Southern Russia & the North Caucasus
Russia's southern frontier, stretching from the Don steppe to the Caspian shore, with the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, Europe's highest peak Mount Elbrus, and the canyons of Dagestan.
This region comprises the Southern Federal District and the North Caucasus Federal District: Krasnodar Krai, Adygea, Rostov, Volgograd, Astrakhan and Kalmykia, plus Stavropol Krai, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan. Crimea is not included in the Russian administrative divisions used in this dataset; areas north of Saratov belong to the Volga Region and the Urals.
Sochi is Russia's most popular seaside resort. After the 2014 Winter Olympics, the Olympic Park was built there, and in the mountains Krasnaya Polyana (with ski areas such as Rosa Khutor) offers skiing in winter and hiking in summer. On the main Caucasus ridge, Mount Elbrus, at 5,642 m, is the highest peak in Europe; cable cars rise to about 3,800 m for views. Dombay and Arkhyz are mountain resort areas in Karachay-Cherkessia. In Stavropol Krai, the "Caucasian Mineral Waters" towns such as Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk are known for their spa treatments. Dagestan has the Sulak Canyon and the ancient city and fortress of Derbent (a World Heritage site); Volgograd has the Mamayev Kurgan memorial statue, and in Astrakhan you can visit the Volga Delta.
Allow about 4–6 days for the Sochi coast and mountains, and 4–5 days for the Elbrus and mineral-water-towns route, usually flying via the Mineralnye Vody airport. Some North Caucasus republics (Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and others) and border areas carry security risks, and many governments advise against or restrict travel there; check your own government's latest advice before you go. Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad do not work in Russia.