Alanya Digor gorge. Digorskoe gorge. Threshold of the sky. Waterfalls. Mountain range of the region
This article will talk about amazingly beautiful mountainous places, famous for numerous historical monuments and magnificent natural landscapes.
This unique natural monument is located in the Digorskoye Gorge. The relief, sights and many interesting things will be discussed in this article.
North Ossetia: general information
Alania (North Ossetia), belonging to the Russian Federation, is located in the north of the Caucasus Mountains. The entire territory has an area of approximately 8 thousand square meters. km, and inhabited by more than 670 thousand people. Ossetians (approximately 53%) and Russians (30%) live here in the overwhelming majority. There are also Ingush and Armenians in the Republic. The administrative center of the Republic is the city of Vladikavkaz.
The largest cities in the region are Beslan, Mozdok and Alagir. Since 1991, North Ossetia has had the status of a Republic that is part of the Russian
Forests occupy one fifth of the territory, and they are mainly broad-leaved (hornbeam, beech, linden, ash, alder, oak, maple).
Mountain range of the region
Let's take a brief look at the mountain range of these places before we find out what it is - the Digorsky Gorge.
North Ossetia in the west has a border with Kabardino-Balkaria, with the Stavropol Territory - in the north, and in the east - with the Chechen Republic and Ingushetia. Its southern territory borders on Georgia.
The whole republic is located in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus and on its northern slope. The northern territories were located on the Stavropol Plain, the southern ones - on the Sunzhensky and Tersky ridges. In the southern part of the region, the Lateral and Main ranges of the Greater Caucasus are located. The highest point is Jimara Peak (altitude 4780 m). The Ossetian plain extends into the central part of the North Caucasus. The low mountain ranges mentioned above rise from it, and behind them is the Mozdok Plain.
In the Ossetian mountains there are eternal glaciers, the largest of which are Tseisky and Karaug. The highlands are crossed by numerous Kasarsky, Dargavsky, Kurtatinsky, Alagirsky, Kobansky, Tseysky. Digorskoe gorge also belongs to them. Along them and their lateral branches pass the beds of mountain rivers of glacial-snow origin and connecting at the exit from the mountains with large full-flowing Ardon, Urukh, Kambileevka.
Features of climatic conditions
The climate in these places is temperate continental. On average, January temperatures reach -4 °С, and in mid-summer - up to +22 °С. In total, about 800 mm of precipitation falls annually.
The zone of North Ossetia is marked by increased seismicity. Also in the mountains there are quite frequent descents of powerful snow avalanches, numerous mudflows and rockfalls occur. Strong hail is often observed on the foothill plain. It causes great harm to the Republic.
In any case, North Ossetia (Alania) is very popular among tourists and vacationers.
The most beautiful and farthest from the city of Vladikavkaz (120 km) is the Digorskoye Gorge, located in the west of North Ossetia.
It is located in the basin of the Urukh (Iraf) River, whose tributaries originate in the realm of huge centuries-old glaciers and ancient snows. The rocky ridge, in which the gorge was formed, is located parallel to the main ridge.
In Digoria there is a wonderful national natural park "Alania". Depending on the height above sea level, here you can find either moist forests or magnificent ones. There is also a forest-steppe zone, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, streams.
Like the entire North Caucasus, the Digorskoye Gorge is also replete with amazing historical and cultural monuments.
Facts from history
The narrowest point of the gorge is Akhsinta, which is a natural fortress. It should be noted that its walls have repeatedly saved local highlanders from enemies.
There is another interesting point. On the site of the villages of Lezgor, Donifars, Nar and Zadalesk, there was the 2nd defensive line (Matsuta center). On the watchtowers, on the hills, in case of any danger, wet straw was lit. Thanks to the resulting smoke, the news of the threat quickly spread throughout Digoria.
Watchtowers and family towers have been preserved in many parts of Digoria. Some ancient dwellings have also remained here, especially in the villages of Dzinaga, Kamunta, Moska, Dunta and Odola.
Rest in the Digorsky Gorge: attractions
As a rule, a trip to Digoria usually starts from the village of Chikola. Due to the great distance from large settlements and due to the lack of a good road, people come to these places to rest not for 1-2 days.
In general, you can relax in these places only in the summer months, and in winter it is better not to go there, since heavy snowfalls prevail during this period. However, it is worth noting that the landscapes in the gorge are beautiful at any time of the year.
Let's take a short excursion on the way to the gorge. After the first village, the road along the plain leads through the village. Ahsarisar. Its name translates as "the height of military prowess." It is named in honor of the fact that in ancient times the Alans heroically fought in these places with the Tatar-Mongols (Timur's troops), who tried to penetrate deep into the gorge.
Further, the road passes by the village of Kalukh and stretches to the very foot of the Skalisty ridge. In these places, not far from the tunnel, there is the Akhsinta Canyon, through which a concrete bridge was built, nicknamed by tourists "Devil's". This bridge offers a magnificent view of the Urukh River, the forest in the western part of the gorge and the streams descending from steep walls, flowing from karst sources.
North Ossetia has many not only historical monuments, but also natural attractions. The Digorskoye Gorge is famous for one of the most magnificent and largest glaciers - Karaugomsky, which is the second largest in the entire North Caucasus.
A little about the origin of the name of the gorge
It comes from the name of the Ossetian ethnic group - Digorians (in Ossetian - "Digoron" or "Dyguron").
They are native speakers of the Digor dialect of the Ossetian language and represent the bulk of the population of this republic.
Looking at the Digorsky Gorge on the map, you can immediately notice its distinctive feature. It lies in the height of its location above sea level - about 2000 meters. Ossetians call the Digorsky Gorge “Country”, because people with an ancient history and original traditions, passed down from generation to generation, live there.
Otkritie Tourist Club offers exciting adventure tours to the world of ancient towers and sanctuaries, stormy mountain rivers and glaciers, alpine meadows and hot southern sun. Our travels include:
- outdoor activities;
- acquaintance with the rituals, architecture and national cuisine of the Ossetians.
We select unique author's routes for each traveler, based on his preferences and individual preparedness.
Geographical characteristics of the Digorsky Gorge
Digoria is located in the south-west of North Ossetia, in its farthest corner. From the capital Vladikavkaz to the gorge, you need to drive three hours to cover a distance of 120 km. The Urukh River flows along the bottom of the Digorsky Gorge.
Conventionally, the whole area is divided into parts:
- Stur-Digora (Ustur-Digoræ - "big Digoria");
- Tapan-Digora (T'æpæn-Digoræ - "plane Digoria");
- Donifars (literally - "side of the river");
- Wallagkom (Uællagkom - "upper gorge").
First, an asphalt highway spreads over flat terrain before and for some time after the village of Chikola. And only after a while you realize that you are already in the mountains. A steep serpentine twists higher and higher around the grandiose rocks. It is not difficult to rent a holiday home in the Digorsky Gorge. People here have always been famous for their hospitality and respect for the traveler.
A new discovery awaits the traveler at every turn. The first to meet the traveler at the entrance to the Digorskoye Gorge is the Devil's Bridge. The height from its level to the bottom of the abyss is equal to the height of a 25-story building. In this place in 1919, near the bridge, Red detachments defeated the disunited White Guards of General Denikin.
It is from this passage that one can contemplate the whole perspective of the deep canyon Akhsinta, whose length is 5 km. In some places, seething springs and mountain streams break out from the mass of rocks. According to tourist reviews, the waterfalls are the pearl of the Digorsky Gorge, irrigating barren stones.
Soon the mountainous area parted somewhat and a sunny valley opened up to the gaze. Above its banks you can see stone security structures and ancient settlements of the highlanders:
- Donifars;
- Lezgor;
- Zadalesk;
- Hanaz.
On flat pastures, you can still see large herds of horses. You can see such photos of the Digorsky Gorge on our website, and then take pictures of these beauties on your own during the hike.
Sights of the Digorsky Gorge
Zadalesk is now a residential village. Several families live here, and some stay in the gorge for the winter. The deserted streets of the village make you think that the inhabitants have left them. But in fact, everyone is busy with their own business, who tends herds of sheep, who makes cheese. No gourmet restaurant food can match the taste of these natural products grown in the purest air of the highlands. The weather in the Digorsky Gorge favors the cultivation of grain and the maintenance of small livestock.
Our adventure tours allow you to get a powerful boost of energy, improve your health and expand your horizons during outdoor activities in North Ossetia.
Travel plan
Arrival in the morning at the airport (railway station) in Mineralnye Vody. Group transfer at 11.30 to the Digorsky Gorge of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (3 hours to the border). Lunch (on your own). In the national cafe of the village of Chikola you will be offered dishes of Ossetian cuisine. In the company of a guide, you will drive to the main gate of mountain Digoria - the Akhsinta canyon.
It is in this place that the canyon narrows so much that it turns into a stone gutter, and it becomes clear how the Urukh River beats among the rocks at a depth of seventy meters. The canyon is striking in its grandeur. Its sheer walls are formed by cliffs of gray layered Jurassic limestone. Several karst springs effectively fall into the abyss.
On the way, you will be met and taken on a good journey by the sculpture of the most revered saint in Ossetia - St. George (Ossetian Uastirdzhi). You will also visit the village of Matsuta, located at the confluence of the Aigomugidon and Urukh rivers. "There is no further way" - this is how its name is translated.
Arrival at the hotel "Tana Park" ***, which is comfortably located in the farthest picturesque corner of the Digorsky Gorge on the left bank of the Khares River in the "horseshoe" of natural attractions: Metelaska waterfall, Mount Kubus, spurs of Laboda and Sugansky ridge. In the evening discussion of the tour program. Dinner on your own in the hotel restaurant.
Breakfast in the hotel. Meeting with the guide, departure on an off-road vehicle to the auto-walking route to the Karaugom gorge (the length of the walk in both directions is 10-12 km.)
Before going on the route, you will issue a pass to the border zone. Trekking to the Karaugom glacier. The river Karaugomdon originates from under the tongue of the glacier. The very name "Karaugom" in translation from Ossetian means "blind gorge" or "gorge that has no way out". It received this name due to the fact that earlier it was possible to get into the gorge only through a high icefall. The length of the Karaugomsky glacier is just over 13 kilometers, the area is 27 square kilometers, the glacier descends to a height of 1820 meters. The glacier has two icefalls. The upper one, the most powerful, breaks out through the narrow "gates" of the Karaugomsky ridge and flows out from a height of 3500 meters, the tongue of the glacier reaches a length of 800 meters. The lower icefall is smaller, about 500 meters. Lunch on the way (dry ration). Return to the hotel, rest. Dinner on your own in the hotel restaurant.
Breakfast in the hotel. Today you will climb to the top of Mount Kubus and walk to the Taimazinsky waterfalls. Climbing Mount Kubus will delight you with beautiful panoramas and virgin forests that cover its slopes. Having descended from the mountain, you will continue your walk around the foot of Kubus to the Taimazinsky waterfalls. The waterfalls look especially spectacular from afar. Three snow-white streams fall at a distance of 150-200 meters from each other. The waterfalls originate on the Taimazi glacier, in the Khares Gorge. Below, the streams break on the ledge stone pyramids. Over the years, in the pyramids, water has hollowed out many recesses, which are a real decoration of each of the waterfalls. Water, falling into these recesses, splashes out of them in fountains. Lunch at the waterfalls dry rations.
Return to the hotel, rest. Free time at the resort. Dinner on your own.
Breakfast in the hotel. Today you will go on a journey through the medieval Ossetian villages of Kumbulta (visiting Bagayt Castle), Lezgor, Donifars.
The route runs along the spur of the Rocky Range, to be more precise, along the spur of the Uazakhokh massif. Here is the highest point of the Rocky Range in North Ossetia - the mythological peak - Uazakhoh, reminiscent of a dilapidated fortress (3,529 m) in its outlines.
Moving to the villages of Lezgor and Donifars, which in the Middle Ages were independent communities, where a democratic form of self-government was preserved, which was different from governance in other communities of Digoria. Today, these villages are abandoned by people and represent an ancient open-air ethnographic museum with numerous remnants of monuments of mountain architecture: towers, crypts, castles, sanctuaries... Lunch (dry rations).
On a huge clearing between the villages of Lezgor and Donifars, there is the second largest in North Ossetia, after Dargavsky, a unique early medieval Lezgorsko-Donifarssky crypt burial ground. Here are concentrated 64 tombs of various types and 7 tsyrts - memorial pillars. There is also the temple of Sataya-Obau (the second half of the 15th - the beginning of the 16th century).
You will devote most of the program to acquaintance with the necropolis and the remaining monuments of mountain medieval architectural architecture.
You will visit the medieval settlement of Zadalesk, where you will visit the museum of the mother - the savior of Alanian children - Zadaleskoynan.
After that, you will go to the settlement of Khanaz, in the past one of the largest settlements of mountainous Digoria. The settlement is famous for the castle of the Tsallaev family, which is called "Frigate". There is no second such architectural structure in the entire North Caucasus. Indeed, it is not clear to a person who came here for the first time what rises on a high rocky ledge at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level. m. - a sailing frigate or a medieval castle, cutting the air waves with a sharp stone nose. This unique example of medieval mountain architecture dates back to the 14th-16th centuries. After the tour, you will visit an Ossetian house, where hospitable hosts will treat you to homemade Ossetian pies and tea with herbs collected in the mountains.
During the meeting, you will learn about the lifestyle and customs of the locals. Return to the hotel. Dinner on your own in the hotel restaurant.
Breakfast in the hotel. Group gathering in the hotel lobby. Exit to the route. Today you will hike through the Tana-dona gorge to the Tana-tsete glaciers. The length of the walk in both directions is 10-12 km. During the walk you will find yourself in captivity of the unique intricate vegetation: juniper, dwarf perennial deciduous trees. Leaving the vegetation zone, you will find yourself in the amphitheater of mountains: Taimazi Main, Chashura, Tsiteli, Digoria Peak, the peaks of the Western and Main towers of Laboda.
At the end of the path you will see the Tanatsete glacier. Lunch on the way (dry ration). Return to the hotel. Dinner on your own in the hotel restaurant.
The village of Galiat is located in the Wallagkom Gorge. This is a unique medieval architectural complex. Houses here used to be built in tiers. The roof of one house served as a yard for another, so the Galiatians could safely visit each other without leaving their own yard. Typical Ossetian towers, consisting of four floors, have also been preserved in Galiata.
Lunch on your own.
At 14.00 departure from the gorge to Mineralnye Vody airport (5 hours on the way) for evening flights after 12.00 hours.
Digorskoe gorge in the Irafsky region of North Ossetia - one of the most beautiful and wild gorges of the North Caucasus. It is dug by the Urukh River in the Rocky Range parallel to the Main Range. The road here goes along a narrow ledge carved into the rocks above the stormy waters of Urukh.
Conditions for rest and recreation in the gorge - at different heights above sea level there are dry mountain steppes, humid forests, alpine meadows, forest-steppe zone, lakes, glaciers, streams, waterfalls. There are opportunities for hiking along ecological trails, you can go in for educational tourism, making excursions to different landscapes with their historical, cultural and architectural monuments, and go in for water slalom.
Currently, you can relax here mainly in the warm months. In winter, during the season of heavy snowfalls, the recreation areas do not function, but the landscapes here are beautiful in their own way at this time of the year, and it will be interesting to see these places also in the winter months.
WHERE TO STAY
There are the following options for accommodating tourists for recreation: the Dzinaga LLC camp site, the Digoria-Rostselmash health-improving climbing base, the Taimazi climbing base of the Taganrog Radio Engineering Institute, the Komi-Art climbing base, the Eagle's Nest recreation center.
Tourist base "Dzinaga" provides for vacationers hiking and walking through the territory of the National Park "Alania", multi-day trips to the Bartuy gorge, to the Paradise glade and the Taimazi glade, to the Karaugomsky glacier - one of the largest glaciers of the Caucasus Mountains, to the village of Zadalesk - the place of Alan's revival, to waterfalls, along "Digorsky ring" with visits to villages and historical and architectural monuments.
The camp site is more focused on summer holidays for children and teenagers, whose stay here is financed from budgetary funds and non-budgetary sources. There is an opportunity to receive families, tourist groups and individual vacationers. On the territory of the base there are eight buildings designed for recreation of 450 children. The cost of one day with a three-time stay is 500 rubles.
The distance from Vladikavkaz to the camp site "Dzinaga" to Vladikavkaz is 115 kilometers, travel by bus (minibus "Gazelle") from Vladikavkaz from bus station No. 1, fare - 75 rubles. Travel time 2 hours 30 minutes. Departure daily at 15.55.
Vacationers on recreation center "Digoria-Rostselmash" have the opportunity to take walks to the waterfalls, hiking to Paradise Glade, Karaugom Glacier, excursions to the territory of the Alania National Park, acquaintance with its flora and fauna, to the Zadaleski Nana sanctuary are popular.
On the territory of the recreation center there are summer houses and brick buildings. The total capacity is 250 people. The cost of accommodation together with three meals a day is from 300 rubles in a quadruple room and up to 600 rubles in a double room.
The distance from Vladikavkaz to the recreation center is 125 kilometers, travel by bus from Vladikavkaz from bus station No. 1, the fare is 75 rubles. Travel time is about three hours.
Tourist base "Komi-Art"(former name "Digoria"). The total capacity is 150 people. Accommodation in double and quadruple rooms in wooden cottages and brick houses. The cost of living is 500 rubles per day per person.
The most popular in the summer are routes to the peaks of the eastern part of the Sugan Range and hiking in the Gebe Gorge. For more trained climbers, climbing to the peaks of the central and western parts of the Sugan Range is expected.
For experienced climbers, there are routes of a high category, involving climbing the peaks of Mount Uruimagova, Aikhva, Zagadok, Agibalova, Akritov, which are located in the eastern part of the Sugan Range.
The distance from Vladikavkaz to "Koma-Art" is 125 kilometers, the bus departs from bus station No. 1, the fare is 75 rubles, the route to the settlement with. Stur Digora, and from there five kilometers to the base.
Recreation center of the Taganrog State Radiotechnical University "Taimazi" located in a picturesque place of the Digorsky Gorge on the Urukh River, at an altitude of 2100 m. Accommodation in houses for 4-6 rooms (in rooms for 2-5 people), the total capacity is 100 people.
For vacationers, two-three-day trips along tourist routes of all categories of complexity are possible. The proximity of the mountains of the Main Caucasian Range allows you to use the camp as a base for climbing.
During walking tours, you can get acquainted with historical monuments and ancient towers, you can collect unique medicinal herbs, berries, mushrooms, hazelnuts.
The formation of groups and transportation to the place of rest is under the jurisdiction of the Taganrog State Radio Engineering University, and vouchers are purchased directly from the administration of the university.
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CLIMATE CONDITIONS
The climate of mountain Digoria is very diverse. Relief is the most important climate-forming factor for this region. Mountain ranges and their spurs, many valleys, gorges and intermountain basins greatly complicate the general circulation of the atmosphere and create a wide range of microclimatic features.
Within this region, according to climate, two territories are distinguished: the Zadaleska basin as a mid-mountain zone and a high-mountain zone.
Zadalesskaya hollow , like all basins of the North Jurassic depression, is characterized by a peculiar dry climate. The rocky ridge protects it from the intrusions of cold arctic air. Therefore, winter temperatures are low here. In Fasnal, the average January temperature is -2.4 degrees. This is the highest winter air temperature in North Ossetia. Rare temperature drops here can reach -30 degrees. The average July temperature reaches 15.8 degrees. In summer, although there are some hot days, the nights are always cool. The annual air amplitude, as a rule, is small and amounts to 18-19 degrees. The basin is characterized by low precipitation (400-500 mm) and optimal relative humidity (62%).
The protective influence of the relief is reflected not only in a small amount of precipitation, but also in a low wind speed. Local winds include mountain-valley winds and foehns inherent in mountains.
Alpine zone , located above 2000 m, has a harsh climate. During the long winter there is a significant accumulation of snow. A stable snow cover lasts 120-160 days. Winter is relatively cold here. The average monthly temperature in February at an altitude of 3000 m is 11 degrees below zero. Spring comes in late April and early May. Summer is cool. At an altitude of 2500 m, the average August temperature is a little over 10 degrees.
The glaciation of the Dividing and Sugan ranges has a great influence on the local climate. The significant reflectivity of the ice and the heat costs of melting glaciers create a noticeable temperature difference between the upper and lower parts of the valley. This generates downward glacial winds that merge with mountain winds at night.
ATTRACTIONS
The main attraction of the Digorsky Gorge is Lake Tsada (Tabarakhtytsad). This is a unique mountain natural reservoir, a relict lake - the only one located on an ancient landslide, at the southern foot of the Rocky Range in the Digorsky Gorge, in the valley of the Aigamugidon River, above the village of Upper Faraskat (1500 m above sea level). In 2004, the first joint expedition of the employees of the North Ossetian Reserve and the National Park of Ossetia to the specified lake was undertaken.
According to experts, the lake is in the age stage called "old age", it overgrows abundantly and gradually turns into a pond. The bottom and walls of the original basin are covered all over with a more or less thick layer of silt, completely hiding its original shape. The original depression has turned into a lake bed.
Above the lake rises a rock-outlier - Alhoyna ("spindle") of limestone, once slipped from the Rocky Range. Near it - traces of collapses with separate blocks and screes. A karst spring springs from under the rocks, and the sound of water is constantly heard. To the west of the lake flows a small perennial stream.
The lake has an oval shape about 60 m long and 20-25 m wide. Along the periphery, the lake is already overgrown with reeds and other moisture-loving herbs. On the dam itself there are separate birch trees. Shrub willows, birches and shrubby cinquefoil (Kuril tea) grow from woody plants around the lake. This overgrown part, apparently, is flooded with water only during periods of snowmelt and heavy rains, that is, when the lake overflows with water.
In winter, the lake freezes over. Ice formation begins in late November-December. The shallowness of the lake, its relatively small size and low water exchange are not remarkable, but for this region, that is, the southern foot of the Rocky Range, this is the largest natural reservoir. The lake is a good object for natural-science excursions.
There are other places in the South of Russia that are well suited for winter holidays. A wide range of materials with practical information about the resorts and sights of the Caucasus is offered to the attention of readers on the "Tourism" page and in the corresponding thematic section of the "Reference Book" on the "Caucasian Knot" website. We also invite you to see and appreciate the natural beauty of the Caucasus, with its unique landscapes and landscapes, in our special photo album "
Mountain Digoria is divided into Eastern and Western parts. The conditional boundary between them is considered to be the channel of the main water artery of Digoria - Urukh (Irafa in the Digor manner), which in the upper reaches is formed from the confluence of the Karaugomdon and Khares rivers. After confluence with the river Karaugomdon (absolute height 1490 m), flowing from under the Karaugom glacier, Urukh immediately becomes abounding in water, increasing in volume by 2.5-3 times. Flowing further along the bottom of the wide Urukh Gorge, the Urukh River receives two of its largest tributaries: on the left - Bilyagidon, on the right - Aigamugidon. It reaches the Urukh plain near the village of Kalukh (abs. height 750 m). Thus, on a relatively short stretch - 20 km, the drop in height is almost 750 m. You can imagine the speed of the water flow.
The road to the upper reaches of the Digorsky Gorge is laid along the Urukh River and passes the “gates” of the Alania National Park in the village of Matsuta.
Almost all the natural attractions of Western Digoria are located on the territory of the Alania Park, access to which is still free (2016).
After Matsuta, the road passes to the left bank of the Urukh. The valley gradually narrows, the slopes become steeper, a forest appears. The outlines of the surrounding mountains become sharp, the peaks are sharp, rocky, and the slopes are steep and steep.
After 6 km from Matsuta we get to the village of Akhsau, behind which the Digorskoe gorge becomes wider. From here you can clearly see the entire Urukh Gorge - a grandiose trough with a flat wide bottom and steep steep slopes. To the right of the road rise the spurs of the Sugan ridge, to the left - the Kazatykhokh massif - two huge links of the Side Range, separated by the transverse valley of the Urukh River. The river flows along a wide bottom, winding and dividing into numerous branches.
A peculiar trough-shaped (trough-shaped) form indicates that it was created not only by a river, but also by an ancient glacier descending 20-25 thousand years ago from the northern slope of the Main Dividing Range.
Another 4 km of the road, and at the foot of the Chirkh ridge, where the Karaugomdon and Khares rivers merge - the two main sources of the Urukh River, the road forks. To the left, across the bridge along the Karaugomdon River, the road goes to the camp site "Dzinaga" and further to the village of Dzinaga.
We will continue along another road along the Khares River to the Kharesskoe, or Upper Digorskoe Gorge. Here it would be appropriate to talk about the origin of the name of the gorge Digorsky. It comes from the name of the Ossetian ethnic group - the Digorians (in Ossetian - "digoron" or "dyguron"), who have long inhabited the Urukh gorge.
The Upper Digorsky Gorge is very beautiful. From the south, above the greenery of the forests, the peaks of the Main Dividing Range, exceeding 4000 m, sparkle with white snow, and from the north, no less high granite massifs of the Sugan Range rise.
The road passes through the villages of Moska, Odola and Stur Digora, which is located 6 km from the fork in the road. At the end of the XIX century. it was the largest settlement in mountainous Digoria. In 1884 it had 588 inhabitants (67 households).
Today, like all mountain villages, Stur-Digora (Ustur-Digora, Big Digoria - Ossetian) is going through hard times. The number of households, and, accordingly, the number of inhabitants has sharply decreased. But there were also many new brick houses under tiles and slate. Old buildings (Hadzars) are well preserved in Stur Digor. The lower floor of such a house had an economic purpose, and the upper one served as housing.
In the village in 2007, a chapel was consecrated in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Search for the Lost". This is one of the highest (2300 meters above sea level) chapel in Europe and the Russian Federation. Kind of a tourist attraction.
The blue (color of the Virgin) pyramidal dome of the chapel seems even bluer against the background of snow-white peaks, because from the village of Stur-Digora a wonderful view of the mountains opens up. The cone-shaped green mountain Kubus, sacred to the Digorians, is perfectly visible, which separates the valleys of the Khares and Tanadon rivers.
The last village in the gorge is Kussu, which is located not far from Stur Digora - 3 km. When you are at the top of Kubus, you notice that the villages of the Verkhne-Digorsky gorge are located on the left bank of the Khares almost nearby. Between them there are holiday villages and new recreation centers, so it seems that the houses of the villages stretch along the road in a single street.
Another 1 km from Kussu, and we drive up to the recreation center "Rostselmash".
From here begins the resort area of the Digorsky Gorge with recreation centers of various sizes and comfort - for every taste and budget. On a segment of the gorge 3 km from the recreation center "Rostselmash" among pine forests there are such comfortable shelters as "Eagle's Nest", "Threshold of Heaven", "Tana-Park", "Koma-art".
Stop and enjoy the rare beauty of nature, walk along easy routes to waterfalls, of which there are many, because it is not for nothing that Digoria is called the “Land of a Thousand Waterfalls”.
