future use, which they kindly cut into quarters and packed for ease of transportation in plastic bags on trays. But I still drank herbal tea and tasted a small piece of cheese pie out of curiosity. I did not understand the enthusiasm for the deliciousness of these national dishes. For my taste, the dough turned out to be too bland, and the filling was salty. But maybe it just seemed to me, because I hardly eat salt, or maybe the owners just cheated, putting their small business on stream.
Satisfied, we moved on. Our path lay through the Alagir gorge to Tseyskoye. All paths to the gorges of North Ossetia-Alania from Kabardino-Balkaria lead through the sanctuary of the most revered saint in Ossetia - Uastirdzhi. Ossetian Uastirdzhi is a synthesis of our St. George and the Patron of the Alans from the Nart legends. He is often called Saint George, which knowledgeable people they consider it erroneous and even sinful, but the guides call it that way, apparently to facilitate the perception of tourists. In North Ossetia, where 80% of the population is Orthodox, Uastyrdzhi is the patron of men, travelers, the protector of the poor and the disadvantaged, the mentor of youth, his cult is rooted deep in pagan times. He is considered an enemy of thieves, swindlers, perjurers, murderers; he is the patron saint of honest, noble people. Women used to be forbidden to pronounce the name of this saint, they were afraid to pronounce it and spoke about him allegorically: "lagti dzuar" - "the god of men." They did not even have the right to participate in the festivities held in honor of this deity. The Alans turned their prayers to the female deity - Mady Mairam. After the Great Patriotic War this prohibition was relaxed, as many Ossetians who asked Uastirdzhi for their men brought him gifts.
It is very difficult to drive past the sanctuary of Uastirdzhi in the Arga gorge. Still attract attention tall towers, stylized as antiquity, surrounding the sanctuary, located not far from the Elchot Gate. This place seems to have been specially created for its construction: on the one hand, the Tersky Range, on the other, the Sunzhensky Range. And in the south, sparkling with white peaks for many kilometers, stretches the Main Caucasian Range. In the early 50s. 20th century the sanctuary in this place was destroyed in connection with the construction of the Rostov-Baku road, and many accidents began to occur on the road. But after the sanctuary was restored and consecrated in 1995, the accidents stopped.
Inside the chapels on the territory of the sanctuary, everything is very simple and ascetic: in the middle there is a table and benches, no gold and pomposity, iconostases and icon cases with candles; there are not even doors, curtains of multi-colored beads hang, like large rosaries, and donation containers stand on the street. The icons for the sanctuary, engraved on granite, are under awnings, among picturesque flowers and pine trees, right on the street near the chapels. They were created by masters invited from New Athos.
In the center of the sanctuary rises the figure of Uastirdzhi slaying a snake. This is a cult place, holidays are held here, newlyweds come here and the suffering come. 
On the way to Alagir, we enjoyed the autumn road scenery. Unlike Central Russian, they were still very colorful. 
At the entrance to the Alagir Gorge, travelers are met by another figure of Uastirdzhi. It seems to hover in the air above the heads of those passing by. Tour guides call this sculpture Big George, and no wonder: made of metal and built into the rock, it weighs 28 tons. The rider was assembled at the Electrozinc plant in Vladikavkaz, and from the assembly site, already in a completed form, they were transported by helicopter to the Alagir Gorge. Chief sculptor Nikolai Khodov. It was installed in 1995 and is a gift from a group of creators to the Ossetian people. 
Under the rider there is an altar in the form of a cauldron, into which travelers throw money, asking for patronage and protection of the saint on the road, and a granite plaque with his image is mounted into the rock. Nearby is a small cave where you can also leave your offerings. 
At the foot of the mountain there is a stone table, at which men, with pies and beer, pray to Uastirdzhi. This place has long been a dzuar - a holy place. Here the elders solved the problems of the communities and stopped the hostility of the bloodlines. Only men are allowed to sit at this table. A little higher on the stone there is a sculpture of an eagle tormenting a snake, which symbolizes the victory over diseases. The Alans have an interesting custom: during the festival in honor of Uastirdzhi, they dig out a barrel of beer brewed a year ago and pour it into the horns with freshly brewed beer for all the participants of the holiday. If the beer in the vessel behaves peacefully: it does not foam and does not overflow, then the man has lived a righteous year, and if it boils and hisses, then his owner should think about how he lives. 
The Alagir Gorge is formed by the turbulent Ardon River, which originates from the Main Caucasian ridge and flows into the Terek. It is called the main gate of the Transcaucasus, because the federal highway passes through it - the Transcaucasian Highway. By the way, many names of the rivers of Ossetia have the ending -don, which means water: Ardon, Tseydon, Skazdon, Karmadon. By the way, Ardon smells like many rivers of the Caucasian Mineralnye Vody, hydrogen sulfide.
Relax in it beautiful place, if not embarrassed by proximity federal highway, you can only rent housing from local residents, or in the only balneological sanatorium "Tamisk" in the whole Alagir. 
Further, the road to the Tsei Gorge winds along the wooded slopes along the Ardon River, passing through tunnels made in the mountains. In the area of the mining village of Mizur, vegetation from the slopes of the mountains practically disappears, only bushes are visible in some places. Mountains covered with grass alternate with huge boulders without vegetation. 
In the mining village of Buron, from where the road goes to the right and the ascent to the Tsei Gorge begins, desolation and devastation reign at all. 
But further, the picture changes dramatically: having reached the figure of the patron of animals - Avsati (or Afsati), standing on a hill, surprisingly similar to the Greek god Pan, the road goes in a narrow serpentine into the picturesque Tsei Gorge, called the Ossetian Alps. The entire Tsey Gorge is a nature reserve and the figure of the patron at the entrance symbolizes protection and patronage for everything living in this most beautiful corner of the Caucasus.
Afsati in Ossetian mythology and the Nart epic is the deity of wild animals, the patron of hunters, the celestial. Afsati is one of the most revered deities in the Ossetian pantheon. Being the patron of wild animals, which were called "Afsati cattle", he especially patronized deer and wild boars. This deity is depicted as a one-eyed old man with a white beard, sitting on high mountain Adai-Khokh, where he lived. From this mountain, he closely watched his numerous wild economy. Despite the fact that Afsati was one-eyed, he vigilantly watched his pets and severely punished those who violated his decrees and laws. One of the laws established by Afsati was that every hunter to whom he gave an animal during the hunt had to share with the first comer from his village, part of the carcass of the hunted animal.
Upon closer examination, the Ossetian king of beasts turned out to be completely flawless - both eyes were in place. Ossetian sculptors and artists don’t get some kind of connection ... Our guide told us that Uastirdzhi had to be on a three-legged horse, because the defeated snake bit off one of his legs and took it with him into the abyss, but, however, all the horses near Uastirdzhi (already without a kite) that I met on the way were in full set.
In order to see the gorge in all its splendor, you need to drive another six kilometers to the highest point of the ascent. Only from here you can see two glaciers - Tseysky and Skazsky, flowing down from the main peaks of the Tseyskaya horseshoe - Wilpaty and Adaikhokha. A steep descent goes almost to the bed of the Tseydon River and meets travelers to the right of the road, painted by an unknown artist on a huge boulder, a portrait of Stalin, who is very respected in Ossetia. This portrait is periodically restored and at one time the inscription "Stalin was the greatest authority for us" flaunted on it. 
2.
Hooray! Finally, we are in the Tsey Gorge! BEAUTY!!!
I remember the lines of Yuri Vizbor:
"Here again, between the pines, a picture opened:
The path to heaven, which is blocked by walls of stone,
Here at dawn the golden peaks look,
And glaciers lie like a frozen sky."
A little help:
The Tsei Gorge has long been considered a unique natural landmark of North Ossetia. It has a length of more than 25 km, of which 17-18 km are accessible to tourists and sightseers without special equipment and stretched from southeast to northwest. Due to this location, there is an early sunrise and a late sunset. Ossetian legends say that in the past the gorge was called Khurik, which means "Sunny Gorge" and this name justifies itself - the average annual number of hours of sunshine in the Tsey Gorge is much more than in other similar resort areas: Tsey - 2256 hours; Davos (Switzerland) - 1804 hours; Krasnaya Polyana - 1675 hours.
The Tseyskoye gorge is formed by Kalperovsky and Tseysky, on the eastern side it borders on the Kasarsky gorge and the Zaramagskaya hollow, and on the west with the Sadonsky gorge - the land of the miners of North Ossetia. highest point The peak of the Wilpat (4694 m.) is the Tsey Gorge.
The lower part of the gorge is occupied by deciduous forests. The only representative of coniferous species is pine. Where the mudflow descended from the mountain peaks, the slopes were overgrown with birch and aspen, shrubs and juniper. Above the forests there are subalpine meadows, and at an altitude of 2400-2600 meters, subalpine meadows are replaced by alpine ones.
And what there air! The cleanest, ozonized, filled with vapors of pine needles and the smell of moss, and the landscapes of the surrounding mountains are simply fantastic ... It is not surprising that such nature and weather contribute to the cure of a bunch of different diseases, and most importantly, they charge you with vivacity and optimism.
Tsei is the land of many legends and fairy tales in reality. Many of them are connected with the main patron of the Ossetians - Uastirdzhi. Here is one of them: old-timers say that the gorge has always been a favorite place for hunting. Once the hunters saw in the mountains a huge tour with golden horns. They tried to shoot the handsome man, but failed after failure. Then one young hunter swore that if he killed the golden aurochs, he would sacrifice the horns to the saint. Soon the hunter managed to shoot the animal. But he broke his oath and decided to keep the golden horns for himself. According to legend, Uastirdzhi severely punished the perjurer, turning him into a huge black rock. The shooter froze in stone. When the glaciers melt, it seems that the mountain is crying and the petrified perjurer asks the holy forgiveness. This mountain was called "Monk", in shape it resembles a skuf - the headdress of monks. 
The Ossetian name of the mountain is Shaufidar, it is a spur northern range Adaikhokh and rises above the gorge, overgrown with mosses, pines and legends for 400 meters. The height of the mountain is 2990 meters. Another legend tells that a monk once lived on the top of a mountain in a small cave. Trying to atone for sins, he wanted to carve a figure of a saint on the side of a rock, but he could only make one head. And now, from a distance, you can see in its outlines the bony, frowning face of an old man. Slanted eyes look from under their brows, a massive flattened nose sharply protrudes above a tightly compressed mouth, thick hair is disheveled above a low forehead, and a bald spot is whitening on top of the head.
At the top of the mountain there is indeed a cave 7 meters long and about 3 meters wide. But, the image of the face, as our guide of "typical Caucasian nationality" put it, is not the work of a person, but the result of the action of water and wind in slab sandstones. 
Having disembarked from the bus, which then waited for us for several hours, we began walking tour. The path lay uphill, it was hard to go ... especially for elderly people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and subject to pressure drops. Starting the path to the mountaineering camp, where the chairlift originates, I was at the forefront of the group, but ended it almost at the very tail. I stopped 3 times, it was difficult to breathe, and my ears were blocked from time to time, for a moment I even regretted that I had gone to Tsey. But it was a momentary weakness and the only test for me was passed - ahead was a 40-minute trip on a single cable car to the moraine at the foot of the Skazka glacier and a walk along the slopes of stunning beauty.
There are two lifts in Tsey: one, older and more reliable - a single-seat Russian cable car (1986) has a length of 1400 meters, a capacity of 250 people / hour, and the other, more modern, but, they say, hangs more often - the Austrian double-chair cable car (2002) - 1600 meters, 210 seats, productivity 710 people / hour. Both of them are located to the left of the mountain "Monk" and lead to the Skazdon gorge to the Skazsky glacier. The price of the service is very affordable - 300 rubles round trip (for comparison: in Pyatigorsk, where the climb to Mashuk lasts only 3 minutes, the cost is the same). The road to the Tseyskoye gorge to the Tseyskoye glacier starts to the right of Mount Monk. The walking route is 4-6 hours and implies good physical shape. Most of the members of our group had neither the first nor the last, and the ascent to the Tsey glacier was not included in the program of our excursion, therefore, in hiking we went only to the greatest shrine of the Ossetian people - Rekom. But more on that later....
The road to the Skazsky glacier is much shorter than to the Tseysky one, but the climb is much steeper - lovers of mountain skiing rush along this route in winter. The road - it's a road, not a path - starts from the "Tsey" alpine camp and goes straight uphill. Along the way, there are wooded areas in some places, but mostly grass and flowers grow directly from the stones - the seeds are carried by the wind from the alpine meadows. A little above the intermediate station of the new cable car, Green Hill begins. The name speaks for itself - below it is covered with forest, near the top alpine meadows begin. The road goes serpentine, a few more turns - and the peaks covered with snow and ice open up to the admiring gaze. However, in the vast majority, skiers and tourists on observation deck to the Fairy glacier rise by cable car. 
The relief in Tsey is typical alpine, which leaves an imprint on its entire geology, nature and climate. The slopes of mountains and ridges are cut by rivers, mountain streams, canyons, which sometimes reach a depth of 1.5-2 thousand meters. It's impressive! During the period of snowmelt, waterfalls fall from the slopes of the mountains in silvery cascades, and the mountains are covered with lush herbs and flowers. I can imagine how beautiful it is: a piercing blue sky, a bright carpet of herbs and flowers, crystal waterfalls and dazzling white ice .... Unfortunately, we did not see this, almost all of this dried up and faded over the summer. True, the grandiose rocky and wooded slopes impressed even at this time of the year. But on the other hand, there was a strong desire to return here and see this almost virgin beauty with my own eyes.
I was struck by a huge pile of boulders, rubble, a lot of boulders lying at the bottom of the gorge and sliding down the slopes. When you imagine how they all got there, a chill runs through your skin, but you try not to think about it, because everything that opens your eyes is a complete delight, especially after a noisy, stuffy, cluttered and aggressive metropolis. 
Moving on a lift is very comfortable and conducive to photo and video shooting, you don’t have to sit, clinging to a chair and being afraid to move once again so as not to collapse down, as, for example, on Dombai. Considering the small height, it’s not at all scary, sometimes you even touch the tops of the trees growing at the bottom with your feet, so the shoes should sit tight on your feet or be laced, otherwise you risk just losing them. And in general, while riding the cable car, an illusion is created that you are swimming, not riding, and everything is very close - you can reach out and touch it. But, the closer you get to the end point of the cable car, the more you understand the fallacy of this feeling: the mountains are so far, high and unrealistically huge... 
The one-way climb is over and we set off to admire the stunning views, and those who are more enduring climb a little higher along the hiking trail - to the Skazka glacier. 
Enjoying the views, trying to get as close as possible to the glacier... It looks like a ridge and seems quite small, even openwork, but in fact it has a length of 8 kilometers. Unfortunately, it is rapidly melting, it has decreased by a whole kilometer in a year. 
And now I take a closer look at the ridges and peaks. This one seemed to me like the head of a stern, bearded mountaineer in a hood in profile. 
Some see in this slope the silhouette of a highlander in a cloak. 
Looking closer, I saw. 
And this is the so-called tongue of the Skazsky glacier, and a huge funnel in front of it is one of the ice arches through which melting snow flows out from under the glacier, then turning into a stormy Ceydon. The height of the cliff is about 20 meters. 
This slope is favorite place training of climbers from all over the world and not everyone manages to climb it. One of the peaks is called "Moskvich", because it was conquered for the first time by two guys from Moscow. A trifle, but nice. 
During the ascent, I filmed the right side in the direction of travel, left the left on the descent. Looked into the Fairy Valley 
A look at the top of the Skazsky glacier from a different angle 
The cannon here is not evidence of military operations, but is completely for practical use, it turns out that snow avalanches are forcibly shot from it in winter time of the year.
Wow, even flowers grow here!
And of course a souvenir photo. 
We start on the way back to the original point of ascent - the beginning of the old cable car. If you take a new one, you will go to another place: they start in different places and have different lengths. Now in my lens will be the opposite slope of the gorge. 
I safely jump off the chair of the cable car and go to the sun-drenched open area behind the station building, to wait for the rest of the tourists riding behind. Like a cat, I want to stretch out in the sun and purr with pleasure. While the people were gathering, my gaze fell on the foot of a pine tree growing near the cable station building, and I spotted an incomprehensible mini-memorial. The area around the pine tree was paved with stone, either for beauty or for something else, and under the tree itself there was a small pyramid, the way roofs are usually laid out on Ossetian burial grounds. What was it, I never found out 
The descent is behind, but I want to go up again. The weather is beautiful, the sun is warm like in summer, and what a view! 
The only consolation is that this is not the end of the road, there is still a lot of interesting things ahead. And my expectations were not deceived. We are moving towards the Tsey valley, to the Recom sanctuary. 
We came to the beginning of the pilgrimage trail. Strictly speaking, women are forbidden to go there, since Uastirdzhi patronizes only men, then women do not have the right to approach the sanctuary. They say that in ancient times, in case of disobedience, a representative of the weaker sex could be stoned. Therefore, women usually rise to their female sanctuary on the other side of the path, perform their rites there, and then, in the same way, descend. Since our group was mixed, we decided to take a chance and touch the mystery at least out of the corner of our eye... 
We are on our way to amazing place in Tsey - the ancient sanctuary of Rekom, located in the depths of the Tsey Gorge, at an altitude of 1946 meters above sea level. To date, there is no justified origin of the name "Rekom" and folk etymology prevails, explaining Rekom as a derivative of "Khurykom" (Sunny Gorge) or "Irykom" (Ossetian Gorge).
Since ancient times, people have been coming here to pray or get rid of a serious illness. Any normal person who believes in God and respects other people's traditions will treat this sacred place seriously and responsibly.
We walk along the path, lined with stones and swollen with the roots of tall pines, in anticipation of a miracle. Around the relic forest, among the branches of pines, views of breathtaking beauty open up. Silence, the air is filled with mystery. 
It seems that I got into a fairy tale from Rowe's good old children's films and now a hut on chicken legs or some other fairy-tale character will appear. 
Here, a stream with the purest mountain water approaches the trail. You can drink it, I try it - delicious. It is a pity that I did not take a bottle with me, for sure this water is holy, since it flows on sacred ground. 
The fact is that in the Ossetian understanding, the temple was not limited to one building. The concept of the TEMPLE includes everything!!! the surrounding nature - mountains, forest, trail, the entire gorge, as well as many buildings combined into a single complex.
So - Rekom - is not only the building itself! This concept once included the entire Tsey Gorge (21 kilometers). It was called in ancient times: "Ivard-Recom" - Forbidden Recom. Here was a complex cult complex, uniting more than a dozen sanctuaries and places of prayer. The path of pilgrims went to the central temple - "Rekomy nad", which began at the village of Buron. Those who entered the sacred territory underwent a special rite of purification, and the presence here was accompanied by a complex system of prohibitions - taboos. Pilgrims are still walking along this path without shoes until the snow falls.
There are many legends about the origin of the dzuar - the sanctuary of Rekom. I have already talked about Uastirdzhi, the patron of men, travelers and warriors.
One day he decided to build a sanctuary for the people out of logs that would never rot. These were larches that grew in the forest on the other side of the mountains. The saint ordered his oxen to transport logs from there over the mountain opposite Rekom, where the glacier is now. The wagons were loaded by themselves, and the oxen went without a guide along the appointed path. Having laid down the forest, the oxen returned to the owner, and from the logs a temple was built by itself, without the help of human hands.
This is just one of the thousands of stories, legends and traditions preserved by the Ossetian people. As you know, legends do not come from nowhere, each of them is a revelation that reveals or hides the Secret of the people living in the mountains of the sacred land.
And here is another legend explaining why Rekom is called the tear of God. According to the Nart legend - the main literary monument of ancient Ossetia - God mourned the death of the Ossetian hero Batraz, and when his tear fell into the Tsei Gorge, Rekom arose.
So we came up with the place from where the men will go to their sanctuary and divided into two groups. Boys to the left (to Rekom), girls to the right (to the female sanctuary of Mada Mairam). 
Initially, Rekom arose as a pagan sanctuary, later turned into a Christian church, which again transformed into a pagan dzuar. It looks like an ordinary hut, covered with a low wooden roof, which is supported on both sides by carved wooden pillars. The pillars differ from each other in shape, and on top they are crowned with artistically decorated wooden skates, resembling the head of a camel with an outstretched neck. Skates and beams are decorated with typical Ossetian ornaments. True, this hut was built without a single nail from thick whole logs. From the side of the entrance, along the wall, a wide board in the form of a shelf is fixed. On it in large numbers are the heads of sacrificial animals, deer horns, skulls of rams and aurochs, and just bones. There is also a neat wooden bowl filled with coins and paper bills, which are inviolable.
The sanctuary was repeatedly burned, but people again and again restored it according to the surviving drawings. Rekom was last restored in 1995 and is now built from pine instead of larch.
I didn’t manage to take a close picture of the river, but to satisfy my curiosity, I found on the net photos taken by men who managed to visit there and decided to use them here. 
In fact, the square Rekoma building, surrounded by an oval stone fence, is based on a mandala, known in the East as a “map of the world”, which is depicted using a circle and a square.
In other words, the sanctuary is the House - a multi-level cosmic symbol. The idea of the house expresses the model of the universe and the symbolic structure of the human body. The house symbolizes an orderly and safe space, the beginning and end of human life, a symbol of the movement of the human race along the waves of being.
It is the house from ancient times that has been the center of the world, the sanctuary of the family, where the spirits of ancestors and those living now coexist. It is not for nothing that they say: "My house is my fortress." And indeed, the house is essentially a temple - a protected space, symbolizing for a person the center of the universe, an ordered cosmos. Ancient architects knew about the relationship between forms and space and respected them. That is why in holy places a person, like nowhere else, feels unity with nature and the universe.
You can get inside the sanctuary only on major Ossetian holidays. For example, on the Day of men born in a year - Kekhtsgenen. According to the descriptions of people who have been there, there are two rooms inside Rekom. On the south side, it is narrow and long, where a large number of broken arrows and their tips were found. It is known that Ossetian warriors made a vow of brotherhood before the battle. They broke two arrows and left them in the sanctuary, after which they became blood brothers. The rite, somewhat changed, has been preserved to this day. Young people before leaving for the army come to Rekom and leave something of their personal belongings.
On the north side of the building is a wide room of the sanctuary, slightly illuminated by four windows. It is for communication with the gods.
Inside on the wall there is a shelf with skulls of sacrificial animals - deer, rams, aurochs. There is also a wooden bowl with coins and paper money.
It was believed that if you leave any personal thing here, it will bring the favor of the gods to its owner. The tradition has been preserved to this day. They say that the wish is fulfilled here.
Women's sanctuaries are located aside behind a clearing, which, for a mysterious reason, never overgrows. Maybe that's why Rekom is located in this place. Festivities of Ossetian communities in honor of Uastirdzhi with indispensable pies and traditional beer are held here. There should be three pies, as well as toasts, pronounced at the celebration. This is not a random number: three pies symbolize earth, sun and water. When two pies appear on the table, people gather for a sad occasion - to perform a memorial ceremony. This means that for the deceased person, the sun has disappeared forever.
Although women are not allowed to approach Rekom, they still send their belongings to him. Priests say ritual prayers over them, and grace extends to the weaker sex.
After the Beslan tragedy, many mothers who had lost their children sent gifts to Rekom so that the dead would go to a country where there are green meadows and pure water. Such are the ideas about paradise in Ossetia.
"Mady Mairam" - the holy place of the Mother of God. A small cubic structure, covered with thick boards and stones, on a pile of stones. The worshipers place their offerings through the square hole. Turya horns are piled at the foot. The log house is surrounded by a small courtyard.
There are two shrines of Mairam here: one is larger, and the other, closer to the exit from the pilgrimage trail, is smaller. Women who want to have children go to both sanctuaries of Mairam to pray. The little one prays for the gift of girls, and the one that is bigger - for the gift of both boys and girls. They say that in families who did not have children for a long time, after visiting this place, long-awaited heirs appeared. I also decided to join, ask for grandchildren. 
Reunited with our men, we continued on our way, admiring the pristine beauty 
And here is the second female sanctuary of Mada Mairam, a very small tower 
Last photo for memory and we go back. 
Goodbye, Cey!
The Tsey Gorge is one of the most beautiful and sunny places in Alanya. The famous ski resort Tsei is located in this place.
Rivers, descending from the mountains, turn into stormy rivers, and the amazing mountain air cannot be inhaled.
All this attracts to Tsey not only fans of mountaineering and skiing, but also tourists who want to relax in unique place, away from noisy highways and megacities.
Amazing nature, majestic mountain peaks and ancient monuments, all this attracts numerous tourists.
To imagine all the beauties of this sunny gorge, like amber, you must definitely see it, and then fall in love with it with all your heart and every corner of your soul!
Where is Sun Valley located?
In the Tsey mountainous region of North Ossetia, where the Tseydon and Skazdon rivers originate, there is natural pearl these places - Tseyskoe gorge. It is formed thanks to the Tseisky and Kalperovsky ridges.
The gorge looks like a horseshoe, so the area is also called the Tsey horseshoe.
The length of this gorge is more than 23 kilometers, of which only 18 are suitable for tourists who do not have climbing skills.
At the beginning of the 30s of the XX century, there were broken campgrounds for climbers.
Also, for lovers of mountain skiing, a chairlift was laid leading to the Skazsky Glacier, where a ski slope is equipped.
Weather
The Tsei Gorge is located in an easterly direction, so it is well lit. There are 2256 hours of sunshine here in a year, which pleasantly distinguishes this gorge from others. So what is the seasonal weather in Tsey?
Winter weather
The winter season begins in Tsey in mid-November, this time is characterized by thaws and even rainy days. The real winter comes at the end of December.
The coldest and frostiest months in Tsey are January and February. Average monthly temperature at this time - minus 5 degrees.
Usually winter in Tsey is sunny, calm and clear. Extremely rarely, frosty weather sets in, but it lasts only a few days.
Weather during the spring months
Spring in Tsey begins at the end of March, but sometimes it is delayed, and snow can fall in April and May days. At this time, snow is actively melting in the mountains during the day, and at night the weather drops to minus 10 degrees. On fine spring days (from March to April) daily temperature rises to 18 degrees Celsius.
From March to May, the most big number cloudy and rainy days.
In the first days of May, snow melts from resort and tourist sites, so in last days May begin tourist-excursion routes.
Summer weather
Until mid-summer, the weather is not constant. At this time, cool days are observed in the Tsey Gorge, accompanied by rainy days and fogs. From mid-June, beautiful sunny days set in.
Summer in Tsey cannot be called hot, but it is accompanied by sunny fine days.
Average monthly temperature in summer period, does not rise above + 15-17 degrees. summer tourist season opens from June and ends at the end of September. But even October can please with sunny days.
weather in autumn
Autumn in Tsey begins in the second half of October, although frosts can begin as early as the end of September. The autumn period is distinguished by stable clear weather with many warm sunny days.
The first snow falls on mountain peaks, and then descends almost to the foot.
The Tsey Gorge is rich historical monuments. The most famous of them is the Rekom sanctuary, a monument to the ancient craftsmen of the 15th-17th centuries who created this wooden miracle. In 1995, it was badly damaged by a fire.
Now the sanctuary has been restored and is open for tours. The Rekom complex includes two sanctuaries: male and female, located at a short distance, it also includes several objects of religious worship.
Before entering the reserve, there is a figure of St. George - the main patron of the Ossetian people and the protector of all living things that inhabit this beautiful corner of the earth.
The mysterious landmark of the Tsey Gorge is Mount Monk, more than 3 kilometers high, in its outlines you can see a man whose face is hidden by a thrown hood. There are many stories and legends about this mountain, sometimes a fairy tale and reality are intertwined in them.
There are several waterfalls in the Tsey Gorge, which are filled with melting glaciers. They are especially beautiful and full of water in early spring, during the period of snowmelt.
Two popular waterfalls are considered accessible to tourists: Near and Far. On the first excursions are made all year round. The distant waterfall is perfectly visible when approaching Tsey by car, from the side of the Tsey auls.
Where to stay?
In the village of Tsey is located famous resort with the same name, for lovers skiing, which annually attracts more than 100 thousand tourists.
The ski season in the gorge lasts from January to April, which attracts outdoor enthusiasts, for whom special routes of varying difficulty have been developed.
In the territory resort complex there are several hotels, the most famous of which are Skazka, Vertical and the Tsey alpine camp. Let's talk a little about them:
Hotel "Skazka" located in the village, close to the ski slopes. The hotel has a dining room, sauna, swimming pool, karaoke bar.
- 2x - a local number costs - 2500 rubles per day, then from 2000 rubles.
- The price of a junior suite of 2 rooms - per day per person - 3000 rubles, then - 2500 rubles.
Hotel "Vertical"- the lowest one along the route, removed from the ski slopes, but it is the sunniest of all the hotels. And the distance is easy to overcome by car.
- Double room costs - from 4000 rubles per day.
- Cost of 2-bed room increased comfort- per day 5500 rubles per person.
- The cost of a 2-bed suite is 6,000 rubles per person per day.
Alp-camp "Tsey"- located at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level. Suitable for youth recreation. It includes two buildings, upper and lower, and four small cottages.
- The cost of 2-4 - local accommodation is 800 rubles or more per day per person.
- 2x - a local number costs from 1200 rubles per day per person.
How to get to Tsey?
There are daily flights from Moscow to Vladikavkaz airport from Vnukovo and Domodedovo, as well as a train departing from the Kazansky railway station and a bus departing from the Shchelkovsky bus station.
Travel from the airport and railway station
Railway station Vladikavkaz → village Tsei (fare from 3200 to 3500 lei in the summer season and from 3500 to 3800 rubles in the winter.
Beslan Airport → Tsey - the ticket price is 3800 rubles in summer and 4100 rubles in winter.
Nalchik → Tsey - the fare is 5200 rubles.
Pyatigorsk → Tsey - the fare is 8200 rubles.
Mineralnye Vody → Tsey - ticket price from 8700 rubles.
Travel by bus
The bus, accommodating up to 25 tourists, takes passengers to the first bridge in the village of Tsey, depending on the amount of snow cover, but not higher than the Fairy Tale.
Railway station in Vladikavkaz → Tsei - the fare is 4,500 rubles in summer and 5,000 rubles in winter.
Beslan Airport → Tsei - fare 5500 rubles.
Nalchik → Tsey — cost 8200 rubles.
Travel by car
Railway station Vladikavkaz → Tsey
from 1800 rubles - travel by car brand car Volga, VAZ.
from 2000 rubles - travel by car brand Niva, Chevrolet Niva.
Airport (Beslan) → Tsey
from 2000 rubles - by car brand car Volga, VAZ
from 2200 rubles - by car brand Niva, Chevrolet Niva
from 2400 rubles - by Jeep SUV.
What to bring as a gift?
Having been in the Tsey Gorge, you can bring as a gift: silver key chains and jewelry with the image of St. George by local craftsmen, Ossetian daggers, dolls in national costumes made by Ossetian craftswomen, ceramic and wooden souvenirs, as well as the famous Ossetian cheese.