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Sidestep.com

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2980 Bowers Ave

Santa Clara, CA 95054

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I have used this website for the last five years to find great airline and hotel reservations. I have always found the cheapest airfares when I compared this site to other websites. Recently they combined forces with Kayak.com. One of the nice features of using this service is when you retrieve search results for your travel inquiries it will separate by departures or arrival times, stops or nonstops, price, by airline even by other travel search engines such as priceline and expedia etc. If you set it up right when you search another site for travel info it will open up box to the left side of the screen and search for the same information your requesting without having to type additional information. I love this site and find it very handy. Sometime when you get bored please browse thru and make your travel life that much easier.

I have been living in Croatia for the last year and for all my flights to the states I always use Sidestep!!! Thank you Sidestep for making my travel experience easier!!

five years ago, i wanted to travel to seven continents. one by one, my then boyfriend now husband and i picked them off. and, in thirty short months, we did it. we had gone to the ends of the world and back. and, we have to credit sidestep for helping me save hundreds of dollars to accomplish it. i love love love this site! i always evangelize its word to my friends and family... and, they're all converts. to this day, we still continue to travel. domestically, my cocktail is sidestep.com with a dash of southwest.com. the option for daily/weekly emails is also awesome. thanks for everything, sidestep.

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Kayak.com Travel Search Engine Merges With SideStep Inc.

Kayak.com announced today the completion of a $196 financing round, which they will use to complete a merger with SideStep Inc. and to pursue a more aggressive global expansion. With the merger of Kayak.com and SideStep.com, ‘the world’s first travel search site’, they will have created the world’s 5th largest travel brand.

Both Kayak and SideStep are meta travel sites, and search hundreds of other travel websites including airlines, hotels, and sites such as Orbitz.com. The overlap of users between Kayak and SideStep is just around 10%, according to Kayak.

Combined, Kayak and SideStep will be a powerful force. Together they have more monthly unique visitors than Priceline, every airline except Southwest, and every hotel and rental car brand. It is estimated that consumers will conduct more than 33 million searches on Kayak.com and its affiliates in January 2008, which double their 16 million searches in January 2007.

Kayak.com revealed that they intend to maintain the two separate brands, and will develop and promote each site independently. Additionally, key SideStep.com personnel will be joining Kayak.com’s team, and the merger will combine the best practices of each company. Users of both Kayak.com and SideStep.com will benefit as well, having access to more comprehensive rates and availability data, a larger selection of products and services, and an overall improved customer service experience.

Consumers visiting the two sites will not notice much of a difference just by looking at them. However, on the backend, by combining content and technology, they’ll be able to make SideStep’s interface faster, and Kayak will have access to SideStep travel guides, hotel reviews, and their downloadable toolbar. Users will also be able to make broader searches internationally due to the fact that the sites will combine travel partners. While Kayak and SideStep’s domestic roster of airlines and hotels are virtually identical, their partnerships abroad vary.

As a part of the financing and merger, Michael Moritz of Sequoia Capital will join Kayak’s Board of Directors. Other participants in the financing round include existing Kayak investors Accel Partners and General Catalyst Partners, as well as SideStep investors Norwest Venture Partners and Trident Capital. New investors include Lehman Brothers Venture Partners and Oak Investment Partners, and debt lenders Gold Hill Capital and Silicon Valley Bank.

Julie McCormick

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Here's how to sidestep airline fees and save money.

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Southwest Southwest doesn't charge you for a bag. It's easy to feel cheated when you're flying. Even if you get a sweet deal on the ticket itself, your carrier may charge you for your bag, for a meal, and in some cases, for watching a movie.

All those fees became hyper-popular in the airline industry in 2008 . AirfareWatchdog President George Hobica says that between flying fears induced by 9/11 and lack of demand following the financial crisis, American carriers lost billions of dollars from 2001 to 2009 .

"Airlines tried to raise fares," Hobica says, "but when they raised fares, if even they raised them 1%, they would lose business. So now people pay for what they use."

You already know the main culprits. The biggest one is checked bags. Some low-cost carriers like Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant will hit you for carry-on bags, too. And if you decide to change your ticket, many carriers will charge you $200 even before any fares are included.

But with a little cunning, you can sidestep fees and save money.

• Comparison-shop with fees in mind. "When you're booking online you see a base fare," says Smarter Travel Executive Editor Anne Banas , but that can be misleading. "If Delta is $10 cheaper than Southwest, then Southwest will actually be cheaper after fees, since they don't charge you for a checked bag."

• Take advantage of nearby airports. Banas says there's money to be saved by flying into or out of secondary airports in bigger cities. Flying into Oakland instead of San Francisco can save you some scratch — same with Baltimore instead of Washington, D.C., or Providence, Rhode Island, instead of Boston.

• Get an airline credit card to fly with a free bag. Hobica recommends the United Explorer Card .

But most of all, consider how the airline structures its fees. Start with the infographic below.

Smarter Travel Media

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Compare flights from 100s of sites.

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Save money on airfare by searching for cheap flight tickets on KAYAK. KAYAK searches for flight deals on hundreds of airline tickets sites to help you find the cheapest flights. Whether you are looking for a last minute flight or a cheap plane ticket for a later date, you can find the best deals faster at KAYAK.

Las Vegas Flights

• Flight Seattle - Las Vegas (SEA - LAS) $21+
• Flight Los Angeles - Las Vegas (LAX - LAS) $22+
• Flight San Diego - Las Vegas (SAN - LAS) $24+
• Flight Phoenix - Las Vegas (PHX - LAS) $25+
• Flight Portland - Las Vegas (PDX - LAS) $31+
• Flight Ontario - Las Vegas (ONT - LAS) $35+
• Flight Dallas - Las Vegas (DFW - LAS) $37+
• Flight San Francisco - Las Vegas (SFO - LAS) $37+
• Flight San Jose - Las Vegas (SJC - LAS) $40+
• Flight Oakland - Las Vegas (OAK - LAS) $43+

Los Angeles Flights

• Flight Las Vegas - Los Angeles (LAS - LAX) $25+
• Flight San Jose - Los Angeles (SJC - LAX) $33+
• Flight San Francisco - Los Angeles (SFO - LAX) $41+
• Flight Dallas - Los Angeles (DFW - LAX) $45+
• Flight Phoenix - Los Angeles (PHX - LAX) $47+
• Flight Oakland - Los Angeles (OAK - LAX) $51+
• Flight Seattle - Los Angeles (SEA - LAX) $51+
• Flight Philadelphia - Los Angeles (PHL - LAX) $53+
• Flight Portland - Los Angeles (PDX - LAX) $61+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (IAH - LAX) $67+

Orlando Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Orlando (ATL - ORL) $30+
• Flight New York - Orlando (NYC - ORL) $39+
• Flight Baltimore - Orlando (BWI - ORL) $40+
• Flight Boston - Orlando (BOS - ORL) $40+
• Flight Charlotte - Orlando (CLT - ORL) $40+
• Flight Dallas - Orlando (DFW - ORL) $41+
• Flight Hartford - Orlando (BDL - ORL) $45+
• Flight Philadelphia - Orlando (PHL - ORL) $46+
• Flight St. Louis - Orlando (STL - ORL) $47+
• Flight Pittsburgh - Orlando (PIT - ORL) $55+

Cancun Flights

• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Cancún (FLL - CUN) $136+
• Flight Dallas - Cancún (DFW - CUN) $146+
• Flight Houston - Cancún (HOU - CUN) $146+
• Flight Orlando - Cancún (ORL - CUN) $152+
• Flight Chicago - Cancún (CHI - CUN) $158+
• Flight Philadelphia - Cancún (PHL - CUN) $163+
• Flight Houston - Cancún (IAH - CUN) $178+
• Flight Los Angeles - Cancún (LAX - CUN) $182+
• Flight Atlanta - Cancún (ATL - CUN) $214+
• Flight San Antonio - Cancún (SAT - CUN) $221+

Tokyo Flights

• Flight Honolulu - Tokyo (HNL - TYO) $346+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - TYO) $393+
• Flight San Jose - Tokyo (SJC - TYO) $480+
• Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - TYO) $545+
• Flight Las Vegas - Tokyo (LAS - TYO) $563+
• Flight Phoenix - Tokyo (PHX - TYO) $571+
• Flight San Diego - Tokyo (SAN - TYO) $573+
• Flight Denver - Tokyo (DEN - TYO) $611+
• Flight Chicago - Tokyo (CHI - TYO) $641+
• Flight Houston - Tokyo (IAH - TYO) $657+

Chicago Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - CHI) $36+
• Flight New York - Chicago (NYC - CHI) $39+
• Flight Dallas - Chicago (DFW - CHI) $41+
• Flight Fort Myers - Chicago (RSW - CHI) $55+
• Flight Houston - Chicago (IAH - CHI) $56+
• Flight Phoenix - Chicago (PHX - CHI) $60+
• Flight Philadelphia - Chicago (PHL - CHI) $63+
• Flight Tampa - Chicago (TPA - CHI) $63+
• Flight Boston - Chicago (BOS - CHI) $66+
• Flight Las Vegas - Chicago (LAS - CHI) $67+

Phoenix Flights

• Flight Las Vegas - Phoenix (LAS - PHX) $35+
• Flight Los Angeles - Phoenix (LAX - PHX) $41+
• Flight Dallas - Phoenix (DFW - PHX) $54+
• Flight Ontario - Phoenix (ONT - PHX) $56+
• Flight Chicago - Phoenix (CHI - PHX) $59+
• Flight Minneapolis - Phoenix (MSP - PHX) $60+
• Flight San Diego - Phoenix (SAN - PHX) $60+
• Flight Seattle - Phoenix (SEA - PHX) $61+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Phoenix (SLC - PHX) $62+
• Flight Santa Ana - Phoenix (SNA - PHX) $66+

India Flights

• Flight Chicago - New Delhi (CHI - DEL) $605+
• Flight New York - New Delhi (NYC - DEL) $614+
• Flight Boston - New Delhi (BOS - DEL) $625+
• Flight Boston - Mumbai (BOS - BOM) $658+
• Flight New York - Mumbai (NYC - BOM) $659+
• Flight San Francisco - Mumbai (SFO - BOM) $682+
• Flight New York - Ahmedabad (NYC - AMD) $685+
• Flight San Francisco - Bengaluru (SFO - BLR) $686+
• Flight Dallas - New Delhi (DFW - DEL) $699+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - Hyderabad (WAS - HYD) $705+

Japan Flights

• Flight Portland - Tokyo (PDX - TYO) $646+
• Flight Atlanta - Tokyo (ATL - TYO) $658+
• Flight Dallas - Tokyo (DFW - TYO) $664+
• Flight Los Angeles - Osaka (LAX - OSA) $674+
• Flight San Francisco - Osaka (SFO - OSA) $681+
• Flight Seattle - Tokyo (SEA - TYO) $722+
• Flight New York - Tokyo (NYC - TYO) $739+
• Flight Los Angeles - Okinawa (LAX - OKA) $798+
• Flight Boston - Tokyo (BOS - TYO) $900+

New York Flights

• Flight Boston - Newark (BOS - NYC) $31+
• Flight Chicago - New York (CHI - NYC) $39+
• Flight Atlanta - New York (ATL - NYC) $40+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - New York (FLL - NYC) $41+
• Flight Charlotte - New York (CLT - NYC) $47+
• Flight Raleigh - New York (RDU - NYC) $47+
• Flight Miami - Newark (MIA - NYC) $56+
• Flight Tampa - New York (TPA - NYC) $56+
• Flight Indianapolis - Newark (IND - NYC) $57+
• Flight Orlando - New York (ORL - NYC) $61+

Miami Flights

• Flight Dallas - Miami (DFW - MIA) $42+
• Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $46+
• Flight Raleigh - Miami (RDU - MIA) $48+
• Flight Boston - Miami (BOS - MIA) $49+
• Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $50+
• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $50+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (CHI - MIA) $51+
• Flight New York - Miami (NYC - MIA) $52+
• Flight Nashville - Miami (BNA - MIA) $67+
• Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $68+

Rome Flights

• Flight New York - Rome (NYC - ROM) $318+
• Flight Miami - Rome (MIA - ROM) $377+
• Flight Boston - Rome (BOS - ROM) $381+
• Flight Baltimore - Rome (BWI - ROM) $433+
• Flight Los Angeles - Rome (LAX - ROM) $450+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Rome (FLL - ROM) $451+
• Flight New Orleans - Rome (MSY - ROM) $453+
• Flight Minneapolis - Rome (MSP - ROM) $454+
• Flight San Francisco - Rome (SFO - ROM) $456+
• Flight Atlanta - Rome (ATL - ROM) $479+

Seattle Flights

• Flight Las Vegas - Seattle (LAS - SEA) $23+
• Flight Los Angeles - Seattle (LAX - SEA) $42+
• Flight Phoenix - Seattle (PHX - SEA) $57+
• Flight Sacramento - Seattle (SMF - SEA) $64+
• Flight San Jose - Seattle (SJC - SEA) $64+
• Flight Denver - Seattle (DEN - SEA) $77+
• Flight Ontario - Seattle (ONT - SEA) $78+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Seattle (SLC - SEA) $78+
• Flight San Diego - Seattle (SAN - SEA) $78+
• Flight San Francisco - Seattle (SFO - SEA) $108+

Fort Lauderdale Flights

• Flight Hartford - Fort Lauderdale (BDL - FLL) $37+
• Flight Raleigh - Fort Lauderdale (RDU - FLL) $41+
• Flight New York - Fort Lauderdale (NYC - FLL) $46+
• Flight Dallas - Fort Lauderdale (DFW - FLL) $47+
• Flight Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale (ATL - FLL) $50+
• Flight Philadelphia - Fort Lauderdale (PHL - FLL) $55+
• Flight Tampa - Fort Lauderdale (TPA - FLL) $57+
• Flight Nashville - Fort Lauderdale (BNA - FLL) $60+
• Flight Boston - Fort Lauderdale (BOS - FLL) $66+
• Flight Cincinnati - Fort Lauderdale (CVG - FLL) $66+

Atlanta Flights

• Flight Orlando - Atlanta (ORL - ATL) $27+
• Flight Philadelphia - Atlanta (PHL - ATL) $30+
• Flight Tampa - Atlanta (TPA - ATL) $30+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $34+
• Flight Boston - Atlanta (BOS - ATL) $37+
• Flight New York - Atlanta (NYC - ATL) $37+
• Flight Chicago - Atlanta (CHI - ATL) $41+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (IAH - ATL) $46+
• Flight Miami - Atlanta (MIA - ATL) $46+
• Flight Minneapolis - Atlanta (MSP - ATL) $49+

Boston Flights

• Flight Orlando - Boston (ORL - BOS) $38+
• Flight Atlanta - Boston (ATL - BOS) $40+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Boston (FLL - BOS) $44+
• Flight San Francisco - Boston (SFO - BOS) $44+
• Flight Tampa - Boston (TPA - BOS) $45+
• Flight Baltimore - Boston (BWI - BOS) $47+
• Flight Dallas - Boston (DFW - BOS) $51+
• Flight Houston - Boston (IAH - BOS) $60+
• Flight Miami - Boston (MIA - BOS) $64+
• Flight Nashville - Boston (BNA - BOS) $66+

United States Flights

• Flight Minneapolis - Phoenix (MSP - PH1) $67+
• Flight Denver - Las Vegas (DEN - LAS) $73+
• Flight Atlanta - Los Angeles (ATL - LAX) $80+
• Flight Atlanta - Las Vegas (ATL - LAS) $95+
• Flight Minneapolis - Las Vegas (MSP - LAS) $110+
• Flight Los Angeles - Honolulu (LAX - HNL) $183+

Hawaii Flights

• Flight San Francisco - Hawaii (SFO - USHI) $157+
• Flight San Jose - Hawaii (SJC - USHI) $171+
• Flight Los Angeles - Hawaii (LAX - USHI) $183+
• Flight Oakland - Hawaii (OAK - USHI) $209+
• Flight Seattle - Hawaii (SEA - USHI) $210+
• Flight Portland - Hawaii (PDX - USHI) $236+
• Flight Sacramento - Hawaii (SMF - USHI) $236+
• Flight San Diego - Hawaii (SAN - USHI) $236+
• Flight Ontario - Hawaii (ONT - USHI) $276+
• Flight Las Vegas - Hawaii (LAS - USHI) $315+

London Flights

• Flight New York - London (NYC - LON) $276+
• Flight Miami - London (MIA - LON) $332+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LON) $368+
• Flight Los Angeles - London (LAX - LON) $440+
• Flight Las Vegas - London (LAS - LON) $442+
• Flight Baltimore - London (BWI - LON) $447+
• Flight Chicago - London (CHI - LON) $447+
• Flight San Francisco - London (SFO - LON) $455+
• Flight Denver - London (DEN - LON) $460+
• Flight Atlanta - London (ATL - LON) $464+

Paris Flights

• Flight New York - Paris (NYC - PAR) $209+
• Flight Baltimore - Paris (BWI - PAR) $314+
• Flight Boston - Paris (BOS - PAR) $327+
• Flight New Windsor - Paris (SWF - PAR) $327+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - Paris (WAS - PAR) $327+
• Flight Chicago - Paris (CHI - PAR) $372+
• Flight Miami - Paris (MIA - PAR) $393+
• Flight Orlando - Paris (ORL - PAR) $396+
• Flight Los Angeles - Paris (LAX - PAR) $399+
• Flight Atlanta - Paris (ATL - PAR) $400+

Manila Flights

• Flight Los Angeles - Manila (LAX - MNL) $612+
• Flight San Francisco - Manila (SFO - MNL) $713+
• Flight Ontario - Manila (ONT - MNL) $741+
• Flight Seattle - Manila (SEA - MNL) $741+
• Flight Chicago - Manila (CHI - MNL) $753+
• Flight New York - Manila (NYC - MNL) $761+
• Flight Phoenix - Manila (PHX - MNL) $766+
• Flight Dallas - Manila (DFW - MNL) $771+
• Flight Miami - Manila (MIA - MNL) $771+
• Flight Honolulu - Manila (HNL - MNL) $794+

Denver Flights

• Flight San Francisco - Denver (SFO - DEN) $57+
• Flight San Diego - Denver (SAN - DEN) $58+
• Flight Los Angeles - Denver (LAX - DEN) $66+
• Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $67+
• Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $69+
• Flight Phoenix - Denver (PHX - DEN) $76+
• Flight Seattle - Denver (SEA - DEN) $81+
• Flight Atlanta - Denver (ATL - DEN) $82+
• Flight Indianapolis - Denver (IND - DEN) $83+
• Flight Houston - Denver (IAH - DEN) $90+

San Francisco Flights

• Flight Las Vegas - San Francisco (LAS - SFO) $37+
• Flight Ontario - San Francisco (ONT - SFO) $45+
• Flight San Diego - San Francisco (SAN - SFO) $45+
• Flight Los Angeles - San Francisco (LAX - SFO) $46+
• Flight Santa Ana - San Francisco (SNA - SFO) $47+
• Flight Denver - San Francisco (DEN - SFO) $57+
• Flight Portland - San Francisco (PDX - SFO) $61+
• Flight Salt Lake City - San Francisco (SLC - SFO) $62+
• Flight Phoenix - San Francisco (PHX - SFO) $72+
• Flight Dallas - San Francisco (DFW - SFO) $106+

San Diego Flights

• Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $26+
• Flight Las Vegas - San Diego (LAS - SAN) $30+
• Flight Portland - San Diego (PDX - SAN) $48+
• Flight Sacramento - San Diego (SMF - SAN) $51+
• Flight San Francisco - San Diego (SFO - SAN) $51+
• Flight Phoenix - San Diego (PHX - SAN) $55+
• Flight Dallas - San Diego (DFW - SAN) $60+
• Flight Denver - San Diego (DEN - SAN) $61+
• Flight Oakland - San Diego (OAK - SAN) $61+
• Flight Salt Lake City - San Diego (SLC - SAN) $68+

Punta Cana Flights

• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Punta Cana (FLL - PUJ) $111+
• Flight Atlanta - Punta Cana (ATL - PUJ) $224+
• Flight Miami - Punta Cana (MIA - PUJ) $226+
• Flight New York - Punta Cana (NYC - PUJ) $239+
• Flight Tampa - Punta Cana (TPA - PUJ) $249+
• Flight Philadelphia - Punta Cana (PHL - PUJ) $257+
• Flight Chicago - Punta Cana (CHI - PUJ) $258+
• Flight Boston - Punta Cana (BOS - PUJ) $260+
• Flight Pittsburgh - Punta Cana (PIT - PUJ) $264+
• Flight Baltimore - Punta Cana (BWI - PUJ) $267+

Europe Flights

• Flight Miami - Madrid (MIA - MAD) $316+
• Flight Boston - Dublin (BOS - DUB) $323+
• Flight Boston - Madrid (BOS - MAD) $328+
• Flight New York - Athens (NYC - ATH) $335+
• Flight Boston - Lisbon (BOS - LIS) $354+
• Flight Los Angeles - Madrid (LAX - MAD) $413+
• Flight Boston - Athens (BOS - ATH) $419+
• Flight Los Angeles - Lisbon (LAX - LIS) $446+
• Flight Los Angeles - Athens (LAX - ATH) $460+
• Flight San Francisco - Lisbon (SFO - LIS) $527+

Florida Flights

• Flight Boston - Florida (BOS - USFL) $40+
• Flight Dallas - Florida (DFW - USFL) $42+
• Flight Hartford - Florida (BDL - USFL) $45+
• Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $46+
• Flight Atlanta - Florida (ATL - USFL) $50+
• Flight Baltimore - Florida (BWI - USFL) $53+
• Flight New York - Florida (NYC - USFL) $56+
• Flight Minneapolis - Florida (MSP - USFL) $74+
• Flight Charlotte - Florida (CLT - USFL) $76+
• Flight Los Angeles - Florida (LAX - USFL) $107+

Frequently asked questions

What do i need to know before booking a flight.

There are various factors to consider when booking a flight including cost, fare classes, baggage policies, the complications of flying long haul, and complying with airport regulations. To make your booking journey smoother KAYAK has developed a comprehensive flight guide including insights on finding affordable flights, packing efficiently, and utilizing the best travel tools.

What is the cheapest day of the week to book a flight?

The best day to book your flight depends on a number of factors, but there are general trends that you can follow to increase your chances of cheaper plane tickets. Based on an analysis of KAYAK data for all flights departing from inside United States over the last 12 months, the cheapest day to fly for domestic flights is Wednesday. For international flights, Tuesday had the cheapest tickets on average.

Which month of the year are flight prices lowest?

It’s well established that flights in the low season are generally cheaper than ticket prices during the high season. That means that knowing which month to find the lowest priced plane tickets will depend heavily on seasonality and your destination. While avoiding peak travel times can help you keep costs down, our data shows that the month with the lowest priced plane tickets for domestic flights based on all searches made on KAYAK in the last 12 months was January, while the most expensive was July. If you’re booking an international flight, then January is the cheapest month to fly and June the most expensive.

When is the best time to buy plane tickets - Last minute or in advance?

Last minute flight deals are definitely up for grabs but when exactly to purchase your plane tickets will depend on where you’re traveling to and from. Based on all data for flight searches made on KAYAK over the last 12 months, prices for domestic flights remained below the average price up to 1 weeks before departure. For international flights, deals could still be had up to 1 weeks prior to the departure date, with prices remaining below average. If you’re flexible, KAYAK brings you both advance and last minute one-way and round-trip flight deals.

Can flying international flights with a layover save money on airfare?

For many long-haul international flights, flying non-stop is not possible and you will have to fly with a layover. Some routes will offer both and you could consider flying with a layover for a number of reasons. Firstly, breaking up what would otherwise be a long-haul flight, taking a rest and then completing the journey might make the flight more manageable. Secondly, prices can also be lower than non-stop flights, so while it might take longer for you to reach your destination, you could save money. We’ve looked at prices over the last 12 months for the 100 most popular international destinations for KAYAK users and on average, prices for non-stop flights were cheaper than flights with a layover.

How does KAYAK find such low flight prices?

KAYAK processes over 2 billion flight queries annually and displays results from hundreds of airlines and third party sites, allowing it to find a variety of flight prices and options. It also displays results from 2M+ properties along with rental cars, vacation packages, activities and millions of verified reviews so users can see as many available travel options as possible.

How do I find the best flight deals on KAYAK?

A simple flight search at https://www.kayak.com/flights scans for prices on hundreds of travel sites in seconds. We gather flight deals from across the web and put them in one place. Then on the search results page you can use various filters to compare options for the same flight and easily choose the best flight deal from all of the deals coming straight from the travel sites to your screen, with no extra fee from KAYAK.

How can Hacker Fares save me money?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets on different airlines when it can save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket.

Does KAYAK query more flight providers than competitors?

Yes, KAYAK has access to more data and information than online travel agencies and consistently outperforms the competition in accuracy, globally.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you flights up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. That way, you can see if leaving a day or two earlier will find you a better deal. You can also select the flexible "weekend" or "month" search options to widen your search range and find the cheapest price that works for you.

Search cheap flights with KAYAK. Search for the cheapest airline tickets for all the top airlines around the world, airports around the world and the top international flight routes . KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites to help you find cheap airfare and book a flight that suits you best. Since KAYAK searches many plane tickets sites at once, you can find cheap tickets from cheap airlines and for trains and buses quickly.

KAYAK also helps you find the right hotels for your needs.

• Tech Industry

Travel site SideStep buys hotel blog start-up

With the acquisition, SideStep plans to extend TravelPost.com's blogging platform into other areas, such as restaurants.

With the acquisition, SideStep plans to extend TravelPost's blogging platform into areas beyond hotels, such as restaurants, SideStep CEO Rob Solomon said Monday.

"There is a wealth of potential content?in consumers' minds," he said. "If we can get them to share that content, it creates a better experience."

Santa Clara, Calif.-based SideStep offers price and availability information for flights, hotels and car rentals. San Mateo, Calif.-based TravelPost enables people to specify their age, gender, travel budget and purpose of their trip so that other people can see hotel reviews from people with similar demographics.

Solomon declined to specify the value of the cash-and-stock deal, which was completed Tuesday.

SideStep, which is seven years old, has about 5.3 million unique visitors each month during the summer. TravelPost, which is two years old, has about 700,000 unique users each month and more than 250,000 hotel reviews, the companies said.

While the sites will continue to operate independently, SideStep will bring TravelPost's employees into its offices. The combined company will have more than 70 employees. Within a year, the sites will have a shared user log-in and registration system, Solomon said.

The two companies have had a partnership for about a year.

Travel Tips to Kabardino-Balkaria: More than Mt. Elbrus!

If you’ve traveled to the North Caucasus before, there is a good chance you’ve already been to Kabardino-Balkaria, and you didn’t even know it!  Kabardino-Balkaria lies in the center of the North Caucasus region, is home to Mt. Elbrus, but more than that is a treasure chest of travel possibilities.  Here is our guide to traveling through the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, or 9 travel tips to this beautiful land:

1. How do I get there?

Kabardino-Balkaria hosts a large number of both foreign and Russian travelers every year, and has an improving infrastructure able to handle the incoming masses.  Let’s start with the obvious.  You might be a mountain climber or skier coming to enjoy the slopes of Mt. Elbrus.  That means you’re likely arriving on an airplane to Russia.  Here are your travel options:

A. Plane – We advise you fly into the Mineralni Vodi (MRV) airport in the Stavropol Region, which is about 45 minutes from the border of Kabardino-Balkaria.  MRV is the largest airport in the North Caucasus, and has daily direct flights to and from all 3 airpots in Moscow (SVO, DME, and VKO), direct flights from St. Petersburg, and several international flight routes as well, including from Istanbul, Dubai, Greece, Tel Aviv, and Bishkek.  The MRV airport has a growing infrastructure and is the most obvious choice to fly into if going to Elbrus.  From MRV, it’s a 2 hr. drive to Nalchik, and a 3.5 hr. drive to Mt. Elbrus.

That being said, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, Nalchik (NAL), also has a small regional airport with a daily flight to/from Moscow as well as weekly flights to Istanbul. As is to be expected in most smaller, regional airports around Russia, the service standard at a small airport like this will be minimal.  As a result, we recommend you flying in and out of MRV if able.  It’s a 2 hr. drive to Elbrus from Nalchik.  You can also fly into other regional airports which are 2 hrs. from Nalchik, such as OGZ in North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz) or IGT in Ingushetia (Magas).

B.  Car/Public Transport – If you have a car, are using a taxi, or are hitch-hiking your way to Kabardino-Balkaria, the region is accessible by a variety of roads and vehicles.  A major Russian federal highway E50 runs through Pyatigorsk into Kabardino-Balkaria, and can take you towards Mt. Elbrus, Nalchik, and deeper into the North Caucasus.  There are daily mini-buses, or “marshrutkas”, that travel to Nalchik from Pyatigorsk, Vladikavkaz, Grozny, and Magas, if you’re coming from a neighboring republic.  From the main Nalchik bus station, there is a marshrutka that goes to Terskol (i.e. Mt. Elbrus) daily around 12:30 pm; for that matter,  marshrutkas run daily into every valley of this beautiful republic.  For the seasoned international traveler, you can drive from the country of Georgia up the famed “Georgian Military Highway” through the heart of the Caucasus Mountains, cross the border into Russia at the “Verkhni Lars” border stop, and be in Nalchik in about 2.5 hours as well. 

Anyone traveling on their own should download the “Yandex” taxi app, which is Russia’s version of Uber, and has a very user-friendly app with affordable prices.  In smaller villages/towns where Yandex’s service doesn’t reach, just ask a local and they’ll direct you to a friend or relative who can taxi you where you need to go!

C.  Train – Kabardino-Balkaria is also very accessible by the famous cross-country Russian train system if that’s your preferred method of travel.  Almost all trains to the North Caucasus pass through Mineralni Vodi in the Stavropol region to the north, so make sure wherever you are coming from, Mineralni Vodi is one of the stops.  Despite Nalchik having a train station, the city is about 45 minutes from the main railway route that runs diagonal through the North Caucasus, and as a result it’s a bit convoluted to get a train directly to Nalchik.  That being said, the town Prokhladni is a regular stop on trains going to/coming from Baku, Makhachkala, Grozny, Nazran, and Vladikavkaz, so you can always hop off there and find your way by public transport or taxi.

2.  What are the best places to stay?

This list could get exhaustive, fast. 🙂  Let’s first look at an overview of the republic’s geography, followed by hotel recommendations:

A. Nalchik – This is the capital city of Kabardino-Balkaria, with a population of around 250,000.  Nalchik is growing and new, modern hotels are being built regularly.  Here are some of our recommendations:

-Modern and comfortable:  Azimut , Butik Otel

-Budget with less frills:  Hotel Rossia , Korona

You could comfortably spend a week in Nalchik, while doing day trips into Kabardino-Balkaria’s beautiful mountain valleys.

B.  Baksan Valley – This is the most traveled road in Kabardino-Balkaria, the road to Mt. Elbrus.  If you have questions about its safety because of travel warnings, please see our detailed blog here of the drive to erase any doubts or fears.  Needless to say, because of the draw of Mt. Elbrus, there are a huge variety of lodging options at the end of this valley, from 4-star to mid-range to budget to hostel.  Here are just a few we’ll recommend from our experience:

-Modern and comfortable 4-star-ish:  Azau Star , Kristall 139

-Budget with less frills 3-star-ish:   Laguna , Povorot

If you’re a mountain climber with your sites set on the summit of Elbrus, you’ll have to spend at least 3-4 nights at Elbrus’s famous base camp at 13,000 feet.  The “barrel huts” are not easy to book directly with, and we highly recommend you do your climb (and hence, have your bookings handled) through a trusted climbing company.  Here are two shelters at base camp we recommend:

-Modern and comfortable:  Leaprus

-Budget with less frills:  Heart of Elbrus Lodge

If you’re interested in climbing Mt. Elbrus and staying in these barrel huts, click  here  to see our climbing itineraries, pricing, and group dates.

C.  Chegem Valley – Chegem Valley is the adjacent valley to Elbrus’s Baksan Valley, and is famous for its beautiful waterfalls as well as being Russia’s top paragliding location.  The “ Paradrome ” has modest accommodations for those wanting to get to know this beautiful valley for a longer period of time.

D.  Upper Balkaria, or Cherek Valley – This is another beautiful mountain gorge not too far from Nalchik.  There is an authentic lodging complex in Upper Balkaria called Tau-El, with amazing local food for meals as well.

E.  Border Zone lodging – Several of Kabardino-Balkaria’s mountain gorges run into the border zone with neighboring country Georgia, i.e. an area that foreigners cannot enter without a special permit from the local government (often taking 2 months to receive).  There is a famous mountaineering lodge in Bezengi Valley, where several generations of Russian mountain climbers have honed their craft in the Caucasus Mountains.  Perpendicular to Baksan Valley (about 25 minutes from the base of Mt. Elbrus) is Adyr-Suu Valley, where there is a lodge for back-country skiers to stay, while trying their hands (and feet!) on the untouched snow of that valley.  Both these valleys require border permits for foreigners, but are possible to access for the more adventurous!

3.  Top cities to visit?

Most locals would agree that Nalchik is the main city of significance to visit in Kabardino-Balkaria, but let’s be honest, even more would say, “Just go to the mountains!”  Tirnauz is the capital of the Elbrus district, and is an interesting town to spend some time in, with its unique location in the mountains and place in Soviet history as a once-booming mining town.  The main thing to consider in visiting Nalchik and other cities in the lowlands, is the chance to experience Kabardian culture and food.  Whereas the deeper you go into the valleys, the more you’ll encounter Balkar culture and food.

4.  Best local foods to try?

There are 3 types of food that come to mind, when spending time in Kabardino-Balkaria:

A. Khychiny – This is one of the staple national dishes of the Balkar people, and what you’ll inevitably be served if guests of local Balkars.  It’s a thin buttery flat bread, sometimes cooked with fillings of cottage cheese, fresh greens, or potatoes.  It is often slathered in butter, but wow is that some tasty greasy goodness! 🙂

B.  Shashlik – Shashlik is a MUST for any visit anywhere in the North Caucasus!  Most people would agree that it’s the national food of the entire region.  Shashlik is meat shish kabobs; while pork and turkey can be found in some parts of the Caucasus, lamb or chicken are the preferred shashlik meats of choice in Kabardino-Balkaria. 

C.  Soup – No matter where you are in Russia, you’re sure to find a local soup that people love.  Kabardino-Balkaria is no different.  Especially in the winter months in the mountain valleys, there’s nothing better than to come inside from the cold weather and warm your body up to a bowl of hearty Caucasus soup.  Whether Georgian kharcho or local Balkar lakhman, make sure to try your hand at one of these soups with a side of fresh baked bread/lavash!

5.  Top Hole-In-The-Wall restaurants:

Of course, for a republic of this size, we’re bound to leave at least a few great local joints off our list, but here are a few to get you started. ***Note:  Restaurants in the North Caucasus are much better known for their food than their service, so prepare for tasty food, but manage your expectations about service:

-Elbrus – Kogutai Restaurant at Mt. Cheget – While this isn’t a hole-in-the-wall restaurant per se, it’s one of many to choose from in the Cheget tourist village, and we have found them to provide consistently good food and service.  Kogutai has a nice interior, and maybe most important, an English-language menu with good pictures. 🙂  There also is a nice outdoor patio with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains.

-Nalchik #1 – Tameris Restaurant – This is a cafe with a relaxed atmosphere in the capital Nalchik.  Local tour company Elbrus Elevation has taken foreign groups there on multiple occasions and always had good experiences.  Address is ul. Kuliyeva 3. 

-Nalchik #2 – Cafe-Bar Oasis – You have to know where this restaurant is to find it, but once inside, you won’t regret it!  There is a unique cafeteria-style ordering process, that includes several dishes being cooked on the spot once ordered.  You can sample local Kabardian dishes here.  The seating area is very modern and a pleasant atmosphere to have a meal in.  Address is ul. Kuliyeva 2. 

-Upper Balkaria – Tau-El Restaurant – This is the restaurant part of the Tau-El Tourist Complex in Upper Balkaria.  Whether spending the night or just passing through, make sure to stop here for a meal!

6.  Must-See Sites

This republic is so chock full of “must-see” destinations, it’s impossible to narrow the list down.  Here are just a few suggestions to get you started: (***Mt. Elbrus is a no-brainer and we’re assuming that’s on your list)

A. El-Tyubu and Paradrome – This is an amazing area towards the end of Chegem Valley.  Many tourists visit the famous Chegem Waterfalls and don’t drive any further down this gorge, which really is a shame.  El-Tyubu is a picturesque Balkar village with several historical sites to see, including some ancient mausoleums.  The real gem of the area, though, is the Paradrome , which is Russia’s premier paragliding destination.  The combination of the scenic surrounding mountains and constant winds produces almost daily conditions to sail through the beautiful Caucasus sky.  Highly recommend!

B.  Upper Balkaria – Also known as Cherek Valley, the entire drive to the actual village of Upper Balkaria is one big destination.  First, you can spend time at the 3 consecutive “ Blue Lakes ”, one of which is one of Russia’s deepest lakes with an underground spring.  Then, the drive itself becomes an adventure, as you pass by steep rock walls with a huge drop-off on the other side.  If you’re able to walk this part of the road, that is a bonus!  Once you’ve made your way through the valley walls, the region opens up into a beautiful panoramic view.  Many years ago, there were multiple villages in this region, but they’ve since been condensed into one main village.  You can see some of the ancient Balkar towers that their ancestors used to live in as well.

C.  Djili-Suu – Although hard to pronounce and not easy to get to, Djili-Suu is one of those places in the North Caucasus that people rave about that you “have to” visit.  It’s actually on the North side of Mt. Elbrus, and more accessible from the Mineral Waters region (2 hrs. from Kislovodsk).  The base camp for Elbrus climbers summiting the mountain from the North side is at Djili-Suu.  This area is famous in Russia for its numerous natural healing springs, as well as unique climate conditions that make for beneficial, long holidays for seeking a respite from their daily grind.  There are wide swaths of land available for camping, with probably the most unrivaled views of Mt. Elbrus in the North Caucasus.  Make sure to check this out!

7.  Off-the-beaten path destinations

A. King’s Waterfalls (Tsarskie), or Gedmisht – Probably the valley in Kabardino-Balkaria with the least amount of hype is the Malka Valley, which is the northernmost valley and mainly runs through the Kabardian lowlands.  At the point where the villages end, though (Khabas), the asphalt turns into dirt and the hills start to rise, culminating with the incredible King’s Waterfalls, or as one friend put it, Avatar Waterfalls.  These stunning waterfalls are best visited in the early summer, when everything is lush green and the water flow is strong, with many streams of water flowing down the earth’s surface.  The different colors are incredible and it’s hard to look away.  Once you’ve enjoyed the waterfalls, enjoy a meal of shashlik at one of the nearby lunch huts.  Having an off-road vehicle is ideal to visit these falls, but worth the time and effort!

B.  One-seater chair lift at Elbrus – As the infrastructure at Mt. Elbrus has modernized, some of the more “authentic” experiences have gone to the way-side.  This is one experience still available, though!  From the 2nd (11,000 ft.) to 3rd level (12,500 ft.) of Mt. Elbrus (whether skiing, going to base camp, or just touring), there is a single-seater chair lift for 100 rubles each way (less than $2).  This is an amazing experience if you have the time.  It’s 8-10 minutes each way, and a surreal experience of the majestic Caucasus mountain range surrounding you, skiers silently passing you by underneath, and in general enjoying the silent expanse of nature all around.  The chair lifts are from the Soviet times and so it feels like something from a different era.  For mountain climbers, the newer group cable car gives better access to most of base camp, but several huts are pretty close to this chair lift, so it still may be a good option for you.

C.  Abandoned Mines above Tirnauz – Tirnauz is about 1 hr. from Mt. Elbrus, and a town everyone drives through to and from the mountain.  Although today it looks old and half-abandoned, it was a booming mining town in the 20th century.  About a 45-minute drive above the city with an off-road vehicle, you can see the remains of the mining operations.  Learning about this history combined with the breath-taking views of the Baksan Valley and even into Georgia, you’ll wonder why more people aren’t visiting this place.  This is a great spot to see eagles soaring in the sky, as well as admire the Soviet city plan of Tirnauz from above.

8.  What do I need border zone passes to visit?

In Russia, any area within 5-10 km of a neighboring country, without a clearly delineated border (i.e. in the mountains) is considered a special border zone, and patrolled by Russian border guards.  This area IS accessible to all Russian citizens with their passports, but is NOT legally accessible to foreign citizens UNLESS you have a special permit from the FSB (Federal Security Bureau).  These permits are accessible, either through a tour operator or local friend, but require you to submit your application 45-60 days in advance.

Areas in Kabardino-Balkaria that are worth a visit if you have a border zone pass:

A.  Bezengi Wall – This is at the end of the Bezengi Valley, and holds a place of lore among Russian mountain climbers.  Many mountain guides go through training in this valley.  Five of the Caucasus Mountain’ range’s highest seven peaks are a part of the Bezengi Wall, so you can imagine the draw it has for climbers. There are great areas for trekking and camping in this area. 

B.  Adyr-Suu Gorge – This remote valley runs perpendicular to Baksan Valley and is about 25 minutes from the base of Mt. Elbrus.  It’s marked at the entrance by a relic of the past, a car lift from Soviet days that auto-cranks your car (and you) about 50 meters up the mountain.  After 45-60 minutes of driving on gravel road, the gorge opens up into a flat valley with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.  The Adyr-Suu Alpine Lodge is at the end of this valley and where back-country skiers base out of during the acclimatization phase of their Mt. Elbrus ski tours.  This is truly a place where you can experience untouched powder!

C.  Mt. Cheget (Elbrus) – Cheget is a neighboring mountain to Mt. Elbrus and where many climbers will acclimatize, both at its base and while doing some hikes.  It also is famous in Russia for its free-ride terrain for more experienced skiers.  Standard access to the chair lifts and mountain are available to all (i.e. mountain climbers don’t need to worry about accidentally crossing into the zone), but anyone wanting to summit the peak of Cheget OR visit the beautiful Cheget Lake needs a border permit. 

Foreigners violating the border zone areas is considered a serious offense in Russia; make sure to do your due diligence if wanting to visit one of these areas!  We highly recommend using a local tour operator and always traveling with a local person if visiting one of these areas.

9.  Any cultural “do’s” or “don’t’s” to be aware of

Kabardino-Balkaria is a fascinating republic with a combination of traditional and modern society.  The more you interact with local people, the more you’ll see a mixture of Muslim faith, post-Soviet mentality, and ancient local traditions all wrapped together.   

Kabardians mainly live in the lowlands (Nalchik, Baksan, and lowland villages), while Balkars primarily live in the mountain valleys (Elbrus, Chegem, Upper Balkaria, etc.).  There is a large population of Russians in the region as well.  Foreigners visit every area of the region regularly, and so local people are used to and will welcome your presence.

Come with an open mind to learn about these peoples, their traditions, and their land.  You won’t regret your trip to Kabardino-Balkaria!

***Want to learn more?  Here are several self-published resources from the podcast “ CaucasTalk ” related to Kabardino-Balkaria:

– Travel Tips to Kabardino-Balkaria (audio version of this blog)

– History of Mt. Elbrus (Part 1)

– History of Mt. Elbrus (Part 2)

– Interview with Local Elbrus guide

– Climbing Elbrus: Interview with American guide

– Who are the Kabardians? (Part 1)

– Who are the Kabardians? (Part 2)

– Skiing in the North Caucasus (Elbrus and more)

READY TO EXPERIENCE KABARDINO-BALKARIA FOR YOURSELF?

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• [email protected]
• 1578 Pine Creek Rd., Gastonia, NC 28056

Travel Information

• We no longer offer travel services to Russia. See Caucasus Quest Tours for new destinations
• Is it Safe to Travel to the Caucasus in 2024?
• Climbing Kazbek & Kilimanjaro: Comparing two 5,000+ meter peaks
• How to Train to climb Mt. Kazbek in Georgia

Our Elbrus Climbing Tours

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ALL Travel Services to Russia and Mt. Elbrus have been indefinitely suspended as of Feb. 2022.

Explore our new tour branch Caucasus Quest to climb Mt. Kazbek (5,054 meters) in Georgia or for immersive cultural touring experiences in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Visiting Russia - Nalchik, Capital of Kabardino-Balkaria

By Koryo Tours

Nalchik, capital of Kabardino-Balkaria

Visiting Russia – Nalchik

Yoshkar-ola | cheboksary  |  astrakhan | elista | stalingrad (volograd)  | abakan  |  nalchik  | validkavkaz  | makhachkala  |  grozny.

Nalchik is a small city of around 240,000 people and serves as the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, one of the lesser-known republics spread across the beautiful North Caucasus area of Russia, the mountain range that separates the former soviet states of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan from the Russian Federation.

This region has incredible diversity in ethnic groups and is a melting pot at the edge of empire. While there have been civilisations in the Caucasus for millennia Nalchik as a city is only a century old, having been a Russian fort since 1724. Today’s Nalchik is a mostly peaceful and relaxing place, being in the foothills of the mountains it has many areas of great beauty and multiple sanatoria for people looking to take the waters, over the last century it has certainly had its share of turbulence though, being occupied by Romanian troops fighting on the side of the Nazis, who embarked on an effort to exterminate the ancient community of Mountain Jews in the area (unsuccessfully), plus a 2005 Islamic militant attack on Russian security forces.

These days Nalchik is known as a clean city, a place for relaxing, and the starting point of expeditions to summit Mt. Elbrus, the tallest mountain in Europe, which lies within Kabardino-Balkaria.

Kabardians make up the largest ethnic group at just under 50% of the city’s population, followed by Russians, Balkars, other Caucasian nationalities as well as Ukrainians, Mountain Jews still live in the area but in very small numbers now, most having emigrated to Israel.

Arriving/Departing

Nalchik Airport (NAL) is a small one but is fully functional for getting in and out, usually the foreigners arriving here will be mountaineers heading for Elbrus.

The Airport is only 3km from the city centre so you could even walk into town from here, otherwise, there are taxis and marshrutkas waiting for arrivals. Flights arrive only from Moscow and St. Petersburg usually, the Caucasus has other larger airports for other international flights (such as those to Sochi). Nalchik has a railway station, dating from 1915, with links to Moscow and across the Caucasus. A good option for travelling around the region in a relaxing manner (usually slower than taking a marshrutka between cities though) For getting around inside Nalchik there are public buses all over the place, easy to use and very cheap. Otherwise most of the centre is very walkable, the main ‘high street’ is Lenin Avenue, which runs for several km through the centre of the city.

Concord Square

The centre of Nalchik and a good place to start a walking tour of the city, with the Kabardino-Balkaria parliament building on one side and Lenin stands at the other, fountains in the middle and Lenin Avenue cutting through the square

Religious Buildings

The central buildings of the main religions practised in Nalchik are both fine examples of their respective architectural styles; the Central Mosque and the Cathedral of Mary Magdalene are both worth visiting. Dress codes apply.

Not actually in Nalchik, but only 50km or so away so the city is the ideal base for starting an expedition. This is Europe’s highest mountain and a dormant volcano. There are cable car/chairlift options to get t the top for those who don’t wish to do it the hard way. It is possible to get up and down this mountain n a single day, making it certainly the simplest of the 7 continental highest peaks to climb.

Museum of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic

Great for explaining where you are and the history of the area. Mostly in Russian only though and does tend to assume some knowledge in advance. Still a good stop to get some intro into the complex history of this city and area in general.

Atazhukin Garden

A large park complex running for more than 2km along the eastern side of the city, alongside the Nalchik River. A very pleasant place with so much to see and do. The basic Nalchik Zoo is here, walking trails, restaurants and cafes, theatres, a very retro funfair, and a rickety but reliable cable car running up to a lovely viewpoint to see over the city and out to Mt. Elbrus.

Topped by a restaurant building built in the shape of a Kabardian warrior. An excellent few hours can be spent exploring this park and mingling with the locals of all ages who do their relaxing here.

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