Adygea is a fascinating and lesser-known republic of the North Caucasus.
Landlocked within Krasnodar Krai, Adygea is a region of lush forests, hiking trails, and rich history. This captivating republic is a blend of Turkish, Circassian, and Soviet influences, making it a cultural tapestry that’s hard to define. Historically known as Circassia, Adygea once stretched from the Black Sea to modern-day Kabardino-Balkaria, with a past marked by the tragic and unrecognized genocide of the Circassian tribes.
I’ve had the opportunity to explore Adygea during the summer, it’s a popular North Caucasus destination for russian families with low mountains, easy accessible nature and plenty of tourist infrastructures.
In this guide, I’ve compiled everything you need to know about traveling to Adygea, from practical tips to cultural insights, ensuring you have all the information needed for an off the beaten track adventure !
Last updated : 10/02/2024
It’s mandatory to have an insurance to travel in Russia and apply for a russian visa (including the e-visa)
I recommend Attollo Assistance (24/7 assistance, medical expenses up to 35 000 €, repatriation)
Why Visit Adygea?
Here’s why you should consider visiting Russia’s smallest republic :
1. Stunning Natural Landscapes
The region’s natural beauty makes it an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Adygea is home to breathtaking landscapes, including lush forests, picturesque valleys, and castle-like mountains
2. Hiking trails
Explore numerous trails that range from easy walks to multi days hikes. Popular spots include the Caucasus Nature Reserven, Lago-Naki Plateau and Bolshoy Thach mountain.
3. Adventure and Outdoor Activities
Plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy in Adygea : White-Water Rafting, Horseback Riding, Paragliding etc
4. Rich Cultural Heritage
Learn about the Circassian people, their traditions, and their tragic history through museums as well as local festivals. Lots of ancient dolmens can also be found scaterred across Adygea.
5. Circassian cuisine
Taste Lilibzh Adygea’s national meal but also Circassian cheese that’s reknown throughout Russia and of course Haliva a fried dough filled with local cheese.
Key Information About Adygea
Capital : Maykop ((Майкоп)
Population : About 450 000 inhabitants
Languages : Adygean and Russian, but you’ll also find “Circassians” from Turkey and Syria. Arabic and Turkish is quite common, especially in the capital.
Religion : Sunni Islam and Oxthodox Christianity
Dress code : None but wear something decent and covering to enter the mosques and churches.
Visa : The Republic of Adygea is part of the Russian Federation so you will need a Russian visa if necessary depending your nationality.
Best time to travel : Late spring, summer and autumn. Bring a rain jacket anytime of the year though, Adygea is very green because it rains quite a lot.
Understanding the Circassians
Who are the Circassians ?
The names of “Circassians” and “Tcherkess” is used in the West and in Russia to describe a group of 12 tribes from Circassia (+ the Abkhaz people of Abkhazia, from Transcaucasia) who are ethnically and lingustically very close to each other.
The Circassian Genocide
The ethnic cleansing of the Circassian tribes by the Russian Tsar’s army started in 1864. During about 3 years they have been massacred and kicked out of their historical land. Circassia used to be half of North Western Caucasus and within a few years has been swipped of the map.
The Circassians who managed to survive fleed to the Ottoman Empire through the Black Sea. Circassian diasporas can be found in the Balkans, Turkey, and the Middle East.
The Circassian Genocide has never been recognised by the Russian government.
Accomodation in Adygea
There is a lot of accomodation in Maykop : from hostel to hotels. For the rest of republic, there are plenty of guesthouses in and near the touristy villages. You can easily find suitable lodging everywhere in Adygea.
Booking: Use Zenhotels, a great alternative to Booking.com in Russia. There’s also a hostel at the entrance of Bolshoi Tkhatch National Park (Phone: +7 988 150 01 02).
Getting to Adygea
From Moscow: Adygea is 1250 km from Moscow. There isn’t any train from Moscow that stops directly to Maykop the capital. Three daily trains from Moscow to Sochi and Abkhazia stop in Belorechenskaya (Белореченская), from where you can catch a bus or another train to Maykop, about 30 kilometers away.
You can book your ticket directly on Russiantrain.com with a foreign Visa/Mastercard.
Flights: Daily flights to Krasnodar from major Russian cities including Moscow. A bus from Krasnodar to Maykop takes about 2.5 hours. You must double check that Krasnodar’s airport isn’t still closed due to the SMO. You can book national flights in Russia on Kupi.com
Safety Tips
Adygea has a much better reputation than its neighbours Karachay – Cherkessia and Kabardino – Balkaria. No worries to have.
Always check the weather forecast before hiking due to heavy rainfall (that’s why it’s so green) that can make paths slippery and dangerous.
I highly recommend you to take rain gears with you : at least a rain jacket but rain pants and waterproof shoes would be great too. I got drenched more than once even though I had a good rain jacket.
Some Must-Try Adygean Cuisine
• Lilibzh (Лылыбж) is one of Adygea’s most popular national dish, it’s a sort of meat (beef or lamb) stew
• Khaliuzh (Хъалыжъу) or the adygean version of cheburek with local cheese
• Khyalyzhozhyy (Хьалыжъожъый) or adygean vareniki filled with cheese
• Koyazh (Кояж) is the adygean “omelette” made of fried cheese, eggs and herbs
• Lileps (Лылэпс) is a soup with beef, onion and herbs.
• Dzhenchyps (Джэнчыщыпс) is a soup with red beans and rice
There are plenty more dishes to try of course. I highly recommend you to eat at the “Adygea Ane – Адыгэ 1анэ” restaurant in Maikop, it’s a small place with traditionnal circassian 3 legs round tables (1анэ = table) where they serve exclusively circassian cuisine.
Recommended Reading and Viewing
If you are interested in learning about Circassian people, I recommend you all these following books and movies.
Any movies or books to recommend, feel free to share !
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